Leadership Newspapers ,E-Paper, 7 /4 /2018 by Leadership Newspapers Nigeria

SATURDAY No. 635

N300

07.04.18

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

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WHO TASKS AFRICAN LEADERS ON UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE

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Secondus Goes To Court Over Looters List, Demands N1.5bn Damages BY CHIBUZO UKAIBE, Abuja

The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has made good his threat to sue the minister

of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for including his name on the list of those alleged to have looted public funds in the last administration. Prince Secondus, who filed

a defamation of character suit against the minister at a High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, also demanded N1.5 billion as damages. Secondus also listed the

federal government, through attorney general of the federation, as the second defendant in the suit. LEADERSHIP Weekend recalls that the information minister had mentioned

Secondus among those he claimed had looted the nation’s treasury, alleging that the PDP national chairman collected N200 million ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Lalong C’ttee Dumps APC Exco Tenure Extension 6

Calls for convention Monday NEC meeting will end party crisis – Oyegun

Also Inside

R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari; Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari; Katsina State APC chairman, Alhaji Shittu Shittu; Katsina State attorney general and commissioner for Justice, Ahmad El-Marzuq, and chief of staff to the state governor, Alhaji Bello, as the president arrived in Katsina enroute to Daura, yesterday.

15 Killed In Offa Robbery 4 Attack, Say Police

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Kano Will Sue PMB If He Refuses 62 To Recontest – Ganduje

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Time To Check The Zamfara Murderous Gangs

he recent killing of innocent citizens in Bawan Daji village of Anka council area of Zamfara State by armed bandits jolted many Nigerians, especially residents of the state. In an attack that defies logic because it was unprovoked, the armed men stormed the village and opened fire indiscriminately on the hapless residents, killing no fewer than 30 people and injuring scores. Attacks on communities in the state by bandits have become a recurring phenomenon just as incidences of cattle rustling have taken a turn for the worse. Disturbed by the attacks, residents of the Bawan Daji community who are predominantly farmers, met to discuss measures to be taken against the bandits ahead of the 2018 farming season. It was reported that the attacks occurred while the meeting was ongoing. Sadly, the bandits were said to have threatened that there would be no farming activities in the area this year’s farming season. Of course, the killings have been a source of concern to many, especially the Emir of Anka, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmed, who could not hold his emotion as he shed tears while receiving Governor Abdulaziz Yari who paid him a sympathy visit. We recall with sadness the fact that killings by armed men prompted the launch of an army exercise, Operation Harbin Kunama (Scorpion Sting). Although the situation subsided shortly after the deployment of troops, recent happenings indicate that the area is gradually returning to the sad old days of killings and maimings. In our opinion, threatening to stop residents of a predominantly farming community from tilling their land at a time the government is using agriculture as the pivot of its diversification programme is synonymous to telling Nigerians to starve to death.

It is lamentable, in our view, that in an environment where residents are supposedly living in peace, some renegades will have the temerity to threaten a whole community and bar from engaging in their legitimate ventures. The truth is that the horrific incidences of bandits’ attacks have continued unabated in the area due to inadequate security. It calls to question what

the police and other security services are doing to stem the tide. They are supposed to take proactive measures to combat the activities of these bandits. The Zamfara killings, like all other such acts in different parts of the country, call to mind the urgent need for security operatives to intensify surveillance efforts. And like the Emir of Anka rightly stated, it is difficult to

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GROUP LTD CHAIRMAN Sam Nda-Isaiah GMD, LEADERSHIP GROUP Abdul Gombe GMD, LEADERSHIP HOLDINGS David Chinda GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Felicia Ogbonlaiye Geoffrey Essien HR DIRECTOR Solomon Nda-Isaiah CHIEF PROCUREMENT & ASSETS OFFICER Mrs Zipporah Tanko DIRECTOR, HAUSA PUBLICATIONS Mubarak Umar GENERAL MANAGERS Ibrahim Halilu Femi Adekunle Ebriku John

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital. We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed. We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being:

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exonerate the security operatives from these killings, which are being carried out in ways that compel one to wonder if the country is at war. Even more worrisome is the fact that politicians from the state appear to have turned the unwholesome scenario to an opportunity to play their game. More than anything else, we urge them to synergise so as to help provide all the needed support and cooperation to the security operatives with a view to ensuring a frontal onslaught on these bandits who are making life miserable for hapless citizens. Good enough, the state governor, in his capacity as the chief security officer, has issued a shoot-at-sight order on anyone caught carrying a gun. This order, coming at a time the police are embarking on mop-up of illegal arms, if effectively complied with, will no doubt contribute to ending these senseless killings, not just in Zamfara State but in all other parts of the country where such heinous acts are going on. But even as we look up to security operatives to address the situation and ultimately make it possible for residents of Bawan Daji community and, indeed, other communities that have been subjected to attacks by these bandits to live in peace, it is imperative to stress the need for the locals to support security operatives with vital information. We commend the decision by the Nigerian Air force to deploy Special Forces to the state to help end the killings. The Special Forces must be further deployed to remote areas of the state where they would be engaged in internal security operations. Beyond the deployment, relevant stakeholders, including the police, must launch an investigation with a view to arresting the perpetrators of these killings who should be made to face the full wrath of the law.

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Borno Begins Rehabilitation Of Federal Roads

Borno State Government yesterday began the construction of 34km Damboa- Chibok- Mbalala federal road which was uncompleted by previous the administrations in southern parts of the state. The government also embarked on massive reconstruction and rehabilitation of the rundown BiuAzare - Shaffa- Garkida federal highway linking Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa state which was constructed more than 40 years ago. Governor Kashim Shettima who was represented by his Deputy, Usman Durkwa at the Flag-Off Ceremony of the roads construction said, government through Borno Road Maintenance Agency (BORMA) using direct labour decided to repair the roads considering the deplorable condition. He noted that the relative peace and reopening of major roads by the Borno state government in conjunction with the Nigeran Militry is to enable free relocation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their liberated communities before May 29th this year. “The State Government will also begin the dualization of 185km Maiduguri- Damboa - Biu roads which cut across Sambisa Forests and the reconstruction of failed portions of about 30km Yimirshika- SakwaMarama- Kidang Rural Feeder roads to enable farmers convey their farm produce and do businesses at ease for economic development,” he said. Speaking at the occasion, Chairman BORMA, Engineer Ahmed Satomi assured the people of Southern Borno Senatorial District that with support the agency is getting from the state government, all deplorable roads which links all parts of the state will be rehabilitated and completed within time framework using the scarce resources at its disposal. “ Although the state government is faced with a lot of economic challenges, particularly in the aspect of managing the Boko Haram crisis, BORMA is optimistic to ensure zero tolerance to potholes, considering availability of construction equipments and the workforce at its disposal,” Satomi said. In his remark on behalf of the benefitting communities, Member Borno State House of Assembly, Representing Hawul Constituency, Hon. Ayuba Wakawa thanked Governor Shettima for coming to the plight of the citizenry, adding that the ongoing reconstruction work on the abondaned Biu- Yimirshika- Shaffa and DamboaChibok federal roads among others will open more economic transformation to the people of the area. By Francis Okoye, Maiduguri.

L-R Chairman Technical Committee and Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Simon Lalong; APC National Chairman, Chief John OdigieOyegun and the National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso during the committee’s report presentation. In Abuja yesterday

Nigeria, Niger Commence Joint Border Security To Curb Terroism BY CHRISTIANA NWAOGU, ABUJA

In order to check the security challenge posed by Boko Haram/ Herders, Nigeria and the Republic of Niger have agreed to immediate take off of the joint border patrols along the border between the two countries to stem the tide of migration. The understanding to enhance border security in line with ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons was reached Friday, during a high level meeting between the Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede and the visiting Nigerien Minister of Interior, Mr. Soly Amaodou, in Abuja. The two top officials expressed worries over the danger of terrorism in

the region and emphasised the need to jointly tackle the security challenge in the sub region which is a big threat to peace and stability in the West African sub-region The agreement which was contained in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, (DCI), Sunday James explained that when operational, it would allow border security agents of both countries to work jointly at common border points flanks as well as help to mitigate irregular migration. The statement also revealed that the understanding will also “allow for joint deployment of Border officials of both countries to specific irregular Routes/ Points in both countries to ensure that

irregular migrants are discouraged from embarking on hazardous journeys through the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea” Its reads partly, “this understanding will create a platform for sensitisation of citizens of both countries on the need for them to always posses valid travel documents and avoid the use of irregular routes when crossing national frontiers in line with ECOWAS Protocol. The statement further disclosed that “the partnership is part of efforts by the two two neighbouring countries to combat the increasing cases of irregular migration of youths of both countries which unfortunately has led to the death of many along the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean corridors.

15 Killed In Offa Robbery Attack, Say Police BY ABDULLAHI OLESIN, ILORIN

The Kwara State police command yesterday confirmed that nine policemen were killed by armed robbers who attacked five banks in Offa on Thursday. The spokesman of the state police command, Ajayi Okasanmi (DSP) added seven civilians were also killed by the men of the underworld. V However, unconfirmed reports indicated that the casualty figure had risen to 23. There were also reports that the robbers, in their bid to escape from Kwara also killed two mobile policemen in Okuku, Osun state while they also reportedly abandoned three of their operational vehicles on the road.

Angry residents and stakeholders are clamouring for a review of the security architecture for banks in Kwara state. More details of the gruesome attacks were beginning to unfold yesterday. One of the victims of the incident, it was gathered, was a pregnant business woman, identified as Omilola Korede. She was said to have gone to lodge a complaint over a transaction in one of the banks. She also reportedly went with her son and when the robbers came, they sprayed the two of them with bullets. She died with the pregnancy. Three other women who lost their lives to the attack have also been identified as Bunmi Mesan, Iya Muji and another one popularly called

Mama the Big Club. A survivor of the attack, who said he hid somewhere inside one of the banks during the attack, was still in shock when he briefly shared his ordeal with newsmen. He said: “My brother, it is not something to recall or witness. I don’t even pray it for my enemies. It was a terrible moment with death looking at us; I still can’t talk much about it”. The Olofa of Offa, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi said the destruction was too enormous that he could not say anything yet. Offa community itself was in sober mood yesterday as it was learnt that a colloquium on the community, earlier scheduled for today (Saturday) had to be put off till April 14th, following the incident.

HIV/AIDs: A/Ibom Citizens Warned Against Unprotected Sex BY BERNARD TOLANI DADA, Uyo

Citizens of Akwa Ibom have again been reminded on the need to shun sexual promiscuity while adhering to regular test and counseling in order to stem the tide of HIV/AIDs pandemic in the state. The state project manager of the agency for the Control of Aids -AKSACA, Dr. Nkereuwem Etok, who gave the warning while speaking with newsmen in Uyo, called for concerted effort in fighting the scourge of the disease. He explained that although the

state has achieved great heights with the support of government and donor agencies, a lot of help was still needed from private individuals to address the challenges posed by the existence of HIV/AIDs. The agency according to him has continued to work to reduce mortality arising from the deadly disease, reduce number of new cases, while also ensuring infected mothers deliver without the babies contracting the deadly disease. Etok further stated that the state government has made HIV test,

counseling and administering of antiretroviral drugs to infected persons to be free, while advising that people should rather ensure prevention by remaining faithful in their relationships. He said that knowing one’s HIV status was necessary because of the present high prevalence rate of HIV infection among young persons aged between 15 and 24. “It is important to reduce this worrying trend among Nigerian youths by encouraging faithful relationships; for those who cannot abstain from sex,

the use of barrier protection such as condoms are advised. “Condoms prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), HIV and unwanted pregnancies. “The practice of having multiple sexual partners increases HIV vulnerability among the youth population alongside the very low HIV testing rates. “It is worthwhile to know that only 17 per cent of young people know their HIV status; as such this is alarming enough to make them avoid risky behaviors’’ he stated.

PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

Herdsmen Agree To Biometric Registration Of Members In Edo

Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the state government will continue to intensify efforts to stem clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state to ensure harmonious relationship among different groups in the state. Obaseki disclosed this during a parley with the national leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and heads of security agencies in the state, at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State capital. He said though there might be challenges with identifying some herdsmen due to their itinerary nature, the state government was working to ensure that such issues are cleared to ensure smooth relations among the herdsmen and farming communities across the state. He said the meeting was organised as part of the measures to engage stakeholders and exchange ideas to ensure peace, noting, “As a member of the committee of the National Economic Council led by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, to deal with the issue, I know how sensitive the issue is and how it has led to the loss of lives and property in many states across the country.” He said the state is fortunate to have recorded fewer incidents as efforts have been intensified to manage the situation. He said this was done by setting up the security committee in the 18 local government councils, noting “The committee was made up of council chairmen, two leaders of the Hausa/Fulani community, Directorate of State Security, Divisional Police officers and two native farmers. They will continue to meet monthly and report any incident in their areas to the committee at the state level.” Obaseki explained that in addition to the structures in place to address the situation, the state has resolved challenges by identifying herders and organising sensitisation programmes for them. He added, “With the structures in place, sensitisation programmes will be organised for the Hausa/Fulani herdsmen, farmers and other relevant stakeholders in different communities across the state. Through these, we hope to reduce the incidents of clashes between herders and farmers.” He maintained that the ban on night-grazing still stands, and approved a 40-day window request by the group to allow strangers in their midst to register with the state government. By Patrick Ochoga, Benin

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Lalong C’ttee Dumps APC Exco Tenure Extension BY ANDREW ESSIEN, Abuja

The fate of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) may have been sealed following a recommendation by the committee recently set up by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to advise it on the logjam caused by the extension granted to its leadership both at the state and national levels. LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that as a prerequisite to addressing the root cause of the issues raised by stakeholders, the committee recommended that there should be congresses and national convention instead of tenure elongation. The ruling party has been embroiled in internal strife after President Muhammadu Buhari astounded the leadership of the party when he announced at the last NEC meeting that the party should hold elective state congresses and national convention to give fresh mandates to party executives at various levels. The president premised his position on the need to adhere to the constitution of the party and that of the country, and to also avoid legal tussle. It would be recalled that the tenure of the current NEC of the party, led by Chief Oyegun, expires this year, but party chieftains had given both the national and state executives of the party a one year extension on the premise that there was not enough time to organise a national convention, and that the fallout could unsettle the ruling party ahead of the general election next year. Submitting the committee’s report to

Lalong

Oyegun

the APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday, at the party’s secretariat, chairman of the committee and governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, stressed that if the report of his committee was followed to the letter, the storm generated as a result of the extension would be addressed. LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that Governor Lalong, who was at the presidential villa, Abuja, ostensibly to see President Muhammdu Buhari, tactically avoided journalists who were waiting to interview him as he was said to have taken an alternate route out of the Villa. A competent source who craved anonymity revealed that despite the stories in circulation, Chief Oyegun

may not be seeking a second term of four years when his tenure expires in June this year. “The chairman may not seek a second term but it is important that he finishes his statutory tenure. The reason why some people are against this convention may be is because they have little or no money to fund their ambitions,” the source said. It was reliably gathered that Governor Lalong and his counterparts - Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) had held a secret meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa on Wednesday ostensibly to discuss the tenure extension issue. However, making his presentation

yesterday, Governor Lalong said: “The task appeared not easy when it was given to us but with God on our side and the very wide consultations we made, this report has solved most of the problems that we were thinking was within the APC. So, that is to tell you that there is democracy in the APC. “We looked at the meeting of February 27; we looked also at the passion and the commitment of Mr President towards keeping the party one and also cohesive, and so at the end of the day, we made far reaching recommendations. “We noticed that there were different interests, which is quite usual when you have a party like this that is progressive, and those interest were genuine, but at the end of the day, we were able to marry those interests so that the party can move forward. So, in this report, you will see a lot of it. “The report also contains recommendations on certain issues that we think the party should do immediately. And one of them you have already started. (It is) that if these recommendations are going to be useful, within the shortest time, the party must summon a NEC meeting. Already we have received notices of NEC meeting for Monday, which is also in line with our recommendations, and we want to assure you that at the end of the day, APC is coming back to life.” In his response, the APC national chairman Chief Oyegun, thanked the committee and expressed his belief that the recommendations of the report “will lay to rest the ghost that has been hovering over the leadership of APC.”

World Health Day: WHO Tasks African Leaders On Universal Health Coverage BY PATIENCE IVIE IHEJIRIKA, Abuja

As the world commemorates the World Health Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stressed that effective leadership and highlevel political commitment are critical to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) WHO’s regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, stated this at a World Health Day briefing by the organisation in Abuja yesterday. He said even though access to treatment and essential services had improved in the African region over the years, much more need to be done to curb the increase in noncommunicable diseases, address new threats such as SARS, H5N1 and tackle epidemics like Ebola and cholera.

Moeti said there was also a need to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance and substandard and falsified medicines. According to him, countries must therefore strive to improve health governance and information systems to ensure better regulation, planning and accountability to their communities and partners. Underscoring the theme of this year’s event, which is UHC, Moeti said adequate and sustained investment in health is necessary for ensuring equitable access to health services. “Over the past 70 years, there have been major advances in health and health technology, including lifesaving medicines for diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, hypertension and diabetes. “In the African Region, health

outcomes have been improved through strategies such as distributing insecticide-treated nets to prevent malaria, and vaccinating against the human papillomavirus which causes cervical cancer. “Access to treatment and essential services has improved. For the first time, more than half of all people living with HIV in Africa (14 million) have access to life-saving HIV treatment. Between 2010 and 2016, new cases of malaria dropped by 20% and there were 37% fewer deaths due to malaria. “Moreover, in 2016, the risk of developing pneumonia and meningitis reduced for nearly two thirds of children on the continent because they were vaccinated, compared to only 3% in 2010. In 2012, Africa accounted for over 50% of polio cases globally. The good news is that since August 2016,

Offa Attack: Perpetrators Will Be Brought To Justice, Says Saraki BY SOLOMON AYADO, Abuja

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described Thursday’s coordinated bank robberies and attack on Offa town in Kwara State as a despicable act committed by cruel individuals. In a post on his Facebook page, Saraki stated that he and the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, would work hard to ensure that

those that carried out the attack and robberies are caught and prosecuted. He said: “Yesterday’s savage attack on unsuspecting citizens and establishments in Offa Local Government Area that led to significant loss of lives and injuries is a despicable act committed by cruel individuals. “Make no mistake, there will never be any valid grounds or rationale behind

such violence that has left many families without their loved ones and one more community in grief and shock. “Last night, I spoke to Governor Ahmed and we both agree that no stone will be left unturned until the perpetrators of this heinous act are caught and brought to justice. It is also important that we all work together to ensure that this does not reoccur. We all must

co-operate at various levels to increase the security of our communities.” The Senate president prayed for repose of the souls of those that were killed. “My prayers and support will continue to be extended to all the affected families, and we will remain relentless until everyone who planned or carried out this attack faces the full wrath of the law,” Saraki said.

the Region has not reported a case of wild poliovirus,” he said. He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting member states to achieve UHC, saying, “we have developed a framework of actions to assist countries in selecting their own path towards achieving both UHC and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.

LOW GI FOR BETTER SLEEP You may have heard about the health benefits a low-GI diet can have for youmore steady energy levels, less bloating, no sugar cravings – but eating a low-GI diet can also be beneficial for your sleep quality. GI stands for Glycaemic index – the ranking of carbohydrate – containing foods based on their overall effect on blood glucose levels. When we eat foods with a high GI, such as white bread, pastries and sweets, our blood sugar spikes and then drops rapidly, leaving us tired, irritable and hungry. This can continue on into the night, so if you have finished the evening off with sweetened tea and biscuits, you can wake in the night with feelings of hunger. Eating low-GI foods helps ensure your body is fuelled throughout the night, meaning you don’t get the midnight snack-attack and have steadier sleep. – Culled from “50 Tips To Help You Sleep Well”

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Omisore Must Apologise For Burning Flag – PDP BY JOSHUA DADA, Osogbo

Leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun Sate have demanded an apology from Senator Iyiola Omisore for his reported supervision of the burning of the party’s flag at a factional office of the party in Osogbo, Osun State. The Osun PDP leaders, under the aegis of Forum of Ex-PDP Political Office Holders, said they were shocked, saddened and disappointed at the

development. The spokesperson of the forum, Barr. Tajudeen Adeyemi, told newsmen in Osogbo that Omisore must within the next 72 hours condemn the barbaric action of his supporters. He said: “It is a fact that his action was the peak of the senator’s self-determined war against the PDP, the party of which he has been a major beneficiary. “In the light of the above stated facts, therefore, the forum of Ex-PDP Political Office

Holders in Osun State thereby make the following demands: that Otunba Omisore must unequivocally state his stance on his continued membership of the party or otherwise, in view of the conflicting statements emanating from his aides and confidants in the last 24 hours. “That in the event of Otunba Omisore choosing to remain in the PDP, he must within the same 72 hours withdraw all court cases instituted by him through proxies and explore

the internal mechanism in the party to resolve any grievances he has. “That in the event of a failure of Otunba Omisore to do the above, we will call the leadership of the party at all levels to take appropriate disciplinary action against him in order to show that no single individuals’ inordinate ambition is above the larger interests of the party,” the statement read. The Forum apologised to the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus

and other party members “for the disgraceful conduct of a misguided few who desecrated the symbols of our great party yesterday”. It further stated that the conduct of those few elements does not represent the views and aspirations of the hundreds of thousands of genuine PDP members in Osun State who are working hard to ensure that the party records outstanding victory in the September 22 governorship election in the state.

Secondus Goes To Court Over Looters List, Demands N1.5bn Damages FROM COVER

from the embattled former national security adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), who is facing trial over the reported misappropriation of $2.1billion meant for arms purchase to fight the Boko Haram insurgency during ghe Dr Goodluck Jonathan administration. But faulting the claim, Secondus, who said he did not collect a kobo from the former NSA, had written to the minister through his lawyer,

Emeka Etiaba, SAN, asking for an immediate removal of his name from the list, payment of N1.5 billion damages and a public apology within 48 hours. The letter had warned Lai Mohammed that if he failed to meet the demands within two days, he would be charged to court of competent jurisdiction “to ventilate our client’s right under the law and shall further seek the protection of the court against you”. According to a statement

by Secondus’ media aide, Ike Abonyi, the suit was filed at the High Court in Port Harcourt yesterday. The statement reads in part, “Having failed to meet the demand, Secondus on Friday April 6, 2018, made good his threat and filed a suit at the Port Harcourt, High Court, Rivers State, claiming, among other things, that the court award to him the sum of N1.5billion being damages for humiliation, castigation, vilification, attack on his person and integrity as a result

of the publication. “Secondus, in the suit no. PHC/1013/2018, is also claiming that Lai Mohammed’s publication is defamatory and is asking the court to direct him to retract the said publication and apologise in writing.” The PPD also wants the court to compel the information minister to “publish the retraction and apology in all the social media, including but not limited to the following newspapers: the Nation, Thisday, The Sun, Guardian and Punch as well

as in the following television channels, NTA and Channels Television, among others where the defamatory story was published. “Secondus is also asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from further publishing defamatory materials against him.” Joined in the suit are the federal government, through the attorney general of the federation, and Vintage Press Ltd, publishers of the Nation Newspapers.

NNPC Signs Contract Agreements On Trans-Nigerian Gas Pipeline BY FESTUS OKOROMADU, Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said yesterday that it had executed contracts for the engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and financing for Lots 1 & 3 of the 40-inch x 614km AjaokutaKaduna-Kano gas pipeline and stations with a consortium of indigenous and Chinese companies under a 100 per cent contractor financing model. In a statement issued by the corporation, NNPC group managing director, Dr Maikanti Baru, noted that the AKK Gas pipeline is a section of Trans-Nigerian Gas Pipeline under the gas infrastructure blueprint designed to enable the industrialisation of the Eastern and Northern parts of Nigeria. According to him, the project will also enable connectivity between the East, West and North, which is currently nonexistent. The statement signed by NNPC’s spokesman, Ndu Ughamadu, further said under the terms of contract, Lot 1, with total length of 40inch x 200km, stretching from Ajaokuta to Abuja Terminal Gas Station, was awarded to the OilServe/Oando Consortium. Lot 3, which runs from Kaduna Terminal Gas Station (TGS) to Kano TGS, with total length of 40inch x 221km, was awarded to the Brentex/China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPP) Consortium. It is envisaged that contract

agreement for Lot 3, which covers 40inch x 193km, stretching from Abuja to Kaduna, will be executed in the weeks ahead. Baru explained that the AKK section has suffered setbacks due to scarce resources for government to fully finance the project, hence the adoption of the contractor financing model. “The two other pipelines, the OB3 & ELPs 2 in the Gas Master Plan blue print, are currently at

various stages of completion and are being financed directly by the Federal Government,’’ he said. In his remarks, on behalf of the Oilserve/Oando Consortium, Engr Emeka Okwuosa, chairman of Oilserve Limited, expressed gratitude to the federal government and the NNPC for providing the opportunities for indigenous companies to flourish in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.

He said the decision to award Lot 1 of the AKK project to an indigenous consortium speaks volume of government’s resolve to grow and encourage the attainment of the ideals of local content philosophy. Engr Abubakar Nuhu, vicechairman of Brentex Nigeria Limited, said the Brentex-CPP Consortium would rely mainly on the acclaimed pedigree and global expertise of CPP in pipeline construction to deliver

a world-class project. The process for the award of the AKK project, had commenced in July 2013 with the advertisement for tenders published by the NNPC in major national newspapers. After a painstaking technical and commercial evaluation process, the Federal Executive Council at its 46th meeting on 13th December 2017 approved the contract valued at over $2.8 billion.

L-R: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyema; vice president Yemi Osinbajo, and minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, during the launch of the Nigerian Economic Diplomacy Initiative (NEDI), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

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Saturday, April 7, 2018

6 Die In Delta Motor Accident

BY NOSA ERESOYEN, ASABA

No fewer than six persons were, on Thursday night, around ObuluOkiti community, along Benin-Asaba Expressway killed, while 12 others escaped death by whiskers with degrees of injuries after colliding with a popular trailer (name withheld) carrying cement to the eastern part. It was gathered that the 18-seater bus was coming from Benin City when the trailer driver, believed to

be reckless, veered out of his way to crash into the bus. An eyewitness said the 18-seater bus driver, identified as Monday (surname withheld), attempted to escape the dangers allegedly posed by the trailer driver but to no avail. Investigation revealed that the six dead victims were burnt beyond redemption, while the injured 12 victims are currently at the Federal Medical Hospital (FMC), Asaba where they are currently being treated.

A victim among the 12 others, Gabriel Oghenevo, told our reporter that the trailer driver veered out of his way to crash into the 18-seater bus, adding the accident occurred around 8.30pm at the gate of Ubuluokiti community. He said, “I don’t know how I survived, others are still lying down at the FMC hospital, six others were roasted, God is merciful to me, I can’t stop thanking him.” It was further gathered that over

13 persons had been killed within Ubulu-Okiti community along the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway in a motor accident. At the FMC, Asaba, survivors of the accident were seen in critical condition as some doctors who did not want their names in print, said many of them may die as a result of their head injuries. Relations/friends who besieged the hospital, were seen crying profusely, calling for more helps for the victims. But the Federal Road

Safety Corps Commander in the State, Mr Random Kulvin said the 18-seater Bus, with registration number, AA216XX, unfortunately ran into the trailer driver who, uncontrollably, had a failed break, adding that the dead victims had been deposited at the FMC, Asaba Mortuary. While calling on road users to always exercise caution, the FRSC Commander assured of continued safety on the BeninAsaba-Onitsha Expressway.

Amaechi To APC: Prepare To Remove PDP From Power In Rivers Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, to start mobilising ahead of the 2019 general election so as to chase the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of Government House with their votes. This is as he advised the people of Opobo Kingdom to blame their traditional rulers and chiefs if they fail to produce the next governor of the state come 2019. Amaechi spoke yesterday at Opobo Town, headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro local government area of Rivers State, during a reception organised for him and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, by the local chapter of APC. He said, “Let me tell you honestly, you must start mobilising. You have not shown enough anger. You must show enough anger to chase these idiots out of power. Enough anger that if anybody wants you, you can chase them out of Opobo.” The minister said that unlike traditional rulers and chiefs of Opobo Kingdom, the Ikwerre ethnic nationality worked together to ensure that they produced governor of the state in 2007. Amaechi, who is former Rivers State governor, said, “Now, let me tell you this; when Ikwerre people wanted to be governor, they came together and said they wanted governorship of Rivers State. Not one of our chiefs escaped, not one of our leaders escaped. “If you don’t get governorship of Rivers State, blame your chiefs. They have run away. Ikwerre people were united; whether you are from Emohua or Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt or Ikwerre. “We believed that our cause was to get the governorship of Rivers State. Today, they have run away, haven’t they? When we start (campaign), we will compare my first tenure with Wike’s first tenure. We have not started. I am here to appreciate Opobo people.” In his speech, director-general of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, said the people of Opobo/Nkoro local government area were grateful to Amaechi for bringing infrastructural development to the area during his tenure as governor of the state. Peterside said, “The people of Opobo/Nkoro are here today to honour someone who has done so much for us. For a very long time, Amaechi has taken up the challenge for the development of Opobo/Nkoro local government area. By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, with the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk, praying for the repose of the soul of late Senator Mustapha Bukar, during a condolence visit to Daura, Katsina State, on Thursday.

Human Trafficking: Obaseki, EU Strengthen Ties Stem Menace Group Wants BY PATRICK OCHOGA, BENIN require is support, not necessarily provide reliable data and projects Better Pay For cash, but skills development in the areas of agriculture, logistics Governor of Edo State, Mr programmes so that our youths can and vocational training to create Godwin Obaseki, has said the state gain practical knowledge and skills to employment for unemployed youths. Medical Doctors government is working to reach a common ground with the European Union (EU) on strategies to halt human trafficking, illegal migration and modern day slavery. Obaseki disclosed this when he received a delegation from the EU Parliament at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State capital. He explained the need for the EU to develop skills development programmes for victims of human trafficking and other youths in the state, noting, “This will enable the victims and others acquire skills, which will offer them hope. What we

lead better lives.” Obaseki said the state government has several initiatives in place to tackle human trafficking and illegal migration but requires additional support to sustain the initiatives. “Just imagine, if we need to give technical or vocational training to between 3,000 and 5,000 young men and women, where are the teachers, where are the facilities? As much as we are not discouraged, we need support to provide these structures,” he averred. According to him, “The state government is making efforts to

“The Benin Technical College is a work in progress and we anticipate that it would be near completion before the end of the year. “The workshops and laboratories have to be furnished; we have to recruit teachers, who have to be sent abroad for training. These are some of the areas the EU could provide technical support to assist the government and provide support for skills acquisition for young people.” He also urged the EU to develop a mechanism to gather intelligence for tracking and prosecuting traffickers in Europe.

Mop-Up: Police Recover 84 Arms, Ammunition In Kaduna The Police, in Kaduna State on Friday, said it had recovered 84 arms and 120 live ammunition in the state. The commissioner of police in the state, Mr Austin Iwar, stated this at a media briefing in Kaduna. Iwar said that the recovered arms comprised 20 AK-47 rifles, 42 Dane guns, 15 pump action guns, four locally made pistols and three revolver guns. Also recovered, according to him, are three Boxer motorcycles, three military boats, two berates, two bows and arrows, 40 “weaponised’’ clubs and 30 cutlasses and charms. Iwar attributed the successes

recorded by the command within a few weeks, to the diligence of officers and men of the command. He said that the operation that led to the recovery of the arms was in response to the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris’ directive, adding that Kaduna State Government Disarmament Programme supported the command. According to him, following the directive that all Police commands should immediately commence mopup of all prohibited and unauthorised firearms to solve the problem of proliferation of firearms in the country, the command swung into

action. Iwar, however, said that recovery of firearms in the state had been gradual as it involved extensive negotiations, adding that the effort was yielding result. He said that the command had always collaborated with community leaders on crime prevention in the state, adding that the relationship helped in developing the renunciation of violence and crime and retrieval of firearms programme. “This process led to renunciation by a total of 760 criminals, bandits in Anchau Local Government Area in the state.’’ NAN

The National Association of Residence Doctors (NARD) has advocated better equipment in the hospitals and enhanced welfare for medical doctors to curtail the menace of brain drain in the country. NARD President, Dr Ugochukwu Chinaka, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday. Chinaka described the pay package of doctors in Nigeria as poor and stressed the need to reverse the trend. He advised the Federal Government to ensure that all teaching hospitals were provided with the right facilities. “We have been asking government to reform our health care system to improve the quality. “Government should provide our hospitals with modern and quality equipment,” he said. NARD President noted that many doctors who left the country to take up foreign appointment did so due to inadequate facilities among other factors. “Not less than 10 per cent of doctors produced in the country, over the last 10 years, have migrated to other countries in the quest for greener pastures. “Honestly, finding a lasting solution to this problem in the health system is necessary. “We need to take our health sector to where it should be.’’

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Miss Ethiopia Becomes Miss Africa

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Miss Ethiopia Becomes Miss Africa …To Support Empowerment of Girl Child BY SAMUEL ABULUDE, Lagos

Against all odds, tall and gorgeous Miss Ethiopia won the maiden Africa Beauty Pageant defeating Miss Mali, Miss Ghana and Miss Somalia in the Top 5 finalist contest. The beauty queens are drawn from Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cape Verde, Burundi, Cameroun, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Somalia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Gambia and Mali. These 15 contestants are the finalists who emerged from the original 54, representing each of the African countries. Alas, Miss Nigeria did not even make it to the top 5. The soft spoken queen, Zika (her abbreviated name), stated that she was overwhelmed on hearing her name at the event held at the Grand Ball Room of Oriental Hotel last Friday, March 30. She noted that her greatest rivals were Miss Ghana and Miss Somalia. Speaking at media parley midweek, “Winning this crown has been the most defining moment for me. Winning the Africa Beauty Pageant is my greatest achievement coming from Ethiopia, a country not so known for pageants. It is not about me, it was about my country. I really enjoyed every moment of the two weeks we stayed in Nigeria including the jollof rice. Africa Beauty Pageant is not just about beauty but brains, intelligence as we were groomed on different things,” said the queen. She added that she would use the platform to voice out the plight of the girl child and speak against child abuse and violence against women. According to the organisers, the winner takes home a brand new Kia Sportage, Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), a fully furnished apartment

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DJ Neptune Thrills Fans At Elegushi Beach BY ANTHONY ADA ABRAHAM

in Nigeria, because Nigeria is the operating base for this year’s event and cash prize of $5,000. Creative Director of the pageant, Mr. Chike Mordi, noted that the pageant was themed ‘Beauty, Peace and Unity’. He added, “This is an event being organized by Miss Africa Beauty Queen Spa and Lounge bringing together African

beauty queens together to fight for one crown to foster peace, love and unity in our continent. Africa, a continent with about 54 countries has so much diversity in culture, traditions and beliefs, we see pageantry as one of the means of fostering friendship among people of Africa, bringing youths together.” The 15 contestants who went through the two-week

boot camp scaled through the elimination process, originally involving 54 contestants representing each African country. Other prizes for the contestants include $3,000 for the 1st runner up while the 2ndrunner up gets $2,000. The winner, Zika, from Ethiopia is the first child from a family of four and says she loves to dance.

Social Life Picks As Skales, Others Light Up Bayelsa BY OSA OKHOMINA, YENAGOA

Raoul John aka Skales, a Nigerian rapper, singer, and songwriter, on Easter day lighted up Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital to mark the Restoration Easter Festival. The event, put together by the Bayelsa State Government, and tagged .“The Restoral Easter Fest” was a music, comedy and dance show to celebrate the season and foster unity among the people. The event was also used to support budding talents in the state’s entertainment industry took place at the Gabriel Okara cultural centre in Yenagoa with thousands of people in attendance. The excited crowd praised the governor for bringing back

social life to the state as they sang, danced and laughed to the rib cracking jokes by comedians, entertainers and musicians including a sensational hip hop stars from Lagos and Port-Harcourt. According to them, the event was historic and the security efforts of the restoration government have truly paid off as there was no incident of violence throughout the period of the event which lasted for over eight hours. In his speech, the commissioner for information, Daniel Iworiso Markson, who represented Governor Seriake Dickson, told the crowd that the present administration would continue to project the youths in the state as the leaders of tomorrow.

Music fans and indeed all lovers of real fun and entertainment are in for a time of a life-time this Easter as Nigerian born worldclass turntablist, DJ Neptune has concluded plans to spoil them silly. The superstar Disc Jockey in partnership with world class event company, Gray Tiger Entertainment are set for a one-intown concert titled, “Turn Up With DJ Neptune”. According to DJ Neptune and Gray Tiger Entertainment which have been part of organising several top events in the past including Nigerian Music Video Awards(NMVA), the event is a beach rave controlled by just one DJ throughout. The event will witness performances from several artistes, both popular and upcoming ones and it will include electrifying dance performances, and giveaways. The show will be anchored by Dotun of Cool FM.

Queen Bukola Ojo Donates Relief Materials Bakassi IDPs BY ANTHONY ADA ABRAHAM

It was a day of joy and happiness at the Internally-Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp of Bakassi when Queen Bukola Ojo, Face of Independence Nigeria, on Saturday visited returnees in Cross Rivers State with gifts. The beauty queen, who was accompanied by the founder of the pageant, Miss Catherine Eriom, said that the visit was part of the beauty queen’s birthday celebration activities. According to the reigning queen, visiting the IDPs is her way of identifying with them in their plights, especially the children who have left their education and the comfort of their homes. “These people, especially the kids in their midst, need to be properly cared for, and that is why we have come to visit them and give them some items.

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Gospel Music Has More Followership Than Secular – Mike Abdul Mike Abdul is arguably one of the most sought after gospel artistes in Nigeria. A member of the Midnight Crew quartet, the singer and songwriter is becoming an institution in the gospel music genre thanks to every song that becomes a hit. In this interview with SAMUEL ABULUDE, the Ogun State-born graduate of Electrical Engineering bared his mind on a lot of issues How do you see the the Easter season? It is always one that comes with nostalgia. There is no dull moment for me and my team during the Easter Break. First of all, I want to thank my Lord and boss, Jesus Christ, for dying painfully on the cross and giving me the message, the gospel to spread across via music. Without Easter, we will not have had a message not to talk of the gospel music How was your last performance in the UK in February? It was awesome and mindblowing. I honoured an invitation to minister at KICC London, by Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, at his ongoing programme tagged: The River, both in Nigeria and abroad. We were invited to minister at the foreign edition after we did that of Lagos. I was very happy and really enjoyed the level of acceptance. My first three minutes on stage was just the people letting me know how much they loved and accepted me. This alone was more than the performance for me. The next 37 minutes I used on stage, it was a lot of fun and at the same time I lifted souls. This development also gave me a confirmation of a recent research that revealed that gospel music is more accepted than secular music, especially in Africa. How did you find music or did music find you as they say? I grew up loving music; my father was a music lover. He loved Sunny Ade music so much; he had more of his records in the house than any other artistes’, followed by Ebenezer Obey’s. It was a draw between Kollington Ayinla and Ayinde Barrister; then the rest. I just know I loved music and everything my dad played, I just felt there is this frequency attached to that of these artistes. My love for music continued till I went to Yaba College of Technology, where I met the members of the Mid Night Crew. We were all part of the choir called the Original Rock Choir, just like the school choir. Somehow, destiny soon found us. We were many in the choir, but 11 of us were just so passionate about music. We loved to be together. We would start a concert from nowhere. We would gather and start singing before you know it, without microphone or sound system, students would gather to listen to us, whether Christians or Muslims. That was how we started. We felt that there was a connection among us. So, when we were to leave school, we felt that we could not drop the group other than to transform it from the local setting to global. We all agreed and started pushing the group and gradually, God brought us to the limelight. How did you come with the name MidNight Crew for

your group? The name surfaced as a result of an agreement of all the members of the group. Then, it was 11 of us. We deliberated on a suitable name for the group and someone said we should check the Book of Judges chapter 6, and we opened it: It was about Gideon, who was supposed to go and throw down the altar of Baal, and he felt that he needed more people to work with him and the Bible recorded that 10 other people joined him making 11 and they went at

midnight to perform the task. This was how we formed the name Midnight Crew. It is unfortunate that the guys that coined and gave the Bible verse are no longer in the group. If it was not for them, I don’t think we would be here. It is painful that others left because of one reason or the other; not because of any issue, but as a result of the face of life. You know Yabatech is a polytechnic, and some of them opted for the university, while some couldn’t meet up with the demands of the group. Some even had to travel out of the country because of marriage. The group was made up of six women and five men then. The group will clock 17 years in November, did you folks ever try to break up? It wasn’t easy taking off. Initially, it seemed we were merely singing and happy about it, because it was what we wanted to do, but when we got to the market, we discovered that it was a lot more than your talent. We had to put certain measures in place. The learning process led us to another journey, which connected us to the right people. Learning how to relate well in the group was another thing entirely. Since it was a group, we had to learn how to work together for the course of the team. Thank God, we didn’t spew it and God has brought us here today. Overtime, we just discovered that groups break up as if that was the usual destiny of a group. Then, we resolved that instead of breaking up, let us break up ourselves. Instead of allowing circumstances

to break us, it is better we break the break up by ourselves. So, we discovered there is nothing to breakup, because the unity existed before the formation of the group. We resolved that since we have come together to create this platform, let’s help the members of the group to grow individually, as well as to build our confidence. We

now have individual platforms and the group stands as an entity. Instead of destroying what we took years to build, because of selfish reasons, we have given ourselves the opportunity to engage in adventures individually. Importantly, we have also put in place a structured management and it working for us. We so much understand ourselves. I don’t think we can have any problem whatsoever, because we were already friends before we started Midnight Crew and business partners. So, the friendship stands even more than the business, it is always our pleasure working together. The financial aspect, which could be an issue for any group, is no problem for us. We have put in place a solid structure. Midnight Crew is not just a musical group, but a registered company called the Midnight Crew Music Limited and we are determined with our goals. What makes friendship last is contract; there is no trust without contract, if you have a contract, you can go and sleep, because the contract defines the relationship. We did that for ourselves; we gave definitions to it and trust me, it has worked and it is still working. The contract and the revelation God gave us, even our style of songs writing, are unique. We have a vision and a target audience.

Do you think the gospel music industry is doing enough? Nobody is doing enough; everybody is trying to give their best. I just think we can do better. No industr y can say h a v e done

enou g h, except if they don’t want t o grow. I will say we are working hard. I don’t think we have done a quarter of what we ought to do; there is a lot of room for improvement. Who is Mike Abdul outside music? Outside music, I have been looking for myself. It is hard to find me outside music. I suspect I wouldn’t have been created if not for music, but I also love a bit of marketing. Do you have regrets not practising what you studied in school? I don’t have any regrets for not practising as an electrical engineer. In fact, I haven’t held any screw driver. Though I know I wouldn’t hold it, I did electrical engineering, because of microphone, but it is funny that I cannot even recognise the IC in the microphone; rather I am using the microphone to exalt God, as well as lift people’s souls.

What makes friendship last is contract; there is no trust without contract, if you have a contract, you can go and sleep, because the contract defines the relationship. We did that for ourselves

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Tiwa Savage Vs Simi:

Whither The Better Musician?

Gone are the days when Yemi Alade and co are running the game in the music industry as it affects the female angel. Today, if any artiste can’t keep up with the tempo, he or she would be left behind. For Simi and Tiwa Savage, there is no one to compete with their fast pace in disabling anyone on their way. ANTHONY ADA ABRAHAM looks at what makes them the hottest female act at present.

He was a hit machine, his artistic nature was his selling point. His ability to exude versatility on the mic, with a commercial voice that just fits in with the dance scene in the country, and a head for finding melodies

Since she announced her divorce from her hubby and ex-manager, TeeBilz , Tiwa Savage has been exceptional churning out great hits. After a difficult period where she had problems with him, her music was on a decline and other females had started to come to the scene. But as everyone knows, she’s a great personality, keeping hope

alive and pushing forward without letting her personal pressure overwhelm her. When Niniola tried to take over with her hit song “Maradona” people thought it was the end of an era. But alas! The queen went into her closet and brought out a song that shot the foundation of the music scene “All Over” and afterwards announced

her Sugarcane EP. With the release of the EP, it became obvious that she’s a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian music industry. The EP became an instant hit due to “Ma Lo” which features celebrated act, Wizkid. The song is still a banger in the club and anywhere it is played. They even did a duet at the last CAF awards. It was

one of the best songs of 2017. It placed her back on the top spot and her star had continued to soar in 2018. There is no mix that “Codeine Diet” is not played. She killed it on the song which features DJ Enimoney, Reminisce and Slimcase . And the song is still receiving massive airplay. One of her best is with Reekado Banks titled “Like”. The song became a instant hit topping chat across the country and beyond. Tiwa, even with all the hurdles, still shows that she’s not in the game to play but to make a difference. For Simi, “Ara Ile” was what she was known for as a gospel artiste doing it with her scintillating voice and her petite physic. However, she won the heart of Nigerians by dripping “Jamb Question.” Sensing people had started to fall in love with her special type of alternative-pop genre, she released “Tiff“. However, her sonorous voice and lyrics on Falz‘s “Soldier” stood her out and had since continued to work her way to the top. Her album, “ Simisola” was on every “Top 5 album of 2017” list and some even voted it as album of the year even displacing Wizkid‘s “Sound From The Other Side” EP. “Joromi” one of the hit singles from the album trended for a long time last year coupled with other songs from the album. Several artistes have paid homage to her song including Wizkid who was obsessed with her for making a difference in the genre. Just as Wizkid and Davido have been compared to be the top biggest artistes in Nigeria today, Tiwa Savage and Simi are the female replications of their male counterparts who are currently killing the game, shutting down shows and dropping hits upon hits. So with the facts about the duo, who do you choose?

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Julius Agwu Leads MI, Sunny Neji In 2018 Testifier Industry Event BY SAMUEL ABULUDE, LAGOS

Ace comedian, Julius D Genius Agwu, who miraculously survived a near-death experience a year ago, will soon share his testimony at an event in Lagos. According to the team of organisers led by comedian Edo Charles, the reason for picking Agwu as ‘ 2018 Testifier’ is not farfetched as he has encountered in different ways the beauty of God’s love. Shedding more light on forthcoming event, Edo noted that the major aim was to bring entertainers together to praise, worship and pray to the giver and keeper of talent. He said, “We need to be

grateful to Almighty God, who gave us these wonderful talents we use to entertain fans. It is not by our powers. So far, we have had two editions and it was a grand success. This year, all entertainers are invited. “There would be talk shows to be anchored by Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV. There will be performances in between the talk shows.” The event which holds at Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG) King’s Court Parish at Victoria Island, Lagos will have the host pastor, Ben Akabueze conduct

a special prayer session for people in the entertainment industry. Other artistes to honour the event are MI, Nosa, Obiwon, Sunny Neji, Teju baby face, Gandoki, Jude Orhorha, Koffi, Igos, KSB and many more. Agwu indeed has been between the devil and the blue sea and was miraculously saved of a brain tumour. The experience had humbled him and had made him to see life from a different perspective urging colleagues in entertainment industry to seek God’s face and take proper care of their health.

2 Baba, Banky W to Raise Money for NGO’s Advocacy Programme BY SAMUEL ABULUDE, LAGOS

As the 2019 general elections draw closer and electorate prepare to choose leaders to represent them in office, Enough Is Enough Nigeria, a non-profit organisation is set to hold a fundraiser event in Lagos. According to the organisers, the event tagged, ‘Light A Candle’ will drive discussion on voter education and awareness as well as reiterate EiE’s RSVP message: register, select credible candidates, vote not fight, protect your votes while presenting the organisation’s activities in the next four years. Light A Candle fundraiser will raise money for electoral programmes by auctioning items and time with Nigeria’s best and brightest; 2Baba, Banky W, Oby Ezekwesili, Itua and Ibidun Ighodalos, Tunde Bakare, Lanre Olusola, Ibukun Awosika, the Adeyemis, Aisha Oyebode, Tonye Cole and other celebrities. Light A Candle is derived from W.L Watkinson’s phrase: “Yet is it far better to light the candle than to curse the darkness.” It is to remind Nigerians to take action and complain less. Yemi Adamolekun, Executive

Director of EiE Nigeria added, “the phrase is at the heart of our work to educate citizens on their rights and responsibilities, so that we move from ranting to acting and occupy the “Office of the

Citizen” the highest office in the land.” In the past eight years, EiE Nigeria has led youthfocused campaigns, mobilising the electorate to ask the right questions and

make informed decisions during and after the electoral process. Interested bidders are urged to make their offers on EiE Nigeria’s live ‘Light A Candle’ website.

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R2W Expo To Establish Nigeria’s ReadyTo-Wear Hub BY SAMUEL ABULUDE, Lagos

The recently concluded fashion designing Ready-To-Wear 2018 expo gave much of shared values, master classes, exhibition, runway fashion show and others to the diverse participants. Tagged R2W EXPO 2018, the three-day event was aimed the need for designers both old and young to come together and forge a well-knitted formidable unit and take their destiny in their hands as they grow together and innovate in view of the potential Asian market take-over. One of the major take-home points is the need to build an industry- a hub where mass production of Nigerian-African designed wears take place and also a forum for clients and designers to meet and network. Reputed ready-to-wear designer and CEO of Wardrobe, Mrs Ade Awofeso, in her session on ‘garment making process – the critical path’, she educated fashion designers and participants on the need for quality control and adopting the business of fashion. She enumerated innovative appliances and equipment that designers or as a group must acquire for the R2W fashion industry to be taken serious. Machines like Scanners, Laser Cutter, BOK, 3D-Machine, Marker Expert and others. “China is ready to take over the industry from us because they are businesslike in they are leveraging on technology like never before. My trip to the Asian country last year opened my eyes to a lot of things. Do you know that Chinese are manufacturing Aso-Oke fabrics, what we thought was solely exclusive to the Yoruba and Nigerian fabric makers? I was taken round to see their hub, clusters and we are still struggling to have our own ready-to-wear designer’s hub. Seeing the machines that have made it easy for the textile industry to thrive in China, I was moved to reflect on what our government was doing as our textile mills have become moribund and we have to import some of these materials. Before leaving the days trip to China, some Chinese men asked me if I was buying some of the machines and packages they had to offer? I looked within me and I said, these people don’t know what’s on my mind. I told them no as I would get back to them. One of the Chinese men queried why and made a statement, “All these machines and packages were made partly because we are coming to the African market to be a major player! I sighed,” Awofeso narrated.

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AN APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE 11-year-old Jamila Needs N5m For Stem Cell Transplant

t the tender age of 11, pretty Jamila Umar Mohammed is battling with sickle cell anaemia and more than ever before needs the assistance of kind hearted members of the public. Born with sickle cell anemia and her parents getting to know about it when she was about six months old, Jamila suffers severe body pains and organs disorder anytime the ailment begins. This entails that she has to be admitted to the hospital a couple of times in a year to be treated for hand-foot syndrome occasioned by swollen hands and feet. Miss Jamila who is currently undergoing treatment at Celltek Healtcare Limited in Benin City, needs N5 million as hospital bills for transplantation and one year drugs post transplantation. According to her father, Umar Mohammed, while Jamila needs N10 million to be treated, he has been able to raise the sum of N5 million through the benevolence of some members of the public, with which she has successfully undergone stem cell transplant at Celltek Healtcare Limited in Benin City while the results are awaited from Basel University, technical partners to Celltek Healthcare. “We are seeking the help of public spirited individuals to help us raise the balance of N5 million to cover for the cost of transplantation and one year drugs post transplantation”, Mohammed noted in a letter he sent to LEADERSHIP. He further noted that the family has expended all its funds; hence, the appeal to the public to further assist. He said willing donors could support by contributing their widow’s mite.

Donations could be sent to the following bank account: Account name: Umar Mohammed. Bank: Zenith Account number: 1003926359 For further enquiries, please contact Mohammed on: 08035888894

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Saturday, April 7, 2018

Nigeria, EU, UNODC Unfold New Project To Combat Terrorism

The ongoing fight against terrorism in Nigeria received a boost as the European Union unfolded a threeyear funding plans commencing in April 2018. The outreach and communications officer, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Mr. Sylvester Tunde Atere, in a statement yesterday, said the project was the highpoint of a final Project Steering Committee meeting involving Nigerian, EU, and UNODC officials to reflect on the achievements made under the second phase of the EUNigeria-UNODC partnership to counter terrorism in Nigeria. He said the two-year project funded by the EU came to a close at the end of March. He said that the project focused on further strengthening the capacity of Nigerian criminal justice officials to effectively investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate terrorism cases, in accordance with the rule of law and human rights. It built on the groundwork laid under the previous EU-Nigeria-UNODC project. Atere noted the project delivered 82 capacity building activities, including providing extensive training to select groups of investigators, legal advisors, defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges on a range of practicallyfocused terrorism-related criminal justice issues. He said: “It strengthened the capacity of Nigerian criminal justice training institutions, providing indepth train-the-trainer courses to groups of Nigerian trainers on counter-terrorism investigations, adjudication of terrorism cases, and human rights, respectively, and producing a manual on counterinvestigations for use by police practitioners and trainers. By Tunde Oguntola, Abuja

2019 Presidency: DPC To Field Credible, Vibrant Candidate Concerned about the deplorable state of the country and determined to effect a change through the electoral process, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) has resolved to field a credible, dynamic, vibrant and purposeful presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election. This is contained in the communique issued after the NEC’s meeting in Abuja yesterday signed by the deputy national publicity secretary, Hon Eric Seaman Babangida. The party said its resolve is to give direction and provide strong leadership that will restore the lost glory of Nigeria as the great arsenal of democracy in Africa and the pride of the black people across the world. Accordingly the NEC mandates the National Chairman, Rev. Olusegun Peters to liaise with eligible Nigerians who aspire to contest for the office of president on the platform of the party and assured all presidential aspirants of a level playing field in the best democratic tradition and ethos. “Nigerians desire and deserve the best presidential candidate DPC will produce. The presidential ticket is open to all eligible Nigerians”, it added. The party also resolved to present visionary, resourceful and energetic Governorship Candidates for the 14th July and 22nd September, 2018Gubernatorial Elections in Ekiti and Osun states respectively. “With the ever growing membership of the Party in the South West Geo-political Zone, DPC is the Party to beat in the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States. By Paul Uwadima, Abuja

Kaduna State commissioner of police, Mr. Austin Iwar, addressing Newsmen over recovery of arms from repentant bandits and sara-suka group in Anchau local government area of Kaduna PHOTOS GBENGA FOLORUNSHO ABIOLA

EFCC Must Be Ruthless On Corruption – SGF BY JONATHAN NDA- ISAIAH, Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), has been urged to devise mechanisms for tackling institutional corruption at the conception stage. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha gave the advice on Thursday, in his Office when he received in audience, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu and his management team. In a statement by the director media

in the office of the SGF, Lawrence Ojabo, he urged the commission to use advocacy campaigns to change the mind-sets of individuals, who worked in organizations and regarded corrupt tendencies and practices as their preferred way of guaranteeing a secured post-service life. He expressed the hope that the completion and movement of the commission to their new head office complex in Abuja would ensure better management of their investigation resources and personnel, and also, provide a more enabling

environment for them to carry out their very daunting and challenging responsibilities. He commended the officials for carrying out their duties with courage and patriotism, at great risks to their lives, noting that corruption in the country had become a hydra-headed monster because it had become very pervasive and culturally entrenched. He noted that dealing with a problem that had become a culture required a lot of resolve on the part of the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

TVS Tricycle Gets Support Of Kano Emir The Emir of Kano, His Highness Sarkin Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II gave his blessing to Simba Group Ltd, the sole importer of TVS tricycle in Nigeria during the Sharada Hospital Women empowerment program on February 18th, 2018. The Emir, who attended the event, highlighted the need for healthcare, education and employment for women. He also appreciated Simba Group for supporting the empowerment of women and and saluted the gesture of the organisation’s effort of its robust Corporate Social Responsibility in

the state. Wandel International is the Flagship Company of the Simba Group of Companies, operating in Nigeria since 1988. Throughout its history, it has associated itself with products and brands of the highest standards and partnered with leading organizations in their respective industries. At the heart of its value proposition, is its commitment to service, and it is the organisation’s relentless pursuit of extraordinary customer service that sets it apart from competitors in each of its respective fields.

TVS Motor’s strength lies in design and development of new products. We at TVS deliver total customer satisfaction by anticipating customer need and presenting quality vehicles at the right time and at the right price. The customer and his ever changing need is our continuous source of inspiration. Simba Group has proved time and again that this sense of responsiveness along with a penchant for quality is a winning formula. The company has many firsts to its credit including the fact that we launched seven vehicles on the same day - a rare feat in Automotive history.

Threat To Life Allegation: Group Warns Communications Minister An Abuja based human rights group, Journalists for Justice (JFJ) has warned the minister of Communications, Barrister Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, against any threat to the life of his former special assistant on Media, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare. The warning is coming on the heels of an allegation raised by Oluwadamilare that the minister was threatening his life. Oluwadamilare had in an open letter he wrote recently, alleged that the minister subjected him to servitude by refusing to pay his salaries for over two years. Speaking on behalf of Oluwadamilare in a statement signed and made available to journalists by Dapo Olaosebikan and Akin Orimolade, president and secretary-general for Journalists for Justice (JFJ) respectively revealed that since the release of his open letter to the Minister demanding for his outstanding salaries and allowances of more than

two years, he has been receiving strange telephone calls. It would be recalled that the veteran journalist recently released a letter that went viral in which he accused the minister of insensitivity, inhuman and callousness occasioned by non-payment of salaries and allowances to him and other aides since their engagement in 2015. JFJ also revealed in the release that Oluwadamilare, a former NUJ chairman in Oyo State, has continuously been receiving threat-calls after an attempt by the minister to counter issues raised in the former aide’s letter fell flat as they were utterly left unattended to and the minister instead engaged in grandstanding, abuse and legal threat. Based on information at the disposal of the Human Rights organization, it said that it is calling on the Federal Government and the general public

that it is aware that Oluwadamilare is being trailed by some unknown persons. And it has it on good authority that Oluwadamilare’s life may be in danger. In the release, JFJ equally maintained that it has decided to put this unwarranted situation and information in the public domain so that if anything untoward happens to Oluwadamilare, it will not be difficult to trace the source. Furthermore, JFJ states that it will continue to encourage Oluwadamilare not to be deterred by any form of harassment and intimidation in pursuit of his demand for payment of his emoluments for 28 months from the embattled minister who has been severally accused by many of his former aides, and had even been taken to court by one of them for the same notorious issue of non-payment of their statutory entitlements.

He thanked the officials for wholeheartedly embracing President Muhammadu Buhari’s mandate to kill corruption before it could kill the country. He recalled that dismantling corruption in the country was the repeated pledge of Mr. President during his electioneering campaign. The Mr. Ibrahim Magu had earlier briefed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the near completion of their new Headquarters Office in Abuja, and invited him to visit the complex.

132,000 PVCs Yet To Be Collected In Niger State The Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Prof Sam Egwu has stated that 132, 000 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) are yet to be collected by prospective voters who have completed registration in Niger state. He stated this yesterday while receiving the zonal coordinator of the Federal Information Centre , Minna, Malam Bawa Salihu Mokwa on a courtesy call in his office therefore urged those who have completed registration to go to their respective registration areas to pick their cards. Prof Egwu also reminded the people of the state that the registration of Voters was on in all the Twenty five local government areas and wards in the state , adding that it was the desire to capture all prospective voters that the commission in the state deployed all the staff to the wards and LGAs. He said the ongoing registrations is to capture those who have attained the age of 18, people displaced as a result of transfer or movement as well as those who have lost their cards earlier obtained. He stated that in view of the need to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure free and fair election in 2019, the commission in the state would ventilate through all windows to collaborate with Federal Information Centre. The Coordinator of the centre, Malam Bawa Mokwa had earlier assured the REC of the readiness of the centre to partner with INEC to achieve free and fair 2019 general elections. By Abu Nmodu, Minna

16 NEWS ACROSS THE STATES

Saturday, April 7, 2018

PMB Visits Daura, Condoles With Sen Bukar’s Family BY ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina

L-R: Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation,Chief Olu Falae; former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe , (retd) Chief Ayo Adebanjo with his wife, Mrs Christiana and former Commonwealth secretary General, chief Emeka Anyaoku, during the Launching of the autobiography of Chief Ayo Adebanjo in Lagos, PHOTO BY KOLAWOLE ALIU.

Jigawa Targets 1.6m Children For Polio Immunisation The Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (JSPHCDA) says over 1.6 million children will be immunised against polio in the second round of the immunisation campaign in the state this year. Dr Kabiru Ibrahim, the executive secretary of the agency, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Friday. Ibrahim said that enough

personnel had been engaged to conduct the exercise across the state in order to ensure that all children under the age of five, were immunised against the disease. He said the agency had received enough Oral Polio Vaccines (OPVs) and markers from the Federal Government for the conduct of the exercise. The executive secretary said all necessary

arrangements had been concluded for smooth conduct of the exercise. Ibrahim sought for the support and cooperation of traditional and religious leaders, as well as other stakeholders’ for successful conduct of the exercise. He urged parents to present their children for the immunisation at designated centres in their respective communities. “People should

please cooperate with immunisation officials for a hitch-free exercise. “Such cooperation will facilitate quick response in combating the disease and address other emergency situations in the state,” he said. NAN reports that the second round of polio campaign would commence simultaneously across the 27 local government areas of the state on April 7.

World Health Day: NHIS To Expand Coverage Yearly BY PATIENCE IVIE IHEJIRIKA, Abuja

As part of efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has revealed its plan to expand coverage to at least 10 per cent every year. This, the scheme said, is achievable through its advisory and technical supports to states to enable them establish their own

funds to expand coverage significantly. Chairman, Governing Council of the NHIS, Dr Eyantu Ifenne, who stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja, said the scheme is planning to scale up its community mutual health social insurance scheme in some states, especially in the non- former sector. She said, “NHIS was setup to achieve universal health

coverage, not just to cover public sector. We have a plan to expand coverage to at least 10 per cent every year. That is our goal and we can do it. “We have community mutual health social insurance in some states. We want to scale it up especially in the non-former sector. We can make this happen. We are already targeting universities, pregnant women and children. There are so many attractive

options which we can activate directly or through advocacy and partnership.” Blaming part of the scheme setbacks on what it described as accumulation of regulatory failure, Ifenne said many healthcare facilities have become ill motivated because of the debts that are being owned by Health Management Organisations (HMOS), some as far back as 2012.

Glo Assures Viewers Of Good Entertainment As New Season Of Prof Johnbull Begins BY SOLOMON NDA-ISAIAH

As a new season of popular television sitcom, Professor Johnbull, begins on Tuesday, its executive producer, Globacom, has assured viewers of an engaging season filled with educative and entertaining episodes. In the first episode of the season, entitled Anthony Keke, the conscience of the sitcom, acted by ace Nollywood actor, Kanayo O Kanayo, upbraids

commercial tricycle riders over their harmful indulgencies on the roads while imparting salient life lessons to them and other road users. Anthony Keke equally decries the anti-social attitudes of an average Keke rider which include disobedience of traffic rules; riding without valid licenses; engaging in needless altercations with passengers and other commuters and being abusive and unruly to other

road users. Featured in the episode, apart from the lead actor are, Professor Johnbull’s gateman, Abadnego (Martins Nebo), the erudite scholar’s daughter, Elizabeth (Queen Nwokoma), the restaurateur, Olaniyi acted by Yomi FashLanso among others. Professor Johnbull will air on its regular platforms, NTA Network, NTA International on DSTV Channel 251 and NTA on StarTimes on Tuesday at 8.30 pm, with a repeat broadcast on Friday

at the same time and on the same channels. Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) will broadcast the show on Wednesday at 8.30pm with a repeat broadcast on Saturday also at the same time. In the same vein, the episodes will be broadcast on DSTV on Sunday, April 8 on its Africa Magic Family channel and on GOTV Channel 2 at 6.00 pm. Repeat broadcast will be aired on Thursday at 9.30pm on both stations.

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, arrived in Katsina State capital en route Daura, his home town, to commiserate with his kinsmen over Wednesday’s demise of Daura-born, Senator Mustapha Bukar, representing Katsina North Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly. Buhari, accompanied by his senior special assistant on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu, and few aides, will however spend this weekend in his Daura country home and depart perhaps, on Monday morning, sources revealed. The President, who landed at Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport, aboard Nigerian Air Force presidential jet, marked 5N-FGW at about 5.10pm on Friday, was received by the State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, Senator Umar Ibrahim Kurfi, representing Katsina Central Senatorial Zone, the representatives of the Emir of Katsina, head of security agencies in the state and top functionaries of the state government, who again expressed their condolences. Waiting Nigerian Air Force helicopter, NAF 540, to Daura helipad accompanied by Nigeria Police Force chopper, airlifted the President from Katsina. At Daura, the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk Umar, several dignitaries and hundreds of his relatives and Daura residents among others, welcomed Buhari. Sources told LEADERSHIP Weekend that Governor Masari and some top officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would pay a condolence visit to the President in Daura today.

Army Arrests Kidnap Kingpin In Kaduna The Nigerian Army yesterday, said it had arrested a kidnap kingpin, Filani Auta, at Ligari Village of Kaduna State. The Army Spokesman, Brig Gen Texas Chukwu, said in a statement that the kingpin was arrested along with his two sons during a raid by troops following a tip-off. According to Chukwu, items recovered from the suspects are two Dane guns and four mobile phones. “The suspects will soon be handed over to the police for prosecution,” he said.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Presidency Refutes Claim On N15trn SIP Fund BY JONATHAN NDA - ISAIAH

The Presidency has said its attention has been drawn to a news report quoting Senator Danjuma Goje as suggesting that a sum of N1.5trn has so far been released for the National Social Investment Programme of the Buhari Administration. According to a statement by the spokesman of the Vice President, Laolu Akande ,the distinguished senator was reported as saying that by the end of three years the NSIP would have handled an unprecedented sum of $1.5 Trillion. He was speaking at a Senate Appropriation Committee hearing on Thursday. He said the Senator was also quoted directly that “I am yet to see one boy who came to tell me that he has benefited from your N500 billion.” He said “First we would like to hope that the senator was misquoted. And we call on him to make the necessary clarifications. “However were it to be true that he made such wild claims, it would not only be unfortunate but certainly an irresponsible statement. To restate the facts, while indeed we “have budgeted a total of N500B for the 2016 & 2017 Budgets each, including the N100B for the Family Housing Fund in the

2017 Budget, only a total of N175B has so far been released since the commencement of the historic Buhari Social Investment Programme. He added that It is incredible that the distinguished senator will insinuate otherwise. If actually he was accurately reported, we would say he ought to have requested for the information instead of misleading an entire nation with such an incredible claim. Noting that while the Senator was claiming he knew no one from his State who has benefited from the SIP at a Senate Committee hearing, Akande observed his colleague from Kogi State, distinguished Senator Atai Aidoko requested from the Special Adviser to the President on SIP, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, (who was before the Appropriations Committee) for a random name of a beneficiary from his State, called the number there and then and got positive confirmation from the beneficiary. That Senator then formally announced the outcome of his random call to the entire Senate hearing. According to him “For the avoidance of any doubt, there are today in this country 200,000 previously unemployed Nigerian graduates who are receiving their N30,000 monthly stipends as they serve their communities in

different capacities including as teaching assistants, Agric extension aides or community health workers. “There are today in our nation more than 7.4 million primary school pupils in 22 States who are being fed one hot meal a day under the Buhari SIP. Almost 300,000 Nigerians are also receiving N5000 monthly cash transfer among our most vulnerable & poorest citizens. Our target for the cash transfer is one million. And there are almost 300,000 Nigerians who have benefited from micro-credit loans of between N10, 000 to N100,000. “These are the facts and the selection process for the beneficiaries are open, transparent and can be easily cross-checked by any diligent inquirer. “Finally, the Buhari Administration will not relent in the vigorous pursuit of the SIP in line with the manifesto of the ruling All Progressives Congress. And in this year, we hope and plan to ramp up all the schemes to widen the scope and bring in even more beneficiaries. The SIP is touching lives and the testimonies are all around us. More lives would be touched this year by the special grace of God,” he said.

NEWS ACROSS THE STATES 17

18 FEATURE

Saturday, April 7, 2018

World Health Day: X-Raying Nigeria’s Commitment To Universal Health Coverage

Three years after committing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target on Universal Health Coverage, about 90 per cent of Nigerian population still pays Out-of-Pocket (OPP) to access healthcare services. PATIENCE IHEJIRIKA and ODIRI UCHENUNU-IBEH write.

The way forward, according the organization is that quality and affordable healthcare is critical to viable development and progress because it is human capital that drives the other factors of production

n 2015, Nigeria and other countries of the world, at the United Nations General Assembly, committed to the SDGs: Goal 3. Target 3.8. The goal targets achievement of universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), UHC means health coverage for all, without discrimination and leaving no one behind. The organization stressed that everyone everywhere has a right to benefit from health services that they need without falling into poverty when using them. On the state of UHC, WHO said over 800 million people (almost 12 percent of the world’s population) spend at least 10 percent of their household budgets on health expenses for themselves, a sick child or other family member. They incur so-called “catastrophic expenditures”. Meanwhile, a recent report by the NOIPools has shown that about 82 per cent of Nigerians still pay Outof-Pocket (OOP) to access healthcare services, while five per cent revealed that their health services are paid for by friends and family. Given that the payer in the case of the latter may be an individual or organization, it can be assumed that they are OOP. According to the pool, the rate of OOP or alternatively, Point-ofService (POS) payments for healthcare services are alarmingly high in Nigeria. Also, insurance coverage, either private or social insurance, remains very low at 11 percent, consistent with existing national surveys, and only two percent reported receiving free health care. The implication of this, according to the organisation is that there will be low uptake of preventive health services, weak management of health care and causes situation where patients wait till they are too sick or the situation becomes an emergency before they seek for healthcare services. The poor segment of the population would likely not seek healthcare due to their inability to pay, and this further weakens the performance of the health system in terms of its ability to protect the weak. The way forward, according the organization is that quality and affordable healthcare is critical to viable development and progress because it is human capital that drives the other factors of production. The NOIPolls said, “A way to reverse this high OOP expenditure is for government at all levels in Nigeria to demonstrate the required political will for Universal Health Coverage (UHC). A quick way of achieving this is to increase health insurance coverage.

“It is gratifying that at least 10 Nigerian States have signed health insurance laws to help in achieving equitable and sustainable health financing mechanism. Functional State health insurance schemes will help increase the pool of individuals with health insurance thereby driving down premiums. “Important steps needed to be taken include but not limited to urgent expansion of social health insurance across the country to guarantee financial risk protection to the population and reduce the incidence of OOP payments by households. “The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) needs to support the states to establish their State health insurance schemes and contribute to funding the coverage of the vulnerable population groups namely young children under age 5, pregnant women not covered by formal health schemes, the elderly population and the economically indigent population.” With these recommendations in mind, stakeholders in the health sector began this year with an increased demand for the federal government to include the one per cent consolidated revenue fund in the 2018 budget so as to adequately fund the Basic Health Care provision Fund (BHCPF). The implementation of the BHCPF, which is also known as man’s last hope of accessing adequate healthcare services irrespective of age, religion, circumstances, domicile or health status has long overdue. As the World commemorates World Health Day, with the theme: UHC, for everyone, everywhere, stakeholders in the sector, have identified the BHCPF as one government policy

that is capable of reversing the many challenges rocking the health sector. The minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole said Nigeria spends less on health than nearly every country in the world and this is seen in 2016, where government health spending was 0.6 per cent as a share of GDP. Adewole said for the country to accelerate progress to UHC, Federal and State Governments will need to significantly invest more in health. Speaking on the progress made so far in achieving UHC for all Nigerians, the minister said his commitment to achieving UHC would start with the implementation of the BHCPF in Q1 2018. Adewole said by the end of April 2018, eight million Nigerians stand to benefit from basic health care through the first phase of implementation of the BHCPF, adding that the federal government is working hard to achieve UHC. “To accomplish this, we are committed to the revitalization of 10,000 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs). Presently over 3128 PHCs have been upgraded with support from government and partners. We are committed to the actualization of the BHCPF which is meant to increase the fiscal space and overall financing to the health sector. BHCPF flag off will be done in three of our states very soon. “Nigeria and the World Health Organisation, WHO, signed an intervention fund to support the Health Sector in the implementation of its activities. The support will cover Polio eradication, Maternal and Child health and UHC to mention a few. “I held a meeting with the WorldBank team to further brainstorm on the BHCPF, which we intend to

launch in a couple of weeks and as members of the National Steering Committee of the BHCPF, I recently inaugurated the committee that will provide leadership for the smooth running of the BHCPF in accordance with the stated terms of reference.” Also, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) through its newly instituted Governing Board, has expressed its commitment to improved healthcare coverage as it targets at least 10 per cent increased coverage annually. The Lagos State Government has also restated its commitment to increase access to quality and affordable health care service through the implementation of its muchawaited Health Insurance Scheme (LSHS). State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris who disclosed this at the end of the 2017 State Council on Health Meeting, noted that implementation of the LSHS lends credence to the State Government’s position that all people and communities should have access to needed promotive, preventive, curtains, rehabilitative and palliative health services. He added that such services must be of sufficient quality, be effective, and residents should not suffer financial hardship when paying for the services. Idris stated that Lagos is proud to be the first in achieving legislative backing for a mandatory Social Health Insurance Programme which was signed into Law in 2015 adding that since the signing of the law, a lot of work and due diligence have been done by a committed Core Implementation Team comprising of technical partners and recognized individuals within the Health Financing Space.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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L-R: Convener Innovention Series and Executive Vice Chairman, Verdant Zeal Group, Dr. Tunji Olugbodi; Chairperson 7th Innovention Series, Dr. Ibilola Amao; Chairman Verdant Zeal Board, Prince Femi Oyewole; CEO, Terra Kulture and Keynote Speaker 7th Innovention Series, Bolanle Austen Peters; Panel Discussants, Ramsey Nouah, and Ade Adefeko at the 7th Verdant Zeal Innovention Series held yesterday at Civic Centre, Lagos,recently. PHOTO BY KOLAWOLE ALIU.

Financial Experts Tie MPR Review To 2018 Budget Approval Financial experts on Thursday expressed optimism that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would review the interest rate at its subsequent meetings when the 2018 budget would have been passed. The experts said this in Lagos while reacting to the outcome of the first MPC meeting for the year. They emphasized that the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) review would be expected after the passage of the budget. Mazi Okechukwu Unegbu, former President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), said that the MPC would tinker with the rate when the budget would have been approved. Unegbu said that the members had

no choice but to retain the rates the way they were at the moment because the budget was still pending as well as other economic factors. He said that the capital market had been experiencing a mixed performance, while the interest rate for manufacturing companies had skyrocketed. Malam Garba Kurfi, the Managing Director, APT Securities and Funds Ltd. expressed dissatisfaction with the MPC decision to keep Nigerians in suspense as to when the rates would be reviewed. Kurfi said that the members would have done better by setting a limit to when Nigerians should expect a change in the benchmark interest rate. He said that the committee would

have set an inflation rate target when the interest rate review would be expected rather than allow people to guess. According to him, banks keep their money in Treasury Bills (TBs) and Federal Government Bonds rather than lend to the real sector to accelerate economic growth. “As of today, most banks lend to companies between 22 per cent and 30 per cent which is higher than the apex bank approved limit,’’ Kurfi said. Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, said at the end of meeting that the committee was keeping monetary policy rates because of the fear that loosening the rates may lead to a rise in consumer prices.

BEDC Partners Operation Thunderstorm To Tackle Power Equipment Vandals Benin Electricity Distribution Plc (BEDC) has given a fillip to its fight against vandalism of power equipment across it network by partnering with a security agency; Operation Thunderstorm in Benin; a Nigerian army outfit set up in support of civil authorities to maintain law and order in Edo State. Executive Director, Commercial, Mr. Abu Ejoor said this at the presentation of some tyres to the Edo State Command of the Operation Thunderstorm to

support the operation of the squad. He stated that vandalism of power equipment was a menace that disrupts power supply to the public causing customers unnecessary inconveniences due to prolonged blackout; while also depriving service providers the needed revenue which could be used in network expansion, rather than replacement of vandalized items from these power installations. The Executive Director according to a statement from BEDC,

pointed out that the donation was geared towards strengthening the operation of the squad to enable it fight power equipment vandals as a bold step towards the arrest and persecution of these miscreants. The Edo state Command of Operation Thunderstorm, commended BEDC for the gesture saying it will enable it to patrol high risk areas where power installations can be exposed to the activities of miscreants who steal cables and other accessories from transformers.

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Cadbury Nigeria Introduces Healthy Lifestyle Programme For Children, Families BY OLAJIDE FABAMISE, Lagos

Cadbury Nigeria Plc has announced the launch of a healthy lifestyle programme aimed at bringing nutrition education, active play and fresh foods to at-risk children and their families in Nigeria. Cadbury Nigeria joins nine other countries in the Mondelez International family in this initiative, which will involve a $50millionmultiyear commitment to promote healthy lifestyles and address obesity. In a statement signed and sent to LEADERSHIP in Lagos, the Managing Director of Cadbury West Africa, Mr. Amir Shamsi, said, “this is the first-ever Mondelez International Foundationfunded effort in Nigeria. The programme, which will run over a three-year period, is targeted at nearly 6,000 children and families in nine schools. It will operate in Cadbury Nigeria Ikeja , Ondo and focus on nutrition and healthy lifestyle.” Shamsi further said the Foundation will partner Helen Keller International to teach about 6,000 children

the importance of proper nutrition, physical activity and gardening through in-school and after-school activities. “Making a positive impact on the people and the planet is at the core of who we are,” added Sarah Dele, President of the Mondelēz International Foundation, in a statement. “Since 2012, our partners and their programmes have been transforming the lives of more than a million children around the globe by increasing their nutrition knowledge, physical activity and access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Speaking on the partnership, Kathy Spahn, President and CEO of Helen Keller International, said: “We’re proud to partner again with the Mondelēz International Foundation to implement nutrition education and healthy lifestyle projects in Nigeria. “We came together in Indonesia to improve the well-being of children and their families. We’re excited to now bring our combined expertise to Nigeria to encourage and instill healthy habits in children from an early age.”

3 Brian Munro Distributors Win N13.7million BY GODDIE OFOSE, Lagos

Three out of over 25 Campari distributors were rewarded with N13, 682.040 as part of their contributions towards entrenching the brand in the Nigerian market. The three major distributors who received awards for their outstanding trade efforts and loyalty include Amadi Theresa Nnedia of Verchi Stores, Ndubisi Dennis Onyeananu of Uzems Aba and Chogozie Anagwu of Chigotex Royal Link limited went home with trophies and cash rewards of N2,821,514, N3,264,080 and N7,596,446 respectively. The prize was giving at the Campari trade partners’ event in Lagos recently. Speaking on the awards at this critical time, the Marketing Manager of Brian Munro, Nkechi Nwachukwu, said “the award is an opportunity for us to celebrate our trade partners who has been loyal with our brand and

did exceptional performance despite the tough economic situation witnessed last year. We are very delighted to celebrate their success and achievement.” In his reaction, the star prize winner Chogozie Anagwu of Chigotexroyal link limited stated that “this recognition from a worthy and reliable partner like Brian Munro makes me feel on top of the world. Over the years, they have consistently inspired and provided the remarkable support required for a stronger partnership.” Rilwan Shofunde, the brand manager Campari Nigeria, added that “Our strong belief in fostering a fortified partnership with our major distributors is a continuous journey that we are committed to. The attestation made today by major distributors today further reiterates the respect and value for a worthwhile relationship with our esteemed trade partners.”

Law Union & Rock Insurance Grows Profit To N1.1bn BY ZAKA KHALIQ, Lagos

Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc has recorded a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of N1.1 billion, as at the end of its 2017 financial year end. This translates to a 66.8 per cent increase from the 2016 figure of N658.64 million.

Its Profit After Tax (PAT) also appreciated remarkably by 62.1 per cent, moving from N561.85 million in 2016 to N910.71 million at the end of the review year, underscoring capability of the board and management to enhance shareholder value.

With the profit, shareholders of the company will smile to the bank for a dividend payout after a long waiting of reinvestment and plaguing back for growth and expansion. Its earnings per share stood at 21 kobo, as against 16 kobo the previous year, indicating

increased shareholder value. The company, during the period under review, also recorded a gross premium income of N4.25 billion, as against N3.9 billion in 2016, showing an 8 per cent increase. In the firm’s full year audited result, investment and other income also appreciated

remarkably to N912.5 million from N687.3 million in 2016. A further insight into the financials show a quantum growth in total assets of the company in 2017, which grew by 16.9 per cent, from N8.58 billion in 2016 to N10.03 billion in the review year.

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April 7, 2018

Nigerian Cuisine stellamariesa@gmail.com

08144548706

Abacha

Dambu Nama BY STELLAMARIES AMUWA, Abuja

Dambu Nama, a delicious spicy shredded dried beef floss from the Northern part of Nigeria. It can be eaten as a snack or sprinkled over Rice, stuffed inside bread or even eaten with Masa Ingredients 3 pounds of Beef 1 medium size diced red bell pepper 1 medium sized diced Tomato

1 large Red bell pepper 1 large onion 11/2 to 2 Cups of Water (more or less) 2 stock cubes (plus 1 more) Salt 1/4 Cup suya spice seasoning 1 Teaspoon of hot chilli pepper 1/2 Teaspoon of Ginger powder 6 to 10 Tbs of Oil (preferably groundnut Oil but not mandatory) Instructions Trim off any visible fat from

the Meat and cut it into big chunks Rinse the Meat thoroughly and put them in a Pot. Add the Tomatoes, Red peppers, Onions, stock cubes and Salt to taste then cook this on a medium heat until the Meat is really tender and the Water is totally dried out (the Meat should be very easy to pull apart when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done). The Meat needs to be very tender, you can boil between 11/2 to 3 hours on a medium heat depending on the quantity of the Beef you are

using. Make sure the Water you use in Boiling the Beef is totally dried up before shreding the beef otherwise you might have some difficulty while frying it if the water content is too much. Add very little salt in order to get the authentic Northern taste Transfer the Meat to a cutting board and use two forks to pull it apart you can also pound this with a mortar and a pestle to your desired texture

and help fight the flu and common cold, to name a few. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice, and is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics. It is a very common

ingredient in recipes. The unique fragrance and flavor of ginger come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol. Ginger is a popular spice.

Transfer the shredded Beef into a large bowl and add 1 stock cube, Suya spice, chili pepper, and Ginger Powder. Mix this together thoroughly s that the ingredients are well combined. Start frying this in batches depending on how big your frying pan is. Once you are done frying remove from heat immediately because it burns easily and allow to cool before enjoying it You can store this in a air tight container an leave in the fridge for about 2 to 3 weeks.

Mamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen

Ginger Ginger Contains Gingerol, a Substance With Powerful Medicinal Properties. Ginger is a flowering plant that originated from China. It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, and is

closely related to turmeric, cardomon. Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional/alternative medicine. It has been used to help digestion, reduce nausea

It is high in gingerol, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It can treat Many Forms of Nausea, Especially Morning Sickness.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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COURTS & CRIMES

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London Police Arrest Two After Murder Of Second Nigerian Youth In One Week

Man Stabs Another To Death Over N50

BY OGUNTADE ISMAILA, Lagos.

Two suspects have been held by the police in UK, after another Nigerian youth was added to the list of over 50 victims of coldblooded murder in the country, within 90 days, this year. The police named 18-year-old Israel Ogunsula, as the latest victim of London’s knife crime epidemic after he was stabbed to death in Hackney. Just last week, Abraham Badru, 26-year-old son of a Nigerian lawmaker was also killed on a street in Hackney, east London. Two 17-year-olds were arrested on suspicion of murder after Ogunsula died under a railway bridge on Link Street on Wednesday evening. The Independent Newspaper in UK says the police are appealing for witnesses after the death took the total number of suspected murders in the capital this year above 50. According to the Metropolitan Police, officers on patrol were flagged down at around 8pm by the driver of an oncoming car, who told them there had been an altercation nearby. An off-duty paramedic gave what help they could until the London Ambulance and the Air Ambulance arrived, but Ogunsula was pronounced dead at the scene. Chief Superintendent Sue Williams, leading Hackney borough, said: “My officers were flagged down to the Link Street incident and did all they could to try to save the life of the teenager, rendering emergency first aid and chest compressions with the help of an off-duty paramedic until the ambulance service and London’s Air Ambulance arrived. “They are devastated they were unable to prevent yet another tragic death in the capital.” She added: “In Hackney we are working hard to prevent further violence and keep people safe – we have extra officers on the streets, both highly visible and in plain clothes carrying out a range of intelligence-led operations and patrols.” On Thursday, meanwhile, another man, believed to be in his 20s, was taken to hospital after being stabbed in broad daylight in Walthamstow, north London. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, urged Theresa May to intervene after the spate of violence in her constituency. “If you can come to our borough looking for votes as you did today Theresa May, the least you can do is hear our call for

The operatives of Isheri Osun Divisional Police Station of Lagos State Police Command have arrested a man who stabbed another man to death over N50 balance in Lagos. The incident happened on Wednesday at Isheri Oshun area of Lagos where they resided. Eye witness accounts revealed that the suspect allegedly bought an item worth N50 and gave the victim N100 and asked for N50 change. While the victim was looking for change, the suspect became angry, claiming that the victim was delaying and wasting his time and that reportedly caused a disagreement between them and in the process, the suspect stabbed the victim on the head with broken bottle and the victim slummed, before he could be rushed to the hospital he was already dead. The doctors only certified him dead at the hospital and the corpse was deposited at the mortuary. LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that after the incident, the suspect attempted to escape but the people around held him and handed him over to the police at Isheri Oshun Division. Meanwhile, the incident became the talk of the town amongst Isheri Oshun residents, as people were seen gathered in groups discussing the incident and many were afraid to talk to the press over fear of being arrested by the Police When our correspondent visited Isheri Oshun Division where the suspect was detained, the police declined to give details of what happened, but he contacted the Area Commander, Area M Idimu, ACP Augustines Akika, who confirmed the incident, but declined to make further comments. He told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the suspect had been transferred to the homicide department at SCIID, Panti, Yaba. Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relation, Chike Oti, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the report came in at about 2030hours of the demise one Ozoemenem Nwaru, 42, who lives at Foursquare junction in Isheri Osun. He revealed that about four suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident, adding that there was an argument over the issue of the balance of N50, and in the process of the ensuing misunderstanding, four men emerged with broken bottles and stabbed the victim. He added that the corpse had been deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary Isolo for autopsy, while investigation in the case continues under the purview of the Deputy Commissioner of Police

Israel Ogunsula

help to tackle the violent crime we are experiencing,” she wrote on Twitter. If you can come to our borough looking for votes as you did today @theresa_may the least you can do is hear our call for help to tackle the violent crime we are experiencingone day later and this letter to your ministers needs updating. We need resources! #EnoughIsEnoughpic.twitter. com/T8QquUMajQ — stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) April 5, 2018 Speaking at the scene of Ogunsola’s death on Thursday morning, Labour’s shadow home secretary Diane Abbottcalled for an anti-knife crime strategy in London similar to that of Glasgow. “It’s really tragic, it’s really horrible and mothers all over the capital must be thinking ‘I can say goodbye to my son this morning but will he come back tonight?’ “Whether their son will turn out to be a victim or a perpetrator, it’s traumatising for families.” She blamed the wave of bloodshed on London’s streets on cuts to policing and youth and social services. “Here in Hackney we’ve lost one in 10 of our police officers since 2010, but there also needs

to be more work done in youth work, in schools, even in mental health,” she said. Citing Glasgow, which has dramatically cut its murder rate by taking a coordinated public health approach to knife crime, she said: “They have brought the number of deaths from knife crime down to zero last year.” She said the Borough of Hackney was down to one police station as a result of cuts. “It makes it harder for people to report crime but it gives a sense in the community that we are not guarded.” She added that London Mayor Sadiq Khan had no choice but to close police stations because of government cuts to policing. When asked about Met Commissioner Cressida Dick’s recent comments about social media fuelling knife crime as young people use it to goad their rivals, she replied: “I think social media is a symptom not a cause.” She continued: “I think we have to look at the cuts in youth services, the cuts in policing and the fact that many young people leaving school don’t have jobs to go to for the real underlying causes.” Ms Abbott added that the drugs trade was “just one aspect” of knife crime in London. “I think we have to remember that not all of this is gang related

at all, a lot of it is just people who have quite trivial arguments with each other and choose to solve it with a knife attack and that’s very frightening,” she said. Elsewhere in Hackney, just hours earlier a man in his 50s died outside a bookmakers in Upper Clapton Road following a suspected fight, the Met said. Stabbings in England and Wales are at their highest levels since 2010/11 and the escalating violence has been especially acute in London, with 13 people killed within two weeks last month. On Tuesday, 16-year-old Amaan Shakoor became the youngest murder victim in London so far this year after he was fatally shot on Monday in Walthamstow. His death came after that of Tanesha Melbourne, 17, who was gunned down around 30 minutes earlier just three miles away in Tottenham. Both were apparently casualties of gang violence. Scotland Yard said it was investigating 55 suspected murders since the start of 2018, including the deaths of two children whose bodies were found in Sussex. Culled from The Independent Online

24 COURTS AND CRIMES

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Woman Docked For Allegedly Trafficking 15-year-old Girl OGUNTADE ISMAILA, Lagos

Twenty five-year-old Elizabeth Ita has been arrested and arraigned before the Magistrates’ Court, Ikeja, for allegedly set sex target for a 15-year-old girl who she brought from Akwa Ibom State under false pretence. The incident happened at the popular Kolabo Hotel located at Ige Street in Iyana Ipaja where the victim, Gloria Asuquo, was rescued by the police. It was learnt that the suspects arranged and brought the victim to Lagos under the false pretence of securing a good work for her. However, when she was brought to Lagos, they disconnected her from her relations and gave her a room at the hotel. It was then they informed her that she would be sleeping with men, collecting certain amount of money and make returns to them. They then set a target for the amount of money she would be paying as returns to them daily as such she had to worked till late in the night to meet the target. LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that it was the condition under which the under aged victim and others were kept before information got to the police. Elizabeth was arrested alongside the manager of the hotel, Thompson Emmanuel, and both are cooling their feet behind bars. They were charged before Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for conspiracy and using the victims as prostitute in a hotel. They pleaded not guilty. The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.Sule-Amzat, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties in like sum. The prosecutor, Mr Benson Emuehi, did not object their bail condition. They were remanded in prison custody pending when they would perfect the bail condition. The matter was adjourned till 5 July, 2018

Suspects paraded by the Borno State Police Command over crimes ranging from armed robbery , cattle rustling , kidnapping, car theft, handsets snatching among others at various locations in Maiduguri, yesterday.

20-yr-old Man Remanded Over Illegal Firearms BY ABDULLAHI OLESIN, Ilorin

A 20-year-old man, Idowu Awwal of Gambari area, Ilorin who was found in possession of Illegal firearm has been remanded at the Federal Prison Yard, Oke-Kura, Ilorin. An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court ordered the remand of the accused having appeared before it on a twocount charge of criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of firearm, contrary to Sections 6B and 2(3) of Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap RII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The long arm of the law caught up with the accused when on March 19 some officers attached to the Department of Operations, Kwara State Police Headquarters, Ilorin accosted him with a bag and when they searched his bag a locally made gun was found inside it. The officers arrested the accused and handed him over to the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID), Ilorin for detailed investigation. According to the officers, while they were eating at a food canteen very close to Fiolu

Pharmacy, Gambari road, Ilorin they intercepted the accused with a handbag and when search was conducted on him and his bag, a locally made pistol and a bottle of codeine syrup were recovered, while his accomplice, one Mohammed escaped. The Police First Information Report (FIR) stated that investigation conducted at CIID, Ilorin revealed that the accused and his accomplice now at large illegally possessed the locally made pistol in a circumstance reasonably indicating that the possession of the firearm

was with intent to the immediate commission of the offence of armed robbery. The prosecutor, Zaccheaus Folorunsho, informed the court that investigation into the case was still in progress, while effort was on top gear towards the arrest of Mohammed now on the run. The prosecutor submitted further that the alleged offence committed by the accused was not ordinarily bailable. He urged the court to remand him in prison custody pending the outcome of investigation.

Three Arraigned For Impersonating Military Personnel BY ABDULLAHI OLESIN, Ilorin

Three persons who allegedly conspired with others now at large and impersonated a military officer in order to cheat an unsuspecting person have been dragged before an Ilorin Chief Magistrates’ Court. The accused, Musari Oti-Jesu, aka Otors, 38 of Orisunbare, Oluwasegun Lukman, 35, and Gbenga Olatunji, aka chicen; all of Tanke area, Ilorin, were dragged before the court on a six-count

charge of criminal conspiracy, cheating by impersonation, house trespass, having possession of suspected stolen items, assault and giving false information. Men of the Kwara State Police Command arrested the accused following a report on March 8 2018 at Inspector General of Police X-Squad, Adeta Area, Ilorin by one Miss Mohammed Hummu of Olagunju Estate, Tanke, Ilorin that the accused and others, one Abdulgafar, Kabir aka KB and Abdullahi aka Sebe

(at large) all of Tanke Area, Ilorin criminally conspired and invaded her brother’s house, Mohammed Ibrahim at Tanke, Ilorin and assaulted him. According to the complainant, Musari (first accused) introduced himself to her brother as a military personnel and forcefully collected an l -phone 7 GSM handset which he brought from one Lukman (second accused) at the rate of N50,000, which he (fake military officer) claimed to be the owner. The complainant stated further

that her brother later discovered that Musari was not a soldier which made him to suspect a foul play and quickly reported the matter to the Tanke Community Vigilante. The Tanke Community Vigilante had called Musari to report to their office with the alleged i-phone 7 GSM handset the following day, but instead of him to report he and others at large allegedly conspired and trespassed into the house of her brother and assaulted him by beating him up.

Land Dispute: Three Docked For Assaulting Woman Farmer BY ABDULLAHI OLESIN, Ilorin

Three persons, Babatunde Alabi, 48; Adelodun Kesebinu, 32, and Tunde Abdulazeez, 22; all of BabaOde, Ilorin, Kwara State have been arraigned before an Ilorin Magistrates’ Court for allegedly beating a woman. The accused were brought before the court on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, assault and criminal intimidation, which contradicted Sections 97, 265 and

397 of Penal Code Law. One Adunni Ibrahim of opposite Olarewaju Estate, Offa-Garage, Ilorin had on March 7,2018 reported at Area Commander’s Office, Nigeria Police, Kwara State Command, Ilorin Metropolis that the accused beat her. According to the complainant, about four weeks ago while she went to her farm at Asa-Dam area, Ilorin the accused and six other now at large jointly beat her and chased

her out of her farm. She stated that the accused also threatened to kill her if she ever steps into the farm again pending the determination of the cases in the court. However, the complainant later sent two of her labourers, Issa Iyanda and Saliu Alabi to the same farm and the two men were allegedly beaten and chased away from the farm. Also, the complainant’s husband,

Ibrahim Owolabi, went to the same farm and he was said to have been beaten and chased out of the farm by the same set of people and since then the complainant could not go to the farm again. Meanwhile, when the complainant reported the matter to the police the accused were immediately invited to the police station for interrogation and they admitted chasing away the complainant and others from the

said farm because of the pending cases in courts over the farmland. The Police First Information Report (FIR) stated that investigation conducted at Area Commander’s Office, Ilorin Metropolis revealed that the accused and others now at large criminally conspired and beat the complainant, the two labourers and her husband and chased them away from the farm at different occasions and also threatened to kill her.

Saturday

April 7, 2018 EDITION: 253

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DISC VERY Medicine That Changed the World

WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

HEALTH

Signs Of Labour

Tramadol Claiming More Lives Than Any Painkiller

KIDS HEALTH

Tonsillsitis

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April 7, 2018

Raise Your Brain R’S EDITO

NOTE

Managing Hypertension The first measure in managing and treating high blood pressure is your diet. In most cases of hypertension, diet remains the single most important factor in preventing and even lowering the figures. The most annoying and truly sad part is that most practitioners know that over 85 per cent of all cases of high blood pressure are both treatable and preventable without drugs but hypertensive patients’ compliance is also to blame. Many have been told to lose weight, cut out refined salt and undertake demanding exercise but are unwilling or incapable of making these important lifestyle changes necessary to increase their life spans. From experience though, there is a growing number who are ready to make these lifestyle changes once they are educated properly about what steps to take. This education process will take considerable time and effort but the rewards are high. I bet you would prefer to be here for your daughter’s wedding than be underground! I have seen patients who made the necessary changes, carefully weaned off their medications having a satisfying feeling of selfcontrol of their health and life. Studies have shown that the most effective way to lower blood pressure safely, rapidly, and permanently, is an entirely vegetarian diet. This also involves reducing salt intake, eating oily fishes, fruits and vegetables, increasing the use of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and herbs daily.

• Cricket’s ears are located on its front legs, just below the knees.

• Up to 90 percent of the animals in the ocean depths are bioluminescent.

• In early 2016, Sir Paul McCartney (a former Beatles member) was refused entry to a party as the party was “VIP only”.

ittle Known Interesting Random Facts • The drink Fanta originated in Nazi Germany during World War II. The local plants could no longer import the original Coca-Cola syrup from the USA due to the trade embargo and had to improvise.

• In 2016, Facebook’s software blocked a photograph of a 16thcentury statue of Neptune in Bologna, Italy, claiming it was “sexually explicit”. • In Italy, they refer to the colour of the egg yolks as “red”.

• The Hanover fairground (Germany) is the largest exhibition ground in the world. It boasts almost 500,000 m² (5.3 million sq. ft.) of covered indoor space.

• Many plants can chemically “feel” who is eating their leaves (caterpillars or deer) and counteract by releasing tailor-made defensive chemicals. • Some companies offer renting of high quality baby clothes. It is cheaper

than buying and is environmentally friendly as those clothes can last up to 11 cycles. Tweet This • In 2016, the Afghan Vice President, Abdul Rashid Dostum, kidnapped a rival politician, Ahmad Eshchi, a former governor of Jowzjan province. For five days, the victim was subjected to false imprisonment, torture and sexual abuse. • Absinthe was illegal to import or manufacture in many European countries in the period 1910-2000. • The percent sign % was first used around 1650. • When full, Hoover Dam is the largest reservoir in the United States of America by volume. By the way, it was initially called Boulder Dam.

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EDITOR: Raliat Ahmed-Yusuf CONTENT: Tunde Oguntola DESIGN/LAYOUT: Xtanlee Uche Echidi

EDITOR: Kayode Falade

CHAIRMAN: Sam Nda-Isaiah GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR: Abdul Gombe

The ingredients of health and long life, are great temperance, open air, easy labour, and little care ...Sir Philip Sidney

April 7, 2018

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Tramadol Claiming More Lives Than Any Painkiller

Tramadol is a medication used to help relieve moderate to severe pain. Abusing this drug can lead to dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, sleep problems, seizure and even death. TUNDE OGUNTOLA x-rays the dangers of this painkiller.

ramadol is a nonnarcotic pain reliever. Tramadol binds to some opioid receptors and inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin (neurotransmitters in the brain). Tramadol may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for by the physician. Also, taking tramadol for a long time and in high doses may cause you to become tolerant of the drug and dependent. It is advised that tramadol should be taken exactly how it was prescribed by your doctor. Hence, users should not take more medication than the doctor prescribed. This drug is similar to opioid (narcotic) analgesics and works in the brain to change how your body feels and responds to pain. If you carefully walk on major streets in the country, you will

be surprised at the number of empty packs of tramadol you will see. According to the prescribing information, tramadol should be avoided in patients that are addiction prone. It also states that tolerance or dependence may result from extended use. Patients who have been on tramadol for an extended length of time should not discontinue the medication abruptly or they may experience withdrawal symptoms. The dose should be tapered down slowly before stopping completely. Your doctor can provide you with a taper schedule if they feel you should stop tramadol. This is not a complete list of the side effects associated with Tramadol. The word addiction refers to any behaviour that is deemed “out of control.” In some cases, addiction can be minor, such as being addicted to television, shopping or

talking on the phone. But in a lot of cases, addiction is related to drugs. The most common drugs that addiction is related to are marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy. While society focuses on those major drugs, which is absolutely necessary, there is another crisis that is rising and seems to be completely ignored – painkiller addictions. To be more specific, there is one painkiller that has actually claimed more lives than heroin and cocaine. According to a pathologist Prof. Jack Crane, the painkiller Tramadol has killed more people than heroin and cocaine. This may be shocking to many people, but read on and find out more about this drug and you’ll see why it needs to receive more attention. Tramadol is a prescribed pain-reliever. It is one of the most potent painkillers on

the market and is generally used to treat around-theclock pain. It is part of the opioid group and does most of its work in the central nervous system of the body. Need to Know Information: Tramadol can be very harmful if you have the following health issues: breathing problems, blockage in your intestines or stomach and if you consume alcohol on a daily basis. If you suffer from any of those three issues, your doctor may not prescribe Tramadol to you because it has the ability to slow or even stop your breathing. Side Effects of Tramadol: The following are some of the less common symptoms that you may experience after taking tramadol: nausea, bloating, blood in the urine, chills, increased blood pressure, abdominal or stomach pain, difficulty urinating, fainting, heart rate increased, and loss

of memory. It needs to be noted that these symptoms can also be caused by other health issues, so if you only experience one of these symptoms, do not panic, but do consult your doctor to get further information. The following are symptoms you will experience if you decide to overdose on Tramadol: difficulty breathing, change in consciousness, reduced muscle tone, severe fatigue, shortness of breath, unusual tiredness, and irregular heartbeat. As you can see, a lot of those symptoms can be life-threatening and even lead to other health issues. Again it needs to be noted that experiencing some of these symptoms does not mean you are overdosing, but it does mean you should go see your doctor for a further evaluation. – Additional info from:providr.com

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Saturday, April 7, 2018 Simple Steps To Healthy Living as

Fitness Beauty Wellness

Signs Of Labour

he first sign that an expecting mother feels is a dropping feeling in the lower portion of the body. The baby when turns head down and drops to the cervix of the uterus this feeling is experienced and this puts a lot of pressure on the bladder causing the mother to urinate a lot. Also, difficulty in bowel movements might be experienced by some mothers. Some other kind of changes can be experienced in cervix. Though these changes will be more strongly felt by the doctors as they perform some internal check-ups a couple of weeks before due date There is something called as

Live Well Tips

practice contractions. The name has been given because it gives practice of the actual pains. These pains are experienced throughout pregnancy but the frequency increases and they intensify at the end of pregnancy. These contractions are also called Braxton Hicks contractions. These contractions are of course different from actual labour contractions as they don’t really have a pattern, they don’t intensify and the duration does not increase with reduction in the gaps. Breaking of water bag is also a sign that it is time that you call your doctor or visit the hospital. There would be a sudden gush of fluid which is clear and odourless. It is not necessary that the fluid

Live well tips are NOT medical advice. Please consult your doctor before taking medicine or supplement, changing diet or exercise. • Start a new habit; look for a 15 minute walk after lunch. Do it

just bursts out; it could come out slow and steady too. If the appearance of the fluid is a little different then please note it down to enquire with the doctor. There is a vaginal discharge, which is brownish or blood tinged in colour. This discharge may mean that the labour is about to begin in a few hours or days. This simply means that whatever needs to come out is on its way! Women might experience lower back pains or thigh pains persistently. Women can identify it with premenstrual feeling of cramps .Also frequency of using toilet for emptying the bladder might increase and some women might feel the urge to pass stools.

today, tomorrow and every day. • When travelling by air, please avoid the window seat, It raises your risk for blood clot, the aisle or middle seat are better. • Read your palm, spread out your hand if the lines are pure, you

Anti-Aging Foods

While we are yet to find the ‘’Fountain of Youth’’ we have discovered through research anti-aging foods that help you maintain a healthy, young-looking skin. Ultimately, poor-quality foods like transfats, causes inflammation and aging while, anti-aging foods like fruits and vegetables are essentially good for your skin this includes: Water Are you getting your full eight glasses of water every day? Water is not only critical for hydration, but also helps your body naturally flush out toxins, rejuvenate its skin, and efficiently fulfil internal functions. Protein Instead of simply looking at what foods you consume, it’s important to consider your key dietary components as well. Since metabolism slows with age, it’s critical to eat sources rich in protein to protect muscle mass and prevent unnecessary weight gain. Eggs, skinless chicken, and turkey breasts are excellent sources of protein that are easy to consume. Coconut Oil Pound for pound, coconut oil is one of the single most nutritious superfoods you can put in your body. It has a vast array of incredible health benefits including: healthier skin and hair, lower cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased levels of immunity, proper digestion and metabolism. Spices If you open your spice cabinet right now, you may find ginger, paprika, and cayenne pepper. These are incredibly delicious on our foods, but did you know that they’re filled with anti-aging benefits as well? These can lower blood sugar levels and cholesterol by fighting high blood pressure, and also improve circulation throughout the body. Avocado Considered one of the “super foods” of the world, avocado is rich in the vitamins and nutrients needed to keep the body as healthy as possible. Similar to nuts, however, guacamole is high in fat calories, so be sure and conscious about your intake. Spinach One of the vitamins we rarely hear about is vitamin K, which improves bone density and strength. Leafy greens, such as spinach, are primary sources of vitamin K and a single serving is over one-and-ahalf times your daily requirement of the vitamin. Aside from strengthening your skeleton, spinach also provides nutrients to keep your eyesight healthy. Almonds Though all nuts are generally healthy, almonds top the list.

may be anemic. If so, please see a doctor. • Please check around your eyes. If you have small yellowish spot (fat deposits) it is a sign of high cholesterol, please get it check. • A new study that thin thighs indicate increased risk for heart

disease. However, thighs over 60cm round are not too good for the heart. • Some news to use for women: if the index finger is shorter than the ring finger, they may get arthritis in the knees earlier in life.

APRIL 7, 2018

Joel Salinas: The doctor who really feels his patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pain For Dr Joel Salinas, music creates colours, numbers have personalities and another personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pain feels almost like his own. He thought that was how everyone experienced the world - until he went to medical school.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

STARTINGBLOCKS Mauritius is the African country that doesn't have wild animals.

AFRICANFACTS

THE PACESETTING PAGES

The world's largest oxygen plant is in Secunda, South Africa. It costs 246 million dollars to build.

HEALTH MANAGER TEMIE GIWA-

PROUDLY NIGERIA KEMI ADETIBA

Media personality He is passionate and enterprising. Alex Okosi sits at the helm of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), as the senior vice president and managing director.

he is very talented and hardworking. Kemi Adetiba has, in a short space of time, excelled in the entertainment industry, both in Nigeria and across sub-saharan Africa A filmmaker and television director, she also has an LLB from the University of Lagos and is a law school graduate. Adetiba ended up in media despite being a lawyer. In an interview with CNN, She said she was always a creative kid, and her first love was in the creative industry and it was cultivated by her parents because they were also creative. At 13, she played roles in two national television jingles by her father for OMO, one of Nigeria’s most popular detergent brands. Her father, Dele Adetiba is a renowned veteran who helped in the development of advertising and broadcast industries in Nigeria. Her mother, on the other hand, is a civil engineer. With combined influence from Adetiba’s father, who had already made a name for himself in the game and her mother, who was breaking boundaries and gender roles in engineering, she has risen to build her own name. Becoming an expert in her field while breaking career norms rooted in gender roles and cultural expectations, she has proven that the limitations that exist are the ones that we set for ourselves. Adetiba has gone from being a radio presenter with Silverbird’s Rhythm 93.7FM where she anchored two national hit shows. Soul’d Out and Sunday at the Seaside. Spoiling her listeners with her

STRICTLY FOR JJCs Cook at home. Cooking at home is

exquisite music taste and soothing sound, to presenting and producing on TV. She began to produce and present several shows on Mnet, including Studio 53, Temptation Nigeria which she presented alongside Ik Osakioduwa. She hosted three consecutive seasons of the Maltina Dance All, She was also a presenter on Soundcity TV In 2007, Adetiba decided to make her dreams of being behind the camera a reality. She left Nigeria to study

Ways to lead a healthy life

cheaper and healthier than eating out, so teach yourself to cook the things you love, and keep a wellstocked fridge. Shop healthily. Plan out your meals for the week, and go to the grocery store with a list. Start in the produce aisles, and skip the chips and snack aisles

Cultivate active habits. If you have trouble getting to the gym on a

film at the New York Film Academy. “I’d find it intriguing when I would go off for shoots with the cameramen, and they would be pressing buttons and fiddling, and I was like what is that? I wanted to know so much more about it. “She said. Now she is the amazing mind behind some of the best videos and movies that have come out of Nigeria. Adetiba has become an icon and she’s known for her ability to produce and direct videos, and tell stories with the littlest of elements. Her work comes together to evoke not just visual and auditory senses of the viewer but excites all the viewer’s senses with a tale to hold on to. One of her greatest achievements in the past year was directing The Wedding Party, which premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and broke the box office records by ranking with over 3.5 billion naira. When we thought that we had seen her best, she hits us with her documentary web series, King Women. King Women highlights women from various industries narrating their personal experience, overcoming difficulties in their careers and their personal lives. It’s an online source of mentorship and inspiration, with Kemi’s mother as the source influence for the show. Her mom was her first King Woman. Adetiba has inspired the coming generation of women to never doubt themselves. She has given them experiences to guide and direct them. She has shown

regular basis, build more activity into your daily routine. Take up gardening or another active hobby. Cut your commute and walk part of the way to work.

Brush and floss. Dental hygiene

exams. Socialise. Having a healthy social network is good for your longevity, your immunity, your recovery from illnesses you contract, and your mental stability. See friends regularly. Keep in touch with family.

affects your heart health as well as your gums and teeth. Brush twice a Build happiness and selfday and floss daily. Consider adding in a mouthwash containing fluoride. acceptance. Get in the habit of Schedule regular dental cleanings and treating yourself lovingly. Speak to yourself the way you would speak to

The founder of Life Bank, formerly one percent project, an organization in Nigeria working to improve access to blood transfusions in the country, was born in Nigeria but grew up partly in the US where she studied. She is a graduate of political science and holds a master’s degree in international and public sector management. She had to do her three months’ compulsory internship and she opted to do it in Nigeria. Giwa-Tubosun also worked with the Department for International Development (DFID) on a health project in the Northern part of Nigeria. It was during her internship that she encountered what geared her towards health as a career. After staying a while in Nigeria, she moved back to the US. She also worked with a health management company, Fairview in Geneva, Switzerland, after which she went on to Uganda, one of the recipients of Global Health Fellows, an organization which send young Americans who are interested in health to East African countries/ villages to work and help with the management of the health systems. She worked in a small village in Uganda for a year with her mind still set on coming back to Nigeria. While in Uganda, Giwa-Tunbosun the one percent project. The goal of the one percent project is for people to donate blood. Blood enlightenment was done across some universities in the country and about 8,000 pints of blood was collected. All this was done with the help of her board members while she took care of the funding and operations while in Uganda. In 2014 she was listed as one of the 100 women who are making a difference around the world by the BBC.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

THE BIG STORY

BILLIONAIRES WHO PLAN TO GIVE AWAY THE MAJORITY OF THEIR FORTUNE Many billionaires give some of their money to charity, but some give a lot of their money to charity. The Giving Pledge invites the wealthiest people in the world to pledge more than half of their wealth to charitable causes either during their lives or in their wills. Here are some billionaire pledgers planning to give away most of their money.

Warren Buffett Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett is no stranger to philanthropy, having created the giving pledge with Bill and Melinda Gates and pledging more than 99 percent of his own wealth to charitable causes during his lifetime or upon his death. He’s already given away 21.5 billion dollars, according to Wealth-X. “To date,” he writes in his pledge letter, “about 20 percent of my shares (in Berkshire Hathaway stock) have been distributed” to various charities. His gift last summer amounted to 2.8 billion dollars, the second year in a row he’s given this amount. Buffett will continue to distribute another 4 percent of his stock every year. Buffett is the chairman, CEO and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway (an American multinational conglomerate holding company) and is consistently

ranked among the world’s wealthiest people. He was ranked as the world’s wealthiest person in 2008

and as the third wealthiest in 2015. In 2012 Time named Buffett one of the world’s most influential people.

Buffett is often referred to as the “Wizard of Omaha” or “Oracle of Omaha,” or the “Sage of Omaha,” and is noted for his adherence to value investing and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. He built his 67 billion net worth by simply taking his time. Not a fan of trendy stocks or knee-jerk reactions to market fluctuations, Buffet has a “set it and forget it” investment philosophy, saying, “It’s pretty easy to get well-to-do slowly. But it’s not easy to get rich quick.” Buffett has written several times of his belief that, in a market economy, the rich earn outsized rewards for their talents. His children will not inherit a significant proportion of his wealth. He once commented, “I want to give my kids just enough so that they would feel that they could do anything, but not so much that they would feel like doing nothing”.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

BILLIONAIRES WHO PLAN TO GIVE AWAY THE MAJORITY OF THEIR FORTUNE

Bill and Melinda Gates The other creators of the giving pledge, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda use their foundation to fund initiatives and programs around the world that support agricultural development, emergency relief, urban poverty, global health, and education. They have already given away more money than anyone else on the planet, donating 27 billion dollars, according to Wealth-X. The Gates’ are particularly devoted to fighting diseases that, with treatments like vaccinations, are easily preventable. The foundation delivers vaccinations for diseases like polio and tuberculosis to countries that don’t have them. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (or the Gates Foundation, abbreviated as BMGF) is the largest private foundation in the world. It was launched in 2000 and is said to be the largest transparently operated private foundation

in the world. The primary aims of the foundation are, globally, to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and in America, to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology. It had an endowment of 44.3 billion dollars as of December 31, 2014. The scale of the foundation and the way it seeks to apply business techniques to giving makes it one of the leaders in venture philanthropy, though the foundation itself notes that the philanthropic role has limitations. Gates has credited the generosity and extensive philanthropy of David Rockefeller as a major influence. Gates and his father met with Rockefeller several times, and their charity work is partly modelled on the Rockefeller family’s philanthropic focus, whereby they are interested in tackling the global problems that are ignored by governments and other organizations.

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg made billions off of the world’s largest social network, and he was one of the first people to join the giving pledge in 2010. They’ve given away over 1.6 billion dollars. Few years ago, Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla donated 25 million dollars to the CDC Foundation to fight Ebola, and encouraged all of their Facebook followers to do the same. In December 2013, the donation was recognized as the largest charitable gift on public record for 2013. The Chronicle of Philanthropy placed Zuckerberg and his wife at the top of the magazine’s annual list of 50 most generous Americans for 2013, having donated roughly 1 billion dollars to charity. In December 2015, Zuckerberg

and Chan announced the birth of their daughter Max, and in an open letter to Max, they pledged to donate 99 percent of their Facebook shares, then valued at 45 billion dollars, to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, their new charitable foundation with focuses on health and education. The donation will not be given to charity immediately, but over the course of their lives. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is not a charitable trust or a private foundation but a limited liability company which can be for-profit, spend money on lobbying, do political donations, will not have to disclose its pay to its top five executives and have fewer other transparency requirements, compared to a charitable trust.

OTHER BILLIONAIRES WHO PLAN TO GIVE AWAY THEIR FORTUNE Pierre Omidyar Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar and wife Pam have pledged more than 1 billion dollar through gifts and the work of their foundations; in October 2011 the couple was awarded the Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy. Patrick Soon-Shiong Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong made his wealth in pharmaceuticals; now his

Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation gives to health care, including 136 million dollars to St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, as well as underwriting a 100 million dollar guarantee to help Los Angeles County and the University of California reopen Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital for in-patient care. Harold Hamm

Oil billionaire Harold Hamm, who owns 70 percent of publicly traded Continental Resource Group, has Type II diabetes and wants to eliminate the disease during his lifetime; the Harold W Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center at the University of Oklahoma is a first step. He also gives for the humane treatment of animals. Carl Icahn

Carl Icahn, billionaire investor and chairman of Icahn Enterprises, has founded three charter schools in the South Bronx; its students have performed significantly better on the New York language and arts exams than the neighborhood average. His Icahn House in the Bronx houses homeless pregnant women and single.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

BILLIONAIRES WHO PLAN TO GIVE AWAY THE MAJORITY OF THEIR FORTUNE

Paul Allen Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen joined the giving pledge in 2010. He focuses the majority of his philanthropic efforts within the Pacific Northwest, where he lives and works, particularly in the realm of science research. His Allen Institute for brain science studies the genetic causes of brain diseases and disorders, as well as the functions and malfunctions of the brain that impact humans in other ways. Allen has donated over 2 billion dollars to charity, according to research firm Wealth-X, including a 100 million dollars donation to combat the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa. With an estimated net worth of 17 billion dollars, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen can afford to buy himself some fancy toys. But with interests that range from electric guitars to World War II aircraft, Allen takes expensive hobbies to a whole new level. Sports are a major passion of Allen’s. He also owns two yachts Octopus and Tatoosh. Octopus is truly one-of-akind. It is decked out with two helicopter landing pads and its own submarine. Tatoosh is a 313-foot watercraft that can accommodate up to 20 guests and 30 crew members. It also has a swimming pool, cinema, basketball court, recording studio, and two helicopter pads. Allen is also known for his impressive real estate portfolio. He owns a total of nine mansions on the island, including one that’s just for his mother and another that houses a full-size basketball court, swimming pool, and fitness centre.

Manoj Bhargava The founder and CEO of 5-Hour Energy pledged to give more than 90 percent of his wealth away to charity. Much of his philanthropy aims to alleviate human suffering. His foundation has adopted over 400 projects so far, including bettering schools and hospitals, and advancing women’s career education in rural India. Another area of interest: the environment. The foundation is trying to reduce fossil fuel emissions by 50 percent and clean harmful chemicals from coal. Born in India, Bhargava moved to Philadelphia with his parents during the 1960s and went on to complete his schooling and a year of undergraduate education at Princeton, before dropping out to return to India. After spending 12 years working in Delhi, he returned to the US to help his parents with their plastics company. After acquiring some regional plants and turning them around, Bhargava turned his focus from plastics to chemicals, and soon

found himself entering a new space altogether. He founded the consumer products firm Living Essentials LLC, which would go on to unleash ‘5-hour Energy’ upon the US. The beverage now has 1.25 billion dollars in annual sales. Now, with an estimated net worth of 4 billion dollars, Bhargava wants to put 99 percent of his wealth into solutions to help the world. This is where the ‘unconventional’ part comes in. Apart from putting a chunk of his fortune into Stage 2 Innovations, an ‘investment fund established to accelerate the large-scale commercialisation of innovative, patentable technologies in the global market’, one of Bhargava’s projects was to manufacture 10,000 units of ‘free electric’, electricity-producing stationary bicycles in India by March 2016, according to Business Standard. These will then be distributed across villages in India. Bhagava’s areas of focus are simple: Water, energy and health.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

TRAVELOGUE In Skopje, Macedonia, every tourist is sure to get a taste of how the country’s combination of old and new reflects on the Stone Bridge which links the new side of the city to the old Ottoman quarter.

DESIRABLES

THEMUST-READS ANDLINGER-ONS

Joel Salinas: The doctor who really feels his patients’ pain For Dr Joel Salinas, music creates colours, numbers have personalities and another person’s pain feels almost like his own. He thought that was how everyone experienced the world - until he went to medical school.

oel Salinas has a condition called mirrortouch synaesthesia. Any time he sees someone experience pain, or even just the sense of touch, his brain recreates the sensations in his own body. “Someone had a cardiac arrest and it completely caught me off guard,” he says “I saw them getting chest compressions and I could feel my back on the linoleum floor and the compressions on my own chest. I felt the breathing tube scraping down the back of my throat.” When the patient was declared dead 30 minutes later Salinas experienced an “eerie silence”. “I had this complete absence of physical sensations. It was so haunting. It was like being in a room with an air conditioner and suddenly it was switched off,” he says.

He escaped to the bathroom where he reassured himself he wasn’t dead - and vowed he wouldn’t let himself react so strongly again. Synaesthesia is a condition in which one or more of your senses is merged with another rather than experienced separately. Some people perceive taste when they hear music while others experience colours when they look at letters and numbers. Salinas struggled to fit in with his peers and remembers asking his mother why nobody liked him. One problem was that he was too forthcoming with hugs. “Hugging was a wholly immersive experience,” he wrote in his 2017 book, Mirror Touch. Salinas realised as a teenager that making others feel better made him feel better, due to this shared sensory experience.

He found he was drawn “to healing people” and decided to pursue a career in medicine. He hadn’t talked about his experiences up to this point as he had just assumed everybody experienced the world the same way. However, on a college trip to India in 2005 Salinas discovered this wasn’t the case. When a fellow medical student described a group of people who perceived colours with letters, Salinas remarked that this was the case for most people. “He looked at me and said: ‘That’s absolutely not the case for everyone,’” Salinas says. But understanding this did nothing to prepare him for the difficult experiences that came in the next stage of his studies. “The mirror-touch pain was most vivid at medical school when I began to see the extremes of physical trauma,” Salinas says. Salinas found out that mirror-

touch sensations were more vivid when he was surprised or if the person he observed was physically similar to himself. So he started to prepare himself for such situations. “I focused looking at a patient’s sleeve or collar, or on grounding myself in my own body,” he says. Synaesthesia research was still in its early days in 2007 when he visited the leading expert, neurologist Dr V S Ramachandran, to take part in some tests. He was told that his experience of feeling touch when he saw someone else being touched was a newly discovered type of synaesthesia called mirror touch. It could affect as many as 1.6 percent of the population, according to a study led by Michael Banissy. Salinas also discovered that his own sister perceived some coloured letters, while his

mother and brother had some mirror-touch-like experiences. Scientists now think we are all born with synaesthesia. A recent study found babies associate different shapes with different colours, however, this merging of senses diminishes in most people as our brains remove unnecessary connections in a process known as “pruning”. “One hypothesis is people with synaesthesia have a defect in pruning so end up with an excess of connections,” Salinas says. Now a neurologist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Salinas has found it easier to talk about his experiences as research into the subject has increased. “Earlier there had been the risk of being perceived as weird or different or a liar. Now I can defend it as something that is real,” he says.

Saturday, April 7, 2018 CROSSWORD

SUDOKU CLASSIC

ACROSS

DOWN

Saturday, April 7, 2018

BONUSPACK $94.8 83 billion kmh

THE TAKE-AWAYS THIS WEEK

KEEPSAKES

BEAUTIFUL GARDENS IN THE WORLD

Kenrokuen, Kanazawa, Japan

No question that the enemy has tried to spread sectarian violence. They use violence as a tool to do that. GEORGE W. BUSH

Keukenhof, Lisse, Netherlands

Nong Nooch tropical botanical garden, Pattaya, Thailand In 1954 Pisit and Nongnooch Tansacha purchased 600 acres of land on which they planned to build a fruit plantation. But they decided to dedicate the grounds to conservation, and in 1980 they opened their tropical garden to the public.

Gardens of Versailles, Versailles, France Covering nearly 2,000 acres, the current landscape was designed by gardener André Le Nôtre, who was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1661. More than 6 million visitors stroll the gardens each year.

This is an internationally renowned research institution, employing hundreds of scientists and researchers. The gardens are home to more than 40,000 species of plants, as well as dozens of historic buildings.

It’s not often you find a 52-acre garden in the heart of a major metropolis. But that’s exactly what you’ll find in New York, thanks to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The garden is known for its 200 cherry trees, which take center stage during a month-long blossom festival.

That’s one of the tragedies of this life – that the men who are most in need of a beating up are always enormous. JOHN D. HACKENSACKER

Geography

We had brought a large map representing the sea, without the least vestige of land: And the crew was much pleased when they found it to be a map they could all understand. LEWIS CARROLL I stopped a man from Wigan in the street on the way to the football and I asked him, “How do you get to the JJB Stadium?” And he said, “me brother takes me?” DAVE SPIKEY

Kew royal botanic gardens, Kew, United Kingdom

Brooklyn botanic gardens, New York

In a dangerous neighbourhood, always walk backward so that no one can sneak up on you. BARRY BLYVEIS

Hoping to improve my son’s knowledge of geography, I bought him an atlas for Christmas. A few days later I asked him, “where is Portugal?” He answered, “three pages after France.” LAURA GREEN

please cut along this line and keep

A bag/bundle of nerves An extremely nervous or agitated person. Get on somebody’s nerves To begin to irritate or distress somebody. It is very tragic, of course, but you must not get yourself mixed up in it. I see by the standard that she was seventeen. I should have thought she was almost younger than that. She looked such a child and seemed to know so little about acting. Dorian, you must not let this thing get on your nerves. Have/need nerves of steel To show or need great composure and not be easily upset. It’s an ugly job, though, all the same... to have to deal with a case of the kind, when a woman is in fault. We soldiers need nerves of steel! Live on one’s nerves/one’s nerve ends To live an emotionally demanding life. Lose one’s nerve To become uneasy or overcautious about something one was previously determined about. Hit or not, the steersman lost his nerve and shrank from the coming shock. Strain every nerve To make a great physical effort. Strain every nerve and bid the vessel fly. IIf from yon jostling rocks and wavy war Jove safety grants; he grants it to your care. Touch a raw nerve To cause somebody to react by mentioning a sensitive matter, often unintentionally.

Health and medicine

Call

Oh, love, can you get me some of that cunnilinctus for my cough? EDNA STEELE

The call of nature The need to urinate or defecate. Show me a city so macerated with expectation – who neither eat or drank, or slept or prayed, or harkened to the calls of either religion or nature for seven and twenty days together, who could have held out one day longer. Call the shots/tune To have the initiative or be in control. In England, the daily business of politics is not controlled by the Prime Minister or Westminster: it is Whitehall that calls the tune.

You might get bird flu if you ate ground-up turkey droppings on your cornflakes for a week, or there again you might not. BORIS JOHNSON

My whole family is lactose-intolerant; when we take pictures we can’t say ‘cheese.’ JAY LONDON

Nerve

Violence

JUST UNBELIEVABLE The total net worth of Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon and the world's richest man.

ENGLISH PHRASES

SEEN & OVERHEARD

In designing their works, Japanese gardeners seek to create an ideal landscape within a particular space. It was built over the course of 200 years starting in the mid17th century. This is one of the three great gardens of Japan.

Covering nearly 80 acres, Keukenhof is one of the largest flower gardens in the world. And with all that land comes a lot of bulbs—about 7 million are planted each year for a spectacular spring blossom. You’ll find plenty of tulips, which the country is known for.

FASTFORWARD The highest speed attained by a destroyer ship, the 2,900 tonne French ship, Le terrible in 1935.

Funeral

Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t go to yours. YOGI BERA I was prostate with grief. TONY SOPRANO He was such a hypochondriac that they buried him next to a doctor. STEVE LAWRENCE

Spoon Make a spoon or spoil a horn To be resolved to achieve something, whether this is a success or a failure. Win the wooden spoon To come last in a race or contest. Sure my invention must be down at zero and I grown one of many ‘wooden spoons’. Of verse (the name with which we Cantabs please to dub the last honours in degrees).

fashion & style APRIL 7, 2018

beauty lounge

interview

fashion

looks

There is an itch in the market for luxury apparel Rahaman

MEN'S CORNER

Printastic! FASHION

Tassels and Feathers! BEAUTY LOUNGE

4 easy Ways to Grow Strong Healthy Nails

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April 7, 2018

There is an itch in the market for luxury apparel – Rahaman

Abaya Lagos is a high-fashion brand that serves as a melting pot of Asian/Arabian and Afro-Western concepts. Its founder, Salihat Adewunmi Rahaman, speaks with MILLICENT AREBUN ONUOHA and NKECHI NWOKOBIA on her brand aesthetics, secrets to overcoming challenges and appreciating the uniqueness of individual creativity Early days My name is by Salihat Adewunmi Rahaman creative director of Abaya Lagos. I am an architect and fashion designer with a master’s degree in Environmental Design from the University of Lagos. In the early days of my designs, I was focused more on head wears and my designs’ aesthetics was to create turbans that people can easily just wear and put on without having to tie it or much fuss. Simply wear it and go about your business. Thereafter, I eventually graduated to designing female apparel. I am fundamentally a creative person and was raised by my very stylish mother, therefore I always tend to gravitate towards anything that inspires creativity. Fashion is an additional vehicle apart from architecture for me to channel my creativity through. Target Market Niche? I find that there is an itch in the market for luxury apparel and that’s where my focus is. Our target market is the discerning high value customers who likes unique things, who likes luxury and who likes the sort of things that we do. For instance, Abaya free flowing wears and turbans. Challenges so far and

how you’ve overcome them? I guess the usual challenge that any small business enterprise will be facing. For instance, infrastructure and also man power challenges. I think we can do better in training our workforces for there is room to grow. We are not doing too badly but there is room to grow. I have overcome these challenges with perseverance, steadfastness and not compromising on the standards that you want to achieve. How do you deal with the fierce competition in the fashion industry? I think with creatives every person’s talents is unique in its own way so for me am just focusing on my creativity. Future project Right now, we are focusing on taking the brand to the next level. We are looking forward to growing the brand and strategic partnerships for the immediate future. Eventually we will go on to do other things within the range of luxury and lifestyle. Advice for the budding fashion designer out about to venture into the industry It’s not advice really, because our design and fashion are very subjective. So, find what you find beautiful and appreciate it and just be more appreciative of anything that comes out of your creativity because it’s a unique mind product.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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BeautyLOUNGE BY MILLICENT AREBUN ONUOHA

Tired of spending a lot on fake nails and acrylic? Do you dream of growing long, healthy and beautiful nails? Here are some tips on making your dream a reality. 1- Know Your Nail Type: The saying that knowledge is key cannot be over emphasized Knowing your nail condition will ensure you know exactly the right treatment for it. There are five nail types, which are brittle, damaged, soft, dry and normal nails. 2- Apply the necessary Treatment: There are a whole host of treatment for nail damage and supplements to eat or take that will improve

fashion & style 39

4 Easy Ways To Grow Strong Healthy Nails your nail health and cause it to grow. Tip: Try the Sally Hansen, or Revlon nail treatment &growth combo, they work like magic. 3- Stop Biting Them: Even if your fingernails are coated with sugar and honey, biting them never makes them grow.

You can stop biting your nails, by applying bitter nail polish. Apply 3 -4 times a week to retain bitter taste. 4- Keep Nail Files In Every Corner: This includes house, car, office. Nails break, when they are uneven, so next time you see your nails uneven,

reach for your nail file and shape them even. 5- Nutrition Is Also Very Important. Drink a lot of water, your nails would love you for it. Eat carrot, oat and wheat, fish, these food contain silicon and sulphur acid that helps strengthen nails. Cauli

flower, onions , shrimps, soya beans ,beef, and any food that contains fatty acid makes the nails healthy. 6- Finally, Coat Your Nails In At Least 3 Layers: It helps the nails look stronger and firm and minimizes the risk of chipping.

40 fashion & style

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Stay Classy in Jeans OLUWATOYIN AGUDA

Jeans are very versatile, and almost everyone has a pair of jeans in their closet. They are a very comfortable piece, very affordable and easy to wear. Most people however think jeans is just a casual wear, but it can be worn for a variety of events, be it a date, a night out with friends, a semi-formal event or a launching. We bring to you style inspiration on how to style your jeans Photo credit: Folake Hudson

April 7, 2018

Saturday, April 7, 2018

fashion

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Tassels and Feathers!

BY MILLICENT AREBUN ONUOHA

For a while, Tassels and Feathers took a middle sit in trendy cloths design charts, content to secure front row sit on accessories. Now they are back with a bang and it looks like they aren’t given up their space anytime soon. Featured heavily by most designers both home and aboard on their creations, as seen by their presence at the just

concluded Arise Fashion Week, fashion bluffs can now spot them in multiples, at any highbrow carpeted event globally. Though now trendy, it’s necessary to have the knowhow, to wear them, so as to look glamorous and sophisticated, not clownish or weird. The trick is, not to go overboard with your tassels and features. • Buy dresses where T&F designs are placed strategically on the

shoulder, knees to hemline, or train. • Never buy fashion staples with T&F on the torso or middle of the garment especially if you are big of built. • Keep your accessories simple, minimal and classy, while yet making a statement.

Photo Credits: FAMOUS ISAACS

@leadershipNGA

fashion & style 41

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men’s corner

Printastic!

BY MILLICENT AREBUN ONUOHA

The global fashion industry’s obsession with prints and patterns, has now transcended the female fashion trends lines to encompass the male apparel trends. The print pants trend for men, is going from strength to strength and

showing no signs of abating. The print pants are a way to express the male style lover’s individualism and personal style; not only is your bottoms the focal point but it also serves as an escape route from the usual pant complement for suits, shirts, blazers and tees. A great and easy way to

wear the prints-bottoms is the use of neutral staples to balance your statement piece. Tip: Simply swap your print bottoms, for your normal neutral chinos or jeans and pair with your usual jackets, tees or shirt, ensuring to match with a color from your print pants for maximum effect.

April 7, 2018

Saturday, April 7, 2018

lifestyle

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7 Amazing Health Benefits Of Banana Peel BY NKECHI NWOKOBIA

Banana peel, which is the flesh of the banana is rich in many nutrients and carbohydrates. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high in vitamins B6, B12,

magnesium and potassium. A Banana peel also called banana skin is the outer covering of the banana fruit. Unknown to many, the banana peel is rich in nutrients and help save more.

Amazing Benefits Of Banana Peel. 1. Sparkling Teeth: Rub the banana peel every day for a week on your teeth for about a minute. This makes

the teeth shine and white. 2. Cures Pimples: just massage banana peels on your face and body for 5 minutes every day to cure pimples. The result will be

fashion & style 43

visible within a week and the acne will disappear. 3. Reduces Wrinkles: The banana peel helps to keep your skin hydrated. Add an egg yolk to a mashed banana peel, apply this mixture on your face and leave it for 5 minutes. Wash after 5 minutes. 4. Pain Reliever: Apply the banana peel directly on the painful area, leave it for 30 minutes till the pain is gone. A mixture of vegetable oil and banana peel also helps in pain relief. 5. Heals Psoriasis: Apply the peel on the psoriasis affected areas, the banana peel has moisturising properties and also reduces itchiness it will quickly heal and will see noticeable results within no time. 6. Heals Bites and Bugs: massage the peel on the mosquito bites to get instant relief from the itching pain. 7. Natural Polish: rub a banana peel on o shoe, leather and silver articles to make them shine brighter. A fresh banana peel should be used for immediate results.

44 fashion & style

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April 7, 2018

Fabulous Fashion Crowd At Arise Fashion Week 2018!

BY MILLICENT AREBUN ONUOHA

Last weekend, the city of Lagos played host to the biggest

fashion event in Africa, ARISE FASHION WEEK 2018 and fashionistas brought their A-game to play. From the quirky, to the raunchy, weird

and normal, Lagos continental hotel witnessed it all. Showcasing the very best of global Africa fashion designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection to an appreciative

audience, the Arise Fashion Week 2018 comeback is one for the books. Below are our top picks from the stylish crowd at the three day event.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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Strange But True!

How To Speed Up Your Metabolism Naturally

ere are all seven ways to boost metabolism by shifting your daily routines and eating the best fat burning foods that speed up metabolism naturally. • Eat more often: Begin with breakfast and eat at least 4, preferably 5 or 6, meals a day. Every time you eat it revs up your metabolism. On the other hand, skipping or going for long periods of time without eating causes your metabolism to slow down. • Have small mini-meals: Eating small, frequent meals keeps your blood sugar stable, fuels your metabolism and gives you sustained energy. If possible, taper calories to fit your daily energy output – breakfast would be your biggest meal (but not too big). And your last meal of the day, at least 4 hours before bedtime, would be your lightest meal. • Choose maxi-metabolism foods: Focus on whole food high fiber carbohydrates for fat burning energy. And countless studies show that

good quality protein helps you build lean muscle and lose fat, so include enough protein at every meal. Also make sure you take nutritional health supplements to get sufficient vitamins, minerals and nutrients. • Spice up your dishes: Hot and spicy seasonings, such as chilies, mustard and curry have been found to raise metabolism by up to 40% for two or three hours. Just make sure your spicy dish is not a high calorie meal or you’ll undo the fat burning advantage. • Drink ice-cold water: Water makes up 70 to 80% of your blood and brain, so it’s essential to good health. And now new information by German researchers disclosed that dieters can increase their metabolic rate by as much as 30% by drinking 17 ounces of cold water. Actually, just being cold increases your metabolism. Your body has to burn about 100 calories to get warmed back up to normal temperature. Plus, thirst is often mistaken for hunger; so staying hydrated can help

keep you from overeating too. • Switch to green tea: Studies show green tea may speed up metabolism and help burn fat. So consider exchanging your morning cup of java for a mug of green tea – especially since it’s also been shown to be a good source of antioxidants. • Get an optimum level of good fats: According to fish oil and weight loss research, certain specific omega 3 fatty acids are important for their fat conversion abilities. Essential fatty acids are also necessary to keep your thyroid and other hormonal glands working optimally. All these fat burning ways and best fat burning foods that speed up your metabolism naturally can make getting and staying fit much easier. You may also want to learn more about how to build muscle to lose fat. And now you know how to speed up metabolism naturally, it’s time to get started with fat burning exercises and the top 10 best fat burning foods.

Medical Terms And Meanings Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects your brain and spinal cord. The cause of MS is still unknown, scientists believe the disease is triggered by asyet-unidentified environmental factors. Living with multiple sclerosis means living with uncertainty. The course of the disease is very difficult for doctors to predict. Some people live with MS for years without suffering serious symptoms. Others may rapidly become disabled. Why the course of the disease varies so widely remains unclear. One thing is certain. Most people with MS experience periodic relapses, also called flare-ups or attacks. Muscle weakness, visual disturbances, balance

problems, memory loss, loss of bowel or bladder control. Botulism -- Serious form of food poisoning caused by eating contaminated food containing a toxin that severely affects the nervous system. It is caused by a bacteria found in contaminated or incompletely cooked canned foods (especially home canned), undercooked sausage and smoked meats or fish. Symptoms develop suddenly 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food and include blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, swallowing difficulty, vomiting, diarrhea and weakness of arms and legs that may lead to paralysis. Overall death rate is 10 to 25%. Outcome is usually good with prompt treatment.

#CondomC hallenge: Condom Snorting Goes Viral Teenagers all over the United States of America are now engaging in a new viral challenge called the #TheCondomChallenge. The challenge shows teenagers placing a condom inside one of their nostrils and inhaling it until the condom comes out of their mouth. The challenge is even nastier to watch. While the challenge is obviously risky and unhealthy, the fact that it generates likes and engagement online has caused it to be popular among the young folk. While an infection is an obvious consequence of the moronic trend, more serious implications like lodged appendix and collapsed lungs are also possible consequences of breathing in a condom. When asked about the latest trend, here’s what Bruce Y. Lee, a Professor

at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, had to say: ‘When is using a condom a bad idea? When you are trying to snort it up your nose and pull it out through your mouth. If you ask, ‘why would anyone ever do that’, then you obviously haven’t heard of the ‘Condom Snorting Challenge’. The condom could easily get stuck in your nose or your throat, blocking your breathing or causing you to choke. Even if you manage to successfully pull the condom out through your mouth, inhaling a condom up your nose would be very uncomfortable and potentially quite painful. Would it really be worth all that just to get more likes and views?’ Parents and caregivers are being advised strongly to warn their teenagers about the dangers of being a part of the challenge.

Your Sexual Health Question Answered When A Woman Is Pregnant, What Is The Safe Period For Sex? Couple can have healthy sex, till about the last day of pregnancy, but in some country it is around the eighth month, when they should ideally stop. The gynecologist looking after the pregnant woman decides whether she is normal and healthy to be able to have intercourse. Sometimes if the mouth of the womb is open, it can trigger off an abortion, and some people who have had multiple abortions are not able to hold, so they don’t have any intercourse for the entire nine months.

JOKE A Therapist A therapist has a theory that couples who make love once a day are the happiest. So he tests it at a seminar by asking those assembled, “How many people here make love once a day?” Half the people raise their hands, each of them grinning widely. “Once a week?” A third

But for the couple who can, there are different sexual positions they need to look at during pregnancy. And also, intercourse should begin only after the third month, because up to the third month the egg which is settling down into the womb, gets its hold and after the third month it is secure in the womb. Do Aphrodisiacs Help In Enhancing Sex Drive? No tablets, fruits or pills can ever act as aphrodisiacs. The best aphrodisiac is a willing partner who the person loves. People think that onions, garlic betel nut leaf etc act as aphrodisiacs, but this is not true. of the audience members raise their hands, their grins a bit less vibrant. “Once a month?” A few hands tepidly go up. Then he asks, “OK, how about once a year?” One man in the back jumps up and down, jubilantly waving his hands. The therapist is shocked—this disproves his theory. “If you make love only once a year,” he asks, “why are you so happy?” The man yells, “Today’s the day!

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April 7, 2018

KIDS HEALTH

Tonsillsitis

Sometimes kids get an operation to remove their tonsils, but only if their tonsils get infected a lot or are so big they make it hard for the kid to breathe at night

The tonsils’ job is to help fight germs that come in through our mouth or nose before they cause infections in the rest of the body. Usually, tonsils do their job well. But sometimes bacteria or viruses get into the tonsils and infect them. When this happens, you have tonsillitis. How Can I Tell if I Have Tonsillitis? If you have tonsillitis, your throat usually hurts and it’s hard to eat, drink, or even swallow. You also

might have a fever. Here are some other signs that bacteria or a virus are infecting your tonsils: • Red (swollen or irritated) tonsils • A yellow or white coating on the tonsils • Swollen glands in the neck • Bad breath How Is Tonsillitis Treated? If the tonsillitis is caused by strep bacteria, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics, a type of medicine

that kills bacteria. It’s very important to take the antibiotics exactly as directed and to finish the entire prescription — even if you start feeling better in a few days — or the infection could come back. If the tonsillitis is caused by a virus, antibiotics won’t work and your body will fight off the infection on its own. Sometimes kids get an operation to remove their tonsils, but only if their tonsils get infected a lot

or are so big they make it hard for the kid to breathe at night. If you get tonsillitis, here are some tips that can help you feel better: • Drink plenty of fluids. • If it hurts to swallow regular food, try smooth foods, like flavored gelatin, soups, ice pops, and applesauce. • Take it easy until you feel better. • Wash your hands well and often.

PHOBIA

Kakorrhaphiophobia – Fear Of Failure Or Defeat Kakorrhaphiophobia is an intense, irrational fear of failure or defeat. The person coping with this phobia may fear failure in every single side of their life and should feel that they must constantly show themselves as being better, more in a position and extra competent than others.

A kakorrhaphiophobic individual might aggressively compete with peers, household members, co-workers and will obsessively search acknowledgment of their achievements. This morbid concern of failure can consume the phobic person-s each thought. Kakorrhaphiophobia derives from

the Greek phrase -kakos-, meaning bad and -phobos- meaning fear. It is of interest to note, that this phobia could be literally construed to mean concern of being bad. What Causes Kakorrhaphiophobia? As is the case with all phobias,

the person suffering from Kakorrhaphiophobia has skilled a reallife trauma at some point in their life. Thereafter, when the phobic particular person confronts any scenario that even remotely reminds them of the trauma, their brain automatically signals a struggle or flight reaction.

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April 7, 2018

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DISC VERY

Medicine That Changed the World

The Birth Control Pill Arguably, few developments have had as profound a social impact as the introduction of the birth control pill -- though its path to widespread use has been a rocky one. Although contraception was safe in the early 1960s, it only became legal for married couples in 1965 and for unmarried couples in 1972. But because of the Pill, countless women have been given control over their own fertility -- a concept that created a social revolution. “Thinking about how it has transformed women’s lives, in terms of family planning and the entry of women into the work force, its impact has been significant indeed,” Baker said. “It was the firstever lifestyle drug. It’s not treating a disease, but it was making life better for women.” Improvements in Heart Surgery and Cardiac Care Heart disease remains at the top of the list of the country’s killers. Despite

this, numerous important advances in its treatment have made a considerable impact, extending and improving the lives of its sufferers. Not the least of these advancements is surgeons’ ability to operate on and repair the heart -- without putting the patient at an unreasonable amount of risk. “Maybe the breakthrough moment was the rise of the heart-lung bypass, which made it possible to operate on the heart for more than just a few minutes at a time,” Baker said. “This was followed by coronary artery bypass grafting, which is, I believe, a most important procedure.” Randomized Controlled Trials Another development largely unnoticed by the public at large, the advent of the randomized controlled trial -- what many refer to as the gold standard of medical research -- gave medical researchers an important tool in determining which treat-

ments work, and which do not. Randomized trials are conducted by dividing patient populations into two groups, where one group receives the intervention to be studied while the other does not. Examining the differences between groups in these types of trials has ushered in an era of evidencebased medicine that continues to guide clinical practice on a daily basis. “I think this is huge,” Baker said. “This is really what’s changed how we deal with cancer and lots of other disease, too. In the future we’ll look back at this as a huge step forward.” Radiologic Imaging Before the development of radiologic imaging technologies, beginning with the use of the X-ray, doctors were usually relegated to looking only for external signs of injury or damage. Today, the ability to peer inside the body and determine the cause, extent, or presence of disease has

revolutionized the very way medicine operates and has saved countless lives in the process. Much of the initial work surrounding the discovery of X-rays was done by Roentgen, a German physicist in the late 1800s. Initially, they were viewed as an invasion of privacy rather than a lifesaving tool. Its utility was soon realized, however, and many additional imaging technologies eventually followed. “CT scans didn’t come into the picture until the 1970s,” Baker said, adding that this technology was brought to us by the company BMI -- the same BMI which had previously made a fortune off the British band known as the Beatles. Advancements in Childbirth Up until the middle of the 20th century in the United States, childbirth was considered to be the most feared part of a woman’s life. “Go into any old graveyard, and you always see a number

Not the least of these advancements is surgeons’ ability to operate on and repair the heart -- without putting the patient at an unreasonable amount of risk

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April 7, 2018

Natural Remedies Cafe

Take This Syrup To Remove All The Poop Without Intestinal Pains Constipation is one of the most painful and uncomfortable sensations that human beings can go through. All the people, at some point we have gone through this. But, it is not normal that the difficulty to expel from feces becomes a habit. Some people consider it normal. But there are many problems that can occur when we do not properly expel the poop.

If you do not know that the mixture is creamy and very thick, do not worry, since this is the texture you should have. Finally, you put the mixture in a glass jar and put it in the refrigerator

Plum syrup to expel faeces Ingredients: • 10 Prunes • Juice of a lemon • 100 ml of Water. • Glass jar with lid. Preparation and use: You simply and simply put the ingredients in a crusher. You should let them liquefy for a few minutes. If you do not know that the mixture is creamy and very thick, do not worry, since this is the texture you should have. Finally, you put the mixture in a glass jar and put it in the refrigerator. If your constipation is constant or punctual, you should take 8

tablespoons of this syrup. 3 in the morning, 3 at noon and 2 in the afternoon. But, if your constipation is very severe, then you should consume more of the above mentioned. And, if you only want to

prevent this condition, you should only take 2 or 3 tablespoons during the day. Also, you can start drinking a lot of water, as this will also help you avoid constipation. It is necessary to avoid

refined flours, sausages, foods rich in sodium, among other foods that can do you a lot of damage. With these tips and the syrup will be enough for your body to excrete feces easily.

Eat This Smoothie For 7 Days And Eliminate Weight Like Crazy If we want to lose weight, our diet plays a very important role, since apart from what we eat, it is also how we eat it , when and the lifestyle with which we accompany it. Although many people try to lose weight, not all make those necessary changes in their daily diets. To take a good diet, we must start with our breakfast, some people believe that the best way to lose weight is skipping meals, but they are very wrong, but we have a natural solution for you. Therefore, this smoothie that we bring you today is excellent because it will help you lose those extra pounds. Excellent oatmeal shake and other fruits to lose weight… Before starting, you must be clear about one point: we should always think about our health. So, to be healthy, we have to make sure that our body has the necessary nutrients to support our daily rhythm. We must avoid any type of deficiencies in the form of vitamins or minerals that are necessary for our body. Smoothie of oats, banana, almonds and cinnamon to lose

weight To start the day with nutrients and energy to activate our metabolism, today we are going to give you an excellent shake that you can consume for a week or more days. It only has natural ingredients and is very easy to prepare. Ingredients: 1 banana 6 almonds. ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. 3 tablespoons of oatmeal. Water or milk of almonds. Ice (optional) Preparation method: To prepare this smoothie, we just have to add all the ingredients in a blender and beat well to have a homogeneous mixture. Afterwards, we serve it and we take it immediately. If we want, we can add ice to take it cool. The benefits of this shake to lose weight As you can imagine with the ingredients, in addition to losing weight, this shake is an incredible source of vitamins and minerals.

Therefore, it will help you start the day with maximum energy. Almonds have a high concentration of healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. This healthy fat helps to burn fat and improves the functioning of both the brain and memory. It also helps us eliminate bad cholesterol and keep arteries well. Cinnamon helps us regulate sugar and blood glucose level. Thus, we avoid those sugar peaks and the subsequent storage of fat

in our body. For its part, the banana has high concentrations of potassium, in addition to other minerals and vitamins. It also helps to keep us sated for longer, so we do not feel like eating so much. What else can help us lose weight? In addition to this shake, there are other tips we can follow to have a healthy body and lose weight in a safe way:

Do physical exercise regularly and make you sweat: ride a bicycle, go for a walk or run, perform aerobic exercises, etc. Always stay hydrated to eliminate toxins from the body. Avoid processed foods. Eat vegetables, fruits and vegetables daily. Do not drink or smoke. Sleep well, your body needs to recover and rest. Follow these tips and you will surely achieve your goals.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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WEEKEND POLITICS ANALYSIS

INTERVIEWS

REPORTS

DISCOURSE

Buhari

Dan-Ali

In this report, MUYIWA OYINLOLA examines the controversies surrounding recently approved $1bn by the federal government to fight insecurity and the development could make or mar the ongoing effort to end the spate of insecurity in the country

billion be withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to boost the fight against insurgency. The proposal to withdraw the $1 billion from the ECA account was however flayed by some individuals and groups who argued that only the National Assembly could make appropriations to the security agencies. But Dan-Ali disclosed Wednesday that the military had “operationalised” a division in Sokoto, a brigade in Katsina and Zamfara states as well as a quick response group drawn from the Nigeria Air Force to boost the manpower that would take care of the security situation in that area. Recall also that a former Defence Minister, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), last month berated the federal government over the current spate of insecurity in the country, alleging that the military was colluding with herdsmen to kill innocent civilians in some parts of the

Weekend Politics Editor: Chibuzo Ukaibe

Furore Over Release Of $1bn To Fight Insurgency

he Federal Government during on Wednesday gave approval for the release of the sum of $1 billion to procure equipment for the military to fight insecurity across the country. President Muhammadu Buhari gave the approval during a meeting he held with the heads of the nation’s security agencies. In attendance at the closeddoor security meeting he summoned were Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd); Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur

Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok Ekwe; National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Mongunu (rtd); Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Lawal Daura and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. The Defence minister who indicated that $1 billion was approved for the procurement of the equipment while briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, said the insecurity in Taraba, Zamfara and other states was also discussed. Recall that The National Economic Council (NEC), had at a meeting in Abuja last December, resolved that $1

country. However, Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has queried Buhari’s approval of the fund, describing the approval as “pooling of public funds for the purpose of funding President Buhari’s reelection as well as the coming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.” He has also stated that “It will be illegal and against the principle of federalism that operates in Nigeria for the president, who is the head of just one of the federating units, to approve the spending of funds belonging to the three tiers of government without the consent of the heads of other federating units.” In a statement, Fayose asked: “When did the National Assembly approve the spending of the $1 billion, or can the president spend $1 billion belonging to Nigerians without the approval of the National Assembly?” ➔ CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE

It will be illegal and against the principle of federalism that operates in Nigeria for the president, who is the head of just one of the federating units, to approve the spending of funds belonging to the three tiers

50 WEEKEND POLITICS

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Furore Over Release Of $1bn To Fight Insurgency

Secondus

Secondus FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

He noted that Nigerians require explanations from the Federal Government as to where the $1 billion will be sourced, stressing the president lacks power to unilaterally spend money from the ECA. Fayose, according to the statement signed by his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, also queried “which insurgency are they buying arms worth N370 billion to fight, is it the same Boko Haram that they told Nigerians they had completely defeated? “Since they said they had defeated Boko Haram, and later told Nigerians that they had ceasefire agreement with the insurgents, what else do they need a whopping $1 billion (over N370 billion) for, if not to fund the 2019 elections? In the same vein, opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the National Assembly to commence constitutional legislative actions against the President for what it termed gross misconduct in unilaterally approving the release of the said $1billion which it said was done without allowing for the application of legislative instrument. Consequently, it called on Nigerians to reject and resist the development, alleging it was an attempt by the Presidency to take the money from the national coffers to finance Buhari’s interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s national convention and 2019 campaign. The party however demanded an independent investigation into the processes of release and utilization of all special funds for war against insurgency in

Mohammed

the last three years. According to a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, its investigation revealed that the Presidency willfully sidestepped the National Assembly so as to avoid legislative scrutiny and accountability and pave way for the diverting of the fund for selfish partisan purposes. The party also claimed that it is a notorious fact that the Presidency and the APC have been plotting to loot this $I billion from our heavily depleted Excess Crude Account (ECA) since last year, using the guise of fight against insurgency. But the The Federal Government in defence of the approved fund has described the criticisms trailing the exercise as unnecessary and unhelpful. According to The Minister of Information, Culture and and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed the entire approved fund was not merely to fight Boko Haram in the North East alone but also to tackle kidnapping, cattle rustling, illegal oil bunkering and other crimes across the country. He said the Nigerian Governor’s Forum acted wisely in approving the fund from the Excess Crude Account based on the need to properly fund security operations in the country to adequately respond to threats by Boko Haram and other criminals. The minister who made this disclosure while speaking with journalists in Lagos expressed dismay that an action intended to make the country safer had been subjected to attacks by people with ulterior motives. He added that it was wrong to sacrifice the issue of security

on the altar of politics, saying opponents of the fund were taking politics too far. Mohammed said asymmetrical wars were very expensive to fight, adding that even though Boko Haram had been degraded, there was the need to properly fund military operations to enable it confront insurgents’ threats. “There has been an unnecessary, uninformed and highly-partisan criticism of the one billion dollars which was recently approved by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) for the military to tackle the security challenges facing the country, including Boko Haram, illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping and cattle rustling. “I said unnecessary and uninformed because everyone knows the role the military is playing in helping to tackle the numerous security crisis facing the states, much less the war against Boko Haram. “The fact that Boko Haram has been largely degraded does not mean the war is over. As we have said times without number, asymmetric wars like the one against Boko Haram do not end with an armistice. “It is, therefore, curious that some of those who have criticised the one-billiondollar approval have hinged their argument on the fact that the Boko Haram has been degraded”, he said. In the same vein, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has stated that there is no amount spent on the protection of lives and properties that is too much even as it demanded transparency and accountability in its spending. According to a statement signed by its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, “The mainstay of the Buhari-

led government is hinged on fighting corruption and improving security in the country and it could be said that a lot has been achieved such as the notable gains represented in the release of the Dapchi Girls and the release of some of the previously captured Chibok Girls by Boko Haram insurgents. “In spite of the imperative of funding the military and other security agencies, we hasten to charge the federal government on the manner with which the allocated funds are expended in terms of tracking every single dime to ensure that they are used for the purpose for which they meant. The transparency and accountability of the processes must be impeccable and seen to be above board by best standards. “The sordid experience in the recent past where the immediate past government diverted funds meant for the fight against insurgency diverted to private pockets remain livid and fresh that such corrupt acts must not re-occur as this is totally unacceptable”. Considering the spate of insecurity in the land, the preponderance of opinions is that the federal government should commended for its resolve to checkmate the menace, especially as the election year approaches. However, the position of those against it may not be wished away as their opposition is borne out the fact that due process should be followed. They are also of the position that government should justify the spending by ensuring that the fund is not used to fund the ‘Pro-Buhari agenda’ for 2019.

It is, therefore, curious that some of those who have criticised the onebillion-dollar approval have hinged their argument on the fact that the Boko Haram has been degraded

weekend interview

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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Govt Didn’t Name Looters Out Of Panic – Lai Mohammed

In this interview with select journalists, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, speaks on the just released list of alleged looters of the nation’s treasury and other national issues. MUYIWA OYINLOLA was there Was it panic that made you release the list of alleged looters?

We were challenged to do so. Don’t forget that on their own, the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) said that they apologised to Nigerians for the way they ran Nigeria aground and we said, yes apology is accepted, but please return the funds. I think one of them challenged us to name those who had stolen money. I think gradually it is becoming fashionable when you remind the PDP that they brought us to this sorry path, they will say stop talking about what we did, please continue with your own. But we cannot move. It is important that Nigerians remember how we got here and the same people who have made no atonement say that they want to come back to power in 2019. So, it is important for us to remind them. Let me tell you, this government is not in any panic. We are so proud of our achievements that in less than three years I can stand up and say this is what we have achieved in the area of insecurity, this is what we have achieved in the economy, in the area of ease of doing business. There is no area we have not made our mark. We lifted Nigeria from number 165 in the ease of doing business to 145. It is not a mean feat. And we exited recession at a time when the price of crude was low, we were in recession when we implemented the diversification of the economy. It is on record that despite all these challenges that we have not retrenched one person. So, why should we be afraid? Why should we panic? I don’t see any reason why we should panic. I think it is the imagination of the people that the government is panicky. No. Do you intend releasing the list of alleged looters in the All Progressives Congress (APC)?

There is a difference between allegations and established cases. All the cases I have mentioned (alleged PDP looters) are already in court. You see, how many times have people written that Lai Mohammed has billions of dollars. But these

Mohammed

are allegations that are just ridiculous. I can assure you that if there is any allegation against any member of this government, this government will investigate it. Nigerians are saying that there is no difference between the PDP and the APC; that it is because those people who left the PDP for the APC are being protected.

That is what you are saying! It would be unfair to say that everybody that joined (the APC from) the PDP is a looter. It would be unfair. I am saying that whether you are of the ACN stock or the PDP stock or the CPC stock and you are found to be corrupt, you will be investigated. Are you not overreaching yourself by pronouncing them guilty while they are still in court?

They have said, name the looters, and we said these people took money. But the courts can find otherwise.

That is the business of the court. I am saying that on the 24 of February, (Uche) Secondus took N100 million in cash. The then National Financial Secretary took N700 million. These are facts. They said name, and I said

these are the people that were reported to have stolen money. So, what is prejudicial about it? Let them go and solve their matters in court, but if you challenge us to name names, we will name names. You cited your achievement of taking this country out of recession, but by the time the PDP handed over, this country was not in recession.

Recession is when a country’s GDP slows in two consecutive quarters consecutively. It is a technical term. But this happened under your government

Yes, no doubt. But for a recession to happen you look at what preceded those two quarters. Number one, we came in May 2015 by which time the major revenue for the country, petroleum had dropped in price by almost 50 per cent. We came in and met virtually no savings at all. What we inherited was $23 billion; we came at a time when at least 20 states could not pay salaries. We came in at a time when infrastructure was CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE

Recession is when a country’s GDP slows in two consecutive quarters consecutively. It is a technical term

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I Have More Names Of Looters – Lai Mohammed ➔ FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE

almost zero. The vice-president gave an example that in 2015, the ministries of transport, power, works and housing combined had less than N100 billion released for that year. Whereas the year we came in, we had N565 billion invested in that same infrastructural sector. It is a measure of the rightness of our approach that if you want to boost the economy, you must diversify the economy. So, we went into agriculture, went into mining, went into services and what actually brought us out of recession was agriculture, mining and the rest. That we were able to come out of recession and continue to consolidate means that our economic and growth plan is working. But the projects the President is commissioning were projects done by the states....

It is unfortunate that what is largely an environmental, economic, social issue, we have made it to assume an ethnic and religious one

You see when the president visits a state, he visits to reconnect with the people of the state, but of course the governors of the states would want to have the opportunity to have the president commission their projects. They are not doing it just because they want to humour or honour Mr. President. They do it also because they want the attention of Mr. President in certain areas. This morning I was with Mr. President at the Eko Atlantic City. It was an extremely successful visit because Mr. President saw the enormity of the work going on at the Eko Atlantic City and the state government knows that you need this rapport with the Federal Government in order to achieve a lot. Yesterday, (Thursday) I was with the president to commission the Ikeja Bus Terminal and the governor revealed there that Mr. President approved a waiver of customs duties payable for about 400 buses that are coming. This is because the president saw how that terminal was going to impact on the city. You can imagine what that waiver means to the Lagos State Government. So, when Mr. President comes to commission projects in the states, it is not because the federal government has no project of its own to commission. The APC Committee has submitted its report on true federalism. When is the president going to respond to the proposal?

It is a party matter. It is

Mohammed

not a government matter. The party will still have to adopt it before they will make recommendations to the government. How will you score the president on a score of 1 to 100 how the administration has been able to achieve its campaign promises?

It is not for me to score him, it is for me to reel out what we have achieved. It is for the pubic to now say this is 1, 2 or 3 per cent. Honestly, I can say without fear of equivocation that the government has done pretty well in the broad areas of economy, security and fighting corruption and the various social interventions. I can start with the economy for instance, and I will tell you that with less than half of the revenue available to the previous government, we have been able to start a revolution in infrastructure by devoting N1.3 trillion to capital projects ranging from roads to railways to water ways to agriculture. In the area of roads, we took a N100bn sukkuk loan and with that loan we are undertaking 25 roads spread over the six geopolitical zones. Today, there is no area of government where you do not feel the impact of government on roads. Railways, the Lagos -Ibadan standard gauge will become operational I think at the end of 2018 or next year, meanwhile, the Calabar – Lagos has been awarded also. In the area of agriculture,

which is one area I think we have done very well, we have been able to create more rice farmers all over the country. From 5 million farmers, we have today about 11 million rice farmers. For you to see the rightness of our approach, so far, less than N100 bn has been invested in the anchor borrowers’ programme and we have this result. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has paid more than N1.2 trillion as bailout. I can imagine if just 10 per cent of that were to have been invested in agriculture, probably today we would be talking of self-sufficiency not only in rice but probably in cassava and wheat. Our anchor borrowers’ programme has proven to be a success. In the area of the economy, you have heard me say that we inherited $23bn in reserves, today we have $46bn in foreign reserves. Ease of doing business we have moved from 165 to 145, in mining the activities in local mining, today we have created thousands of jobs for people mining limestone and the rest. In the area of the economy whether in terms of figures about employment or in terms of social infrastructure, we have done what no government has done. I don’t know of any government in Nigeria that has either fed 7.5 million pupils in one day. To many people it is not important, but can you imagine if you are feeding 7 million pupils and if it costs you just N70 to feed each

pupil, it means in a day you are creating an economy of N490 million across the value chain of cooks, vendors and farmers. And this has led to an increase in school enrolment. All these have been done under three years and I think we are going to embark on a road show to inspect roads that are being done in virtually every state of the federation. We have been able to bring back many jobs by renewing these contracts and many of these contracts that this government is doing are contracts that were signed in 2007, 2009, 2012. We have hardly awarded any new contract. In the area of power, we inherited 2,900 MWs of power, today we are generating more than 7,000 MW of power. Of course we are unable to transmit all the power because of the state of the transmission line, and don’t forget that even that power had been largely privatised even before we came in and we had been able to give support. We guaranteed N702bn revolving loan that if you produce, we pay and that is why you have seen this exponential increase in power supply. I do not see any area where we cannot say we have not made progress. When you came in there was not as much violence as we have today. People were not dying like this. What of security?

I think you were not noticing. A week ago, I was in Zamfara, and I did not know that cattle rustling started since 2009 until then. Do you know that more lives have been lost in Zamfara than in Benue State? Of course it is no consolation. I think thousands of lives have been lost there. I didn’t know that cattle rustling had been that dangerous. It didn’t start in 2015 neither did the farmers, herders clash start in 2015. The Agatu killings didn’t take place under this government. It did not. It is unfortunate that what is largely an environmental, economic, social issue, we have made it to assume an ethnic and religious one. Are you going to release more names of alleged looters?

I have them. Are you going to release them?

If they challenge us again. It is alleged that the government is using security agencies to intimidate bank officials and other institutions that are privy to the account of Senator Ike Ekweremadu. Why is the government doing this?

No comment!

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In Ekiti, Fayose Defines What Democracy Is â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rep Member

INTERVIEW 53

Olamide Oni represents Ekiki Federal Constituency 2 in the National Assembly. In this interview, the retired police officer now a lawyer and politician speaks with MUYIWA OYINLOLA on some national issues and those that have to do with the politics of the state Being a senior police officer is one thing and being a lawmaker in the House of Representatives is a different ball game. How would you describe your experience?

reconciliation by Senator David Mark, no one has ever called me. I hail from the Central Senatorial District of Ekiti State. Even at that, if it has been resolved that everybody must go for primaries, I want to tell you that there was a meeting at the Government House in Ekiti where Fayose asked all the people who were delegates to the primary election to come and seat in, as they entered in, he announced openly that anybody for Adeyeye should stand up, he asked them to come to the front and when they did, he told them that it was an Eleka meeting that was taking place and these were statutory delegates, he walked them out. He has been using security agents in the state, especially those attached to him, to carry out these nefarious activities.

One would think that there are better ways of resolving these issues instead of a controversial veto that could lead to political crisis. What do you think?

Are you planning to report him to the national secretariat?

The journey has been good in terms of legislation. We have been able to formulate some laws, motions and bills. It is left for the President to sign the bills as required by the provisions of the law. Of course, there have been issues of the assent of the President and the legislators too have been able to stand their ground, relying on the provisions of Section 28 that if the President refuses to assent to any bill, it can be vetoed by the decisions of the National Assembly. If we feel that these laws are good for Nigeria and the President declines assent, the best thing is to override the President.

I want to tell you that democracy in Ekiti State has been democracy of Fayose, by Fayose and for Fayose

There are ways of resolving those issues that are not necessarily in the constitution. But in situations where the executive and legislature are at loggerhead over the provisions of the constitution, it is not the best. Who initiates that kind of succour to settle such quarrels? Like a case where the presidency declines assent to the Peace Corps Bill, it is very reasonable. Did you see legislators arguing about it? There was no argument about it because we know that the establishment of Peace Corps means that it would be funded by the government. There are security organisations that have been established before now and the Federal Government is providing for their needs. They have been established for a very long time and have been serving Nigeria. If, by now, the activities of those security agencies are not enough then it is left for the Federal Government to reactivate them. That goes a long way to justify the need for the establishment of the Police Trust Fund that has gone through the third reading in the National Assembly here. For example, we can push the number of people going into Peace Corps to other security agencies, push them into the army and the police. Let them provide security for this nation. There was rumour all over the country that people were paying money to join Peace Corps. They said the money was for kit. Have you ever heard of the military paying money for kit before they are recruited? Have you ever heard of the police paying for

Oni

kit before they are recruited? It is not so. The police laws came on stream in 1861 and it has gone from strength to strength. It was from the police force that the fire brigade was carved out, customs and immigration came out etc. Even during the civil war, the police went and took action and when the police were overwhelmed by the presence of artillery, soldiers came in. Recently a video in which the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, was addressing a traditional ruler on the need to demolish some structures went viral. Would you say the traditional ruler went beyond his bound by asking the governor to reconsider his decision?

If a government is going to establish anything in any place, something that would make people to lose their land, property, the government must embark on enumeration. You enumerate people, their property with the view of compensating them. I think the traditional ruler was right in asking that the people should not be intimidated even as their houses are going to be demolished because of road or any government project. The traditional ruler is very reasonable in his quest to make the government see reasons. The people deserve some level of information before any action is taken. People cannot just leave their homes and return to find

The national secretariat has done its best by arriving at a conclusion that everybody must go for primaries. He is going to change the names of those going to the primaries so that when delegates come, those who are for other candidates will never show their houses demolished. Here, up there. Even if they come, they we know how frustrating it will not allow them enter into the could be to take the government venue. I am saying it categorically. to court. When will the case be heard? The government will be What does this scenario portray the ones telling the judges the for the party? judgment to deliver and the poor Doom. If the leadership of PDP man continues to suffer in the can be magnanimous enough hands of government. to tell him to his face that what you are doing is not known to What is your take on the decision democracy, that it will damage of the governor to unilaterally pick than repair the party, then maybe his deputy as his successor? there may be a way forward. I want to tell you that democracy in Ekiti State has been democracy You both belong to the same of Fayose, by Fayose and for party, have you tried to have a Fayose. Since he was inaugurated one-on-one conversation with as governor, he does not consult him? with anybody or listen to Fayose and I have not been on anybody. The people with him talking terms since September are brigands that have been ruling 2015 for two reasons. The party Ekiti for the last three years. Even executives that conducted his when he was to come this second election and nominated him, term, we stood our ground that two months after he became there must be primary election governor, he sacked all of them. between himself, Olubolade My younger sister was the state and Adeyeye. Those people were woman leader then and he came relying on consensus, we said to Abuja here to have meetings no. It was resolved that everyone with me and told me that he was must go for primaries and we going to drive my sister because went for primaries. How come he of some reasons. I had to tell my wants a repeat of what we kicked sister to resign her appointment against the last time? He is the if it would settle the quarrel. He one playing, dancing to the tune brought people from my ward and acting it, it is undemocratic. and used police to make them sign that they had expelled her. Are you saying the governor is This was someone whose life repudiating the arrangement was threatened when she was by the party contrary to campaigning for him. Her life was recommendations of the Senator threatened four times by thugs David Mark reconciliation from the opposition party. If you committee?

I was not called for any

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Saturday, April 7, 2017

In Ekiti, Fayose Defines What Democracy Is – Rep Member ➔ FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE

are going to look for a window for peace, you will have to do it with the view that the person you are having issues with is a repentant person – one that can show remorse. Where did Ekiti PDP miss it?

Poverty is so written in all the faces of everyone in Ekiti State. Go to Ekiti now, gather some people together and give them N2000 each and they will start shouting your name, Fayose will see what you have done, gather his own people, call for a press conference and give them 5,000 each and they will turn around and start shouting his name. But can that sustain the people? He does not allow the people in the House of Assembly make laws, he passes budgets by himself. He has announced so many times that he is the Alpha and Omega in Ekiti State, with no checks and balances in the state. If he sees you as a rising star in the state, he will send people to monitor your movement so he can bring you down. I have been sponsoring a parallel PDP in the past two years in Ekiti State and I have been holding meetings with my wards in my constituency. We are still in the PDP but they have not seen reasons why they should stop following this kind of person. I have been relating with Fayose since 2011, I was the only one that sponsored his election from my local government to the Senate in 2011. If the election was not cancelled, he would have been a senator. Will you be contesting for the governorship post in that state?

Yes, I will be contesting for the governorship post. I will be unveiling my plans soon. And I would not be contesting under the PDP because the procedure and process under the party are not free. That is why I said the trait of democracy in Ekiti is government of Fayose, by Fayose and for Fayose. All the congresses that were conducted were conducted in his house. They will bring all the people to his house. Why is the National Assembly insisting on changing the sequence of election?

I believe that if Nigeria wants to address this insecurity, we will need to do more for the police

If you followed the election of 2015, you would know that what happened was some sort of bandwagon effect and that do not give room for good democracy, oppositional democracy and good governance. If the presidential election was conducted first and a President emerges, the next election is likely to follow the same trend and people would want to belong to where the president is. But, if the sincerity of the electorate has been tested, it does not matter if the party of the President has 10 lawmakers and the other party has more than 20 lawmakers. The President can still get things

done through the procedure of lobbying which is allowed in our political system. The executive is at liberty to lobby people to its side. You may be in the right party but you may not be the right candidate. The nation is under threat by herdsmen, if you were to advise those in authority, what will it be?

In 1981, we had what was called the Maitasine riot in Kano, the police were able to suppress the riot without calling on the military. There was mass recruitment ordered by (former President Shehu) Shagari then into the mobile police and they drafted them to the place with massive supply of equipment and the riot was suppressed. I was a product of that mass recruitment. I was recruited as an Inspector of Police in 1980. Forty thousand policemen were recruited and that is the highest that has ever happened. Judging by the level of civilization by now, expansions and urbanization, the Nigeria Police Force and security organisations should have advanced more than this. In the area of general recruitment, inadequacy of manpower, the police force is lacking despite the fact that the strength of the police for now is 345,000. Out of this number, VIPs, governors and the who-is-who in the society want to be with police before they can perform their duties. If we have one million police officers today, it is not enough to cater for the security situation of this country. We have about four to five thousand police stations in Nigeria, 80 per cent of these stations were built by officers who went there to be Divisional Police Officers (DPOs). I was a DPO in 10 police stations and I built the 10 stations to my taste and they became Federal Government property. I built them through Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and companies in the vicinity that you beg to come and build such stations. I believe there must be a standard. When I joined the police force, when you go to the back of our police stations, you would find a petrol dump for patrol vehicles. When you patrol, you go come back and refill. According to data now, they give police stations N45,000 in three months which won’t fill the tank more than three times. We have not even talked about the cost of repairing and servicing the vehicles. This is why you see them collecting money on the roads. The welfare is poor and the morale of the officers is low. In those days, we believed in the principle that wherever we were should be our headquarters. Since then, more local government areas and states have been created and most of these are left without security coverage. The first attack in Benue State was Agatu, I was one of the people that visited the place from the National Assembly. Agatu town

Oni

is about 300km to Makurdi and I am telling you that, in Agatu, there is only a village police post, commanded by five men and the police post was built with mud. So if heavily armed herdsmen are coming and you are a policeman, would you wait for them? It goes a long way in showing that civil authority needs to be established in every nook and cranny of this country. In the aspect of policing, people will feel more secured when they see police and police stations around. If it is at the border, immigration and customs must be established there. We have always neglected all these things in this country. That was one of the reasons why I am pushing for the passage of the bill for Police Trust Fund. If the budgetary envelope system cannot satisfy the position of security for ordinary citizens, there should be funds created to provide logistics, equipment, training and re-training of policemen. You can see that in the army. When you are due for retraining, you must go. But, in the police, when orderlies are sent on a course, their principals will say ‘no, he is very important to me, he will not go.’ And he wants promotion? I believe that if Nigeria wants to address this insecurity, we will need to do more for the police. When the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi, was the Governor of Rivers state and I was posted to the state, I was living in the bush. When the insurgency in the state was becoming a major threat, Amaechi called all the security personnel in the state including the army, navy and police to a meeting and asked us to patrol. For my group alone, he gave me 60 new Hilux vehicles, six armoured cars and we were able to suppress militancy and

insurgency in Rivers State. At that time, we saw ourselves as equals. There was no rivalry between the police and other security agencies. We shared information. But now, one of the reasons we are feeling the insecurity is that security networking is not working out. In Nigeria, the Department of State Security is responsible for gathering of information. They have abdicated their responsibilities and are now involved in investigation and prosecution. If they do that now, how are they going to carry out the gathering of intelligence? We need to retrain our officers to be dedicated and we need to retrain them on the techniques of how to carry out their security assignments. There are so many officers that, since they enlisted, they have not gone for further training. What fresh knowledge can those ones bring into the job? As for the National Intelligence Agency, it is their job to carry out information gathering within and outside the country. These herdsmen that we are talking about, what is the NIA doing? Money was made available to them more than any agency and they are responsible for gathering any information that can cause external aggression to Nigeria. Since you said you would not be contesting under PDP, is it safe to say you would be looking at the Social Democratic Party?

Definitely, that is the alternative for any serious-minded person especially in Ekiti State. The way we know politics in Nigeria, without money to use, you will always accept whatever has been decided by either your opponent or enemy. I want to tell you that in Ekiti, there is going to be a protest vote.

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INTERVIEW 55

Our Target Is 5million Customers By 2020 – BOA Boss Kabir Mohammed Adamu, the Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture (BOA), in this interview with ISABEST OMOREGBEJI speaks on the journey of actualizing the mandate of BOA and experiences in driving the CBN Anchors Borrowers Program. Excerpts. Can you let us into the mandate of the Bank of Agriculture?

The Bank of Agriculture was established over 40 years ago, exactly around 1972 and the mandate was to extend credit facilities to smallholder farmers to make them stronger to increase the agricultural output. Apart from Agriculture we also support the non-agric sectors; we support women so that they can increase their capacities in various trades. Another mandate of the bank is creating employment amongst the youths, currently the social problem bedeviling the country has to do with unemployment and lack of economic empowerment, we are focusing on those key areas to make the youths more productive by providing avenues to make them have more opportunities to be self employed. Basically those are the things that we do. To what extent will you say the bank has achieved its objectives?

It has greatly impacted positively on the totality of our programmes

Well, over the years I can say the bank has done a lot, before now farmers in Nigeria depend mainly on local techniques in carrying out their farming activities, but with the coming of the bank, we have been able to introduce different kinds of modern farming techniques that have helped to increase farm output. Fishing for example has always been at the subsistence level. The fishermen do it locally, they go on manually driven canoes and fish with the primitive kind of equipment but today it’s no longer so, we now have fishing boats as well as other tools that make their job easier and more efficient. Before now there was nothing like the economy of production budget. That is to say people don’t apply scientific analysis to farming to say for example this sector of land, I need to invest so much amount of money in inputs, in labour for me to be able to achieve the desired yield volume, but today because of the training we provide the farmers and the improved seeds we also give them, they can do that. So you can see that there have been a lot of improvements in that regard. Very clearly the government has done a lot over the years to make sure farmers are supported in clearing the farms and all that but today it has transcended beyond that. Apart from government support, farmers have formed cooperatives to support each other. Even the coming of cooperatives in farming is as a result of the bank’s intervention and I can go on and on to say what the bank has done over the years to impact positively to the growth of agricultural

outputs in Nigeria. Now that the raining season is by the corner, farmers will be expecting to go back to their farms. With the level of insecurity and attacks on farming communities don’t you think in the coming years famine could be inevitable?

The most affected areas of this kind of attacks are around the North East and even in the North East it’s not all areas that have that threat. The target of Bank of Agriculture is to cover about two million farmers, the challenge that we may face is the numbers, if we don’t start in good time we may not be able to cover the whole two million and that’s why we have decided to start opening accounts for farmers that don’t have such accounts now, capture their data, do the biometrics, and then do the farm mapping. As soon as we are able to achieve this between now and middle of April then we will be in a very good position to start distributing the inputs. I’m sure by then the first rain must have dropped in almost all the regions of the north effectively to start planting. And if all this is achieved in good time, I think we’ll have a good harvest and there would be abundance of food. Sir, how much has been released from the Anchor Borrowers Programme as loan for the Farmers since the Programme started?

The Anchor Borrowers Programme has from inception through the Bank Of Agriculture disbursed N28.2 billion to 160,650 farmers across the length and breadth of Nigeria to cultivate about 191,077 hectares of agricultural land. This will in the coming year have a very positive impact on the food security in Nigeria. What is the update on loan default?

You know with the interest that farming has been generating since the coming of this administration, even after the flag off of the Anchor Borrowers Programme in 2014/2015 farming season, those that defaulted were barred from participating in subsequent seasons. It is one of the policies of the bank that if you owe you cannot be supported in any way and that is even a requirement from CBN. And that is why before the BOA give credit facilities we usually carryout credit search at the CR&F at the CBN and also involve one credit search agency, so with those two the bank will be able to be in a position to better determine the credit worthiness of the customer. The bank is also able to know the state of the outstanding loans.

Adamu

With that, the bank has good information to take its decision as to whether to go ahead and support the customer or not. Certainly any customer that has bad credit history will not be allowed to participate. With this entire arrangement in place the farmers are aware that if they default they will be losing in the long run. So the bank, based on the credit policies, agreed to listen to reasons why farmers were unable to pay. Some of them were because of natural factors like low rainfall, pest infestation and even drought; that led to poor output. There are some areas too where there are insurgencies like in Borno State where the insurgents deliberately set some of the farms on fire for which we have received factual evidence. But there are some that deliberately decided to divert the produce. They did not allow the off-takers to up-take; they sold it by the side, realized their money and ran away. But we’ve put measures in place that unless you repay you will be exempted from further participation. It has greatly impacted positively on the totality of our programmes. You know this credit support that they’re getting is not a political lie that some of them thought but a magnanimous credit support from government to encourage farming so that people’s lives can be affected positively by getting employment and creating wealth for themselves. Is there any exception in the

treatment of people who default in repaying the loans as a result of their farms being destroyed by terrorist?

Well I don’t know what you mean by exception, but credit process is supposed to be a culture whereby people become used to repaying. If you give exceptions just like that, you are destroying that good credit culture, then people will come up with different reasons on why they will not pay. There are no exceptions as far as this is concerned, loan default is a breach of trust, and there are no exceptions than to deny defaulters the needed support. In fact farmers are aware that if for example a member of their cooperative defaults it counts against their entire group so they contribute money to pay off outstanding debt against that defaulter so that they can continue to receive support. They don’t want to allow him to create problems for them because the bank will withdraw further support for them. Sir, permit me to digress a little, from your explanation there seems to be a little similarity between the intervention of the Bank Of Agriculture and the Central Bank Of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme?

Well, for your information, the Central Bank owns 40 percent of Bank of Agriculture, the other 60 percent is owned by the Ministry of Finance incorporated, while the Ministry of Agriculture and ➔ CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE

56 INTERVIEW

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Our Target Is 5million Customers By 2020 – BOA Boss FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Rural Development drives the Federal Government’s initiative in agricultural transformation, it supervises the bank. So it’s not surprising if CBN apart from its mandates in developing the economy is also into what BOA is doing, at a higher level, we are partners. Currently we are the main platform where the Anchor Borrowers programme is deployed. There are Participating Finance Institutions (PFIs) that are involved but BOA remains the major arrowhead that is involved in the implementation of the programmes. Sir, our small scale farmers keep complaining of problems in accessing credit facilities, they complain of stringent conditions in accessing these loans, as a development bank what are you doing to change this?

You see, Nigerians, we have to be very honest whenever we complain. Often people complain without understanding what the problem is. As a banker, I know the basic requirements to open an account is universal, either commercial, agriculture or any development finance institution. It is the same thing, you have to meet the know your customer (KYC) requirement before an account is opened. I cannot understand why people will now complain that opening an account in a development finance institution is more difficult than the commercial bank. But they don’t complain about the commercial banks because it is an accepted requirement, if you don’t meet the requirements there is no way an account will be opened, if an account is not opened there is no way you can access any facility that is available in that bank. I think that it is not true that it is difficult to access facilities at the BOA, in fact it is easy in the sense that we go to the farm lands with our phones and our computers to register and open accounts for our customers right in the field. So you cannot have it better than that. Another thing is the issue of farmland, some of them will say - there is a requirement for you to have a farmland before you’re granted credit facility. Somebody once said that if you don’t have a farmland for goodness sake why would you come to the BOA seeking for loan? Are you going to farm in the sky? It is not possible. So the issue of farmland nobody is saying that if you have a farmland a collateral arrangement will be created on that no. The programme requires that we capture the coordinates of the farm so that we know that there is a farm that is being utilized for agricultural purposes. Once we are able to capture that and we get the co-ordinates, what that does is another farmer cannot lay claim to the land. If another farmer comes to say that this is my farm land please provide me with support the moment you go into the banking software it will reject it by reflecting that,- the farm

more than one account with the same BVN. Now with the basic automation we have started, it is no longer there. We have focused on capacity building, training our personnel, and even farmers on new techniques that will even improve yield, production and so on. We have collaborated with over five development finance institutions across the world within the short period that we have been here. We have also been able to initiate discussions with some development partners and investors across the world that are ready to bring funds into the bank. We have looked at our financial books over the years. Three years prior to our assumption of office we have being getting penalties from CBN for non rendition of our financial books. This year, God willing, we are going to render them on time and not only that, it is going to be different because we have done a lot to clean up the books and make them more attractive to investors. We are increasing the branch network. We have realized that the potentials in agriculture are so huge in the country. What we are projecting is that in the next two years we will have like five million customers on our database. How do we do that?, we want to bring banking to the door steps of customers thereby meeting our mandate of financial inclusion, thereby providing services to rural communities. How do we do that?, we have already collaborated and signed MOUs with NIPOST, we are going to have 774 branches over the next two years so from next year in most of the NIPOST locations you’ll see BOA. When you came in you saw some IT service providing company that we are talking to, we want to provide IT products and services to our customers so that a farmer in the rural area does not have to travel all the way to urban cities for simple financial transactions that can be done using his phone or handset. We are doing quite a lot.

has been registered by someone else and you cannot have one farm covering two customers. Aside from that our interest rate is low, single digit 9%. There is no bank in Nigeria today that lends as low as that. Today we are trying to even get funding from outside in a manner that we can further defray interest rate because we still feel that 9% is not good enough when you’re thinking of developing an economy, when you talk about diversifying an economy, when you talk about empowering a people, creating wealth, creating employment. There is definitely the need for you to have an interest rate that is as low as possible because we believe the lower the interest rate the lower the risk of default. Sir, talking about default, there are some persons that have benefitted from your loans but in terms of repaying they fail or have even diverted the loan to unprofitable or other purposes other than agriculture, what are you doing about this?

You see, the first step is creating quality credit facility. That I can say is the first critical step to the problem of default because if you create quality risk assets, people will certainly pay. What we have been doing particularly in our agricultural loans, we don’t give out facility in cash alone. A part of it is given in inputs, part of it in cash. Like in every agriculture, what you need as inputs are the seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, bags and so on. So we now create what is called a per hectare budget, each hectare in different location, we now say that you require so much quantity and blend of fertilizer, pesticides, seeds and so on. And then the labour element of it, that is the amount of money you pay to people that work on the farm either in the time of planting, weeding of grasses or at the time of harvest because you need to employ people manually to work on the farm, we also grant cash credit for that. Why we do that is to ensure that there is no diversion. Even for fisheries we don’t just give you money to go into fishery or livestock we don’t do that. There is part of the credit that is granted in input supply, part of it granted in cash. Apart from diversion it also ensures that you get the quality inputs for your agricultural activities. And therefore the inputs suppliers are companies that are recognized worldwide and their products have being tested and certified by agricultural regulatory institutions across the country, so we do that. In addition, we are trying to automate our processes in a manner that we’ll be monitoring what the customers are doing while in our office such that we know that you can look at our dashboards at different locations and monitor what customers are doing and be able to even connect with them online, identify with them and find out if there are problems and assist in finding solutions to those problems. That way, we reduce the opportunity for diversion to the barest minimum.

Adamu

There is what we call extension service workers, we have quite a lot of them and that is why we are partnering with crop farmer associations like RIFAN. RIFAN is giving us good support in that regard because their officials are always with us at the national, state and local levels, monitoring to ensure that funds are not diverted and whatever is given goes into farming activities. At the time of harvest we are there to ensure that produce are harvested and uptaken. We don’t only provide the credit but also provide the market for the farm produce. For example under the Anchor Borrowers Programme we have what is called off-taker. The off-taker usually is a processing mill, if the farmer is granted the credit facility to plant rice, at the time of harvest there is already market, a processing mill designated as off-taker uptakes whatever is produced and pays the money which goes into the farmer’s account and liquidates the facility and whatever is the difference is the customer’s profit.

Without prejudice to the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure that Nigerians really get the change they voted for, there are still high rates of poverty in the land, youth unemployment, dependency on foreign goods, and you know the foreign exchange now. What’s your take on all these?

Sir, apart from what you met on ground at BOA, what are the new reforms you are bringing in to change the operations of this bank?

Well, when we came in, first and foremost was governance, which is key. It is a big problem and no matter what you do you’ll not get there unless you correct that. We have put in place governance structures, when we came in there was the need to strengthen the risk management department and we have been able to do that, bringing risk management to the table of a director, we have an executive director that is in charge of risk management. We have also introduced basic automation in the bank whereby customer’s data are captured into the bank’s database. That will prevent, duplicity, several customers using the same key KYC requirements. For example when we came in we had in some instances

Apart from diversion it also ensures that you get the quality inputs for your agricultural activities

You see the whole idea is to ensure, like the President directed, that we produce what we consume. If you are able to achieve that, we would have created employment; we would have taken care of poverty. We would have alleviated it to the barest minimum because the parents would have enough food to eat, you’ll have also provided saving in terms of foreign exchange because the forex that you use to import would be retained. Take for example the issue of rice importation, so much have been saved on rice importation. We would also diversify the economy because the issue of depending solely on oil and gas revenue will no longer be, though it will still be there but will play what is call value addition in the economy.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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VILLA DIARY 57

with Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

$1bn Security Fund’s Approval And PDP’s Apprehension

resident Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to approve $1billion to procure arms to fight insecurity has generated reactions in the polity. As soon as the minister of defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, made the disclosure, it became a subject of fierce criticism for the opposition. The minister had said, “What I can add after all that I have said is to inform you that of recent, our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for the purchase of more equipment for the military, worth $1 billion.” It is instructive to note that the president’s approval was an endorsement of what the National Economic Council ( NEC) had earlier approved. The council approved the withdrawal of the $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) by the federal government to fight the terrorist group, Boko Haram and other forms of insecurity in the country. The approval for the withdrawal was disclosed by Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, after a NEC meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on December 14, 2017. NEC has all the governor’s of the 36 states if the federation as members, the opposition governors inclusive. As expected, the first to raise the alarm over the $1 billion was the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite that governors elected

on the party’s platform were also part of the NEC meeting that gave the approval. The PDP called on the National Assembly to proceed with the appropriate actions against the president. The party also demanded for an independent investigation into the processes of release and utilisation of special funds for war against insurgency in the last three years. The PDP, in a statement yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that the $1 billion fund was to be used to finance President Buhari’s interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s national convention and 2019 campaign. The PDP said, “It is a notorious fact that the presidency and the APC have been plotting to loot this $I billion from our heavily depleted Excess Crude Account (ECA) since last year, using the guise of fight against insurgency. “This is the same Buhari administration that has been boasting of having technically defeated the insurgents. This is also an administration that is not known to have exhausted subsisting budgetary allocations for defence.” The party noted that its investigation has revealed that the presidency willfully sidetracked the National Assembly, so as to avoid legislative scrutiny and accountability and pave way for the diverting of the fund for

selfish partisan purposes. The party wondered why the president, who had sworn to protect the constitution, would fall to the temptation of resorting to ways and means which were totally at variance with the laws and all democratic tenets. But some political analysts have dismissed PDP’s outburst as crying wolf where there is none. Quoting an adage in the local parlance which says “na thief dey know thief”, meaning “It takes a thief to catch another thief”, the pundits observed that the PDP were the first to raise the alarm because they were in this same situation in 2014 when the then president, Goodluck Jonathan, requested for a $1bn loan to fight Boko Haram . At the end of the day, most of the money ended up in private pockets. Till date, most of the major PDP actors are still running from court to court to clear their names. The thinking is that the PDP elements are apprehensive that the the ruling party wants to use the money just like they did to prosecute the 2019 elections. But they should also know that even if the APC uses the money for the elections, it is not a guarantee of victory. The PDP did same and still lost the elections. It is common knowledge that Nigeria is presently under siege as a result of the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen militia, cattle rustlers, kidnappers,

cultists and armed robbers. The military is deployed to at least 30 out of the 36 states of the federation and the country is in peace time. The military is not in charge of internal security but because of the ineffectiveness of the police, the military has taken over the job of the police. It is incumbent to note the need for a strong democracy, we need a strong police force. According to security experts, routing out insurgents and insurgency wars cost money. The United States government spent 841 billion dollars in the 16 years in Afghanistan. Other estimates place the 16-year cost in the trillions of dollars because they measure a broader range of factors. Some keen observers of the polity have called on the opposition to give the president a chance to tackle insecurity in the country. Politics should be waved aside and let Nigerians unite against insecurity. The PDP has been criticising the president handling of insecurity in the country and now that President Buhari has made the move to tackle insecurity, the same party is still crying foul. My take is that let the opposition give the president a chance rather than going partisan on everything, including sensitive issues like national security. At the end of the day it is still them that will bring Buhari under scrutiny to see if the money was used for security or for other purposes.

What They Won’t Tell You About Abubakar BY ALI M ALI

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. John C. Maxwell It has been a journey of stunning discoveries walking with Governor MA Abubakar of Bauchi State, these past couple of months. Stated hyperbolically, some of the discoveries amount to “culture shock”. He is real. He says what he means. He means what he says. He walks his talk. He speaks straight from the heart. He calls a spade, a spade. No speaking through both sides of the mouth, no tongue in cheek statement. He speaks clearly and unambiguously. He is a lawyer and amazingly he is in politics! You are at liberty to differ. I am an aide. I may therefore, be subjective. But this is the character summary of the man. With MA Abubakar, no façade. No double face. What you see is what you get. Political “exigencies” won’t make him “amend” or “break” his resolve, some describe, as “iron cast” to do things right. ”Managers”, according to Peter Drucker, “do the right things, leaders do things right”. Abubakar, guided by the constitution and an oath to do right,

remains resolute and forthright. Politicians in the state and possibly, beyond, marinated in the esoteric art of double speak are a little uncomfortable with this ‘forthrightness’’. Some of them think he is not a “politician”. Because he doesn’t call a spade, a shovel, he is therefore, according to this brand, unsuitable to head a government installed by politicians voted by the masses. To them, politics is basically the art of speaking through both sides of the mouth. Long circuitous gobbledygook speeches are the hallmarks of a politician. The typical politician, this school firmly believes, should overwhelm the people with piffle and flabbergast the voters with bunkum. The idea is to bamboozle them. There is a near universal unflattering accord that politicians in Africa or Australia are actors-men and women of many words. What they say, they will never do. They are glib. They lie through their teeth. Late Tony Wilson, that popular pop musician of the 70s hit song, captured the essence of the politician. He said of him in that song “he is a man of many words”“He paints a picture, he is not artist,

tries to make you see his point of view, all the while there is nothing wrong just changing, cause what he says today he will never do…he is a man of many words. Too many…” If you get close enough, chances are that you will be charmed to the point of being besotted. He is disarmingly humble. Alone, we do banter freely from the sublime to the ridiculous. He is spontaneous. He is deep. He therefore, spots “eye service” from a mile away. He abhors that. Flattery is anathema to him. He detects that easily. One morning I spoke to him “respectfully’’ in the office before a brief. He was incensed. “Why are you talking to me like a politician?” he charged as if I was in court being cross-examined. “My friend”, he continued “speak to me like you normally do. Advise me sincerely. Tell me the truth no matter how discomforting.” And he has been walking this talk. We dine from same table, same time. He treats “advisers” and “ordinary” mortals with equal courtesy. But he is firm on “protocol”. He is a stickler in that department. You can’t just intrude on his schedule

that are incredibly tight. With an incredible workforce of 105,000 and a humongous wage bill of N5.1bn, MA Abubakar is virtually doing magic delivering on campaign promises. His persistent lion’s share allocation to education three years in a row confirms his eminent status as a real statesman and not a politician. This is paying off because the percentage of success in NECO and WAEC has risen dramatically from a dismal 3% in 2015 to 27% last year. He is concerned about the next generation not the next election. His traducers misconstrued his insistence on protocol as being “arrogant”. They won’t tell you that most times this “arrogance” also stem from his refusal to play their kind of “ball”. One such was the inherited mess of sharing “state resources” to “stakeholders” whose only qualification is that they are “elders” who leech on the state for their very survival. They wont tell you that governor Abubakar frugality and scrutiny agreements have saved the state hundred of millions of naira now channeled to productive ends. His thrift has earned him derisive names.

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, noted that President Buhari had decided to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of the various occurrences and to meet and console the communities affected

Not too long ago, he admitted to me that he knows that his critics call him “Mai wallet”(one who dashes money from his wallet). Such names are meant to put him on the defensive and make him open the vault of the state to be devoured. We had a good laugh. I had no idea he was aware he knew about such names. But he is not deterred or daunted. My governor is well schooled to appreciate the timeless words of that English poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson that “to be great is to be misunderstood”. He has since come to terms with this. It is a cross he has to carry. Thankfully, folks unconcerned with the politics of resource allocation are in tune with his vision. They are accompanying him in the mission. His leadership has touched their lives in ways only them can testify. May be that explains, in part, why he is incredibly calm all the time in public or in private. Behind his back, among us, walking with him, we call him “Ba tension”(no tension). I don’t think he is aware of this one until now. He is probably chuckling this minute. – Ali M. Ali is an aide to Gov Abubakar.

TOURISM

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Exploring South East’s Amazing Tourism Potential Just like several other regions in Nigeria, the South East sub-region offers a wide range of breathtaking, recreational tourist sites of attraction with such beautiful scenery, which can attract huge economic benefits if properly harnessed. TAYO ADELAJA reveals his experience during a trip organised by the South East Zone of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN).

ut one could not have made it to all the locations in a short three days if not for the availability of the services of ABC Transport. As one went from city to city, state to state, one thing was clear. South East Travel and Tourism is ready to take off under the leadership of Lolo Ngozi Ngoka, Vice President, FTAN South East.

The trees in the grove harbour chirping birds and lend to the supernatural ambience that surrounds the cave. To enter the cave, one must take of his shoes altogether and descend a slippery slope into the mouth of the cave

Enugu, town of the red earth Enugu, capital of Enugu State, was the former capital of the old Eastern Region, then East-Central State, then old Anambra State. Before it became capital, it was home to Nigeria’s first coalmines, which were built in 1908, one of Nigeria’s major exports at the time. Incidentally, the building of the coalmines at Enugu coincided with the creation of Port Harcourt, which served as a terminus to the new rail lines that took the coal from Enugu to the newly created port at the Niger Delta, for onward shipment to the United Kingdom. Enugu’s and Port Harcourt’s gain was Calabar’s loss, which not only had lost its status as capital of Nigeria in 1906 but now had lost commercial relevance for the British to these new cities, its major exports being, previously human cargo, and palm produce. This was understandable. The whirr of the wheels of the Industrial Revolution in Britain were getting louder and the factories needed fuel to make things run. Enugu, being a veritable source of coal, would be a natural choice for British development. Even then, the British developed the city to their own immediate requirement. Development of Enugu, which means ‘town on a hill’, literally started from the top of the hills where the coalmines were built. To access the colliery, from the main town, one had to go from the base, up the Milliken hill, through a windy twisting road that is celebrating its centennial this year. It has been said that many a too-fast driver had overshot the road down the steep slopes that flank one side of the road. The wonder though is that vestiges of this road built exactly 100 years ago by Engineer Milliken still remain in the main. The construction of the road is an evidence of sheer genius that was deployed at the time. At the valley below is the Iva valley camp, named after the main contractor who supplied labour for the mines. But you can’t miss it. The predominant red earth of Enugu. It has been there for thousands of years and will be there for years to come. The demystification of the shrines If you are accessing the Milliken hill directly from the Akanu Ibiam International airport, you will go through Abakpa, which was the colloquial name for an Army settlement. The barracks of the 82nd Division of the Nigerian Army is, indeed, located along the route, but not before one has driven past the installations of the Nigerian Air Force. In any case, any tourist into Enugu must stop over at the Museum of National Unity, a fairly, well-kept

and even Rivers State traverse Owerri to get to their ultimate destinations. Then, Owerri boasts of the Sam Nature’s best kept secrets Beyond the Milliken Hill, further into Mbakwe Airport which makes it easier Enugu State towards Udi, is the Ogba to connect to Lagos and Abuja. Then, Cave, which during wars, including the in terms of business, the South East civil war, served as refuge for fleeing is a major pull for business such that country dwellers. A grove of almond thousands of business transactions are and melon trees houses the cave. The enacted daily resulting in the flurry of entrance to the cave is uneven but overnight stays at the city’s hotels. accessible and even motorable up to a Dr. Etofolam Osuji, Chairman/CEO, particular point where one is forced to Maranatha Suites, a retired public alight and approach by foot. The trees accountant, boasts his hotel records a in the grove harbour chirping birds and 50+% average occupancy rate. The same lend to the supernatural ambience that can be said of Emmanuel Nwachuckwu, surrounds the cave. To enter the cave, General Manager of Villa Garden Hotel, one must take of his shoes altogether Owerri, who says the hotel records up to and descend a slippery slope into the 90% occupancy at peak seasons. mouth of the cave. The cave is made Full Moon Hotel boasts 69 rooms and of the silica rock and has been said to an average occupancy rate of 43%. Full be so from the beginning of time. A Moon Hotel boasts a whole range of stream leads from the cave and serves facilities and services from swimming as a source of potable water for the pool to conference facilities and has community. This stream leads to the regular buffet. Ogbakaba waterfall, which is one of Albeit, the hotels all try to outdo nature’s best-kept secrets. themselves in providing leisure and Cascading waters pound the rocks hospitality services for inbound and give up a continuous, thunderous travellers. roar. Simple walkways, though fragile, It is whispered though that the have been built to skirt the waterfalls to underlying allure for most inbound help interested sightseers go from one travellers to Owerri are the fair ones end of the waterfall to the other. from the five higher educational And how best to end the day, than institutions domiciled in the state. to settle into a bowl of abacha (cassava flakes), ugba (stripped locust beans) and The myth of the Ogbunike bushmeat or roasted chicken washed Anambra is home to great towns down with frothing sweet palm wine. including Awka, Onitsha, Obosi, Ogbunike, Oko and Nkpor. Its residents Owerri, the centre of ‘enjoyment’ all try to outdo themselves in showing Owerri is known as the centre of Igbo hospitality to visitors. And when they Catholicism but today, it can be called do, it’s the full compliment of food, the centre of ‘enjoyment’. It is home to drinks and board. over 300 new 2-star, 3-star hotels, over The Igwe of Ogbunike, himself, Igwe 20,000 hotel rooms, built within a span Osita Umenyiora, personified this show of 10 years. of hospitality as he received us at his Why is there this new flourish of palace. Mere mortals, though we were, hospitality at Owerri? What most of he welcomed us with the kolanuts, the tourism operators at Owerri say garden eggs, food and drinks, highly is that Owerri is a major travel hub in elaborate, especially at the short notice the South-East. Most road travellers of our coming. Our main interest was the Ogbunike from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, repository of our national history.

cave and waterfall. And our main tourist guide was the Igwe himself! He took pains to tell us about the cave and the descent to it – 312 steps! No mean feat for the faint-hearted. He was spot on in this description for the going down and coming up is a real cardio-vascular workout. Drops of water trickle from the its roof. We are told that during the rainy season it stops. Obviously, this phenomenon is something for scientists to clear up. Like the Ogba cave near Enugu, the Ogbunike cave was haven for the many who fled to it in times of strife. The entrance to the cave is a large opening. The Igwe tells that his Palace throne room was designed to simulate the cave opening. Inside the cave are many chambers and they can be located on many levels. Even though the Igwe assures us that there no real spiritual linkages one could draw to the cave, it is reported that many religious persons including pastors and priests go into cave and take sanctuary as they fast and commune with God. The Igwe’s throne room is worth mentioning. The stuffing of wild animals like the bear and the tiger adorn the approach to the throne. Other objects add to give the throne room a stately appearance and leave the visitor gasping in wonder. War, never again While the articles at the Enugu museum of National Unity fill one with a nostalgic feeling for the ancient times, the stories and relics at the National War Museum at Umuahia, fill one with abhorrence for war and its like. Objects of war like guns, aircraft, the famous Ogbunigwe (Biafran bomb), tanks, personnel carriers and watercraft are on display at the museum. Also on display are the old transmitters of the defunct Radio Biafra which operated from a bunker located below the outpost of the Biafran which is now the museum.

On the last count, a corps member, a divisional police station in Southern Ijaw and hundreds of residents have fallen victims to the reign of terror of cult groups

Saturday, April 7, 2018

he nightlife used to be at its peak with visitors and residents having a robust interaction that promoted business and friendship. That was in the good old days. Now, Yenagoa and its environs are fast becoming a theatre of armed attacks, blood letting and wanton killings unleashed city by armed youths involved in cultism. For the records, over 123 cult groups have been identified to exist in the State with the Icelanders, Greenlanders, Bobos and many others competing for supremacy and attention. Not to be left out are female cult groups initiated and groomed as armourer for the male counterparts. The rampaging cultists have continued to unleash terror on the residents despite the increased efforts by the Police, the State Government and the Civil Society groups to nip their activities in the bud. On the last count, a corps member, a divisional police station in Southern Ijaw and hundreds of residents have fallen victims to the reign of terror of cult groups. While some victims have lost their lives, others survived with life threatening injuries and trauma. A victim, Yebufura Abanze Tonbara, who encountered a cult group invasion, recently said he only escaped through the grace of God. According to his story, at about 8:45pm he went to a nearby shop to buy recharge card. “On my way back, while trying to negotiate my way past a foot bridge known in Yenagoa as “Monkey Bridge”, I heard “Aro mate”! “aro mate”!! (a warning shout by one of the deadly cult groups) from afar,” he said. “I had to increase my pace back to the shop in which I bought the recharge card. But before I kn`ew what was happening, they were almost close to me. So I ran like I have never ran before while screaming on top of my lungs “make una run o, make uno run o” to passersby. I was able to make my way back to where I bought the card and hid there with one lady. “Knowing that I was about to be robbed of my phone and little cash, I tactically hid my phone and money inside a ‘big pot” I found in the shop. When they (cultists) finally came to the shop one of them pointing a locally made pistol at the lady and myself, took the lady’s bag containing her phone and money. This is the typical scenario in Yenagoa, particularly along the Kpansia, Biogbolo, Obele and Down Yenagoa areas

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FEATURE 59

Arrested cultists in Bayelsa State

Armed Gangs, Killer Cultists On The Prowl In Bayelsa Bayelsa State used to be calm and the youths very hospitable, a disposition known to an average indigene of Ijaw origin. That culture is gradually fading away as cultism has now become the order of the day in the state. OSA OKHOMINA, in Yenagoa reports. of the city. The cultists are usually armed with deadly weapons including machete and guns and usually under the influence of drugs. The most worrisome part is that unlike in the past when membership of cult groups is limited to youths that have attained18 years and above, the membership drive has moved to secondary schools in the state with the youngest cultist arrested by the police being 13 years old. A fortnight ago, a 15 year old was arrested with a locally made pistol while on school uniform. The cultists are now recruiting even under-aged girls as amourers. Recently, the Police arrested four teenage girls between the ages of 14 and 15years for hiding guns for cult groups. One of the teenage girls was found with two bullet wounds at the lower end of her back. A group, Patriotism Advancement and Community Orientation Network (PACON), told LEADERSHIP Weekend that it is about to embark on` a protest march in the state capital over the alarming rate of killings and

nefarious activities of cultists in the state. Convener of the group, Comrade Aluzu, Ebikebuna Augustine, said that there has been a geometric rise in the number of cult groups in the state and something drastic needed to be done to stem their activities. “Today, the actual number of cult groups in Bayelsa state cannot be mathematically ascertained because of the Nicodemus way in which they operate,” he said. “But records show that those who have been prosecuted and convicted for cultism in the state are between the ages of 15 to 21.” The Bayelsa State Police Commissioner Don Awunah while corroborating PANCON claim, revealed that after a careful analysis of crime pattern in the state, the prevailing crime is driven by cultism. “Membership of secret cult criminal gangs appears to have permeated the ranks of some misguided youths in the state,” he said. “Our in-depth crime mapping identifies the following as active major cult groups in the state. Icelanders, Greenlanders, Nobody, De

Bam, De Well, Black Axe and Vikings. “Anti-cultism has been created in the state crime investigation and intelligence Department SCID to streamline and galvanize coordinated police action against cultism in the state. “ He also informed that it was in response to the upsurge, that the authorities of the Bayelsa State Police Command launched a new crime prevention operation tagged “Operation SaferBayelsa” with the aim of confronting violent crimes in the state. Rising to the challenge, the Bayelsa State Government and the State House of Assembly have embarked on the amendment of the Secret cult Bill to include a 20 years jail term for any person(s) convicted activities in the state. Governor Dickson who did not waste time in` signing the Bill into law, explained that, the amendment to the law, which had existed since May 2012, was necessitated by the urgent need to check the rise in cult activities among youths.

60 NEWS ACROSS THE STATES

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Public Assets Sale: BPE Promises To Uphold Transparency BY MARK ITSIBOR, ABUJA

The director-general of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh has reiterated the resolve of the Bureau not to compromise on transparency and integrity in the sale and management of public assets in the country. Speaking at the joint kick-off meeting of the transaction advisers for the privatisation of Afam Power Generation Plant and Yola Power Distribution Company in Abuja, the Director General also said the Bureau had raised the bar for privatisation transactions. He maintained that stakeholders would be carried along throughout the entire stages of the transactions. Okoh said the criticism that trailed the initial privatisation of the power companies and said that the lessons learnt in the previous exercise would be applied to set a standard for the fresh transactions, adding that transparency and professionalism are key to all the Bureau’s transactions, acxording to a statement that was issued by the Bereau’s head of media, Amina Othman.

On the emergence of FBN Quest Consortium as the sole transaction adviser for Yola and Afam Power Companies, he said there was nothing untoward about it, rather “it is in furtherance of the Bureau’s stance on transparency because the Consortium participated in the two distinct bidding processes for the selection of transactions advisers and emerged as the preferred bidder for Yola Power Company and reserved bidder for Afam Power Company”. He explained that when negotiations with the preferred bidder- Energy Markets & Rates Consortium (EMRC)for advisory services for Afam Power Company transaction fell through, the Bureau made recourse to the reserved bidder – FBN Quest in line with best practice. While expressing confidence in FBN Quest’s ability to deliver on both transactions, the BPE boss pledged the Bureau’s support towards ensuring the success of the standards to be set in the fresh transactions. In response, the deputy managing

director of FBN Quest Consortium, Mr. Taiwo Okeowo stated that the Consortium’s goal is to partner with BPE to set an improved standard in the course of the transactions and posttransaction activities. To achieve this he said, a team of professionals cutting across technical experts, legal services, as well as financial experts were on board to execute the task. It will be recalled that although Yola Distribution Company was successfully privatised and handed over to the core investor in 2013, a force majeure was declared in 2015 by the core investor citing insecurity in the North-East region of the country. Following this, the company was duly repossessed by the Federal Government. The transaction for Afam Power Generation Company on the other hand fell through due to the delay in signing the Gas Supply Agreement (GSAA) and the Gas Transportation Agreement (GTA). In 2017 the National council on Privatisation (NCP) gave approval for a fresh transaction to privatise the two power companies.

Uganda To Host 7th DStv Eutelsat Star Awards BY CHIDI NWACHUKWU, ABUJA

Government dignitaries, the academic community, scientific world and students will convene when MultiChoice Africa together with its partner, Eutelsat, hosts the 7th edition of the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards in Kampala on 12 April to announce continental winners. Uganda, popularly called the “Pearl of Africa”, has produced the most winners since the competition began and is hoping to achieve a similar feat by dominating the competition on home soil. MultiChoice and Eutelsat have once collaborated with European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Paolo Nespoli to lead the continental awards assessment process, which will take place in Kampala on 11 April. Nespoli has an illustrious career spanning stints at the European Astronaut Centre (ESA/ EAC) and NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston before being selected as an astronaut by the

Italian Space Agency to fly as an ESA astronaut. In 2017, for his third mission in space, named Vita, Nespoli spent 139 days on the International Space Station (ISS) during which he completed more than 60 experiments. Before that, he crewed on the 2007 Discovery shuttle mission and spent over five months in space in 2011 aboard the ISS, where he was responsible for a range of science and technology experiments and educational activities. Nespoli will be assisted by a panel of industry experts that consisting of Professor Funso Falade, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos; Mr. Michael Niyitegeka, Country Manager, ICDL Africa; Mr. Patrice Paquot, Deputy Regional Vice-President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Eutelsat; as well as Ms. Patricia Kichoncho, Operations Manager, MultiChoice Uganda. The overall winner of the essay award will be rewarded with a trip, along with a parent/legal guardian to Eutelsat in France and attend a live rocket launch in French Guiana. The overall winner of the poster award will similarly be entitled to a trip, along with a parent or legal guardian, to the MultiChoice offices and the South African Space Agency at Hartbeesthoek. The schools attended by the overall award winners will be rewarded with a DStv installation, including dish, television, state-of-the-art PVR decoder and free access to the DStv Education Package.

Al-Makura Donates N5m To Nasarawa CAN, calls For Peace

CP Gombe State Command, Mr. Shina T. Olukolu (middle) in group photograph with the leaders of all political parties in Gombe State shortly after a meeting with security and political stakeholders at Gombe State Police Command Headquarters, Gombe

Runsewe Applauds Edo on Culture Clubs in Schools BY STELLAMARIES AMUWA, ABUJA

The director general of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe has commended Edo State Government for the patriotic initiative of introducing culture clubs in public schools in the State. Noting that this step will go a long way in stimulating the interest of the youths in the rich cultural heritage of the State and Nigeria at large, he said this move by the governor, Edo state, Godwin Obaseki was not surprising in view of the cultural antecedents of the State. Runsewe pointed out that Edo State has a rich cultural history and tradition which are as old as the ancient Benin

Kingdom and are reflected in the various art forms such as sculptures, paintings, bronze works, dances, oral tradition among others. The NCAC boss stated that most of the vices in Nigerian society today are largely due to the deterioration of our traditional value system, occasioned by the undue influence of foreign cultural values. He said that for Nigeria to make significant progress, we must return to our value system, adding that the best starting point is to consciously socialize our children in our core national values, using the family, the school and other agents of socialization. “I have been stressing the need for us to revive cultural education in the schools

curricula and I presented a Council Memo on this during the 2017 National Council for Culture and Tourism in Jigawa” Runsewe said. Expressing Obaseki, has given practical expression to this call, he enjoined other state governors to join this campaign to revive our fast deteriorating cultural values. Runsewe stated that the NCAC under his leadership will work with the States to ensure that Cultural Clubs are not only fully established but are also functional in all schools nationwide. He added that the Council is engaging Nigerian youths on cultural revival through such programmes like National Culture Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools, Children’s Component of the

National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST). All these, he said, are geared towards inculcating in the youth, the appreciation of Nigerian Arts and Culture as well as building in them, innovative skills, healthy competition and intercultural exchanges that would foster national peace, unity and development. “When the youths are properly groomed to internalize the attributes of our traditional values like love of neighbour, community spirit, personal integrity, hard-work, discipline and honesty, they will grow up to be responsible adults that can contribute meaningfully to national development”. Runsewe concluded.

Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, of Nasarawa State has donated the sum of 5 million naira to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), to assist the purchase an alternative source of power in its secretariat in Lafia. Governor Al-Makura, announced the donation when he received the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) leadership in his office on a courtesy visit, yesterday. He assured Christians in the state of his commitment towards resuscitating the state’s inter-religious council as a way of fostering religious unity and peaceful coexisting in the state. The Governor noted that efforts would also be made towards expanding the scope of the composition of the inter-religious council with equal representation of Christians and Muslims, in order to ensure equity, adding that government would give support to facilitate the take-off the council. On the request to increase the number of government sponsored pilgrims to Jerusalem, Al-Makura assured them of possible increase to give others the opportunity to go on pilgrimage. A statement signed by Musa Elayo, the Chief Press Secretary to the said, the governor also urged the association not to relent in praying to God for peace to continue to reign in the state and the country at large. The State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Nasarawa State Chapter, Bishop Joseph Masin, condoled the Governor over the demise of late, Aliyu Akwe Doma and urged him to take solace in God. By Danjuma Joseph, Lafia

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FCTA To Remove Lounges, Night Clubs In Residential Areas The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Coordinator, Umar Shuaibu says the council is set to remove lounges and clubs in residential areas to curb the menace of noise pollution in the territory. Shuaibu said this at a news briefing on the council’s readiness to curb the menace of noise pollution in the council area, on Friday in Abuja. According to him, the concerns of the city residents about noise nuisance within the residential precincts are recognised, and the AMMC through its various departments is taking steps to address the challenges. He said the various noise nuisances from the lounges, night clubs and worship centres within the residential areas were in contravention of the extant statutes and city regulations. “The council has observed the increasing trend of conversion of residential buildings to lounge/night clubs and has taken several steps to address the situation. “This is in recognition of the fact that the implications are beyond noise nuisance, and also include intractable traffic challenges within the precinct. “There is also negative social influence on the psyche of the youth resident in the area where these lounges are located,’’ he added. The coordinator said some of the steps taken by the Department of Development Control to deter the trend were the removal of contravening structures at De Point Lounge/Night Club along Lingu crescent, Wuse 2. We also ordered the demolition of Lounges located at Kampala Street Cadastral Zone A08, also at Wuse 2 District. “As a follow-up to this, and in order to ensure inclusionary governance process to address this city management challenges, a meeting was convened on the instruction of the FCTA with majority of the night club operators. “The operators include Messrs Caramelo Lounge, Utako, Jorany/ Passport Lounge, Xtacy Lounge, De Point Lounge, House of Freeda, Neiverder Lounge, and Midnight Lounge all at Wuse 2. “The meeting was to enlighten the operators on how their lounge/night club activities amount to contravention of the city’s Master Plan. “Also, the meeting is to discuss the need to revert the use of the premises to its designated residential use,’’ he said. Shuaibu noted that the riot act reeled out by the FCT Permanent Secretary stated “the operators should revert to their respective premises to the designated land use within 30 days. “This decision has been further communicated to the lounge operators. “According to Clause 10 in the condition of Certificate of Occupancy, a developer is not to erect or permit to be erected or build on the said land buildings other than those permitted to be erected by virtue of this certificate. “The Clause 10 also states that the developer should not make or permit to be made any addition or alteration to the said buildings erected or buildings already erected on the land. “The Clause further added that except in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the President or the other officer appointed by the President on his behalf, in this case the Minister of the FCT’’. “With regards to the noise levels generated from places of worships (Churches and Mosques), the city regulation specifies the minimum of threshold of decibels expected from residential and commercial area during day and night times.

Cross section of students who benefited from the Dangote Coal communities scholarship award in Awo Apkali and Onupi in Anpka local government area of Kogi State

Kukah Backs Decision To Grant Boko Haram Members Amnesty BY NAN

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah has supported the decision of the Federal Government to grant amnesty to repentant members of the Boko Haram terrorist group. Bishop Kukah revealed his position while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Hard Copy in Abuja, the nation’s capital. “I think I was one of the first people to raise the issue of amnesty about five years ago, I know how much we were vilified,” he said. “But I was pretty convinced about what I was saying that for me if you mention the word amnesty, Nigerians think it simply means shaking hands and telling everybody to go home.” On March 23, President

Muhammadu Buhari had said the Federal Government was willing to offer amnesty to members of the outlawed group. He had noted that while further efforts were ongoing to secure the release of every citizen abducted by the insurgents, government was ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by any member of the group who showed strong commitment in that regard. Bishop Kukah lauded the decision, saying amnesty was the way to go as no war has ended with victory being declared. He added, “If Boko Haram has been perceived to be as so weakened as it is, we would not be talking about negotiation. So clearly, those with superior information and superior knowledge – which is what government is all about –

know something that the rest of us don’t.” Evaluating the war against corruption, the clergyman faulted the list of alleged looters recently released by the Federal Government. He described the list as “uninspiring and diversionary,” saying it hardly speaks to the conduct of politics in Nigeria which he claimed had always run on corruption. “From the last local government chairman, senator, president, governor; it would be nice to know one single politician who has run for office with what you call ‘hard-earned’ money. Corruption is not something that government fights, government might offer a lead, but it will get you to nowhere unless you have the buy-in of the people,” Kukah said.

Gombe: Barde Harps On Education BY HOSEA YUSUF

A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Gombe State, Muhammad Barde, has promised to pay special attention on education and ensure that all tiers of institutions are equipped with adequate manpower and conducive learning environment. Barde noted that world class education is needed to truly empower the people adding that the best investment is in the intellectual human development which only quality education can guarantee. In a statement released by his media office on Thursday in Gombe, the ex-bank chief said

he has gone round the 11 local governments in the state and found out that the educational system is in a mess and needed to be cleaned up. According to him, there are no facilities in virtually all the government owned primary and secondary schools I visited. No toilets, no water and no electricity. He bemoaned the fact that the incumbent administration has neglected the sector and other areas of the economy that could have improved the lives of the people despite the enormous financial resources it has received. The statement reads in parts: “I am really appalled at the situations in our public schools. I am a product of our public school system and

the standards are not what it used to be and it’s shameful that there is a government that does not care about the educational needs of the people. Without education, every other empowerment is nothing. I am sad that majority of my people are out of school. If given the chance in 2019, we will invest in education and turn around this sorry state in order to ensure the prosperity of our people. “We will empower teachers and make learning enjoyable to all the pupils and students. We will ensure that drop-out pupils returns to school and generally make living better for our people. I am a product of free education and I will ensure we do not pay lip service to it at all”.

Ekiti 2018: APC Commences Sale Of Forms Monday The All Progressives Congress said it would commence sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to aspirants for the July 14 Ekiti State governorship election on Monday. A schedule of activities released by Organising Secretary of the party, Sen. Isita Izunaso, on Friday in Abuja, indicated that the forms would be on sale until April 17. It showed that screening of aspirants would take place from April 23 to April 25, and that screening appeal would be from April 26 to April 27. The time-table revealed that the primary election would be on May 5, while the appeal that may emanate from the exercise will be addressed between May 7 and May 9. Politicians are desperate ahead of 2019, Presidency says The Presidency on Friday said some politicians were already getting desperate ahead of the 2019 general elections. It said the aim of those in that category was to ensure the realisation of their ill-conceived desires. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr.Femi Adesina, said this while receiving pastors of the Gospel Faith Mission International led by the Deputy General Overseer of the Mission, Pastor Emmanuel Oluwayemi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to a statement by the Director of Information, State House, Atta Esa, the presidential spokesman said the desperate situation showed that Nigeria was in dire need of spiritual support of respectable clergy. He called on religious leaders in the country to continue to pray for the unity, peace and prosperity of Nigeria especially as the elections draw nearer. “As we approach the election year, please continue to pray that all will be well with our country. “People are getting desperate to ensure that their desires, often illmotivated, are actualised. But by the prayers of spiritual fathers like you, it will be well with the country,” Adesina said. He added that God is the ultimate solution to all challenges and that no man has the solution to happenings around him.

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Borno Police Arrest Robbery Gangs, Recover Guns BY FRANCIS OKOYE, MAIDUGURI

In what could be best described as harvest of arrests, the Borno State Police Command, has arrested and paraded an armed robbery syndicate, notorious in snatching of handsets, recovered arms and ammunition among others. The Police also displaced over 242 assorted guns comprising 9 AK-47 rifles, 33 Pump Action and 200 Dane guns recovered from Borno residents following the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum given to those in possession of illegal guns to surrender them to the

police. Briefing newsmen over the arrests and recoveries on Friday at the Borno State police headquarters, the commissioner of police, Mr Damian Chukwu, said even though the Dane guns recovered were not among the prohibited guns, the circumstances in which they were found, pointed that they could be used for criminal purposes. CP Chukwu said that on 31st

January this year, a group of hoodlums, numbering about five, armed with deadly weapons, conspired and invaded a cattle ranch of one Musa Ardo Dawa of Tugga Village in Damboa local government and dispossessed him of six cows and 47 sheep. “Based on tip-off, four of the five suspects namely, Abdullahi Barka, Sani Adamu, Awalu Ahmad and Adamu Baba Yakiwale, now late, were arrested by

SARS operatives in collaboration with members of the vigilante. The stolen herds have since been recovered and in the course of investigation, the suspects admitted committing the crime. “ Similarly, between 3rd and 10th Feb this year, one Isa Musa, Idi Bello, Ahmadu Bello, Idi Hassan, Ahmadu Hassan and Kyari Gana, members of a notorious armed robbery gang terrorising Kawaye, Borno Yesu

villages under Magumeri and Gubio local government areas, were arrested at various locations armed with two AK47 rifles, a Dane gun, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons,” the CP said. He said the Comnand also, on 4th March this year, based on DSS report, found a cache of arms and ammunition at an abandoned building belonging to one Goni Modu at Bulabulin Ngaranam area in Maiduguri metropolis.

Obasanjo Not Competent To Criticise Buhari – Kalu Former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday, described ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo as one personality in the country that lacks moral to query the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari, given his antecedents in the country. Kalu, who was on what he described as “Peace Advocacy Tour” of the South West of Nigeria, noted that President Buhari is a man that is committed to Nigeria projects that would take the country out of the woods. Speaking with newsmen shortly after paying advocacy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi in his palace, Kalu said Chief Obasanjo never entertained criticisms as a president of Nigeria. According to him, regardless of what he called “gang up against Buhari by the ex- leaders”, the president is on course for another term of office, come 2019. The ex- governor added that his peace and advocacy tour had previously taken him to many royal fathers across South Western Region of the country, urging Ooni to continue his peace initiative and nation building in the interest of a united Nigeria. “Talk of integrity, Obasanjo is incompetent to criticise President Buhari. As governor of Abia, I wrote letters to President Obasanjo, criticising him and he, because of that, swore to make life difficult for me. He is today writing letters every week, attacking Buhari. “I know Buhari very well. He is not corrupt. He does not own property anywhere. Some people should not just put the country in crisis. Whatever they may have in plan, Buhari will return in 2019,” Kalu said. Commenting on plans by the Igbo to produce Buhari’s successor in 2023, Kalu said the project is realisable with the help of other parts of the country. “Igbo man can succeed Buhari in 2023. But we can’t do it alone. MKO Abiola came to my mother’s house in Abia several years ago seeking support and we voted for him. Earlier, while addressing Kalu and his team, Oba Ogunwusi commended him for working towards promoting peaceful coexistence among Nigerians. He charged other eminent Nigerians to always put the interest of the generality of the country above personal interests, stressing that, when those in privileged positions start sacrificing for the country; Nigeria would be a better place for all. By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila (middle) members House of Reps,James Faleke (left) and Ajibola Famunrewa, at the 8th day prayer of the late deputy leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Buba Umar Jubril in Lokoja, Kogi State, yesterday

Kano Govt Will Sue PMB If He Refuses To Contest – Ganduje BY ANDREW ESSIEN, ABUJA

Kano State governor, Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, has revealed that the state government has concluded plans to drag President Muhammadu Buhari to court if he refuses to seek a second term in office. This is as the governor, formally declared his interest to seek a second term in office come 2019. Governor Ganduje divulged these in Abuja on Friday, even though he clarified that although the President

has not made up his mind whether to seek second term in office or not, people were urging him to continue. While making his intention to seek re-election known, Governor Ganduje said,”In Kano, people are saying four plus four, that is they are urging me to contest again but I too feel that in order to continue with the good development that we have started, development requires some time and the constitution has given four years and another four years in order to consolidate what one has

started. “I am convinced that I too will seek for second term and people are also urging me to do so. Eventually, it will be left to the people to decide whether I qualify or not.” On why President Buhari must recontest in 2019, the governor said: “APC governors want Mr President to continue. I am happy that it is not the president that said he wants to continue, it is the people that are asking him to continue but Mr President has not made up his mind

yet. “When he came to Kano, I told him that any time he decides not to contest, we will take him to court. Kano State government will take him to court any time he decides not to contest. So we are waiting for him. “In this country, we saw presidents who spent billions of Naira for third term, so, what is the ruse about a constitutional second term. Some people spend billions of Naira in order to go for third term, I think it should not be news or something like that.”

Universal Healthcare: Access To Quality Health Essential – Expert BY STELLAMARIES AMUWA, ABUJA

Recent outbreaks of Meningitis, Lassa fever and Yellow fever, have shown that access to essential quality healthcare for all will not only provide intervention in controlling an epidemic, but also protect the country from future outbreaks. This was contained in a press release obtained from Dr Chito Nwana, chairperson, Guild of Medical Directors (GMD) FCT chapter. Nwana, who reiterated on the significance of health, stated that the theme of this year’s World Health Day, is tagged ‘Universal Health Coverage’. “It is a significant one for us in Nigeria

as it highlights the eminence of access to quality healthcare, regardless of socioeconomic status or place of residence.” She reechoed the importance of meeting Universal Health Coverage (UHC). “To do so, there must be enough health facilities to meet the needs of the population. Presently, Nigeria lacks adequate public and private health facilities and is unable to meet the need of its citizenry. “There has to be better partnerships, collaboration and cooperation between the public and private sector to develop a system that will improve access to

healthcare. It is however unfortunate that this important relationship is lacking in our country. Private health establishments are presently overburdened by multiple taxation charges and levies that have forced some establishments to close or reduce their standard of care in order to remain open, she said. Speaking further, Dr Nwana detailed that “the Guild of Medical Directors (GMD), composed of owners of private health facilities -is an advocacy group that seeks to facilitate raising the quality of medical care offered by these establishments to globally accepted standards.

Facebook Loses $120bn Amidst Scandal In Nigeria, US Elections BY CHIMA AKWAJA, LAGOS

Facebook has announced a new plan to make its terms and data policy clearer on how people’s data can be used on the platform following revelations that 87 million users data may have been compromised by a third party firm currently engulfed in manipulating presidential elections in Nigeria and USA. The scandal involved illegally mining of Facebook’s users’ data to influence the outcome of presidential elections in

Nigeria in 2015 and in the United States in 2016 by Cambridge Analytica. This has led regulators and lawmakers in UK, USA and Nigeria probing the role both companies played in the scandal. In a statement released by the vice president and chief privacy officer, policy, Erin Egan and vice president and deputy general counsel, Ashile Beringer, they said: “It’s important to show people in black and white how our products work – it’s one of the ways people can make informed decisions about their privacy.

So we’re proposing updates to our terms of service that include our commitments to everyone using Facebook. “We explain the services we offer in language that’s easier to read. We’re also updating our data policy to better spell out what data we collect and how we use it in Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and other products,” they said. These updates are about making things clearer. Facebook is not asking for new rights to collect, use or share your data on the platform.

“To achieve this, we advocate and promote a level playing field for our operations. We believe that our leaders must make health a priority, promote the private health sector by offering incentives such as tax breaks and exemptions to give room for growth, and to ensure that we, as providers, are brought to the table when policies are formulated or implemented. This will lead to the advancement of the public and private health facilities and hence the health sector as a whole, she stated. Nwana emphasised that, “We also cannot ignore the mass exodus of our best health providers and specialists (particularly doctors and nurses) to other parts of the world. How can we achieve Universal Health Coverage without enough health care workers to provide services? “We must begin to value the medical profession by providing them with international standard training facilities, proper remuneration for their service and a stable environment in which they can grow in their profession. Reducing emigration of doctors and encouraging specialists that trained abroad to return to Nigeria to offer their services will positively contribute to the advancement of the health sector while curbing medical tourism. This ‘brain drain’ must stop”. She affirmed.

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Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (right) congratulating Aboh Mary Tochi, one of the 750 graduands of the state’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Skill Acquisition Programme, during the graduation ceremony of the second batch of the scheme’s trainees in Enugu, yesterday.

Bello’s Chief Of Staff In Auto Crash On Abuja Expressway BY SAM EGWU, Lokoja

Less than a fortnight that the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had a close shave with death within Lokoja metropolis, the chief of staff, Hon Edward

Onoja and his wife, were on Thursday involved in a serious car crash along Abuja -Lokoja expressway. It was gathered that Onoja, who was returning to the state after spending some days with the governor, who

is recuperating from the accident in Abuja, had his car summersaulting severally before falling into a ditch near Abaji at the evening hours of Thursday. The chief of staff, his wife and child, it was learnt, were

evacuated from the wreckage, unconscious to an undisclosed hospital in Abuja. The cause of the accident, which could not be immediately ascertained, may not be unconnected to over speeding and tyre burst.

When contacted, the sector commander of the Kogi State Command of Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) Olusegun Martins, said the scene of the accident, if it happened, was outside his jurisdiction.

Bahai Community Celebrates New Year

FRSC Records 79 Deaths In 2018 Easter Patrol

The Bahaí Faith community in Nigeria, has joined the adherents of the faith in other parts of the world to mark the Bahaí new year (Naw Ruz). This follows 19 days fasting by the faithful to usher in the new calendar year of the Bahaí Faith. Chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Bahaí in Nigeria, Barrister Lawrence Alobi, who spoke with Journalists at the event, urged Nigerians to tolerate one another and be at the forefront of promoting peace, saying religion is meant to promote peace and harmony, not war and dissension. Alobi, a former commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said, “Just like our constitution provides that the primary purpose of government is for the security and wellbeing of the people, likewise religion is for the spiritual and social wellbeing of mankind. It is meant to promote peace and harmony, and not war. So, the Bahaí Faith teaches the oneness of God and the oneness of mankind. The fundamentals of the faith are to promote world peace and unity. “We are fingers of one hand, branches and fruits of the same tree.” He also called on the nation’s leadership to rededicate themselves to the service of humanity for the betterment of the nation. “Leadership is for service and sacrifice. All messengers of God came to sacrifice their lives for man’s salvation. They teach the virtues of service, kindness, mercy, forgiveness and humility.” Our leaders should learn to know that leadership does not mean he who controls power but he who serves and contributes to the betterment of the society,’’ he said.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) recorded a total of 79 deaths out of the 1,150 persons involved in road traffic crashes during the 2018 Easter celebration period. Also, 247 vehicles were involved compared to 209 in 2017, and 79 persons lost their lives in 2018 compared to 57 in 2017. The corps public education officer, Bisi Kazeem, stated that 431 people were rescued without injuries in 2017 Easter special patrol, while 543 were rescued during the 2018 Easter special patrol without injuries, which marks 26 per cent improvement from 2017 record.

By Ejike Ejike, Abuja

BY EJIKE EJIKE, Abuja

However, he noted that the number of persons rescued with injuries in road traffic crashes during the 2018 Easter celebration period was 528 compared to 475 in 2017, and this marks an increase by 12 per cent. According to him, ‎”Following the just concluded 2018 Easter special patrol, which lasted from Wednesday March 28, 2018 to Tuesday April 3, 2018, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) recorded a total of 1,071 people rescued from a total of 160 crashes nationwide, with 1,150 people involved compared to 963 people involved in 2017.” The Corps revealed that there was a significant increase in the number

of people rescued without injury during the 2018 Easter special patrol exercise which was given a wider coverage than previous years, when compared to the same period of Easter celebration in 2017. In the same vein, he mentioned that from the total number of 160 crashes, 38 were fatal crashes compared to 33 in 2017 which represents 15 per cent increase; 94 were serious crashes compared to 89 in 2017 which represents 5.6 per cent increase; and 28 were minor crashes compared to 25 in 2017 which represents 12 per cent increase. He gave the breakdown of vehicles involved in road traffic crashes across the nation as follows: 15 tanker/

trailers, 42 trucks, 56 buses, 78 cars, 40 motorcycles, eight tricycles, six pickups, and two animals. Reacting to this report, the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, stated that the Corps now has a wider coverage due to the establishment of more FRSC Commands, outposts, road side clinics and Zebra points who now feed in reports from different routes that were hitherto not thoroughly covered. He stressed that the increase in number of road crashes, increase in the number of persons involved, and increase in the number of persons killed is due to the reports that emanated from the new FRSC formations.

Nigeria Needs Support Of Respectable Clergy – Presidency BY JONATHAN NDA - ISAIAH, Abuja

The Presidency has said Nigeria, at this time, is in need of spiritual support of respectable clergy. Speaking yesterday, when pastors of the Gospel Faith Mission International, led by the deputy general overseer of the Mission, Pastor Emmanuel Oluwayemi, paid him a courtesy call in his office, Mr

Femi Adesina, the special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement by the deputy director, information, Attah Esa, called on religious leaders in the country to continue to pray for the unity, peace and prosperity of Nigeria especially as the nation approaches 2019 elections. “As we approach the election year, please continue to pray that all will be well with our country. People

are getting desperate to ensure that their desires, often ill motivated, are actualised. But by the prayers of spiritual fathers like you, it will be well with the country,” Adesina said. He added that God is the ultimate solution to all challenges and that no man has the solution to happenings around him. Mr Adesina expressed happiness that the Gospel Faith Mission

Police Arrest 6 Suspected Pipeline Vandals In Lagos BY OGUNTADE ISMAILA, Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested six suspected pipeline vandals on Friday. The suspects were scooping fuel from a vandalised NNPC pipeline at Fagbile Estate, Isheri Ijegun in Lagos State. The suspects were identified as Jimoh Shola, 23, Wasiu Adebayo, 25, Sanni Shago, Alamu Garuba 22, Jonathan Okiki, 35 and Taoreed Saula, 33

According to Lagos State police public relation officer, Superintendent of Police, Chike Oti, he said the arrest was made based on the news making the rounds on the social media that there were people scooping fuel from vandalised NNPC Pipeline at Fagbile Estate Isheri-Ijegun, Lagos. He said that the “Command wishes to state that before the news went viral on the social media, it had already drawn the attention of the NNPC officials, the Fire

Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who went there and brought the situation under control. He added that, the operatives attached to Area M Police command, Idimu arrested the suspects, and they are currently undergoing interrogation at the command’s headquarters, Ikeja and would be charged to court at conclusion of the investigation.

International, which is a highly respected organisation, known for its open and broad mindedness, had chosen to offer spiritual support to the government. He reiterated President Muhammadu’s assertion that he is not a religious bigot and can never be one. Pastor Emmanuel Oluwayemi had earlier told the special adviser that the Church and the nation have a lot to do together especially at this time when there is tension in the land. He added that the role of the Church is to advise and pray for leaders of the country as commanded by God in the scriptures. He acknowledged their role as cobuilders in Nigeria to ensure that there is fairness and justice in the nation. The deputy general overseer assured that the Gospel Faith Mission International, will continue to provide back up support for the government rather than heat up the polity. He prayed that God’s hands would continue to be on President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other elected people in the country.

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In Nigeria, it appears that many people are too carried away by the winds, earthquakes, and fires of political movements or forces to pay attention to the still small voice of conscience, knowledge, and revelation

nd he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” [1 Kings 19: 11-12] From the beginning of human life on earth, all political and managerial affairs have always had the divine touch, whether man actively perceives it to be so or not. The purpose of man on earth is to live in the divine nature, have dominion (which is political power) over God’s creation, and maintain and keep all of God’s endowment on earth. History has taught us that empires rise and then fall, kings rule and then give way, dictators have held sway, only to be pushed away later. No empire or man sustains political power or dominion forever. Recently, an expert in string theory wrote that he had observed that human beings live in a matrix, that all of man’s affairs are being ordered by some power, and nothing just happens, but as they are so ordered. The creative power of all things, which we call God or the LORD (or as translated in various languages), is the ordering power. In Nigeria, it appears that many people are too carried away by the winds, earthquakes, and fires of political movements or forces to pay attention to the still small voice of conscience, knowledge, and revelation. This weakness is a reason for the recurring mistakes the mainstream news media, opinion column writers, the electorate, and the perpetual critics, who hardly vote in elections, have been making. We are so inured to the dramatic that our perception of cerebral steps toward national growth and health has been impaired. We are often too emotional to be rational in our national discourse. And lack of knowledge makes people to actively work against their selfinterest. For a nation to not slide into toxic acrimony both sides of the political divide must be courageous enough to acknowledge the good in each other.

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Saturday, April 7, 2018

Nigeria And The Winds Of Political Power

When a political party sees and speaks about only the bad, but not the good in the other party, it is a sign of political immaturity. Nigerian politicians and political parties must grow up. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presided over the affairs of Nigeria for sixteen (16) unbroken years under three presidents—Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, and Jonathan, in that order. In the first four years (4) of Obasanjo’s combined tenure, hardly any captivating achievements were recorded. Among his notable achievements, however, was the introduction of the GSM telecommunication technology, which also crippled NITEL (You may recall with nostalgia the beautiful public phone booths across Nigeria, including on university campuses, where a caller would go and make calls, using a plastic call card. They are all gone! I have written about this; if you are interested in reading more about the opportunity cost of the GSM “revolution”, simply Googlesearch “Shilgba+NITEL”). We ought not to destroy what is working because we would introduce what is uncommon. But, we must give credit to Obasanjo for the global introduction of mobile phone technology in Nigeria, which before 2001 was restricted to the few privileged people in Nigeria. It was in Obasanjo’s second term that he recorded some defining achievements, including the outcome of his legendary frequent travels outside of Nigeria in his first term, about which Gani Fawehinmi had kept records— the rescue of Nigeria from her sovereign debts, the banking reforms, which shielded Nigeria from the 2008 global economic crisis, beautiful governance and fiscal reforms, which were formalized by legislation—Fiscal Responsibility Act, and Procurement Act. I was thrilled by quite a number of things that Obasanjo had accomplished, and wrote about them, wondering what might have been if the opposition voices had stopped him from running for a second term in 2003, while I also pointed out some bad things that he shouldn’t have done, such as the gruesome murders at Zaki-Biam, Gbeji, and Odi by the military under his watch; the unsavoury disruption of democracy in Anambra State (under Governor Ngige),

Ekiti State (under Governor Fayose), Oyo state (under Governor Ladoja), etc.; the destruction of SLOKS airline because of his fights with then Governor Orji Kalu, which led to the loss of jobs by Nigerians; the unconstitutional withholding of public funds belonging to LGAs in Lagos State; and the unconstitutional replacement of elected governors with sole administrators simply because President Obasanjo had declared State of Emergency in those states such as Plateau and Ekiti. A most glaring failure of President Obasanjo is his legendary failure to have successful successors, from Shagari to Jonathan, which failure destroyed much of the good that he had done for Nigeria. In this regard, Obasanjo can learn from Asiwaju Tinubu. The measure of a great man is in his succession. People usually talk about the great Nigerians that Obasanjo mentored and brought to prominence between 1999 and 2007, whom he had referred to as his “twelve apostles”, and about whom I have written in my book, From My Heart—The Black Race: Myths, Realities and Complexes, and among whom are Ngozi Iweala, Nasir El-Rufai, Charles Soludo, Nuhu Ribadu, Dora Akunyili, Bode Augustus, and Oby Ezekwesili. Yet, none of them could be trusted by Obasanjo to succeed him! In fact, none of Obasanjo’s protégés or those that worked directly under him was ever supported by him to succeed him. In 2015, Obasanjo supported Buhari (who had worked under Obasanjo as a Federal minister), not to succeed Obasanjo, but to defeat Jonathan (whom Obasanjo had single-handedly chosen to be YarÁdua’s running mate, and later worked for to become Nigeria’s president), with whom Obasanjo had an axe to grind. Today, President Obasanjo has labelled Buhari’s government, which is barely three years in running the affairs of Nigeria, a “failure”, and this was after he had in his famous letter asked Buhari to not run for a second term in 2019, and gone ahead to propose a “Third Force” in order to stop President Buhari. If Nigerians trust Obasanjo’s skills, insight, and wisdom in choosing a successor or a president, then they can go with his “Third Force” or hydra-headed “Third

Force” (I understand that more than one “third forces” have emerged). Such winds, fires, and earthquakes of political forces will come and go, but students of history should ask: “But to what purpose for Nigeria?” I truly admire the response of President Buhari to all of these winds, fires, and earthquakes: Stolid silence. Buhari’s officials have said that General Obasanjo was GMB’s senior in the military, under whom he served, and so President Buhari would not answer back. This is a humble response, and I hope our great president Obasanjo will take note, and help his very first protégé to become Nigeria’s president after him, so that he will achieve more for Nigeria. I would not chronicle Buhari’s achievements, but only note that President Buhari’s government is not making excuses; his government is working, but also reminding Nigerians where we have come from: Obasanjo left about $ 60 billion in foreign reserve after eight years; Buhari inherited only about $ 24 billion in foreign reserve less than three years ago, and has now built it up to over $ 46 billion less than three years later, with about N 9 trillion cash in TSA for all MDAs. Physical and technological infrastructures, which are being built or built upon in order to facilitate our national growth, abound under Buhari’s government in spite of security challenges, which are also being worked on. Nigerian elders and leaders ought to come together to fight our security challenges, and not exploit or exacerbate our national pains for political gains. To my brethren in the Middle Belt, it is a duty I acknowledge I owe you, I urge caution: Don’t be used by any individuals or groups. We own no political party; rather, we belong to various political parties. Unity among Middle-Belters can only be around shared interests. Nasarawa State and Benue State must not allow coldness between them to persist; Kogi State must show the love of a brother toward Benue State; Benue State should not walk alone; Plateau State must not mock their brethren in Benue; Kwara and Niger States should not stand aloof. All of those States must not waste their votes in 2019 on winds, earthquakes, and fires of political forces. Please, give heed to this still small voice.

Female Genital Mutilation: Persecuting Noncompliance BY SAMUEL OTSAPA ENYI

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) sometimes called female circumcision involves the cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia for nonmedical reasons. The procedure largely involves the removal of the clitoral hood, clitoral glans, removal of the inner and outer labia, closure of the vulva and infibulation - leaving a small hole so that the person can pass urine and menstrual fluid. It is important to note that FGM is most common in Africa, Asia and the Middle East and prevalent among girls between the ages of 15 and 49. As at 2016, an estimated 200 million women in 30 countries (27 of these countries are in Africa) were circumcised

(UNICEF, 2016). According to adherents, the main reason for female circumcision is the belief that circumcising females helps in controlling sexuality and keeping women sexually pure – until marriage. Though this benefit is not scientifically proven, there are proven negative health defects of the practice. Some of these negative defects of FGM include: development of cyst, difficulties in becoming pregnant, painful menstrual periods, complications during childbirth and difficulties in urinating. In descending order, FGM is most prevalent in Nigeria, Egypt, Mali, Eritrea, Sudan, Central African Republic, Ghana (northern Ghana), Somalia and Djibouti. Nigeria is among the 27 countries in Africa practicing female genital mutilation and the country has the

highest number of ‘victims’ in the world. Nigerian government condemns the practice but there is no sign of decline. Of the six zones in Nigeria, FGM is most common in the south-south (77%), south-east (68%) and the south-west (65%). There is a need to increase awareness in Nigeria that female genital mutilation is not only a violation of a fundamental human right of the victims, but also poses health risks to them. The major setbacks in the fight against female circumcision in Nigeria are the absence of enabling laws banning the practice and strict adherence to tradition. In Nigeria, many individuals and groups opposing FGM are being persecuted because it is regarded as a traditional practice. Take the story of Mr.

Anthony Eluigwe from Abia state who got married in 2009 to Bilkisu Eluigwe, a woman from another region. After they had had their second child, a female they named Diamond, his kinsmen insisted that both Mrs. Bilkisu and her daughter Diamond get mutilated. They resisted, which led to a series of persecution that ultimately resulted to Mr. Anthony’s death. Sadly even his death didn’t stop the persecution. His wife was threatened that her kids would be seized from her if she doesn’t undergo the mutilation. Presently she is hiding in fear for her life. Her parents are being harassed on a constant basis This sad example is one among many cases of Nigerians that are being persecuted over their resistance to female circumcision. The practice of FGM is anti-

dignity and also against the fundamental human rights of women and as such the campaign against its continued practice in Nigeria must be intensified. Female circumcision is cruel, inhuman and degrading as it involves violating the rights to good health, integrity, freedom from pains/torture and the right to life - there are instances where mutilations have led to deaths. What is to be done? The government – local, state and federal – must as a matter of urgency/emergency prohibit the practice of FGM in the country – as other countries in the world are beginning to do and also educate traditional rulers and their subjects about the overwhelming dangers of FGM. – Enyi writes from Kaduna.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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Parenting

Teething In Children

Teething period in growing children as many parents have described, is one of the most challenging periods in parenting. While dealing with children in this stage, mothers, who shared their experiences, have identified a few symptoms observed during teething. Some of such symptoms are, drooling, swollen, bulging gums, a visible tooth, trouble sleeping, trying to bite, chew, and suck on everything, rejecting food, general body weakness and restlessness. Other complaints from parents are that children show signs of fever and vomiting. A middle-aged woman and mother of six children, Mrs Mercy Ochai in Abuja, explained that all her children showed signs of fever and vomiting while teething. She noted that restlessness and sleepless nights with babies constantly crying for food which they can only nibble on without really eating are the other challenges she faced while raising her children. A 36-year-old woman in Nasarawa State, Aisha Sule and mother of three children between ages six and one, complained that her toddler has trouble sleeping or eating and is weak generally. She expressed

her worry that the medication from hospital only helped him sleep for a while before waking up again to cry through the night. She stated that these are visible signs of discomfort from pains of developing teeth. Even though many parents stress that these symptoms seem directly related to their child’s teething, there’s no scientific proof that they’re linked. Experts, including those at the American Academy of Pediatrics, say fever and diarrhea are not normal teething symptoms. One of many possible explanations for these symptoms is that because teething babies frequently put things in their mouth to soothe their gums, they get sick from coming into contact with viruses and other germs. Other issues raised in the cause of interaction with parents, is late teething. Late teething doesn’t signal a problem with a child’s overall development, and there’s actually a potential upside to it. The later these teeth come in, the less time they have to develop decay before they fall out and make way for a child’s permanent teeth. Stages Of Teething Although the exact timing of

teething can vary from child to child, babies typically begin teething from around six months of age. Usually, the front bottom two teeth (lower central incisors) emerge first, accompanied by the front top two teeth (upper central incisors). Teething can be a painful and difficult process for both babies and parents, as infants may become especially fussy or cranky while their new teeth emerge. 5 Stages Of Teething In Children Teething happens in five stages. Understanding these stages can

help parents ease the discomfort of their babies as well as navigate their way successfully into toddlerhood. Stage 1 (0-6 months): At birth, babies have a full set of 20 primary teeth in their jawbones beneath their gums. These are frequently referred to as “milk teeth,” because during this stage, a baby’s diet usually consists of milk only. Stage 2 (6-8 months): During this stage, the first teeth emerge. The lower and upper front teeth, the incisors, begin to erupt around six months, but signs and symptoms of pain or discomfort may become evident before six months. Stage 3 (10-14 months): During this period, it is also common for babies to experience a bit of a loss of appetite, fever, and diarrhea. During stage 3, a baby’s sleep schedule may become more sporadic or get “off.” Unfortunately, it is typical for both babies and parents to lose sleep at night during this period of teething. Stage 4 (16-22 months): During this stage, the canine teeth (between the top and bottom molars and incisors) will surface. The same recommendations for stage 2 and 3 can be implemented during this period to keep the baby

as comfortable as possible. Stage 5 (25-33 months): For some children, this is the most painful stage of teething. During this time, the large molars emerge. These are the biggest teeth, and parents may find their normal soothing techniques are no longer effective. Try different methods to soothe the toddler until something helps. Many parents find it beneficial to give the toddler a hard vegetable to chew on, and this is also healthy. If implementing this method, make sure to keep a close eye on the child at all times to make sure he or she does not choke! Helpful Tips For Soothing Pains Massaging and soothing a baby’s sensitive and sore gums include: 1. Massaging A Baby’s Gums With A Clean Finger, Damp Washcloth, Or Clean Dampened Gauze Pad. Providing pressure to the gums can alleviate the baby’s pain. 2. Providing A Teething Ring Made Of Hard Rubber. The liquid filled type can break as the baby chews. 3. Filling A Bottle With Water And Allowing The Baby To Suck. Do not fill a bottle with milk or juice specifically to sooth teething.

Mum Gives Own Life To Save 2-Year-Old Daughter Twenty five-year-old nursery worker, Leanne Collopy, was stabbed 21 times by ex-boyfriend, Saleem Said, who lured her into a trap before dousing her with petrol and setting her ablaze. But as flames ripped across her back, the mum-of-two bravely held her daughter, Leila, in her arms and shielded her from both the blaze and from her 40-year-old ex-partner as he repeatedly knifed her. Police and fire fighters were called to the terrace house in Rawtenstall, Lancs, by neighbours when they heard the mum shout: “Help me! Help me! He’s stabbing me!” But by the time they got to the house, the qualified teacher had already suffered fatal wounds to her face, back chest, leg and arm plus 65 per cent burns all over her body. She died four days later in hospital. Leila was found soaked in her mother’s blood, sat on a kitchen worktop in shocked silence with her eyes wide open and staring. She suffered severe burns to her face, head and body and will need ongoing skin grafts. It emerged she had also been doused with water by her mother as she fought for her life. The confused girl now has physical and mental scars and suffers flashbacks of the horrific evening in which she shouts: “Mummy hot, Leila hot, daddy, daddy.”

Miss Collopy’s other child Lola, aged four, who at a sleepover at a friend’s house during the attack has asked relatives: “Why did my mummy have to go to heaven?” She is now living with her father away from the area. Preston Crown Court heard in the run up to the murder in July last year, care worker Said, of Stockport, had purchased metal handcuffs, duct tape and white spirit. with intent to endanger life. Miss Collopy’s mum Julie Doherty read a heartbreaking statement in court in which she said: “Leanne was a very proud mum with her whole life ahead of her and the emptiness we now feel will never go away.” Miss Collopy had attained a degree in early years teaching at Cumbria University, before getting a job at Bright Futures nursery in Crawshawbooth. She and Said began dating in 2015 and had entered into a Muslim ceremony of marriage not recognised under the UK law. But they split up last year after she complained about him being possessive and violent towards her. She later moved into a rented property with her two girls whilst he moved back in with his mother. The court heard Said couldn’t accept the romance was over and in the weeks before the killing he texted Miss Collopy saying: “I can’t go out, I can’t do anything. I just

think day and night, the world is a blur, nothing matters anymore. “You have got what you wanted my life is ruined.” On the day of the killing Said had an access visit with his daughter while Miss Collopy went out with friends. But that evening he rang her claiming she needed to come home as he had forgotten the child’s cot. It emerged she had also been doused with water by her mother as she fought for her life. The confused girl now has physical and mental scars and suffers flashbacks of the horrific evening in which she shouts: “Mummy hot, Leila hot, daddy, daddy.” Preston Crown Court heard in the run up to the murder in July last year, care worker Said, Stockport, had purchased metal handcuffs, duct tape and white spirit. He had then bought petrol from a garage as part of an evil plan to kill Miss Collopy’s in revenge for her dumping him. He also carried out internet searches, including “16 steps to kill someone and not get caught”, “how to start a fire fast and furious and without fuss”, “unleaded petrol more ‘ammable?” and “how long it would take to suffocate someone?” Today he began a minimum 30 years behind bars after he admitted

murder and arson with intent to endanger life. Miss Collopy had attained a degree in early years teaching at Cumbria University, before getting a job at Bright Futures nursery in Crawshawbooth. She and Said began dating in 2015 and had entered into a Muslim ceremony of marriage not recognised under UK law. Miss Collopy and Said began dating in 2015 and had entered into a Muslim ceremony of marriage not recognised under UK law But they split up last year after she complained about him being possessive and violent towards her. She later moved into a rented property with her two girls whilst he moved back in with his mother. The court heard Said couldn’t accept the romance was over and in the weeks before the killing he texted Miss Collopy saying: “I can ‘t go out, I can ‘t do anything. I just think day and night, the world is a blur, nothing matters anymore. “You have got what you wanted my life is ruined.” On the day of the killing Said had an access visit with his daughter while Miss Collopy went out with friends. But that evening he rang her claiming she needed to come home as he had forgotten the child’s cot. Mr Francis McEntee prosecuting said: “This was a ruse to draw Miss Collopy home, so he could carry

out this planned attack. Inside the premises he engaged in a sustained, brutal attack, upon Miss Collopy, repeatedly stabbing her about the head and body with a kitchen knife that he had brought with him for that purpose. “That attack continued even whilst Ms Collopy had their small child, in her arms. Indeed, this young woman’s last, heroic, act was to save her daughter’s life from the flames that were about to engulf them. “The body mapping shows that there are blows all around Leanne’s body, blows to the back, the side, the front, neck and head. That could be consistent with her seeking to shield the child.” He continued: “When the police arrived, the property was dark and was full of smoke and the officer could just make out the outline of a small child sat upright on the kitchen worktop. “He reached in through the window and pulled the child out and could just make out two people lying on the floor. “The baby’s eyes were wide open and staring, and she didn’t make a sound. She had burns on her face and hands and was wearing a baby grow covered in blood - but the blood on the baby grow was from the child’s mother. Culled from dailymailonline.co.UK.

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Retired Army Generals, Others Joins Zimbabwe Election Race Thousands of potential candidates have submitted their names to various political parties indicating that they want to contest council, parliamentary and senatorial elections set to be held within the next few months in Zimbabwe. They include Retired General Constantino Chiwenga, Retired Brigadier General Sibusiso Moyo and several others, who are believed to have masterminded the downfall of 94 year-old former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe last November. Some people believed to be linked to the ousted Zanu PF faction commonly known as Generation 40, which once backed former First Lady Grace Mugabe as a potential successor to her husband, have been left out of the electoral process in the ruling party. They claim that a faction of the party said to be led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa has

sidelined all those linked to Mrs. Mugabe and Robert Mugabe. The two are linked to the National Patriotic Front, which was allegedly formed by ousted Generation 40 members. Mugabe has distanced himself from the party led by Retired Brigadier General Ambrose Mutinhiri. Despite the exclusion of some Zanu PF activists from contesting the polls, ruling party member Believe Gaule says “everyone is allowed to contest a seat of his choice in Zanu PF. People will choose a person of their choice, nothing else.” On the other hand, the Movement for Democratic Change led by Nelson Chamisa has also witnessed a lot of interest of thousands of people who want to participate in the general elections as candidates in council, parliamentary and senatorial polls.

Zuma Proclaims Innocence After Court Appearance Former South African president Jacob Zuma appeared in court yesterday to face corruption charges relating to a $2.5 billion arms deal, later telling a crowd he would be proven innocent in the long running case that resurfaced after his fall from power. Zuma’s transition from “Mr. President” to “Accused Number One” in less than two months is a significant setback for the 75-yearold, whose nine years in office were marked by economic stagnation and credit downgrades. He faces 16 charges including fraud, racketeering and money laundering. In a procedural appearance that lasted less than 15 minutes, state prosecutors and Zuma’s lawyers asked the Durban High Court to adjourn the case until June 8 so both sides could prepare submissions. Judge Themba Sishi approved the request. A potential trial would take several more months to prepare. Zuma later told thousands of supporters outside court in Durban that his opponents were telling lies and the judiciary and politicians believed that he did not have rights. “The truth will come out. What have I done?” Zuma told

the cheering crowd, speaking in Zulu in his home Kwa-Zulu Natal province. “I am innocent until proven guilty.” Zuma denies any wrongdoing and is challenging the decision to prosecute the case, a dramatic development on a continent where political leaders are rarely held to account for their actions before the law. The speed with which prosecutors have booked his day in court is a sign of the loss of control Zuma has suffered since his successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, became head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in December.

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Saturday, April 7, 2018

South Korean Court Jails Former President For 24 Years A South Korean court jailed former President Park Geunhye for 24 years yesterday over a scandal that exposed webs of corruption between political leaders and the country’s conglomerates. Park became South Korea’s first democratically elected leader to be forced from office last year when the Constitutional Court ordered her out over a scandal that landed the heads of two conglomerates in jail. The court also fined Park, the daughter of a former military dictator, 18 billion won ($16.9 million) after finding her guilty of charges including bribery, abuse of power and coercion. “The defendant abused her presidential power entrusted by the people, and as a result, brought massive chaos to the order of state affairs and led to the impeachment of the president, which was unprecedented,” judge Kim Seyoon said as he handed down the sentence. Up to 1,000 Park supporters gathered outside the court, holding national flags and signs

Park

calling for an end to “political revenge” against her. The court found Park guilty of colluding with her old friend, Choi Soon-sil, to receive about 7 billion won ($6.56 million) each from Lotte Group, a retail giant, and Samsung, the world’s biggest maker of smartphones

and semiconductors, while demanding 8.9 billion won from SK, an energy conglomerate. Most of the money was intended to bankroll non-profit foundations run by Choi’s family and confidants, and to fund the education of Choi’s horse-riding daughter, the court said.

US Imposes Major Sanctions On Russian Oligarchs, Officials The United States imposed major sanctions yesterday against 24 Russians, striking at allies of President Vladimir Putin in one of Washington’s most aggressive moves to punish Moscow for what it called a range of “malign activity,” including alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. The action, taken under pressure from the US Congress, freezes the US assets of “oligarchs” such as aluminum tycoon Oleg Deripaska, a close associate of Putin, and lawmaker Suleiman Kerimov, whose family controls Russia’s largest gold producer, Polyus.

The sanctions are largely a reply to what U.S. intelligence agencies say was Russian interference in the presidential election, although the Treasury Department painted them as a response to a series of adversarial actions by Moscow. U.S. President Donald Trump has been under fire for not taking strong action against Russia after a series of diplomatic disputes reminiscent of the Cold War era and the sanctions could complicate his hopes for good relations with Putin. The sanctions are aimed at seven Russian oligarchs and 12 companies they own or

control, plus 17 senior Russian government officials. They freeze the U.S. assets of the people and companies named and forbid Americans in general from doing business with them. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said, however, Moscow’s contacts with the U.S. government would not be brought to an end by the sanctions. Russia denies interfering in the US election. They could hurt the Russian economy, especially the aluminum, financial and energy sectors, and are a clear message to Putin and his inner circle of US displeasure.

Germany, France Develop New Maritime Surveillance Plane Against Russian Subs Germany and France will launch a program this month to develop a new marine patrol and surveillance aircraft, the German navy said yesyerday, in what defence sources said was a response to a sharp increase in Russian submarine patrols. German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen and her French counterpart, Florence Parly, plan to sign a letter of intent about the new “Maritime Airborne Warfare System” at the Berlin air show on April 27, it said on its website. The two countries agreed last July to seek a “European solution” to replace existing marine surveillance planes, and develop a

road map to that end by mid-2018. The letter of intent formalizes those plans and paves the way for both countries to harmonize their military requirements for the maritime mission. The initiative is part of a larger drive by France and Germany to increase their cooperation on defence programs, including efforts to develop a new European fighter jet. Germany now uses the P-3C Orion built by Lockheed Martin Corp to patrol large swathes of ocean for submarines and other potential threats, while France operates the Atlantique 2, or ATL2, produced by Dassault Aviation in the 1980s.

German navy officials were not immediately available for further comment on the program, or how it will tie into an effort by eight NATO allies, including France and Germany, to cooperate on “multinational maritime multimission aircraft capabilities.” The program also includes Canada, Poland, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Greece. NATO members are modernizing and upgrading military equipment in the wake of increasingly aggressive military actions by Russia, including a high level of submarine patrols not seen since the end of the Cold War. – Compiled by Juliana Agbo

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07.04.2018

WBA Orders Joshua To Fight Povetkin

Anthony Joshua’s plans to unify the division by facing Deontay Wilder may have to be put on hold after the WBA ordered him to take on mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin by September. Joshua [21-0, 20 KOs]

won the WBA strap last year, knocking out Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley to win the then-vacant belt -- but he now looks set to have to defend both that belt as well as his IBF and newly claimed WBO title against the Russian.

Povetkin featured on the undercard of Joshua’s bout against Joseph Parker last weekend, knocking out David Price in brutal fashion before Joshua defeated Joseph Parker, and now Povetkin looks set to get a shot at reclaiming the WBA belt that

he lost to Klitschko back in 2013. “The WBA called the mandatory yesterday for AJ to face Povetkin next,” promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports. “We have a 30 day window to negotiate -- at this stage it means it’s very likely Anthony’s next fight will be between [Deontay] Wilder or Povetkin.” With a mandatory challenge being set, Joshua and his camp will either need to fight Povetkin next, agree a step-aside deal -- which could see the Russian face Dillian Whyte, or vacate his WBA belt. However, Povetkin says that he only has eyes for Joshua.

CAF CC: Itodo, Ayagwa Return For Plateau United Against USM

Itodo

Ahead of its CAF Confederations Cup cracker against USM Algiers in Lagos today, Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions Plateau United has been buoyed by the return of its talismen Raphael Ayagwa, Daniel Itodo amongst others. The other four payers who are making a heartwarming return to the side include Ogene Elijah, Okiemute Odah and Sunday Ngbede. While Itodo made his return against Yobe Star in the mid-week NPFL game in Damaturu, Ayagwa and oth-

ers would be making it into the team’s line-up, to make up its strongest squad in recent times and give the technical crew more than a few options, LEADERSHIP Weekend Sport understands. In another development, the club’s trashed news making the round about an on-going crisis in the club. In a statement by the club through its media officer, Albert Dakup and made available to us, he described the news as “not only baseless, unfounded and fictitious, but a calculated attempt by mischief makers to

distract the team” in the build-up to its play-off this weekend. According to Dakup, as much as the management of the team and the state government were unhappy, owing to the club’s back-to-back defeat in the NPFL, it has never considered sacking Coach Kennedy Boboye and his technical crew. He, however, conceded that, upon the team’s return from Nnewi where they recorded their heaviest defeat against FC IfeanyiUbah, a meeting was held and all issues relating to the team’s poor performance

were sorted out, with a view to charting an immediate return to winning ways. “I urge journalists to cross-check their facts before going to press, in order not to feed the public with falsehood. “The club’s doors are open at any time to journalists who wish to find out information on the club activities, so as to feed the public with correct, unbiased report,” Dakup wrote, while calling on the “great fans of Lagos and the club to come out en masse and support us as we confront USM Algiers.”

Woods Hails ‘Amazing’ Return To Masters Tiger Woods labelled his Masters return after an absence of two years as ‘awesome’, but his performance fell well short of that lofty description. A number of wild drives meant Woods did well to be three over par after 12 holes and the 14-time major winner birdied the 14th and 16th to card a one-over par 73. ‘It was interesting, an up and down day for me today,’ Woods said. ‘I had some opportunities to makes and didn’t do it. I played the par fives very sloppily and that was the difference in the round.’ Woods is contesting the year’s opening major for the first time in three years after undergoing spinal fusion surgery in April last year and has finished 12th, second and fifth in his last three starts on the PGA Tour. ‘It felt great to be back out there again,’ the 42-year-old added. ‘I only came up here the last couple of years just to have food [at the Champions Dinner]. It’s nice that I came out to play and know that I had the golf course in front of me. ‘The crowds have been incredible. It’s been awesome this entire comeback. I got a standing ovation on the range. Coming up to the first tee, the people come out of the clubhouse and the putting green, they’re really into it.’ Woods was in danger of playing himself out of the tournament when he bogeyed the 11th and found the water with his tee shot on the 12th, but crucially salvaged a bogey after a mediocre pitch. ‘It was very important,’ he added. ‘I just didn’t want to drop it to four (over). I figured I had two par fives ahead of me. We were anticipating getting it back to even par, just fighting our way back to even par.

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Saturday, April 7, 2018

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Kanu “This is meant to be a joke but people haven’t seen it that way. I think there is a need to inform them that it is just April Fool. My immediate concern is using my vast contacts and experience to develop the Nigerian youth through sports. I also want to keep saving lives through the Kanu Heart Foundation.

-Former Super Eagles captain, Kanu Nwankwo saying he was shocked at how the Nigerian media reacted to a hoax that claimed he was planning on running for Nigeria's presidency in 2019 “ I am told by the contractors that looking onto the month of May they should be completing this project and I believe that once the stadium is completed some of these national assignments and competitions will also take place here, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation has already spoken towards that because once something is good it cannot be hidden. – Delta State Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa expresses confidence that the Stephen Keshi Stadium will be ready for use in May. “The club (Arsenal) need the players to be fit. Alex can be one of the club’s most important players as they hope to win the Europa League. He’s doing well. Playing in an institution like Arsenal is not easy. Sometimes it can be difficult for the youngsters. “Iwobi needs to adapt himself to different positions at the club in order to become one of the best players in the English Premier League.

– Ex-Cameroon and Arsenal player Lauren Etame Meyer has advised Nigerian international striker Alex Iwobi on how he can become a regular at the Gunners

EDITOR Kayode Falade

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Salifu Usman Reporter Wale Ayeni DESIGN & LAYOUT Salifu Usman group

CHAIRMAN Sam Nda-Isaiah CHIEF OPERATIVE OFFICER Dele Fanimo

MAN CITY

To Be Crowned EPL Champions If ...

...Guardiola begs fans for help ...Spoiling City’s party not my focus – Mourinho Pep Guardiola can secure his first ever English league title with a win over his long-time rival Jose Mourinho if Premier League’s leader Manchester City beat arch rivals Manchester United today at Etihad Stadium. Guardiola appealed to his City players to forget about the emotion of a Manchester derby and focus on winning the title, adding that his players are “so tired” and need the help of the fans. A victory in today’s clash against Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United would see his side claim the title with six games remaining. The Catalan admitted his side were drained after their 3-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool and hinted he may make changes for the game. “We are close to being champions. It’s a coincidence because it’s the derby but it doesn’t matter. We just have to be focused on what we have to do to win the game,” he told a news conference. “We would like to feel that [atmosphere], support those guys because they deserve it. We defend the badge, the club the best way possible. We’re so tired because United rested all week, that’s why it’ll be so important in the bad moments to feel our supporters are there.” Sergio Aguero missed the midweek defeat at Liverpool and Guardiola said he could be in contention to face United. “I don’t know right now. We have training this afternoon and we are going to see his physical condition,” he added. Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho insists spoiling Manchester City’s title party is not his driving motivation ahead of the derby tie. Pep Guardiola’s side, 16 points clear at the top, can win the Premier League with victory at the Etihad this evening. Mourinho is hoping for a first league win over City since taking over at Old Trafford in 2016. But he insists it’s only the points -- and finishing second -- that matters. “My motivation is to finish second,” Mourinho told a news conference on Friday after being asked whether he was determined to make City wait to win the title. “I still have the motivation of finishing top four, mathematically it’s not done, is a good distance but not done mathematically so that’s the first objective but after that I don’t hide. “That in practical terms and finish next

season to finish second, third or fourth is exactly the same, you don’t win the title but qualify for the Champions League group stage, but I prefer to finish third and fourth and second and first, and we have been second for many many months, is our objective to fight for that and for that we need points. “My objective for tomorrow is try to have points to finish second.” United have eight more points than at the same stage last season and have already scored more league goals than they managed last term.

Mourinho says, under normal circumstances, his team would still be involved in the title race. Instead, after 27 wins from 31 games, City can become the earliest top flight champions since Sir Matt Busby’s United in 1956. Mourinho said: “You see the number of points we have and it is easy to go to the books with the number of points we have we would normally be in the fight for the title but we are not because City have a very good number of points that makes it very, very difficult to fight for the title, which we are not in this moment.”

I Could Have Joined Bayern Or PSG – de Bruyne Manchester City Midfielder, Kevin de Bruyne says he chose to join Premier League side despite offers from Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain because he thought their style of football would suit him best. The Belgian, 26, signed from Wolfsburg for a then club record £55m in 2015. The following summer, exBayern boss Pep Guardiola was appointed manager. De Bruyne told the The Premier League Show “the way City chased and the plan for people coming in” had also been deciding factors. He added: “I had the option of

going to Munich, PSG or staying in Wolfsburg. But I thought for me the probability of the type of football that I can play at City will suit me the best.” De Bruyne leads the Premier League assists chart with 15 in 31 games, with the Belgium international ever present in Guardiola’s side in the top flight this season. City will seal the league title with victory over rivals Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on Saturday (17:30 BST kick-off). They are also in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, though they lost the first leg of their tie against Liverpool 3-0 on Wednesday.

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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D’Tigers Eye Resurgence Against Canada BY WALE AYENI, ABUJA

ogu scored 12 points and 7 rebounds. Reacting after the game, Coach Mohammed Abdulrahman who stood in alongside Aderemi Adewunmi for Alex Nwora, said that apart from having a good day at the office, their opposition also dominated in rebounds and from the 3 point line. The head coach of Gombe Bulls Basketball Club conceded that his team met a more experienced team and would have lost if similar circumstance presented itself all over again. “I don’t think anything went

wrong, I think we just played against a team that is more experienced than we are. New Zealand is a combination of players in the professional level and well paid playing this game. Coach Abdulrahman however assured that his team will approach their game against Canada in a more aggressive style with an aim of recording their first win. “Our game plan against Canada will be more aggressive. We are going to play with much confidence, trust in ourselves and even more importantly play as a unit.”

CBN JUNIOR TENNIS Favour Moses Dumps Out Asogba To Reach Finals Kaduna-based Favour Moses finally got her breakthrough after four years on the ITA Junior Tennis Circuit when she beat second seed, Toyin Asogba, to reach the finals of the U-16 girls’ event. The aoft-spoken Moses showed her steely side when she played some flawless, hard-hitting tennis to take a 4-0 lead in the pro set. Asogba, the only girl besides Angel Mcleod to record a win against Marylove Edwards last year, fought back but Moses held firm to win 9-5. Moses will now meet another first-time finalist, Omolade Aderemi, from Akure who overwhelmed Kasara Adegboyega from Ibadan 9-2. Boys U-10 top seed, Seun Ogunsakin from Ekiti ‘sabotaged’ an anticipated twin brothers’ final when he beat Praise Ikeuba 9-3 in the second semi-final. Twin brother Precious had earlier secured a place in the finals with a comprehensive 9-0 win over Jade Nzewi of the Lagos VGC Club.

The other finalists are Gabriel Friday (Kaduna) vs Mathew Abamu (Lagos) in the boys’ U-16, Daniel Adeleye vs Friday Victor (Port Harcourt) in the boys’ U-14, Oiza Yakubu (Lagos) vs Chidinma Ezeh (Anambra) in a battle of two lefties in the girls’ U-14 and hard-hitting Ganiyu Mubarak (Ibadan) vs Philip Pyagbara (Port Harcourt) in the boys’ U-12. The

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SPORTS 69

Junior Ajayi To Decide Future After World Cup

GOLD COAST GAMES

Nigeria’s D’Tigers will seek to bring their medal hopeful alive in the ongoing Commonwealth Games in faraway Gold Coast, Australia when they take on Canada for their second preliminary round games today. The team fell to New Zealand in their first game by 65points to 110. New Zealand dominated and won all the quarters on a night that the Ike Diogu captained side will want to forget in a hurry as they focus on the next game against North American side, Canada on Saturday. After a close game in the first and second quarters which ended 2415 and 26-20 points respectively in favour of New Zealand, D’Tigers could not cope with the firepower of the team currently ranked 38 in the latest FIBA ranking in the third quarter as they widened the margin with a 31-8 scoreline before sealing the victory with another 29-22points to wrap up the game. Kano Pillars star man, Dike Azouma was the highest scorer for the team on the night scoring 15 points (with an 80% percent success from the 3 point line), 3 rebounds and 1 assist while ever reliable Di-

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girls’ U-12 will be between Esther Oni of Ibadan and Imole Afolabi of Lagos The grand finale of the weeklong championship, organised by the International Tennis Academy, will take place on Saturday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Race Course, from 11 am.

Nigeria international Junior Ajayi has hinted that his future could be made clearer after the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals which be hosted by in Russia between June and July. Ajayi, who has two years left in his contract with Egyptian giants Al Ahly, made his senior international debut in Nigeria’s international friendly against Serbia in London last month. The striker also stated that he would be happy to extend his contract with Al Ahly, who are the most successful football club in Africa. ‘’I don’t mind renewing with Al Ahly,” Ajayi told Egyptian TV channel CBC Extra according to a report on KingFut. ‘’I still have a couple of years left in my contract but I would be happy if Al Ahly want to renew my contract. The report also indicated that the former Nigeria youth international will consider his future with Al Ahly after the World Cup. Nigeria are in Group D alongside Argentina, Iceland and Croatia. ‘’I don’t know what will happen in the future. I am currently

focused on Al Ahly to accomplish our goals and I’m happy to be at one of Africa’s greatest clubs,” he added. “We are better this season than last one in the Champions League. We understand it’s a tough mission, but we will work on winning the title for the fans as we know how important the competition means.’’

NPFL Top Guns Chase Katsina United Star Katsina United midfielder Destiny Ashadi has revealed that he has attracted interest from a top Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club. The talented player has flourished in the number 10 role for Katsina this season and he has been linked with Enyimba, Akwa United, Lobi Stars as well as Plateau United. However, the attacker told the league’s official website that he will only leave Katsina for a foreign club. “For an upcoming player like me, I like playing not sitting [on the bench], so I think if I am in Katsina I will have a lot of playing time,” he said. “I’m not planning [to move] now. [However], the only plan I have is if I have any contact [outside the country] not in this country. “I have a lot of offers even this season. Like presently one of the former champions are still calling me,” he continued. “As at last season, Akwa United, Plateau United, Lobi Stars and Enyimba (were interested). “But I just like staying here because of the playing time, it’s not because of the money or anything.” Katsina, who are placed seventh on the league standings, will host 10th-placed Rivers United at Muhammadu Dikko Stadium on Sunday.

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70 NEWS/SPORTSwww.leadership.ng

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Fashola Wants Nigeria To Bid For 2026 World Cup Nigerian power minister Babatunde Raji Fashola has said he would want Nigeria to bid to host the 2026 World Cup jointly with Morocco. He said the “indomitable” spirit of the Nigerian will rise to the occasion and deliver a super tournament. “Morocco are bidding to host the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria should have jointly bid with Morocco because we can do it,” said the Manchester United and Enyimba fan. “With the expanded format of the World Cup, it will now be too expensive for one country to host it. “Like we did when we hosted the 2009 FIFA U17 World Cup, when the gauntlet is throw at us, we will rise to the occasion. “The indomitable, undying spirit of the Nigerian will come to the fore when we have a deadline to meet. “We will clean up our house to welcome visitors from around the world.” The 2026 World Cup will have 48 countries, 16 teams more than

who will feature at Russia 2018. Morocco as well as a joint bid by USA, Canada and Mexico have been officially submitted for consideration. FIFA will announce the successful bid on June 13.

CONTE

Conte Rejects Chelsea Exit Claims Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte dismissed his former Juventus teammate Gianluca Vialli’s claim that he “cannot wait to leave” the Premier League club, and reaffirmed his commitment to seeing out his contract. Vialli made the comment in his role as a pundit for Sky Sports Italia during Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday that left Conte’s team eight points behind Spurs in the race to secure Champions League football next season. “It is not true,” Conte told a news conference on Friday, two days before Chelsea host West Ham United in the league. “Gianluca is a friend but I’m not talking with him for one year, maybe. It is not true. “It’s very difficult for me but since this season I’m listening to a lot of speculation about my future... but the only truth is I am committed for this club, I have a contract for this club, I’m working very hard for this club. “This is the only truth. The other speculation is not true.” Conte’s position has come

Hip-Hop Star and a long-time fan of Enugu Rangers,Flavour, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, to cheer the Flying Antelopes against the Yobe Desert Stars in an NPFL Matchday 15 fixture, on Wednesday. PHOTOLMCMEDIA

‘Pogba, Mkhitaryan Were Offered To Man City’

Pep Guardiola has revealed that super-agent Mino Raiola offered him Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in January. The Manchester City manager hit back at Raiola after he was quoted as telling Dutch magazine that he was a “cowardly dog” after his treatment of ex-Barcelona forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, another of his clients. Guardiola was asked about his rivalry with United manager Jose Mourinho ahead of Saturday’s Manchester derby which could see City clinch the Premier League title. But the Catalan said he had bigger ri-

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valries than with the Portuguese boss before, saying he doesn’t understand Raiola’s attack after he had offered him his players “like wo months ago.” “I’ll give you a huge list of my big rivalries, believe me,” Guardiola told a news conference. “I never won [against] Mourinho and he never beat me, our teams beat the other ones, so I don’t play against Jose. He doesn’t play against me. “Sometimes his teams, they beat me, sometimes I beat him, it’s simple like that. After that we are in our careers, we are still in the business and we’ll play 1,000 times more.” Asked about his rivalries, Guardiola added: “Finally, the people discover my secrets, I am a bad guy. I’m a coward. “I don’t understand why I am such a so bad guy. I never speak with him so his influence on my opinion, so I don’t know maybe for Ibra explained many things about me. “But being a guy like two months ago [why did] he offer me Mkhitaryan and Pogba to play with us. “Why did he offer [them]? He was interested in Mkhitaryan and Pogba playing with us. So I’m like a guy, so he has to protect his players and he has to know so he cannot bring the players a guy like me, like a dog.

Premier League 14:30 Everton v Liverpool 17:00 Bournemouth v C/Palace 17:00 Brighton v Huddersfield 17:00 Leicester vNewcastle 17:00 Stoke City v Tottenham 17:00 Watford vBurnley 17:00 West Brom v Swansea 19:30 Man City v Man United Serie A 16:00 Benevento v Juventus 19:00 Roma v Fiorentina 19:00 SPAL v Atalanta 21:45 Sampdoria v Genoa

under scrutiny given his fractious relationship with the club’s hierarchy and owner Roman Abramovich’s propensity to change managers frequently. The Italian coach, whose contract runs until the end of next season, pointed out he expected Chelsea to struggle when he went public with his displeasure at the club’s failure to strengthen the squad at the start of the campaign.

Costa Back For Atletico Against Madrid Diego Costa will walk out for his eighth Madrid derby on Sunday, four years since his last at the Santiago Bernabeu when he scored Atletico’s winner. Gareth Bale was making his home debut for Real that day back in September 2013, in the same week that Spain requested approval to snatch Costa from the clutches of Brazil and call him up to the national squad. As he celebrated, Real’s fans chanted “Costa - he is not Spanish”. All the more striking then that Costa’s shot, guided past Diego Lopez and inside the far right-hand post, still remains his only goal against Real, and the 1-0 win his sole triumph against Atletico’s fiercest rivals. His record heading into this weekend’s derby reads played seven, won one, scored one. If Costa is looking for positive omens, however, he might draw a parallel between his initiation with Spain in 2013 and the completion of his renaissance with the national team last week. After spending the first five months of this season exiled by Chelsea, Cos-

Fixtures Today’s Matches

La liga 14:00 Alaves v Getafe 17:15 Celta Vigo v Sevilla 19:30 Real Betis v Eibar 21:45 Barcelona v Leganes Bundesliga 16:30 Augsburg v Bayern 16:30 Borussia v Mainz 05 16:30 Freiburg v Wolfsburg 19:30 Hamburger v Schalke 04 Ligue 1 18:00 Monaco vs Nantes 21:00 Amiens vs Caen 21:00 Angers vs Strasbourg 21:00 Bordeaux vs Lille 21:00 Guingamp vs Troyes 21:00 Toulouse vs Dijon

Sunday’s Matches NPFL 18:00 Heartland vs Abia Warriors 18:00 Ifeanyi Ubah v Sunshine 18:00 Katsina Utd v Rivers Utd 18:00 Kwara United v Enyimba 18:00 Lobi Stars v El Kanemi 18:00 Tornadoes v Rangers 18:00 Wikki v Kano Pillars 18:00 Yobe Stars vs Go Round English Premier League 16:15 Arsenal vs Southampton 18:30 Chelsea vs West Ham Italy - Serie A 13:30 Torino vs Inter 16:00 Crotone vs Bologna 16:00 Hellas Verona vs Cagliari 16:00 SSC Napoli vs ChievoVerona 19:00 Udinese vs Lazio 21:45 AC Milan vs Sassuolo ta is back in favour with Julen Lopetegui and back in form, for club and country. His goal in Spain’s 6-1 win over Argentina has thrust him into pole position to start up front at this summer’s World Cup, while his opposites-attract partnership with Antoine Griezmann has been the driving force behind Atletico’s march into second place.

LaLiga 13:00 Levante vs Las Palmas 17:15 Real Madrid vs Atletico 19:30 Real Sociedad vs Girona 21:45 Valencia vs Espanyol 19:30 Real Sociedad vs Girona 21:45 Valencia vs Espanyol Ligue 1 16:00 Nice vs Rennes 18:00 Metz vs Lyon 22:00 Marseille vs Montpellier

Saturday, April 7, 2018

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My Secret Life

Reading Inspires Me – Ijapari BACKGROUND My name is Ijapari Gyang. I am from Madagali Local Government of Adamawa State. I did my primary education at Banki Central Primary School, Bama and my secondary education at Government Girls Senior Science School, Konduga in Borno State. From there, I proceeded to Kaduna State Polytechnic and obtained National Diploma in chemical engineering. I’m currently studying Entrepreneur and Business Management at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). I’m married to Gyang Marcus from Plateau State and the union is blessed with four children. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING? I am a business coach who helps online entrepreneurs on how to start, grow and profit from online business. I also host online training on data sharing business, teaching people how to become virtual assistant, or visible on social media as well as writing and publishing e-book among others. I have been in the business for about three years now.

My advice to other women is that they should leverage on the Internet because it has come to stay

HOW DID IT ALL START? Quite early in life I watched as some women in our locality come to beg for assistance from my mother who fried akara. I remember at some point I went from behind to tell them that instead of begging all the time, why couldn’t they ask her to teach them how to fry akara. When I gained admission into NOUN, everything was done on Internet and I kept on consuming my data. At a point I decided to go online and search for how to generate income using my data. I started blogging on empowerment; I equally discovered that people were looking for where to get data cheaper, I went online and learnt how to sell data cheaper. Right now I coach women on how to sell data cheaper from the comfort of their homes. I publish eBooks on data sharing and other subjects and l also carry out online training. WHAT INSPIRES YOU? My inspiration comes from reading. l read a book by Myles Monroe entitled

‘Principle Power of Vision’, that reawakened and charged my mindset I was equally inspired by another book by Brain Tracy. Basically reading inspires me. WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED? It’s quite challenging being a stay-at-home mum. People think you have all the time and you have nothing to offer. I came back from the village not quite long, not because I wanted to travel, but because there was pressure on me to travel. It is assumed that I have all the time since l am working from home. Secondly it is challenging balancing business and managing the home front. If you are not careful it is going to be very difficult for you. So time management is a great challenge. I try to do much with limited time; thus I try as much as possible to avoid social media and other social aspects of life I consider as distraction because if you are not disciplined enough you cannot meet up. WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS? My advice to other women is that they should leverage on the Internet because it has come to stay. They should equally look around and discover what they have because there is something you have, God has created you for higher purpose, you are not just a housewife. Don’t blame anybody, accept the fact that you are a stayat-home mum and make good use of your time. Make use of your ideas to solve problems in your locality, a lot of people are looking for a particular thing that

Ijapari

only you can offer. That challenge, God allows you to pass through so that you can help others. The question now is what can you offer? In the nearest future 75 per cent employment will come from the Internet there are a lot of things women can do on the Internet ACHIEVEMENT I am grateful to God for my achievements so far. I have an online Academy called MUM-ON-POINT INTERNET BUSINESS ACADEMY where I publish eBooks and organise online

LIFE IN BRIEF Ijapari Gyang is from the Madagali Local Government of Adamawa State. She had her primary school education at Banki Central Primary School, Bama and secondary at the Government Girls Senior Science School, Konduga in Borno State. She proceeded to Kaduna State Polytechnic and obtained a National Diploma in Chemical Engineering. She is currently studying Entrepreneur and Business Management at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). She is married to Gyang Marcus from Plateau State and the union is blessed with four children. INTERVIEW BY

ISABEST OMOREGBEJI

PHOTO BY

IJAPARI GYANG

training for people. The feedback I get on daily basis is overwhelming, the network and the calibre of people I’m collaborating with is simply amazing, the International recognition and the fact that I have moved from a housewife to making money from my kitchen table is an achievement I’m grateful to God about. HOBBIES I love acting. I’m involved in drama in my church. I love reading, dancing and writing. I’m passionate about women and children. I’m children’s teacher. I’m always patient with them, there’s nothing they do that gets me angry. REGRETS I don’t have any regrets what so ever. It has been the grace of God all the way. Sometimes I used to ask myself can I really do this? Before I know, things will start to fall into places as though there is already an existing ladder for me. So I think generally industrious people don’t have that kind of regrets because they see their experiences whether good or bad as opportunities for learning.

AMUSEMENT PARK

FIRST GUY (PROUDLY): “MY WIFE’S AN ANGEL!” SECOND GUY : “YOU’RE LUCKY, MINE’S STILL ALIVE.”

— Jimmy Kimmel

07.04.18

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SPACE FOR SALE

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 635 N300

Saturday Column Daniel Omale

few weeks ago, a group of graduates from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) went on air to express their frustrations with the unemployment situation in the country. According to them, employers are discriminating against most of the certificates(degrees) from NOUN. Graduates of the Open University have substandard qualifications, potential employers claim. The alarm echoed throughout the nation, but to deaf ears. By late December 2017, nearly 14,000 students of NOUN had their convocation, and these school leavers will add to the over-saturated employment markets. The National Open University is, on average, more equipped than some of the newly established private universities. Yet, there is no standard, authentic accreditation authority other than the archaic National University Commission (NUC), which needs accreditation itself. There is the need to reorganize the NUC to professionally review the standards of education this country requires to compete in the global intellec-

The Proliferation Of Sub-standard Universities domale4@gmail.com

tual system, with capable university products. Unfortunately, with corruption as the only national emblem, the NUC has lost the touch to upgrade academic standards of the numerous, newly established, mushroom universities. Accreditation is a process of validation in which colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning are evaluated. The standards for accreditation are set by a peer review board whose members include faculties from various accredited colleges and universities. The deluge of awarded degrees today cannot equate to any form of human capital development this country badly deserves to support economic growth, through the political and social institutions. Everywhere in the world, governments want three things from higher education: research, human capital, and equity. On the research side, there is no university in Nigeria capable of effective research in the various scientific fields or humanities any more. Research funds to universities and other research institutions are misappropriated at the ministry of education. On human capital, the half -baked graduates are ill-quali-

America, the accreditation process remains rigorous and credible. That’s why the topnotch research universities of the world are in America, and everyone is driven with nostalgia to acquire a certificate from one of them. Nigerians who can afford to pay the exorbitant fees, edure the process and support their children abroad.

Adamu

fied to be considered the pillar of future development. Nigerian University graduates, especially those from the numerous privately funded institutions, cannot compete with their peers in other countries. Sadly, even some of the legacy universities have joined the bandwagon of awarding degrees to unqualified students. On equity, the results also look bleak. Graduation rates between the rich and poor are diverging. While rich parents send their children abroad to acquire the best in academics, poor people’s children are forced to stay behind, with sub-standard knowledge in the various fields of study. While advocates of privately funded universities postulate that it is the easiest way for those who cannot gain admission into the crowded legacy universities like Ibadan, Ife, and Zaria, there are signs that the National University Commission is infested with ineptitude and corruption to enforce quality education through teaching standards. The results are unqualified young men and women, who are unemployable in the growing scarce- job- markets. Last year, one of the private universities awarded about 50 first class degrees to students in various departments. This is simply a marketing strategy because those graduates cannot, by all accounts, merit such academic achievements in such a ramshackle institution. We are turning glorified secondary schools to tertiary institutions to the detriment

of our future. The glaring competitions among the private universities for students have led to eye-catching advertisements of low tuition fees, academic fields offered, and aesthetic campus photos. Obviously, the drive is catch-phrased to entice prospective students, and their parents, who pay the fees. America is still leading the world in creating mass higher education. That transformation was driven in part by the economy’s need for higher skills and in part by society’s desire to give the men who fought in the Second World War a chance to better themselves. America thus became the first country in the world in which the children of the middle classes went to college, and college became the passport to prosperity. Given its success, it is hardly surprising that the American approach to higher education is spreading. Mass education has taken off all over the world. The American-style research university is the gold standard, and competition among nations to create world-class research universities as good as America’s is intensifying. Provision, financing and control everywhere is moving from the European model, where everything is done by the state, towards the American one, in which the private sector provides a large part of education and individuals pay for most of their tuition (the economist, April 28, 2015). But, despite the large number of higher institutions in

World University Rankings Higher education in America has long been a strongly competitive business. Students and university Presidents alike keenly watch the rankings produced by the US News and World Report. Such rankings encourage stratification. One of the metrics is the proportion of students the university turns away, which encourages selectivity. That in turn encourages differentiation between better and worse universities. Again, governments want top-class universities because the modern economy is driven by human capital. The goal is to nurture people that will create intellectual property and clusters of high-tech companies. Parents want to be sure that their children have got a big global brand on their certificate that is going to be a passport to their future. It is quite disheartening that no single University in Nigeria is rated on the global ranking scale, yet more sub-standard higher institutions spring up every month in this country. It’s laughable that faculties and departments are without a qualified administrator, or a professor that can transfer knowledge/skills to the students. Degrees are available for sale to students; an exhibit of university graduation. The future of Nigeria’s economy remains frail because of the standard of education practiced. The compulsive idea to obtain “paper qualification” without substance is encouraging massive academic frauds in the country. University lecturers are in intense hurry to be called “professors”, with very little to offer the aca-

08054102747 demia, and the society at large. The prerequisites for appointment to a professorship at a university are a completed programme of higher education, pedagogical suitability and a special aptitude for academic work (usually an outstanding doctorate). Proof must also be furnished of additional academic achievements. But within four years, our university lecturers instantly lobby for the prestigious rank. They become professors---- empty academics. There is so much fraud in the education system of Nigeria that crooks and fraudsters, in connivance with the regulatory authorities, propel exam “miracle centers” to fasten acquisition of impeccable WAEC and JAMB results for admissions to shoddy higher institutions. This is common knowledge within the polity, yet, nothing is done to forestall this act of criminality and degradation. The future of Nigeria must be trusted in the hands of competent younger generations with potent human capital. It is therefore, not surprising that we have neglected meritocracy for mediocrity. The national university commission must be replaced with a better accreditation agency

GHANA MUST GO 2019: Election rigging, manipulation over — Buhari

So what will happen to Mantu?

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