Leadership

25.07.14

No. 62

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

www.leadership.ng

N200

NIGERIA'S FIRST FRIDAY NEWSPAPER

kaduna attack

How I Lost My Eye To Bomb Blast - Survivor Death toll rises to 110 Kano blast kills woman, injures 8

Malam Ahmadu Bala, the victim who lost an eye to one of the Kaduna twin blasts, at the Yusuf Dan Tsoho Hospital in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo by isaiah benjamin

Chibok Diary

DAY

102

Malala, BBOG Group Commend Jonathan Over Meeting With Chibok People > Page 2

4

#BringBackOurGirls 102 DAY

Friday, July 25, 2014

Editor’s Note

Ramadan is coming to an end and this Friday will be the last to be witnessed in this year’s Ramadan. We hereby wish the Muslim faithful a happy eid-ul-fitr in advance as we pray to God to come to our aid in restoring peace in our dear country.

This week’s edition is packaged with all the juicy stories that would make your Friday a well-informed one as you get set for the weekend.

Malala Yousafzai, the girl-child education activist Pakistani girl, was in Nigeria to support the call for the release of the abducted Chibok girls and canvass unimpeded education for them and other girls in the country. Malala is a world figure today. What happens to the unsung Malalas of our own country? Check out for more on this in today’s edition.

As usual, we bring you the page entitled “Bring-Back-Our-Girls” where major events that unfolded each day of the week concerning the abducted Chibok schoolgirls are highlighted. ESSENTIALS is loaded with exciting stories for your delight and the FORESIGHT pullout is there to give you some life tips. The HISTORY OF GBAGI continues from where it stopped last week.

With all these and other interesting packages in this edition, we wish you a fulfilled day and, as always, we exhort you to Thank God It’s Friday.

Mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before.

For Feedback: fridayleadership@leadership.ng

CHIBOK IN THE WEEK Saturday, July 19, 2014 The BringBackOurGirls group revealed its planned activities to mark the 100 days of the abduction of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls, should they not be rescued before Wednesday, the 100th day of the abduction.

Meanwhile, Borno State government officials reportedly said that the 57 escapee Chibok schoolgirls were about to complete a rigorous post-trauma counselling that will get them adjusted to normal life.

Sunday, July 20, 2014 A civil society organisation in Borno State called on the federal government to be updating Nigerians on every effort made to rescue the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, saying “it is criminal keeping Nigerians in the dark on the rescue efforts.”

In the count-down to the 100 days of the abducted schoolgirls in captivity, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, was slated to, on July 22, speak to the BringBackOurGirls group via SKYPE. Monday, July 21, 2014 The BringBackOurGirls campaign group reportedly broke into tears over reports that gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect attacked Damboa and other parts of the Northeast, leaving many dead and causing residents to flee their homes.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Ahead of planned activities to mark the 100 days since the abduction of over 200 Chibok schoolgirls on Wednesday, security operatives mounted surveillance at the daily sitout sessions of the BringBackOurGirls group at the Unity Fountain, Abuja.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014 As the story of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls in captivity of the BokoHaram sect turns 100 days, one of the arrowheads of the BringBackOurGirls campaign group, a former minister of education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, reiterated her resolve to continue pressing until the girls are all rescued.

Malala, BBOG Group Commend Jonathan For Meeting Chibok People STORY BY CHIKA MEFOR, EJIKE EJIKE, Abuja

The Pakistani girl-child education activist, Malala Yousafzai, and the #BringBackOurGirls group have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for finally meeting with the escaped girls and some of the parents of the abducted schoolgirls as he pledged to Malala when she visited Nigeria.

Malala in a message sent to the BBOG and read at the sit-out yesterday said that "as we mark 100 days since the kidnapping of the Chibok girls, we salute you for being at the forefront of efforts calling for the girls to be reunited with their families immediately.

"We were heartened to see President Jonathan finally meet many of the parents of

the kidnapped girls and most of the escapee girls – a long overdue meeting.

"We will remain actively involved in supporting efforts to bring the girls home quickly, safely and in good health, and we stand ready to help in any way we can."

The BBOG however noted that it will not rest on its oars, up until the Chibok girls are rescued alive, stating that the idea behind the campaign and protest is to rescue the girls, and only when they are returned home safely that the group will cease to sit.

Out of the 276 girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State, on April 14, 219 are still in the hands of the Boko Haram camp after 102 days.

Okupe In London, Explains Delay In Schoolgirls' Rescue

BY GEORGE AGBA, Abuja

Senior special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, yesterday in faraway London gave reasons why the federal government appeared to be slow in the ongoing rescue operation of the schoolgirls abducted by the Boko Haram sect in Chibok, Borno State.

The seeming delay, according to him, was to avoid a repeat of the 2004 experience in which 300 children were killed in an attempt by Russians to free hostages held by Chechens in the North Caucasus region of Russia.

Okupe, who gave this explanation at a Chatham House lecture series held at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, said that while the Nigerian military and other security agencies as well as their international allies were capable of rescuing the Chibok girls from the nest of the insurgents, they would rather weigh all options to ensure that they are brought back alive to reunite

with their families.

Delivering a lecture entitled 'Priorities and Progress in Nigeria: Imperatives for Stability and Growth, the presidential aide said tackling the current insecurity in the northeastern part of the country was the major priority of the Nigerian government.

Lamenting that the various acts of insurgency were slowing down growth in other equally important sectors of the economy, he said, "We are taking advantage of the offers from our international military and intelligence allies to get a greater understanding of the landscape and identify key locations.

"We are working with our neighbours to secure the borders and limit the movements of the Boko Haram fighters, building on the agreements reached at the recent summits in Paris and London", he said, stressing that government was also working on blocking domestic and international sources of funds for the insurgent group.

Thursday, July 24, 2014 It was in the news that the progovernment ReleaseOurGirls campaign group became involved in a free-for-all at the Unity Fountain in Abuja over the sharing formula for the funds given to them, and on getting the information, the Nigerian Army deployed soldiers at the venue to provide security for the BringBackOurGirls group members.

Today Friday, July 25, 2004 The senior special assistant to the president on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, while delivering a lecture in London, justified the seemingly slow process of freeing the Chibok schoolgirls, saying it is to ensure that allCOMPILED avenues areBYexplored to get them UGOCHUKWU IROKA back alive. ...AS COMPILED BY Abah Adah

Members of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group during their village square meeting at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

A little “thank you” that you will say to someone for a “little favour” shown to you is a key to unlock the doors that hide unseen “greater favours”. Learn to say “thank you” and why not? ― Israelmore Ayivor

our stand

3

July 25, 2014

Politicians And Their Seasonal Gifts

J

ust as they did at Christmas, many politicians in the country have been busy donating foodstuff and other items to citizens in this year’s Ramadan. At one of such public donations in Sokoto State recently, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the packages as a way of making the donors’ aspirations known to the state.

He also stated that the donation of rice and clothing materials at the event showed how committed the party stalwarts were to the needs of the Sokoto people.

Coming after the Ekiti election and the “stomach infrastructure” claims made against the electorate in that election, it is pertinent to situate this seasonal donation from politicians to the people in proper perspective. Stripped of the constructive ambiguities the donors coat their donations, they are nothing but inducement to make the recipients sway the way the donors want them during elections. In plain language, the donation is a bribe.

Most religions encourage charity in one form or the other and expect their adherents to

help the needy all the time and not at some special seasons.

It appears, however, that the country’s political elites have turned charitable giving into a seasonal weapon of mass coercion to rail-road people into doing their biddings, especially as elections loom. One condition necessary for this pathetic patronage system to continue is to have a mass body of needy citizens who are dirt poor and always looking up to the elite for their sustenance. It seems the politicians know this and insidiously promote poverty in the land by means of maladministration.

If this assertion is valid -- and

Ag. Editor Hassan Gimba Ahmed Deputy Editor Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards Aniebo Nwamu, Director ’Lara Olugbemi, Assistant Director

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah

we believe it is – then, it is a situation that should engender grave concern for all right-thinking individuals. To deliberately misrule a state or country in order to impoverish the people so that they would depend on their rulers, as the evidence points to across the country today, is despicable. It strips the recipients of their humanity, pushing them deep into the class of domestic animals who owe their existence to their human owners.

We find this development not only disturbing but totally unacceptable. Instead of promoting this subsistence level of dependency, we must all work to create a society where charity would not be an existential imperative as it is for millions of Nigerians today. We urge all people of goodwill, especially those in authority, to aim for this idea in today’s Nigeria. We also urge voters to reject, at the 2015 polls, all candidates who have not improved on their lives in a sustainable way all this while and those inclined to tie the people to their apron strings with the ropes of periodic pittance in the guise of so-called empowerment programmes.

Chairman Hajiya Ireti Kingibe Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser Abdulhaleem Amin Divisional Directors Abdulmumin Balogun Ademola Oladosu Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Zipporah D. Tanko Joy Adekanye

Leadership

Holdings

Managing Director Abraham Nda-Isaiah Executive Director Nnamdi Samuel New York Office Mohammed Bello Shehu London Office Dr Bello Salihu Johannesburg Office Abiodun Oguntuase Business Manager Bilkisu Mohammed Rimi

Return to old watering holes for more than water; friends and dreams are there to meet you.

— African Proverb

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: For God and country!

4

July 25, 2014

How I Lost My Eye To Bomb Blast – Survivor

By Midat Joseph And Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna, Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri, George Okojie, Lagos, Uchenna Awom, Michael Oche, Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja, Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa and Abu Nmodu, Minna

From their hospital beds, survivors of Wednesday’s bomb blasts that rocked Kaduna metropolis have been telling their gory tales.

The twin bomb blasts left more than 110 people dead.

Ahmadu Bala, who was one of the victims of the first bomb blast at Alkali Road, is presently struggling to stay alive after losing his right eye to the blast.

Narrating his ordeal at the Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital where he is receiving treatment, he said he was caught in the blast after leaving the venue of the closing of Ramadan Tafsir conducted by revered Islamic scholar Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the presumed target of the bomb blast.

Bala narrated: “I was on my way back from the closing of the Ramadan lecture at Murtala Square when I heard a loud sound and, before I knew what was happening, I found myself on the floor far away from where I remember standing.

“My head felt very heavy before I realized my right eye had been blown off by the bomb and I lost consciousness. I was rushed to Yusuf DanTsoho Hospital by a good Samaritan, I was told after I regained consciousness. I came from a village called Labar, near Jaji in Kaduna State, just to attend the lecture and I became a victim of circumstance.

“I am pleading with the Kaduna State government to look into my plight and take drastic measure to save my life and the life of others affected by the bomb.”

Five victims of the bomb blast at Alkali Road were brought to the hospital, four of them with injuries and the fifth one (Ahmadu Bala) had his right eye blown out by the bomb.

A source at the hospital told LEADERSHIP Friday: “We suggest that the government should, as a matter of urgency, fly the young man abroad for proper treatment because his eye as well as part of his skull was affected by the blast and, if it is not treated promptly, the wound can get infected and it will have a long-time effect on the victim.”

Another survivor revealed how he narrowly escaped death but had his leg cut into two. The survivor, who gave his name as Mallam Ibrahim Isa, told LEADERSHIP Friday that he was returning home with his friends from the last lecture of the Ramadan season, also called the Tafsir, when he heard a loud sound.

Ibrahim said he did not know what happened after he heard the sound until he found himself in the hospital with one of his legs cut into two. “I suddenly heard a sound and, before I knew it, my leg was cut into two. Myself and other friends were on our way home after the Tafsir when the explosion took place. Our car was not very close to the bomber’s car.”

One other survivor, Ahmadu, said his car was just a few metres from the vehicle of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, who was reportedly targeted by the bombers, when the bomb went off. “I cannot recall how it happened. I only saw myself at the hospital. What I can remember is that we were following the Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi’s car when the explosion occurred. God has saved me from death. I heard that some of my friends died. I went to

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Buhari

Yero

the closing of the Ramadan Tafsir from a village along Zaria Road but, unknown to me, I was going to be bombed. We pray that God will expose the masterminds of the suicide bomb explosions,” Ahmadu said.

Another survivor, Muhammed Sarki, who managed to speak to LEADERSHIP Friday simply thanked God for saving him.

Sarki, a trader at Kawo roadside market, said: “I saw the Toyota Sienna but before we knew what was happening, I saw myself in the hospital.”

An eyewitness who also spoke with LEADERSHIP Friday said that when the blast exploded, they saw a human head suspected to be the decapitated head of one of the bombers fly to a compound close to the scene of the first explosion.

The eyewitness said the sight of the head and the horror of the attack which killed scores of people on the spot filled everyone with shock as survivors scampered for safety.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the Kaduna twin-bomb explosions has risen with more deaths recorded at the hospitals.

An official of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ali Baba Mohammed, confirmed that three more victims died at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, while the number of victims on admission receiving treatment had gone down to 37.

A source with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) told our correspondent that 13 out of the severely injured victims had died in the hospitals.

The source also added that there are fears that more victims who received life-threatening injuries are currently on danger list at the two hospitals visited yesterday morning.

According to the source, the corpses were deposited in mortuaries at Saint Gerald General Hospital, 44 Military Reference Hospital, Yusuf Danstoho Hospital and Barau Dikko Specialists Hospital.

“Our staff worked throughout the night to ensure that more lives were saved but it is unfortunate that we lost several others,” the source said.

The medical director of the Yusuf Danstoho Hospital in Kaduna, Mohammed Bello, who spoke to our correspondents at the hospitals praised the patriotism of the resident doctors who suspended their strike to provide emergency service to the victims of the explosions.

“Over 20 doctors cut short the strike and reported at the hospital to provide emergency services to the victims of the explosions.

“I must say that the response to the explosions was very encouraging. Most of the senior and junior doctors reported to the hospital to provide service to the affected victims,” he said.

Meanwhile, the parents and relations of the affected victims yesterday besieged major hospitals in search of their loved ones.

One of the relations, Garba, who spoke to our correspondent at the 44 Army Hospitals, said: “I am at the hospital in search of my brother whom I have not seen since yesterday.

He said his brother had left home for the Ramadan lecture and was yet to return home.

Kano blast kills woman, injures 8 A bomb blast which occurred at the New Road Luxurious Motor Park in Kano yesterday killed a woman and injured eight others.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the blast occurred in the afternoon shortly after a luxurious vehicle belonging to Ifeanyichukwu Company arrived from Port Harcourt.

An eyewitness, a restaurant owner at the motor park, Mr. Obi, stated that he was not far from the blast scene when he heard a loud explosion around the area.

He also said that the explosive was brought in by a wheel barrow pusher who was among the injured persons.

Confirming the incident, commissioner of police, Kano State Command, Alhaji Adenrele Shinaba, stated that a woman died during the incident while eight persons were injured.

Boko Haram kills another Borno monarch, 11 others

Gunmen of the Boko Haram terrorist group yesterday attacked a community in the south of Borno State, killing its monarch and about a dozen others.

Residents of Garubula village in Biu local government area of the state confirmed that their district head, Alhaji Ibrahim Dawi, and 11 others were shot dead by the ravaging Boko Haram gunmen.

Idrisa Garubula, a resident in the attacked village, told newsmen on phone that those who attacked them were dressed like soldiers when they invaded the peaceful farming community about midnight.

“It was indeed a sad day for us to wake up today and find that our dear district head was killed after yesterday’s nocturnal attack on us by gunmen dressed like soldiers but suspected to be Boko Haram.

He was shot in the head, and as those nearby were rushing him to the General Hospital in Biu, he gave up the ghost on the way.

Among the 11 others that were also shot dead near his palace were his bodyguards.

The mourning villagers said the attack was possible because there wasn’t a single security person in the area.

“The federal government should do something urgently before the terrorists take over the area. The terrorists have succeeded in sending away the people of Damboa and other communities of Madafuma, Mandaragirau in Biu council area, and if something is not done urgently, they would also sack our community, which is not good for the nation, more especially during the rainy season when people are going to their farms,” Idrisa Garubula stated.

Confirming the incident, the Borno State police public relations officer, Gideon Jubrin, said the police had an official report that only the district head was killed and could not confirm the rest casualty figure.

Assassination attempt on my life not religious – Buhari ... 24-hour curfew lifted Former head of state and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that the assassination attempt on his person had nothing to do with religion or ethnicity but an act of terrorism.

The former head of state who commiserated with the families of those that lost loved ones said, “I came out of the car with blood stains on my dress. I did not know how it came about because I did not have a scratch myself, but dead bodies were all over the place.”

The elder statesman disclosed this when he received Governor

Always being in a hurry does not prevent death, neither does going slowly prevent living. ― Nigerian Proverb

➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

ISLAM /5

July 25, 2014

Jihad Explained

ramadan timing Day 28 Towns

Magrib

Abuja

7.00

5.03

Aba

6.56

5.04

Abakaliki

6.53

5.05

Abeokuta

7.10

5.22

Akure

7.03

5.14

Ankpa

6.57

5.08

Argungu

7.12

5.12

Auchi

7.02

5.12

Awka

7.03

5.07

Azare

6.50

4.50

Bama

6.39

4.36

Bauchi

6.51

4.55

Benin

7.05

5.13

Bichi

6.58

4.58

Bida

7.05

5.08

Birnin Gwari

7.04

5.06

B/Kebbi Gwandu

7.13

5.12

Biu

6.42

4.43

Calabar

6.50

5.03

Damaturu

6.42

4.42

Daura/Kazaure

7.01

4.43

Dutse

6.52

4.55

Enugu

6.54

5.05

Funtua/Malumfashi

7.02

5.01

Gembu

6.47

4.49

Gombe

6.45

4.47

Gusau

7.01

5.04

Gwadabawa

7.12

5.05

Hadejia

6.50

4.50

Ibadan

7.14

5.17

Ife

7.09

5.14

Ilesha Baruba

7.11

5.13

Ilorin

7.07

5.15

Jalingo

6.42

4.47

Jere/Suleija

6.59

5.02

Jos

6.56

4.56

Kabba

7.04

5.08

Kafanchan

6.58

4.59

Keffi/Nasarawa

6.58

4.59

Kaiama

7.13

5.16

Kafin Maiyaki

6.58

4.56

Kaduna

6.57

5.02

Islamic Rules for Defensive Battle: According to Islamic injunction, the following comprise what Muslims can or cannot carry out in the event of a battle:

Kano

6.53

4.57

Katsina

7.01

4.59

Kontagora

7.07

5.11

Lafia

6.53

4.59

Lagos

7.12

5.20

Lokoja

6.57

5.11

i. Civilians who are not fighting against Muslims are not to be attacked or killed; ii. Crops, other sources of food, water and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi breaking the fast with a delegation of Christians led by cattle or other animals are not to be de- Solomon Dalung in the sheikh’s house in Kaduna.. stroyed; iii. Hospitals, orphanages and other places of safety and refuge are not to be destroyed; iv. Mosques, Churches, Synagogues or other places of worship are not to be destroyed; v. Women, children, the elderly and the disabled are not to be harmed; vi. If the aggressor stops the aggression or offers a treaty it should be accepted and the fighting stopped immediately; vii. Fleeing oppressors are not to be pursued to unnecessary extents and should be allowed to return to their home; and viii. Prisoners of war should be treated with respect and have their basic needs fulfilled, and they should be freed or ransomed as soon as possible after the battle. Dialoguing for the love of peace.

In a nutshell, the true nature of jihad in Islam constitutes various levels of struggles and efforts in the cause and for the sake of Allah (SWT). The struggle between good and evil, truth and falsehood will forever remain a constant in the life of this world. Engaging in jihad means dedicating one’s physical, intellectual and spiritual resources to stay on the path of truth and righteousness; in the hope of gaining Allah’s good pleasure by making His Word prevail in and through the life of all grateful believers.

Maiduguri

6.35

4.40

Makurdi

6.54

4.58

Minna

7.01

5.09

Missau

6.47

4.49

Monguno

6.38

4.32

Mubi

6.37

4.39

Nguru

6.47

4.47

Ningi

6.51

4.54

Okene

7.07

5.09

Ogbomosho

7.12

5.17

Onitsha

7.00

5.12

Oyo

7.14

5.19

Port Harcourt

6.59

5.16

Potiskum

6.45

4.45

Saki

7.06

5.19

Shagamu

7.07

5.25

Sokoto

7.07

5.10

Umuahia

6.58

5.04

Warri

6.57

5.19

Wukari

5.45

4.59

Wurno

7.11

5.05

Yenagoa

6.39

4.42

Yola

6.36

4.42

Zaria

6.58

5.03

Cotonnou-Benin

7.16

5.22

Ndjamena-Chad

6.27

4.29

Niamey-Niger

7.22

5.21

Zinder – Niger

6.59

4.48

Younde-Cameroun

6.40

4.48

Garoua – Cameroun

6.34

4.41

from last week

By Habiba Kavalec

Military or Combat Jihad is only permitted: • to defend a peoples’ homeland and fellow citizens against any invaders; • to provide help and support to those who are oppressed and unable to exercise their own will and freedom of choice; • when Muslims are subjected to aggressive oppression, in the practice of their religion, and there are actual threats to their lives; and • when Muslims have been driven out of their homes. In such cases, the Qur’an recommends that they migrate to a more peaceful and tolerant society. However, if relocation is not possible, and there Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi with Barrister Solomon Dalung (on his left) when Dalung are actual threats to their lives, they can led some Christians to break the fast with him in Kaduna.. resort to defensive action. The Qur’an states: “Permission [to fight] is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully and offensively waged, and surely Allah is able to give them victory. Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly, only because they said, ‘Our Lord is Allah…” [Qur’an 22: 39-40] “Fight against aggressors until oppression is stopped.” [Qur’an 2:193]

Habiba is the Founder and Editor-InChief, Muslimah Compass.org, Sugar Land, Texas.

Con Sheikh Ibrahim Yaqub el-

Sheikh Ibrahim Yaqub el-Zakzaky, after breaking the fast with Pastor Yohanna Buru, at the sheik’s residence in Zaria.

Alfijr

(Source: Timing Committee, Islamic Research and Timing Organisation Kaduna)

Recommended DU’A for Day 28 Pray an 6 Raka’ah Salaat, In every Raka’ah recite Surah Al-Fatiha, recite Ayatul-Kurshiy 100 times. After Salaam, recite SALATIN-NABIYYI 100 Times Then say: ALLAAHUMMA INNEE AS-ALUKA FEEHI MAA YURZ”EEKA WA A-O’OD’U BIKA MIM MAA YUWD’EEKA WA AS-ALUKAT TAWFEEQA FEEHI LI-AN UT’EE-A’KA WA LAA AA’-S’EEKA YAA JAWAADAS SAAA-ILEEN. Meaning: O Allah increase my enjoyment and satisfaction, in this month, in the prayers I pray out of my own free will, kindly make haste in quick disposal of my affairs in my interest, let me be near to the “Means of Approach” (Muhammad (SAW) and his purest progeny and guided companions) who are the select best medium to gain Thy favours, O He who does not get confused on account of the ceaseless demands of the countless beseechers, but attend to each and every supplication.

Compiled by Al-Amin Ciroma

6

July 25, 2014

How I Lost My Eye To Bomb Blast – Survivor ➔ FROM PAGE 4

Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and the state security chiefs who visited his residence to sympathize with him over the bomb blasts targeted at him on his way to Daura Wednesday.

General Buhari said: “When this question of Boko Haram started I’m sure it was on record that the first statement I made about 18 months ago – I said no religion advocates what is happening. So, basically, this is not a case of religion; it is not ethnic either.

“They kill children in schools in the northeast, they kill teachers, they burn churches, they burn mosques, they burn motor parks, they burn marketplaces. Where is religion, where is ethnicity there? This is terrorism and I hope the government will come to grips with it. Nigeria is capable of dealing with this. We dealt with the civil war; for 30 months we fought and we kept Nigeria one and, God willing, we are going to keep Nigeria one.

Meanwhile, the 24-hour curfew imposed on Kaduna metropolis has been lifted and residents asked to go about their normal and legitimate businesses and remain lawabiding.

Briefing newsmen shortly after Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and the security chiefs in the state toured the scenes of the bomb blast and hospitals where the survivors were receiving treatment, Kaduna State commissioner of information Ben Bako said in addition to the deaths recorded at the scene of the twin blasts, additional two people died on the night of the blast in the hospital while three others died yesterday morning.

On the earlier imposed curfew, the Mr Bako said the decision became imperative to prevent escalation of the situation, while appreciating the compliance of the general public to the order.

The bombers took advantage of the rowdiness – Yero Governor Yero who visited the scenes of the twin bomb blasts and hospitals yesterday disclosed that the bombers took advantage of the crowded town to execute their evil plans.

Yero, who cautioned citizens to avoid crowded areas, promised that the state government will completely foot the bills of the injured who were receiving treatment at the hospitals, while he sympathized with the families of the dead.

Speaking to newsmen at the 44 Army Reference Hospital where victims of the blast were receiving treatment, Governor Yero said: “Kaduna people have been very vigilant, but unfortunately because of the crowded town we had yesterday, this thing happened. But we know that, by the grace of God, this thing will never happen again.

We will continue to do our best and we will continue to pray to Almighty Allah for what he has done for us.

“We also visited the scenes of the blast.

The one that is very major is that of Kawo, because, in that one, they used a vehicle.

The other is at Alkali Road; it was a suicide bomber and it was an individual.

“We are even so lucky that, in the last two months, we had sensitized people to please avoid crowded areas. And now, we have seen what has happened. That means people should try as much as possible to avoid crowded areas, because people are now tar-

geting areas where people are highly crowded.

“We also visited General Buhari. I spoke to him yesterday -- we at the security council meeting decided at the middle of the meeting to go and see him. So we went to greet him at home. I also called Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi and, as at that time, he was on his way to Saudi Arabia. He also made announcement that he was healthy and unhurt.

Enough of this bloodletting, IBB declares Former military president General Ibrahim Babangida yesterday condemned the twin bombings in Kaduna on Wednesday with a note of warning that the “callous and inhuman” terror attacks by the Boko Haram sect that have continued to draw the country back economically and democratically must stop.

“It is callous and inhuman for anyone to goad this country on the path of perfidy, a path that is laid with landmines and bombs. This is totally unacceptable,” Babangida stated.

In a statement he personally issued in Minna on Thursday, IBB sympathised with the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader and former head of State General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), whom he described as his colleague, for escaping what he described as “the bomber’s scalpel”.

Also extending his sympathy to President Goodluck Jonathan for the repeated terror attacks which, he said, was polluting public morality in the country, he condoled with the families of those who lost their lives in the Kaduna bomb attacks.

“Let me also condole with Mr President on this unfortunate incident and the recurring decimal of insecurity and crime against humanity that is fast polluting public morality. We all must join hands with Mr President at this critical time of our national history and democratic journey to proffer solutions to this anti-development scenario that is fast enveloping us,” Babangida stated.

APC condemns Kaduna bombings, says FG’s theory on Boko Haram up in flames The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed shock and disgust at Wednesday’s bomb attacks in Kaduna that targeted one of its leaders, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as well as prominent cleric Dahiru Bauchi and left hordes of innocent civilians dead or injured.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party sent its condolences to the families of the victims and prayed that God would give them the much-needed strength at times like this, while also wishing the injured a speedy recovery. It said the attempted assassination of Gen. Buhari has changed the narrative about the insurgent group and knocked the bottom off the sinister, irresponsible and partisan colouration given to the insurgency by the federal government.

APC said while no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, the mere fact that it occurred at all is a lose-lose situation for the Jonathan administration. ‘’Whether it is Boko Haram or not, one thing remains: This government has failed woefully in its core constitutional duty of protecting the security and welfare of the

citizenry. And we mean all the citizens, not just the leaders! ‘’And contrary to the simplistic and clearly selfish portrayal of the Boko Haram insurgency as a sinister plot to bring down the government of Jonathan, it should now be clear to the FG that has engaged in ceaseless finger-pointing instead of tackling the insurgency headlong that Boko Haram is an enemy of Nigeria and of all of humanity. ‘’If indeed the APC is behind Boko Haram and Gen. Buhari is a sympathizer of the evil group, as the FG wants the world to believe, could it be that the insurgents do not know their leaders or sympathizers, assuming they are behind the attack? If they are not responsible for the attack, doesn’t that support the theory in some circles that Boko Haram has become a franchise, hence there is the Boko Haram of Abubakar Shekau and the political Boko Haram?”

CAN condemns Kaduna twin explosions and Kano commiserates with victims, bereaved families The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned twin bomb explosions in Kaduna State and that of Kano on Thursday in which many lives were lost, others injured and property worth huge sums destroyed.

In a statement signed by its president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, CAN said that the attacks, coming almost at the climax of the holy month of Ramadan, is a clear indication of the perpetrators’ inclination to evil and disregard for the true God and all that are linked to him.

CAN condemned in strong terms the continuation of attacks targeted at high-profile Nigerians and revered clerics, who hitherto should be the moral compass for society’s transformation.

The statement reads in part, “It is also regretful that such an incident is happening in our communities at this time especially when all faithful are in search of genuine reconciliation with their God and seek peaceful coexistence with their neighbours.

“I however thank God for saving the lives of two prominent Nigerians, former head of state Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Islamic cleric Dahiru Bauchi, in the bomb attacks.

PDP condemns Kaduna bomb attacks The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in very strong terms the Wednesday bombings in Kaduna which claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians, describing the attacks as dastardly and unfortunate.

PDP national publicity secretary Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Thursday, said the party, while mourning the dead, “joins all well-meaning ‎Nigerians in thanking God for saving the lives of General Muhammadu Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi whose convoys were affected in the incident”.

“We sincerely sympathize with General Buhari. Our hearts go out to him ‎and all those affected in these wicked attacks,” the PDP said.

The party, which stated it was shocked by the ugly development, ‎reiterated its call for all Nigerians to unite against acts of terrorism irrespective of ethnic, political and religious affiliations, adding that ‎“it has become clear that anybody could be a target”.

It however cautioned opposition leaders

Gusau

Badeh

to be careful with their ‎utterances regarding the unfortunate incident, saying that Nigerians must unite for the nation to win the war against terror.

Northern governors condemn bomb blast targeting Buhari, Dahiru Bauchi The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) chairman and governor of Niger State, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, has condemned the twin blasts that claimed several lives of Nigerians in Kaduna on Wednesday.

The statement issued on behalf of the forum yesterday in Minna described the attack targeted at the life of General Muhammadu Buhari in the second blast as “unfortunate, ungodly and a dastardly show of shame”.

The statement signed by the chief press secretary to the governor, Israel Ayegba Ebije, posited that “Nigeria is sliding into a dark period of uncertainty, fear and general mistrust”.

It also condemned the earlier attack on the life of a prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi. The NSGF statement reads: “It is indeed very unfortunate, the twin blasts targeted at General Buhari and Shiek Bauchi in Kaduna which has led to the death of innocent Nigerians.

Killings not a solution to any problem – Mark Senate president David Mark has, for the umpteenth time, urged the perpetrators of terrorism and bomb blasts terminating the lives of innocent Nigerians to sheathe their swords no matter the issues as killings cannot be a solution to any problem.

You may work with 100% capacity every day and may not be seen by anybody for recommendation. This does not mean you should give up! The day you will decide to work at 40% may be the day you’ll be seen by the person who is meant to recommend you for higher profile opportunities! ― Israelmore Ayivor

tribute

July 25, 2014

Hardworking, Conscientious, Quiet Ndanusa Isaiah

By Alache Ode, OBE

Mr. Clement Ndanusa Isaiah

Dear Sam, I wish I could wish your Dad, who was my managing editor at Triumph newspapers, a Happy Birthday in person.

I believe I last saw him in 1984/85, when I left Triumph, to become the press secretary to AVM Hamza Abdullahi (Rtd) at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing at it was then known, before I moved to the FCT, special duties etc and finally relocated to the UK. I hope he remembers this but, he was also a very good friend of my father, the Late Col. Christopher Ikwue Ode, from Otukpo. The upright man he is, your father did not let me know he knew my father when I was being recruited into Triumph newspaper and indeed during most of my time there. This meant, I had no preferential treatment and had to work as hard as everyone else. A hardworking, conscientious, quiet man, your father casually revealed to me, a year or two later, that he knew my dad.

I was horrified and wondered what and if in the two years before his revelation, I had been doing things I should not have done under the watchful eyes of my “father’s friend”. I do not know if he chose, in his way, to put me in order because then I had a boyfriend, a colleague and we unashamedly paraded our relationship in the newsroom. Your father’s calm dispensation and non-judgemental attitude allayed my fears of any stern reprimand.

A second time that your father showed unflinching support to me was when I was arrested and detained by the SSS, on the order of the then Kano Airforce Commander, Air Commodore Eduok, who later became an Air Marshall and Chief of Air Staff, for writing a story on Bob Ogwu, an Idoma Airforce Officer, who vanished from the Cameroun Airspace. I recounted the number of avoidable and unavoidable Airforce plane crashes that had occurred in the history of the Airforce and calculated the loss to the nation in Naira value. Your dad never once doubted the authenticity of my source and stood by my story and me, even when the situation at that time was hostile to journalists. It was the period of the dreaded Decree No. 4 and Tunde Thompson and his colleague had just been jailed. I thank him, Abba Dabo and Haruna Adamu, who was also later arrested and detained, for their belief in and support to me.

A while after that, I again fell a victim to bureaucratic politics and politicking.

AVM Hamza Abdullahi, who later appointed me as his press secretary, had wanted to privatise Hadeja River Basin “Bread and water can so easily be toast and tea.” ― Janet Clarkson

I say thank you to your father as one of those who nurtured me and gave me the innermost courage and confidence to succeed.

I congratulate him on his 80th birthday Development Authority, but I was unaware of the dubious character of a particularly senior member of his cabinet, who was benefitting from being a government institution. He called me to his office to give me a scoop. Fortunately, I went to his office with my news editor, the late Mohammed Booth, whom the official did not recognise. When the story broke, I was summoned to the government house and questioned about the source of my story, as it contained information that had only just been tabled at the state executive council meeting, a day earlier. Again, your father and Abba Dabo came to my rescue and the matter was somehow “killed”. Despite pressure to post me out of the Government House (I was Government House correspondent), your father and Abba Dabo stood their ground. I was posted as judicial correspondent for two weeks and thereafter returned to the Government House, this time, with a company car and a photographer. I became one of the elite journalists in the Government House, much to the envy of a few journalists from both Triumph and other media houses, who would usually thumb a lift in my emblazoned company car.

Suffice it to say I had the most rewarding career and the best time in Kano and at the Triumph newspaper. Till today, my heart is still tied to Kano, I’m always nostalgic about the city and newsroom ambience and the encouraging management style at the Triumph newspapers.

Triumph that gave me the opportunity to shine, become known and in the end, win the most coveted Triumph Journalist of the year. My prizes were N200 and a fairly used newspaper distribution van, a blue Datsun, panel van, a “Banabaharka”, which I used till I left the shores of this country.

I say thank you to your father as one of those who nurtured me and gave me the innermost courage and confidence to succeed. I congratulate him on his 80th birthday and wish him a happy thanksgiving. You are lucky to have a father so much valued and respected.

8/ NEWS

July 25, 2014

Rumpus Over N1.8trn Salary For Public Servants APC Faults Alleged Bill: Labour Flays Okonjo-Iweala

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has called on the minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to substantiate how N1.8 trillion is being spent annually for wages in the public service.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday and signed by its secretary-general, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, the union emphasized that it had become necessary for the finance minister to give graphic details of the amount so that Nigerians could be better informed on the issue.

LEADERSHIP recalls that last Monday, the finance minister, through the director-general of Budget Office, Dr. Bright

Okogu, while exchanging views with the House Committee on Health in respect of the ongoing nationwide strike by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), stated that the federal government’s wage bill for public servants had risen from N857 billion in 2009 to N1.8 trillion while the staff strength in the public service is now 1.2 million.

Reacting to the statement, the ASCSN secretary-general, Comrade Lawal, urged the finance minister to state publicly how much of the N1.8 trillion is consumed by public office holders, including ministers, advisers, assistants, senators, and members of the House of Representatives, including their humongous quarterly allocations.

“It is also necessary for Dr. Okonjo-Iweala to tell Nigerians how much salary is paid

by each ministry,department and agency (MDA) per year, and their staff strength.

“When you have done these analyses, it will become crystal clear how much of the N1.8 trillion is consumed by the whopping emoluments of the political office holders.

“Besides, it should be stated that records at our disposal show clearly that the staff strength in the entire Public Service is about 870,000 and not 1.2 million being bandied about by the minister unless there is a hidden agenda somewhere,” the union said.

The ASCSN pointed out that Nigerian political office holders were the highest paid in the world, with most of them earning more than the U.S. president whereas Nigerian workers are among the least paid in Africa, and live below one dollar per day.

It added that the Federal Government should

Kaduna State governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero during an assessment visit to the blast scene at the Kawo area of Kaduna Metropolis, yesterday.

2015: APC’ll Disgrace PDP In Rivers – Sen Abe PDP wants CP, INEC to stop Amaechi, APC campaign

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

The senator representing Rivers SouthEast senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, has boasted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will disgrace the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2015 general elections in the state.

Abe made this comment at Opobo Town while speaking during an empowerment programme for women and youths of the 11 wards that make up Opobo/Nkoro local government area of the state.

He described leaders of PDP in the state as middlemen who are in Abuja to negotiate how to trade the future of Rivers State

and its people.

He said: “What are the middlemen doing now? They are in Abuja trying to sell your future. They are promising people that if they give them money, they will deliver Rivers State to them. They are not asking you; they are not talking to you; they are not asking you what you think; they are not asking you what you like; they are not coming to look for you, but they in Abuja collecting money on your behalf.

“We will together, working together, acting together, redefine the politics of Rivers State, and you will be the determinant factor. We will banish middlemen from our politics. By the time we finish with them, they will remain in Abuja; they will not come back here.”

The senator stated that Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has eliminated the middle-men from governance of the

state, making it possible for dividends of democracy to directly get to the people at the grassroots.

He explained that what Governor Chibuike Amaechi had done to the politics of Rivers State was to eliminate the middleman and deliver the dividends directly to the people.

Meanwhile, the PDP has criticised Rivers State governor Chibuike Amaechi for engaging in political campaign under the pretext of touring of local government areas across the state.

In a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Port Harcourt, the PDP described Amaechi’s action as a breach of the Electoral Act as “Governor Amaechi and his political office seekers are using the tour to campaign and solicit for votes from the unsuspecting members of the areas visited for the APC.”

Anyim Charges New FRSC Boss On Dedication

BY Ejike Ejike, Abuja

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, has urged the new corps marshal and chief executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, to strive towards surpassing the present momentum which has earned the FRSC the status of

a global brand in road safety administration.

Speaking after the formal decoration of the newly appointed Corps Marshal, Senator Anyim said the appointment was a fall-out from the quest for excellence and competence by President Goodluck Jonathan who was disposed to continuity and stability in the running of the affairs of

the FRSC. “Let me also emphasise that the opportunity you have today must sincerely be credited to Mr. President, who demanded that the best capable persons for the job should be the person to have the job and that the hunt for the replacement of the outgoing corps marshal be focused within, and you clearly stood out.”

Everything you can imagine is real.

Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter and scuiptor

Plans By Modu Sheriff To Remove Borno, Yobe Govs

By Abah Adah, Abuja

The Yobe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Yobe has described as provocative media reports associating former Borno state governor Ali Modu Sherriff with allegations of a plan to remove governors of Yobe and Borno states.

In a statement signed by the state secretary of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Bakabe, the APC said “we still want to believe this is a mere speculation but yet, it ris tantamount to over heating the polity and creating political instability in the two states that have suffered long security challenges”.

The statement added that, “the claim to deliver Yobe state to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 is wild, misleading and, intended to score cheap political relevance”.

It further advised “political tresspassers with evil intention of orchestrating political instability should stay away from our state”, saying that, “it is an insult on the psyche of the state and it’s people that a total stranger in the person of Modu Sherrif who has no political connection with Yobe state will determine the course of our political leadership and direction in 2015”.

Nigeria Has 3m Internally Displaced Persons – UN

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

Following the violence rocking the nation since 2010, the United Nations has ranked Nigeria as a country with one of the highest number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), recording 3.3 million victims.

A statement signed by the UN national information officer, Oluseyi Soremekun yesterday, noted that as a result of the situation, two human rights experts have called on the federal government and the international community to effect a swift and stronger response to the plight of the 3.3 million people displaced in the country.

The statement revealed that UN special rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsak, who had visited Nigeria in February 2014, reported that many of those displaced are persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities that have been victims of violence.

“She urged that urgent steps should be taken to address not only the symptoms but also the root causes of the mass displacement affecting some regions,” the statement said.

UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyani meanwhile said “International support to protect and assist those displaced has remained woefully insufficient and has not kept par with the speedy increase of IDPs in Nigeria”

NEWS EXTRA /9

July 25, 2014

Police Arrest Killers Of 78-Year – old Farmer

By Donatus Nadi, Lafia

Three men who killed a farmer in Delta State and tried to dipose his vehicle in Lafia, Nasarawa State, have been nabbed by the men of the Nasarawa State Police Command.

The threesome, who killed Mr Felix Uzo of Aniocha Ugbo in his farm in Aniocha North local government area of Delta State were trying to dispose the Kia Rio with registration number BS843 EPE, which they snatched from their victim before killing him, when the law caught up with them.

Addressing the press on the development in Lafia, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ismaila Numan, said the three suspects, all natives of Nasarawa local government area of Nasarawa State, were arrested after a tipoff from a mechanic whom the robbers intended to sell the stolen the vehicle to.

The suspects, identified as Sunday Luka, Danjuma Kaika and Luka Agu, were said to be labourers working on the victim’s farm before they conspired to kill him and do away with car, following his failure to pay them for six days’ work.

The daughter of the deceased, Mrs Nkechi Esenwa, a 46-year-old practicing nurse who lives in Warri with her husband, said her late father was stabbed three times in the neck and his body dumped in a well on the farm, when he visited the farm to inspect an on-going work by his assailants.

Over 50 ESUT Students Escape Death As Mysterious Fire Guts Shuttle Bus

By Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu

Kaduna State governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero commiserating with a boy who was injured in the Kaduna bomb blast, at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna Metropolis, yesterday.

Fallen Electric Cable Kills Woman,32, In Uyo

By Bernard Tolani Dada, Uyo

A 32-year-old food vendor, identified as Mrs Unwana Joseph Edem, was electrocuted at her makeshift shop in Uyo, yesterday.

Edem was said to have been setting about getting down to the day’s work when she unknowingly stepped on a fallen live cable a few feet from where she normally sold food.

Eyewitnesses told LEADERSHIP

“People were advised to avoid passing the area, for fear of electrocution; but I think that not many people were aware. The information did not trickle down; it really is unfortunate,” he stated.

Grief-stricken residents of the area expressed anger over the death of late Edem whom they described as “a nice woman and a good woman”.

Meanwhile, the body of the victim has been deposited in the mortuary.

Child Kidnap: Psychiatrists Confirm Female Suspect To Be ‘Deranged’

By Matthew Dike, Lagos

Over 50 students of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) escaped death by a hair’s breadth yesterday when a mysterious fire gutted a shuttle bus conveying them to their temporary site in Enugu Town.

According to an eye-witness, many of the students and other passengers sustained serious injuries while attempting to jump out from the windows of the bus popularly called “Enugu Coal City Shuttle Bus”.

Valuables, including laptops and handsets, belonging to the students were completely destroyed by the fire which occurred at about 2pm near the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Junction.

The coordinator of the city shuttle, Nnaemeka Ojibe, told LEADERSHIP FRIDAY that the battery was faulty. But he insisted that the shuttle buses were well maintained.

A victim of the fire disaster and an undergraduate of the school’s Computer Science Department, Miss Ebere Okechi, said the alarm was raised by onlookers who saw the bus burst into flames.

FRIDAY that the deceased had just finished preparing food for her customers and decided to go ease herself in the nearby bushes. She met her death while returning to her shop.

A neighbour disclosed that, prior to the incident, one of the electric poles in the area had sparked and everyone was warned to stay away from the place.

The neighbour also disclosed that the live cable which fell off a pole was not connected to any other.

A woman who was nearly mobbed for abducting a little girl at the Ikorodu Busstop, Lagos State, has been confirmed as “deranged” by psychiatrists at the Federal Neo- Psychiatric Hospital, Lagos.

The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, DSP Ngozi Braide, told newsmen yesterday that psychiatrists at the Federal Neo-psychiatric Hospital, Lagos, confirmed that the woman, identified as a Rosemary Chukwu – who abducted the seven-year-old primary school pupil,

Emmanuel Emeka, and hid him inside a box, about two weeks ago – is deranged.

After Chukwu was apprehended by a mob who beat her within an inch of her life, she alleged that the pastor of her church, Ernest Nwankwo, sent her to do kidnap the little boy for a fee. Nwankwo has since debunked the story, giving rise to suspicions that the suspect could be insane.

Braide showed LEADERSHIP FRIDAY the hospital report to buttress her point.

The doctors wrote that the suspect is “suffering from paranoid schizophrenia,”

a major psychotic disorder, and “will benefit from bio-psycho-social treatments as soon as possible”.

After Chukwu’s confession that Nwankwo sent her to carry out the evil deed, the mob moved to attack the pastor and his worshipers at their place of worship and would have wreaked havoc, but for the pastor’s insistence that he did no such thing.

According to Braide, the pastor reported himself to the police and insisted that Chukwu “should be insane” to involve him in such a Satanic act.

Police Nab 11 For Visa Fraud

By Matthew Dike, Lagos

The Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit, Milverton Road, Ikoyi, in Lagos, has arrested 11 suspects for their various involvements in visa-related fraud.

The unit was said to have acted on petitions written by the United State Consulate-general which implicated the suspects.

Among the suspects is Adegbola Abi-

odun Esther, who was said to have appeared at the consul for a non-immigrant visa interview with forged Canadian, Turkish and Angolan visas, with the entry and exit stamps showing that she visited those countries. It was revealed that the said visa was forged by her boyfriend whom she allegedly paid N100, 000 to process the fake documents.

One Akinlade Olugbenga also appeared for the same interview, identifying him-

self as ‘Awoleye Oluwamuyiwa Tope’.

The unit’s spokesperson, Ngozi Isintume-Agu, said Tope stole the identity of the real winner of the diversity visa lottery.

Isintume-Agu said one ‘Adewoye Tanwa Fatimah’ whose real name is Adeniyi Motunrayo, had gone to the US Embassy with one Adewole Adeyemi Oluwaseun for a diversity visa lottery, when the suspect stole the identity of the lottery winner.

When a once-beautiful piece of cloth has turned into rags, no one remembers that it was woven by master weavers. ― Nigerian Proverb

10/ NEWS EXTRA

July 25, 2014

Rainmaker Swindles Communtiy Of N200,000

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

The people of Okpanam Community in Asaba, Delta State, are biting their fingers in regret after a rain-maker disappeared with the N200,000 raised by elders in the community for him to help them keep the rain at bay for the duration in which a new school in the community was launched yesterday.

The elders had united to raise the money to ensure that the launch of the school would not be disrupted by the rain, after the owners of the Redeemed International School, members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Asaba, had refused to get involved in any fetish practice.

Having spent so much to keep the rain at bay, it was ironic that when the wife of the

church’s overseer, Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, visited to commission the school, the rain poured for just four minutes.

After the downpour, the enraged elders had begun combing the community for the rain-maker, but could not find him. Their search proved futile, until they were informed by some other community members that they saw the rain-maker hurrying away just before the rain.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP FRIDAY, a member of the church who claimed to also be a member of the media department, Emeka Ibie, said Adeboye’s visit was to officially commission the newly constructed administrative block of the RCCG Province 3 and the commissioning of the Redeem International Schools, built along Okpanam Road, Asaba.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan and Ambassador-designate of the United Arab Emirate, Mahmud Mohammed Mahmud Al-Mahumud, during the latter’s presentation of his letter of credence to Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo by Nan

Robbers Kill Cop, Wound 4 Others

By Matthew Dike, Lagos

The Lagos State police command said a detective has been shot by armed robbers while four others were wounded in Alaba area of the metropolis, on Wednesday.

The robbers, the police said, also escaped with about N3m. Eye-witnesses within the area were said to have scamperd into their houses for cover when sporadic gunshots rang out.

Confirming the story, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, said only one spy policeman was shot dead by the bandits.

Braide debunked the claim that it was

a bank robbery. “It was a box office in the area belonging to Fidelity Bank”, she said.

Braide said the workers were supposed to move only N1m to their head office but they decided to carry as much as N3m; a development which attracted the robbers, based on a tip-off.

Braide voiced fears that there was an insider who revealed the whereabouts of the cash. “The person connived with the robbers to attack and dispossess them of the cash,” Braide said.

She also confirmed that the robbers way-laid the policemen and fired at them, killing one and injuring four others.

LR: Chairman, NIPR Capital Chapter 2014 Silver Jubilee AGM/Conference, Edward Adebanjo with committee members Omotoyosi Adamoleun and Idundun Kenny during a courtesy visit to the Head Office of LEADERSHIP Newspapers in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Patrick Ebi Amanama

Command Guest House Gets New Management

By Millie Ibe, Abuja

The authorities of Nigerian Army Welfare Limited have appointed professional hotel managers to take over the management of Command Guest House, Kaduna.

Announcing the appointment of A.I.A International Limited as managers of the guest house through a press statement released to media houses during the week, the chairman of AIA International Limited, Mr Sunny A. Arusuraire, disclosed that his company and the owners of the guest house

have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the terms and conditions of hand-over of the hotel.

According to Arusuraire, his firm will “make a food statement in hotel management by introducing professional touch and excellence in the management of the Command Guest House, Kaduna”.

Arusuraire said his firm has commenced the total renovation of the hotel by installing state-of-the-art facilities and sophisticated technology to enhance its services and increase the range of its clientele.

The family of the late Bamidele Aturu, during a lying-in-state service for the deceased at the NBA Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO by BENEDICT UWALAKA.

Police Exchange Gun fire With ‘Okada’ Robbers LEADERSHIP Friday that luck ran out on one of the robbers as a bullet hit him Police operatives attached to the Bar- square on the laps, causing him to fall iga Police Station, in Lagos State, yes- from the motorcycle while others manterday, exchanged gunfire with three aged to escape. armed robbers on a bike.

He said police arrested him and recovResidents of Odunsi Street, Bariga, ered 1 cut- to- size double-barrelled gun, were said to have celebrated when the 2 expended cartridges and 3 handsets. policemen shot one of the three robbers, Police spokesperson in the state, DSP as they attempted to dispossess the peo- Ngozi Braide, said the police are using ple of their cash and mobile phones. the information offered by the wounded A police source at the station told robber to trail others who are at large.

By Matthew Dike, Lagos

L-R: Director, Basel Convention, Oyo State, Professor Oladele Osibanjo; Director-general, National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency(NESREA), Dr Ngeri Benebo, and director, Planning and Policy Analysis, Dr Lawrence Anukam, during the stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the implementation of the extended producer responsibility(EPR) programme in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH.

It is only a stupid cow that rejoices at the prospect of being taken to a beautiful abattoir. — African Proverb

NEWS /11

July 25, 2014 Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo

Nasarawa Impeachment: Speaker, 5 Lawmakers In Secret Meeting With Jonathan

By George Agba ,Abuja

Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Musa Ahmed, and five members of the House yesterday stormed the presidential villa, Abuja, where they held a private meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The lawmakers were led to the president’s office by national deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Uche Secondus.

Asked about the nature and outcome of the two-hour meeting with the president, Speaker of the House, Mohammed symply said, “It is was private visit”.

When journalists pressed further to know what the private visit was all about

and why it came at a time the lawmakers were bent on impeaching the state governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, the speaker said: “I don’t have the mandate of the House to speak to the press”, adding that the chairman, House Committee on Information, was the appropriate person to speak on the impeachment.

PDP deputy national chairman, Secondus, who came out of the president’s office some minutes after the lawmakers, insisted that the meeting was a consultation, saying, “We are consulting”.

The meeting between the lawmakers came barely 24 hours after the Nasarawa State Assembly asked the state’s chief judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate

allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Al-Makura.

The decision taken at the plenary of the House on Wednesday, which lasted for about 20 minutes, followed a motion moved by majority leader of the House, Mr. Godiya Akwashiki (PDPUdege/Loko), seeking the setting up of a probe panel in line with the provision of the 1999 constitution.

After the motion was seconded by Mr. Mohammed Baba-Ibaku (PDPNasarawa Eggon West), the Speaker, Hon. Ahmed, put the motion to vote and 20 of the 24 members voted in favour, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers voted against the motion.

Disquiet As Suspected Case Of Ebola Surfaces In Lagos

By George Okojie, and ARONKE OLAYIWOLA Lagos

Anxiety has gripped residents of Lagos State following the discovery of suspected case of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EBV) at an undisclosed health facility within the Lagos metropolis.

In their separate speeches after the news of the discovery through the social media hit the state yesterday, the combined team of both Federal and Lagos State Government officials allayed the fears of possible spread of the disease in the state.

In her address, the special adviser to the governor on public health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, flanked by the director, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Prof Abdulsalami Nacidi; Head, Virology Reference Laboratory, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Sunday Omilabu; commissioner for Information, Lagos State, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba and representatives of national and international agencies involved in the prevention and control of the disease, said the state government had taken proactive steps to handle its spread.

According to Adeshina, details of the suspect, a 40-year-old Liberian working for a West African organisation in Monrovia, Liberia, have been obtained, adding that he is presently being treated in isolation in an undisclosed hospital on Lagos Island.

Kidnapped Ebonyi Lawmaker Released, Beaten To Coma ByObinna Ogbonnaya , Abakaliki

Members of Nasarawa State House of Assembly, led by its speaker, Musa Mohammed Ahmed, during their visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

Politicians Should Stop Seeing Opponents As Enemies – Onaiyekan

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

Nigerian politicians have been asked to stop seeing those belong to other parties as enemies since they are pursuing the same objective from different political platforms.

Dr. John Cardinal Onaiyekan, who said this yesterday in Abuja when the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, paid him a courtesy visit, said politicians should allow politics to be practised in a sensible and rational way to ensure the survival of the country they are all aspiring to rule.

He reminded them that they are all interested in the peace and stability of the country because they are using different

political platforms “and it is only the matter of which one is better and it is not the question of enemies but difference competing views and the different competing strategies for arriving at the same objective of a better Nigeria.”

Speaking further, the cleric said, “Democracy, as we know it, is not the only way for ruling people, but in this day and age, it is considered the best way. Even those who still hang on to monarchy, like the British and others, they manage to practise some democracy through political parties.

“This democracy must be defended at all costs because if it is not defended and we end up having a bastard form of democracy, it is worse than the worst forms of dictatorship, which is why I often say

that a rigged election is worse than military coup. We can and we should do everything possible to ensure we have democracy in this country.”

Earlier in his speech, Oyegun told the cardinal that he decided to begin his official visit to Cardinal Onaiyekan because of his respect for him as his spiritual father.

He noted that the biggest problem the country was going through, which his party hoped to correct, was the injuries the ruling PDP government had inflicted on young Nigerians which he said was getting to a stage where “they don’t know how to differentiate between right and wrong.”

“My appeal to you, your Eminence is, in a society that is so broken like ours, to always say the truth to the people in government and all of us.”

The Ebonyi State Majority Leader and member representing Ikwo North State Constituency, Hon Sam Nwali, earlier abducted by unknown gunmen in the early hours of yesterday, has been released by his abductors.

It was reliably gathered that the abducted House of Assembly member was released in the afternoon of yesterday but was left in a terrible condition as he was beaten to a state of coma.

When LEADERSHIP visited the Ebonyi State Department of State Services, Hon Nwali was said to be receiving medical attention. However, operatives of the agency though confirmed that the House of Assembly member was with them but did not allow journalist to either see him or interact with the majority leader.

At about 3:15pm, the Ebonyi State Governor Chief Martin Elechi, members of the State Assembly including the new Speake, Hon Helen Nwobashi, were seen driving into the SSS office. At about 4pm, the state governor was also seen leaving the SSS office without the members of the House of Assembly.

All efforts to speak with the governor and the Ebonyi State Director of the SSS were abortive.

The lawmaker for Ohaukwu North State Constituency, Hon Frank Onwe, revealed that they were in the SSS office to see their abducted colleague.

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. Antoine de Saint-Exupery, fresh writer and aviator.

12/ NEWS NATIONAL

July 25, 2014

NEMA, SEMA Register 500 Internally Displaced Persons In Gombe

By Maha Abdul Ali, Gombe

Following the recent insurgent attack in Damboa, Borno State that resulted in a large influx of internally displaced persons to Gombe State, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) have so far evacuated and registered about 500 persons who were stranded in motor parks and some major highways to various camps in the state.

The director general of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi urged the displaced persons to be law abiding while in the camp and reiterated the agency’s readiness to continue providing support for persons in distress. The director general who was represented by the assistant di-

rector, Relief and Rehabilitation, Saidu Ahmed Minin gave this advice while opening the refugee camp at Bye-pass Road, Gombe yesterday.

Also speaking, the executive secretary, SEMA, Danlami Arab Rukujei thanked the agency for the quick response and noted that the state government was gradually becoming overwhelmed with the large influx of people especially from neighbouring states of Yobe and Borno. He further stated that the state government has so far registered about 7,770 persons who mostly live with their relatives in the host communities.

Relief materials provided in the camps are food and other items including blankets, mattresses, nylon mats, buckets, towels and sanitary pads. Others are rice, maize, sugar, mil-

let, beans, powdered milk and vegetable oil.

Meanwhile, the Head of operations NEMA, Hajiya Zainab Umar has commended the efforts of the State Government in providing enough securities to guard the camps by mobilizing men of Nigerian security and Civil Defence Corps and other security Agents in the Camps.

Responding to questions on the security arrangement in the camp by the Nigerian Police, the Police public Relations Officer, Gombe State Command, DSP Fwaje Atajiri said there is no special security arrangement for the displaced persons by the Command but we are duty bond to protect the lives and properties of every citizens and people domiciled in Gombe State.

Prisons Boss, Ibrahim Zakari Bows Out At 60

By Christiana Nwaogu, Abuja

The controller general, Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Mr Zakari Ohinoyi Ibrahim, yesterday proceeded on voluntary retirement from the service, after attaining 35 years in service and 60 years of age, LEADERSHIP Friday can authoritatively report.

While the federal government is on the lookout for a substantive successor, Alhaji Aminu Suleh is covering his duties in the interim.

According to the service spokesperson, Mr Ope Fatinikun,the retired Prisons boss

had written to the president and commander-in-chief, seeking permission to voluntarily retire after a meritorious service that has brought him to the peak of his career.

“President Jonathan has accepted his reasons and instructed him to handover to the most senior officer”, he added.

LEADERSHIP Friday gathered from reliable sources at the Ministry of Interior that Suleh, who is the most senior officer after Ibrahim, is likely to be confirmed as the substantive head of the Nigerian Prisons Service, while there are speculations that another serving assistant controller could be

appointed to run the affairs of the service.

Mr Zakari Ohinoyi Ibrahim was until his appointment as the controller-general of prisons in January 2012, the deputy controller-general of prisons in charge of the Directorate of Administration and Supplies at the Prisons Headquarters, Abuja.

Born on January 1, 1955 at Kuru in Toto local government area of Nasarawa State, he transferred his service from the teaching sector to the Nigerian Prisons Service as a Chief Superintendent of Prisons (CSP) in 1989.

He has had a tour of duty in several sta-

CAC Warns Against Violating CAMA Provisions

By Paul Chiama, Abuja

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has warned companies and business establishments violating the provisions of Company And Allied Matters Act (CAMA) to desist from such and comply with the provisions of the Act or face the full wrath of the law.

A press release made available to LEADERSHIP Friday yesterday, signed by the director, public affairs, CAC, Mr Churchill Williams, said severe sanctions would soon be imposed on any firm caught violating CAMA provisions.

According to the release, the commission has already set up a special enforcement committee which has commenced a crackdown on the operations of such companies.

The statement reads in part: “The Special Enforcement Committee has completed the first phase of the on-site examination exercise in the Federal Capital Territory and has visited various markets, shopping malls and held collaborative meetings with relevant organisations to sensitise the public on the post-incorporation obligations of registered companies and the consequences of operating unregistered businesses”.

It further stated that 474 companies have been sanctioned for non-compliance during the exercise in the FCT, adding that the next phase of the enforcement exercise would take place in the 36 states of the federation.

PDP Waiver: You Lied, Ardo Tells Marwa

By Chibuzor Ukaibe, Abuja

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State, Dr Umar Ardo said yesterday that former Lagos military governor, Gen. Buba Marwa was yet to secure for himself the party’s waiver, saying his claim that he had gotten one was false.

Ardo was reacting to the claim

by Marwa at a meeting with party executives in Mubi that “the issue of my waiver has since been taken care of at the party’s headquarters”.

In a statement he issued yesterday, the PDP chieftain said although he had very high respect for Gen. Marwa, his claim at the meeting depicted him as being economical with the truth.

He said, “I have also inquired from three members of the NWC and they all denied ever treating this issue in any of their meetings. Besides, I saw the agenda of the last NEC meeting and the issue of Marwa’s waiver was not there.

“So, where and how did Marwa get the waiver he is making claim to? The truth is that Marwa has no waiver and his claim to having one is false. While I call on Marwa to both regularise his waiver process and acquaint himself with the party leadership in his ward, I seize this opportunity to call on all PDP executives and members in the state to be wary of claims from desperate politicians as we approach the party primaries”.

Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever Walt Disney, founder and CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Explaining the provision of the PDP constitution on the criteria for acquiring a waiver, Ardo said, “Section 50 (10b) of the PDP Constitution is clear as to how a waiver is obtained.

The process starts from the ward level, through the local government, to the state, to the zonal, to the NWC and finally to be approved by the NEC. “The constitution is also clear that even the NEC lacks the power to grant waiver unless “the process of clearance of the waiver starts from the ward level”.

He continued: “Marwa claims that I was ignorant of his waiver as I did not verify from the party executives. But he is wrong, because I verified the facts before making my assertion. Marwa hails from Michika 2 Ward of Michika local government”.

“I have spoken to Mr Adamu Iliya, the chairman of Michika 2 Ward and he stated that Marwa never applied to the ward for waiver and, therefore, was never recommended. He said he had never even seen Marwa in person since his purported return to the party”.

“I have also inquired from the PDP state chairman on the issue and he denied any knowledge of such request coming from the Local Govt chapter.

He said the only thing he is aware of is that Marwa applied to meet with party executives in the state and he approved it, which is normal having just returned to the party”.

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BUSINESS NEWS /15

July 25, 2014

business news Maritime Workers Shelve Planned Strike

By Michael Oche, Abuja

The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has suspended its proposed industrial action following a meeting between officials of the union and a delegation of the federal government.

The union had earlier issued a 14 – day ultimatum to the federal government to embark on an industrial action.

The union had through a letter to the government with reference no. MWUN/ HML/UL/269 dated July 16, 2014, raised several issues which demanded the federal government to fix all access roads to the sea ports, remove all the tank farms along the access roads to the ports, and removal of petrol tankers and trailers along the access roads to the ports.

During the meeting, it was resolved that the union allow the federal government time to address and resolve the issues in dispute.

A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting reads in part: “In consideration of the demand by MWUN for immediate palliative measures/ works while awaiting the execution of the main contracts, the meeting concluded as follows: That sixty (60) days is slated for the completion of the palliative works.The meeting would reconvene in thirty (30) days’ time to re-assess progress made, and a standing task force committee would be put in place to ensure clearing of tankers and trucks from port access roads. The standing task force committee will have MWUN and other relevant stakeholders as members.”

Keystone Bank To Divest From 3 African Countries

By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

Managing director of Keystone Bank, Philip Ikeazor, has said the bank would divest from its subsidiaries outside the country to enable it focus on its core banking business ahead of the selloff of the bank to core investors.

Keystone is one of the three banks salvaged by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and is meant to be sold to core investors after the sales of Enterprise and Mainstreet banks before the end of the year.

Speaking with journalists during an interactive session in Lagos yesterday, Ikeazor noted that the sale of the subsidiaries had become imperative as they were not adding value to the group. He said the bank currently has operations in Uganda, Sierra Leone and Liberia “and we are in the process of divesting in those locations, although we still have our insurance and health subsidiaries that are still very active.”

According to him, the subsidiaries had impacted negatively on the financials of the group resulting in a loss- after- tax of N4.807 billion in the 2013 financial year ended

December 31, compared to a profit- after- tax of N1.739 billion recorded by the bank. The group had recorded gross earnings of N49.85 billion in the 2013 financial year compared to N48.99 billion made in the comparable period of 2012.

Ikeazor explained that the group’s “profitability increased but when we add the non-performance from the subsidiaries, the group profit before tax dropped. But the bank in Nigeria which is what the core investors will be looking at, increased in profitability.

“We are focusing on our core business here to ensure that the bank itself is profitable while we divest the subsidiaries to those who will come in and capitalise and run them in those countries and we are at advanced stages (of divestment) in most of them.

“Although these banks were subsidiaries, they were running on their own with their own regulatory authorities in those countries so when we did the forensic audit, we realized that there were high level of non-performing loans in those countries which impacted on the performance of the subsidiaries.

Nigeria, US Sign MoU To Build $2.5bn Power Plant

By Juliet Alohan, Abuja

At least 1,5000 megawatts (mws) of electricity is expected to be added to the national grid following an agreement signed between Nigeria and Global Edison Corporation for the construction of a $2.5 billion gas-powered plant.

The plant to be located in Anambra State is part a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Nigeria and the United States (US) president’s, Power Africa Initiative.

The US president, Barack Obama, last year unveiled the Power Africa Initiative which aims to add at least 10,000mws of electricity to selected African countries. Nigeria is among the six countries selected to benefit from the initiative.

The MoU which would outline the roles to be played by Nigeria and the US was signed yesterday in Abuja by the US ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, and the minister of power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, on behalf of both countries.

Also to be achieved through

the MoU is a 70mws solar manufacturing plant to be built in Nigeria.

During the signing ceremony, Entwistle explained that the initiative is about transforming the lives of Africans through increased job opportunities to be created from better electricity supply.

He further stated that the Power Africa “supports the strengthening of the energy sector through credit enhancement, grants, technical assistance and investment promotion efforts.

L-R: Representative of the secretary to the government of the federation, Mr Ferdinand Agu, special assistant to the president, office of the secretary to the government of the federation and director-general/chief executive officer, NIMC, Mr Chris E. Onyemenam at the stakeholders’ workshop on implementation of the presidential directive on the harmonisation and integration implementation committee of the NIMS.

Disbursement Of N220bn Funds To Entrepreneurs Begins Next Month As CBN, 11 states governors sign MoU to facilitate access to fund

BY NSE ANTHONY-UKO, Abuja

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with about 11 state governments to enable the states access the N2 billion available to them under the N220billion Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSMEs) Development Fund.

CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, in his remark during the signing ceremony, yesterday in Abuja, explained that the MoU was to facilitate the states’ access and disbursement of the N2 billion available to each state of the federation under the scheme.

The governors of Akwa Ibom, Delta, Osun and Oyo States were present in person to sign the MoU, while the governors of

Bayelsa, Bornu, Gombe, Enugu, Zamfara, Ondo and Benue were represented.

Each of the state governments would be able to access up to N2 billion each for on lending to beneficiaries through participating financial institutions in their states.

Emefiele further explained that the main intermediate objective of the apex bank was to ensure that the funds got to the people at the very bottom of the Nigeria’s economic and social pyramids at single digit interest rate.

He pointed out that though MSMEs are recognised globally as the critical engines of economic growth, due to their potential to create jobs, boost production, generate income and reduce poverty, the MSMEs in Nigeria have never received the adequate financing needed to play this pivotal role in the

Not every movement is progress; Some movements are just a way of burning fats!

― Israelmore Ayivor

country’s development trajectory, a situation which resulted in a financing of gap of N9.6 trillion as at 2010, as revealed by a joint report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and McKinsey.

“In order to bridge this gap and unlock the economic potential of the sector, the CBN initiated the N220billion Fund as an innovative way of improving the access to finance at single digit interest rate shoring up their potential for job creation and enabling them to reduce poverty within the country,” he said.

Commenting on the development, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, while commending the CBN for the initiative urged the apex bank to ensure that the process of accessing the fund was made very simple to enable the beneficiaries to have access to the fund.

16/ BUSINESS NEWS Capital Market Essay: SEC Sponsors 5 Journalists For Training Abroad

BY NSE ANTHONY-UKO, Abuja,

Five Nigerian journalists will shortly embark on an intensive training on capital markets at the prestigious International Law Institute, Washington DC, USA, under the sponsorship of the Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC).

The journalists are being sponsored by the SEC in redemption of its prize winnings in the 2012 and 2013 editions of the SEC Capital Market Essay Competition for Journalists which was instituted by the Commission in 2012.

According to the SEC, the training was in line with its market development mandate under ISA 2007, and the deriving objective of strengthening interest in reading and writing about the capital markets on the part of professional journalists and to engender a spill-over consequence of such enhanced interest in the wider society.

Of the five journalists, two were first and second prize winners in the 2012 edition of the competition. They are Iheanyi Nwachukwu of Businessday newspaper who came tops and Taofeek Salako of the Nation newspaper, the runner up. They are to undergo two weeks and one week of intensive training on The Foundations and Development of Capital Markets at ILI respectively. Winners in the 2013 edition are Teslim Shitta-Bey of Business Hallmark newspaper and Patrick Atuanya of Businessday newspaper who were joint first prize winners. Sule Teliat Abiodun of Businessday newspaper was first runner up. Shitta – Bey and Atuanya would undergo two weeks of training at ILI, while Abiodun would spend a week in the same prestigious institution.

The third place winners - Abiodun Eromosele of Thisday newspaper(2012) and Chris Ugwu, then of Leadership Newspapers (2013) who were entitled to a week – long training in a leading local institution have since redeemed their prizes by undergoing training on Business Writing and Communication Skills at the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) in Lagos.

July 25, 2014

Glo Offers Subscribers Calls At 11k Per Second

By Chima Akwaja, Lagos

Globacom has launched a special tariff plan that makes it more affordable for millions of its prepaid subscribers to call each other.

The plan, dubbed Glo Ringa, allows subscribers on the Globacom network to call other subscribers on the network at just 11 kobo per second.

The plan has effectively extended

family and friends to all subscribers on the Globacom network.

The head, Business Support Group of Globacom, Mr Yomi Ogunbamowo, who unveiled the plan said, “Every subscriber wants to make calls to all their friends, families and associates without limiting the number of friends and families they can call at a specially discounted rate. Before now, Friends and Family packages across various

networks are limited to a few people.”

He said Glo Ringa would enable Glo prepaid customers to significantly reduce their expenditure on phone calls. According to Ogunbamowo, this product was an effective way of rewarding the loyalty of Globacom’s teeming subscribers because it practically puts money back in their pockets for every call they make to other Glo subscribers.

L-R: Globacom’s Miss Muyiwa Alli, Coordinator Gloworld, Mr. Dimeji Amoo, Chief Commercial Director, Glo 1, Mr. Ajayi Mathur, Head, Business Development, Glo Gateway, Mr. Femi Oduntan and Miss Olanma Eke, another Globacom staff, at the launch of new IDD rates by Globacom in Lagos, yesterday.

Abandoned Power Equipment Released To Ministry

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

The ministry of power has taken delivery of power equipment abandoned at Lagos seaports. Professor Chinedu Nebo, minister of power who disclosed this, added that the equipment were said to have been abandoned for the past eleven years but was kept by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) at various bonded terminals in Lagos.

The minister, who visited some of the bonded terminals where some of the major power equipment were kept yesterday in Lagos, expressed the hope that on-going power projects would now receive a boost.

He said: “The equipment had been abandoned at various bonded terminals in Lagos since 2003. We have inspected some of them; we wish to express our most profound gratitude to the Comptroller- general of Customs, and his staff for making this day possible.”

Nebo said the equipment would have been used for many projects in the country to improve efficiency of power supply but were held for over eleven years According to him, power projects that ought to have been delivered about a decade ago were also stalled during the period.

He said government would investigate the reason for the abandonment as the equipment was meant for Abo-mbaise substation, Kano Hadejia transmission substations, Oba-Nnewi substation, Danbata substations, Omotosho, Egbin, Aja lines.

Other projects where the equipment would have been deployed are Akwa-Ibom 33kva line, Iganga-Ibora substation, Ikorodu Odogunya shagamu transmission line, Nsukka- Ayanba lines and supply of current transformers and capacitors voltage transformers “The impacts of this can only be imagined as these projects have been stalled for all of these years. We are going to revamp the projects, we have already flagged off the projects, all of the containers are going to be taken to the sites, the minister assured.”

The minister however, pleaded with the Customs Service to release the other abandoned equipment because of accumulated demurrage and charges that could not be paid by the ministry.

In his remarks, the managing director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Mack Kast, said that since the generation and distribution companies have been privatised, the transmission company now has a major role to play in reviving the power sector.

He said there plans fats! to ensure adequate refurbishing of the power sector Not every movement is progress; Some movements are justthat a way ofwere burning ― Israelmore Ayivor through massive network expansion.

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20/ MARITIME

July 25, 2014

ECOWAS’ $60m Shipping Line To Begin Operation In September The $60 million trans-West Africa shipping line, Sealink Promotional Company Limited, being promoted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries will commence operation in September this year.

The managing director and chief executive officer of the Nigerian ExportImport (NEXIM) Bank, Mr Roberts Orya, disclosed this at an industry forum in Lagos recently.

Orya said the shipping line, being anchored to be established by the NEXIM Bank in Nigeria and similar banks in other member countries, was expected to facilitate maritime transportation within West and Central Africa.

He disclosed that significant progress has been made so far towards raising the required capital for its take-off, but noted that investment drive was still on to meet the financial portfolio target of the company.

He said, “Responses from the governments and the organised private sector in the various countries have been quite tremendous. The project is aimed at boosting maritime trade among member countries of the ECOWAS as well as enhancing regional integration.

More investors have also shown interest in the Sealink public offer which is selling at $0.70 per ordinary share with net proceeds of $60 million.

“The public offer which opened on March 24, 2014 is expected to close by September 30, 2014.”

Orya said the purpose of the offer was to raise the funds needed to acquire vessels for conveying people and cargo across the West and Central Africa coast.

The NEXIM boss further explained that the shipping line would be of immense benefit to Nigerian manufacturers and exporters as it would allow a structured access to markets in West and Central Africa.

“The ability of the regional economies of West and Central Africa to grow and compete on a global scale depends largely on efficient and barrier free intra- and inter-regional trading. There is no doubt that Africa has continued to underperform its growth and development potentials, partly due to its low trade volumes, amongst other factors,” he noted.

He explained that Africa accounts for about 15 per cent of the global population and possesses very rich agricultural and mineral endowments, but its contribution to the global trade has been low, accounting for only 3.5 per cent in 2012, as against Europe’s contribution of 35.6 per cent, 31.5 per cent by Asia and 13.2 per cent by North America.

Orya, therefore, urged African governments to focus more on agriculture and other minerals resources to develop and deepen the continent’s economies.

Gulf of Guinea

NIMASA’s Burden Of Combating Maritime Insecurity In \ Stories By Samson Echenim, Lagos

On Wednesday, the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) held a world press conference in Lagos to intimate journalists on the strides made by the agency in recent years.

The agency’s director of Shipping Development, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, made a presentation titled “Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea” in which he showed an animated display of how an operation of the agency, helped by the Nigerian Navy and Nigeria Air Force, forced pirates who have hijacked a Ghanaian fishing vessel to give up on their mission.

The NIMASA holds that the operation at the peak of its efforts at combating piracy and other crimes on Nigerian waters and beyond, especially in the Gulf of Guinea which nows holds the record as the hottest spot for piracy and sea crimes, after the menace reneged off the Somalian coast.

The Gulf of Guinea is the North-eastern most part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between Cape Lopez in Gabon, North and

West to Cape Three Points in Western region of Ghana. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian (zero degrees latitude and longitude) is in the Gulf of Guinea.

The coastline on the gulf includes the Bight of Benin and the Bight of Bonny, making Nigeria a major stakeholder state in the fight against crime in the gulf.

According to Enisuoh, other maritime crimes in the gulf included illegal fishing and ship theft, usually occasioned by lack of seafarers wages, enforceable laws and the will power to tackle the problem headon as well as private armed maritime security business and lack of equipment and technology required in addressing the situation.

He said in addition to its various partnership and memoranda of understanding with the armed forces, the agency is also tackling maritime insecurity with conventions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) such as the SUA Convention, the SOLAS Convention and the ISPS Code by ratifying and domesticating them as well as initiating an anti-piracy bill.

He said, “The NIMASA adopted an

approach that also involves building intelligence network at sea and on land.

We now have our satellite system, two aircraft, patrol boats and an installing radar to be completed soon. “As I speak, we have five ships in detention. In fact, one has just joined them. I’m scared of the results because we have a limited military personnel. Very soon, we will run out of military personnel.”

He lamented the level of criminal boldness with which vessels enter Nigeria waters with fake IMO number with such vessels being “vessels of interests.”

“A ship will enter Nigeria with falsified IMO number and it’s a ship with interest,” Enisuoh said. With a declining trend of piracy occurrences in Somalia since 2013, the Gulf of Guinea tops the chart as the world’s riskiest waters and there are reports of Nigeria having been labelled a country with war risk. But NIMASA’s executive director, Shipping Development and Maritime Safety, Captain Ezekiel Agaba, said he was not in the know of such development, even though he admitted that the country suffers high insurance fees on freight due to its high risk label.

Osun/Oyo Customs Seizes 2 Trucks Laden With Rice ...As FOU Zone A Gets New Controller The Osun/Oyo area command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it intercepted two trucks loaded with 750 50kg bags of par-boiled rice smuggled into the country through Igbeti axis of the state.

According to the customs area comptroller, Mr Richard Oteri, the bags of rice were disguised as veterinary products and had a duty paid value (DPV) of N4 million.

Briefing journalists on the incidents leading to the interception of the smuggled rice, Oteri said one of the patrol teams led by a deputy superintendent of customs, Mr

J.A. Alajogun on information patrol caught the two DAF trucks with registration numbers AKD 15 XB and JJJ 998 XL loaded with the contrabands.

He used the opportunity to re-state that importation of rice through the border remains prohibited, advising that those who wish to import rice should use the nation’s sea ports. “It should be noted also that the comptroller-general of customs, Alhaji Abudullahi Inde Dikko, is passionately committed to reducing the smuggling of rice into Nigeria and we are working round the clock to ensure that no rice passes through the border, or make it

to Nigeria,” Oteri stressed.

Meanwhile, a new acting comptroller has been appointed to head the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, of the NCS, Ikeja. He is deputy comptroller Usman Turaki. Turaki’s appointment follows the redeployment of the former comptroller, Isa Nuhu, who had served for over a year as the helmsman of the unit to the customs headquarters in Abuja.

Prior to his appointment, Turaki, who was recently promoted to the ranks of deputy comptroller had served as the staff officer of the unit. Nuhu has formally handed over to the new comptroller.

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. Antoine de Saint-Exupery, fresh writer and aviatorny

TOURISM /21

July 25, 2014

Reps Demand Unlocking Why Tourism Masterplan Failed – NTDC Boss Of Tourism Potential To Attract Investors Implementing the Tourism master Stories By Chika Okeke, Abuja

plan by successive administration has remained a herculean task while stakeholders had doubted the possibility of the sector becoming the mainstay of the economy aside oil.

However, at a two-day retreat organised by the staff of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) on how to generate revenue and ensure enhanced service delivery among tourism stakeholders in Abuja, the director-general of the corporation, Mrs Sally Mbanefo, submitted that subsequent masterplans failed because the staff that would boost the revenue were relegated to the background.

“The reason the Tourism masterplan from successive administrations failed is because nobody paid attention to the welfare of the staff that would project and direct the strategic imperative of the organisation.

“They are the core stakeholders in the industry; hence, they must be well equipped and practically made ambassadors of the Nigeria’s tourism industry to drive its development in the industry.

Unveiling her revenue generation plan, she stated that the essence of generating revenue was to become independent of government handout, saying that countries with global best practices survived on tourism.

“The main essence behind the revenue generation programme is for us to become independent of government handout because we believe that countries practicing global best practices survive on tourism, which is not the case in Nigeria.

“We believe that the NTDC, with the support of all the partners that we have signed memoranda of understaning (MoU) with, can generate revenue not just for the NTDC but for the entire country. Only then will there be a breakthrough, the desperation on oil will be reduced and there will be jobs because as long as we can create projects, jobs would be created,” Mbanefo said.

On ways to generate the revenue, she said, “One of our major targets is through domestic tourism. Through this, we will encourage Nigerians to travel within Nigeria. If you leave your comfort zone and travel in a bus, the transport sector is working; if you sleep on beddings, the manufacturing sector is working; if you fuel your car, the oil and gas sector is benefitting; if you eat, the agriculture sector is benefitting.

“Another project we have is the green city which means that we will

L-R: Acting Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) Mrs Angelina Garba, DG of NTDC, Mrs Sally Mbanefo and Acting Director, Hospitality &Travel Trade Department, Mrs Mariel Rae-Omoh at a two-day NTDC staff retreat in Abuja recently. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE

go to a place where there is a lot of garbage and convert that garbage to bio-fuel and bio-gas. We will resell and generate revenue from it and share with whoever partners with us. We don’t have money but our partners will invest in what we are doing because they believe in profit sharing and the vision of the NTDC. “We have an in-house consultant who will put our staff through by enlightening them on how they will be involved with revenue generation and what role they will play because the most important stakeholders in the tourism value chain are the staff.

Reviewing her first year activities in office, Mbanefo maintained that she focused on awareness creation about the importance of tourism and agreed on an implementable policy framework that would harness the potential in the sector.

“We want all Nigerians to recognise the importance of tourism; that is why we used the first year of our administration to create awareness and agree on an implementable policy framework that would make it possible for the country to harness the potential that abound in the tourism sector.

On poor awareness about domestic tourism, she said, “A year ago, most Nigerians were not aware of domestic tourism; so we toured round the six geo-political zones to check the condition of the tourist sites. Some are in bad shape while some are good. We will not change them overnight but our plans are to revive one tourist site per geopolitical zone in partnership with the state government and private

sector.

In his presentation, a consultant to the NTDC, Mr Fauno Nadah, lauded the efforts of Mbanefo for reaching out to other ministries, parastatals and private organisations to boost the tourism industry in Nigeria.

He advised the corporation to project a better image of Nigeria both nationally and internationally, saying that the Nigerian constitution does not favour the tourism sector.Nadah further enjoined the staff to focus more on marketing their products than seeking for sponsorship, stressing that selling their products was more sustainable than sponsorship. “You must focus more on marketing your products than seeking for sponsorship because selling a product is sustainable than sponsorship,” he said.

While suggesting that domestic tourism would generate $4 billon if 10 per cent of Nigerians travel to local tourist destinations, he advocated the use of mass media and other mediums in disseminating information about the relevance of tourist sites. “If 10 per cent of Nigerians travel locally, our domestic tourism market will be worth $4 billion. Therefore, the NTDC needs to be speaking to the people on a daily basis, using different mediums such as the internet, TV game show and destination Nigeria, a 90 seconds series that will be showcasing Nigeria on the Cable News Network (CNN) on the need to visit tourists sites in Nigeria.

The chairman, House Committee on Culture and Tourism, Ben Nwankwo, has tasked the Ministry of Tourism to unlock the potential inherent in the sector so as to attract massive investment, saying that culture was a tool for achieving cultural diplomacy.

He stated this in Abuja while declaring open the 7th Edition of the African Arts and Crafts Expo (AFAC) organised by the the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) with the theme “African Arts and Crafts: Tool For Economic Empowerment”.

Nwankwo said, “To get the operators of the economy to understand the importance of tourism, there is a need to mainstream the sector as the economy hub of Nigeria but the potential inherent in the sector should be unlocked because culture is a good tool for cultural diplomacy.”

In his address, the minister of tourism, culture and national orientation, Edem Duke enjoined financial institutions to develop packages that would encourage the culture by investing in the creative industries. While seeking for the collaboration of stakeholders in building a world class arts and crafts centre in Abuja, he insisted that the global media conspiracy against Nigeria should not define the true attributes of the country.

On his part, the chief executive officer of the NCAC, Mwajim Malgwi Maidugu, maintained that the AFAC exhibitions had consistently unveiled the abundant potentials in the cultural industries that would contribute towards addressing the challenges of youth empowerment and wealth creation.

“The AFAC, initiated in 2008, has steadily expanded and grown into an annual continental event that attracts participation not only in Africa but other countries of the world. It has become a platform on which the artistry, craftsmanship and entrepreneurial skills in the area of cultural industry are showcased with a view to unveiling the investment opportunities and economic potential that abound in the sector,” Maidugu said.

Nigeria To Host First Africa Tourism Exhibition

All is set for the maiden edition of Africa Tourism Exhibition tagged “Afro Tourism Expo” with the theme “Creating the Framework and Business Environment for Investment in Africa’s Tourism Industries.”

The event which is scheduled to take place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, from September 17-18 would provide African tourism industries basic information about the leading hospitality brands as well as facilitating trade and investment partnership.

Organised by a Nigerian destination management company, Destination Marketing Extra Limited, in partnership with tourism firms in South Africa and the United States of America, the maiden expo would attract participants from Nigeria, the Gambia, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Brazil, among others.

To make participants comfortable at the event, some exciting pre- and post-event Abuja city tour packages would be available free of charge and the service would be delivered by the director-general of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo. The event is also expected to provide participants with 50 per cent discount on all hotel bookings in Abuja, even as discounts would be given to participants on international and domestic flights to Abuja using Arik Air and Kenya Airways.

The system will always be defended by those countless people who have enough intellect to defend but not quite enough to innovate.

Edward de Bono, Maltese physician, author, inventor and consultant.

22/ AGRICULTURE

July 25, 2014

AgriC REPORT Farmers at work

The Journey to Ensuring Food Sufficiency Nigeria was food self-sufficient in the 1960s and was well known for its global position in major agricultural commodities. But things changed with the nation’s foray into oil & gas.

RUTH TENE NATSA, in this piece, looks at the many steps government is taking to ensure Nigeria returns to being a food sufficient nation.

One of the challenges to the development of agriculture is the fact that the Nigerian youth is out for a white collar job, which also leaves farming hugely to the aged and aging

The present government, through the minister of agriculture and rural development, Mr Akinwumi Adesina, is very optimistic that the present agricultural sector can produce enough food not only to feed the nation but have sufficiency to export to other countries of the world.

The struggle started with a partial ban on the importation of rice, improved production of cassava, wheat and palm produce as well as the implementation of the dry season rice policy which led to farmers producing rice all year round.

Speaking on the rice policy, the minister said, “The first hurdle to cross was to accelerate the production of local paddy rice. In November 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan supported the first ever policy on dry season rice production, focussing on 10 states of the Northern Nigeria, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kastina and Gombe states.

In 2011/2012, over 267,000 farmers were reached via the electronic wallet (e-wallet) and received high yielding varieties of rice and three bags of fertilizers subsidised by the federal government, while in 2013 over 10 million farmers were reached.

Akinwumi in his optimism

asserted that Nigeria is an agricultural powerhouse with immense potential, possessing over 84 million hectares of arable land of which no more than 40 per cent is cultivated over 263 billion cubic meters of water, with two of the largest rivers in Africa, and a cheap labour force to support agricultural intensification.

While his optimism is hinged on the success of President Jonathan’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), the fact remains that Nigeria is still largely behind in agriculture as a majority of farmers continue to practice subsistence farming which limits their produce.

To this challenge, Adesina said, “My ministry launched a N3.5 billion mechanisation programme that is setting up 80 private sector-run tractor s and mechanised service centres across the country.

The largest manufacturer of tractors in the world, the AGCO, has established in Nigeria to manufacture Marcy Ferguson tractors.”

A young agriculturalist, Alfred Nwaneri, said that “one of the challenges to the development of agriculture is the fact that the Nigerian youth is out for a white collar job, which leaves farming hugely to the aged and aging.” He said, “In fact, while a majority farming is done in the rural areas, it is not news that most youths have escaped to the city in search of white collar jobs in spite of the facts that there are no jobs to be found in the city.”

Meanwhile, Adesina has also said that “the Nagropreneur” programme will create a new generation of 750,000 young commercial farmers for Nigeria.

They will become the young elite commercial farmers who will

make Nigeria competitive in the global agriculture market well into the future.”

Illiteracy used to be a huge albatross to the development of the nation’s agriculture sector as many did not see the need to go to school to learn farming (after all, many reasoned, all that was needed to farm was physical strength) but that is in the past, Farming and agriculture, like every other aspect of life, is undergoing adverse modernisation. There is the need to get educated on modern methods of farming, improved seedlings, ways to improve the soil among many others which can be learnt at the various institutes of agriculture The fact that a large number of women are in farming also forms the basis for pessimists to argue that the nation’s agricultural sector may not be able to produce enough to fend for the over 160 million Nigerians, not to talk of exporting.

Sadly another fact that pessimists argue about is the fact that the sector may not be able to meet the demands of feeding the nation as purported by the director, International Institute of Journalism, Mr Emman Shehu. He opined that many farmers at the end of production, especially when it comes to perishable goods, sometimes find themselves at a loss as they have no means of recycling their produce. So rather than recycling bad or rotten produce such as oranges, pineapples and tomatoes, among others, they are wasted and thrown out after harvest.

This makes many farmers limit their production to enable them cut their losses. This can be tempered by access to agriculture information through the help of the media.

Ministry, Stakeholders Advocate Promotion Of Agric-business ...Set to host maiden edition of West African exhibitions and conference

by Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment (FMTI) and the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), among others, have advocated the promotion of agric-business to further enhance the growth of agriculture in the country.

To this end, the stakeholders have initiated the West African Exhibitions and Conference (WAECON) with the theme “Potential of Agric-business in Nigeria” designed to open a new vista in the promotion of agric-business as stakeholders converge to deliberate on how to enhance the potential of agric-business in the country.

In a statement, the head, Marketing/Public Relations, Nkechi Ogweh, WAECON, stated that “with minimum investment in research, provision of market information, access to subsidised fertilizer and links to international markets, cassava received a major boost in the country between 2003/2007. This boost has resulted in a glut on the market. This demonstrates that a focus on increasing yields without investing in processing and other aspects of the value chain will lead to short term and not long term sustainable growth for stakeholders across the value chain.

“The imperativeness of exploring the potential profitability of every agriculture investment and to determine whether it makes financial sense to proceed in the short and long term is more feasible than ever. It is in recognition of this fact that there have been comprehensive interventions to ensure sustainable growth and job creation.”

The director of events, WAECON, Mr Kune Igoni, said, “It is obvious that relevant agencies in the agriculture sector are willing to come together on a common platform to deliberate, collaborate and pool ideas together on how to make agric-business more productive and attractive in the country. We now have increased consciousness to boost the sector by making it more business-oriented and commercial.”

Dr Igoni said that the AFAN, BOA, FMTI, NASC, Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA) and various state governments have shown interests in participating at the WAECON

tax f0cus /23

July 25, 2014

Self Assessment Practice (2)

BY MOHAMMED, HABIBU SALE

Pay As You Earn (PAYE) • Completed Form A (income tax form for returns of income and claims for allowances and relief) • Form H1 (annual income declaration) • A schedule of tax deduction from the employer containing the following information; • Name of the employer • Tax Identification Number (TIN) of the employer • Name of employees • TIN of employee • Basic salary • Allowances • Tax charges • Overall total charged and remitted • Evidence of payment of tax.

Value Added Tax • Fully completed Form 002 • Value of all taxable goods and services purchased or supplied during the preceding month.

• Evidence of input tax deducted (as much as possible).

• Evidence of payment of tax.

Filling: This is an act of compliance with the tax law which requires that returns must be submitted within a stipulated period (statutory due date) regarding an individual or a company.

Due Dates of Filling Returns This refers to statutory date by which a company or individual taxpayer, depending on the tax type, must file its tax returns or risk a relevant sanction which may include being charged penalty and interest on a varying degree as the relevant tax law prescribes.

Section 41 of CITA thus

provides that: • “Every company including a company granted exemption from incorporation shall, whether or not a company is liable to pay tax under this Act for a year of assessment, with or without notice from the service, file a self-assessment return with the service in the prescribed form at least once a year.”

• “Subject to this Act or any organisation made thereunder the time of filing returns shall be: • In the case of a company that has been in a business for more than 18 months, not more after the end of the accounting year and; • In the case of newly incorporated company within 18 months from the date of its incorporation or not less than six months after the end of its accounting period, whichever is easier, in addition, the form of returns shall be signed by a managing director of the company and the secretary respectively.”

• “Any company which fails to comply with the provision of sub-section 2 shall be liable to pay as penalty for late filing as follows:• N25,000 in the first month in which the failure occurs, and • N5,000 for each subsequent month in which the failure continues.”

Part III, Section 12 of Value Added Tax law as amended provides that: • “A taxable person shall render to the board, on or before the 21st day of the month following that in which the purchase or supply was made, a return of all taxable goods and services purchased or supplied by him during the preceding month in such manner as the board may, from time to time, determine.”

tax in focus

• “A person who imports taxable goods into Nigeria shall render to the board returns on all the taxable goods imported by him into Nigeria.”

Part IV, Section (1) of the Personal Income Tax as amended provides that: • “For each year of assessment, a taxable person shall, without notice or Acting chairman, FIRS, Kabiru Mashi demand therefore, deduction file a return of income in or otherwise as may be the prescribed form and material for the purpose.” containing the prescribed • “The form of return shall information with the tax authority of the state in which contain a declaration which shall be by or on behalf of the the taxable person is deemed to be a resident, together with taxable person that the return contains a true and correct a true and correct statement statement of the income in writing containing: computed in accordance with • the amount of income the provisions of this Act and from every source of the rule or regulation made there year proceeding the year of under or that particulars given assessment computed in accordance with the provision in the return are true and complete.” of this Act and rules or • “A taxable person shall file regulation made there under, with the relevant tax authority and the returns as stipulated in • such particulars as by the return may be required for the this section within 90 days from the commencement of purpose of this Act and rules every year of assessment.” or regulations made there under with respect to any such income, allowance, relief, Consequence of failure to

file returns on due date • If there is a failure to file a self-assessment return on due the date, Section 55(1) (2) and (3) of CITA 2004 as updated in 2007 provide the penalty of N25,000 in the first month in which the failure occurs, and N5,000 for each month in which the failure continues.

• Where an offence that relates to failure to file returns is proved to have been committed by the consent or connivance or to be attributed to, any neglect on the part of any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer, servant or agent of company as well as the company, Section 55(5) of CITA 2004 as updated in 2007 provide the penalty of fine not exceeding N100,000 or imprisonment of not less than six months or both fine and imprisonment.

• Where there is a failure to furnish a statement or information or keep the records required, Section 85 of CITA 2004 as updated in 2007 provides a penalty of N20,000 and N2,000 for each day during which the failure continues and six months imprisonment in default of payment.

• Any person who aids, abets, counsels, incites or induces any other person to make or deliver any false return or statement under the CITA, keep or prepare any false accounts or particulars concerning any profits on which tax is payable under the CITA, or unlawfully refuse or neglect to pay tax will be subject to the provisions of Section 94(2) CITA, 2004 as updated in 2007 to a penalty of N1,000 fine or five years imprisonment or both, fine and imprisonment.

CONclUDed

Shifting Tax Monies: Transfer Pricing Phenomenon (4) Case 5 We can take this one step further by making the transfer price N500. Company A now makes a profit of N400 and B makes a loss of N200.

Company A pays companies income tax of N80 on its profit while B earns the capacity of reducing its future tax bill by N120 and in effect getting a rebate of N120.

In the circumstances, the group gets a tax rebate of N120 in Nigeria, pays N80 companies income tax in Uganda and is left with a gain

of N40 (N120 - N80) on this transaction. Adding this to the profit increases the profit after tax from N400 to N440.

Conventional approaches to confronting transfer mispricing The conventional international approach to dealing with transfer mispricing is through the ‘arm’s length’ principle.

This implies that a transfer price should be the same as if the two companies involved were

unrelated

parties negotiating in a free market and not part of the same corporate structure.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations Tax Committee have both endorsed the arm’s length principle, and it is widely used as the basis for bilateral treaties between governments. In August 2012, Nigeria enlisted itself amongst the countries that are eager to curtail the incidences of transfer pricing when it published

and gazetted the Income Tax (Transfer Pricing) Regulations No. 1, 2012.

The regulation is aimed at addressing the problems associated with profit shifting by multinationals as well as incidences of tax evasion that are entrenched in ‘over’ or ‘under’ pricing of controlled transactions between associated enterprises. The regulation takes effect from the basis period beginning after August 2, 2012. to be continued

24

July 25, 2014

Bernard Okhakume MC & A Weekly Digest market consumer advertising 08053040003

mcaandadigestweekly@gmail.com

The beauty of the system described above is that brands managed under such environment come out market leaders – volume and value. The P&G system did not compromise on financial input to brand management, so the choice of which Agency to work with does not depend in any way on the Agency’s cost profile and charges.

In fact, the system ensures (then) that Client/Agency assessment holds at the end of the business year. At that session the Agency scores the Client and the Client scores the Agency. The objective was to ensure the business relationship is mutually beneficial on every front.

But today, we have some franchise owners who look for the cheapest service providers at the cost of professional competence. That is why we have all sorts of campaign materials on air and various spaces lacking in effectiveness.

At the end there is a huge disconnect between a given brand’s value essence and the promise on sale by its campaign materials. Some do not even try seeking out the market for the victim-brand; they just “do something” to at least create awareness. There is usually no care

Brand Management Inquest ...Who Manages Your Brand? (2)

for the WHO for such brands. There lies the danger. By the time a good brand is wrongly positioned (bad foundation) what can the (righteous) brand do?

How would achieve consumer satisfaction with a brand which managers do not have the least appreciation of the target consumer profile. I dare say here that scientific consumer profiling was about 80% success I and the team I worked with on Delta Soap brand recorded at introduction ( not now...).

The impact of the strategic direction we adopted at the launch of that brand into Nigerian market reverberated in the accounting books of competing brands then. It was just apt.

Which is why we bother over the incidence of non-professionals in brands management; the brand and the consumer pay the price.

So we ask: who manages your brand?

This brings to fore APCON’s WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY. APCON’s WOP was intended for industry practitioners qualified for membership by reason of practice experience but constrained by the law guiding new membership into the Council, without hav-

ing to go through the Council’s diploma program. Unfortunately, however, that gesture was abused by non-professionals. A lot of those people, who earned the Council’s certification thereof, were mere hustlers who saw APCON certificate as their license to practice.

They found good clients among the Indians who would rather that the job is done by whomever in so far as the price is cheapest. The spiral effect took

FRIDAY SPECIAL/ business 1:0:1 Agrobusiness with Agbaji Chinedu

for enquires email: fridayleadership@leadership.ng The level of Agricultural Transformation in Nigeria many people have now recognize the importance of livestock in integrated production systems to provide the sustainable increase in food necessary to feed our rapidly expanding population. Geese farming fits well into such system and are especially well adapted to the humid tropics.

Geese are, however, the most rapid growing, have the longest commercial life and are the hardiest of all domesticated poultry.Geese are good foragers, reaching a marketable weight with little supplementary feeding, although food supplements are required to improve meat quality. The main demand for goose meat is for festive occasions, and this is likely to continue to be the case. Restaurants and hotels would no doubt offer goose if they could be assured of supply and quality. Yet, even given these advantages, geese farming has remained a neglected species.

Geese play an important role in smallscale farming system as an economic and ecological alternative for weed control and as guard animals.

RAISING GEESE The production of this animal gives farmers a big chance to increase their income and offers an alternative to

off there-from. New advert rate regime sprang up, where the client now takes the entire commission on advert placement; creative materials became mere complementary gestures; outdoor space rental now has nothing to do with OAAN rates card!

So, WHO MANAGES YOUR BRAND? Brands are no longer clearly distinguished from among competition, campaigns are no longer single-minded in concept and execution, market intelligence gathering is “old story”, media appreciation, usage & application has become the talk of over sabis...

The wise investor must know who manages his/her brand, for the good of the target consumer and the brand on offer. For a customer-focused brands management we must begin to appreciate professionalism. Advertising & Marketing Communication cannot be an all-comers thing; it requires deep professional commitment and engagement.

We at MC&A Digest think that is the way to go. ➔ TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

Geese Farming A New Dawn In Agribusiness

chicken, turkey etc. You can start geese farming with a unit normally called a foundation stock; a unit comprises 2-males and 6-females.

57

BREEDS OF GEESE Some European breeds, such as the Emden and Toulouse, have been introduced into tropical developing countries with notable success. Moreover, Chinese geese which are widely kept in South-East Asia, seem to be especially promising for small-holders.

They are very good layers, active foragers (making them economical and useful as weeders), and the most alert and “talkative” breed and they produce the leanest quality white meat”.

ing, as well as soft down and feather for bedding, clothing, upholstery, which makes them particularly appropriate for providing farmers with a supplementary income.

GEESE AS A MULTIPURPOSE ANIMAL Mature geese are independent, larger than other poultry species and thus less vulnerable to predator when kept in small flocks and allowed to roam the farmland, field or backyard.

They are adept scavengers, requiring less attention than any other domestic bird. Geese adapt easily to captivity if small quantity of supplementary feed are provided to boost their rapid growth. Thus, requiring little extra work, these animals supply nutritious meat, huge eggs and rich fat for cook-

PROFITABILITY Geese are very cheap and easy to maintain and they provide animal protein as well as cash income. Your geese probably won’t make you affluent by laying about 60 eggs a year, but they can earn their keep by supplying the following farm products and services that will surely bring in millions of naira: Infertile eggs: Huge, good for catering, scrambling and baking, try marketing extras to bakery and fast food restaurants.

Meat: Higher protein contents, suc-

culent, richer, palatable and tenderer than turkey and chicken. This provides a rich food source for an often hungry populace.

Feathers/down: Valuable for comfy pillows and light, insulating comforters and for other upholstery uses.

Weeding/grass trimming: Once used to weed a variety of crops, geese are again becoming popular weeders as the organic method catches on (they fertilize the soil, too).

Tourism: Geese are animals of unique feature and this makes the animal tradable for tourist uses. The big versatile rare-waterfowl has been highly valued; it is even considered indispensable.

Security guard: Geese make ideal “watchdogs;” they are guard animals.

Fertilized eggs/breeding stock: If you raise purebreds, crossbreds or rare breeds, You can get a prolific breeds available for sale at N130, 000 for two males and three females of 10 months old point-of-lay.

Be part of YOUTH IN AGRIBUSINESS for Job, wealth creation and food security in Nigeria. Manuals and CD’S on Grasscutter, Snail, UGu, and Geese Farming are available.

— Agbaji chinedu, National Coordinator Youth in Agribusiness 08035004617,learnder@gmail.com

Marriage is like a groundnut; you have to crack it to see what is inside. ― Ghanaian proverb

Your Entertainment and Lifestyle Guide July 25, 2014

Kemi Adetiba: Sworn To Defend All Visual Images

ESSENTIALS PLAYLIST

razak’s diary Tattles There are many colorful flowers on the path of life, but the prettiest have the sharpest thorns.

― African Proverb

26

STARTERS

July 25, 2014

EDITOR’S NOTE Enjoy our amazing feature with the prolific video director, Kemi Adetiba.

Abisola Alawode met with the creative mind to discuss the business of music videos and the goings-on behind the scenes of our favourite videos. Undoubtedly, music is often enjoyed for its melodies first, but they (music videos) add much needed dynamism and translation to a lot of songs that are perhaps not great on

their own. In recent times, especially with songs that don’t make much sense, a great video goes a long way to add meaning and reference to the song. What are your favourite songs and do you prefer them with their videos? I’m going to find this out for myself.

It’s been 100 days since those helpless Chibok girls were abducted.

Do you still say a prayer for them and

Ariana Grande (feat. Iggy Azalea) Problem

Bastille, Pompeii

Nico & Vinz Am I Wrong

Enrique Iglesias, Bailando f/ Sean Paul, D Bueno. & Gente de Zona

Iggy Azalea (feat. Charli XCX) Fancy

AJR, I’m Ready

Magic! Rude

Pharrell William, Happy

Calvin Harris Summer

OneRepublic, Counting Stars

Disclosure (feat. Sam Smith) Latch

Rita Ora, I Will Never Let You Down

Sam Smith, Stay With Me

Katy Tiz , The Big Bang

Paramore Isn’t It Fun

Georgia Line, This Is How We Roll f/ Luke Bryan Florida-

Maroon 5 Maps

Nigerian Songs Dammy Krane – Amin. Amin is a slow tempo, prayerful song that leaves listeners hopeful for the future. Krane’s playful lyrics, coupled with his unique dimension gives the song a positive vibe.

DJ Snake & Lil Jon Turn Down For What MKTO Classic OneRepublic Love Runs Out Jason DeRulo (feat. Snoop Dogg) Wiggle John Legend All of Me Demi Lovato (feat. Cher Lloyd)Really Don’t Care Justin Timberlake Not a Bad Thing Pharrell Williams Come Get It Bae KONGOS Come With Me Now Charlie XCX 5 Boom Clap Jennifer Lopez First Love Afrojack (feat. Wrabel)Ten Feet Tall Katy Perry Birthday Sia Chandelier Rixton, Me And My Broken Heart Lorde Tennis Court Jason DeRulo (feat. 2 Chainz) Talk Dirty Becky G Shower Katy Perry (feat. Juicy J) Dark Horse Tiesto (feat. Matthew Koma) Wasted Ed Sheeran, Sing Clean Bandit (ft. Jess Glynne)Rather Be Trey Songz Na Na

Lerato

lerato.umah@leadership.ng fridayleadership@leadership.ng follow us on Twitter @essentialsng

one TO WATCH

Essentials Playlist With Abisola Alawode THE TOP 40 FOREIGN SONGS OF THE WEEK

their heart-broken parents? If you have not, please do so today.

There’s a lot happening around the place; just be safe and have a splendid weekend.

Orphan Black

J’odie – Seasons What do you expect when a woman is blessed with such a golden voice? Gifted vocalist J’odie who has been quiet since the release of the video of Sugar Coconut released this single recently. Listen and enjoy.

One thing that stands out about this series is its ‘interesting’ storyline. The series begins with Sarah Manning, a con artist by trade, witnessing the suicide of a woman, Beth Childs, who appears to be her doppelgänger and, with Manning, is one of many clones. Manning takes on Childs’ identity and occupation as a police detective after Childs’ death. During the first season, Manning discovers that she is a clone, one of many ‘sister’ clones scattered throughout North America and Europe, and that

Sunny Nneji – Sexy Thing Mr Romantic, Sunny Nneji, has been around for more than 10 years.

So, you can expect any number released by the musician to be nice. Download and listen.

movie review

Olamide – Awon Goons mi.

Indigenous Hip-hop king and YBNL Nation CEO, Olamide, is arguably the most consistent artiste in Nigeria. You don’t need a lot of proof to believe this one, do you? Consider the number of songs he has released in the past months. Awon goons mi is another song that showcases the rapper’s versatility.

Fuse ODG – I Need Jollof A very hilarious song. Fuse, helped along by his producer Killbeatz craft a song made exclusively for laughs.

Efya – One of Your Own Award-winning Ghanaian diva, Efya, blesses

music-lovers with a new emotive single titled One of your own, featuring Bisa K’dei. Though done in her native Twi dialect, language, as always, is no barrier to enjoying this song

Iyanya – Mr Oreo

In this number, off Triple MG’s The Evolution album, Kukere master Iyanya shows that he is, indeed, the master of club songs. Mr Oreo is a very nice song.

Believe it.

someone is plotting to kill them all.

Alongside her foster brother, Felix Dawkins, and two of her fellow clones, Alison Hendrix and Cosima Niehaus, Manning discovers the origin of the clones: a scientific movement called Neolution; a movement which believes that human beings can use scientific knowledge to direct their evolution as a species. The series received generally favourable reviews, with the first season scoring a73 out of 100 on Metacritic.

The Grand Budapest Hotel Release date June 2014 Producer Wes Anderson Genre Comedy Starring Ralph Fiennes,Murray Abraham, Matthew Amalric, Adrien Brody The Grand Budapest Hotel retraces the adventures of Gustave H, devoted concierge at one of Eastern Europe’s most prestigious hotels, and his most trusted employee, Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy.

The central intrigue concerns a missing Renaissance painting and

a family feud, all unfolding amid political turmoil in Europe.

It is a movie worth watching because of how beautiful the film is and the hilarious dialogue. Although the risk may be that style-oversubstance might seem frivolous and annoying. You will either laugh hysterically or be baffled as to why people like the movie. After watching, you can either love or hate Wes Anderson.

— Reviewed by Chic Chic Umah

group EDITOR Lerato Miriam Umah REPORTERS Abisola Alawode, Patience Ivie Ihejirika DESIGN & LAYOUT Chukwudi J. Nwabueze, Iniobong Ekong

ACTING EDITOR Hassan Gimba Ahmed

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah Chairman Hajiya Ireti Kingibe GRP MANAGING DIRECTOR Azubuike Ishiekwene GRP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS Michael Okpere, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye

Your weekly ESSENTIALS is filled with exclusive interviews, amazing articles from guest columnists and contributors.

27

July 25, 2014

ESSENTIALS Taste

By Patience Ivie Ihejirika

Okro soup Ingredients

1kg beef/ goat meat (chevron) 1 bunch Pumpkin Leaves (ugu) chopped 400g Okra, chopped 400g dried fish 300g stock fish 300g kpomo 1handful crayfish(ground) 8 Chilli pepper (to taste) 2 stock cubes 1 cup palm oil 1 large onion Salt (to taste)

Direction

Wash all the ingredients properly.

Season and boil the meat and, when it is almost soft, add the stock fish and kpomo and allow cooking.

Add the palm oil, then the grated okra. Add some water to the stock and cook for about five minutes.

Add the chopped pumpkin leaves, crayfish, stock cubes and salt. Allow

to boil for another five minutes, then remove from heat. The soup is ready to be served. Enjoy!

Okra

Okra is a versatile vegetable found in almost every part of Nigeria. It is often used for making soups and its method of preparation varies among ethnic groups. However, the soup is generally served with pounded yam, fufu, eba, semolina, wheat or amala.

Health benefits of Okra

Okra is known for its richness in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Research has also shown that the vegetable is highly medicinal. It comes in handy for weight management, pregnancy nourishment, bowel movement, skin and hair maintenance, diabetes, promotion of colon health, boosting digestion, relief from cough and improved vision.

Apple Pie Ingredients

• Pastry for 2 crusts • 8 cups sliced, peeled assorted baking apples • 2 tablespoon lemon juice • 3/4 cup white sugar • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 2 Tablespoons butter • 1 egg yolk • 1 Tablespoon milk

• In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and milk. Brush mixture over top crust. Bake at 425OF for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350OF and bake for 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

Remove from heat.

• Your apple pie is ready.

Directions

• Toss sliced apples with lemon juice into a bowl. Mix sugars, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; add to apples and toss well to coat.

• Fill pastry lined nine-inch pie pan with apple mixture. Place second crust on top of pie-filling, cut slits on top of crust to vent.

Seal the edges of the crust with a fork or by hand.

Many Wonders Of Apple

Apple is one of the most nutritious fruits in the world.

Though it is not cultivated in Nigeria, it is widely consumed by many families due to its nutritional and health values. Apples are often eaten raw, except for the seeds which are slightly poisonous. Apple is also eaten or baked in various ways (ever heard of apple pie, apple crisp and apple cake?).

Apple can also be dried or reconstituted for later use.

It is made into apple butter and apple jelly. It can be processed into fruit juice and the juice can be fermented to make [apple] cider and vinegar.

Health Benefits Of Tomatoes

There is a saying that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Based on research, apples may reduce the risk of prostate and lung cancers. Compared to many other fruits and vegetables, apples contain relatively low amounts of Vitamin C but are a rich source of other anti-oxidant compounds. The fibre content helps regulate bowel movements and may thus reduce the risk of colon cancer. They may also help prevent heart disease, help in weight loss, as well as cholesterol reduction. The research also suggests that the consumption of apples can prevent children from developing asthma, protect the lungs of adults, lower the risk of asthma, lung cancer and other diseases.

The friends of our friends are our friends. ― Congolese Africa

FEATURE

28

July 25, 2014

Kemi Adetiba: Sworn To Defend All Visual Images

By ABISOLA ALAWODE

If Kemi Adetiba is not known at all, she is known for two things – the prestige and class associated with all her videos. Delectable, fun to be with and have around, charming, passionate about her craft and with an immense understanding of the entertainment industry, Adetiba truly deserves to be at the top.

1

By Your journey in the Nigerian media has been quite remarkable; from being an OAP, to presenting the Maltina Dancehall show and, now, one of Nigeria’s most recognised director/producer for motion visuals. How did it all begin for you?

I’ve always been a creative person. I mean, they used to call me ‘DJ K’ in school.

Back then, I used to listen to all kinds of music, because my family was quite musicinclined. The arts were a big part of our lives and, of course, you know that my father used to be in the media. This was the kind of environment in which I was brought up. People who knew me as a child are not surprised that I turned out this way.

2

How do you get your ideas when directing your videos?

The ideas just come. If I think about an idea, I usually get pictures. All that is left is for me is to just piece together these pictures and make sure they tell a story and, voila, the video is made.

3

We’ve never dated and, come to think of it, I don’t think Banky W has ever found me attractive.

It’s weird when people say we are compatible.

I can understand why people group us together, though, because we travel together and all that

So law was just something you just did for the sake of it?

Yes, it was. I didn’t have any particular love for law. You know, my house is full of certified professionals. My mum is one of Africa’s first certified female civil engineers. I couldn’t be an engineer because I don’t like math and I couldn’t be a doctor because I don’t like blood. Law was the final option.

4

What is the first thing you consider before you shoot a video?

The first thing I consider is the music. If I don’t like the music, then I don’t do the video. If I am not inspired by the music then I can’t make the ‘Kemi Adetiba’ videos which everyone loves.

5

So, even if someone offers you $1m to shoot a video with bad music, you wouldn’t do it?

I will not do it, because I’ll just be motivated by the money and, unfortunately, that’s not enough motivation for me. I genuinely have to like the music. What’s the essence of your coming to me if I can’t deliver and give you what you want?

6

Should we expect a full featurelength movie from you soon?

Yes, I’m hoping [so too]. I wish I would have done that before now. I have done short films that have done well on the festival route, but with feature length, funding is key. This is so, because my methods will demand above-average funding. But we don’t exactly have a culture for investing in movies and I really do not know much about that industry. I’m, more or less, like an outsider just looking in. As much as I will like to be the first Nigerian movie director to have a movie showing at Cannes [film festival], I’m also concerned about how they (Nigerian movie-makers) make their money. The reason why my videos are the way they are is because I’m, first and foremost, a film-maker and storyteller and even if I can’t afford to make a feature-length movie, I try to make each music video my little movie.

7

I understand you were in Brazil for the recently concluded 2014 FIFA World Cup; what are some of the things you learnt from your trip? Also, do you think that our country will do better by learning a few things from them?

I was in Brazil for work actually. Wakanow had hired me to shoot a documentary for them over there. It was also my second time in Brazil. I wasn’t into their culture, so I really can’t speak about that, but I can just speak more on how they organised the world cup, especially from the media point of view. Everything was precise, well thought of and properly put together. I just wish we could have more of that in this country. We are getting there, though.

8

In the entertainment industry, strong women like you are a reference point for young girls coming through the ranks. Do you think women can effectively compete with the men in the industry?

Why wouldn’t they be able to do that, especially when women say it’s tough for them to succeed in the industry? I usually say to them, I’m a woman and I’m here, I didn’t have to sleep with or beg anybody to get here. What I did was to ensure that I put everything into any project I put out.

There are many people who do not know me as a girl; they think that I’m a boy and

To be without a friend is to be poor indeed.

Kemi Adetiba that’s fine as far as you pay me.

The thing about is that once you are given a chance, you should be able to deliver. You can’t offer to lower your standards because you’re a woman: it doesn’t work that way. If you want to be able to compete, you have to compete on that level. Even if you have to work ten times harder, don’t grumble. Just do it.

9

So, what are your thoughts on the Nigerian entertainment industry as a whole, considering the international recognition the industry’s been attracting?

I think we are presently getting a lot of attention for our music while our movies have been getting recognition abroad for some time now. A number of them are doing well internationally.

However, I am hoping that does not make us lazy and prevent us from trying to advance. We might ― Tanzanian proverb

be getting recognition now, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we have to sit down and fold our arms. We have to keep pushing and looking for ways to take our craft to the next level. Like I always do when I work, I’m constantly on the lookout for ways to advance. I don’t think I should do something because everyone is doing the same. I mean, whenever I watch my old videos, I cringe because I see all my mistakes. So, on the next project, I try to correct those mistakes and come out with a better video. The whole industry needs to keep the attention [coming] for a good reason. We need to be more inspiring and let people outside Nigeria also copy from us.

10

Video directors are constantly accused of ‘hijacking’ other people’s ideas or concepts. Have you ever been accused of ‘hijacking’?

FRIDAY EXTRA July 25, 2014

The Battles Against Trafficking Continues

Life scars: Cynthia now has permanent scars, thanks to the hot water her guardian used to scald her. Insert: The society needs to react more actively to the growing need to protect women and children, society’s most vulnerable. ukemena blessing

INSIDE

Eleven-year-old Cynthia Ugoba (not real names) has scars on her body to show for the abuse she received while working as a house-help in Abuja. Her story began when her uncle took her from her parents in Anambra State with the promise of “helping her” in life. However, when they got to Abuja, he sent her to become the house-help of a certain woman, Mrs Amaka Udochie (not real name) a civil servant who resides in Gwarimpa, FCT. Ugoba did the best she could to put up with the many duties she was saddled with, but Udochie gradually lost her patience with her and began to beat her thoroughly for any mistake she made.

Udochie beat her up so bad that the neighbours could not help but notice.

One day, Udochie became so angry that she poured water on the little girl. But far from done, her anger took on a new dimension. Another day, Udochie’s anger blinded her to reason. She placed hot iron on the little girl.

When Cynthia was finally enrolled in the LEA Primary School Gwarimpa, her teacher noticed the marks on the little girl’s body and neck. Horrified, she alerted the zonal office of the National Coordinator of Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF). The NGO prevailed and took Ugoba to their shelter for abused children. They invited Mrs Udochie to come explain the burns on the child but she

failed to honour the invitation.

One day, while Ugoba was on her way to school, she was abducted by Ugoba and the WOTCLEF office, seeing the new dimensions to the issue, reported to the National Agency for the Prohibition of traffic in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) for further investigation and intervention. When Udochie was summoned by the NAPTIP to explain the accusations, she denied everything. However, her teacher and school counsellor who had witnessed all that had happened came forward and gave some details which Udochie could not deny. These details were further confirmed by one of Udochie’s neighbour. NAPTIP had to detain Udochie and her husband for three days before the girl was reproduced. Eventually, Udochie confessed to the crime and the couple were released on bail. The matter is presently pending in court. Cynthia has long been reunited with her parents back in Anambra State.

WOTCLEF national coordinator, Veronica Umaru, stated that girls were more vulnerable or prone to child abuse than boys because of the nature of the Nigerian society, “We have had a lot of cases of trafficking like that of Cynthia and we are working with the government with help from the European Union in most of our projects. In the course of our work we have discovered that there are more girl victims than boys.

Why is the ground solid? nobel ultimate top list

“But then, this is largely due to the cultural and religious view of the female child which our society has. In most case the female child is seen as a second class citizen in comparism to the male child.

We will continue to do our work because these children are the future. If a mother cannot maltreat her own child, we must learn to treat the children of others with love,” Umaru said.

According to the executive director of Sexual Offences Awareness and Victims Rehabilitation Initiative, SOAR, Chinyere Eyoh, as much as it is difficult to believe, child slavery still exists and continues, despite the level of education in the country.

“Child labour is a form of slavery, because it involves the enslavement of children. They are exposed to serious dangers and illness from a tender age. Child labour deprives the child of a proper childhood and condemns the child to unskilled and badly paid work.

It happens in big cities so education is not the issue here,” Eyoh said.

Grace Nweke (not real names), another young girl, was a victim of trafficking. Life was difficult for the 14-yearold and her family in Ebonyi State where they resided. Hoping to separate Grace from the poverty bedevilling her family, she was sent away to stay with an uncle in Lagos. While she was there, a certain lady, Hannah Umeh, introduced herself to Nweke’s uncle as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who was deployed to Abuja. She promised to take care of Nweke if her uncle would let her take the teenager with her to the FCT. Glad that caring for Nweke would now be someone else’s headache, the uncle agreed, and he took Nweke to board a bus all by herself, because Umeh had gone ahead earlier.

On her way to Abuja, Nweke called Umeh and was requested by Umeh to stop over at a family house in Suleja. Ume narrated that she worked as a house-help in the ‘family house’ for about three months before she was sent to another ‘family house’ in Durumi where she also worked as a house help for a few months.

When the second family got tired of Nweke, she was sent off to work as a house-help with another family. They took pity on her and enrolled her at the Gwarinpa Secondary School,Lifecamp, but then the family had to travel and left Nweke with yet another family to look after her, until they returned. It was while this family was still away on their journey that Nweke was thrown out of the house, because they could not afford to continue feeding her.

Without a roof over her head and at a loss at what to do, Nweke called Umeh to report the situation. Umeh finally turned up and took Nweke to live with

her, but refused to allow her (Nweke) to attend school regularly. She made Nweke stay at her Gwarimpa residence and sell recharge cards.

Fortunately, a teacher who had been aware of Nweke’s passing from houseto-house noticed that the teenager was no longer regular in school and traced where she lived. She discovered that, in addition to working, the young Nweke was also sick and had a lump in her breast. Horrified, the teacher reported the case to the WOTCELF and, currently, Nweke is living at the NGO’s shelter in Gwarimpa. Nweke has gone for several tests and is scheduled for breast surgery in the third week of July 2014.

In line with fighting for the right of the Nigerian child and combatting childtrafficking, the WOTCLEF has undertaken a number of projects to ensure that the tide of trafficking is, at least, reduced. WOTCLEF is implementing a one-year European Union-funded project titled “Mitigating Child Trafficking in Nigeria through Involvement of Children in Children’s Rights Education”.

One of the key activities in the funded project is the peer-to-peer education which was recently organised in 20 different primary and junior secondary schools (10 each) in the FCT. The project kicked off in February this year and succeeded in empowering 20 peer educators (children). It was rounded off in June.

The children were empowered with knowledge and skill to help them protect themselves from traffickers and child abusers. These children would then go on to educate 20 other children as well.

This way, the message is spread.

As a further measure to combat this trend, the WOTCLEF Anti-trafficking Brigade was established in the 20 target schools in the FCT. Topics treated during the training included; Rights of Children

by Mr Kolawole Olatosimi, Child Abuse and Labour by Mrs Chinyere Eyoh, Essentail Life Skills by WOTCLEF National Coordinator, Mrs Veronica Umaru.

A series of town hall meetings was also organised for traditional/community leaders, religious leaders, women groups, youth groups, school principals, students and teachers on the May 21, in Gwarimpa, FCT. The meeting provided a platform for selected discussants to talk about various issues bordering on child-trafficking. Organisations such as the delegations of the EU, UNODC, Save the Child and the Nigerian Human Right Commission were also present.

As at June 24, 2014, there were a total of 13 children, 6 boys and 7 girls in the WOTCLEF shelter. Eight of these are in the primary schools, 2 in junior secondary schools, 2 in senior secondary schools and one waiting to gain a place in the university.

Big Questions & Answers Why... answers to scientific questions

30 FRIDAY EXTRA/Best places to go...

July 25, 2014

Hang Gliding

Speed has its limitations, and this is almost always true about travel. Getting there can still be half, if not most, of the fun, especially if you pick the right mode of transport. This is where barges come in. With nearly 5,000 miles of navigable waters, France has the largest and most intricate inland waterway system of any country, which is why it should come as no surprise that it is home to some of the best scenic canal barging.

Canal Barging C anal de Bourgogne in Burgundy is what many people envision when they think about cruising through French wine country. Served by barges like the 20-passenger Litote and the sixpassenger Fandango, the canal twists through the Ouche River valley. It passes vineyards, Gothic churches, Renaissance chateaux, and picturesque villages such as Dijon and Beaune. The towpaths have been paved for easy cycling .or walking when the barge docks for the day. Don’t miss a side visit to Clos de Vougeot, a vineyard bound by stone walls where monks planted the first vine in the 12th Century, as well as to the medieval Chateau de Chateauneuf and the hill-top basilica of St. Mary Magdalene in Vezelay.

Best of all, this route will take you to Les Halles, the enormous covered market in Dijon. You’ll find the lowest rates in the shoulder season, usually early March through late April and mid-October to early November.

Food lovers can splurge on a Michelin cruise on the Burgundy Canal du Nivernais and Yonne River on board the Randle. You can charter the entire boat, which fits only four guests, and comes with a Cordon Bleu chef who prepares your breakfast and lunch. With brokers like Edge Charter (www.edgecharter. com), you create your own itinerary: Dine at four Michelin-starred restaurants in a week, including the two-star le Grand Hotel de l’Esperance in the village of Saint-Pare and the renowned threestar La Cote Saint-Jacques in Joigny.

And to avoid the tourist wine trail, you can arrange visits with small, artisan winemakers in villages like Tennay and Irancy.

To explore a lesser known region, skip the well-trod Burgundy and Bordeaux regions in favour of the 300-year-old Canal du Midi in Languedoc-Roussillon. This is a considerably more laid-back region for wine lovers, and yet it’s an unusual gem because of how difficult it is to grow wine

grapes on the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Canal du Midi is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, and its network of waterways stretches nearly 225 miles from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.

It considered an engineering marvel, with hundreds of aqueducts, bridges, and locks connecting the waters, but to barge here feels like you’ve travelled back a few centuries. While sailing on a barge like the four-passenger Alouette, you’ll travel between Beziers on the Mediterranean and the medieval walled fortress town of Carcassonne, passing by vineyards, Roman ruins, and medieval villages along the way. Languedoc-Roussillon has a typically Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters, so you can go any time of year, but wine lovers should go in October-this is harvest season when the region is alive with festivals and events.

Savvy travellers like the AlsaceLorraine region because it’s a little off the beaten path. The area borders France

It is only in our decision that we are important.

Jean-Paul Sartre, French philosopher, writer, political activist and critic

and Germany and features distinct architecture, the capital of Strasbourg, the town of Colmar with its “Little Venice” district, and the famous Saint-LouisArzviller inclined plane. This is a hill that the barge ascends via a specialized boat lift, which is considered an engineering marvel. It enables the barge to cross a stretch of the Vosges mountains without making a long detour.

July 25, 2014 Want a gourmet experience outside of France? The 10-passenger Shannon Princess II follows the lower River Shannon in Ireland, between Athlone and Killaloe. Chef Olivia Power, trained at Bally-maloe Cookery School (which is at the forefront of modern Irish cuisine), uses locally sourced ingredients from artisan cheese makers and bakers. She’ll even take you on foraging excursions and bring you back to the barge for a seasonal cooking lesson. As you sail the river, you’ll visit the ancient Clonmacnoise ruins, medieval castles, kitchen gardens, traditional craftsmen, and rural old villages along the way.

Llangollen Canal is a stunning 41-mile, 3-day journey through England and Wales. The canal starts near the town of Nantwich in Cheshire and ends near the Welsh village of Llangollen. Along the way, you’ll span the border of both countries as you pass by sheep pastures, peat bogs, tree-lined lakes, the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran, and the foothills of Snowdonia. The canal also traverses the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a feat of masonry engineering, which carries the canal 120 feet over the River Dee. Another less-spectacular aqueduct carries the canal over the River Ceiriog and passes through several tunnels. Nature enthusiasts love the fact that the canal runs right through the Fenn’s, Whixall, and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve on the border of Wales and England.

It is no surprise that you can barge through Holland’s ample waterways and even less of a surprise that the best time to do it is in spring tulip season. For a more unexpected itinerary, the Marjorie II is a 12-passenger luxury barge that sails from Haarlem down into Bruges. That means you cover many of the same sights as a traditional central Holland cruise—like the Keukenhof Gardens and Aalsmeer flower auction-but also stop in Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges. Beer and chocolate, anyone?

Want to stick closer to home? The Erie, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca Canals in central and western New York are popular with the slow-travel brigade-and families with children-who want to soak in the delightful scenery and see peaceful historic villages that have changed very little this century. You can have a perfectly Norman Rockwell experience over 10 days or so on the water. Swimming, fishing, and biking are plentiful along the route, while dozens of small towns, vineyards, museums, churches, and waterfalls beg to be explored during off-barge excursions.

These canals are navigable via self-drive barges that can be rented from a variety of vendors along the route. Mid-Lakes Navigation operates daily cruises and twoand three-day journeys along the Erie Canal. And if you want to try your own hand, you can self-skipper a charter boat and get a full orientation on how to operate the boat and maneuver through a lock.

FRIDAY EXTRA/...Surfing 31 Insider Tip Europe is also a great place to get hands-on barging experience. Although driving a barge isn’t difficult, the intimidating part is navigating the canal locks and lift bridges. If you’re a first-timer, your best bet is the Canal du Rhone it Sete in the Camargue region of southern France. It has only three locks total, and it’s a more off-the-beaten path option with old fishing villages and Mediterranean beaches. Le Boat is the major provider of self-drive barges in Europe, and will set you up with instructions on how to operate the barge and provide emergency support along the way.

Insider Tip Did you know that on many barge cruises, you can jump on and off the boat throughout the day? When the barge is in a lock, you can jump out and bike, walk, or jog along the towpath that parallels the canal. If you’re near a village, you can even take a detour through town to see the sights. Since barges only go 3 to 4 miles per hour, there’s little chance the barge will outpace you. When you’re tired of exploring, simply hop back on. Many people fear that barges will be too claustrophobic, considering their small size, so knowing that they can hop-off at regular intervals is reassuring.

I never get the accountants in before I start up a business. It’s done on gut feeling, especially if I can see that they are taking the mickey out of the consumer. Richard Branson, founder, chairman and CEO of Virgin Group

32 FRIDAY EXTRA

July 25, 2014

nobel

A Century Of Prize Winners

Earl Sutherland, Jr.

For his invention and development of the holographic method.

Dennis Gabor

ECONOMIC SCIENCE

(1900-1979) Dermis Gabor was born in Budapest, Hungary, at the turn of the last century, but it was at the University of London where he invented the hologram - a lens-less system of three-dimensional photography - which brought him the 1971 Nobel Prize in Physics.

His love of physics appeared as a sudden passion at the age of 15. He wrote, “I could not wait until I got to the university”; in the meantime he learnt calculus, devouring a book by O.D. Chwolson that was the most important then available on the subject. He was also fascinated by Ernst Abbe’s theory of the microscope and by Gabriel Lippmann’s method of color photography, which, 30 years later, would have a decisive influence on his own work.

His enthusiasm for physics was enormous, and Gabor even built a laboratory with his brother, where they could repeat experiments by the most famous scientists of the day.

When the time finally came for Gabor to go to university, however, he chose to enter an engineering program instead. He justified this by explaining, “Physics was not yet a profes- sion in Hungary.” In 1924 he graduated in electrical engineering from the Technische Hochschule in Berlin, where three years later he received his doctorate. Whenever he could, though, he would visit the University of Berlin, where names like Einstein, Planck, Nernst and von Laue were ushering in the golden age of physics in Germany.

With Hitler’s rise to power, however, Gabor decided to leave Germany and, after a short period in Hungary, moved to England in 1934. During World War 11 he worked for the British Thomson-Houston Company. The following years were his most fruitful: during this time he wrote his first pieces on the communication theory, developed a system of stereoscopic cinematography and, in 1948, carried out his first experiments related to holography. One year later he became a British citizen.

Gabor was also involved in the attempt to build an improved electron microscope capable of visualizing isolated electrons. The results were encouraging but ultimately unsuccessful, and it would take a further 20 years before techniques were developed that allowed the advance of electronic holography.

He retired in 1967 but maintained links with the Imperial College of Science and Technology. In his later years he began to be concerned about the future of industrialized civilization and was convinced that social inventions and research must be placed above technological progress. He tried to explain his ideas in books such as Inventing the Future (1963), Innovations (1970) and The Mature Society (1972).

ECONOMIC SCIENCE

(1915-1974) On November 19, 1915, Earl Wilbur Sutherland, Jr., was born in Burlingame, Kansas. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in science in I937 from Wash burn College. He then transferred to the School of Medicine at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri, where he received his doctorate in 1942. For the next 20 years this American biochemist would dedicate himself to research, notably in conjunction with Carl Cori, who was a laureate for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in I947. The high point of his work was the moment he isolated the cyclic adenosine monophosphate and demonstrated its involvement in many metabolic processes.

During World War II Sutherland served as a battalion surgeon with the U.S. Army. After his discharge in I945 he went to lecture at Washington University, then in I953 he moved to the School of Medicine at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained for a decade. In 1963 he married his second wife, Claudia Sebeste Smith, and became a professor of physiology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. A year before his death he took a position at the University of Miami in Florida.

Sutherland’s research focused on the mechanisms by which adrenaline regulates the metabolism of glycogen into glucose in the liver. He discovered that this hormone is responsible for activating the enzyme phosphorylase, which controls the transformation.

Later on it was understood that this activation took place because of an intermediary substance, which occurs during the process. The discovery and chemical characterization of this intermediary substance, which Sutherland called a second messenger (the first is the hormone), was of great importance in understanding the mechanism of the action of adrenaline and many other hormones. When he identified this substance he saw that he was dealing with a nucleotide, which he called cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or cyclic AMP. In I960 Sutherland suggested that these conclusions could explain the effects of many other hormones. He postulated that the various hormones do not penetrate the cells but are “captured” on the cell walls by adrenaline, which activates the process of forming the cyclic AMP, which, in turn, stimulates or inhibits various metabolic processes once inside the cell.

In 197I Earl Wilbur Sutherland, [r., was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; a year earlier he had received the Gairdner International Foundation Award and the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award. He died a few years later, in 1974.

For his discoveries concerning the mechanisms of the action of hormones.

There is no beauty but the beauty of action.

Culled from the book ‘Nobel’ ― Moroccan proverb

INVALUABLE TIPS FOR LIFE 25.07.2014

Creating a life with the Perfect Amount of Stress Stress is a basic fact of life. But that should not be as depressing as it sounds.

Finances

Knowing What Wealthy Finance Experts Know

Leadership

Core Beliefs Of Extraordinary Leaders

Grooming Motivation The Unforgettable Host

5 Things Remarkably Happy People Do Often

Health Stroke

34 FORESIGHT

July 25, 2014

WORK & CAREER

FIND COURAGE TRUSTING YOURSELF TO EXPRESS EMOTION TAKES COURAGE. IT MAY BE PARTICULARLY HARD IF YOU’RE USED TO OPERATING IN A COOL, FACTUAL AND RATIONAL WAY.

Building Great Work Cultures through Work Flexibility

W

ork flexibility is about much more than just place and time. It’s also about culture, and culture doesn’t change at the drop of a hat. Work flexibility and culture are intertwined because flexibility is fundamentally about trust and accountability.

A certain lady and her boss have been working together for over a year, and they had not met in person. Her flexible schedule changes daily according to both her personal needs and her work commitments. Her boss doesn’t care where or when she gets her work done .She trusts her to make the most effective and productive decisions about where she works and how she structures her time.

But that trust isn’t blind. They both know that with trust also comes accountability. They’re in regular communication about the work she’s doing so that they’re on the same page. When she asks for updates on her progress, that’s not a betrayal of trust, it’s a sign of trust. And it’s not just for her benefit, because the more information she shares with her, and the more invested she is in the work she’s doing, the better she feels about her job. She wants her boss to know what she’s accomplishing, and the fact that her hard work is noticed and acknowledged motivates her to keep it up.

While not every job is suited to the level of flexibility that she has, When the focus of a manager/managee relationship is on work product, not work presence, flexibility in some form or another comes naturally in response.

On the flip side, flexibility will never function in an environment marred by a lack of trust and a lack of accountability. It’s easy to blame the telecommuters when team performance goes down, but if someone working from home isn’t getting their work done, that’s not a telecommuting problem, it’s an accountability problem.

And if someone on a flexible schedule is constantly being asked to explain why they need that flexibility, that’s not a scheduling problem, it’s a trust problem.

The bad news about all of this is that a transition from an inflexible work model to a flexible one won’t happen overnight. An organisation stuck in a ‘command and control’ mind-set needs to go through a deep culture shift in order for flexibility to be successful.

Building a flexible workplace also means building a great work culture.

So when you advocate for work flexibility, you should really advocate for a broader change. Stand up for work flexibility, and for workplace cultures built to last.

CULLED FROM HUFFINGTONPOST.COM

Joylifechangers@gmail.com

Sentiments, simply put are opinions or decisions made based on feelings and not facts or truth.

Successful businesses have never been known to thrive on or through sentiments.

Businesses based on feelings always end up shutting down or being stagnant.

So, what brings about sentiments in business? It is always majorly family and friends. Have you ever heard of that famous phrase, “what will people say if...?” Usually that is where it begins. What will people say if they hear that you did not do this or do that?

And based on this, you take emotional decisions against your knowledge of what is right. It can be said that 80per cent of the time, people often regret that they did not follow heir truth.

Decisions made based on feelings will often undermine the interest of the business in question. If family and friends keep taking things for free or if you keep selling on credit or rendering services for free or in anticipation of future payments, how then will the business sustain itself?

If you travel to buy

merchandise and you sell all on credit because you did not want to upset anybody, then chances are you might never be able to make the trip anymore for more goods and your capital is gone too.

To be successful in business, you have to learn the discipline of saying NO. A lot of people do not have the problem of saying yes, you just need to learn the opposite, know when a decision will hurt your business or investment and protect it by making that wise decision.

This will keep your business flourishing.

You will also have something to pass down to your next generation. Most of the businesses you benefit from today are handed down from one generation to another, and they are still here because of the principles set in place that are being observed continually.

How far do you see your business going and how long do you see it standing?

The answer to this question should guide you and eliminate sentiments from your decisions.

Wishing you success in all your business endeavours.

INFLUENCING PEOPLE

Talking Over the Other Person

CONTENT Elizabeth Martin GRAPHICS Igwe-Ngerem Michael Hassan Gimba Ahmed

group FOUNDER CHAIRMAN GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

By Joy Jones

Why sentiments will kill your business

foresight AG. EDITOR

INFLUENCE PLUS

Sam Nda-Isaiah Hajiya Ireti Kingibe Azubuike Ishiekwene Michael Okpere, Dr Kazeem Durodoye

Foresight published as an insert in LEADERSHIP Friday. A number of the articles here are sourced from diverse sources. Please do send your feedback and enquiries to: foresight@leadership.ng

“CONVERSATIONAL QUESTIONS ARISE FROM NOT KNOWING, NOT FROM A THERAPIST’S PRECONCEIVED THEORIES.”

A habit adopted by many people is, talking over the person while they are speaking. You may think of members of your family, friends or work colleagues who are guilty of this.

Your boss may do it to you all the time. It is very common. And it could be very irritating when you’re on the receiving end.Do you recognise this tendency in

yourself? Or you recognise it in other people? If you’re aware of it, you can at least try to avoid doing it. It can make you lose friends and even lose your business. So, whether it is you doing the listening or whether you want somebody to listen effectively to what you say, try to avoid or prevent any barriers to productive listening.

FORESIGHT 35

July 25, 2014 Mood Alert

FINANCE

As you refine your awareness of your mood and that of other people, you heighten your observation of what triggers a change in mood for you, whether good or bad.

Basics of...

Knowing What Wealthy Finance Experts Know Perhaps the quietest, yet most spiteful, danger you face is the lack of financial knowledge.

Every year, this ignorance leaves millions of people woefully unprepared to fund their children’s education or enter retirement.

Fortunately, powerful online tools have emerged to help boost the world’s fiscal IQ, including the rise of financial influencers.

The main thing people don’t know is how to think longterm. Most people live with a microwave mentality. They were never taught, or haven’t learned, how to delay gratification. This immaturity spells trouble when it comes to saving money and making plans down the road.

The average person doesn’t know what healthy spending looks like. They see how people living around them are spending, and emulate that. But if everyone’s all in the dark, that’s a dangerous cycle.

Also, many people don’t understand the difference between saving and investing. To save means to place money you can’t afford to lose in a vehicle that is safe and has guaranteed growth. But to invest means to place money in a vehicle that has a certain amount of risk.

You hope to make a gain, but it’s not guaranteed. You might even lose money. Thus, you should only invest money you can afford to lose or money you can let languish in the market for twenty years, if necessary, until it recovers.

The trick to building a path to retirement success is two-fold: First, invest in yourself and a path that can boost your earning power. Second, control your

standard of living as income rises. Investing in yourself doesn’t mean paying for a top private university and racking up immense debt.

It could rather mean going to a federal or technical school. Or it could be getting advanced training, certifications, or designations in your current career track or kicking off a new one. It could also be getting help launching a side business to earn more money.

The real key is to focus on those expenses that matter most: where you live and what you drive. Don’t push yourself to the brink; a modest car takes a lot of pressure off the rest of your lifestyle and leaves far more room to save and invest.

A simple change of perspective could improve people’s lives significantly. Even though many people are struggling financially, you should continue to focus on how great things truly are.

Lastly, decide to invest, make it automatic, and understand the difference between saving and investing. Spend wisely and invest automatically. And don’t get so immersed in your life today that you ignore your life tomorrow. culled from huffingtonpost.com

MAKE YOURSELF

UNFORGETTABLE Effective Training As a team builder, your commitment should express itself not only on how you lead everyday, but also in formal training books that give team members the confidence and skill they need to become unforgettable leaders themselves. The higher you are on the corporate masthead, the more involved you should be in developing training books. If you’re the CEO of your company, for example, your

presence will guarantee that training will be taken seriously by people who want to move up in the company.as you begin to develop training and team-building books, it’s important to focus on values as well as techniques.Be sure that your training book is in alignment with your company’s mission statement and business strategy.

Make sure you’re developing a plan that is more than just a teacher-student scenario.

Financial FUTURES

7 Tips for Educating Your Teenage Kids on Smart Money Management Teaching teenagers about smart money management can be a bit more of a challenge than dealing with younger kids. There are more outside influences at work on them, like the internet and their circles of friends, and ofcourse there’s that age-old matter of youthful rebellion to deal with. If you haven’t yet taught your kids how to organise a financial plan, you’re going to want to get going today. As they become more independent, head off to university, and eventually establish their own lives, they’re going to need a solid education to inform them.

1. Show Them How to Save Money Showing your kids how to spend money wisely can be very effective, especially if they’ve never done it before.

If they don’t already have a savings account, establish one.

Encourage them to portion out things like birthday cash gifts, some for spending, some for saving, and even some for charitable giving when they’re in a position to do so. And use your own experiences as examples. Whenever you save a good deal of money, perhaps when you’re finished paying off your car, show them, and they can learn the value of discipline and prudent money management in action.

2. Help Them Find Work Teenagers should be encouraged to start earning their own money as soon as possible, and they don’t necessarily have to wait until they’re of legal working age. If your teenagers have particular talents, such as home improvement, gardening, or arts and crafts, encourage them to start their own business.

3. Provide Examples of Your Financial Mistakes If you’ve done a poor job managing your own accounts, break out one of your statements to show your kids the true impact of significant debt on a person’s life. If they see a monthly charge of a few thousands of naira, you might be able to ward off this very bad financial habit early on.

4. Skip the ATM Card The best way to avoid debt, of course, is simply not to have an ATM card. This takes temptation out of their hands

and teaches them the value of self-discipline.

5. Assist Them with Setting Savings Goals Even teenagers should be educated on the importance of saving for retirement at an early age. Use an online calculator to show your teens the value of investing some of their money for retirement now. There are plenty of investment vehicles, however, which can provide an excellent starting point.

6. Institute a Flexible Allowance Instead of giving your teens money, tie in their allowances with projects and responsibilities. If they know that the harder they work the more they can earn, you’re instilling a solid work ethic and showing them the mechanics of a very basic economic foundation. Come up with an extensive list of projects along with monetary amounts for each one and consider adding bonuses for achieving good grades in school, as well.

7. Use Tough Love Tough love works with finance, too. If your teens make mistakes, do not provide a quick fix by giving them money or paying off a bill on your own. Going a month with no entertainment because a bad choice was made can certainly help any lesson sink in. Teaching your teenagers about money and finances can have long-term implications for you, as well. Children with good financial heads on their shoulders are much less likely to depend on you when those important life moments come along like buying a house, purchasing a car, and having kids of their own. culled from forbes.com

36

37

July 25, 2014

DR. IBRAHIM SHEMA’S FORWARD LOOKING DEVELOPMENT STRIDES IN KATSINA STATE Katsina: Shema’s Enduring Revolution In Housing

Aerial view of kabukawa housing estate in katsina municipal... one of the giant Strides of gov Shema in housing Subsector

DR. IBRAHIM SHEMA

Executive Governor, Katsina State

I

t is an established fact that shelter ranks high in man’s hierarchy of needs hence the innate desire by everyone to own a house where he/she can retire at the end of the day.

Of course, it is a well known fact that Nigeria is grappling with housing deficit with analysts insisting that the nation needs about (9) nine million houses to effectively tackle the challenge of providing housing for all.

In Katsina state, the administration of Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema has embarked on an aggressive housing policy that has made the governor one of the best in housing sector development in Nigeria, and undoubtedly the best governor in provision of housing since the creation of the state.

The Katsina state government under the watch of Governor Shema has earned a mark in the area of housing development as the administration has successfully constructed over two thousand houses across the state and FCT. Since 2007 when he assumed office, Governor Shema has engaged in

A Section of SArkin AbdurrAhmAn houSing eStAte built And diStributed to civil ServAntS by the ShemA AdminiStrAtion

building houses and delivering such to civil servants at subsidised rates to ensure that civil servants own their houses.

The Katsina state government under Governor Shema has built houses in Katsina metropolis and the local governments.

The first housing project by the incumbent administration was in 2008, less than one year after Governor Shema assumed office. Then the governor embarked on the construction of the SARKI MUHAMMADU DIKKO HOUSING ESTATE, which consist of 500 houses comprising 300 - three bedrooms and 200- two bedrooms respectively.

While the MUHAMMADU DIKKO HOUSING project was going on, the government embarked on construction of another 30 houses in each of the 34 council areas. The houses were provided with all the necessary facilities. This was followed by the 252 SARKI ABDURRAHMAN housing estate along Daura road and the on going 215 KABUKAWA HOUSING ESTATE.

Interestingly, all the necessary infrastructure which include an independent water scheme, clinic, worship places, play ground, police post, school and estate office were provided in the estate which were replicated in all the estates so far built by the state government.

ready for occupation... newly built houses by the katsina State government

Between 1987 when the state was created to 2007 when Governor Shema assumed office as the governor, Katsina state could boast of only six hundred and forty government owned houses.

However, between 2007 and 2014, a period of seven years of the Governor Shema led administration, the state government through the foresight and dogged commitment has successfully constructed over 2000 houses. These included the KAPE DISTRICT PROJECT IN ABUJA which is nearing completion.

The important thing is that these houses were allocated to the civil servants on a loan basis while the mode of repayment was made flexible such that it will take 25 years for a worker to repay through deductions from his salary. Interestingly too, the houses are subsidised at fifty percent. the kabukawa housing estate built And Provided With infrastructures by the Shema Administration

38 FORESIGHT

July 25, 2014 HOW TO ORGANISE YOUR LIFE

GROOMING

IF YOU ARE IMMUNE TO BOREDOM, THERE IS LITERALLY NOTHING YOU CANNOT ACCOMPLISH.

The Unforgettable Host Everybody likes to make an impact in people’s lives. Its always exciting when people come to your house and tell people afterwards, how entertained they were and if possible how they wouldn’t mind the party being held at your place again.

Making impact doesn’t restrict you to the common areas in life; rather it cuts across every aspect.

The unforgettable Host will always consider the setting of the dinner table important. Tall flowers in the centre prevent people from talking across the table and so a flat arrangement is best.

Also, she decorates her dishes. It’s always better to be conventional, so she uses polished tables with table mats to protect the polish from hot plates. She always has available the best set of mats for parties or better still, she makes them from old prints. At children’s parties she uses paper napkins.

As an impeccable host, she doesn’t sit at the head of the table or the opposite end.

To place men and women alternately, a hostess must sit on the side, while a man occupies her usual chair at the foot of the table.

When guests arrive, the husband opens the door, and welcomes the guests.

The unforgettable host never forgets to leave the bathroom and toilet tidy. Without leaving nasty looking toothbrushes above the basin, and clothes dripping on the rail. She never forgets that the guests will require tissue paper, combs, powder, clean towels etc.

Also she never forces her guests to drink.

The person who invariably forces drinks on everyone she meets is suffering from an inferiority complex.

Elegance is key for the host; she always appears in an elegant evening dress for dinner. She never remains in the clothes she wore all day. She always has a good wash and wears something attractive, but

Selling Yourself

By Chioma Agwuegbo dfairygodsister@yahoo.com

Social Media For Business:

Who’s Your Market?

(Part two)

“

TRUE FRIENDSHIP’S LAWS ARE BY THIS RULE EXPRESSED: WELCOME THE COMING, SPEED THE PARTING GUEST. comfortable.

The hostess always serves delicious meals and she makes it a two or three course rather than a one course meal. After the food is served and the prayers said, it is her duty to start up an interesting conversation, one that doesn’t spring up arguments. She always makes sure everyone is comfortable and satisfied. The unforgettable host always has something interesting planned afterwards like a dance or game or even a karaoke session.

Having guests in your house and treating them well, always leaves them with a lasting impression about you. It doesn’t take a lot, you don’t have to spend so much, rather try to be creative with the little you have to make it spectacular.

Look for Metaphors

In a complex world, describing what you do or sell has become more complicated, too. Ask someone to explain a defined benefits plan and its benefits, for example. Before your eyes, the listener’s eyes glaze over with puzzlement. Want to make yourself more appealing? Imitate Apple. Apple once offered several products that were useful, even powerful, in business settings.

But the company encountered

ALL THINGS SOCIAL

two obstacles. First, people considered Apple computers to be home computers, more like toys than serious business tools, more for amateurs than serious professionals. No matter how much function, power, and memory Apple added to their computers, they could not answer, what difference an Apple computer could make for a business. Apple found its answer in a perfect metaphor.

It was “Desktop Publishing.”

Prospects got it. Moreover, prospects believed that no other company offered its capability, because none mentioned it.

Because prospects closely associated Apple with words and graphics, as opposed to numbers and spread sheets, Apple also sounded like the ideal tool for Desktop Publishing, even if its competitors could assemble “Desktop Publishing Solutions.”

So, you’ve determined your business needs social media; you’ve sorted the ‘how to’. You must now determine what platforms you need. Strategies with social media are modified so these are some peculiarities with different platforms.

Facebook This shows the human face of your brand, and there are opportunities for multimedia content. Facebook is clearly in the game for the money so be prepared to spend time on things like promoting your page.

LinkedIn For professional networking, this is used more by service providers than manufacturers because it functions like a company/personal portfolio.

Endorsements, listing skills, and collaborations help blow your trumpet without appearing immodest.

Twitter Fast-paced no-man’s-land, it is easy to connect with just anyone even though it can be difficult getting noticed. Hash tags, relevant terms, and location searches are brilliant tools for reaching new audiences. Always helpful to interact with people in the same line of business, it has a curious way of establishing one’s credibility.

Pinterest Not as popular in Nigeria as the other platforms, but a fantastic way to reach a diverse audience if you have a lot of photos to show for your business. It’s easy to become a go-to person on a subject, and works if you want to reach an international market.

YouTube Running a campaign, want to appeal to emotions or tug at heart strings?

Are you so brilliant words and pictures are not enough to capture your work?

YouTube opens your business to customers everywhere! Add Google + for enhanced visibility.

Trick is not to feel like you need all, no one ever does.

FORESIGHT 39

July 25, 2014 Public Speaking

MOTIVATIONS

If you’re terrified of public speaking, remember the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Creating a life with the Perfect Amount of Stress Usually the amount of anxiety developed about getting the job done is often the motivating factor that actually gets college students to buckle down and study for exams, or gets journalists to finally send something to their editor. Stress, with the increased focus that it brings, gives a surgeon the edge and alertness that’s necessary for performing an emergency openheart surgery.

It’s only when we experience more stress or anxiety than we can handle, that it becomes a problem. But it’s possible to get better at dealing with stress, making it easier to keep life in that ideal range where we have just enough stress to stay motivated but not so much that we get overwhelmed.

Stress itself is just a physiological reaction, not inherently good or bad. We achieve optimal performance with a certain amount of stress. It’s essential for employers to try and manage stress levels for their employees. The right amount of stress works, the wrong amount of stress doesn’t.

If your job isn’t tasking enough, you won’t be motivated to perform at your peak level. But if things are too overwhelming, performance begins to suffer again, and in the long term, it can cause serious problems.

Too much stress causes depression and anxiety that drains productivity. In the long term, stress also leads to health problems like hypertension and is associated with chronic health conditions like diabetes, all of which add up in both healthcare costs and lost productivity during illness.

Managing stress is just as or even more important. Developing the ability to cope with stress is essential for people who want to both succeed professionally and stay healthy.

Becoming Resilient The idea isn’t to avoid stress completely, instead, it’s to become resilient. Resilience is the process by which people adapt to or cope with stress. Since resilience is a process, there are things that people can do to get better at it.

Some strategies involve meditation, therapy, prayer, or other activities that help people gain perspective.

Other activities, like getting enough exercise or sleep, are effective stress-coping strategies immediately, and if they become habitual, help people become more resilient in general.

Most people don’t engage in expert-recommended activities to reduce stress. But many people are familiar with effective stressreduction strategies.

More than 90per cent of people who spend time outdoors or engage in hobbies find these techniques effective.

The hard part is finding time.

The key is just finding the best ways to incorporate stress-relieving activities into your own life. If you are a parent, spend time running around with your kids. Also find 15 minutes every single day to disconnect from the technology tying you to the office. culled frombusinessinsider.com

5 Things Remarkably Happy People Do Often

Happiness is something that everyone wants, yet relatively few seem to get enough of it, especially those in their early forties. Unfortunately, approximately 50 per cent of your happiness is determined by personality traits that are largely hereditary. Half of how happy you feel is basically outside your control. But, that means 50 per cent of your level of happiness is totally within your control: relationships, health, career, etc. So even if you’re genetically disposed to be somewhat gloomy, you can still do things like this to make yourself a lot happier: 1. Make good friends.

It’s easy to focus on building a professional network of partners, customers, employees, connections, etc. because there is hopefully a payoff. But there’s a definite payoff to making real (not just professional or social media) friends. Increasing your number of friends correlates to a higher personal wellbeing; doubling your number of friends is like increasing your income by 50 per cent in terms of how happy you feel. And if that’s not enough, people who don’t have strong social relationships are 50 per cent less likely to survive at any given time than those who do.

Make friends outside of work.

Make friends at work. Make friends everywhere.

2. Actively express thankfulness.

Happy people focus on what they have, not on what they don’t have. It’s motivating to want more in your career, relationships, bank account, etc. but thinking about what you already have, and expressing gratitude for it, will make you a lot happier. And will remind you that even if you still have huge dreams, you have already accomplished a

lot and should feel genuinely proud.

3. Actively pursue your goals.

Goals you don’t pursue aren’t goals, they’re dreams, and dreams only make you happy when you’re dreaming. Be grateful for what you have, then actively try to achieve more. If you’re pursuing a huge goal, make sure that every time you take a small step closer to achieving it you pat yourself on the back. But don’t compare where you are now to where you someday hope to be.

Compare where you are now to where you were a few days ago.

Then you’ll get dozens of bitesized chunks of fulfilment and a never-ending supply of things to be thankful for.

4. Do what you excel at as often as you can.

It is clear that the more you enjoy what you do and the more fulfilled you feel by what you do, the happier you will be.

Of course, it’s unreasonable to think you can chuck it all and simply do what you love. But you can find ways to do more of what you excel at. Everyone has at least a few things they do incredibly well. Find ways to do those things more often, you’ll be a lot happier and probably a lot more successful.

5. Give.

While giving is usually considered to be unselfish, giving can also be more beneficial for the giver than the receiver. Providing social support may be more beneficial than receiving it. Not only is helping those in need fulfilling, it’s also a reminder of how comparatively fortunate you are, which is a nice reminder of how thankful you should be for what you already have. You can always control, at least to a degree, how happy you are, because giving makes you happier.

culled from inc.com

WHAT MOTIVATORS ARE SAYING...

To have a full stomach and fixed income are no small things.

Elbert Hubbard

If you can’t be thankful for what you receive, be thankful for what you escape.

Anon

Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.

Samuel Johnson

40 FORESIGHT

July 25, 2014

HEALTH

Coming Alive Decide how to become more proactive in your family life, work and other relationships and you can begin to use any small opportunity for growth that presents itself to you.

Stroke GENERAL INFORMATION DEFINITION

A stroke is a sudden decrease or block in the blood supply to part of the brain. This causes damage to the brain so it cannot function normally.

BODY PARTS INVOLVED Central nervous system; musculoskeletal system.

SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED

Both sexes; adults over 55 are most often affected.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• The symptoms can vary in different people.

• Inability to speak.

• Inability to move part of the body.

• Loss of consciousness.

• Sudden heavy feeling in an arm or leg, or feeling numb and unable to control muscles.

• Headache • Vision changes.

• Confusion • Dizziness • Loss of bowel and bladder control

CAUSES

• Ischemic stroke- blood flow to the brain is blocked by a blood clot. A clot can form in the brain itself due to narrowed arteries. A clot can form elsewhere in the bloodstream and travel to the brain.

• Haemorrhagic strokebleeding due to ruptured blood vessel. The bleeding may occur in the brain or in the space between the brain and the skull.

60%

• Worldwide, stroke is the second leading cause of death, responsible for 4.4 million (9 per cent) of the total 50.5 million deaths each year.

• Stroke kills more than 137,000,000 people a year. That’s about 1 of every 18 deaths. It’s the number four cause of death.

• On average, every 4 minutes someone dies of stroke.

• About 20 per cent of stroke deaths occur in males, and 40 per cent in females.

SOURCE

www.cdc.gov

• • • •

• • •

transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Cigarette smoking.

High blood pressure.

High cholesterol.

Heart disease, irregular heartbeat, diabetes, sickle cell anaemia, and carotid or other artery disease.

Obesity and/or sedentary lifestyle (lack of exercise).

Use of birth control pills.

Excess alcohol use and certain types of drug abuse.

HOW TO PREVENT

Exercise regularly.

Eat a healthy diet.

Don’t smoke.

Get treatment for diabetes, heart disease, or other chronic disorders.

• Have your blood pressure checked regularly. If it is high, see your health care provider.

• Get medical advice about taking aspirin daily.

• • • •

WHAT TO EXPECT DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES

• Have someone take you to an emergency centre. The first few hours are critical for effective treatment.

• Emergency care will include a physical exam and medical tests to check heart, brain, and other body functions.

APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE

• Treatment may include drugs, oxygen to help with breathing, and sometimes surgery. You will stay in the hospitals until symptoms improve. Long-term care may be needed in some cases.

• Early rehabilitation after a stroke will help improve physical abilities. Outcome will depend on the extent of the brain injury. Physical therapy, occupational

RISK INCREASES WITH

• Age over 55.

• Personal or family history of stroke, heart attack, or

therapy, and speech therapy may be needed. Patient attitude and family support are important in the success.

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS

Serious physical and mental health problems. Major lifestyle changes that affect work, family, and social life.

• Recurrence of stroke.

• Stroke can be fatal.

•

PROBABLE OUTCOME

Depends on severity of the stroke.

Recovery is a lifelong process.

HOW TO TREAT MEDICATION

• Drugs to break up clots, control brain swelling, and prevent complications may be given.

• Drugs for high blood pressure, clot prevention, and other preventive drugs may be prescribed.

ACTIVITY

If you have lost muscle control, therapy will help you learn to use affected limbs. You can often regain basic skills, such as eating, dressing and toilet functions.

DIET

At first, you may require a feeding tube, then progress to a pureed, soft, and then to a regular diet.

CALL YOUR DOCTOR IF

• You or a family member has symptoms of a stroke or observe them in someone else.

This is an emergency.

• After diagnosis, any symptoms cause concern.

SOURCE: COMPLETE GUIDE TO SYMPTOMS , ILLNESSES & SURGERY, 2012

QUESTIONS ANSWERED: The Skin I’ve had a cracked and chapped upper lip for over a year. It’s flaky and itches, and is worse in cold season. I’ve been told it’s due to stress but your only stress comes from having this ugly lip. Can you help?

Please see your doctor about this. A persistent lesion in your lip needs investigation

to rule out a physical cause because it is considered stress-related. Presumably you aren’t constantly biting the cracked area. Two possibilities have to be faced, a local lesion in the lip itself, which may be infected or due to a small benign growth, or something wrong with your general health. A year is too long to wait for answer.

The first step may be for you to ask your doctor about seeing a dermatologist. A general health check may be appropriate too.

Eczema started on my ankle, and has spread up my leg. It has appeared on my arms now. A tube of steroid cream hasn’t helped. What should be my next step?

Do you have varicose veins?

If so, they may have caused it to start on the ankle. They will have to be treated before the eczema will clear away completely. This suggests not eczema but contact dermatitis or a skin infection.

You need to find out more about it, which means your doctor will probably refer you to a specialist clinic.

FRIDAY EXTRA 41

July 25, 2014

kids

QUESTIONS

Why doesn't the moon crash into Earth?

QUICKFIRE

The gravity of the Earth is stronger than the gravity of the moon, so the moon should get pulled into the Earth... right? Wrong. The Earth and the moon are both moving. the direction of their movement would actually take them right past each other. Gravity manages to balance this dance just enough to keep both bodies from flying out of thier intended orbits or colliding.

Why Does The Sun Appear Yellow?

Why do Jupiter and Saturn have so many moons?

The sun is a star,and the color of astar depends on how hot it is. When you light a fire, the coolest par at the top is red, the hotter part in the middle is yellow, and the hottest part at the bottom is blue.

Stars are the same. Yellow stars, like our sun, are in the middle of the heat range, with a temperature of about 10,000F (5,500c). Some places, called sunspots, appear darker because they are cooler than the rest of the sun.

The large the planet, the greater the gravity. The tremendous gravity on Jupiter and Saturn, our biggest planets, makes them more likely to trap the dust, debris, and rocks that float around our soler system. When a really big rock gets caught in a planet’s gravity, that’s called a moon.

Both planet have more than 50 moons, and new moons are still being discovered every year.

Why Won't The Sun Shine Forever?

Why does Jupiter have a giant spot on its surface?

Jupiter’s great red spot is a giant spinning

All stars have a nuclear reaction going on inside them. Eventually, millions of years from now, our sun will run out of nuclear fuel to burn and its core will collapse. The outer gaseous layers of the sun will expand into space, leaving behind a bare core about the size of Earth. Over the next several billion years, this bare core will burn out and cooloff. That will be the end of the sun. But relax, you’ll miss it!

COOL FACT !

Sometimes the sun shoots out magnetic energy, called solar flares. They can influence the weather on Earth, disturb radiocommunications, damage satellites, and even cause temporary electrical blackouts.

storm that has been around since at least the 1600s. The storm system is large enough to engulf Mars and Earth together. Storms on our largest planet get so big and last so long because Jupiter has gas layers and liquid layers, but no solid land. without masses, there’s little to stop the energy of a storm.

Why Do People Bounce Around On The Moon?

How high could you jump on the moon? gravity on the surface of the moon is only one-sixth as strong as it is on Earth. This means you could jump about six times higher. In other words, if on Earth you can jump up about 10 inches (25cm), then on the moon you can jump 60 inches. That’s five feet (152 cm) straight up!

Culled from the book ‘TIME for kids Big Book of Why’

Judge not your beauty by the number of people who look at you, but rather by the number of people who smile at you.

― African proverb

42 FRIDAY EXTRA

why?

July 25, 2014

... ANSWERS TO EVERYDAY SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS

moon the same as the sun??

The moon is the same apparent size as the sun because even though the sun is 400 times wider than the moon it is also 400 times further away.

Why is there such a remarkable similarity between the size and distance of the moon and the sun? It’s a coincidence.

This incredible coincidence is unique among all the planets in the solar system and all 166 of their (known) moons. So far it is unique among all the other planets discovered in the galaxy.

Thanks to this coincidence, Earth witnesses a total eclipse when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, blacking out its disc and leaving only the corona visible.

Total eclipses are rare because the moon is not always the same apparent size as the sun. Both the moon and the earth have elliptical orbits (i.e. not perfectly circular), so usually the moon looks a bit smaller than the sun, leading

to what is called an annular eclipse.

Ever since it formed, the moon has been moving further away from the Earth. Today it is moving about 4 cm (1.57 in) further away every year, so if you are fifty years old the moon is about 2 m (2.19 yd) further away now than when you were born.

As the moon moves further away it gets smaller in the sky, so the moon and sun did not match up perfectly in the past and will stop matching up at some point in the future. This means that the sort of total eclipse we witness today, with its spectacular and aweinspiring corona, could not be seen in the past, and will no onger be possible around 1.5 billion years in the future.

It seems that humans are incredibly lucky to be around at exactly the right time to see total eclipses of the sun. But is it just a coincidence? One possibility put forward is that total eclipses are involved in human evolution, in which case it would not be a coincidence at all.

Patience is the mother of a beautiful child.― Bantu proverb

Culled from Why?: Answers to everyday scientific questions

FRIDAY EXTRA 43

July 25, 2014

titans

of history

Judah The Maccabee And His Brothers 2nd century BC

God forbid that we should forsake the law and our ordinances. We will not hearken to the king’s words to go from our religion - 1 Maccabees 2: 19 The Maccabees, so named for their hammer-like military force, were five brothers - and their elderly father - who, against all odds, rebelled against and defeated the oppressive Greek empire of the Seleucid dynasty to win religious and political freedom - and establish their own Jewish kingdom.

The Greek kings of Asia who then dominated the Near East were descended from Seleucus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals who, after his patron’s death, had seized a vast empire.

Now, thanks to the conquests of Antiochus III the Great, they ruled a Middle Eastern empire that included Iudaea, where the Jews worshipped their one god. The dynasty practised religious tolerance, but after the early death of Antiochus III his beautiful but unhinged son changed all that.

Antiochus IV tried to add Egypt to his empire. He successfully conquered Egypt but the Romans foiled his plan and the Jews of Iudaea rebelled at his rear. The furious Antiochus, who took for himself the name Epiphanes (meaning the ‘manifestation of a divine being’) decided to crush the Jewish religion.

He issued a series of decrees banning Judaism in all its manifestations.

Observance of the Torah, the laws of keeping kosher, the practice of circumcision - all were forbidden on pain of death. In 168 B.C the Jewish Temple, the holiest place in Jerusalem, was forcibly converted to a shrine to Zeus, while troops patrolled the street and the countryside to make sure the Judeans were now worshipping Hellenic gods.

Antiochus himself entered the Temple and sacrificed pigs on its altar.

Many Judaeans did comply with the new laws, while a minority fled. It was old Mattathias, a priest at the hill town of Modir who initiated active resistance by lashing out at a Jew complying with the new orthodoxies and killing a soldier of the evil empire. With his five sons, Mattathias retreated to Jordan to marshal his Jewish forces into a formidable guerrilla army. People flocked to join them from across Judaea, rightly sensing that in these men they had found the champions of their faith.

The events of 168-164 BC are testimony to their bravery and leadership. Having dispensed with the essentially suicidal refusal to fight on the Sabbath (a prick of conscience that had ensured early defeats for them), the rebels achieved dazzling victories against the Seleucids

and the Jewish ‘collaborators’ ranged against, them. Much of this success was thanks to the inspired leadershi of the eldest son Judah, dubbed Maccabeus (‘The Hammer’) before the name was applied to the family as a whole. The Maccabeans inflicted a series of crushing defeats on better-equipped troops who vastly outnumbered them.

Within three years the Maccabees had taken Jerusalem, and in 164 BC the now more accommodating Antiochus died and his successor sued for peace (albeit a temporary one). Vitally, Jewis freedom of worship was restored. The Temple was cleansed and rededicated in December 164 BC. Even though the oil for the Temple lamp had run out, the lamp remained alight for eight days, a miracle that inspired the joyful Hanukkah Festival of Lights, in which Jews still celebrate religious freedom from tyranny.

Having won the right to practise

their religion, the Maccabees fought on for the political freedom that would protect it. The result was the creation of an independent Jewish state, with Mattathias’ descendants at its head.

Fighting to drive the Syrian empire out of Judaea, Judah was killed in battle. His successor, Jonathan ‘the cunning’, secured his brother’s military achievements with diplomacy. As dynastic struggle and civil war consumed the Seleucid empire, Jonathan’s astute appraisal of the political balance, and judicious offers of support, secured him substantial territorial gains. But the Seleucids tried to re-conquer Judaea: Jonathan was tricked, captured and killed. In 142 BC Simon the Great, the youngest and by now the only surviving son of Mattathias, negotiated the political independence of Judaea. It was the culmination of all his family had fought for. A year later, by popular decree, he

Youth is beauty, even in cattle.— Egyptian proverb

was invested as hereditary leader and high priest of the state. This marked the establishment of the Hasmonean dynasty, which took its title from Mattathias’ family name. For the next century and a half, the Maccabees ruled an independent Jewish kingdom as kings and high priests, conquering an empire that soon extended to much of today’s Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. Gradually the family’s gifts weakened and they became Hellenic tyrants - until Rome imposed its will on the Middle East.

The Maccabees represent nobility, courage and freedom, as well as the audacity to resist an empire and the right of all to worship as they wish. In a Davidand-Goliath struggle, the first recorded holy war, a small band of warriors succeeded in defeating the mighty phalanxes of an arrogant despot.

Culled from the book ‘Titans of History’

44 FRIDAY EXTRA

July 25, 2014

ultimate top list TOP 10 INVENTIONS OF THE MIDDLE AGES

Mons meg, medieval bombard, Edinburgh, Scotland.

1

HEAVY PLOUGH, FIFTH CENTURY AD While primitive ploughs had been in use since perhaps the late Stone Age, they were usually fragile and ill-suited for heavy soils.

Moreover, the only way to adjust the depth of a furrow was for the ploughman to physically lift the plough as it cut. With the introduction of wheels (replacing the runner), the weight of the plough could be increased, and ploughs could be sheathed with metal to increase their strength. Furrows could be cut to uniform depths, with less physical exertion by the operator. The heavy plough thus led to more efficient farming, increased food production, and, in turn, allowed the population of Europe to increase.

TIDAL MILLS, SEVENTH CENTURY AD Tidal mills are driven by the tidal rise and fall of water, and are thus more efficient than mills that rely strictly on the flow of water from streams and rivers.

A body of water affected by tides is dammed, and a one-way sluice gate allows for water to enter a millpond with the high tide. As the tide falls, the gate closes, and the stored water is then released at will to work the water wheel. The tidal mill dates back to at least as early as AD 787 in Northern Ireland.

2

3

HOURGLASS, NINTH CENTURY AD The hourglass was one of the first portable and reusable methods of determining time. Fairly accurate and highly versatile, hourglasses could be employed in a variety of places, most importantly at sea, where timekeeping was a vital necessity. It’s known that Magellan, in his trip around the globe, employed some eighteen hourglasses on each of his ships.

4

BLAST FURNACE, TWELFTH CENTURY AD The Cistercian monks, known for their skills in metallurgy, are believed to be responsible for transmitting the technological know-how behind the blast furnace, with every monastery possessing a factory and water system to drive the machinery therein. For several centuries they were leading producers of iron in France.

5

LIQUOR, TWELFTH CENTURY AD While true distillation dates back to Babylon of the fourth millennium BC, it wasn’t until the time of the Muslim alchemists in the eighth and ninth centuries that alcohol distillation became truly efficient and allowed for the invention of liquor as we know it today.

6

EYEGLASSES, THIRTEENTH CENTURY Historians argue whether lenses for eyeglasses were first developed in the West or in China, but in any case, they appear in the thirteenth century and are first remarked upon, in print, by Roger Bacon.

They also appear in Italian art of the time, and it was because of a Ghirlandaio painting showing St. Jerome with a pair of eyeglasses that the saint became the patron of opticians. Convex lenses for farsightedness were apparently developed first, while concave lenses (for nearsightedness, or myopia) do not appear in print or art until a portrait done by Raphael in 1517 of Pope Leo X.

Top 10 Historical Oddities You Don’t Know

SPINNING WHEEL, THIRTEENTH CENTURY AD It’s believed that the spinning wheel has its origins in India, though this is uncertain. At any rate, it came to Europe in the Middle Ages and replaced the handheld distaff, which had been in existence perhaps since the late Stone Age.

8

QUARANTINE, FOURTEENTH CENTURY AD The first quarantine we know of occurred in Venice in the fourteenth century, and was, of course, an attempt to stem the spread of the plague. Ships arriving from the East were held in isolation for a period of time sufficient to indicate whether plague was aboard, and if so, to allow it to dissipate. The period of time designated for this was a quarantina, or “forty days.” Supposedly, this was settled on as an appropriate period because it was the amount of time that both Christ and Moses had spent alone in the desert.

9

10. Before the boston tea party, the british actually lowered tea taxes, not raised them.

9. Abel tasman “discovered” tasmania, new zealand, and fiji on his first voyage, but managed to completely miss mainland australia!

8. When the american civil war started, confederate robert e. lee owned no slaves. union general U.S. grant did.

7. Kaiser wilhelm 11, tsar nicholas 11, and george v were all grandchildren of queen victoria.

6. Josef stalin once studied to be a priest.

5. Henry kissinger and yassir arafat won the nobel peace prize. gandhi never did.

4. The constitution of the confederate states of america banned the slave trade.

3. the “0” in d-day stands for “day,” so it’s “dayday.”

2. A new orleans man hired a pirate to rescue napoleon from his prison on st. helena.

1. In 1839, the u.s. and canada fought the bloodless “wai pork and beans.”

A pretty face and fine clothes do not make character.

7

MECHANICAL CLOCK, THIRTEENTH CENTURY AD No one is certain when the mechanical clock was first invented, but it’s assumed that their earliest uses were in monasteries to call the monks to prayer.

The first such clocks known for certain are called “turret clocks,” as they were large machines housed in towers. The earliest of these tolled only the hour, and had no hands or dial. A clock from Rouen, France, is still extant and dates from 1389

10

PRINTING PRESS OF GUTENBERG, FIFTEENTH CENTURY AD While the Chinese had first used movable type and paper, it wasn’t until the development of Gutenberg’s press that the process became mechanized and allowed for true mass dissemination of the printed word. The press was clearly modeled on the wine and olive presses that had existed in the Near East and the Mediterranean since ancient times.

Culled from the book ‘Ultimate top 10 list’

― Congolese Proverb

FEATURE

July 25, 2014

for your child. It stands out to me because I got my nephew to star in the commercial. He starred with his parents (my brother and my sister in-law) and, of course, I paid them. It stands out, not because I used my family members, but because of the intimacy in it and everybody who sees that videos always appreciates that intimacy.

That’s why I like it.

16

How long does it take you to put a music video

together?

Getting the concept usually takes the most time. Like I said earlier, I don’t pick up concepts; I get inspired by them. Sometimes, they don’t come immediately and I just have to wait for them.

But once I get the idea, I do the costing and send it to the client.

So, let’s say, it takes a week to put everything together. If it’s an elaborate video, I try not to shoot for more than two days.

Kemi Adetiba No, I haven’t. If I have [copied anyone’s ideas] you’ll see it. I rarely watch music videos, except for some that are really popular on Youtube or the blogs. I don’t usually watch the music video stations so I don’t know the ‘reigning’ thing. I don’t know the latest style, the latest camera angle etc., and that’s why I think my work – by the grace of God – stands out. I’m not blinded by anything. Sometimes, even unconsciously, you don’t know when you are close to copying someone’s idea. You know, no idea is original and I’m pretty sure that a lot of work I’ve done is inspired, not necessarily by music videos but, also, by television shows like Good Times, The Cosby Show etc. Also, I’m inspired by things that happened in my family. My family is very humorous, so my ideas come from a melting pot of different things I’ve seen or experienced.

11

From radio to television and now you are a lecturer (Adetiba teaches a yearly class with Frontline Media Academy)… (cuts in with laughter) I’m just waiting for the day people will wake up and find out that I’m a fraud. I tell my father all the time that I feel like a fraud. But he had to assure me that I’m no fraud : “You’ve been behind the camera for about eight years and besides the time you’ve spent in front of the camera you’ve been around for

about 13 years; so, it’s high time you realise [that] you are not a fraud”. He also says it’s good that I’m nervous; it’s good that I have anxiety about my work because once you lose that; you will fail to put your all into a project. I’m just glad that I’ve been able to pass on to others some of the things I’ve learnt in my career.

12

Your videos have won countless number of

awards...

Yes, they have been nominated a lot of times; I’ve won a couple, though not as much as I’d have wanted to.

13

But do you think the Nigerian award system is a good yard-stick to measure videos, considering the number of awards organised nationwide?

I think, as far as comments on these awards are concerned, it is subjective and somehow biased.

There are a couple of times when I feel I should have won a particular award but it went to someone else. Perhaps, it is because I don’t release videos all the time. I don’t do every body’s video. I’m very choosy about the videos I shoot.

I mean, I don’t make my money from shooting music videos; I do commercials and produce a lot of content for television. So, it allows me to be able to pick and choose things which inspire me.

One thing I’ve trained myself to

believe is that my work can never be measured by an award. I prefer people telling me on Twitter or Instagram that they were inspired by my videos and that it made them to pick up a camera. That’s the scale on which I measure my work. If I measured my work through an award, I’ll be miserable every day.

14

What is your favourite piece of instrument you work with?

My brain is my favourite instrument. Not because I’m very smart, but because I enjoy piecing stories together. When this idea is completed, I can’t wait for people to see it. About 80 t0 90 per cent of what you do comes from a great idea. You might have a great idea and shoot it on your camera phone but because it’s a great idea, people would still want to watch it. It’s not the graphics or the cinematography; it’s not the camera work or lighting that makes a product. Once you make it palatable for public consumption, people will like it.

15

You mentioned earlier that you do commercials.

Is there any particular one you’ve done that stands out?

I’ve done quite a few; one for Mouka Foam and about three others for First Bank. The one that stands out is one of the commercials I shot for First Bank, which is about opening an account

Hold a true friend with both hands.

17

Have you worked with everybody you’ll like to work with? Also, are any musicians in Nigeria you’ll like to work with?

I’ll like to work with Davido, because he seems like an exciting, energetic character. I’ll also like to work with 2Fac and Sound Sultan.

There are a lot of people I’ll like to work with but for now, I’m just drawing blanks.

18

Who were the people you looked up to in the film world while growing up?

Mine was different. I didn’t know this was my calling until I went to film school. I actually went to film school to be a director for television and it was my supervisor that told me that I had a knack for telling stories (I was well into my 20s then). I grew up watching a lot of movies and musicals. That was the kind of person I was. I didn’t think I was going to go in this direction. If there was anything that I thought I’ll be, I thought I’ll be a singer or music producer. Unfortunately, I don’t have the courage to do either. So, ever since this gentleman told me I had a knack for telling stories, that has been all I wanted to do.

19

As someone who’s been around for more than 13 years, what advice would you give other females who

― African proverb

45 want a career in the media?

I’ll say ‘don’t be afraid to dream’. I dream like a naïve person. To me, everything is possible. When I get knocked down, I give myself a little time to be depressed about it and I always have a ‘Plan B’. if all you need is a break, do all you can to get that break. You might have to reduce that break; sometimes you might not be paid because you want that break. Once you get that break, you have to put in a 1000 per cent because you might not get another chance.

Another thing is that it’s a sexless industry. Hard work will always get you the recognition you deserve. Also, remember that beauty doesn’t take you anywhere; it is what you have in your palm that does that. Have no excuse when it comes to work.

20

Was there any video you saw while growing up that made you decide you wanted to be a director?

If I had to pick, it’ll be Michael Jackson’s You Rock My World directed by Paul Hunter. I mean, the extended version of the video is like a movie. The lighting, acting and story-line were simply amazing. It’s one of my favourite videos in the world.

21

In Nigeria, which video director’s work do you

admire?

I like a lot of Clarence [Peter]’s work for Illbliss and Suspekt.

Suspekt is another person I’ll love to shoot for. I’ll give a limb to shoot for Suspekt – but Clarence probably has a monopoly on that.

I’ll also like to shoot for Illbliss, because of his understanding of his good understanding of the music industry.

22

What’s your relationship with Banky W and EME

Records?

Banky is like my brother.

I met him before he became big, though we are not as close anymore. We’ve never dated and, come to think of it, I don’t think Banky W has ever found me attractive. It’s weird when people say we are compatible.

I can understand why people group us together, though, because we travel together and all that. I also have a relationship with his label now, because I work with Niyola (one of his signees) a lot.

46 TATTLES Ray J’s Downey ‘Interesting’ Gift to Kim And Kanye Robert Jr. Is Hollywood’ s Highest Earner Robert Downey Jnr, according to Forbes, is now Hollywood’s highest earner for the second year in a row. Marvel Studios has been reportedly slow to pay its super-hero franchise actors; But Downey seems to be the exception.

The Iron Man actor reigns as the highest paid in Hollywood, because, at this point, it will be incredibly difficult for the studio to continue making Iron Man and Avengers films without him. Marvel movies starring Downey have earned almost $4bn at the global box office and millions more on home video, not to mention the millions the movies have generated in merchandise. It is estimated that Downey earned $75m between June 2013 and June 2014, the same amount he earned last year.

Beyonce and Jay Z To Split?

Mega stars Beyonce and Jay Z are reportedly planning to go their separate ways following the end of their joint On the Run world tour in September. The couple are said to be working out a way to break-up without divorcing, following the final dates of the tour in Paris this December and have already removed their wedding rings. A source told The New York Post that “There are no rings, if you haven’t noticed. They are trying to figure out a way to split without divorcing. This is a huge concert tour and they’ve already gotten most of the money from the promoters up front.” The source added that the tour will be the last for 44-year-old Jay Z and his 32-year-old wife, after marriage counselors failed to help them get their relationship back on track. TATTLES can only hope that this remains an unconfirmed story for now, because the couple has remained an inspiration to many.

Bukky Wright’s Second Marriage Crashes

It appears that the second marriage of popular Nollywood actress, Bukky Wright, to Adewale Onitiri, has crashed. Though this news is unexpected, cracks long developed in the marriage. According to reports, the situation worsened when the couple began to put some distance between them, deciding to live far apart. After hearing unconfirmed tales of his wife’s alleged escapades in the country while he was in America, a visibly angry Onitiri requested that she leave the couple’s Ajah, Lagos, home. The relationship between the couple has since deteriorated, with the last incident, increasing the tension in the union, prompting rumours of another divorce for the actress.

‘I Was Named After An Animal’ In a recent interview with a national daily movie director Antar Laniyan disclosed how he got his peculiar name. “I know the name Laniyan is not a special one but Antar is peculiar. Some years back, a pregnant woman had a rival who wanted to marry her husband at all cost. This rival went diabolical to make sure the pregnant woman, my mother, did not give birth to me. After staying 18 months in my mother’s womb, they made some findings and it was revealed that my mother had to beg this rival for me to come to life. On getting to my mother’s rival, she said they had to look for a goanna (a lizard-like animal called aworinwo or antar in Yoruba). So, they used the antar to make a concoction for my mother. After some hours, I came to life and my mother decided to name me ‘Antar’, after the animal.

I Learnt A Lot At EME – Skales In a recent interview with Osagie Alonge of NET, singer Skales described his stay at the Banky W’s EME Records as a “lesson”.

In recent weeks, BAnky W has come out to say he changed the rapper into a singer, after different versions of reasons why he left the label.

“It was a lesson; I learnt a lot basically, music-wise, because I became better. Now I know my sound and what exactly it is and I’m confident with what I’m trying to get. I have gained more exposure, [learnt] how to run a business, how to do stuff and how to go about the whole showbiz thing,” he said.

As to why he left EME, Scales revealed that cracks began to show in their relationship sometime at the beginning of the year. “I just wanted to do my own thing, because I was putting my career in somebody’s hand and nothing was happening,” he said.

July 25, 2014

Is it over already between Ciara and rapper Future? That’s the question on everybody’s lips. For weeks there have been whispers that Ciara and Future are not doing okay. Also, there were recent reports that the singer/ rapper is still having dalliances with one of his baby mamas.

Perhaps, splitting may benefit both of them.

Shakira is officially the most popular person on Facebook. The Colombian singer now has over a hundred million ‘likes’.

The Hips don’t lie crooner, who often takes to the social networking site to communicate with her fans, recently posted a video on her page thanking her fans.

TiSPY

Which female musician hit a million likes on Facebook?

‘I Want To Give Back Through Politics’ The number of Nigerian celebrities who are eyeing politics as their next means of impacting society is swelling. With actors like Kanayo O. Kanayo and Kate Henshaw having taken an active interest in politics, one actor who has made known his desire to join the fray long before others, is Desmond Elliot, and in an interview with a national dailym, he outlined the reasons for his desire.

“The current situation is very pathetic. I feel God has helped me thus far and I want to give back to the youths through politics. The worst part of our national life is the level of corruption which has not allowed youths to understand what it means to live a meaningful life.

Just because of a lack of knowledge of what to do, we are being sidetracked. There are no jobs and issues like these lead to frustration. A whole lot needs to be done on agriculture; every state in Nigeria needs to see how it can contribute to nationbuilding. There’s a lot that needs to be done,” he said. TATTLES can only hope he remembers these words after he gets elected.

The Things

THEY SAID

“I spent over N20m just to put that song and video together.”

–Timaya commenting on his duet with Sean Paul “I don’t beg for money from govt like you do” –Ibinabo Fiberisima to Mr Ibu

FLiRT “She’s a very nice person. I mean, I’ve spoken to her a few times and she’s a very lovely person” ALERT –Mikel Obi talking about Genevieve Nnaji

GOT A CELEB GIST? GET IN TOUCH!

July 25, 2014

TATTLES with Abisola Alawode

OUR EAR-ON-GROUND

Dear Davido, I Am So Sorry Chris Ihidero’s writings are always one to look out for. In this article for popular tabloid, NET, the wordsmith and filmmaker shared his thoughts on Davido’s rise to fame.

Dear Davido, How are you today? Not too tired from last night’s performance, I hope? I’m sure you had a performance last night; you seem to have one every night these days.

Pele. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown and, right now, you are the king of Nigerian Pop. I never thought the day would come when I would make that statement, but here we are and I shall repeat: You. Are.The. King. Of. Nigerian.

Pop. Music.

I am sure you are wondering why I’m writing you a letter to state what’s pretty obvious to anyone who walks the streets of Lagos, goes clubbing or ventures near a party scene: Your music is on constant play. How did you do it ehn, David, how?

See, when you came on the scene, I gave you zero chance of survival. I was so sure you were another excitable wannabe with an overdose of youthful exuberance, coming to foul the air with pathetic music fit only for numbskulls and bimbos, much like you. That’s what I thought and some three years later, here I am tendering my unreserved apologies for stupidity. How could I not have seen it? How could I have lumped you with the one-hit-wonder crowd? How did I not know anything of your hard work and laser focus? How did I so quickly relegate you to the rubbish heap of Naija’s ‘jollof music’ when I have always argued that there was a place for ‘nonsense-making’ music in every society?

See, I didn’t even think that you could succeed at making ‘disposable’ music. Ha! Part of my problem, of course, was that your father has a lot of money. No, I am not envious. Yes, my father does not have a lot of money. Again, no; I do not want your father’s money. And yes, I was truly irritated when you came onto the scene because your father had a lot of money and you could bloody well buy a studio and croak into a microphone if you so desired. Being the child of a rich man has its drawbacks and one of them is that children of rich people are often

PUBLiC DiSPLAY

TATTLES 47

WizKid who turned 24 recently spent a whoopin g N20m to celebrate his birthday! This is according to various sources. It is no surprise, either, conside rin that the singer is probab g ly rich beyond his wildest dreams.

If the pictures which have flooded the Internet are anything to go by, Nollywood actress Stephanie Okereke-Linus is now on set to play her role as Doris in an American western movie, Boonsville Redemption. No one seems to know if the said role is a bit-part, leading or supporting one. All the same congrats to her.

seen through the prism of their parents’ money. I saw you as another boy with a money-miss-road father who has failed at everything else and now wants to try his hand at music because, as a qualified loser with a sense of entitlement, you assumed anyone could sing. I judged you on first contact. Chai, I have been foolish! David, omo baba olowo, you will have to reach deep within your soul to find forgiveness for me.

Truth be told you can’t really sing, David. And you can’t really dance either.

And your stage performances, the ones I saw, were like a dress rehearsal for a mini-area boys’ assault. You were all over the place like an eager monkey, prancing around the stage like an adulterous p***s.

But who says a great voice is necessary for success in Pop music? Who says every Pop artiste has to be a Michael Jackson and moonwalk? Fela didn’t have a great voice and could not dance to save his life, yet he made great music. And it isn’t as if you were claiming to be a nightingale.

What people like me could not see in you was pretty obvious to the millions who appreciated your art: an art form’s essence is in its connection with an audience. What was it Mark Twain said again? “The public is the only critic whose opinion is worth

I always knew I would be a beauty queen” –Reigning MBGN Iheoma Nnadi

anything at all”. Your ardent fans validate you and I-too-knows like me need to shut up and smell the agbalumo.

You are a bonafide Pop star, Davido. I finally accepted this reality recently on a drive from Lekki to Ikeja. It was around 11pm on a Friday and the DJ on Top Radio 90.9 was doing non-stop mixes of Nigerian music. It was shocking when I realised that one of your songs was played every five minutes. When did Davido make so many hits? Where was I when all this was happening? That was when I was informed of your hard work. I was told how you spent almost a life-time in the studio while you were still in school. I was reliably informed that it is now possible to play an hour of your hits, whether solo or collaborations. I was made aware of how you have even changed the direction of your music with a song like Aye, infusing elements of Highlife music, in order to get everyone on the dance floor, no matter when or where it is played. Afterwards, they had to assist me in closing my mouth, which had been hanging open.

I shall now find a corner where I can eat this enormous humble pie.

Sincerely, Your newest fan!

Kate Henshaw recently declared her intention to contest for the Federal House of Representatives for Calabar Municipal/ Odukpani Federal Constituency on the card of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Perhaps, we will soon be calling her an ‘honourable’ then? Only time will tell.

Florence Otedola aka DJ Cuppy recently graduated from King’s College London with a degree in Business Management. She finished with second class upper honours and has been admitted to the New York University for her Master’s programme.

Congrats, Cuppy.

TiP FOR “Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions” THE TOP – Dalai Lama

Call Bisola on 08126995258 Or e-mail at friday@leadership.ng

48

COLUMNS

July 25, 2014

Diary

Razak’s

RELATIONSHIPS FOR YOU, BY ME

Dating More Than One Guy

co s y raz z y @ ya h o o. co m

I’m an impulsive guy with an insatiable thirst for adventure. This is all about my dalliances & escapades.

A Huge Discovery I laid my head on my desk. My head was banging; it was as if Thor had taken a hammer to my head.

I was seeing starts and, just as I was about getting up to go inform Bose (yes, that Bose) that I may leave for home before the close of work, Etim stood at the door.

I was seeing stars and blistering barnacles, but I managed to focus. It seemed he was covered by a rainbow-like halo, but I knew that was the headache acting up.

“Heh,heh,heh, my guy, I thought you said no em,em, during Ramaddan.” Etim was coming on again.

“Of course.”

“Then, can you explain the source of this mysterious headache, if not some extra-curricular activity which you involved yourself in some time last night?” He was also playing police with me.

I waved him off.

“Alright, go tell Bose you are about leaving, then when you get there you get some more. Lucky guy. In my own case, if there is a little squabble or if Shades catches me talking to you, I have to do some explaining before I even sniff…”

“Etim,abeg, carry your exotic erotics comot for my office, abeg. I think it’s even contributing to my headache,” I said, with my head bowed.

“Me? You know I’m now your go-to-guy. I’ve not been here long, but we click so bad; you and moi, amigo.

See, I can even talk you out of this headache and make you’ll be better.” He had gone all suave and sotto voce.

He could play doctor, as well.

“Why are you talking to me like that, are you gay?”

“Fool. Gay, with finely sculpted ladies like Nurse Tits and Shades around? Bros, warn yourself.”

I groaned.

“Sorry, I…” “You ladies should stop fraternising like girlfriends and come out to the cafeteria.” That was Zuleyat. But we called her Zully.

Etim looked at her and, before anyone could say ‘jack’, he blurted “absolute”.

“Absolute what?” Me and Zully chorused together.

“Absolute appeal,” Etim said, unfazed and pleased with himself.

“Mtcheew,” said Zully as she sashayed away. I turned my head, forcing my mind to be blank.

“Bros…” Etim started.

“Etim, haba, you will get me into trouble one day o.

Everyone’s going to think that we are birds of the same plumage …”

“That are cavorting together,” he completed.

“Whatever that means,” I retorted.

I got up and, together, we started leaving for the cafeteria, but, in no time, the rogue burst into Mase’s Bad Boy. “Bad, bad, bad, bad boy, you make me feel so good.

Bad, bad, bad, boy, I wouldn’t leave you if I could…”

It sounded good, thanks to his sonorous voice.

Shade joined from nowhere and so did Fanta and a number of other. Bose came swaying and, in no time, the whole cafeteria had become a community of hipswaying, Hip-hop lovers.

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People like Jibo, Ehis and Kam filled in with the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’. It sounded good but I was still seeing stars.

Thor was still having a go at my head.

After a moment, Bose, made everyone cool it. She had caught the attention of the boys the most and, noticing it, she wanted to act like the big sis she was considered to be.

“MD has declared a bonus for everyone, because of our performance in the first quarter of the year.

Everyone, therefore, will get 25 per cent of his or her salary when he or she applies. If you apply after Ramaddan, today or next week, whenever, you can have it,” she said, looking at me.

Loud whoops and cheers swallowed what was left of her speech.

“Three gbosas for MD,” Kam shouted.

“Gbosa, gbosa,gbosa!” the cafeteria vibrated.

“Five gbosas for us; we made the money!” Ehis screamed.

“Gbosa, gbosa, gbosa, gbosa,gbosa!”

The environment had become charged like an SUG election hall. Spirits were high.

Etimwas on hand again: “If you like, go spend it on your girlfriends and come back broke.” Hearty, grateful laughter greeted his comment. But I could see Shade didn’t take it well.

Before anyone could say anything, he launched into Brandy’s I’m Gonna be down, singing “I’m gonna be down with you, I’m gonna be down; I think you know it’s true. I’m gonnna be doooooown…”

As everyone began to leave the cafeteria, I decided to take a little walk in the garden behind the MD’s office. True to E.T’s promise, he had chased the headache a little distance and I was feeling a little better. I smiled. Wherever did that fellow come from? He had enough charm for all the girls in the world.

I sat on one of the sculpted seats in the serene garden, as I wondered why many of us never sat in it, to enjoy its solitude. In my case, I was sitting in it for the first time and it did me real good. Who would believe there was such a beautiful ground in an office environment? I smiled and prepared to close my eyes a little when I heard some moaning and whispers.

I stood up suddenly, my headache forgotten. What was that?

I snooped around. It was coming from my left, close to the block of offices. I it was coming from an office!

I stepped carefully as I moved, peering into the office shutters, one after the other, until I stumbled on them.

My headache returned full force. I winced and held my temples. Thor was really having a nice time pounding my head to pulp. I couldn’t believe it. I stepped back as carefully and as silently as I had stepped forward, when I suddenly stumbled on a flower bed and fell. I had just seen Shade and Ehis sweating, having a go at it! Shade’s moaning was the one I heard while I tried to get amoment of quiet.

So, while Etim cheated on her, she took her chances with Ehis. I held my healing arm, as I thought to myself how people easily died for nothing.

You must be thinking, “dating or seeing more than one guy at a time is a very bad thing to do and you may be seen as a prostitute if you do this”. True, but have you ever heard of that saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”?

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying sleep with every guy you date. Don’t get it twisted. What I am saying is, keep your options open until you get that commitment you want. Men can be very evil when they want to be. If a man keeps coming to see you, but has not committed to you, it is possible that he is also seeing someone else. “Why?” you ask.

He is trying out every fish in the sea before he does a pointand-kill. If he can do that why can’t you?

This ‘fairly new’ way of dating has been termed ‘volume dating’. It simply entails your giving attention to any man who fits your spec rather than limiting yourself to one ‘potential’.

Your time is an investment and any wise investor knows you should have a diversified portfolio, instead of investing in just one sector of business. Consider dating more than one person as having a diversified portfolio.

The game of love isn’t always easy to play. Finding love in itself it can even be harder; so, why limit yourself to one situation? You are a woman and [you] have the world at your feet. Never settle for less.

Why should you ever date more than one person at once? Is it healthy? Researchers have found that it is easier to narrow down ‘the one’ when you have multiple options to choose from, as it reduces the pressure of rushing into one relationship with your eyes shut. Women tend to get emotionally attached to the first person who shows or gives attention. Men see this as a sign of ‘desperation’, ‘being clingy’ or being needy. When you divert your attention from one person it makes the man you want desire you more for two reasons; 1. He doesn’t understand why you aren’t giving him all your time and 2. It becomes a hunt for him and men love a good hunt.

Men like to feel they have worked for their prey. It makes them value you more as a woman and, ultimately, a potential wife.

The problem comes when women feel prematurely attached and this prevents them from dating other guys. This limits your options before you know [that] you are on the right path. That's how hearts are broken — when you think you've found ‘the one’ after two dates and then he never calls again There are, of course, pros and cons of dating around. Let’s discuss that next week.

Write to us! Share your favourite recipes, TV shows, movies, and of course write to Matilda, Mimi and Rasaq. Send us your comments and suggestions on our features.

We want lots of feedback from you! fridayleadership@leadership.ng

Children are the reward of life.

— African proverb

www.miseducationofmimi.blogspot.com Mimidoo Achineku is a PR consultant in the SME, TV & Film industry.

She is a blogger, fabulous, old, depending on who you ask and she isn’t lonely!

July 25, 2014

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July 25, 2014

INTERVIEW 51

July 25, 2014

‘Muslims, Christians In Northern Nigeria Must Uniteʼ Pastor Yohanna Buru is a pastor with the Peace Revival & Reconciliation Ministry and the founder of an NGO committed to enshrining at all levels. In the spirit of the Ramadan, he has consistently secured the release of prison inmates to enable them partake in the breaking of the daily fast at dusk in their homes, while using the opportunity to pray for the peace of the country. In this interview with ISAIAH BENJAMIN, he gives an insight into his motivating factor, among other issues.

As a pastor you just secured the release of Muslim prison inmates.

What is your motivating factor?

My motivating factor is simple. We have gone beyond talking; it is now time to be practical. I do agree with the theory aspect, but it is the practical that will give you better results. As a pastor, I know my Bible and it advises me to be my brother’s keeper. If God can forgive a sinner, who am I to say no?

Most of these inmates might have committed the crime and some may be innocent, but they are in prison and they now have the opportunity to live right and godly. They need help and no should refuse them that.

My Bible says, in Matthew 25:35, 36, in that day Christ will say: “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in. I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me…” Many will be surprised and wonder when they did all these things and He will point out that it was when they did it for others. That is the reason behind my motivation. Secondly, my master and lord gave me that sanction to do all that for any one; I don’t need to know if that person is a criminal or not.

Another reason is this; Muslim brothers are my brothers. Jesus commands us to love them, “even if they prosecute you”.

Note that Muslims are not enemies of Christians but since both religions are Nigeria’s major religions, it is good to foster peace. I know the power of fasting, because I do fast and there is no place in the Bible where it is written that the only prayers which will be answered are those of Christians alone. Even a pagan prays and God answers, because He created us.

That said, I am doing this based on my desire for peace, unity and reconciliation.

How long have you been securing the release of prison inmates?

I started this in 2013, during the Ramadan season, because I wanted them to go fast and pray for the nation and that, particularly, the insurgents choose to dialogue with the government with a view to ending the insurgency across the country.

Last year eight of them were released and there were six this year. Due to some issues, I could not go to the prison directly, but I wrote to the prison comptroller to choose 30 of those who have been accused of lesser crimes for release. In the end, only six were released to me.

You recently fed hundreds of destitute who are also Muslims. Some people might find it difficult to understand why a pastor has chosen to touch the lives of people of other religions…

You see, these destitute have been neglected completely by the church, mosques, NGOs, society and, sadly, especially the government. While trying to beg for their daily meal, most of them are over-ridden by cars. This moved me to help them because we may find ourselves in their condition someday. The Bible advises one to do unto others as you want to be done unto you. That, in addition to the desire for peace, is the motivating factor.

It is not as if I care what people say, but it is necessary for us to point out that among the destitute are Muslims and Christians, but this is the least of my concerns. Also, I do not care if they believe in God or not; or if their prayers are answered or not; I do it out of love.

What are some of the challenges you encounter in rendering such humanitarian service to the society?

My major challenges are about two or so. Initially, people thought I was doing it for political reasons. But I have never tired of letting them know that it is due to my love for God and my desire for peace in Kaduna State. Then, it was difficult but, within a few months, as things moved on and took shape, everything settled into place. Also, when I approached Christians, they asked ‘will Muslims ever love us again?’ and when I approached Muslims, they asked ‘will Christians ever love us again?’

The other challenge was that of finance and an unsupportive government. Having said that, I want to appeal to the government should to allow NGOs function and flow freely. They shouldn’t allow or make other people to think that NGOs

Buru

are deceivers or thieves. I can say it anywhere that the government has never supported me. I am doing this because I love my people and as a service to humanity. The government should let us do this.

Nigeria is currently faced with security challenges; what, in your opinion, is responsible and what is the possible way out?

There are so many factors. The first is that Northern Nigeria has turned against God. As a clergyman, whether Muslims agree with me or Christians disagree with me, I don’t care. Northerners have forgotten what they have done to themselves, so I am saying this as a reminder and the reason why there is no peace in the north.

Also, we don’t value ourselves. If we do, why waste so much human lives?

The bloodshed in the region is turning against it. Down in the Southeast and Southwest, no one burns a mosque or church; it is abominable. Only in Northern Nigeria.

The way out is to turn to God absolutely. As for the insurgents, they need to sit on a dialogue table and repent. The rest of the people need to return to God and stop making merchandise of the current situation in the country. Whatever you are – NGO, Christian or Muslim – we must begin to tell our brothers where they have wronged us, in sincerity, honesty and faithfulness.

Insecurity is a major challenge in this country, particularly, the activities of the Boko Haram. Do you think that the government is doing enough to address the situation?

In all honesty, the government is not do-

Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.

— Akan proverb

Northern Nigeria has turned against God. As a clergyman, whether Muslims agree with me or Christians disagree with me, I don’t care.

Northerners have forgotten what they have done to themselves ing enough to handle the situation. They may have their armoured tank guns and their detectives, but the people handling the security issues are not handling it well. There is no country in the world that has no security challenges but the way such challenges are handled is what makes the difference. After the Nigerian Civil War, the Biafrans had a round-table parley with President Gowon and they told him that there were “no victor, no vanquish”. Honestly, the government’s approach to the issue of security is not encouraging.

The 2015 general election is around the corner. Some have predicted blood-shed, others have predicted disintegration. Do you foresee any of these?

The negative and the positives are both expectations for 2015. If the religious leaders will stop deceiving people, then 2015 will be a shocking year to many. Nigeria will not disintegrate but we need to seriously pray for the survival of the country beyond 2015. As a pastor, I decree contrary to prophets of doom that there won’t any blood-shed in 2015.

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July 25, 2014

Hauwa Booth WOMAN ON THE LOOSE

Ff:@ofastupidwoman: Read @ www.diaryofastupidwoman.com

Calling On INEC

Doctors Are On Strike....Again Twenty-four days on, 24 demands later and our doctors in the government hospitals are still on strike. Our doctors strike rather frequently and for a shade of the same reasons or hybrids of wars already won. ASUU still holds the title for ‘the most strikes’ but as 2015 approaches, can there be a more innovative, exciting and, most importantly, result- yielding way for our striking professionals to make their point? Shortly after this strike and, if they make any in-roads, the next group within will be gearing up for its own. The good thing is [that] all the striking doctors are nonetheless gainfully employed at their private hospitals or consulting in these hospitals. So,

weep not patient, they await you there! A few of the reasons adduced directly affect the patients who patronise these hospitals (thank you for the altruism). I’m just wondering if the doctors have ever considered giving, say a 50 per cent discount, to any patient who happens to be ‘forced’ in the direction of a private hospital in solidarity with them against the government’s attitude towards their fight for the profession and, of course, the patient. No? You should think of it, because we have the mistaken impression that what you are fighting for is more about the money than the passion and calling for saving lives, no matter what.

Those Pesky Lower Denominations Those Pesky ‘Lower Denominations’ Just great! Our naira is nowhere competing on the international market but we make ‘yanga’ on taking lower denominations! The teller in GTB wouldn’t take my small $20 note. “We don’t take low denominations, only $100”. A bit confused, I asked why and she said “because customers do

not collect them”! She looked accusatorial at me, as if to say, “Yep, customers like you!” Our priorities are misplaced! You know; we don’t collect coins because they are heavy but we collect them when we travel to foreign lands! I quietly tucked my $20 back into my purse, but I saw that she was dead serious. Central Bank of Nigeria over to you!

Please, when is the INEC going to let those seeking political office start outright campaigns? The stranglehold on the economy is tightening and it is not funny. The ‘wellsprings’ are dried up and bills are mounting!

I wish all these agencies that require us to fill forms can look at the National Housing Fund data update form and take a cue from it. It was straight-forward and relevant, asking only the pertinent questions. It did not ask for my state of origin, LGA, hamlet, relationship status or religion.

Really, what has that got to do with the FMBN domiciling my contribution? Hmm, something interesting. What was the security high alert that affected the governor and chief security officer, a serving senator and intended pilgrims (who had already boarded the aircraft then told to disembark) all of the same state at the airport that was miraculously handled when a former governor of the same state made use of the same airport and was even escorted, rather royally, around the same time. What manner of Animal Farm, Borno?

One more thing; how did Baba Maimangoro walk out of the country with treason and corruption charges hanging on his neck while the security agencies were able to see Aunty Oby very clearly? Must be the low-cut.

I don’t know whether to laugh or shake my head. The deputy governor was sacked because he became a poultry farmer with the location being his official backyard.

My Expensive Mane I really would like to understand why the cost of cutting one’s hair is on the increase. I started at N500 just about a year ago [and now] it gradually oscillates between N1,000 and N1,500.

As at last week, I was billed N3,000! I thought my barber was joking. It upset me. I left the shores of braiding and what have you to have some peace, among other things, in the financial department, regarding my hair. I used to pay N3,000 to braid a full crop of hair in, at least, four hours! Why am I paying that for a 15-minute hair-do? Anyway, I ended up paying N2,000 after talking, complaining, gesticulating and drinking the juice that was served along with the service. Was it the glass of juice, the fact that the generator was running, the exorbitant rent paid or the ambience created? Whatever it is, where next do I go?

What Image?

I was listening to 98.3FM one morning discussing Nigerians and our sensitivity to how the foreign media and other nationals view us. A number of perceptions and views were stated about us and I wondered why we like to delude ourselves.

WEEKEND

BiTES

Some of the callers were upset that rapper Rick Ross had recorded a part of his music video in our slums.

I don’t understand; don’t we have slums? When we are perceived as fraudsters, scammers, loud, questionably hard working, happy, tolerant,

‘WILL A SOLDIER NOT COUNT THE COST (OF BATTLE ) BEFORE HE GOES INTO WAR?’

FEEDBACK: LET’S HEAR FROM YOU

rough around the edges, [people affected by the] ‘big man’ syndrome, indisciplined, good-time people and corrupt, please, which one is a lie? We find it so easy to criticise and mock others but when many a true word is spoken about us, we flip. There are

exceptions to every rule, no doubt, but if we really want to be less sensitive as to how people, nations and all perceive us then we all have to work to ensure that the negative adjectives above are exceptions rather than the rule when it comes to us!

Hello Readers, thank you for reading and spreading the word about this page. We are now ready for your feedback. Let’s hear your take. Constructive criticism and contributions will be published. Send thoughts to diaryofastupidwoman@gmail.com OR 08055241197 via TEXT ONLY. Don’t forget to include your name and location. Please bear with us if yours doesn’t make it onto the page.

July 25, 2014

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July 25, 2014

Stanley Nkwocha

Chibok Girls: A 100 Days And Yet No 'Celebration'

Our Eye On Power And Politics

Feedback: stanleyn@leadership.ng

08038011382 (text only)

So Abba Moro Is Still In Office?

It is now more than 100 days since the Chibok girls saga broke. An unprecedented number of girls was abducted from their school hostels to unknown destinations by the Boko Haram sect. The girls are yet to be released even though assurances keep coming in droves.

Sadly, it took the intervention or was it visit of rights activist Malala for the meeting between the president and the Chibok parents to be held.

While I try to understand the security concerns by the Presidency especially in this era of missiles bringing down planes, I still can’t understand the silence on Chibok.

It has been a 100 days since this ugly saga and it is as if it isn’t the 100 days that politicians used to roll out the drums to celebrate their ‘gigantic’ feats in office to show the populace how set and ready they are to change the tides of things and indeed how blessed the people are for having such administrations in place.

And it is not just about Nigeria. I am sure that no president got on the job and displayed enormous speed and radical reforms like President Barack Obama did in his first 100 days in office. It was something of a celebration as the media swooped on the Obama administration, assessing it to the very marrow. Back home in Nigeria too, the president and governors took to the media dishing out documentaries after documentaries in television adverts, whilst the newspapers had a field day at the time as pages got enlarged to accommodate the various special projects that states scrambled to project.

So I am asking why the 100 days spent by the Chibok girls thus far in the forest is being made to look like no big deal. Shouldn’t we be ‘celebrating’ too by this time?

I have almost forgotten that interior minister, Abba Moro exists and in charge of the country’s internal affairs until he showed up in the media recently and I felt embarrassed.

It is unfortunate that for political convenience, Abba Moro still has a seat at the Federal Executive Council (FEC), thereby making a mess of known

values and ethics. In civilised climes, Abba Moro would have spared us the wastage of our inks, energy and thoughts by resigning. But here, the politics is supra complex! Just been thinking why Stella Oduah got sent packing while Moro still moves around with sirens. Didn’t he too erode public trust and confidence? Oh! I remember, David Mark to the rescue!

Stan’s Memo

Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.

We have guided missiles and misguided men - Martin Luther King Jr.

APC And The Furore Over Impeachments We are told that political parties exist to contest for political power as well as serve the electorate. Foremost, however, is the quest for political power. So, no matter how it goes about the business, the targets of political parties is political power, whether a Justice Salami connived with the ACN to tumble governors in the South West or not, or whether the PDP is using impeachments as its own weapon to gain power or not, it points to the same direction.

In all seriousness, however, I feel the APC would have done worse as regards impeachments if they had the means and the political power like the PDP at the moment. After all, didn’t the APC start the poaching business in the polity at the moment?

Rather than lay blames, let the APC put its house in order. If Nyako has been flung out, why hasn’t it been easy for the governors of Sokoto and Kano to be so dealt with? And why has the speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly called the bluff of threats of impeachment being bandied by forces loyal to former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff against incumbent Governor Kashim Shettima? Even at that, was the APC truly comfortable with the performance of the erstwhile governor?

Musings

i

Let the APC put its house in order by simply checkmating the PDP’s excesses if any in this regard. Certainly if you cannot mention impeachment in Edo or Lagos states, other APC governors must learn why it is so. Let the strategies get better in terms of fine tuning to wade off the PDP and not these drums of war it’s leaders are beating. Nigerians are not interested in any war. Let the political class sort themselves out.

Yours sincerely was just few minutes away from the very vicinity of the bomb explosion at Alkali Road in Kaduna last Wednesday in search of a bank’s branch.

The speed with which I raced and geared back to Abuja after spending days in Kaduna couldn’t be calibrated. It was simply not amusing! May God protect us.

Kaduna : ... But For The Prompt Intervention Of Yero

Kaduna State since the death of former governor, Peter Yekowa has witnessed relative peace, at least with regards to the detonation of bombs. However, last Wednesday’s detonation which claimed almost 90 lives turned a low point on the state.

However, but for the swift action by the governor and the security chiefs in the state, perhaps the situation would have turned messy as indications emerged that already tension was high and houses were beginning to get touched by some rival sects in the state. By the singular act of imposing the curfew, deaths and crisis were averted and calm restored. That to me was being proactive. As we say kudos to the governor, we must not forget to pray for those affected by the blast.

Power Play: Netanyahu Vs Abbas The elusive peace in the Middle East has again been brought to the front burner.

The violence recorded in the past few weeks, following the deaths of teenagers from both the Israeli and Palestinian nations has again brought the issue of Gaza and the West

Bank to the table.

However, for both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, the war of words coming from both axis do not suggest that their tenures will see to the end of the crisis in the region

which always spirals out to other countries in the region.

Clearly, both Netanyahu and Abbas have their separate and collective conditions, terms and even definition of peace in the region with Hamas definitely in no mood to backdown from their

actions in the region. Is it just about national interest or is the world’s unrivaled power play about to be taken to the next level? Hoping the seize fire in the offing gives room for genuine peace which has defied various US presidents and even Vatican Popes.

Not every movement is progress; Some movements are just a way of burning fats! ― Israelmore Ayivor

politics

July 25, 2014

Why We Zoned Governorship Position To Abia South – Amuta Dr. Gershon Amuta is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and member of Abia Stakeholders’ Forum. An educationalist and businessman, the former governorship candidate who represented old Isiala- Ngwa constituency in Imo State House of Assembly before the creation of Abia State in 1991, discusses the politics of zoning in Abia State with ABAH ADAH and why it is the best option for the party.

The Theodore Orji administration has received mixed ratings in terms of performance. What is your candid assessment?

The governor’s performance has been excellent. In the PDP, there was a time we were all scattered and working at cross purposes and Abia State was worse for it. Today, he has brought everybody together; there is unity in PDP. We now have one party which wasn’t the case before and we thank Governor Orji for it. He has been an accommodating person; he does not witch-hunt.

Above all, he has performed. We have seen the new Government House, which the previous administration never bothered to lay any foundation. None of these buildings in Umuahia started under Orji Uzor Kalu.

He liberated the state from family domination which retarded its development.

But some of these aspirants from Abia central have defied your party and are insisting that they will run?

Talking about who succeeds the governor, controversy has trailed the recent zoning of the governorship position of the state by the PDP caucus to Abia south senatorial zone in 2015. What is your take on this?

A stakeholders’ meeting unanimously endorsed the decision to zone the governorship position to Abia south senatorial zone in 2015. The party in its wisdom after consultation with the elders, decided to zone the governorship position to Abia south. We thought it fair to do so. We also endorsed the way the governor has been going about his duties. But even before the state party caucus took the decision, I read some newspaper interviews by some of our brothers who have become a little bit hasty in trying to determine what will happen in PDP. I don’t know if they were talking for the PDP or the Ngwa people in the Abia central zone. I want to assume that they were talking for themselves, but pretending to be talking for Ngwa people in Abia central zone for their selfish ends. What we are playing is party politics; not a village meeting or a tussle for Ezeship. In party politics, you have the parties; their rules and constitution. If the party does what is best for it to win election, you must abide with that. We don’t know what APC, APGA or other parties will do, but we know what is best for own party; the PDP. Don’t forget that the governor has his own opinion, but he still waited for the party to take a decision on it. The zoning of the governorship position to Abia south was a decision of the party having considered what will make us win. The party thought it best to allow the Ngwa people from the south to produce a candidate. Parties are run on senatorial districts. Parties are also run on structures at the ward, LGA, zonal, state and national levels. These are also run on the basis of sharing political offices and representations. So, I fully support the decision of the Abia PDP caucus to zone the governorship seat to Abia south zone in 2015. The party has done the right thing.

Don’t you see this as an infringement on the right of the three Ngwa local governments in Abia central zone; Isiala Ngwa north, Isiala Ngwa south and Osisioma Ngwa to produce a governor? Again what is the party doing to get the confidence of the aspirants who earlier declared interest believing that it was for the entire Ukwa/Ngwa bloc?

to emerge governor, whether from Ngwa or Ukwa.

After eight years, it will move to another zone. These young men opposing this decision from the three LGAs and other places will not all die; they will still be there to realise their ambitions. When it comes to the Abia central zone again, the Ngwa man can justifiably aspire to be governor. Because it is within their zone. Let these aspirants not be bulls in a china shop. If they are true party people, they must know that when a party takes a decision, it is final. The office of a governor and the paraphernalia attached to that position is too large. In our party anybody who is loyal would be accommodated in governance. So, I urge my brothers from the three Ngwa local governments in Abia central zone to abide with the decision of the PDP caucus because it is in the best interest of the party. Anybody who means well for Abia State will tell you that PDP was right to zone the governorship position to Abia south.

Amuta

What we are talking about is the issue of Abia governor of Ukwa/ Ngwa extraction. The Ngwa people are one; they are not divided whether they are from Osisioma, Isiala Ngwa, Obingwa, Ugwunagbo or Aba. We have a common ancestry. Many aspirants may have made assumptions about contesting the elections and winning, but it is a normal situation. There will be only one governor in this state coming from only one party.

There can’t be two governors at a time. The decision to zone the governorship position to Abia south does not stop anybody who feels he is popular to defect to another party and run. We won’t quarrel with that. However our party is always magnanimous. If you don’t get elected or appointed into an office, you must be patient. I want to inform you that I have not been elected into any office since I lost the election to be governor under the NRC in 1991/1992; I am still alive. I have never been a minister or a commissioner. I have assisted people to become commissioners, local government chairmen and other positions but I have not died. I have remained a faithful party man. There is no way that somebody from Isiala Ngwa north, Isiala Ngwa south and Osisioma Ngwa will not be part of the incoming administration. It won’t happen because the Abia south cannot take all the available positions.

I don’t think the party called any of them to run for governor, it is their ambition. The day they declared for the position, did you hear them say, I have called Isiala Ngwa or Osisioma Ngwa people together to say, ‘I’m running for governor on your behalf’. It is their personal ambition. They are running to be governor of Abia State, not that of Isiala Ngwa or Osisioma Ngwa under the party’s platform, so they must abide with the party’s decisions. If they are patient, the party will ensure they would be involved in the coming government. Zoning is rotational, today it has gone to the Ukwa and Ngwa people in Abia south but we don’t know who is going

I have not seen anybody who said he is aggrieved over the decision. Let me tell you that there is something about party politics; nobody wants to be on the losing side. I have never seen anybody who says he wants to lose. My advice to all the aspirants is to do the right thing and be loyal party members. If you don’t get the position you are aspiring for, you can ask for compensation from the party. You will be given consideration. The benefits derivable from the party are too many. But in a situation you think you can disagree with the party, the party will march on. Such aspirants are free to defect to other political parties and contest. At the end, we will see who will laugh last. I have told you that the PDP is a behemoth of a party in this state. I’m a practicing politician, these other parties you talk about only exist on paper in Abia State. They only appear during elections. Some of them don’t even have offices. A great percentage of politicians in Abia State are members of the PDP, the remaining are paper tigers. We are saying that there are no other parties, what we have been saying is that our members should not go to the other parties because they will lose. When the chips are down, Abia people will vote for the PDP. Any aspirant who makes the mistake of going to another party will be at his own peril. If they insist on contesting the ticket on the PDP platform, they are welcome because the party cannot refuse anybody who wants to buy nomination forms. The party needs money and I assure you the forms are not going to be cheap. The party leadership have taken their decision, if they think they will contest and win, they are free to do so.

The state chairman, Senator Emma Nwaka as well as the National Assembly members from the state shunned the meeting where the decision was taken, does this not invalidate the decision? Again, it has been alleged that majority of the stakeholders who attended the meeting hail from Abia south. Is this logical?

These are non issues. Yes, the state party chairman was not at the meeting, but it does not in any way affect the decision of the party caucus. If the governor of a state is not around and handed over power to the deputy to stand in for him in his absence, the deputy acts on behalf of the governor. The state party chairman had been away for five days and in the constitution of my party, you have a deputy chairman - not assistant chairman, it wasn’t a zonal chairman that presided over the meeting. It was not a zonal chairman for Abia central, north or south; the state deputy chairman constitutionally presided over the meeting because he has such powers.

Wisdom is not like money to be tied up and hidden. ~ Akan proverb

56

W men In Politics

July 25, 2014

ANALYSIS

INTERVIEWS

DISCOURSE

We’re Not Against The National Assembly, We Complement Them – Magoro Dr Bilikisu Magoro is the Founder, Ismor Magoro Foundation and member of the National Conference representing the socio- cultural group North West. In this interview with AMINA ALHASSAN AHMAN and CHIBUZO UKAIBE she believes that the deliberations at the conference are by no means meant to antagonise the National Assembly but to complement it. She also spoke on the security challenge in the country as well as spotlighting the desire of the Zuru people to attain more political presence in Kebbi State.

You first gave an insight into the real picture of the Chibok abductions on the floor during plenary and months later, the girls are still in captivity. What is really going on in your mind about the government’s seemingly slow response to their rescue?

It is taking too long. As a nation, we expect that when such things happen there should be measures taken to show that something is being done but what we have had are more cases of abductions. Yes, government is doing what it can; we have had offers from international organisations ready to support and other countries we liaise with were ready to help but all of a sudden they have gone quiet again. So you start wondering, what’s going on?

Diplomatically, we know that Nigeria will have to ask for support from the UN to come in but I think it is high time we either search for the support or we see some more action.

There have been expectedly some beautiful resolutions and ideas at the conference but the pressing concern is that there is so far it can go because of the referendum question and the National Assembly. This is putting in perspective that the confab by some resolutions seems hostile to the National Assembly. How confident are you that these resolutions will see the light of day?

I don’t think the confab has been hostile towards the National Assembly. What the delegates have done is look at the constitution and the different Acts and policies in Nigeria and thought of the best way we can move Nigeria forward as a nation with the unity of Nigeria in mind.

There are laws that we have had since amalgamation that we need to change, like the Police Act and in the face of insecurity, there are lots of things that have come up.

We are not against the National Assembly.

They have been elected by their people and we are just complementing them. We hope they will be able to look into it and not be biased in any way. We certainly hope that if there is a referendum things can be put into place. Most of us have served in different committees in the confab and I think that

it will produce a document that we can use in our different states and constituencies depending on where we find ourselves.

Your committee at the confab dealt with issues of immigration and citizenship allowing settlers integrate. How feasible is that at this time of our political experience?

It is being sorted out by the constitution of Nigeria. Every citizen in Nigeria has a right to live and settle anywhere in Nigeria.

The only difference is to do with traditional rulers within the states but anybody is free to go and settle anywhere and trade, live and even marry and contest elections. We have had a lot of people contest election in states that are not theirs. We have a lot of people that are representing states that are not theirs; the only different is when it comes to becoming an Emir and other traditional institutional issues. That has been left to the state and traditional hierarchy because most of those positions are hereditary of which you must be an indigene of the place to occupy them. Of course, to be an indigene you must practice the traditions and customs of the people there but then you have a right to settle anywhere. In the case of women, from what we have recommended, a woman is entitled to choose to be an indigene of where her parents are from or where she is married to.

But she can’t be an indigene of two places at the same time. This also applies to those who move or settlers. When you move, you must decide to practice what they do for you to be accepted.

What are your views about insecurity and insurgency?

There is a lot we need to do as citizens apart from government with regards to security and insurgency in Nigeria. There is too much mistrust amongst us. Before, we thought that it was between Muslims and Christians. But now we know it is beyond that because they are killing everybody. It is an attack on Nigeria. It is also no longer a North East problem of insurgency or South south problem with kidnappings because it is gradually coming closer to our comfort zones. The sooner we start putting our heads together as regards

Magoro

security, the better for all of us. So we have to tighten up security and to that extent, some recommendations have been made by the security committee at the conference.

There was a recent gathering of eminent persons from Zuru under the aegis of Zuru Consultative Initiative, ZUCI which you are a part of. It appears that the gathering aims to gather political momentum towards a governorship candidate for Kebbi State?

Yes, I was at the meeting and from what we have discussed, the platform is meant to encourage the unity of Zuru people and move the Zuru emirate forward. Of course, there are lots of activities that will take place but they will not all be political. We realise also that for things to be achieved now in this dispensation we need politics in it, such that if we want to implement a lot of policies and programs that people need, we have to go through the political platform.

So we recognise that it will have to involve having a governor from the Zuru emirate when the time comes. It is a way of getting all of us together so there is no division amongst ourselves. So it is a uniting force.

In building this kind of synergy, how much consensus has Zuru Emirate built with other emirates to ensure that they drive home the need to be given as much space to participate?

There has been a lot of advocacy from the much I have heard. They have gone round the different emirates and they have been talking to different people from different political constituencies. And since politics is about negotiation and getting people to understand you, when it comes to the playing field things move in a different way but an organisation should be able to bring out a person that is able to represent the Zuru people that other emirates will be quite happy with. So we are hoping that we get a governor from Zuru in 2015.

What in your estimation are the major issues facing the Zuru emirate in its move towards addressing its challenges?

We have a lot of infrastructural problems, education and so forth. But we need to unite as a people and come together under one umbrella.

my town /57

July 25, 2014

The Origin Of Gbagyi's (5)

By M.R. Is’haq

In Gini and Maikunkele, the child is named by the mother.

In Nasarawa State, the paternal relatives assemble on the fifth day after birth, when the infant is taken outside the house for the first time and named. The child is suckled for two years and seven months or, according to the custom of the Gbagyin Waiki, for three years, during which time the mother lives apart from her husband.

Circumcision is performed in the seventh year, but in Nasarawa State this is not the practice.

Musical Instruments The Gbagyi are a musical people who habitually work to the accompaniment of music. Besides drums, horns and guitars, they have a big stringed instrument, very much like a cello. Inserted into the neck of each is an iron with rings which rattles as it is played. They have songs for each occupation; sowing, harvesting, etc., when they sing in four distinct parts. The Gbagyin Waiki, especially, are notable dancers and musicians, and they have been heard to sing something closely resembling the Gregorian chant.

The Gbagyi believe that there is a strong connection between the young, the old and the dead. photo by Patrick Ebi-Amanama.

Death Ceremony The dead are buried in a diagonal position and clothes and money are placed on the grave. These subsequently become the property of the drummers who perform at the funeral feast and dance. The depth of the grave is, roughly speaking, the height of a man. Beer is periodically poured on the grave as a libation to the dead.

In Fuka, the grave is surrounded by a circle of stones with an upright stone in the centre, where offerings are periodically made.

Normally, a corpse is buried on the day of death. But in the case of an old man burial takes place on the second day, after a feast has been given. A cock is killed and the blood mixed with honey and millet flour – this is placed beside the stone which marks the position of his head, a second stone being placed at his feet. A prayer is offered to him for crops, children and success in hunting.

The entrance to the tomb is generally outside the compound, but the actual resting place of the body inside. There is no particular ceremony at the grave, but a goat is killed afterwards for the funeral. If the deceased has many sons-in-law, each brings a goat and a cloth and the feast continues for several days.

In some districts the wake is not held till seven days after death, when all the people collect and dance and sing to the accompaniment of drumming. Goats and fowls are killed and eaten and much beer is consumed for two days. No festivities accompany the death of a young person, and no food is placed on his grave, though mourning is observed for two days.

In the case of a chief, a small mud house with a thatched roof is built over the tomb and a small opening retained through

which the food can be passed. These monuments are placed all about the village and even at the entrance to huts. In the Galadima District (Nasarawa State) there is a general shrine common to all successive chiefs.

Eight days after death a wake is held. The chief is considered lucky if he dies in his own village. When a chief dies a bullock is killed and the blood poured over his grave.

The flesh is then eaten and much beer drunk – a ceremony that must be observed before a new chief is appointed.

In Kuta District an official called Sarkin Biso is appointed by the chief. His duties are to dress the corpse and carry out the funeral, in which he is supported by a number of subordinates. The family of the deceased pays for these services in accordance with their wealth.

The corpse of an important man is dressed in a gown and turban, while that of a man of low estate is wrapped in a cloth.

As it is necessary that all the members of the family be present, sometimes, the funeral has to be delayed for several days.

In such cases the body is preserved by being laid between two large fires, while the limbs are continually chaffed and rubbed.

The grave consists of a pit, five-feetdeep and three-and-a-half feet wide at the dome, widening out at the base to the size of a small hut. A grave is dug at the side of this hut and consists of a sort of trough between two mud walls some two feet on either side of it. The body is laid on its side with the hands between the legs, the head to the east and the feet to the west. Stones are then laid across the supporting walls and plastered over the mud. The entrance to the vault is also sealed. After the interment there is a feast and beer-drinking orgy at the house of the deceased, which lasts for

five days. Women who die as the result of abortion, or in child-birth; infants who are still-born (as well as those who die at birth) and those who die of smallpox or of some disease of malign origin, are carried outside the town for burial in a simple grave (kuta).

The Gbagyis believe that their ancestors are born again into some subsequent generation, and they believe in the influence of the dead on the welfare of the living and, therefore, make propitiatory offerings and prayers. For the same reason they cling to their old abodes, i.e., the belief that the spirits of the dead will not be propitious to their welfare if they desert the graves of their ancestors.

Religious Beliefs, Practices Each man worships the spirit of his grandfather; hence the rejoicing at the death of an old man, who is now able to protect the interests of his grandchildren in the spirit world, of which Maigirro is the earthly director and representative or priest. Each spirit is worshipped in a shrine in the bush and, just before the rains, the priest calls upon them to aid the town in the coming year, particularly against smallpox. Women may be present at this festival.

Women have distinctive cults apart from those of the men, but all are generally known as maleka. Five tsafi are practised in Birnin Gwari; Maigirro (the principles of which have just been described), Maidawa, Karuma, Allah Bungo (by the Gbagyin Waiki only) and Bori.

Maidawa is worshipped in every home.

A sandy corner is devoted to him in each house, where libations and sacrifices are made to him by all the members of the household. He punishes neglect, but oth-

If I am in harmony with my family, that’s success.

― African Proverb

The Gbagyis believe that their ancestors are born again into some subsequent generation, and they believe in the influence of the dead on the welfare of the living erwise brings good fortune and is the spirit of ‘the dance’. His emblems are a miniature iron bow and arrow, an axe, pot and calabash.

Karuma is the god of youth, courage and strength; his votaries are young men only.

At the end of each dry season the youths assemble beneath a big tree in the bush, at the base of which they pour beer and then run home without looking behind them, under penalty of losing good fortune. They have a leader in deeds of daring – the Sarkin Karuma.

Allah Bungo (Allah of the wall) is a spirit to whom the Gbagyin Waiki appeal when they have had ill-luck in the farm, hunting or in the search for children – the latter obviously affecting the worship of Maigirro.

Maikunkuru, the priest of this order, declares the trouble to be the result of neglect and orders sacrifices to Allah Bungo, whose altar consists of a mud pocket in the wall of the house. Into this the blood of a cock, together with guinea-corn flour is poured and some of the fowls’ feathers are plastered on the altar. The god’s forgiveness is asked and his good offices besought in the name of the man’s grandparents, male and female.

NAERLS forum

July 25, 2014

National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, ABU Zaria Contact: Dr M.K Othman - 08065571637. mkothman@gmail.com

Application And Use Of Biotechnology In Nigerian Food And Agriculture System (4) FROM LAST WEEK

Although such concerns are inconsistent with scientific reports (European Commission, 2001; King, 2003). Local scientists need to assess the entire range of issues associated with the introduction and use of agricultural biotechnology into the Nigerian agricultural systems.

Role of NARS The main challenge for NARS is the integration of several research options along with the biotechnological approach to tackle problems and challenges to improve agricultural productivity. NARS scientists need to integrate biotechnological approaches into traditional agricultural research, such as plant breeding and animal and plant health instruments (epidemiology, diagnostics, protection); NARS will need to develop necessary human resources and infrastructure. This will include development of key partnerships between public research (universities, national research institutions and centres of excellence), the private sector (industry) and the government. They will also have to develop institutional capacity for risk assessment and management as well as access information on developments in biotechnology elsewhere that may have application to Nigeria.

Samaila Ilu, Director, NAERLS

It is important that NARS support the creation of an enabling environment for the assessment and/or use of the new technologies by farmers and general public.

Role of Government The magnitude of the benefits agricultural biotechnology will depend on how much of the research effort is focused on improving the characteristics and production conditions of the crops they produce and how much consideration is given to the ecological constraints they confront. To date, the main priorities in biotechnology have been to reduce production costs in agricultural areas that already have high productivity levels or increase their value added by improving quality, or other traits. The direction and

intensity of government investments in biotechnology is therefore critical for benefits reach small producers.

Although the development of biotechnology rests upon the scientific capacity and the level of commercialization of agriculture in each country, the Nigerian government faces the challenge to develop public sector research capacity and appropriate regulatory frameworks to access new knowledge. There is therefore a critical need for creation of an enabling environment for science, technology and innovation and more specifically for biotechnology to thrive.

Government will also need to create an enabling environment for biosafety, IPR, public awareness (to assure the safe transfer of products developed outside the region and also for local developments where good public opinion is critical); and technology delivery infrastructure (seed markets and identity preservation).

Government should not focus only on the issue of the benefits and risks of agricultural biotechnology but put the necessary biosafety systems in place to reduce the risks to safeguard human health and the environment while simultaneously putting in place additional mechanisms to seize the opportunities and compete in the global biotechnology market place.

Nigeria may not have much choice in de-

termining an agenda for biotechnology. She lacks both political will and necessary infrastructure to do this. For example, due to inadequate infrastructure for examination at entry, the nation may not be able to actually biotech and biotech generated products from entering her boundaries. Processed foodstuffs that contain gm based products are not being checked.

There is therefore an urgent need for the development of an appropriate biotech agenda for Nigeria to support research into environmental, social and other implications of modern biotechnology with a view to the promotion of sustainable and safe use of this technology.

Furether reading Cohen, J. I. (ed). 1999. Managing Agricultural Biotechnology: Addressing Research Program Needs and Policy Implications. Biotechnology in Agriculture Series, Nº 23. Oxon, UK: CABI Publishing in association with The International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR).

National Academy Press. 2000. Transgenic Plants and World Agriculture. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

CONCLUDED

Abubakar Audu’s Place In Kogi Politics

BY MATHEW ENEOJO

All is currently not well with the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress( APC), as members and leaders of the party accuse the man considered the godfather of the party in the state, Prince Abubakar Audu of sabotaging efforts to build a viable party.

The APC members and stakeholders contend that Audu, the twice former governor of the state has hijacked the soul of APC in the state for selfish motives.

“Audu is one leg in APC, and neck deep in romance with the PDP,” one APC stalwart said in anger.

Indeed, Audu at a recent public outing was very profuse with words of praise for Governor Idris Wada’s administration. Describing Wada as God-sent to Kogi, even as he promised: “We will cooperate with you (Wada) to succeed because your success is our success. We will not entertain unnecessary criticisms.’’

However, his fellow APC members are uncomfortable with his cozy relationship with the PDP which definitely is at APC’s detriment.

“Stakeholders and leaders of the APC in Kogi are totally fed up with the antics of Prince Abubakar Audu. He is playing a double game, dancing with the APC in the afternoon and romancing the PDP at night. We are totally disillusioned, and angry that the man we thought was our leader would resort to frolicking with the

PDP at the detriment of the APC, he is being funded by Kogi Governor, Capt Wada to work for him and the PDP, even as a leader of the APC’’ Says Barrister Ocholi James SAN.’ He added that the disenchanted leaders had taken their grouse with Audu to the National Executive Council, NEC of the party and hopes the NEC acts decisively and wisely. He stressed that if their contentions are not resolved, APC in the state may become a shadow of itself as disenchanted followers may defect enmasse to other parties which boasts of tangible presence in Kogi.

Barrister James, governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, rather than concede that Audu is the soul of APC in Kogi State described him as a bogey man who had been scaring away membership from the party.

Out of the three legacy parties that fused to form APC in Kogi, Audu is regarded as the live wire in both the ACN and All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. At the national level, he was a founding father of the then APP which transformed to ANPP. He later defected to the ACN on whose platform he ran against Governor Idris Wada in 2011.

It was this privilege of links to both ANPP and ACN that automatically earned him the leadership of the APC in Kogi after the merger. However rather than build a consensus, he handpicked his cronies to form the party’s State Executive Coun-

cil, SEC. In the SEC consisting of 35 members, the ANPP got only an ex-officio post, the CPC Assistant Secretary, while he kept the rest 33 to his handpicked cronies.

Thus while the current SEC is 100% in his pocket, there are an army of disenchanted members out in the cold.

Former ANPP members currently sidelined in the affairs of the APC fault the automatic leadership conferred on Audu.

According to them, the exit of Audu from the ANPP in 2011, did not imply the party went into oblivion. They point to Elder Ubolo Okpanachi, former Acountant-General of the state who mobilised resources to re-establish structures of the party across the State.

Amongst its leaders also sidelined include its former state chairman, Hon. Patrick Daudu, state secretary, Adaji Ainoko, its Zonal Vice-Chairman, Mr. Ajibili Umoru and its NEC member, A. J. B. Ajibade and a host of others.

And members of the defunct ACN out in the cold equally disagreed that the entry of Audu into the party enhanced its status.

‘The coming of Audu demoralised the ACN as he came with his people and pushed aside committed loyalists of the party,’ says a stakeholder.

Some of the disgruntled members of the defunct party shoved aside include Engineer Adeyemi Adebola who was solely funding the party before Audu’s entry. Others include the five members of the party in the state house of assem-

bly, its woman leader, Chief (Mrs) Agnes Achimugu, its state secretary, Barrister Isaac Ekpa.

From the CPC, besides James, its 2011 governorship candidate, some of its leaders not being carried along include Alhaji Kassim Mabo, its former state chairman, Alhaji Jubrin Yusuf, its former state secretary and Alhaji Abu Onaji, its former National Vice-Chairman, North-Central zone, Prince Salisu Sani, its former Youth Leader and Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, a party chieftain.

Audu, former governor of Kogi State between 1999 to 2003, ran unsuccessfully in 2003 and 2007 to return for a second term. In both elections, he was defeated by former Governor Ibrahim Idris.

Besides defeating him at the polls, Idris further undermined the Audu’s political reinvigoration by constricting him financially. Specifically, Idris refused to pay several millions of Naira Audu alleged were owed him by the state government.

Audu, may be in political wilderness, he remains a formidable force in the state’s politics, and he is believed to have been instrumental to the decamping of APC Senator Aidoko Atai to the PDP recently.

APC’s NEC’s lackadaisical posture in Kogi becomes more worrisome if one recalls that the PDP suspended its Osun State Vice-Chairman simply for attending a birthday party held inn Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s honour.

Eneojo wrote in from Lokoja, Kogi State

world news REPORTS AND ANALYSIS OF GLOBAL EVENTS AND ISSUES July 25, 2014

Iraq Gets New President As Violence Rages Iraq’s parliament has chosen the Kurdish politician Fuad Massoum as its new president, as violence continued to rock the capital and Sunni fighters battled the Iraqi army in the north of the country.

Massoum was elected yesterday by an overwhelming majority of 211 votes to 17, after a late-night deal was struck by Kurdish parties to support his bid..

However, Massoum faces the task of helping steer the country through sectarian violence, the rise

of the Islamic State group in the north of the country, and ongoing violence in the capital.

Two car bombs exploded in Baghdad hours after his election, killing 21 people and injuring many more. The bombs targeted the central area of Karradah, as people were gathering to break their daily fast in the month of Ramadan.

Earlier in the day, at least 60 people died in clashes when suicide bombers and fighters attacked a bus transferring convicts from a

prison north of Baghdad, according to Iraqi police.

Massoum’s election was however a step towards choosing a stable government, and could pave the way for a deal on the much more poweful position of prime minister.

The incumbent, Nouri al-Maliki, won elections earlier this year but has faced growing criticism about his sectarian poilicies and his efforts to combat the Islamic State group’s advances in the north and the west of the country.

Iraqi MPs during the process of electing a new president, yesterday.

Ukraine PM Resigns Amid Growing Tension

UN Shelter In Gaza ‘Struck By Israeli Shells’ At least 15 people have been reported killed and 200 injured in the Israeli shelling of a UN school in northern Gaza which was being used as a shelter from fierce clashes on the streets outside.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent Nicole Johnston, reporting from Gaza, said the school in Beit Hanoun came under fire on Thursday. She said sources had told Al Jazeera that up to 30 people had been killed in the bombardment.

The Gaza health ministry later said that 15 were confirmed dead, and 200 injured.

In an interview with Al Jazeera Chris Gunness, the spokesman for UNRWA, the UN’s humanitarian organisation in Gaza, said his organisation had been in contact with Israeli forces as fighting closed in on the shelter.

“We gave the Israelis the precise GPS coordinates of the Beit Hanoun shelter. We were trying to coordinate a window [for evacuation] and that was never granted.”

He said he could neither confirm nor deny that Hamas fighters were near the building, but said Israel and Hamas “must respect

An injured child being carried to an ICU ward for treatment in Gaza, yesterday.

the inviolability of UN premises, and humanitarian law” He called the attack “tragic and appalling”.

Robert Turner, the director for UNRWA told Al Jazeera there was no warning from the Israelis before the shells landed.

“This is a designated emergency

shelter. The location was conveyed to the Israelis,” he said.

“This was an installation we were managing, that was monitored [to ensure] that our neutrality was maintained.”

“We always call on all parties to ensure that civilians are not harmed.”

Algeria Confirms Crash Of Passenger Airliner Algerian aviation officials have confirmed that a plane operated

by Air Algerie carrying 116 people from Burkina Faso to Algeria’s capital has crashed over northern Mali.

Flight AH5017 disappeared from radar over northern Mali after heavy rains were reported, according to the owner and and government officials in France and Burkina Faso.

The flight, owned by the Spanish private company Swiftair, was carrying 110 passengers and six crew.

There were no additional details over casualties.

French Foreign Minister Lau-

rent Fabius said Air Algerie Flight 5017 had “probably crashed,” adding that “no trace” of the plane had been found.

Two French fighter jets are among aircraft scouring the rugged north of Mali for the plane, which was traveling from Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, to Algiers, the Algerian capital.

Air navigation services lost track of the MD-83 about 50 minutes after takeoff from Ougadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, at 1.55am GMT on Thursday, the official Algerian news agency APS said.

The list of passengers includes 51 French, 27 Burkina Faso na-

tionals, eight Lebanese, six Algerians, five Canadians, four Germans, two Luxemburg nationals, one Swiss, one Belgium, one Egyptian, one Ukrainian, one Nigerian, one Cameroonian and one Malian, Burkina Faso Transport Minister Jean Bertin Ouedraogo said.

The six crew members are Spanish, according to the Spanish pilots’ union.

Transport Minister Jean Bertin Ouedraogo also said the plane sent its last message about 1.30am GMT, asking Niger air control to change its route because of heavy rains in the area.

—Al Jazeera

Israel has attacked UN schools before, saying that they were being used as safe havens for the armed Palestinians.

The UN has also previously criticised the Palestinian groups for using UN schools to hide fighters and weapons.

—Al Jazeera

21

minutes Government crime statistics show one rape is reported every 21 minutes in India.

48

48 people are now known to have died after a passenger plane crashed in Taiwan’s Penghu island.

Ukraine’s prime minister has announced his resignation in protest of the disbanding of the ruling coalition in parliament following the withdrawal of several pro-European parties.

“I announce my resignation in connection with the dissolution of the parliamentary coalition and the blocking of government initiatives,” Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Thursday, after several parties withdrew from the majority European Choice coalition in anticipation of early parliamentary polls.

Earlier on Thursday, Oleksandr Turchynov, the speaker, announced the formal dissolution of the ruling coalition, giving president Petro Poroshenko the right over the next month to announce fresh elections.

The announcement was triggered by the withdrawal of several parties - including the pro-European Udar party of former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko and the Fatherland group of ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Al Jazeera’s Peter Sharp, reporting from Kiev, said that the prime minister has been “badly frustrated” for weeks for the parliament’s “inability” to make amendments on a new budget.

“As far as Yatsenyuk was concerned, he was not prepared to negotiate a new coalition with members” of the party local to the ousted president Viktor Yanukovych, our correspondent said.

Early parliamentary elections in Ukraine have been expected since the February removal of the Kremlin-backed president Yanukovych following months of deadly protests.

—Al Jazeera

I now know that I learn by solving problems as they arise. Rarely do we learn significant lessons, or significantly improve, any other way. Rob Parsons, American Entrepreneur

60 /

ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE

July 25, 2014

Ustaz Abubakr Siddeeq Muhammad Focus On Faith 08076760011 (sms only) www.abubakrsiddeeq.com, email: deedat@gmail.com

Muslim Prayers For Peace And Security (4)

I

will start this week’s article with an apology for initially breaking off from my written account of the Muslim Prayers for Peace and Security event that took place at the National Mosque in Abuja. I was constrained to do that, and then I could not post any article last week for reasons beyond my control. I regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

I was sharing with my readers what transpired at the prayer session and my observations. The next noteworthy occurrence was when the Secretary to the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Professor Ishaq Oloyede approached the rostrum and invited Arc Namadi Sambo, the Vice President of Nigeria to give a speech.

I expected an orator of his standing to give the talk extempore like His Eminence, the Sultan had done, but that was not to be. His Excellency, the Vice President read from a prepared speech, which was subtly laced with reminders of the ‘transformation agenda’ of his principal, the President.

He started by stating that his intervention was to be a sort of vote of thanks and then went on to give his speech.

He said it was a singular opportunity for Muslims to gather and pray for our dear great country and conveyed the fraternal greetings of His Excellency, the President to the gathering.

He expressed his delight at the prayer sessions and thanked the participants for coming. The Vice President singled out His Eminence, the Sultan for special mention; praising his commitment to bringing cohesion and harmony to divergent groups of Muslims as well as his exemplary leadership style.

After he had disposed of these opening remarks, he beseeched the audience to supplicate for peace in Nigeria and for the kind of transformation that President Jonathan has envisioned for our great country. He said he firmly believed that the prayers everyone is making are efficacious and went on to quote from the Glorious Quran the following verse: “When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.” (Q2:186) He added a hadeeth (authenticated saying of the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH), which he quoted from At-Tabaraaniy’s collection that, to me, was the second most important point raised by anyone during the entire proceeding; the first being the verse he quoted above. The text of the hadeeth is as follows: “No precaution can protect against the decree of Allaah. Du’aa’ is beneficial with regard to what has been decreed and what has not been decreed. The du’aa’ meets the calamity that has been decreed and wrestles with it, until the

Day of Resurrection.” (Recorded by alTabaraaniy, 2/800 (33). Al-Albaaniy said in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7739, (it is) hasan) These two quotations from the VP are the quintessential ingredients of the kind of gathering in which he delivered them. I ask Allah to reward him for this service to the Ummah.

Concerning the first point, Allah gives the believer a heightened awareness of the workings of supplications. He explains to us in clear language the quid pro quo way that supplications work in order to give us the desired results.

The first hint of that comes from the words, “When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me…” In these words, Allah lets us know that a believer never despairs. A believer prays all the time, both when in need and when he is not. This is evident in His saying, “I am indeed close (to them)…” When we are all conscious of this fact, we make the choice to supplicate more often in addition to striving.

I do not know of a better calamity to pray against than the type Boko Haram and their sponsors have brought upon us in Nigeria.

They deserve to be mentioned specially to Allah for His wrath to descend upon them; and the same goes for those who created the atmosphere for this much evil to flourish unchecked. We dwelt on this in my earlier instalments of this piece.

The second part of the all-important verse is “…Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.”

This is the part that tells us the condition for acceptance of the supplications that we are urged to make in the first part.

In other words, the verse says we should know that Allah is close to us when we wish to supplicate to Him; He needs no special intercessor and He is already our personal Lord and Saviour, requiring neither prophet or priest to act as a go-between.

It is clearer in another verse where Allah said, “ And your Lord says: “Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer): but those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell - in humiliation!” This verse not only says we should supplicate to Allah, the Exalted, it is also saying that doing so is a form of worship that some people will be punished for not doing.

The verse earlier quoted says we should listen to Allah’s call and believe in Him that we may be rightly guided. Part of what Allah called us to do is to shun evil and sins and to obey His commandments. Our failure to do this in various degrees is one great cause of our problems as individuals and as a community.

We read of atrocities our fellow citizens commit and assume we are clean ourselves.

On scrutiny of everyone’s lives and deeds,

Sambo

however, we find that what we do is not too far from what we often recoil from reading in the papers; it is just a matter of scale and proportion as well as opportunity.

Indeed, everyone is a thief if there is no one to query our actions. We should therefore strive to be the best we can before Allah and then request for our needs so that we may get the best of His mercies.

Dua (Supplication) is an act of serious worship that has other requirements apart from those I have mentioned so far. The place, time, manner and presence of mind while supplicating is important. Many times people do not get the desired result of their supplications because of the way they supplicated. The etiquette of dua is a topic on its own that I hope to treat in detail one of these days, insha Allah.

The next point contained in the second quotation of His Excellency, Vice President Namadi Sambo serves to debunk the claim by fatalists that life is predestined in a way that precludes any free will on the part of Allah’s creatures. The hadeeth tells us that Allah has destined how our lives will unfold to such a degree that even the precautions we take cannot change destiny ultimately.

The VP thanked all Nigeria’s neighbouring countries for their support and collaboration, while he thanked the US, UK, France and others for giving moral and material support

It also lets us know, however, that du’aa influences both the part of our lives that was destined and the part that was not. It urges us to take the action of supplicating to avert disasters and seek favours from our Creator.

These words should have come before the supplications started, as they would have helped to prepare the minds of those in attendance for the task they later undertook. Nonetheless, it was not too late.

His Excellency, the Vice President appealed to all religious leaders to complement the government’s efforts by adhering to the ideals that Islam teaches and to never allow a few misguided people give Islam a bad name. He especially charged the Imams among the ulama to watch what they use the influence of the pulpit to disseminate. He urged people to encourage peaceful coexistence instead of hatred.

At this point, the VP quoted another important verse from Suratul Maaidah, the fifth Surah of the Glorious Quran saying, “Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, “We are Christians”: because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant” (Q5:82) He assured the audience that the Federal Government was committed to bringing peace, stability and progress to all parts of the country. He also informed the gathering that efforts were on course to reunite all the abducted girls in Chibok with their families.

The military, he reiterated, were receiving the necessary support from the government to empower them to do their job of protecting the citizens of Nigeria.

The VP thanked all Nigeria’s neighbouring countries for their support and collaboration, while he thanked the US, UK, France and others for giving moral and material support.

After this, he went back to the importance of prayers and reminded all seated about how, during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH), prayer used to be the greatest weapon of the Muslims in times of calamities. He said prayers could totally remove terrorism from Nigeria.

His Excellency ended the speech by requesting everyone to recite together the first Surah of the Glorious Quran, Suratul Faatihah.

After him, Professor Oloyede called Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Imam Saalih, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Kwara State to give the closing prayer. I will not comment on the propriety or otherwise of that or the act that preceded it; this is neither the place nor time, as it were.

I pray that Allah will unite us as an Ummah upon the right way and give us the means to repel internal and external enemies of the faith, whoever they may be.

The subsistence mentality of a person is a prison in which his personal joy is detained. If you want to live in joy, you don’t live for yourself alone. Live for others too! ― Israelmore Ayivor

ISLAM /61

July 25, 2014

Discourse with Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud Turi turimuhd@yahoo.com 07038199475 (text only)

Day Of The Oppressed: The International Quds Day! In the name of Allah who states “Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for Journey by night from the sacred mosque to the farthest Mosque whose precincts We did bless, in order that We might show him some of Our signs; for He Is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things)” Q17: 1.

May the everlasting peace and blessings of Allah be upon His noble servant, our master Muhammad and his purified progeny.

The Quds day It could be recalled that Imam Khomeini (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared last Friday of every Ramadan fast as the International Quds day since august, 1979.

The rational is awakening the Muslim Ummah in particular and mobilizing the international community on the condemnable atrocities against humanity committed by the illegal state called Israel. Popularly referred as the day of the oppressed, it symbolizes solidarity commemorated by all people with a common sense of humanity including the non – Zionist Jews! The event is commemorated world over including America, France and central London!

This year’s event has come at a time when the world witnesses yet another brutality against the Palestinians. In its heavy bombardments and intense ground offensive of the Gaza strips tagged “operation protective edge” Israel has heartlessly murdered more than seven hundred Palestinians mostly women and children with thousands of causalities beside unimaginable destruction as ascertained by the so called United Nations. And this brutality is committed in this holy month of Ramadhan!

The more than two weeks senseless attacks have pounded Shejaiya and other areas with artillery, mortars and missiles sparing no hospitals and other humanitarian facilities.

In 2012, similar attack tagged “operation pillar of defense” has left about 150 dead mostly women beside the destruction made by the barbaric state!

To the Muslims, we must remind ourselves that Palestine contains al - Aqsa mosque which was the first qibla (direction) of the Muslims and the mosque was the third holiest from which the prophet had his heavenly journey! The Zionist nefarious activities have apparently thrown the historic mosque to disheartening condition such as deliberate desecration, preventing youths from worship and possible destruction!

Therefore Muslims must know clearly that the issue of Palestine is neither racial nor geographical but that of creed. The prophet (s) said “the believers are like one

man; if his eyes suffer his whole body suffers; and if his head suffers his whole body suffers”. So we must share the agony of Palestinians as believers in one faith, hence declaration of the International Quds day.

Secondly, the issue affects all people with sense of humanity as the Palestinians comprises of both Muslims and Christians.

Thus, it is imperative to commend the moral and humanitarian support of civil liberties organizations, human rights groups and other concerned nationals to the victims and condemnation of the massacre.

The illegal state at a glance Establishment of Israel started in 1897 when Theodor Herzl called a Jewish conference for a national land. They discussed among other options Argentina, Uganda, Libya Nebraska and Algeria. However Theodor insisted Palestine as the best location being in a cross road of continents, centre of heavenly religions and most significant deposit of the world abundant resources!

Late Deedat has recorded in his book Arab and Israel: conflict or reconciliation, that in a discussion between Dr. Chaim Weizmann, leader of the Zionist movement in 1992 and Austrian Jew, a journalist named Leopold Weiss on a visit to Jerusalem when the former was surrounded by young fans elaborating the proposed Jewish state, the latter enquired; and what about the Arabs? Meaning, what an injustice to uproot a lawfully settled and majority community! Dr. Chaim responded immediately “We expect they won’t be in a majority after a few years”.

This exposed the initial Zionist plan to eliminate the indigenous Palestinian inhabitants that could be supported by similar utterances credited to their elder statesmen. For example, Golder Meir, former Israeli Prime Minister had deliberately declared “there is no such thing as Palestinians, they don’t exist”.

In his book -Freedom next time, the British journalist John Pilger, wrote “no other country on earth enjoys such immunity, allowing it to act without sanction as Israel.

No other country has such a record of lawlessness; not one of the world’s tyrannies comes close. Israel is the undisputed world champion violator of international law”.

To buttress this point, a survey conducted in 1917 showed that Palestine was inhabited by 700,000 with 92% Arab and 8% Jewish population respectively! And the Jews owned less than 1% of the total land area.

Jewish emigration was covertly assisted over the decades by US and Europe. As such, their number continued to increase from 56,000 in 1918 to 540,000 in 1948, the year of its establishment. In the same

1917, the Britain issued the Balfour declaration delivered by then foreign secretary who declared Palestine as Jewish homeland “his majesty’s government views with the favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this objective, it been clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non – Jewish communities in Palestine”.

These words were simply treacherous as the world began to witness brutality and suppression of the Palestinian rights over the years. In 1947, after the Second World War, the United Nations passed a resolution recognizing Palestine as Jewish and Arab states respectively. Europe and Russia vehemently supported the move and so Israel was declared as a full state in 1948.

Thus most horrible terror was unleashed on this defenseless Arab population of the area. For example Menachem Begin who later became its prime minister led a terrorist gang that committed brutal massacre. Just few months to its proclamation, no fewer than 300,000 Arabs were displaced from their towns and villages.

And on an attempt to regain control, they were completely defeated by almost doubled military strength with greater ammunition!

On 14th July, 1948 a onetime defense minister Moshe Dayan led a merciless operation pushing out the Arabs shooting at sight. At the end, about 500 villages were emptied of Arab most of which were leveled to rubbles housing the Jews in place.

An Israeli newspaper Haaretz, - April, 4, 1969 reported him addressing students at the Haifa Technical school “there is not a single Jewish village in this country that has not been built on the site of an Arab village. The village of Nahial took the place of Mahlotol; Gifat took the place of Giffa …..”

In sabra and shatila alone, about thirty thousand Palestinians were killed in a cold blood! In fact from the establishment of the illegal state to date, the story is that of terror, suppression, looting, murder and

no other country on earth enjoys such immunity, allowing it to act without sanction as Israel. No other country has such a record of lawlessness; not one of the world’s tyrannies comes close

If you are ugly you must either learn to dance or have love.

general destructions.

The ongoing bloodshed The Palestinians suffer lots of persecution from time to time. For more than two weeks now, the world helplessly witnesses the Israeli attacks from all directions killing about seven hundreds! The causalities are in thousands not to talk of the destruction!

As usual, America justifies the continued Israeli atrocities as a right to self -protection. Throughout history, it blindly stands by its side even in extreme situations using its veto power! The great conspiracy used in creating and establishing the illegal state originated from the world’s silence over its atrocities for over six decades especially by the Muslim and Arab world leaders of the region.

The middle – east threat Some questions are imperative here; which country is posing a threat in the middle - east? How can we have a lasting peace in this region? Why is the unquestioned American double standard in tackling crises? And to what extent shall we continue to fold our hands watching these atrocities?

We will use this medium to assure the Ummah that solution to our predicament lies in unity and resistance of domination and suppression as did the courageous Imam when the CIA, SAVAK and MKO worked hard to destabilize his country in collaboration with their internal stooges but emerged victorious with the success of Islamic revolution in 1979!

The increasing poverty, fear, confusion, general insecurity, killings of innocent people, bombings and other forms of terrorist activities in this country could only be tackled with the measures of the late Imam. So our solidarity to the Palestinian is a religious duty of brotherhood “Be not like those who are divided amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving clear signs; for them is a clear chastisement” Ali Imran: 3:105.

In the light of the above verse, the prophet has also said “O people, I leave amongst you two things which if you follow you will never go astray. They are the book of Allah and my Ahlul bait - family”.

As we sympathize with Palestinians and indeed all other oppressed of the world on this day, the Islamic movement in Nigeria under the charismatic leadership of sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) calls on all Nigerians irrespective of their religious and tribal inclinations to be very careful not be misled into ethno – religious crises by enemies of humanity and their sponsored stooges!

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah!

― Zimbabwean proverb

62/ NEWS NATIONAL

July 25, 2014

Ramadan: NSCIA Apologises Over Confusion In Moon Sighting Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Ł-R: Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, new Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi and Secretary to Federal Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim during the decoration of Oyeyemi as Corps Marshal, yesterday.

Etsu Nupe Calls For Prayers To End Security Challenges

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

The Etsu Nupe, and chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar has appealed to Muslim faithful to continue with the good attitude and values imbibed during the Ramadan period and to pray also for the end of insecurity in the country.

The royal father who spoke yesterday at the closing of Tafsir preaching at the Etsu Masaba Mosque, Bida Niger State emphasised the need to sustain the lessons learnt for change of attitude after the Ramadan .

Etsu Abubakar, said, ``We must maintain our God-fearing acts which we exhibited during the fasting period, such lessons include brotherhood, bond of charity, love sharing, abstaining from adultery, cheating, alcoholism, drug abuse as well as the spirit of give and take among others”.

According to him, “Muslims worldwide should endeavour to continue to sustain their good acts and behaviour beyond the one-month period of the Ramadan fast, so that we would continue to get Allah’s blessing.”

He said it was only with the fear of Allah that Muslims could meet their needs

and enjoy their possessions on earth and therefore called on well-to-do Muslims in the country to assist the less privileged in the society.

The Etsu Nupe emphasised that with continuous prayers by Nigerians, the country will overcome the security challenges confronting the nation adding that ``We must continue to pray and preach peace for the nation to move forward.’’

“Prayers is the only weapon that will assist the country proffer solution to its current insurgency problem and it would as well assist in exposing those behind the devilish acts,” he added.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has apologised to the Muslim ummah for the unusual confusion and miscommunication that trailed the commencement of the holy month.

The NSCIA’s secretary general, Professor Ishaq Oloyede in a statement titled, “Towards Moon-sighting, Not Moon-fighting in Nigeria,” yesterday, in Ibadan said despite all the efforts made towards avoiding such a confusion, complete success was not attained.

He however said that the appropriate lessons have been learnt.

The NSCIA reminded Muslims that there is an established structure for moonsighting in Nigeria.

It said that due to its significance and technicalities, the council has a National Moon Sighting Committee under the leadership of an expert, saying that the committee was equipped with necessary equipment and technological gadgets that are relevant to the discharge of its assignment.

It added that membership of the committee was drawn from various segments of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah, saying however, that membership of the committee was not exclusive to the above-listed personalities.

It said that the NSCIA expected people with requisite technical and demonstrable knowledge of moon-sighting to indicate their interests to the secretary general, NSCIA, adding that it was also helpful for such persons to list their areas of expertise.

Chibok Abduction: A/Ibom Vows To Clamp Down On Child Thieves

By Bernard Tolani Dada, Uyo

Osun Govt Announces Free Train Ride For Salah Celebration

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

The administration of Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has again reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of its people as it yesterday announced free train ride for this year’s Eid ul-Fitri celebration.

A statement signed and made available to newsmen in Osogbo by the commissioner for commerce, cooperatives and empowerment, Mr. Ismail Adekunle Jayeoba-Alagbada explained that the free train ride would convey people com-

ing for the festival from Lagos to Osogbo on 26th of July.

According to him, return train from Osogbo to Lagos is slated for Tuesday 29th saying that government did this to ease movement of the people during rush period of the festivity.

Alagbada enjoined indigenes of the state to maximise the advantage the free train ride offered them to visit home and enjoy the Islamic celebration.

He stated further, “This tradition of free train ride as introduced by the Aregbeso-

la government is aimed at facilitating the easy movements of the citizens to join their families and other loved ones to enjoy the celebration.

“And this programme takes care of both Islamic and Christian festivities and also one that is introduced to boost the economy of the state.

“Therefore, it is the wish of government that our people from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states would seize this opportunity by Aregbesola’s government to visit home and celebrate with their relatives.”

NBA To Hold Annual Symposium In Honour Of Aturu

By Olugbenga Soyele, Lagos

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch yesterday announced that it would hold an annual symposium in honour of late human rights activist, Bamidele Aturu to keep his memory in the consciousness of Nigerians.

This announcement was made by the chairman of the branch, Yinka Farounbi,

at a valedictory section held in honour of Aturu by lawyers at the bar centre in Ikeja.

The section was part of event held in honour of Aturu, who died in Lagos on July 9, at the age 49 after a brief illness.

The lawyer would be buried in his home town in Ondo State on today.

Farounbi, in his valedictory speech, described the death of the late social crusader as a big loss to the legal community and

the entire populace.

The chairman also stated that the valedictory service is historic because it was the first time the branch would be honouring one of its members this way.

Farounbi further stated that the honour is well deserved because Aturu had served the NBA in various capacities during his short life time and that he was a committed member of the branch.

Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever Walt Disney, founder and CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Akwa Ibom State yesterday joined other Nigerians in marking 100 days of the abduction of Chibok girls by Boko Haram sect with a pledge by the state government to clamp down on people who kidnap school children.

Governor Godswill Akpabio who stated this advised girls drawn from several secondary schools in the state to report incidents of kidnapping to him or his wife for necessary action against the culprits.

Akpabio further charged the students to listen to their parents, know their telephone numbers and to report people in the habit of child kidnapping to him, his wife, the commissioner of education or chief of staff to the governor, saying “Report anyone who wants to abuse you to us.

Speak against any abuse. I’ll punish the person who abuses you or the principal of that school. Immediately you make the report, we’ll go into investigation to know the truth. We won’t expose your identity”.

On the problem posed by some teachers and lesson teachers, he directed the students to report those who abuse them to him for punishment to serve as a deterrent to others, observing that “It is the job of this administration to create a future for you”.

NEWS NATIONAL /63

July 25, 2014

Media Important In Fight Against Crime – CP Kebbi

NIPR Initiates Reforms To Curb Quackery In PR Practice

By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi

By Winifred Ogbebo, Abuja

The media has been described as an important stakeholder in the fight against crime in the country and should have cordial relationship with the police.

The new commissioner of police of Kebbi State, Sotonye L. Wakama stated this during his visit to Nigerian Union of Journalists(NUJ), Kebbi State chapter at the Correspondent Chapel in Birnin Kebbi .

The new CP said, “The media being an important stakeholder in the fight against crime must be accorded due cooperation and support especially from the police who have primary responsibility of fighting crimes and maintaining peace in the country”.

He also added that as the 2015 elections are around the corner, it was equally important to combine effort with the press as the watch dog of the society to monitor how elections are conducted through unbiase reportage of political events as they unfold, promising to operate open door policy between the press and the police.

Earlier on, the state chairman of NUJ, Alh. Mohammed Tukur expressed delight over the visit, pointing out that, “This singular act of visiting us in our office demonstrates how the CP recognises the importance of the press.

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), has said that it had initiated reforms to reverse the unpleasant trend of quacks in public relations practice, adding that a robust structure is already in place in this direction.

This was disclosed yesterday in Abuja when the chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Abuja chapter, Silver Jubilee AGM Committee, Mr Edward Adebanjo, led his management team on advocacy/

courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of LEADERSHIP Newspapers in Abuja.

While disclosing the institute’s readiness to tame and rehabilitate quacks and assimilate the willing ones , he added that the unwilling ones who fail to utilise the window of opportunity opened to them, would be sanctioned, prosecuted and dealt with.

“We have a committee at the national level called Advocacy, Enforcement and Compliance Committee which is made up of formidable practitioners from military, paramilitary, police, civil

service, as well as private sector. For example, we can give the grace of 90 or 180 days as the case may be as window of opportunity for retraining.”

According to Adebanjo, there is a difference between experience and expertise so both must blend to credible practice.

He warned, “There are different stages of assimilation, accommodation, as well as rehabilitation, integration and professionalism. After that, the entire window is shut, then we go to prosecution which is enforcement and compliance.”

Osun Guber Poll: Ad-Hoc Staff Warned Against Electoral Malpractices

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Ad-hoc staff to be engaged for the August 9, governorship election in Osun State have been warned against engaging in electoral malpractices that could jeopardise free, fair, credible and acceptable election in the state.

The state commissioner for regional integration and special duties, Bashiru Ajibola who gave the warning yesterday while featuring on the state Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) programme tagged, “Newspoint”, said whosoever compromised the standard for credible election will incur the wrath of Osun people.

Ajibola who specifically mentioned members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that would serve as adhoc staff for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to desist from getting involved in any act capable of constituting electoral offence.

According to Ajibola, NYSC members as fresh graduates should uphold the sanctity of the constitution of the country and work towards the peaceful conduct of the election by shunning any act that could mar the election.

He equally appealed to regular staff of INEC to create a level playing ground.

L-R: Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, General Manager, Procurement, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Jenevive Adeniran and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Dr Godknows Igali, during the minister’s tour of oort facilities in Lagos. PHOTO BY NAN

You Can’t Determine Who Governs Imo, Okorocha Tells Nzeribe

By Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday blasted maverick politician, Arthur Nzeribe over his comments in the media that the state government will play host to another governor in 2015 through his prowess.

This was contained in a press statement issued through his senior special assistant on media, Sam Onwuemeodo, maintaining that the power to govern

the state does not rest on Nzeribe or any other godfather.

Nzeribe was reported to have vowed to resist the re-election of the Imo State governor after he boasted that the Imo Government House will witness another governor in 2015.

According to the statement, “When we read the report, we delayed responding to it to see whether the Oguta Imo State born politician would deny the report, or to say he was misquoted because we

never expected an experienced politician like Chief Nzeribe to vow on who would become governor in the state in 2015 or who would not become governor in the state in 2015.

“The truth of the matter is that Chief Nzeribe has never in his politics supported any governorship candidate in Imo to the extent of that person winning election to become governor. And we are talking about when Chief Nzeribe was on the fast lane of Nigeria politics.

113m Nigerians Defecate In The Open – UNICEF

By Winifred Ogbebo, Abuja

A Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Mr Saaondo Anom, has stated that over 113 million Nigerians defecate in the open due to lack of sanitation facilities.

Speaking during a workshop organised

by UNICEF in Enugu, recently, he said this practice constitute health hazards

to Nigerians.

According to him, a gramme of faeces constitute over 10 million viruses, which could be harmful when released into the environment and are responsible for the several illnesses that is presently bedeviling various communities.

Anom noted that the problems are further aggravated by the fact that about 63 million Nigerians lack access to improved sanitation.

Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever Walt Disney, founder and CEO of the Walt Disney Company

He said, “Do you know that a teaspoon of shit, or in other words, a lethal dose, just one gramme of human feaces can contain more than 10 million viruses, one million parasites, 1000 parasities cysts and 1000 parasities eyes”.

According to him, one can imagine the amount of infections people who defecate in the open voluntarily release into the communities which in turn come to harm others.

64/ NEWS NATIONAL

July 25, 2014

LG Boss Flees As Thugs Invade Council Over Impeachment Plot Mace carted away

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

Tension heightened yesterday at Oredo local government area of Edo State as suspected thugs numbering over 100 invaded the council and pounced on four out of the 12 councillors in an attempt to forcefully unseat the leader of the legislative arm, Hon Monday Oboigba.

The plot to impeach the leader of the legislative arm was sequel to a motion of impeachment moved by the councillor representing Ward 10, Mr

Dan Ize-Iyamu and supported by the only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) councillor in the council, Mr Monday Okato.

It was further learnt that in the heated argument generated by the impeachment move, the thugs allegedly invaded the legislative chamber and pounced on unsuspecting councillors, during which they carted away the mace.

A civil servant at the council secretariat who craved anonymity said: “I don’t know how to describe what happened here today. It was every man for himself when the hoodlums came.

This is because the council chairman, Barrister Osaro Obaze also fled the secretariat for fear of being attacked.

“If you look at what is happening now, the chairman is the actual target. The plan is that if they remove the speaker, they will commence impeachment proceedings against him.

“All this crisis still boils down to the recent defection of some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains to the PDP; and some persons here are of the opinion that their loyalists cannot continue to hold sway since they still owe allegiance to their leaders”.

L-R: Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun and Senator Chris Ngige, during the APC chieftains visit to the cardinal in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN.

Good Governance: NILS Boosts Capacity Of Lawmakers

By Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS) has unveiled a training programme for National Assembly lawmakers and its supporting staff on the tenets of good governance to enable them carry out their statutory obligation of law-making and oversight of government ministries, departments and agencies.

In an assessment report of NILS obtained

by LEADERSHIP Friday, it was gathered that the institute was able to identify specific areas in which the legislators needed training and directed attention towards them.

Having identified the need, NILS conducted

several trainings for lawmakers, National Assembly committee staff, clerks and other related staff between March and June 2014 to boost their capacity.

These trainings were organised through a partnership between the Democratic Good Governance (DGG) of the UNDP and NILS. According to NILS, the Needs Assessment conducted in November 2011 revealed that areas that hindered productivity in the legislature included lack of experience on the part of the legislators, inadequately trained legislative staff, lack of high quality technical/professional support, poor oversight capability, poor public perception, lack of understanding

of the work of NASS and high turnover rate of lawmakers after every election since 1999.

The report recommended that capacity building challenges have to be addressed at the beginning of every four years, pointing out that ”Sustainable democratic development does not end in successfully completed free and fair elections. Such elections are rather the beginning, a critical nonetheless preliminary step on the road towards democratic maturity. It requires long-term and comprehensive efforts to build up and consolidate representative and well-functioning parliaments able to ensure sound implementation of its lawmaking and oversight powers.”

Impeachment Notice: Enugu Assembly Directs Clerk To Serve Deputy Gov Through Substituted Means

By Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu

The Enugu State House of Assembly has also directed its clerk, Mr Christopher Amadi Chukwura to serve impeachment notice to the deputy governor, Sunday Onyebuchi through substituted means.

The House took the decision at its plenary session held yesterday.

It moved a motion to serve impeachment notice on the deputy governor over what it described as his gross misconduct.

The members of the House also accused him of running a poultry farm at his official residence at Government House that posed a health hazard to occupants and workers at the Lion Building as well as his insubordination to Gover-

nor Chime who he declined to represent at public functions on two occasions without a valid excuse.

The House, therefore, resolved to mandate the clerk to serve the impeachment notice on the deputy governor by posting the notice at his official residential quarters, his private residence at Savage Crescent, GRA, Enugu, as well as through his e-mail address.

Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever Walt Disney, founder and CEO of the Walt Disney Company

2015: Group Set To Train Youths On Skilled Labour By abah adah Abuja

Ahead of 2015 presidential election, a group under the aegis of Amalgamated Support For PJ (SONA 4 PJ), has come up with a strategy of mobilising support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection bid through a vocational training programme for the youths and women across the country.

The global coordinator of the group, Comr. Emmanuel Okponette, disclosed this during the week, at a “Sensitisation and Political Awareness Summit’’ in Abuja, saying that the group is poised to reamalgamate the nation against regional and religious divides on Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential ambition.

“We are going to train millions of our teeming youths and women on various skilled labour including textiles, paints, hats, beads, cosmetics, detergents among other products,’’ he said.

Sarah Jubril, senior special assistant to the president on ethics and values, who was the guest speaker at the summit, commented that a nation that is not guided by principles of ethics and values cannot develop.

Jubril urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the training opportunity and do away with violence for national development, adding that the transformation regime of President Jonathan has favoured the youths and women more than any previous administration.

UPP Condemns Kaduna Bomb Blasts

By Paul Uwadima, Abuja

The United Progressive Party (UPP) has condemned Wednesday’s bomb blasts in Kaduna.

The party in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Chief Ogbuehi Dike and made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja, yesterday, said the action of the terrorists was “outrageous, barbaric and reprehensible”.

The statement reads, “We condemn terrorism in all its ramifications and will resist bomb blasts targeted at political leaders in the country. It is man’s inhumanity to man and a giant step backward in the quest at building a strong democratic nation.

“It is unfortunate that the terrorists carried out these dastardly acts in the holy month of Ramadan when true Moslems have been fasting and praying for the nation.

“We share the grief of the families affected by this heinous crime against humanity and pray for quick recovery of those wounded in the attacks. We also thank God for sparing the life of former head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari who the terrorists targeted in the bomb blasts.

“We urge security agents to fish out the perpetrators of these attacks and their sponsors and bring them to book”.

motoring /65

July 25, 2014

Ford Gets Tougher With New Ranger XL-Plus Stories By Samson Echenim, Lagos

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) says it has introduced a new version of its popular brand, Ranger that combines ruggedness and unprecedented level of toughness to the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

The new Ranger variant is called Ranger XL-Plus and is expected to go on general sale early 2015.

“The new Ranger XL-Plus brings a new dimension of toughness to the line-up, making it of particular interest to mining companies, farmers and other business owners with very specific requirements,” the company said in a statement yesterday.

The vice president of marketing, sales and service at Ford Sub Saharan Africa, Mr Mark Kaufman said the Ranger XL-Plus was born out of particular requirements from the mining industry, as well as other business owners whose main concerns were rugged capability and impeccable safety standards.

Kaufman further stated, “The vehicle

is already extremely capable, and big mining companies have committed to using only vehicles that have five-star ENCAP and ANCAP ratings, which Ranger XL-Plus derivative boasts.”

The vehicle is built at the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, following a $1.8 million investment and will be sold in South Africa as well as exported to other markets with similar requirements.

The new Ranger XL-Plus will be available in both Left Hand Drive and Right Hand Drive, the company said.

With airbags for both the driver and passenger, as well as side impact, curtain, and a driver-side knee airbag, Ranger XL-Plus complies with the safety requirements determined by international mine operators. In addition to that, it has a steel bullbar as standard that is designed to work in conjunction with the veh’s existing safety systems, thus not compromising airbag deployment.

The company also said an extensive list of modifications had also been tested to

ensure the Ranger XL-Plus would stand up to the harsh environments seen in mining operations such as those in Australia, New Zealand and here in Africa.

External modifications and enhancements include a frame tested for an increased towing load of 3 500kg, extruded aluminium side steps, front mud flaps, and a lockable fuel filler cap.

Inside and under the skin, the Ranger XL-Plus gains a Crew Chief mounting bracket paired to an expanded wiring harness for accommodating more switches and circuits, a heavy duty second battery, vinyl floor covering, and heavy duty seat covers.

“Modifications developed for the Ranger XL-Plus came from extensive testing in real-world scenarios,” Kaufman said, adding that “We took feedback from our customers on what more they need from the Ranger in applications such as mining, and built a version of Ranger that will take a lot more punishment, as well as offer integration with technical equipment

used on sites.”

He maintained that by January next year, Ranger XL-Plus would be available to customers in Sub-Saharan Africa in three body styles with two chassis cab models in single and double-cab variations, and a double cab model with a loadbox. Drive comes from the Duratorq 2.2-litre TDCi engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. All models have four-wheel drive and are fitted with an Electronic Locking Rear Differential.

“We’re buidling the Ranger XL-Plus in South Africa, meaning we can give our customers on the continent a factoryready version of a vehicle that meets their demands. Modifications for this version of the Ranger can be rolled out during production, so customers don’t have to wait for aftermarket customisations,” Kaufman noted.

The Ranger XL-Plus comes with a comprehensive 3-year/60 000km warranty with service intervals of 10 000kms and is already available in some Dealerships in Sub Saharan Africa, according to Kaufman.

OPEL Deepens Leadership In Electric Car Innovation With New Ampera General Motors unit, Opel says it is working on a successor model to its Ampera, a battery-powered electric car which hit European showrooms in 2011.

“We will definitely introduce a successor product in the electric vehicle segment and continue to defend our position as an innovation leader,” Opel, which trades under sister brand Vauxhall in Britain, said in a statement on Wednesday.

A new version of its Ampera will be launched between 2014 and 2018, Opel said, declining to give further details.

“We see electric mobility as an important part of mobility and we will continue to drive down costs and deliver affordability,” Opel further said.

The current Ampera which was voted European Car of the Year in 2012, is on sale starting at 38,620 euros ($52,000).

In the United States the vehicle is sold as the Chevy Volt.

The current Ampera can travel more than 500 km on a single charge, giving it a greater operating range than the 190 km offered by BMW’s (BMWG.DE) i3 electric car, which is being delivered to customers this year.

BMW Takes Share In Takata Air Bags Recall, Withdraws 1.6 Million Cars Worldwide German automaker BMW has said it is recalling about 1.6 million cars worldwide to replace passenger-side front air bags made by Takata Corporation because the inflators could break apart during deployment and injure passengers.

The recall affects 3 Series vehicles produced between May 1999 and August 2006.

While BMW is still taking part in a regional recall requested by the United States safety regulators, BMW spokesman Mr. Dave Buchko said it decided to recall all of the model year 2000 through 2006 cars potentially affected by the issue.

The regional recall requested in June by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covered both passengerand driver-side front air bags.

The recall is an extension of last year’s recall of 240,000 cars globally for the same issue. However, it overlaps with the regional recall.

“As a precaution, we just feel now that the right thing to do is just to bring them all in and replace the passenger-side air bag,” Buchko said.

The air bags were supplied by Japan’s Takata, which has seen more than 12 million vehicles recalled over the past five years for related issues.

Also affected by the regional recall were Honda Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co, Mazda Motor Corp, Fuji Heavy Industries-owned Subaru, Mitsubishi Motors Corp, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Chrysler brand.

Remember the two benefits of failure. First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn’t work; and second, failure gives you the opportunity to try a new approach.

Roger von Oech, American author, inventor and speaker

personalityprofile

July 25, 2014

Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah: Making Life Easy For The Ordinary

by Pembi David-Stephen

Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah was born about 44 years ago to Late Mr.Wilson and Ezinne Paulina Ogah in Uturu, Isikwuato Local Government area of Abia State, is a man his people are rightly proud of.

Ogah stands like a colossus in the area of philanthropy and says all he lives for is to make the lives of people worth living. He has giving his time to ensuring that the health of many is restored. Ogah sponsored free medical services in different parts of Nigeria. This is in addition to building and equipping many modern hospitals in different communities in Nigeria where his business is located.

A well-schooled person, he has equally offered scholarships to both primary and secondary students across Nigeria since 2006. Ogah has also partnered with different medical centres like Hopeville rehabilitation centre, for fabrication of prosthesis (Artificial limbs) or Orthosis (Calipars) for so many disabled persons.

These are in addition to sponsoring many people to India for various medical issues.

The humanitarian and philanthropic disposition of Uche was taken to a higher level when he established a foundation in December 2011, The Uche Ogah Foundation which is primarily for empowerment, poverty alleviation and providing education and has empowered many in their various fields. He also instituted a chair at the Abia State University and is building an ultra-modern auditorium in the same university.

In recognition of his many contributions and philanthropic activities to the economic growth and empowerment of

Abia State and the nation as a whole, he was conferred with the title of “Oke Osisi (Great Tree) of Abia State in 2012 by the Government of Abia State and honoured with a National Award of Officer of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), by the President & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR in the same year. In recognition of his many contributions to the development of Abia State, provision of infrastructures and other physical developments in different parts of Nigeria.

Abia State University awarded him an Honourary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration.

Ogah, a pan Nigeria and Africa Advocate, is a humanist. His nationalistic flavour had seen him build bridges across the length and breadth of Nigeria. A completely detribalized African, he so much believes in the Pan Africanism vision of the founding fathers of Africa. This has also informed his business forays beyond the frontiers of Nigeria, limiting the same to Africa. Masters Energy Group has offices in Ghana, Republic of Benin, Cote D’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.

A recipient of numerous awards and titles as well as a member of various professional bodies among which includes Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICA), Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Shipping (2009), Member, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), he is a man of man parts. The African Peace Award (APA 2010), Meritorious Diamond Award for National Development (MEDA 2008) and Distinguished Corporate Achievers Gold Award (2009)

and Oke Oji of Abia State (2012) are some of them.

He is an Ambassador and member of the Governing Council of the Nigeria-Turkey Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ogah was conferred with the 2013 Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) Enterprise Award. He was also honoured with the prestigious bi-annual keyman Award for Outstanding Entrepreneurship by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA). He is also the 2013 Business World Newspaper Man of the Year. These are in addition to many other awards he had received.

Educated at Ishiagu High School, Ishiagu, Ogah attended the institute of management and Technology, Enugu, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in accounting, he graduated with a distinction and he was the best faculty graduating student. He proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) where he obtained a postgraduate Diploma. He also had a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking and Finance from Ogun State University and went on to bag an MBA from the University of Lagos. He has attended many courses both at home and abroad.

He was a consummate banker of distinction. He spent 10 years in the banking sector during which he received many commendations and awards as proof of his diligence and high rated performance.

He left Zenith Bank as an Assistant General Manager/Head, Ikeja Business Focus Group.

It is in the area of business and posi-

Ogah

tive contribution to society that Ogah has made the greatest landmark. He is a very successful entrepreneur and businessman with a heart of gold. His belief in the Nigerian economy is strong and unequivocal. This belief informed his decision to make an investment (Masters Energy City) worth tens of billions of Naira in Port Harcourt at a time when many companies were running away from the Niger Delta region because of security challenges. That single investment, a 158,000 Metric Tones petroleum products storage facility, has helped in no small measure in the stabilization of petroleum products availability and affordability in the whole of South-South, South-East and NorthEast and provided direct employment to over 600 indigenes of the Niger Delta region in the spirit of Federal Government rehabilitation programme and over 4,000 ancillary employments. His investments employ more than 6000 Nigerians.

Ogah is happily married and blessed with children.

News Feature

My Plan Is To Give Corps Members An Unforgettable Experience – NYSC DG

By Chika Mefor

In a bid to deepen its relationship with the media, the National Youth Service Corps on Tuesday held a media chat with journalists.

At the event, the director-general, Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi, promised to operate an open-door policy as the 16th DG of the scheme.

Olawumi said he hoped that the open door would encourage fresh ideas, as he is not averse to criticism made in good faith.

Olawumi revealed that he has developed a four-point agenda aimed at increasing the relevance of the scheme and build on the programmes and policies initiated by previous administrators.

The DG hopes that the four-point agenda – improving the service content of the scheme, enhancing the welfare and safety of corps members and staff, expanding partnership for greater funding and support and increasing the visibility and relevance of the scheme – will set in motion series of actions meant to bring a shift as it relates to the programmes and service de-

Olawumi

livery content of the scheme.

While highlighting the various programmes of the scheme, especially as it relates to safe-guarding the lives of the corps members, Olawumi disclosed that the NYSC has upgraded its Distress Call Centre to operate 24 hours, with responsive numbers through which corps members in distress can call to get immediate assistance.

The initiative which is aimed at enhancing the time of response and intervention to help corps members in distress, Olabumi said, was a direct fall-out of the postelection violence in 2011.

The NYSC boss added that the scheme had also published pamphlets with security tips, as a guide for corps members, adding that the scheme’s cooperation with security agencies has also yielded great success.

While speaking on the reconstruction of the scheme aimed to strengthen service delivery, the DG explained that the scheme had increased its department from seven to 11 and autonomous units from three to four. These changes have given birth to the departments of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, Ventures Management and Information and Communication Technology Certification.

The introduction of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development department is aimed at improving the skill and entrepreneurship development of corps members, in order to mold them into job creators instead of job seekers.

A fight between grasshoppers is a joy to the crow.

― Lesotho Proverb

Olawumi disclosed that over 285,000 serving and ex-corps members have, so far, benefited from the new development. Besides training corps members, the scheme has gone further to establish ventures to provide a platform for the training of these corps members, among which are a garment factory in Minna (Niger State) and Mgbakwu (Anambra State), a rice mill in Ezilo (Ebonyi State), a feed mill in Lagos State, a garri factory in Kwara State and printing press in Garki, Abuja.

The DG stated that plans for the establishment of a table water factory and bakery at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja, are at an advanced stage and, soon, the NYSC will soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the training of corps members in agriculture. In addition, the corps in collaborating with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) for the cultivation of 20 hectares of cassava seed multiplication in Leleyi, Kwali Area Council of FCT.

67

July 25, 2014

SCHOOLS, EDUCATION, & FAITH PLATFORM

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

SPECIALISED CLASSIFIEDS PAGES TABERNACLE OF ARK OF PRAISE AND SALVATION MINISTRY

CATHOLIC CONFRATERNITY OF CHRISTIAN MOTHERS OF NIGERIA

OLOWOOKERE WORLD GOSPEL OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL

The general public is hereby informed that the above named ministry has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named organisation has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR WOLE OLADIYUN 2. PASTOR FEMI AKINOLA 3. PASTOR (SISTER) BOSEDE AKINOLA 4. SISTER IBUKUN AKINOLA 5. BROTHER AYOKUNLE AKINOLA 6. SISTER SARAH HENMAUGO 7. EVANGELIST SUSAN KADARA

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MRS SALOME UFUOMA UKPO 2. REV. MOTHER MARY CLARE IDAHOSA 3. CHIEF (MRS) PRISCILIA KUYE 4. LADY MARCELLINA COLE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.THE MINISTRY SHALL PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN ALL PARTS OF NIGERIA AND WORLDWIDE. 2.TO BRING THE GOSPEL TO HUMAN SOULS. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: OZIEGBE EKHATO 8C,BISKRA STREES, WUSE ZONE 4, ABUJA 08052736839

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO UNITE MOTHERS IN PRAYER AND INSTILL IN THEM A THOROUGH CHRISTIAN SPIRIT. 2.TO PROMOTE CHRISTIAN VALUES, THE INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF THE FAMILY THROUGH THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN THE HOME, PARISH AND COMMUNITY. 3.TO PRAYERFULLY INTERCEDE FOR NIGERIA WHENEVER THERE IS NATIONAL CHALLENGE. 4.TO EDUCATE MOTHERS IN PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES AND PRACTICING VIRTUES. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR.PAUL E. UTI (J.P); 08035910306,08028798278

TRUSTEES: 1. EVANG. DR. SAMUEL OLUWADARE OLOWOOKERE -PRESIDENT 2. EVANG. (MRS) KEMI OLOWOOKERE 3. ENGR. JULIUS OLOWOOKERE 4. REV. DR. ISAAC OLUSHOLA AMUSAN - SEC. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD WORLDWIDE. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION SIGNED: OJO ADESOJI

GREAT GRACE OF GOD DELIVERANCE AND MIRACLE MINISTRY

GLOBAL PEACE FOUNDATION FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

NZUKO AROCHUKWU WOMEN ORGANIZATION

This is to notify the general Public that the above named MINISTRY has applied for registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja under the Part ‘C’ of Company and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR CHANGE OF NAME, ADDITION OF TRUSTEES AND AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990 OLD NAME: NZUKO AROCHUKWU WOMEN ORGANIZATION NEW NAME : NZUKO AROCHUKWU WOMEN’S WING ORGANIZATION

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Amb Ewenike Ndubuisi - Chairman 2. Barr. Chisom Ajaero 3. Amb. Deacon Iyke Nwoke 4. Chief Nwokolo Darlington 5. Alh. Kareen Lateef 6. Mrs. Ekenike Oluchi

OLD TRUSTEES RETAINED 1. ELDER CHIEF (MRS) EME NWAKANMA-OKORO, OON 2. ELDER (MRS) VICTORIA IKWY IKOKU 3. ELDER (DR) MRS DORIS EKEMMA OJI 4. HON. (MRS) NWADA EZUMA IGWE

THE TRUSTEES 1. Prohet Glory Oru - President 2. Pastor Mrs. Gloria Oreyaoghene Oru - Secretary 3. Deacon Jonathan Ikrih AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

SIGNED: SECRETARY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To empower youths, to make youth change agents.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PRIME LIGHT INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE The general public is hereby notified that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Dr. (Mrs) Caroline Oluwunmi Akachukwu 2. Rama Ola Akachukwu 3. Eddy Christopher Batok Embanglian 4. Ananda Udochi Akachukwu 5. Dr. Ihenacho Raymond Nneji 6. Prof Ayodele Ibukun Augustine 7. Alao Francis Adeyemi

-Chairperson

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja within 28 days of the publication.

SIGNED: BARR. KEMI JEGEDE; 08034260878

JESUS FAMILY COVENANT ASSEMBLY INTERNATIONAL

The general public is hereby informed that the above named has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Apsotle Godwin Oscar Idiong - President 2. Evangelist Ekom Joseph Ekanem - Secretary 3. Elder Ubong Edem AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. Preach the word of God and spread his gospel.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR. VICTOR OYONAKPARE

> HENRY UBIMAGO 08068640944

> AUGUSTINE 08032325988

THAT THE CONSTITUTION BE AMENDED ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGE OF NAME, ADDITION OF TRUSTEES AND AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION SIGNED: BARR NNANNA OBASI; SOLICITOR , 08037240641

MERCY & GRACE TABERNACLE

EBAWU SOKO NUPE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

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

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

THE TRUSTEE ARE: 1. Josephine Ogwudire 2. Jaja Isreal

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Ibrahim Abubakar 2. Muhammed Shehu Umar 3. Abubakar Shehu 4. Muhammed Abudulqadri 5. Habib Musa

- Pastor - Pastor

AIM AND OBJECTIVES 1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. To depopulate hell through the preaching of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. To bring salvation to man

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To educate the public on environmental matters.

FOR BOOKING OR INQUIRY CALL

NEW TRUSTEES APPOINTED 1. DAME MERCY OGBONNAYA OKEREKE 2. ELDER (MRS) PATRICIA NKECHI OGBONNAYA 3. ELDER (MRS) MGBEKE JAMES INYAMAH 4. PROF. (MRS) THERESA NNENNAYA KANNO 5. DR. (MRS) LOVETTE OBIDIYA CHIMA-OJI 6. LADY UZUNMA OKOKO IMOKO

Any objection to this change should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: AJAEREE EVEREST A. 08060812949

AIM AND OBJECTIVES 1. To defend and protect the interest of the members.

2. To seek for the betterment and welfare of members both home and abroad 3. To render financial and other sepcific assistance to members in time of difficulties.

4. To aid the development and transformation of our community: Nupe Community.

Any objection to this change should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: SECRETARY

KING TURNER FOUNDATION

NEW GENERATION HEALTH SUPPORT ORGANIZATION

The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

The general public that the above named ORGONISATION has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act no. 1 of 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. HRH Dr. King A. J Turner 2. Dr. (Mrs) Christy Tafida Silas 3. Nura Garba Sabon Birni

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Engr. Kenneth Okey Ugwu 2. Mr. Polycarp Ifeanyi Onyeugwu 3. Mrs. Joy Ify Anyabolu 4. Mrs. Georgina Ngozi Okoro 5. Barr. Cyril Arinze Onyia 6. Mr. Sabinus Chikwado Igwe 7. Apostle Victor Onwuzulike

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To empower youths and provide for the less privilege children in the society.

2. To provide a home for children who have been orphaned by the ravaging effects of poverty, disease and political conflicts, etc who now live in the street.

3. To teach, train and equip these homeless orphans with academic, social, spiritual life principles and skills that will enable them become successful and established in life.

4. To inspire people the world over to give a little more to care enough to play a part in making life better for the lost, lonely and forgotten children of Nigeria.

- Chairman - Secretary - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member

AIM AND OBJECTIVE 1. To demonstrate to the grass-root society capacity building and assist vulnerable to HIV/AIDS 2. To assist government and donors to fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria to zero tolerance.

3. To empower good water and sanitation in our surroundings.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral. Corporate Affairs commission, 420, tigris crescent, off aguyi ironsi street. PMB 198, matiama, abuja within 28th days from the date of publication.

SIGNED: BARR. SUNDAY ADEBAYO OLAWOYIN

Signed: IKENNA CLENTINE OKOLIE, ESQ; 08037744266

> GLORIA OKWUM 08038722368

> ABIGAIL SAMBO 08064382438

> GLORIA RAPHAEL 08061356519

> GLORIA ODIO 08034285851

> GRACE OJO 08035054444

68

July 25, 2014

THE GLORIOUS CALL CHRISTIAN MINISTRY

MILE ONE AND TWO SHOP AND BUSINESS OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF PH

ROTTWEILER PUPPIES FOR SALE

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja, Under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

Pure breed pedigree Rottweiler puppies (Parent Stocks from Bronco Kennel of USA) for Sale Ages between 3 to 6 months from different litters (blood lines).

The Trustees are: 1. Prophet Adeniyi Ogedengbe 2. Pastor (Mrs.) Folasayo Ogedengbe 3. Prince Ojo Oluwatanmi 4. Pastor Tope Gbangba Aim and Objectives 1. To teach people to confess with his/her mouth the salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Act. 4:12, Roman 10:9) and to accept, obey the general rules and regulations of God as stipulated in the bible. Heb. 13:17, Eph. 4:11, 1Cor. 12:28 2. To liberate men from satanic bondages through the preaching of the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ and to prepare the church for coming of our lord Jesus Christ.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: Prophet Adeniyi Ogedengbe

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. Pastor Atoyeb Peace David 2. Pastor James Ademola 3. Mr. Jude Chinedu Onwuliri 4. Mr. Chikaodi Ndubuisi 5. Mr. Kingsley Ihedioha

- President - Secretary

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:To encourage one another.

To help one another in business.

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

CONTACT:

Signed: PASTOR ATOYEB PEACE DAVID President

ULTIMATE KENNEL & PET SUPPLY COMPANY

G 10 Ahmadu Bello Way, Opp. M. Balloon Kaduna.

08033144789, 08053948392, 08033112975. Email - upetsupply@yahoo.com

OMAGBA ULTIMATE FRIENDS CLUB OF NIGERIA, ONITSHA

ABORIGINE OGBONI FRATERNITY OF NIGERIA

The general public is hereby notified that the above named CLUB has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named wishes to effect changes in the Trusteeship positions as follows: NEW TRUSTEES 1. H.I.M Saheed O. Yusuff (The President General) 2. H.R.H Rafiu Hamzat (Chairman General) 3. High Chief Lambe Fayemi (Olori Apena General) 4. High Chief Ismaila Labosinde (Afobaje) 5. H.R.H David Kolawole (Olori-oluwo General) 6. Chief (Mrs.) Sherifat Sanusi (Olori Abiye General) 7. High Chief Oluremi Taju Ariwajoye (General Secretary)

The Trustees are: 1) CHIBUZO MBA - CHAIRMAN 2) OKWUDILI FRIDAY ANINWEKE 3) OKECHUKWU BENJAMIN OKPONWA 4) TORTI OBINNA SAMUEL 5) NNABUIKE MOUROUKWU 6) CHIMEZIE ODUNUKWE 7) NNAEMEKA EZE

OLD TRUSTEES 1. Late HRH Oba Motaji Naibi (President General) 2. Late Chief Michael Awolusi (Chairman General) 3. Chief Dr. Kolawole Komolafe (Trustee General) 4. Chief Ismaila Labosinde (Financial Secretary) 5. Late Chief M.A Shangonuga (Assistant Secretary General) 6. Late Chief Afolabi Adeyomo Sadiku (Secretary General)

Aim and Objectives 1. UNITY AMONG ONE ANOTHER. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Any objection should be addressed to the registrar General, corporate Affairs Commission, P.M.B. 198, Garki, Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Signed: High Chief Oluremi Tajudeen General Secretary

SIGNED: CHIBUZO MBA CHAIRMAN

ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX TEWAHEDO CHURCH

MAC-QUEEN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

OPERATIONS RESEARCH SOCIETY OF NIGERIA

The general public is hereby notified that the above named CHURCH has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named SOCIETY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Mr. Yared Gettu Yehualashet 2. Mrs. Mintwab Zelelew Tafesse 3. Mrs. Addishiwot Arega Gebrewold 4. Engineer Ephrem Tewolde Zeri 5. Engineer Girma Feleke Habtewold 6. Engineer Metsihafe Mekbib Tadesse 7. Mr. Asaye Tolla Bulti

The Trustees are: 1. Kennedy Agala 2. Ojiugo Agala 3. Dakouru Atupka 4. Azibaolu Robert 5. Uche Agala 6. Eucharia Nwachukwu

Aim and Objective 1. To promote and nurture the values and culture of members of the Church.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY 08136689900

- President - Secretary

AimS and Objectives 1. To promote and provide charity for widows in the society.

2. To promote and provide scholarships for less privileged children in society.

3. To promote human capacity development.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

The Trustees are: 1. IDORENYIN AUGUSTINE ETUKUDO 2. HANNAH EDIM ETTA 3. ATAKWA BULLEY 4. MARSHAL IMEH SAMPSON 5. PRISCA IWALI NTITI 6. BERNARD JAMES UKPONG Aim and Objectives 1. TO SUPPORT & PROMOTE OPERATIONS RESEARH. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: ADANNA AMADI; 07030547189

SIGNED: SECRETARY

HOUSE OF DEFENCE MINISTRY

women initiative for development and peace in africa

OWOLAWULE CLUB OF IGEDE

The general public is hereby informed that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied matters Act 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied matters Act 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named club has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Joseph Murtala Adeogun - President 2. Oke Temijopelo Olusola - Secretary 3. Mr. Stevie Femi Laoye 4. Mr. Simon Kolawole 5. Mr. Aleilo Frederick Olatunde

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Chinwe Onyeukwu 2. Ikiebe Nkechinyere 3. Benedict Chukwuemeka Iheme

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To preach and propagate the word of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. To build institutions that promote the advancement of the kingdom of God on earth such as Bible schools, publication of Christian bookds, magazines and other literature, pre-school, primary school and secondary school.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To provide leadership capacity development and participation for marginalized groups including women and children.

2. To provide public awareness on the participation of marginalised groups including women and children.

3. To advocate for peace and development in Africa.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: SECRETARY

Signed: EZIONYE LOUIS N. ESQ 08037419762

ANITA

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ANITA LEWECHI EWULONU now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ANITA LEWECHI CHIGOZIE all former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

GLORIA

I formerly known as ONUH LAMI GLORIA, now wish to be known as MANZO LAMI GLORIA. All former documents remain valid.

Uni-Jos, Uni-Abuja and the general public to please take note.

EKWEMPU

I formerly known as MISS CHIME FLORENCE NGOZI now wish to be known as MRS EKWEMPU FLORENCE NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

MOHAMMED

I formerly known as MOHAMMED USMAN, now wish to be known as MOHAMMED USMAN ADAH. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

CHIAKA

I formerly known as CHIAKA NWAKAEGO ANOSIKE now wish to be known as CHIAKA NWAKAEGO NWEZE. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

MOHAMMED

I formerly known as AHUZIE GRACE ONYEMAECHI CHRISTOPHER, now wish to be known as ALABI GRACE ONYEMACHI CHRISTOPHER. All former documents remain valid.

Nasarawa State Nigeria Prisons Service, Diamond Bank PLC, GTBank and the general public to please take note.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Andrew Onah A.Chairman 2. Francis IyanyaSecretary 3. Tony IjiTreasurer 4. Ode IjereFinancial Secretary 5. Chief Ode OchiMember 6. Moses ArubiMember 7. Tom InakwuMember 8. Sunday OkpongMember 9. Samson OkoMember 10. Tony OchaMember 11. Abraham OkweMember 12. Engr. Isaiah IbuMember THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To promote and protect the interest and welfare of members Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed SECRETARY

OLAYIWOLA-BALOGUN

Eunice

I formerly known as MISS ADEJINMI OLUWABUNMI MOTUNRAYO now wish to be known as MRS OLAYIWOLA-BALOGUN OLUWABUNMI MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

I, Formerly known as Eunice Omojo Joseph, now wish to be addressed as Eunice Omojo Ayegba. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ABIYE-HARRY

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known as MISS OKORO OTEJIRI, now wish to be known as MRS. ABIYE-HARRY OTEJIRI. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS FELICIA ONYEROH OKOH, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS FELICIA ONYEROH OSAYI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

FAITH

I, Formerly known as MISS FYNEFACE FAITH OGHOSO, now wish to be addressed as MRS IPOGAH FAITH OGHOSO. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

MOYINOLUWA

I, Formerly known as MICHAEL MOYINOLUWA ONADIPE, now wish to be addressed as MOYINOLUWA ODUNAYO ABIMBOLU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

69

July 25, 2014

SOUTH SOUTH YOUTH PEACE MISSION

HIGHER GLORY MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL

OGANIRU NDIGBO NILE WORLD WIDE ASSOCIATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named MISSION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Comr. Ebimie Makera - Chairman 2. Sunny Roland Essien - Secretary 3. Omokpoze Custom Tina Esegi 4. Comr Emmanuel Hezekiah 5. Michael Anthony Nochis 6. Comr. Johnson Omoyibo 7. Abhulimen Alex

The Trustees are: 1. Timothy Abiodun Oyawale 2. Mary Iyabo Oyawale 3. Gabriel Olanrewaju 4. Emmanuel Abiodun Daudu

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

Aim and Objectives 1. To prevent youth restlessness.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR. C. M. ISAH

Apostolic Flames of Fire Revival Ministry

- Secretary - Secretary

The Trustees are: 1. Mr Julius uchenna Uzoma 2. Barr. Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu

Aim and Objectives 1. To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ

Aim and Objectives 1. To guide and protect the legitimate interest of ndigbo

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR. RUTH IDOWU 08033471617

SIGNED: Obinna nna mbuko Esq 08032716076

FREEDOM HILL FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Pastor Philip Olarewaju Johnson 2. Pastor (Mrs.) Philip Modupe Abigail

The Trustees are: 1.Sarah Damilare Olagunju 2. Yemisi Eunice Oladipo 3. Atinuke Esther Koleoluwa

Aim and Objectives 1. To propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: Barr. Olusola Bukola 08034923860

- Chairperson - Secretary - Member

(Chairperson) (IGP RTd)

(Secretary)

Aim and Objectives 1. To provide help for the less privileged women and widows Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: Dayo Adeniji

OGBODO

I, Formerly known as EMENGO JENNIFER, now wish to be addressed as OGBODO JENNIFER. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

HENRIETTA

Formerly known and addressed as MISS OJAJUNE HENRIETTA FUNMI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS RAPHAELEBHABHA HENRIETTA FUNMI all former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

HUNTULLO

I, Formerly known as HUNTULLO NGBALE, now wish to be addressed as HUNTULLO ZIDON. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

FALAYE

Formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUGBEMI MODUPE OLUFUNKE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS FALAYE MODUPE OLUFUNKE all former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

3X2 SPACE FOR SALE

The Trustees are: 1. Mr Sylvester osia akpodiete -chairman 2. Odafe ekuo akpodiete 3. Edafe ekemena ubeleke 4. Chief (hon)Felix ekure - secretary 5. Sunday eke 6. Emmanuel odiaka Aim and Objectives 1. To promote growth, sustainable development and good leadership in the society 2. To provide security and empowerment for the youth and women in the society 3. To Initiate programs that will create empowerment opportunities for both the youths and the women 4. To Contribute to national growth and development

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

WOMEN OF HOPE INITIATIVE FOR BETTER DEVELOPMENT The Trustees are: 1. Alhaja Mrs. Adetutu Oloko surakat 2.Alhaji musiliu Smith 3. Otunba NUrudeen Olatunde Bashorun 4. Mr.Tobi Awokoya 5. Dr. Titi Anibaba 6. Mrs.Dele Fatusi 7. Mrs.Funmilayo Ojo 8. Mrs. Bukola Adedeji

The general public is hereby notified that the above named initiative has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

Aim and Objectives 1. To provide free legal service and representation for women detained without trial.

2. To connect ex-convicts and former detainees with rehabilitative NGO’s.

3. Offer advice and assistance on reintergration into society of exconvicts and former detainees.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

The general public is hereby notified that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990.

Wind of change for youth and women development initiative

LOSS of OF document DOCUMENT loss LOSS OF DOCUMENT

LOSS of OF document DOCUMENT LOSS loss OF DOCUMENT This is to inform the general public of the loss of the followings: 1. A letter of conveyance PF provisional approval in respect of plot No: HE/B/EST/6/B-Size 3300M2 in Bwari Extension layout signed by the Secretary, Rural Land use Adjudication Committee 2. Grant/R egrant a Statutor y R ight of O ccupanc y/ acknowledgement with file No: MISC 80216 with Data entry dated 8th February, 2005.

3. Survey plan for right of occupancy No: FCT/BZTP/LA/MISC 2478 of Plot No: B/6B/EST cadastral zone 07 04 dated 25th July, 2005 belonging to the advertising practitioners council of Nigeria were missing.

All efforts made to trace the said document proved abortive. If found, please return to the nearest police station. General public to please take note.

CHANGE OF FAMILY NAME

OKORIE: We the family of OKORIE formerly known and addressed as: MR. SAMUEL CHIKE OKORIE, MRS. PRECIOUS CHINEME OKORIE and our children - respectively, now wish to be known and addressed as: MR. SAMUEL CHIKEZIE NWACHUKWU, MRS. PRECIOUS CHINEME NWACHUKWU and our Children respectively. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

JOSHUA

I formerly known and addressed as JOSHUA AYUBA. Now wish to be known and addressed as JOSHUA YUNUSA. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

DORIS

I formerly known and addressed as MISS DORIS DAUDA. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. DORIS FAINOM LYAMGOHN. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, other concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

3X2 SPACE FOR SALE

This is to inform the general public of the loss of original Re-Certification and Re-issuance of C of O Acknowledgement Letter in respect of plot 796 Maitama A05 with file No. ED10563 belonging to Mrs Theodora Onoshokue Innih of No. 3 Oyaide Avenue, Benin Edo State is missing.

All efforts made to trace the said document proved abortive. If found, please return to the nearest police station. General public to please take note.

ANGEL

I, Formerly known as MRS OLUWATOYIN OMOLARA ONADIPE, now wish to be addressed as MRS ANGEL MOJISOLA OLUWATOYIN ABIMBOLU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

BENEDICT

I formerly known as MISS OKEWU JOY ONEH now wish to be known as MRS BENEDICT JOY ONEH. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and the general public to please take note.

EBELE

I formerly known as MISS EGWU EBELE JUDITH, now wish to be known as MRS EBELE JUDITH EGWU SANYAOLU. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

ISHOLA

I, Formerly known as DAUDA OLANIKE YEJIDE, now wish to be addressed as ISHOLA OLANIKE YEJIDE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Nkeiruka

I formerly known as miss Onyemem Nkeiruka Linda, now wish to known and address as mrs KinGSoul-E Nkeiruka Linda. All former document remain valid. General public take note.

MARIAM

I formerly known as MISS ABOGEDE MARIAM, now wish to be known as MRS MARIAM JOHNPAUL. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

3X2 SPACE FOR SALE

sports PREVIEWS AND NIGERIANS ABROAD July 25, 2014

How Maigari Was Removed By Executive Board

must watch

Commonwealth Games Today

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

By ISHAKU KIGBU, Abuja

Contrary to widespread belief that former Nigeria Football Federation president, Aminu Maigari was impeached by his executive board via voting, LEADERSHIP Sports reliably gathered he was removed yesterday when the executive committee met at the Glass House in Wuse Zone 7, through a simple vote of no confidence passed on him.

News passed around immediately he was sacked by his executive board was that Maigari lost 5-8 votes when the matter was put to vote.

But an inside source who was part of the meeting informed LEADERSHIP Sports that the meeting started like any other one and Maigari had welcomed his executive board and asked them to settle down in the board room to commence the business of the day. When that was done, one of his board members Dr Shehu Adamu called for point of observation and requested that an urgent matter that has to do with the finances of the federation be looked into first before any other matter.

Maigari obliged and passed round the financial reports of the federation to the committee for their perusal and after they went through, Shehu Adamu who is the head of finance of the board and had insisted he knows little or nothing to how the finances of the federation is being spent was not satisfied with the financial

Maigari

report and moved a motion of vote of no confidence on Aminu Maigari, based on financial irregularities the source said.

“Once Shehu Adamu moved the motion, another member Deji Tinubu seconded and that simply nailed Maigari.

The surprising thing was that not even his closest allies like Chris Green, Emeka Inyama and Ahmed Yusuf Fresh raised any objection. They were all silent. There was no voice votes neither was the impeachment put to any voting. So, the issue of losing 5-8 is not true” the source disclosed.

He revealed that the moment Maigari was successfully removed by the board, he was asked to step aside and excuse them from the meeting which he declined. “After being

impeached, he was asked by the committee to excuse the meeting but he refused and insisted that he would want to be part of the remaining proceedings. The other members then called for 45 minutes recess to refresh before continuing and Maigari was left alone in the board room. Emeka Inyama, Chris Green and Ahmed Fresh later joined him for a tetea-tete and show of solidarity.

But the other members then continued the meeting initially without Green, Inyama and Fresh; they got to a point and the trio later joined them without Maigari begging to be part of it which the larger group accepted telling them it is only Maigari that is being sacked. They settled for an interim president in Mike Umeh who was the federation’s vice president.”

Mike Umeh Emerges Interim NFF President

By SALIFU USMAN, Abuja

With the lingering crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) finally sweeping away Aminu Maigari out of office as the NFF president after a vote of no confidence was passed on him by the executive committee of the NFF, his first vice, Mike Umeh is now new NFF boss. In a meeting presided by Umeh, the committee accused the former president of the NFF of financial recklessness, misapplication and maladministration. Shehu Adamu moved the motion for the vote of

no confidence and seconded by Deji Tinubu.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the chairman communique drafting committee, Ma’azu Suleiman, the Committee approved the immediate dismissal of Maigari from the NFF executive committee.”

The committee also appointed first vice president of the NFF, Mike Okeke Umeh as acting President to preside over the affairs of the federation, pending the composition of the new executive committee after the

elections on Tuesday, August 26, 2014.

The board commended world football governing body, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for their keen interests in the development of Nigerian football and pledged that the country will continue to abide by the dictates of FIFA and CAF Statutes and the FIFA –approved NFF Statutes and reaffirmed that the 2014 Elective Congress/General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation scheduled for August 26 will still hold.

There would be a total of 22 gold medals up for grabs today as the 2014 Commonwealth Games enters Day 3.

Activities that will take place include Cycling,(men’s sprint, individual pursuit and Para-sport 1,000m time trial B tandem, women’s individual pursuit), gymnastics (rhythmic individual allaround), judo (men’s -73kg and -81kg, women’s -63kg and -70kg), shooting (men’s 10m air rifle, women’s skeet and 10m air pistol), swimming (men’s 200m free, 100m back, 50m fly, 400m medley and 4x100m free relay, women’s 50m breast, 100m fly and Para-sport 100m S8 free), weightlifting (women’s 53kg, men’s 62kg).

Activities start by 09:45 with Shooting where England’s Amber Hill, who won the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award in 2013, competes in the women’s skeet.

Hill, now 17, won a senior

Amber Hill

World Cup event aged just 15 and has already equalled world records in her sport. Major shooting events are rarely staged in the UK, so the Commonwealth Games will be one of Hill’s biggest tournaments ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympics.

“I know a lot of people will be watching me and there will be high expectations of me, but I think that’s a good thing,” said Hill last month.

NIGERIANS ABROAD

Nwadike Fails To Impress Birds Peter Nwadike has reportedly failed to win favour with Moroka Swallows, who will not offer the Nigerian striker a professional deal.

The Jomo Cosmos forward has been training with the Dube Birds over the last two weeks in a bid to earn a contract ahead of the new 2014/15 Premier Soccer League season.

Nwadike was even part of the starting XI for last week’s Gauteng Cup semifinal against Mamelodi Sundowns, but was unable to impress as the Soweto outfit crashed to a 5-0 defeat.

He is now believed to be headed back to the National First Division, with Birds coach Zeca Marques not interested in bringing the 31-year-old on board for the new campaign.

Nwadike

Willingness to change is a strength, even if it is means plunging part of the company into total confusion for a while.

Chairman and CEO of General Electric

Jack Welch,

71

July 25, 2014

Kawu Resigns As Nationwide League Chairman ...We are not aware - NFF

BY SALIFU USMAN, Abuja

Chairman Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL), Ahmed Ma’azu Kawu has resigned his position as member of the executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and as chairman of the NNWL board, alleging that his signature was forged in the impeachment of Aminu Maigari as president of the NFF. He said he took the decision to quit

after consulting his people and family.

He added that if the board of the NNWL still wants to continue wit him, he will if they would agree with his conditions.

“I did not partake in the impeachment. My signature was forged. I didn’t signed impeachment notice. I have resigned my position as member of the executive of the NFF and chairman of the Nigeria Nationwide League board.

If the board still wants me to continue I will give them my conditions and if they agree, I will.”

2014 C’wealth Games: Nigeria Begins On Good Note

BY ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

Keshi

NFF’s New Leadership Roots For Keshi

BY SALIFU USMAN, Abuja

The acting president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Mike Okeke Umeh has declared that they are still interested in working with Super Eagles coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi.

Briefing newsmen yesterday at the end of their meeting after the impeachment of former president, Aminu Maigari, he said a committee has been set up to open discussion with Keshi with a view to bringing him back by extending his contract.

According to him, the committee which is headed by Chris Green is expected to report back to the executive committee within one week.

“We have to discuss with him first to see how we can bring him back. We want him back no doubt about it. We have set up a committee to open up channel of discussions with him and

they are to report within one week,” he said.

He said his administration would work assiduously to correct some of the abnormalities of his predecessor with a view to returning Nigeria football back on the right track. “I have been in football for so many years and on the NFF board for four years. So, there is nothing new and we will head very well. We want to correct all the mistakes that had happened which was why we carried out this impeachment and to see how we can add value to what we have done today.”

He mandated the NFF management to proceed with discussions with a number of African countries with a view to seeing the Super Eagles play a friendly match on the FIFA window of Wednesday, August 13, 2014, as part of preparations for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.

Nigeria’s table tennis teams yesterday began their campaign in the team event at 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games: on a good note with the men and women teams recording emphatic victories over their opponents as the Games enters third day.

The women began their road to the podium early yesterday with the trio of Edem Offiong, Ganiat and Rashidat Ogundele thrashing their Kenyan counterparts in a one-sided match with the Nigerians recording a 3-0 win.

In the men’s category headed by veteran Segun Toriola as well as current African champion, Aruna Quadri and Ojo Onaolapo walloped Bangladesh 3-0 in their first group D match.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has seeded Nigeria male team as the number four seed in the team event.

Defending champion, Singapore is rated number one, while England is two with India occupying the third spot in the rating.

According to ITTF Publication Director, Ian Marshall, Singapore occupies the top seeded position in both the Men’s Team and Women’s Team

events.

The Asia giant has the top rated players like Clarence Chew, Gao Ning, Li Hu, Yang Zi and Zhan Jian which formed the powerful Men’s Team; whilst Feng Tianwei joins forces with Isabelle Siyun Li, Lin Ye, Yu Mengyu and Zhou Yihan competed the Women’s line-up.

Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu and Sun Beibei, who played major roles in Singaporean success, not only at the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championships but also in the World Championships and Olympic arena, have now retired from the international scene.

Yu Mengyu, who reached the penultimate round of the Women’s Singles events earlier this year on the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour in both Korea and Japan plays, now assumes a greater responsibility than in New Delhi when she was very much in the supporting role.

The selection for the third spot is intriguing; Isabelle Siyun Li received the nod at the recent ZEN-HON 2014 World Team Championships, an event for which Lin Ye and Zhou Yihan were not eligible.

Time Was Right To Sell Suarez –Liverpool Owner

Suarez

Liverpool owner John W Henry believes this summer was the right time to sell Luis Suarez to Barcelona.

The 27-year-old, whose 31 goals helped Liverpool finish second in the Premier League last season, joined the Spanish club in a €88 million deal earlier this month.

Suarez is currently serving a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s World Cup fixture on June 19.

But despite Suarez’s departure, Henry believes that Liverpool’s attack will remain “explosive” next term.

“It was time for Luis and time for the club to make a break,” Henry told NBC. “He brought so much to the club but we brought a lot to Luis. “[Without him] I think you will still see a very explosive Liverpool offense.”

Meanwhile, Goal understands the Court of Arbitration for Sport could reduce Suarez’s ban, meaning he could play for Barcelona in their opening Liga fixture against Elche.

Nigeria’s table tennis player, Funke Oshonaike with Dr Ademola Are in Glasgow

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.

Henry ford, founder and president of the Ford Motor Company

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NIGERIA'S FIRST FRIDAY NEWSPAPER

No. 62

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Readers Have Their Say...

These are times that put the writer to shame. When you think this is it… another calamity happens. Should I write then? Should I speak in silence? Let the readers have their say, this week.

Remember the oath you took to protect life and property.

Please have mercy on those children and rescue them by all means

How Will Keshi Pull This Off? • June 13, 2014 Ha, so as ‘clean’ as you are, you are a fan of an ‘agbero’ club! Look, what you said about the Eagles is the blunt truth, and people don’t like blunt truths. Plus, there just might be a way that bombs could be wrapped in newspapers!!! Pathetic.

– Adebiyi Kayode Isaac Akpabio’s Job Is Not Done

• June 6, 2014

This man thinks the state of Akwa Ibom should be indebted to him for his uncommon transformation. I wish he read the vituperations of the silent majority very well. Good luck to him in his political odyssey before he becomes an ex- this and ex- that...

– Founuigbbe God bless you sir; more ink to your pen.

– Ibrahim Kangaroo As New Special Purpose Vehicle • May 2, 2014 Thank you Azu... There is nothing more to say.

– Adama2012 I don’t know how this makes me feel. I guess it is easier to ask for her underpants than to make her accountable to the people. As for Kema, I guess it was very convenient for her to make that statement when the girls aren’t one of her son’s Naeto C girlfriends. And note that another bomb exploded in more or less the same spot in Nyanya!

–Adebiyi Kayode Isaac Shame! That is the summary, shame!!

– Eo

What Is Wrong With Us? • April 25, 2014 Typical Nigerians without conscience; we are discussing about lives of innocent school girls and all you guys can do is post fraudulent advertisements. The whole of Nigerian society is sick not just the government. When citizens start acting like animals, then, something is really wrong with Nigerians and that is why there will never be a change in our society because nobody cares.

– Osa Memphis Joseph This is a very big embarrassment o.

How can 230 students be abducted just like that for almost two weeks and the state government and FG can‘t do anything to rescue these innocent children? Borno State government and the FG, please do something fast. This one is a big shame on your part. Remember the oath you took to protect life and property. Please have mercy on those children and rescue them by all means.

– Isaac Ochano Nothing other than brain waves from mental necrosis and convoluted perversions spurred by acute malaria visions and dreams of economic and political domination that will deliver hallucinations of ultimate luxuries and pleasures unlimited. We had the glimpses of that from Ghadafi and his children.

– Echi Nwogu It is now a known fact to us that the current politicians, religious leaders, traditional leaders and other leaders are not mindful of what is going on and how to make the future better because they know that their generation has limited time. So the bulk of responsibilities lays on us [the youths], as our children will ask us why we failed to address the mess. If we wait for these leaders to give way for us, then, we are daydreaming because they seem to be recycling the mantle of leadership among themselves. We youths have dwelt much in silence as some of us at the age of 30 still depend on our parents, when we are supposed to be dad/mom by now. The problem that is before us as the youths of this generation is diverse view of life. We hardly agree on one thing, as we have been highly brainwashed by our elders/leaders. Yet, most of them were in their 20s when they assured the mantle of leadership.

Our own destiny is in our hands; what we do today, determines our tomorrow’s worth.

–Hon Don West Enthusiastic ambition of becoming state governors, president or manning related position of public trust has become insatiable among the elite...

–Hashimu Abba Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene’s piece is the most comprehensive and

unbiased I have read since the beginning of this saga. Maku, a confused loyalist, is trying to maintain his job. And I want to tell him and the president that if other people’s children are not safe, they should know that their children also are at risk. You don’t make people who died to see you in a particular position as nothing because you seek to have an agenda. Truth hurts, SK is facing reality. GEJ should also face reality and stop playing to the gallery with people’s lives.

– Anthony Ada Abraham Nyako’s letter did not miss any vital part. The plain truth is that pogrom and genocide are carried out on northerners.

Non-northerners affected are just unfortunate victims who happen to be in the lines of fire.

– Okonthehouseboy I just wrote an article almost exactly as comparative between South Korea and Nigeria as yours.

We don’t take responsibility here.

Guess what, Abba Moro is busy dancing Azonto on the presidential campaign train, with concealed guilt. Obanikoro wants us to thank the DHQ for being brave enough to admit that it misinformed us on such a sensitive issue. And, finally, over 200 girls are still not found.

This is a failed state, but the worst thing is that it doesn’t even know it!

– Adebiyi Kayode Isaac

a panacea to forestall future ugly incident like this one. The reactions of many on the social media to these sad happenings often baffle me. Here is a situation of mindless killings of innocent souls and people would, without sympathy, just be expressing religious hate, regional and ethnic divide. It is so appalling.

When we continue like this it is questionable whether we want to tackle this evil machination or just be given opportunity to bicker and be at each other’s throat. People who have no meaningful contributions to make in demanding and serious situations should spare us further agony by learning to keep quiet.

Enough of these hate messages that tend to aggravate the situation further.

– Jimmy Bulus Bloody Monday is gone but our heart bleeds on. The act has turned the land into an unsafe haven everyone standing in fear of the common enemy. Soldiers mounting checkpoints and creating an unusual traffic. Although they think of our safety.

– Emma Ogar Whatever GEJ wants must come to pass. His lies, blackmails and every trick that he is using will one day come to an end. He is just fighting a war by all means to remain in power till 2019.

– Ibrahim No-nonsense

GHANA MUST GO FG doing everything to rescue your daughters, President Jonathan assures Chibok parents — News

The Road To Nyanya • April 18 The article, ‘The Road to Nyanya; presupposes a well-researched discourse on the systemic failure that resulted in the brutal massacre and which could have served as

Chai!

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