Leadership news2

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et cetera

Sunday, September 21, 2014

PEOPLE TRACKER

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PEOPLE TRACKER

GOLDEN Aisha Ahmed is living her life like its golden

DIVA Hamsatu Aliyu Umar is a strong, independent woman

You can send your pictures to xanbowsan@yahoo.com

et cetera

Sunday, September 21, 2014

GLAMOROUS Dita Bin looks glamorous in fuschia

EASY GOING

Blessing Maxwell is dark and beautiful

PINK LADY Mimidoo Anyagwa gives a subtle look

EBONY Hauwa Kadzama’s dark skin is beautiful

DAZZLING Rebecca Peter is daring and bold

LADY IN PINK Yilchit Barde is bold with her choice of outfits

BEAUTIFUL Mima Pam shows her super model side

CUTE Rignan Barde knows how to keep heads turning

EXQUISITE Elizabeth Washpam shows off her dress sense

HOT Ann Enebe is taking no prisoners in this outfit

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et cetera

Sunday, September 28, 2014

iNSiDE Story

Good old parental discipline going extinct

By Blessing Ukemena, abuja

T

he Holy Books say “spare the rod and spoil the child” and even amongst people who are not particularly religious, disciplining a child is seen as part of culture. It is a way of life, ensuring children stay on the “straight and narrow”. Some chose to use the rod, others used corporal punishment. It was very rampant in secondary schools where prefects and “seniors” were given the liberty to punish “juniors” that were found faulting. With the intervention and adaptation of the Western culture, more parents are deviating from that way of life and putting away the rod. Some believe that flogging is overrated and should not be condoned.

Others believe it is a system that works. Et Cetera spoke with some parents about the issue.

Michael Bankole Joseph, a soon father-to-be and business developer said “When my son is old enough to understand when I am talking to him and what my words mean, he will be asking for a system reboot a.k.a flogging; if he acts otherwise, I trust he won’t because I still remember the ‘don’t make me hurt you’ look from my grandmother.

Trust me, it worked just as efficiently as flogging. There are countless tools in verbal communication being taught in church and psychology development programmes. For anyone in our generation to raise an unruly, indisciplined and mannerless child would be absolutely reckless and sad after all we saw growing up and what we see the world becoming.”

Stephanie Udeh is the mother of a three year old daughter and she says “The scripture is very right. It is good to use the rod every now and then.

Some lessons are best taught

What they said...

Good old parental discipline going extinct

that way. I was flogged and I see no reason why I shouldn’t flog my daughter once in a while. However, I do not believe in excessive flogging, but spanking definitely works.

They cry and go straight to sleep. Works like magic.”

Aisha Butu, a Human Resource Officer and mother of a teenage daughter says “it is not necessary, but should not be totally ruled out. Sometimes, it can be used, but we parents should not over do it and pray for the wisdom to know what warrants a beating and what doesn’t. My daughter is 15 years old; do you know how many times I have beaten her in her brief-long lifetime?

Twice!”

Aisha Ella John, a social worker, in an interview with

"There is a need for balance.

Back then, you just got whooped, you didn’t know what you did wrong or what you should have done instead.

Talking with the child doesn’t make us weak."

Aisha Ella John, Social Worker

Et Cetera says “There is a need for balance. Back then, you just got whooped, you didn’t know what you did wrong or what you should have done instead. Talking with the child doesn’t make us weak; it builds a stronger bond so the child actually gets to know why he or she is being spanked. I believe in some spanking and some negotiation. Everything mustn’t end in beating. There are different techniques to parenting. Most of what I learned was from being talked to, not from spanking.

Spanking is subject to abuse; same way talking with the kids is too. It is key to find the balance.”

Jimmy Tanko, a tattoo artist said “My parents used more of their voices than their hands

“I was flogged generously; how do you think I turned out?

I turned out perfectly alright with good morals and character. I think it was little reminder not to forget the training we had received, painstakingly."

Tosin Pikuda, Medical Doctor

or the cane. Not to negotiate but to ‘whoop’ sense into us while we stood the chance of being granted the benefit based on our ignorance. Afterward, to forget meant the cane, It taught us two things: pay attention to the words of an elder and always stick to the right thing or you get whooped for your wrong doing. It was simple and less complex parenting and it was effective too.”

Tosin Pikuda, a medical doctor spoke with Et Cetera and said “I was flogged generously; how do you think I turned out? I turned out perfectly alright with good morals and character. I think it was little reminder not to forget the training we had received, painstakingly. Like the bible says, “train up a child in the way

“When my son is old enough to understand when I am talking to him and what my words mean, he will be asking for a system reboot a.k.a flogging; if he acts otherwise, I trust he won’t because I still remember the ‘don’t make me hurt you’ look from my grandmother."

Bankole Joseph, Business Developer

We want to know what you think about our inside story above. You can have your say by emailing xanbowsan@yahoo.com

he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Jamila Ibrahim, a child psychologist spoke extensively and said “I was spanked as a child. We had to go fetch our own choice of cane and you dare not pick a small one. Look at me. I don’t have a criminal record; I have an education and a good job. Flogging didn’t ruin me, but I agree that you have to explain why the child is being punished. Our children should know and understand the consequences of their actions so how you discipline your children is up to you; not all children need to be disciplined in the same way. A lot of parents hit their children out of frustration instead of genuine discipline. Never hit a child out of anger”

"Flogging didn’t ruin me, but I agree that you have to explain why the child is being punished. Our children should know and understand the consequences of their actions so how you discipline your children is up to you; not all children need to be disciplined in the same way."

Jamila Ibrahim, Child Psychologist

et cetera

Sunday, September 28, 2014

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THE TWITTERATI CATCH UP WITH WHAT CELEBS HAVE BEEN TWEETING ABOUT

@GbemiOO

Again, I did not send you an email!

Please don’t open it! If you have, change your password. Hackers are working full time.

September 22 And annoyingly relentless

@UtomiPat

As recent BBC programme shows corruption kills more people than many genocides. So why take genocide cases to ICC and not economic genocide?

September 21 Caution is important

@imrana_garba Today is 22nd September: At present in my community, there are no gadgets provided to schools to check Ebola Virus Disease.

September 22 Schools need to resume anyway. @muftimenk Don’t lose focus of what is in front of you while trying to chase your lofty ideals.

September 16 Say no to myopia @magbedu It’s hard to forget someone who gave you so many things to remember.

September 22 I’d like to forget my lesson teacher. @hannesambo Keep it in and spontaneously combust!

Can’t take this crap anymore.

September 18 Such venom @A_n0maly People complaining about people talking football. It isn’t going away anytime soon. If you don’t like it, have several options.

September 21 It can be quite annoying though

@obyezeks

Hope maketh not ashamed. The hope that has kept us demanding shall not fail our daughters.

They shall #BringBackOur Girls Now&Alive!

September 22 Aye, aye!

@jeremiahgyang

What is good morning in your language? I’m mine its Pol Tyang.

September 15 Its tongue twisting

@ElJefe_

Doing karaoke last night was like facing a phobia down. LOL! Sweat and racing heartbeat!! Plus I now didn’t know the song.

September 22 Why would you do that to yourself? @4eyedmonk The men who live the longest are the ones who don’t assume their girls/ women/wives are dumb September 22 Wisdom is profitable... @allygucci Maybe it’s time feminists properly defined ‘feminism’ to us non-feminists.

September 22 Would do a world of good @AndyMadaki Hmmmm someone has stolen my dark glasses thinking I use them for fashion/ sunglasses...waste.

September 21 The outcome should be interesting

@aligthebaptist @elnathan I doubt the sincerity of the Nigerian Alcohol has huge stigma in the north.

Senate in the fight against corruption People want to get high. So pills like and terrorism. tramadol etc which are September 22 cheap and easy to conceal Amongst many other things are popular. @bubusn September 22 There are some people @supersanusi Hypocrisy, if you ask me who are argumentative The plan was to be on because they are trying another continent for the desperately to convince @omojuwa Blackberry Passport launch Those in chains want liberty. themselves of their tomorrow. God had other Those with Liberty abuse it own point of view. plans. Lol! all day.

September 21 September 22 September 1 They’re very tiresome All things work together for good The human mind

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et cetera

Sunday, September 28, 2014

LIFE101

A GIRL’S GUIDE

How to pack tHe eSSentialS

The elephanT Rope As a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages.

It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not.

He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.

“Well,” trainer said, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were.

Make a list of what you want to take and what you think you should take. Try to think about where you are going, what you will be doing and who you will be seeing. See if you can make the two lists align.

Leave some room for shopping. If you don’t manage this- well, let’s face it, a suitcase is there to be filled. Try not to squeeze and extra tote into your case for the amazing bargains and essential mementos of your trip.

Toiletries, toothbrush, makeup/sun protection, first aid, and hair products are all essential. Phone chargers and contact numbers and addresses you might need on location

Super Flirt

should be accounted for here. Pack in stages. Ideally, lay stuff out in piles the week before so you can live with your choices. Things should be subject to a brutal edit, before passing the final selection and getting consigned to the case.

Write a list of what you are packing as you fill your case. Not only will this show you what you are taking in black and white, so you can assess whether seventeen white tops for a two-day trip is excessive, but it is also a godsend if the suitcase doesn’t manage to rejoin you at the other end.

How to shut a suitcase?

Ah, now that’s another

thing. Try everything.

Push and pull, squeeze and plead, and if all else fails, sit on it and hope that you don’t have to open it til the other end. Just remember that the more you squash the more creases you have to deal with at the other end.

You do not have to pack a suitcase that you can lift, but one that someone else can lift, or at very least you drag across to a cart.

You only need to be able to stagger from the house to cab, cab to cart, arrivals to cart and cab driver to cab and then hotel staff take over.

If you’re a frequent traveller, get one with wheels and aim not to greet

your public after a long hand flight. Just before you leave, check your reservation and that tickets are all in order. You can call the night before you fly to re-reconfirm, as this will help them avoid double bookings that are really too much to deal with, especially after a long haul flight. But don’t come over as too needy and neurotic before you arrive.

As you shut the front door, check that you have your passport, ticket, wallet, and everything else on your list of things you must not forget.

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before?

Failure is part of learning; we should never give up the struggle in life.

Culled from The Girl’s Guide to Almost Everything

Legs give away Loads about our true intentions

On The Pull

If she’s gazing up at you with twinkly eyes that seem to sparkle, then she’s probably interested in you.

Gaze, dOn’T sTare

Dreamy eyes, a half smile and slightly lowered eyelids all indicate some sort of chemistry.

Visual VOyaGe

If someone locks eyes with us for too long at a time, most of us feel a butterfly with its wings pinned.

TesTinG, TesTinG

Whisper something in their ear and let your lips touch their cheek as you’re doing it.

CEOConfidential

Sunday, September 28, 2014

bottom lines $192,828,000 14 Number of states that generated a total of N590.5bn internally for the 2013 fiscal period according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

IN SHORT Union Diagnostic in growth spurt as H1 net income doubles Union Diagnostic and Clinical Services, a Nigerian company that deals in ultra sound diagnostic facilities, is in a growth spurt as half year (H1) net income doubled amid environmental challenges, analysis of the financial statement shows.

For the first six months through June 2014, the company’s profit after tax increased by 50.98 per cent to N41.93m from N20.55m the same period of the corresponding year (HY) 2013.

Earnings per share (EPS) increased to 118k in HY 2014, compared with 58k as of HY 2013.

There was growth also at the top-line level as sales rose by a double digit 18.87 per cent in HY 2014, to N517.73m as against N420.03m as of HY 2013.

Analysts say the performance of the company can be attributed to the savvy management of financial resources by its management and board of directors.

Based on business analysis, cost-of-sales margin jumped to 50.67 per cent in HY 2014, from 54.09 per cent the preceding year, while cost of sales increased by 13.54 per cent to 13.54 per cent to N262.38m.

Union Diagnostic management direct cost is attributable to projects as gross profits increased by 32.18 per cent to N255.35m from N193.17m as of HY 2013, while gross profit margin jumped to 49.32 per cent in 2014 as against 45.98 per cent last year.

COMPANY

SECRETS

Shareholders of Honeywell Flour Mills plc recently unanimously approved a total dividend pay-out of N1.34bn representing 17 kobo per share as proposed by the board of the company at its 5th annual general meeting in Lagos.

At the meeting, shareholders received the company’s audited financial statement for the year ended March 31, 2014, together with the report of the directors, auditors and audit committee.

In his speech, Ayoola Oba Otudeko, chairman, Honeywell Flour Mills plc, said that Honeywell Flour Mills remains committed to providing superior quality products for the complete satisfaction of its customers. In spite of the challenging operating environment, Otudeko said, Honeywell Flour Mills will continuously improve shareholder value and return on investment.

“Improvement in efficiency due to automation of several operational processes and better treasury management resulted in 18 per cent growth in profit after tax (PAT) from N2.8bn to N3.5bn,” Otudeko said.

The company also increased its shareholders’ fund and total assets by 11 per cent and 15 per cent to N20.6bn and N63.8bn, respectively.

Lanre Jaiyeola, managing director/CEO Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, said the company was able to pay shareholders the level of dividend because of the company’s increased output and aggressive push to meet rising demand across its product categories. He noted that despite the challenge of input cost pressure, caused by increase in wheat price, the company was able to achieve a 32 per cent increase in gross profit from the N8bn recorded last year to N10.4bn in the period under review, due to deft management of raw material sourcing and efficient control of production cost. He, thereafter, assured the shareholders of management’s commitment to sustain the company’s superior earnings.

The company’s full year financial statement shows it reported 18 per cent increase in earnings per share – from 35.86 to 42.26 kobo. While its turnover rose from N46bn in the preceding fiscal year to N55.08bn in the year under review, representing a 21 per cent growth in its turnover for the period.

Timothy Adesiyan, president, Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), commended the management of the company for its efforts to increase the value of shareholders’ investments through the expansion initiative and for proposing N1.34bn dividend pay-out.

He said: “Shareholders are satisfied with the dividend pay-out considering the difficult operating environment. He encouraged the board and management to maintain its adherence to good corporate governance.”

BoostiNG Sales The principle of loss leader

People generally love it when a new electronics superstore opens in your city. They tend to bring in truckloads of neat items that they sell at very low prices – presumably at a loss (hence the nickname ‘loss leader’). What makes this a viable tactic is that people go there to get the neat, cheap items and walk out with other not-so-cheap items. Better yet, they have sampled the store and will likely return again to make future purchases.

1.

A loss leader is not a free gift. The customer must make a purchase. You just don’t get to make a profit on it.

2.

The loss leader should be offered in a product category that represents target customers you want to attract and therefore lead easily into a profitable relationship. For example, an IT consulting company should not offer a discounted toaster as part of its new client attraction program.

The loss leader tactic is not a silver bullet. It is a clientattraction strategy that must be incorporated into a thoughtful sales process.

The new phase of globalisation Many participants in the global economy sense that its development has crossed an invisible threshold. There is a striking difference in the ‘feel’ of business today and in the organisational strategies that promise the greatest success, whether you are managing a worldwide company from headquarters in New York, Tokyo, or Rio. Lately I have been asking myself what that difference is. At the same time, my

James Joseph Schiro, CEO, PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Total amount invested in Nigeria by Unilever Plc. in the last three years.

Honeywell Flour Mills pays N1.34bn dividend

Chairman,Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Dr Oba Ayoola Otudeko

colleagues and I have been reshaping our own organisation to better serve our clients around the world in professional services. Some people used to fear that globalisation would lead to uniformity in consumer markets from Patagonia to Poland. This forecast turned out to be wrong. While some products have been successes around the world for decades and new waves of products have achieved this status,

41

globalisation has been accompanied by rising consumer expectations, proliferation in the number of product niches and the creation of entirely new categories. Corporate provider of goods or services must bring to bear its full competitive muscle everywhere it operates in order to generate scale.

A dominant position in just a handful of world markets is unlikely to last in today’s environment.

42 CEOConfidential

Sunday, September 28, 2014

hub N600,000,000,000 N1,500,000,000

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

Worth of automobiles imported into Nigeria in 2012, according to the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.

L-R: Assistant general manager, StarTimes, Mr Thomas Ajimavo; grand prize winner, StarTimes Extra Times promo, Mr Dada Holmes, and brand and marketing manager, StarTimes, Mr Habeeb Somoye, during the presentation of prize to winners in the just-concluded promo in Lagos. PHOTO: GBENGA OLAJOBI

L-R: Commissioner for Economic Planning/Budget, Lagos State, Ben Akabueze; head, European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Michel Arrion; group managing director, Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, and managing director/CEO, Bank of Industry, Rasheed Olaoluwa, at the 3rd EU-Nigeria Business Forum in Lagos.

PHOTO: GBENGA OLAJOBI

jamalbryant @jamalhbryant Dear Lord today, recharge my battery, plug me into the right people, help me save what I been working on & back up my drive.

Worth of revenue the Abuja Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture is targeting from the hosting of the Abuja International Trade Fair.

L-R: Immediate past president, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Mr Abiola Popoola; CEO/MD, Tarsus Concepts Limited/an inductee, Mr Gabriel Ojesekhoba; president/ chairman of council, CIPM, Mr Victor Famuyibo, and director, Membership Development, CIPM/inductee, Mrs Toyin Ojudun, during the 17th executive induction ceremony of the CIPM in Lagos recently.

PHOTO: GBENGA OLAJOBI

L-R: Branch chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, National Hospital, Abuja branch, Comrade Tajudeen Razak (left), in a handshake with the managing director, Pugeo Shelters Limited, Mr Godwin Iregbeyen, during the Housing Welfare Scheme talks with the workers union in Abuja, recently.

open for business.

The Clubhouse, Argentina

Donald Kaberuka @DonaldKaberuka My temperature taken on arrival .Happy to oblige! Now assess the macroeconomic shocks of #Ebola and the real economy.

Located in Buenos Aires’ design mecca, and private dinners. The Clubhouse Palermo Soho, The Clubhouse is the also features three distinctive guest first urban Members’ club in South rooms, available exclusively through America. Since its opening in Oasis Collections. Housed in a April 2011, The Clubhouse has converted four-story residence in brought together like-minded Buenos Aires’ chic Palermo Soho individuals from diverse neighbourhood, The Clubhouse backgrounds, with a focus is an urban Members’ Club works offering on the creative industries. a lounge, terrace, The Clubhouse curates a full two bars, pool and garden and calendar of cultural and social three guest rooms. The Clubhouse events for Members. Offerings include accepts a limited number of members, art exhibits, tastings, talks by opinion through a monthly application and leaders, theme parties, fashion shows evaluation process.

fav

Wale Tinubu tweets @AdewaleTinubu Bruce Van Horn With local & @BruceVH international financial People never lose the ability to institution participation dream, they just quit doing it. If and government support, it that’s you, start dreaming again! underscores Nigeria is certainly

net

CEOConfidential

Sunday, September 28, 2014

N200,000,000,000 Amount released by the federal government to its ministries, departments and agencies for the implementation of third quarter capital projects contained in the 2014 budget.

260

Size of power plants (in megawatts) to be constructed in Ewekoro, Ogun State by the International Finance Corporation, a subsidiary of the World Bank, and cement manufacturing giant, Lafarge Nigeria Limited.

21

43

Number of days given to committees of the House handling critical bills and other assignments to produce their reports by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Aminu Tambuwal.

YOUR FYI FOR INFORMATION

L-R: Executive director, North, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Mr Adam Nuru; winner of N1m at the North Regional Draw of the FCMB 30th Anniversary Promo Reloaded, Mr Chide Oguh Momoh, and the bank’s head of Corporate Communications/ CSR, Mrs Uchenna Mojekwu, at the promo draw in Abuja.

PHOTO: GBENGA OLAJOBI

Kikokushijo Your worst problem now will be when you descend through the scurrying gray clouds, touch down, slide to a halt on the gleaming runway, trudge down miles of soulless corridors, hear the horribly familiar accents of home – and experience reverse culture shock. Your sentimental memories of the good ol’ country are rudely replaced by the reality.

You have grown used to a place where people grin as they greet each other on the street, where good-looking members of the opposite sex catch and hold your eye, where children with nothing squeal with happy laughter as they play with toys made from coat hangers, where people care for their elderly and an invitation to dinner in a restaurant means a free dinner. Without even realising it, you have become what the Japanese call kikokushijo – someone who has lived abroad and has difficulty fitting in when they return. But that’s a different story.

DoING Business Leadership and status with Latvians

L-R: Minister of state, Federal Ministry of Finance, Amb Bashir Yuguda; managing director, Bank of Industry, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa; former president of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Chief Kola Jamodu, and president, Dangote Group, Alh Aliko Dangote, during the 42nd annual general meeting of MAN in Lagos recently.

PHOTO: BENEDICT UWALAKA

HOW THEY

BLEW IT

Zhou Zhengyi

Power Politics continueS FROM LAST WEEK

The result of such militancy: 85 of them were arrested as they tried to deliver a petition.

Yet while the Beijing authorities clamped down on these particular Shanghai residents, they were obviously becoming increasingly exasperated with the likes of Zhou and the so-called ‘Shanghai faction’. Soon after the West Beijing road affair, Zhou was charged and found guilty of stock market fraud and falsifying registered capital reports. He was arrested in connection with a $242m loan he obtained from the Bank of China for his unlisted property company, New Nongkai

Global Investments. It was a case that was to have repercussions, not least for the bank, the fifth-largest in China. It turned out that Bank of China had failed to follow proper procedures in making various loans to Zhou: one was granted on the same day as the application, without the pledging of any security, something unheard of for ordinary Chinese people. The vice-chairman and chief executive of Bank of china (Hong Kong), Liu Jinbao, was duly arrested and charged with bribery among other things. He has not been seen since then.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

Lithuania was the only Baltic state that previously had an aristocracy. However, political privilege still exists. Managers and other employees still often ‘toe the Communist Party line’ despite a certain resistance to official policies. The older generation of Lithuanian managers has not completely freed themselves of bureaucratic habits from soviet times, but young leadership is developing a more dynamic style, with Nordic encouragement. Lithuanian women are beginning to play vigorous roles in business and politics. They stand somewhat closer to interlocutors than do Latvians and Estonians. They are occasionally tactile, though less so than Latins or Slavs. They are not as punctual as their northern neighbours. Hospitality can go on into the early hours.

44 CEOConfidential

entrepreneur 85% Percentage of employment the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria recorded in the first half of 2014.

SMALL BUSINESS How to decide if entrepreneurship is right for you continues from last WEEK

4. Am I willing to take on numerous responsibilities?

While a corporate employee focuses on a special skill or role within the larger corporation, a business owner must contribute everything to the business. Solo entrepreneurs in particular must be versatile and play a number of roles, from chief salesperson and bookkeeper to head marketer and bill collector. If juggling many roles doesn’t suit you, entrepreneurship probably won’t, either. The recent economic downturn has made it more important than ever for business owners to have a good working knowledge of their companies’ finances. While you will undoubtedly learn much on this topic from getting your hands dirty, the more knowledge you have in advance, the better prepared you’ll be.

5. Will I be able to avoid burnout?

Working seven days a week, losing touch with friends, abandoning old hobbies and interests and not making time for loved ones can quickly lead to burnout in the midst of starting up— and ultimately to business failure. That’s what happened to James Zimbardi, an entrepreneur in Orlando, Florida, who says he didn’t know any better when he started his first company in 1997 and worked as hard as possible, for as long as possible, until his creativity, enthusiasm and energy were sapped. continues Next WEEK

His STORY

Sunday, September 28, 2014

3,900

Number of Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWiN) awardees since its launch by the president in October 2011.

Maryam Dan-agege Lending her voice “When I moved back to Nigeria to start my national youth service, to my dismay I noticed that many houses employ young girls between the ages of seven and 10 as house-helps. I felt it was inhumane to expose these girls to such life at that age because they need education, care and most of all attention from their parents. Luckily I found out that I was not alone in this dismay. The governor of Kano State, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was also putting up measures to end the sad act. This was when the idea occurred to me to start a first-class recruitment agency that would fill the missing link in securing the services of househelps without infringing on their rights,” said Maryam Dan-Agege, founder and CEO of SRM Global Ltd, a recruitment agency (based in Kano) that provides all kinds of domestic house-help services to individual and corporate organisations on a part-time or full-time basis, as she recounts what informed her going into that line of business.

Looking at what’s obtainable in our society today, some children, especially girls are denied of their childhood due early exposure to labour by virtue of circumstances they find themselves, and that ill is what SRM Global Ltd stands to correct, according to Danagege as the company only secures the services of employees within the ages of 20 years and above.

As a young company that is determined to actualise its goals, it was confronted with few challenges. According to Danagege, “Sometimes, a client calls the office, looking for a house-help, and demands that the person starts work the next day. Other concern is about securing the true identity of the house-helps to avert security issues or otherwise between the company and the clients.”

However, remaining resolute to its dreams and adopting professional proceedings, it has overcome the challenges. She said: “We ask our clients to give us three to four days. This is because we are dealing with human beings. They need to make up or change their minds.

“Concerning unravelling the true identity of our employees, we do a thorough background checks on the individual, and a representative from their family signs as their guarantor at the agency.

SRM Global Ltd prides itself as a first-class service provider in the industry owing to the array of programmes lined up for its employees. And theses added benefits give it an edge over its contemporaries, according to the CEO. The young and astute entrepreneur who said she has no

mentor in the industry but got her first push from her mother projects that in the near future, “We are hoping to start sending our employees outside Nigeria, mainly the Middle East by partnering with an agency in the respective country.”

Danagege has the following advice for young and aspiring entrepreneurs, “My advice to you is follow your heart. Do not dwell on the idea for so long. A colleague once told me, ‘You do not have to know the answers to everything; as you move on, the answers will fall on your laps.’

“And remember, everything is hard before it becomes easy. It is okay to make mistakes, we only learn from them. Leaders are not born, they are made. You are what you believe you are.”

Contact Dan-Agege on +2348150256486

Adegoke Diadem, Team Head, Euidem Concepts How did you get to where you are today?

This ICT firm started officially in 2011; although I have been into graphics and web design for many years. I started the business incidentally after I had made many designs for friends for free and was advised to monetize it What have you learnt over the years?

I have learnt that faith without work is dead. You don’t just do all the work in your mind, you have to get off the couch and get things started

What were the challenges you faced?

One of the main challenges I have faced is the resistance of some Nigerians to changing technologies. To some people, when you mention online transactions, online payments, a replacement of paperwork with software etc., then they are off and it’s quite understandable.

How did you overcome the challenges?

We use the services of all network providers, use generators and every other thing we can get to be at par.

What are your future projections for

your business?

We hope to help 1000 business access ICT channels and help a minimum of 1000 youths learn and become entrepreneurs before the end of 2016.

How do you intend to achieving these projections?

Through continued and sustained expansion of our business.

Any advice for younger entreptrneurs?

Believe in yourselves, keep your dreams alive and be open to change.

Contact Diadem on 07032623818

46 CEOConfidential

Sunday, September 28, 2014

tipoffs N17,000,000,000 Compiled by Salome Anyasodo

SECRETS OF LONGETIVITY Flat is good

The workplace can be a source of hidden dangers-even when the workplace is your home. If you use a computer in your home, you are exposed to electromagnetic radiation emanating from the cathode ray tube (CRT) of the monitor. CRTs operate at extremely high voltage (and thus high radiation levels), the larger ones using 35,000 volts or more. If you replace your CRT monitor with a flat screen type, you’ll eliminate the risk completely. Flat screen monitors use a completely different technology; not only do they operate at much lower voltages (usually in the hundreds), They do not produce electromagnetic radiation at all. Oh yes, and as a side benefit, expect your utility bill to drop.

You’ll be using a lot less electricity to power flat screen.

BOOKMARK

The Google Resume Gayle Laakmann McDowell, Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011

Many recent college graduates dream of the opportunity to work at a top tech company. But relatively few make the cut and get hired by firms like Apple, Microsoft, or Google. In The Google Resume, author Gayle Laakmann McDowell takes readers behind the scenes of tech recruitment and explains what it takes to stand out from the pack. A former Google employee who served on the company’s hiring committee, she offers concrete suggestions for every step of the process, from getting in the door to negotiating an offer. Most importantly, readers learn that they have the power to increase their odds of success.

Of course, luck and connections help; but preparation and perseverance are equally important.

Estimated amount banks have been ordered by Central Bank of Nigeria to refund to customers due to illegal charges.

48%

Estimated percentage of refugee population in 2012 who were female, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

8 tips on how to turn your company around 4. Start promoting your new direction.

The company created a website telling its new story before it was even living it out. “We wanted to call bullshit on ourselves,” he says. “We wanted to make sure that what we were saying wasn’t being said by anybody else and that we could own that story.”

5. Evaluate your assets.

Determine which assets can be redeployed to rebuild. “We had a couple of strong strategy people. We had some cash flow from existing clients [and] what worked we kept,” he says.

When a company faces a crushing blow one can do one of two things-pivot or die. Sq1 CEO Ernie Capobianco, back in 2000, he was CFO of the Dallas-based traditional media ad agency which had 75 people handling national TV for Miller Brewing Company when the worst possible thing happened: Miller was sold and Sq1 lost the client, along with 80 per cent of its bookings. The downward spiral continued until 2009 when the agency was down to 14 people, one small client and only about 12 per cent of its billings from its peak.

Today it is a different story. Sq1 has 147 employees in three cities with 16 times the revenue it was bringing in when Capobianco bought the agency in 2009. Here are 10 things he says you need to do to turn your company around like he did.

1. Do not be afraid to let go of what you have.

CAPITALISM

Nobody likes change but if the business model is no longer serving, throw it out. “We weren’t afraid to let go of what we had because it wasn’t working,” he says. “I went two years without getting paid. If I continued to hold on, it was like a ship that was pulling me down.”

2. Analyse the fastest growing companies in your space.

What are they doing differently than you? Sq1 determined the top ten agencies that were blowing up were all digitally-focused, data-driven shops.

3. Figure out how to be better than the fastest growing companies in your space.

Sq1 brought in a consultant who helped the company hone its story.

The goal: To begin to operate in a blue ocean where there is little competition, versus a red ocean full of sharks.

6. Hit the eject button.

Like a plane low on fuel, one needs to jettison all unnecessary weight.

“Basically we fired all of our senior managers except for one,” he says.

“Today out of 157 people in our three offices we only have three people here of the original staff. The whole company had to be rebuilt and not everybody made the trip. In fact, most people didn’t.”

7. Rebuild your culture around your vision.

This means giving the axe to any nonbelievers who are resistant to change and likely to criticise management.

8. Celebrate success stories.

Sq1 did this by offering large companies small pilot marketing campaigns that would deliver measurable results. Once those goals were met Sq1 was well positioned to not only get more business from a particular company, it could also ask for quotes to use as part of a PR campaign to build brand awareness for the ad agency.

Greater macroeconomic stability has not made the world economy more stable

What they tell you Until the 1970’s, inflation was the economy’s public enemy number one. Many countries suffered from disastrous hyperinflation experiences. Even when it did not reach a hyperinflationary magnitude, the economic instability that comes from high and fluctuating inflation discouraged investment and thus growth. Fortunately, the dragon of inflation has been slain since the 1990’s, thanks to much tougher attitudes towards

government budget deficits and the increasing introduction of politically independent central banks that are free to focus single-mindedly on inflation control. Given that economic stability is necessary for long-term investment and thus, the taming of the beast called inflation has laid the basis for greater ling-term prosperity.

proclamations of our success in controlling price volatility during the last three decades have ignored the extraordinary instability shown by economies around the world during that time. There have a huge number of financial crises, including the 2008 global financial crisis, destroying the lives of many through personal indebtedness, bankruptcy and What they don’t tell you employment. An excessive focus on Inflation may have been tamed, inflation has distracted our attention but the world economy has become away from issues of full employment considerably shakier. The enthusiastic and economic growth.

CEOConfidential

Sunday, September 28, 2014

updates

$50,000,000

Worth of investment Dubai-based Al Ghurair Group has teamed up with Ethiopian firm, Tracon Trading, to build its first Aluminium Production Plant in the East-African country.

Compiled by Dan Udechukwu

health

UNICEF launches app store to enhance social connectivity

$29m

Value of investment the European Investment Bank has agreed to provide in support of the construction of one of the largest solar power stations in sub-Saharan Africa.

$190m

Communication and healthcare delivery services has been redefined in Africa with the launch of RapidPro, an open-source app store launched by the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to enable governments and development professionals connect communities to life saving services while delivering real time information.

“RapidPro is essentially an ‘app store for good’,” said Dr Sharad Sapra, director of UNICEF’s global Innovation Centre based in Nairobi.

Sapra, who is also a former UNICEF Representative to Uganda added that the new app gives governments and development professionals new tools they can customize to connect citizens and critical services….”

The appstore was developed to solve the problem of unequal distribution of information, especially those that are very important to human lives.

Applications embedded into the RapidPro includes U-report, Project Mwana, RapidFTR and Edu Trac which help governments collect information about schools and monitor the status and progress of education outcomes in the country.

Sports Biz

30%

Percentage of pay cuts Monarch says its staff have agreed to to secure the future of the airline.

Blackberry Passport introduces dual-control keyboard

Blackberry has launched a distinctive handset featuring a square screen and a keyboard that offers both physical keys and touchenabled gesture controls.

It said work-focused users in particular should benefit from the Blackberry Passport’s innovations.

Analysts said the new device should appeal to existing Blackberry owners but might struggle to win over others. Sales of the company’s handsets - which are powered by its own operating system - have been in decline.

The Canadian company’s chief operating officer said the handset’s release was part of a broader turnaround strategy led by John Chen, who became chief executive in November.

Energy

South Africa lists maiden Islamic bond on Luxembourg Stock Exchange

South Africa (SA) has joined Goldman Sachs as the newest

Amount Unilever member to list Islamic bonds (sukuk) on the Luxembourg Kenya intends to invest Stock Exchange (LuxSE); making it the first African nation to in infrastructural publicly launch a Sukuk bond in a non-Islamic country. development as it Hong Kong and the United Kingdom are other non-Islamic seeks to exploit East countries that have issued Islamic bonds.

The bond which is the first sukuk in Africa to be issued in US Africa’s growing dollars was more than four times oversubscribed in the primary middle class

market with an order book of $2.2bn, SA’s National Treasury said.

Robusta coffee exports from Cameroon by end-August had reached 15,650 tonnes since the season began on December 1, up from 13,536 tonnes for the same period a year earlier, according to the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (NCCB).

Leading security researchers have called on eBay to take immediate action over dangerous listings, as the problem continues to put users at risk.

Agriculture

Ebola epidemic halts expansion of Liberia’s largest oil palm plantation

The Ebola outbreak in Liberia, which has already claimed more than 1500 lives with over 2000 others still infected, continues to wreck economic havoc in the poor West African country with the latest casualty being the planned expansion of the country’s largest oil palm plantation.

Malaysian palm oil firm Sime Darby said last Tuesday the Ebola crises will delay construction of a mill for its Liberia plantation.

“Anything in addition needs to be put on hold,” said Carl Dagenhar, Sime Darby’s head of sustainability and external relations for Africa and Europe. Although he said the normal production was continuing, he added that the expansion project will resume when the disease is under control.

economy

German business confidence falls further, Ifo survey finds Europe’s largest economy has shown further signs of fragility, as a key indicator of German business confidence fell for a fifth successive month.

The Ifo think tank’s Business Climate Index dropped to 104.7, slightly below analysts’ expectations, and the lowest reading since April last year.

Delayed salaries: Making case for players

In Nigeria, when it’s time for football matches, warring parties, and sworn enemies sheath their swords temporarily and enjoy the game.

Whether they return to their fight is another matter entirely. Footballers earn their living by kicking a ball for 90 minutes or 120 minutes as the case may be. In the same vein, they entertain fans and make them happy. It is an open secret that football has a huge followership across the globe and it’s a major unifying factor.

Having seen the role football plays to make Nigerians united; it is therefore disheartening to see players being owed salaries. A typical example

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is the money owed Kaduna United players who staged a protest over the non-payment of their 12 months’ salary. It’s not new that Nigerian clubs owe their players but this shouldn’t be.

The Holy Books (1st Timothy 5:18 and Al-Araf 7: 85) are in support of workers being paid. The players attributed the club’s poor performance in the current league where they are placed at the bottom of the log on lack of motivation.

While the players were protesting, and threatening they won’t play until they are paid, the Kaduna State commissioner of sports instead blamed the past management of the club for the

huge debt profile. He disagreed that the players were owed twelve months. The bottom line is they are being owed.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian football highest decision-making body has adopted a new date and venue to stage the election of new executive committee after an extra-ordinary congress recently. The Nigeria Football Federation has approved September 30 for the 2014 Elective Congress of a new executive committee and as well adopted Warri, Delta State as the venue for the Polls. Nigerians hope this brings sanity to the sport.

Kaduna United players

48 CEOConfidential

Sunday, September 28, 2014

updates Compiled by Dan Udechukwu

3%

103%

Percentage of Nigeria’s landmass that has been duly registered according to secretary to the federal government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

Percentage rise in Oando Plc’s pre-tax profit in the first six months of the year ended June 30.

Agriculture

Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda, changing the status quo

At a broader level, Nigeria continues to establish the necessary fundamentals for a resurgence in agriculture, and the core policy driving this revolution is the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

The most recent fruit from this policy is the provision of $31m by the Bank of Industry (BoI) for Agric-based SMEs, a development that can create up to 20,000 jobs directly and indirectly if properly utilized. But beyond this, there have been other impressive and, indeed, innovative developments.

Take for instance the move to use mobile phones and e-wallets for direct input distribution to farmers thereby, in the words of Dr Akinwumi Adesina, Nigeria’s minister of agriculture and rural development, connecting farmers to the information grid, expanding their access to markets, improving their access to financial services, principally loans, and helping them adapt to climate change dynamics that can affect them and their livelihoods.

With this development, Nigeria became the first country in Africa to reach farmers with subsidized farm inputs through their mobile phones; and some of the BRICS countries are reportedly looking to deploy the electronic wallet idea in their agricultural systems.

Energy

Dangote places order for refinery equipment as FG grants licence

The quest by Africa’s richest man , Aliko Dangote to make an intervention in Nigeria’s long standing fuel supply hiccups is being pursued vigorously with advance orders believed to have been made for equipment that will be used to build his proposed

$415m Worth of money Nigerian lender Access Bank Plc is waiting on its shareholders’ vote on bid to raise via rights issue.

1.91m

Barrel per day of Nigeria’s oil export in November as expected by international news agency Reuters citing loading programmes.

$8bn refinery and petrochemical plant in Lekki, Lagos.

According to BusinessDay, the orders for these equipment were made ahead of government granting a Licence-To-Establish (LTE) a refinery which Dangote received only a few days ago.

The equipment ordered include ‘Long Lead Items’ and a power plant, which ordinarily would take between 18 and 21 months from time of order to time of delivery.

motoring

Daimler, automakers, 2064 exhibitors unfold global strategies

Global attention is on the IAA Commercial Vehicles massive exhibition ground in Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany as automakers go for broke in their quest to bring to showcase to the public the latest from their assembly plant.

The IAA Commercial Vehicles has never been more international than it is this year. A total of 2,064 exhibitors from 45 countries will be represented on the trade fair grounds in Hannover, and for the first time the proportion of foreign exhibitors has almost reached 60 per cent.

The 65th IAA Commercial Vehicles is organised by the VDA. It started on September 25, and will run till October 2, 2014.

Manufacturing

Lafarge Africa enters consolidation phase Jack Ma, China’s richest man and CEO of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group is ready and willing to visit Nigeria. Aliababa recently issued an IPO that raised a record US$25bn in what is widely considered to be the largest IPO in history.

The newly-emerged Lafarge Africa is showing strong confidence in the Nigerian economy, having entered into a phase that can best be described as a consolidation one.

A fortnight ago, Lafarge completed the acquisition of its shareholdings in Lafarge South Africa Holdings (Pty) Limited (LSAH), the United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited (Unicem) through Egyptian Cement Holding BV, AshakaCem plc (Ashaka) and Atlas Cement Company Limited (Atlas). The transaction now places the cement maker as the sixth largest entity listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), with a market capitalisation of N521.9bn.

Lafarge Africa now has 12 million metric tons (MT) capacity, with 5.5MT additional capacity by mid-2017.

Finance The half year result of Nigeria’s leading indigenous oil and gas producer, Oando plc, currently at the NSE, shows the company posted an impressive N24bn operation profit and N9bn profit after tax, a 145 per cent and 110 per cent increase from H1 2013 respectively.

UBA, ATI collaborate to boost regional, international trade

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, one of the largest financial services group in Africa, has entered into a partnership with the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) to ease the flow of credit to clients engaging in regional and international trade.

The partnership was announced recently in Nairobi, Kenya, after officials of both institutions led by Kennedy Uzoka, CEO, UBA Africa, and George Otieno, ATI’s chief executive officer, signed the agreement to formalise the deal.

Under the agreement, ATI will provide insurance cover for eligible UBA Group transactions with its unique range of political risk and trade credit insurance products.

EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Summit

Conference

show

Cloud & Virtualisation Africa Summit 2014 Johannesburg, South Africa; September 30 - October 1, 2014

12th Intermodal Africa Durban, South Africa; October 23-24, 2014

Real Estate Unite InterContinental Lagos; October 2-3, 2014

The Cloud and Virtualisation Summit Africa offers innovative resources, ideas and best practice case studies enabling your enterprise to apply them immediately in order to leverage the cloud, assisting you in maximising performance, minimising costs and improving the scale of your projects.

Improving resource utilisation through virtualising IT infrastructures is fast becoming precedence for enterprises, globally.

The two-day event will feature 35 world-class conference speakers addressing topical issues and challenges on global transportation and logistics attended by a gathering of 700 senior executive delegate decision makers from the world’s leading shippers, cargo owners, importers/ exporters, shipping lines, stakeholders in the industry and services suppliers from the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia Pacific countries.

Real Estate Unite is an international trade show and it is going to take place in Lagos, Nigeria. This crucial business event will be continuing for the duration of two days. The major concern of this event is to promote all the latest development, market trends and technology advancement of the modern real estate and construction industry.

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

business

Commercial Banks As Catalyst For Auto Policy Commercial banks are taking a strategic position in driving Nigeria’s newly revived National Automotive Policy, SAMSON ECHENIM writes.

P Already, most automobile firms that were into vehicle distributorship and representatives of leading auto makers have yielded to the policy

erhaps, the latest information trending about the revived National Automotive Policy, which was resuscitated and reinforced by the federal government late last year is that the Senate has backed a bill seeking to enable production of Nigerian cars, tyres and other accessories. The bill passed its second reading at the upper house last Friday.

In addition to seeking to enable the production and assembly of cars and making of tyres in Nigeria, the bill also seeks provision of tariff incentives and income tax relieves on all automobile and automotive components.

Known as “Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (Fiscal Incentives, Assurances and Guarantees) Bill,” when it is passed, it is expected to strengthen the Nigerian automotive industry development plan and promote a sustainable and competitive automotive industry.

It will also provide an enabling environment for the

survival of existing assembly plants, revive the tyre industry, herald Nigeria’s industrial revolution plan using the automotive sector as a key component to diversify the economy and also generate revenues through industry and manufacturing.

Leading the debate on the bill, Senate Leader, Victor NdomaEgba, said automotive industry played strategic roles in the economic development of many countries especially in the area of job creation, enhancement of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), development of small, medium and micro-enterprises, innovation, skills and technology.

For instance, the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers had indicated that the auto industry directly employs over nine million people, representing five per cent of the world’s total employment in the area of manufacturing.

According to Ndoma-Egba, South Africa’s automotive industry, for instance, contributed seven per cent of GDP and 12 per cent of exports to the country’s economy, with the indus-

try being the second largest employer of labour in that country.

He recalled that Nigeria’s automotive industry comprising Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria (PAN), Volkswagen among others, in their hey days, produced no fewer than 150,000 automobiles at an estimated value of N450 billion and employment capacity of 20,000 adding that Nigeria had the local capacity to meet all needs relating to tyre production in the 1960s.

Regrettably, the industry had crashed in the mid-80s as a result of unfriendly government policies resulting in the collapse of capital utilisation in all assembly plants and consequently opened doors for importation of fairly-used vehicles.

In 2012 alone, it was reported that vehicles and their parts worth over N600 billion, 75 per cent of which were used vehicles, were imported into Nigeria from the ports and land borders.

The figure given by the National Automotive Council (NAC) also adds tyres estimated at the value of over N100 billion imported into the country annually.

Taking the bull by the horns When the federal government in October 2013 announced its

intention to begin implementation of a revived version of the existing National Automotive Policy in 2014, it was greeted with doubts, which is usual with most government policies.

In January this year when relevant agencies of government attempted to enforce certain parts of the policy which has raised tariffs on imported fully-built vehicle by a whopping 70 per cent, there was intense opposition from industry stakeholders, especially seaports operators, who feared that the federal government was treading that path of policy somersault.

Even with pockets of protests from businessmen and other investors, who trade in used vehicle importation, usually carried out by licenced customs clearing agents at the ports, the government had remained somewhat focused and dogged. Apparently, government’s commitment to the policy is yielding results and doing so in an appreciable pace. Already, most automobile firms that were into vehicle distributorship and representatives of leading auto makers have yielded to the policy and a few of them have since begun assembling vehicles at their plants in Nigeria. ➔ CONTINUEd ON PAGE

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50 BUSINESS

Sunday, Septemer 28, 2014

Commercial Banks As Catalyst For Auto Policy ➔ CONTINUEd from PAGE

Fleet managers and prospective automobile patrons needed to take advantage of the newly inaugurated vehicle finance scheme to procure affordably priced Hyundai vehicles assembled in Nigeria

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Commercial banks taking centre stage To help drive the erupting local automobile industry, commercial banks are taking strategic steps in creating products that can help prospective car owners acquire made-in-Nigeria cars with relative ease.

The products are usually provided in partnership with automobile assemblage firms in the country who are known to have begun assembling certain brands of cars in their plants here in Nigeria.

The early birds have been Hyundai Motors Nigeria and Diamond Bank Plc which have unveiled a credit facility for Nigerians who intend to acquire the Hyundai brand in line with the current government auto policy that seeks a robust local automobile industry.

Hyundai Motors head of sales and marketing, Mr Jatin Nadkarni, who gave this hint at the inauguration ceremony in Lagos recently, said fleet managers and prospective automobile patrons needed to take advantage of the newly inaugurated vehicle finance scheme to procure affordably priced Hyundai vehicles assembled in Nigeria without necessarily paying conventional bank interest rates.

The joint initiative, christened “Hyundai/Diamond Centenary Offer”, is designed to allow beneficiaries access bank loans to buy select Hyundai cars and offset the credit in 48 equal monthly instalments without paying management fee or presenting any collateral.

Nadkarni said the credit scheme was in line with Hyundai strategy and direction to make vehicle acquisition a seamless experience, explaining that successful customers would, aside these seamless benefits, enjoy series of other offers including free insurance cover for one year, free registration, free service for one year, free tracking devise and an Apple iPad for every car purchased.

He said vehicle credit facility is a common practice in advanced markets and has become imperative in view of the federal government National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) aimed at encouraging patronage of new vehicles, particularly home made cars.

Hyundai Motors Nigeria listed some of the models that could be procured during the scheme as Automatic Transmission powered Accent 1.4/1.6litre; Elantra 1.6/1.8litre; Sonata 2.0/2.4litre and Azera 2.4litre cars. Others are premium grouped Hyundai Genesis 3.8litre with 2.0litre powered iX35 and 2.4litre Santa Fe sport utility vehicles.

“What we are simply doing here in collaboration with Diamond Bank is to help prospective buyers starve-off the burden of sourcing funds in one fell-swoop to buy a new car when you can simply buy and begin to drive a Hyundai car of your choice and pay at your convenience,” Nadkarni stated.

“The evolving needs and preferences of prospective vehicle buyers in the new sphere of Nigeria’s automobile policy prompted this campaign, which essentially would lessen the burden of owning a serviceable car. Our objective therefore is to provide the best products and services to our customers and enable them to enjoy value-added experience,” he noted.

Also, Stallion Motors Limited in collaboration with Diamond Bank Plc has inaugurated new sales offer for desiring customers to discover the uniqueness of precision engineered Volkswagen and Skoda passenger cars in a commemorative sales plan.

Announcing the scheme in Lagos recently, Volkswagen Nigeria head of sales and marketing, Mr Manish Daryanani said the offer was designed with a seamless repayment sequence to ease the process of vehicle ownership.

Daryanani said the bonanza, which is ongoing, offers for sale a select Volkswagen and Skoda models including Volkswagen Polo, Jetta, Passat and CC variants as well as Skoda Rapid and Octavia models.

He said customers could walk into any of Stallion Motors’ Volkswagen and Skoda showrooms nationwide to place their orders.

Volkswagen and Skoda are part of the Volkswagen Group marketed in Nigeria under the Stallion Motors franchise.

Also speaking at the inauguration, Skoda World head of sales and marketing, Mr. Sanjay Rupani said the scheme is open to all customers including those with or without functional account at Diamond Bank Plc. He said the trio of Volkswagen, Skoda and Diamond Bank Plc has cautiously designed the scheme to enable beneficiaries access interest free funds without necessarily paying processing fees or showing collateral.

“Customers will be eligible to one year free service and one year comprehensive insurance cover coupled with other benefits as special anniversary pricing, free registration and one free Samsung Galaxy Note 3 NEO phone for any Volkswagen and Skoda cars purchased during this campaign,” Rupani said.

While also adding that successful customers could spread payment tenure over a period of up to 48 months in affordable monthly instalments, the

Skoda World sales and marketing coordinator said the evolving needs and preferences of prospective vehicle buyers prompted this campaign, which essentially seeks to change the predisposition of car buyers, to embrace tried and tested European brands that are durable and serviceable.

“Our objective is to provide the best products and services to our customers and enable them to enjoy value-added experience in line with Volkswagen clear value for customers - affordability, reliability and German engineering.

The auto marketing concern has meanwhile announced starting monthly installment of as low as NGN66, 000 for Volkswagen Polo; NGN76, 000 for Jetta; NGN110, 000 for Passat; NGN114, 000 for the CC while Skoda Rapid and Octavia start from NGN71, 000 and NGN81, 000 monthly installments respectively.

Continuous improvement in the auto industry While some senators who contributed to the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (Fiscal Incentives, Assurances and Guarantees) Bill noted that it would be difficult for local automobiles to compete with imported products especially in the face of the country’s epileptic power supply, others said it would improve and resuscitate steel industry as well as enhance the training of technologists and engineers which they said would have multiplier effects on other sectors of the economy.

Senate President, David Mark, while acknowledging the importance of the bill emphasised the need for unwavering commitment of government to the automobile industry plan.

He said, “On paper, this is an excellent bill and there is absolutely no doubt about it, but what is more important is that it is not just this bill alone that will solve the problem of the automotive industry. Beyond this bill, practically on ground, we are not just prepared because no investor is going to put his money here if you cannot guarantee him constant power.”

He further underscored the need to improve electricity supply in the country.

“If he is going to run on generator for 24 hours, he will never be able to compete in the international market. It is not a matter of producing rubber for Michelin, it is beyond that. DICON, which is in Kaduna today, was established the same time with the one in Brazil and India. Today, the equivalent in Brazil is building ships, aircraft, armoured cars, while DICON in Nigeria is producing furniture,” Mark said.

Jonathan

Okonjo-Iweala

Emefiele

business

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

news

L-R: President, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Remi Bello; Senate President David Mark; Sen. Gbenga Ashafa and unido representative in Nigeria, Dr Patrick Komawa, at the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s democratic transition lecture in Lagos recently. Photo By nan.

Berger Paints Targets Industry Leadership New chairman of Berger Paints Nigeria Plc, Dr. Oladimeji Alo, has given indication that there would be major changes in the company in a bid to reposition it for leadership position in the paints and allied industry.

The chairman stated this at a special dinner organised by the company in honour of the retiring chairman and directors of the company in Lagos recently.

As part of measures to reposition the company for the future, four directors, who have attained the age of 70 years since the last AGM retired from the board at the 54th annual general meeting held in July.

They are Mr Clement Olowokande (immediate past Chairman), Dr Raymond Obieri, Engineer Olawale Akinpelu and Mr. Balram Datwani (retired non-executive directors).

The immediate past chairman, Mr Olowokande had described the development as a step designed

to refresh the board of directors to continue the great task of making Berger Paints a company built to last.

The new chairman, Dr Alo, former director-general of Financial Institution Training Centre (FITC) said the changes in Berger Paints were meant to reposition the company in terms of boosting turnover, reducing cost, firming up processes and systems, all targeted at regaining leadership position in the industry, adding that some of the changes have begun.

He said the board would continue to need the support of the retired directors because the wisdom they would bring to the table would continue to be valuable to the company.

In a goodwill message, Sir Sunny Nwosu, national coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association, observed that although the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA)

did not stipulate retirement age for directors, the retiring directors decided to retire so that fresh blood could be injected into the company.

He enjoined the new chairman to ensure that more value was added to the assets being left by the retiring directors and also commended the board for the choice of the new chairman who has distinguished himself in the financial sector and other sectors of the economy.

The dinner was attended by distinguished businessmen and stakeholders of the company among whom are Professor Wale Omole, former vice-chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife and presently chairman of the editorial board of the Guardian, Professor Gabriel Olawonyi, vice-chairman of International Chamber of Commerce and Chief Michael Ade Ojo, chairman of Elizade Motors among many others.

Customs Rake In N21bn Revenue At Tincan Port In August

By Samson Echenim, Lagos

Nigeria Customs Service Tincan Island Port command in Lagos said it collected N21.2 billion revenue in August, 2014.

The command said on Tuesday that the collection during the month dropped by N2.2 billion from the N23.4 billion it collected in July.

The revenue profile of the command during the period Dikko Inde is contained in a statement re- poor state of the ports’ access leased in Lagos by its Public Re- roads. We believe that the delations Officer (PRO), Mr Chris plorable state of the roads can Osunkwo. lead to a drop in accruable revThe monthly revenue collect- enue into government coffers,” ed by the command has been Osukwo said. fluctuating since the beginning He however stated that the of the year. command had begun to graduAccording to the statement, ally recover from the impact of the command collected N21.5 poor state of the ports’ access billion in January, N21.6 bil- roads on its operations. lion in February, N16.6 bilHe further disclosed that a lion in March, N26.3 billion in 40-feet container loaded with April, N26.5 billion in May, and rugs, used tyres, used clothes, N26.1 billion in June. shoes, vegetable oil, carpets It attributed the fluctuation and rice was impounded by in revenue collected by the the command in August, addcommand in the months to ing that 15 suspects were ar“man-made” issues. rested in connection with the “We have been lamenting the container.

Oando Posts N8.98bn Profit In H1

By OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

Oando Plc has declared 110 per cent increase in profit after tax for the second quarter of the year ended June 30, 2014.

The company’s six month results filed with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), showed that PAT rose to N8.98 billion from N4.27 billion in the corresponding period of 2013.

However, the company’s revenue was down by 30.6 percent to N194.56 billion as against N280.33 billion recorded in June, 2013, while operating profit went up by 145 per cent to 23.69 billion, compared to N9.69 billion in 2013.

The board of the company has recommended an interim dividend of 70 kobo per share and 30 kobo per share for its financial year end, December 2013, making a total of N1 per share.

The group chief executive, Wale Tinubu attributed the performance witnessed in the period to the strategic refocus on the higher margin upstream and foresaw immense value addition to its stakeholders in the near term.

According to him, we have succeeded in repositioning ourselves within the sector, and through future acquisitions and innovative efficacy we will seek to up our market share in sub-Sahara’s upstream sector within the next five years to 100,000 bpd in net production.

Also released was the company’s end of year statement for 2013, which shows a decline in its revenue by 30.9 per cent to N449.87 billion from N650.57 billion in 2012, while its profit after tax declined by 87.1 per cent to N1.40 billion from 10.79 billion.

Tinubu said, “The end of the year result was greatly attributed to the acquisition cost and interest on debt facilities in Oando’s prolonged acquisition of ConocoPhillips Nigeria business assets.”

He stated that following the first half of 2014, which the group has already seen positive indications from its active strategic initiatives, upstream investments, midstream expansion and downstream optimization and based on this performance, the company is likely to exit the year with a N24 billion

Seven Energy, NSIA Partner On A $100m Power Project

BY Chika Izuora, Lagos

In a move to boost investment and improve on the country’s energy sector, two energy firms, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Seven Energy International Limited have agreed to invest a minimum of $100 million in public private

sector project in gas infrastructure..

NSIA believes that the investment and other future projects which it is embarking upon would significantly contribute to the transformation of the gas and power sectors.

Managing director and chief executive officer of NSIA Uche

Orji in a statement said, “We expect that this investment will support the development of Calabar NIPP, Ibom Power, and other power stations. This is a further example of Nigeria’s successful public-private investment in infrastructure.”

Similarly, Phillip Ihenacho, chief executive officer of Seven

Energy, said the investment was a vote of confidence in Seven Energy’s vision to be a leading supplier of gas in Nigeria.

According to him, Seven Energy International Limited is an independent Nigerian integrated oil and gas development, production and gas distribution company founded in 2004.

Backed by strategic long-term investors and main offices in Lagos and London, the group has a unique focus on the emerging Nigerian domestic gas market, just as its upstream assets include licence interests in the Uquo Field and the Stubb Creek Field (in south east Niger Delta).

52

Sunday, September 28, 2014

zonal watch

NIGER STATE KWARA STATE KOGI STATE BENUE STATE NASARAWA STATE PLATEAU STATE FCT ABUJA

NIPDC Invests N1.2 bn In 8 Years

Commissioner Blames Failure In Exams On Policy Summersault

BY SAM EGWU, Lokoja

The Kogi State commissioner for Education, Dr Agnes Okai has attributed the persistent failure in core subjects like English and Mathematics in public examinations to policy inconsistency.

Okai stated this at the First Youth Summit on basic education in Kogi State, organized by Kogi-based Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID) with support from ActionAid Nigeria.

The commissioner noted that the education ministry was restricted to policy formulation while implementation was undertaken by service out-

Heads FROM the ZONE

BY DONATUS NADI, Lafia

The Nasarawa State Property Development Company Limited, (NIPDC) said it has invested over N1.2 billion for the industrial growth and development of the state.

The outgoing managing director of the company, Mr Daniel Ajegena, disclosed this in Lafia, the state capital, while handing over the mantle of leadership to the deputy managing director of the company, Ahmed Danladi Idris.

Ajegena was recently relieved of his job by Governor Umaru Tanko AlMakura after serving the company for a period of eight years as its chief executive fficer, (CEO).

The outgoing MD gave a breakdown of the value investment when leading the company to include the construc-

lets like the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

Okai, who was represented by Mr Matthias Okpanachi, Director Education Support Services of the ministry, identified other outlets in the policy implementation as Adult and NonFormal Education (AANFE) Board; Science, Technology and Technical Education Board (STTEB) among others.

She said that the aforementioned agencies are responsible for policy assurance, setting of standards and ensuring that such standards were complied with in collaboration with the Quality Assurance Directorate.

Don’t Reject Postings, Kwara Warns Civil Servants

L-R: The ViceChancellor, Al-Hikmah University, Prof.

Sulyman AbdulKareem and the Registrar, Haja Rashidat Oladimeji during the fourth convocation of the university.

BY Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

PHOto by Abdullahi Olesin

16 Bag First Class At Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin

BY Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

The Nasarawa Investment Property Development Company (NIPDC) says it invested N1.2 Billion on the industrial growth and development of the state in the last eight years.

Prof. AbdulKarim, V-C, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin The faith-based university produced 16 first class graduates in the 2013/2014 academic session.

tion of a conference hotel in Lafia, NIPDC Ltd corporate headquarters in Lafia, establishment of a spring water factory also in Lafia.

Other achievements highlighted by Ajegena were the investment of an Investment Business and Information Training Ltd, Lafia, completion of Karu sites and services scheme, acquired land for the development of Keffi sites and services scheme, among others.

Taking over the mantle of leadership of the company, the DMD, Ahmed Idris, thanked the outgone MD for actualizing the vision of the company to becoming a strong and virile company that is capable of serving as a catalyst and engine of industrial growth and development of the state.

Sixteen graduates of a faithbased University in Ilorin, Kwara state, Al-Hikmah University have bagged first class honours.

Another 175 also bagged second class upper division, while 287 bagged second class lower division.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Sulyman AbdulKareem disclosed this during the fourth convocation ceremony of the university which took place in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

He said the university has

witnessed a lot of remarkable growth in students’ population, number of graduates turned out, as well as in the area of infrastructural facilities.

“In 2012/2013 academic session, for instance, the university graduated 506 students as against 454 presented for graduation in 2011/2012 academic session.

At this year’s convocation ceremony, the university is presenting a total of 658 graduands out of which 16 are in first class honours”, the VC disclosed.

AbdulKareem further

disclosed that the university has gotten necessary approval from the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) to commence the process of admitting the first set of students into its Law programme.

He added “It is also my pleasure to inform you that the university already has NUC’s approval to admit Master’s students into three postgraduate programmes, beginning from the 2014/2015 academic session, thus bringing number of colleges in the university to five at present.

Civil servants in Kwara State have been advised not to reject job postings to any area in the cause of their service, but should rather make the best use of any situations to enhance their career in the service.

The permanent secretary in the state Bureau of Statistics, Alhaji Nasiru Ibrahim, gave the admonition at the launch of a book titled: “How to Make Yourself Happy at Work” written by the director, Establishment, Pensions and Industrial Relations, in the state civil service, Alhaji Tajudeen Yinusa.

The permanent secretary, who is also the book reviewer said for civil servants to be happy while in service and after retirement, they must learn how to take advantage of every situation positively instead of making excuses about inadequacies.

Ibrahim said that the book “Provides preventive, curative rehabilitation and therapeutic remedies for workers continued happiness whether on job or after retirement”.

While recommending the book for workers of all shapes and in all workplaces, the permanent secretary observed that the author had adopted the right approach to deal with the issues relating to “socio-psychological rooting”.

The author of the book said he was inspired to write the book after a careful study of the challenges of unhappiness which many civil servants face in their choosing careers.

The author, who had worked as a teacher for 20 years, said he decided to write the book so that civil servants would be enlightened on how to make themselves happy so that they can be more productive.

He said the book was dedicated to the former Secretary to the state government in the state, Alhaji Shueu Gafar due to his contributions to his success story.

Kogi: Law Maker Seeks More Funding For Education

BY SAM EGWU, Lokoja

A serving House of Representatives aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) from Lokoja/Kotonkarfe Federal Constituency, Kogi State, Hon Buba Jibril Umar, has advocat-

ed more funding for education in the state.

Buba who spoke at the presentation of his letter of intent to re-contest said that he would consolidate on the achievements he has made so far.

“The Peoples Democratic Par-

ty has brought education on its knees in the state and we should allow credible people to represent us”, adding, “To consolidate on the modest achievements, it is better you give me the mandate to represent you”.

“Our duty is to improve ser-

vices and quality representation through what I have been able to do in our constituency in the last eight years and make more relevant productive activities to see our people young and old to enjoy dividends of democracy”, he said.

zonal watch (North-Central) 53

Sunday, September 28, 2014

news behind the news

Iorhemba Students outside the burnt hostel at the Benue State University. PHOTO BY SOLOMON AYADO

How Benue State University Students Lost Certificates To Inferno

BY SOLOMON AYADO, Makurdi

Pandemonium broke out recently at the second campus of Benue State University, Makurdi when a female hostel block was gutted by fire thereby displacing scores of students and burning their belongings in the process.

The ugly fire incident, which occurred at about 10.30 am lasted for more than three hours, destroying educational materials and other belongings of the students who have just resumed from vacation.

The hostel was burnt to ashes before men of the state fire fighting service arrived at the scene.

LEADERSHIP Sunday witnessed some of the female students dressed half-naked scampering for safety, just as others were weeping profusely and wailing, saying, “All our credentials are burnt.”

It was gathered that the fire sparked from one of the rooms probably because of partial light contact before it escalated to other places and finally burnt the hostel. Other sources said the incident was propelled by some persons that were in serious disagreement with the vice chancellor of the university, Prof Charity Angya over administrative matters.

However, the university public relations officer, Mr

Tser Vanger who was at the scene of the fire incident told LEADERSHIP Sunday and attributed the cause of the inferno to electrical surge. He also debunked the claim that the fire was politically motivated.

It was gathered that some male students from the opposite hostel had to break the doors and windows to force themselves into the building in order to evacuate some of the property that were not yet consumed by fire. Some of them had used buckets to throw water at the burning block.

Since the incident occurred, the university’s management has not come out with a definite statement to explain how it intends to bring succor to the affected students. Many of the victims have parked out of the school into the nearby abode within the university community.

It has also been observed that renovation work on the burnt hostel block has not commenced and only God knows how well the affected students are faring and where they are taking refuge, especially now that school has resumed.

One thing that is rather provoking is the manner at which the entire tragedy is converted into a political theatre where aspirants are utilizing it

as avenue for campaigns. They have competitively, donated relief materials to the university at various intervals with intent to create awareness of their candidature.

The students are currently in pains owing to the great loss. Many have lost credentials that would never be recovered but rather needed to be assisted by the university so as to obtain them.

A female student, identified as Queen (surname withheld) lamented the situation and appealed to the state government to come to their aid.

She noted that the university has not declared any plans to assist them recover their lost properties including credentials.

“Many of us lost our credentials during the fire incident and we don’t know how we can get them back. Instead of the university to make effort in that direction, it is busy playing politics with the entire issue, receiving relief materials from aspirants,” she alleged.

Meanwhile, the dean of students’ affairs, Prof Armstrong Adejoh has confirmed the incident to newsmen and said that the cause of the fire disaster is yet to be clearly ascertained. He added that a committee has been set to ensure proper compensation for the affected students.

News Behind The News

2015: Former Benue Speaker Harps on Security, Rural Devt

BY SOLOMON AYADO, Makurdi

Since the incident occurred, the university’s management has not come out with a definite statement to explain how it intends to bring succor to the affected students

A former speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Barrister David Iorhemba has tasked leaders to ensure security of lives and properties of the citizenry to foster rapid development of rural communities.

Iorhemba, who is running the race for Benue governorship in 2015 under the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the major challenge confronting the state is rural under development and appealed for unity among leaders to transform the lives of the people.

Faulting the pruning of gubernatorial aspirants by the Tiv traditional institution, the former speaker insisted that he will not set aside his ambition to become the next governor come 2015. He said that the pruning down of gubernatorial contenders was done without following due electoral process.

According to him, “The anointing of candidates by the traditional institution is faulty; the institution would have allowed the process to avoid skirmishes but I am not deterred. But I think the streamlining was not done in good faith.”

Commenting on his desire to clinch the seat of the governor, Iorhemba said the major challenge facing the state is rural under development and that if elected; he would open up access roads, stabilize land administration, improve agriculture, insecurity and education, as well as establish a marketing board to regulate prices of farm produce to boost revenue generation.

54 zonal watch (North-Central)

Sunday, September 28, 2014

project report

Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, laying the foundation for the construction of Lafia ultra-modern market, along Kwandere road. PHOTO

BY SOLOMON AYADO

Market: Al-Makura Expands Commercial Horizon Of Nasarawa

By Donatus Nadi, Lafia

In recent times, Nasarawa State has experienced heightened commercial activities predicated on quite a number of factors. The state has become the hub for the distribution of industrial and consumable goods to the northeastern and northcentral regions of the country owing, largely, to the spate of insecurity being experienced in those parts.

Increasing population, especially due to the influx of southerners and other Nigerians seeking more peaceful business environment has made commercial centres of Lafia, Akwanga and Keffi a thriving business environment.

Governor Umaru Tanko AlMakura’s module of economic empowerment through encouraging self-help development of potentials as opposed to giving out handouts, which encourages laziness and dependence, is also a cardinal factor that has tendered this thriving business environment.

In his effort to harness this economic opportunity by creating the required enabling environment, Governor Almakura has embarked on the construction of ultra modern markets in Lafia, the state capital and Akwanga, the headquarters of Nasarawa North Senatorial district.

Before now, Lafia boasts of a single market cramped in an area less than a football field serving the needs of the state capital. The market dates back to 1957 and

was only meant to serve a small Kanuri community and those that transverse the town mostly in trains since the market is close to a change-over station.

As a result of growing population and heightened economic activities, most streets within Lafia and other commercial centres in the state have become market extensions, leading to traffic congestions.

This was the scenario along Jos road, Shendam road, UAC road, Makurdi road, Mararabe Akunza amongst others in Lafia while it is replicated along Abuja road, Jos road and Wamba road in Akwanga local government.

On assumption of office, however, Governor Al-Makura ensured the prompt completion of the Lafia modern market. Even then efforts to get traders to relocate to the market was not possible because the market cannot accommodate them.

This is even as government has also relocated the Alhamis market from Tudun Gwandara to a permanent site along Shinge cattle market where permanent stalls numbering about 500 are currently undergoing construction.

Having come to appreciate the reality that Nasarawa is fast becoming a commercial hub, Governor Al-Makura embarked on the construction of two modern markets to complement the ones already in place or undergoing construction.

On September 9, 2014, Al-

Makura laid the foundation for the construction of an ultra modern market in Lafia expected to have 5, 000 lockup shops, motor park, administrative block, road network, police outpost, banking facility, ware houses, clinic, fire service, parking lounge and an open space for local market activities.

Similarly, he directed the contractors handling different aspects of the project to ensure the completion of the edifice within seven months of commencement of works, as failure of any contractor to comply with the term specified would lead to the revocation of the contract.

He said, “When completed, the ultra modern market will support the state cargo airport located at Kwandere as well as improve the economic base of the state by providing job opportunities to the teeming population of the state.

“This critical infrastructure would be one of the best in the country hence citizens of the state should actively participate in it as it would reduce the total dependence on oil revenue from the federal government” .

He restated his administration’s commitment to the transformation of trade and commerce in the state.

“This is anchored on our conviction that commercial activities are, indeed, a vista for the desired economic growth and our determination to expand the horizon for active participation of our people in meaningful trade and commerce”.

He said the initiative will reduce the state’s total dependence on oil revenue from the federal government.

Consequently, Al-Makura promised the people of the state that the Keffi modern market, which has been under construction, would soon be completed to accommodate growing business activities spilling from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

In order to ensure full participation by indigenes of the state, most of whom would not have the financial wherewithal to compete against their rich counterparts from other states, the state government has earmarked on construction of 40 shops at the Karu International Market for allocation to indigenes of the state.

The market, situated just a few kilometres from the proposed cargo airport is intended to reduce haulage time for goods and services, as well as cut down stress in business transaction.

When completed, the market will be a versatile source of employment for our teeming people. The facility will have shops, warehouses, cold rooms, open market, administrative block, banks, police/ security posts, fire service station, public conveniences, parking lots and a clinic.

Al-Makura is also quick to reiterate that the endeavour in the economic sector is in fulfillment of his covenant with the people towards the comprehensive development of the State.

When completed, the market will be a versatile source of employment for our teeming people

POLITICS FEATURE 55

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Disquiet Over INEC’s Additional Polling Units

Voting taking place in polling unit. PHOTO BY SAFEFORCHANGE.BLOGSPOT.COM

The uproar generated by the creation of additional polling units by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is yet to settle. Ruth Choji and Blessing Ukemena write

D For those who have personal interest and are used to rigging elections, this might be a problem, because the polling units have now been decongested

isturbing reactions have continued to trail the proposed 30,000 polling units for the conduct of the elections across the country by INEC. While INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has urged Nigerians not to reduce patriotic causes to primordial biases, organisations like the Southern Nigeria People’s Assembly (SNPA) have called for the sacking of the body’s chairman. Ironically, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) that most people thought would be jubilating because of the advantage the north is purported to have compared to other regions have also condemned the electoral body’s proposal.

Though the draft has not been adopted and implemented yet, but the breakdown of the additional polling units indicated that Lagos State will get a total of 2,870 units, thereby increasing the polling centres in the state to 11,565. Kano comes next with additional 2,053 polling units to bring the number of voting centres in the state to 9,809. Kaduna State will get additional 2,878 polling units,

making its total 7,878, while Bayelsa State will get extra 121 polling units to make it 1,925 in all. In summary, north will get a total of 21,615 as against 8,412 for states in the south.

In his defence, Jega had stated that the addition became necessary because the electoral body wanted to ease the access of voters to ballot boxes in the 2015 general elections and beyond, while decongesting overcrowded polling units (PUs) and dispersing voters as evenly as possible, locating PUs more effectively within commuting distances of voters given the fact that movement is usually restricted on election days, relocating the PUs from “in front of” private houses and such other unsuitable places to public buildings or where this is not possible to public open spaces where tents can be provided, locating the PUs inside classrooms or such other suitable enclosures in line with international best practices, splitting large PUs such that they have on average of 500 registered voters, and creating additional PUs to cater for the splitting of large polling units, as well as new settlements not

serviced by any existing PU. However, on his part, Hon Atiku Shamaki, who is representing Magama/Rijau federal constituency of Niger State, stated that he did not see anything wrong with what INEC has done, because “the north has the largest population in the country, and whenever it is election time, our people, especially in rural areas, used to suffer by going to distant places to cast their votes,” he said, adding that, “the additional units are a welcome idea that I am happy about. For those who have personal interest and are used to rigging elections, this might be a problem, because the polling units have now been decongested. People read meaning into everything.

Besides, the people complaining are the same that were praising him when things were working their way.

“Now they are complain because their monopoly is being broken. If we will be sincere, we all know that it will decongest our overcrowded polling units.

All the comments I have seen so far are sentiments; it is either they are speaking for their region or zone, nobody is thinking about what it will do for the whole country. I think we need more polling units, especially in the north, because of our population,” he concluded.

Another member who supports the addition of polling

booths is Ismail Gadaka. “It is a welcome development, because in my constituency, people travel as far as 30 kilometres to vote on election days. But now that units are being brought to your doorsteps, everybody will like to go out and vote. Whoever thinks it is being done to favour the north does not understand politics. This will give the elections credibility, because there will be no accusation of lack of transportation or ballot boxes being stolen. Nigerians are now ready to cast their votes and wait for them to be counted. They are not afraid of anybody, except if they are going to kill them all. I don’t see anything wrong with what is happening. Nigerians always complain of not being able to vote because their names are either missing or the register is not there; but with these additional polling units, people will have the privilege of voting close to their homes, ensuring that the votes were counted and also monitor how the votes are collated. I want to say that we support it, and our people are now happy that they can now exercise their rights easily at the comfort of their communities.”

The member representing Fika/Fune federal constituency of Yobe State also stated that INEC through its chairman is trying to be fair to all Nigerians so that there will be less rigging, ➔ FROM PAGE 56

56 POLITICS FEATURE

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Controversies Over INEC’s Additional Polling Units ➔ FROM PAGE 55 and Nigerians be given a sense of belonging.

But Toyin Adegboyega, a legal practitioner and politician, is of a different opinion. “I smell something fishing, because why would INEC wait until now that the elections are around the corner, and why should the north have more than other parts of the country? I know that the constitution gives INEC the power to create polling units. In section 42 of the Constitution, it states that: The (Electoral) Commission shall establish sufficient number of polling units in each registration area and shall allot voters to such polling units, but we have that already, that has been working for us. If more states were created and he created polling units, nobody will complain. But as it is, I don’t see any justification in what INEC is doing now at this point in time, because the elections are around the corner. Why didn’t he think of it immediately after the 2011 elections? When it is common knowledge that their women (northern women) hardly come out to vote. How many local governments are in the FCT that they too got additional polling units than the whole of southeast? How can a state like Zamfara get additional 1,000 PUs when it is common knowledge that those that registered are less than two million voters? I have not heard of a case where an election umpire can just get up and add more polling units few months to an election without consulting the people that will vote. I still can’t understand why war-torn zones like the north east will get more units while other places in the south west remained same. How does INEC hope to take voters who have been registered at a particular unit now to be asked to vote somewhere else? Don’t you think this is giving room for massive rigging? I just don’t understand what INEC hopes to achieve by this, because I am also beginning to sense that it is an attempt to give the north undue advantage.”

Timi Madueka, another legal practitioner, berated INEC for the decision, and said, “I don’t blame Nigerians for asking questions. There are so many loopholes that need to be cleared by the umpire. Nigerians are complaining because the exercise will give the north more advantage than the south. It is possible that Prof Jega wants to follow the law of the 2010 Electoral Act, which stipulates that no polling unit shall have more than 500 voters. Our worry is that, why does the north have more units than the south? What is the rationale behind it? Nigeria is in the nick of political season and Jega decides to bring up that surprised?

“How do you justify the allocation of more than 21,000 new polling units in the north, while the south will receive about 8,000, bringing the number of units in the country to 150,000 from the original 119,973? I will advise Jega to shelve the idea for now until maybe after the elections. Why did INEC adopt the Post-AFIS register of voters and not the Post-Business Rule register of voters as the baseline for calculating the number of PUs? “Critics described the new creation as a ruse that will enable the north to rig the general elections in favour of its own.

We all know that the north has been clamouring for power shift, so if Jega should be allowed to go ahead with this proposal, tendencies are that the results will favour a northern candidate against President Goodluck Jonathan, a southerner. And this will mean that the north will have about 21,000 units, which is 70 per cent of the new units, while the three zones in the south will get about 8,000,” he said.

The new polling units created

by INEC are not being accepted by the north or the south.

INEC said the move was to decongest polling units ahead of the 2015 general elections. The development brought about an increase in the total number of polling units in the country from 119,973 to 150,000.

Lagos State whose polling units have now been increased to 11,023 leads other states of the federation in terms of the proportional distribution of the total 150,000 units.

Kano State now with 10,127 is the second on the table. The decision to create the additional polling units was taken at the commission’s meeting on August 12, 2014. The commission further put the total number of registered voters at 70,383,427.

Many people however are not comfortable with the idea, and some have approached the federal high court in Abuja with a suit seeking to nullify the 30,027 new polling centres recently created by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The plaintiffs, Ikogi Joseph from Bayelsa State, Odumegwu Chinedu from Anambra State, and Omotoso Nicholas from Ekiti State, who joined the attorney-general of the federation and the minister of justice, alongside INEC, as defendants in the suit, want the court to restrain Professor Attahiru Jegaled INEC from giving effect to the new polling units.

Their lawyer, Dr Olukayode Olatoke, posed six questions for the determination of the court, all of which queried the basis for the creation and the legality of

Jega

A voter casting her vote. PHOTO BY DAILYTIMES.COM

the new polling centres recently announced by INEC. The commission and the AGF are yet to respond to the suit which was filed on September 10.

While speaking to Mr Uchendu Okafor who is a lawyer within the FCT, he said that there seemed to be an ulterior motive to the creation of the new polling units. “I don’t know what they are planning, but it seems there is more to this polling unit that meets the eye. INEC will have to explain these new units to us.

I support the new suit against them and I wish they will take it up. We have come to a stage where Nigeria is no longer going to tolerate any ‘hanky panky’.

With the way things are going, 2015 is going to be something else,” he said.

Another lawyer, Mr Samuel Ndubuisi, is also not comfortable with the new development.

“There seemed to be a grand plan against the south. That allocation of 20,715 of the proposed 29,129 to the north was clearly indicative of a wicked plan to empower a particular region by all means crooked against the south. Why would only a mere 8,414 be allocated to the south with even the FCT having an almost equal number of units

with the entire south east. We are going to see the end of this,” he said.

While speaking to LEADERSHIP Sunday on the matter, Barrister Udeh Emeka, at the Abuja Magistrate’s Court, stated that INEC’s intention should be investigated, because, “ They have also followed the age-long roguish pattern of population counting and distribution criminally and abominably designed to depopulate some parts of the country and over-populate others.”

Barrister Bala Hamza is the executive director of Citizens Right Group of Nigeria, an NGO in the FCT, and expressed his opinion of INEC’s intending additional polling units, “The commission is organising a phantom and pro-rigging exercise in the context of ethno-religious lopsidedness. This includes bogus allocation of 5,291 polling units to the violence prone north-east zone, which populations are unsettled and scattered outside the zone.

It is very possible that, given the state of crisis in those areas, the elections there may be nullified giving the other zones an edge.

All we will say is that we will protest any and every attempt to rob Nigerians of their rights,” he concluded.

“Critics described the new creation as a ruse that will enable the north to rig the general elections in favour of its own

FEATURE 57

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Anna attending to a customer

Anna hawking on the street of Abuja

Defying all pressure and the excuse of joining the band wagon of low life to prostitute for survival, Anna James decided she will not bend her back but rather tow the path of honour and success no matter how humble the starting point is. ZION ZADOK reports

is 2:00am again when she will have to wake up to continue the same cycle all over. This is how her daily activities are.She said to avoid the problem of remnant, she does not bake too much but according to demands in order to be able to curtail any possible loss.

Fighting For Survival Against All Odds: Anna’s Story

With the cake baked as early as 6am, she will go to the market located in the Abuja city centre and return around 6:00pm to round off for the day, but she does not get home (Mararaba) until to 8:00pm because of the traffic along the Abuja/Keffi road

S

he is beautiful with all the attributes of a young girl that any man would need. To many of her age, such is a good advantage to atract the best life can offer to them but she chose to be different. she sees young girls of her age, who for reasons like hers, had actually taken to waywardness as an excuse for poverty. Carrying a bucket full of snacks on her head for sale and fend for herself and her family, 22-year-old Benue born Anna travails the length and breath of Abuja metropolis with her wares on her head in the rain and in the sun. she defies all odds just to fight against poverty. Anna who hails from Ogbadibo local government, tells a pathetic story of how abject poverty had shattered her dreams and how she is struggling to overcome it.

She is the last born of a family of three. Her mother is blind and her father has health issues.

While her sister is married and she is nothing better than a mere house wife, her brother, a 200 level student of Political Science at the National Open University of Nigeria, works part time at a business centre, where he is paid N15, 000 per month. It is out of this that he pays his way through school as

well as fends for himself.

Anne said she was able to complete her secondary education in 2010 through the help of a catholic reverend sister, Anna Abah, but after she relocated to Australia, Anna could not continue her education, as she has no sponsor.

She said given the meagre salary her brother earns, she had to fend for herself, but after countless failed efforts to search for a job, she decided to start making snacks to sell.

She said she borrowed N10, 000 which she used as capital to start up her business, and after a while, she was able to pay up her loan.

Anne said she wakes up at 2:00am everyday to prepare for her daily chores. During that time, she said she would mix the dough, boil the eggs, make the fire and other things. With the cake baked as early as 6am, she will go to the market located in the Abuja city centre and return around 6:00pm to round off for the day, but she does not get home (Mararaba) until to 8:00pm because of the traffic along the Abuja/Keffi road.

She said when she gets to the single room she shares with her brother, she will have her bath, cook and eat then rest until it

On the challenges she’s faced In the business, she said sometimes she is harassed by personnel of Abuja Environmental Protection Task Force team. To avoid them sometimes, she says she hides her snacks in a black polythene bag as soon as she leaves Mararaba until she gets to her point of sale in Utako market before she will showcase it in a transparent bucket.

Speaking on her earnings, Anna said on average, she is able to save up to N 18,000 a month, which she deposits in a bank at the end of every month. She said daily she will drop at least N500 to N1000 in her Asusu (savings box) at home, which she will break at the end of the month and take the money to the bank.

While she has not given up hope of continuing her education, she said she will keep pursuing her business while embarking on saving culture in order to go to school and take care of her parents.

She says she wants to study Micro Biology in either Abuja University or Benue State University. Why she wants to study MicroBiology is because she loves Biology and the

sciences are her area of strength while at secondary school.

Anne said her father is supposed to go through hernia surgery and out of her savings, she was able to send N30, 000 but due to his age, he could not go through the surgery.

Her mother, who is blind, is incapacitated and she says it’s from her business that she is able to send them money for their upkeep.

Anne sells her snacks unashamed because she understands the value of dignity in labour and that of life. She said, rather than prostitute or exchange sex for gratifications like getting a job, she decided to start small and climb the ladder of life, believing that she will surely get to the top and achieve her goal of becoming a good MicroBiologist.

“I will never sell my body for any favour. If that’s what it has to take to make it, I can’t do it and that is why I started this small business.’’

Anne said she does not have a boyfriend, because she is not ready for that kind of commitment at the moment.

On what advice she has to give to other young people like her, Anne said they should understand the value of dignity in labour, create legal job opportunities for themselves rather than take on crime and prostitution because it does not pay to do that. She also believes that with God in the picture they will be able to achieve their goals.

58

e-train

Sunday, September 28, 2014

How Collaboration Has Helped The Entertainment Industry If the truth should be told, it will be clear that foreign individuals and organisations, in the form of collaboration, have helped our entertainment industry to grow into one of the sought-after platforms today. In the actual sense, it has contributed tremendously to its development.

ADERIBIGBE TOLULOPE writes.

C

Collaborations are meant to be a mash-up of two distinct creative worlds aimed at providing a glimpse into more artistic possibilities

ollaborations are not new developments in the world of music, film and fashion. Music popular artistes, actors and designers are usually “hot cakes” and some don’t mind sharing the limelight with others on the ride to stardom.

There was a time when Wyclef Jean was the most sought-after artiste in different parts of the world, from America to Africa.

Akon was so much in demand that the strains of continuous work left some tell-tale lines on his forehead in music videos.

In order to understand the importance of foreign collaboration in the Nigerian entertainment industry and how it affects it growth, it is important to take a look at the insight into what the industry looks like now. The industry is evolving and has a strong potential to contribute unequivocally to the GDP of Nigeria alongside other sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing, if proper structures and policies are put in the right perspective. At the moment, the media industry is valued at $650m; the music industry at about $105 million (2013) and Nollywood at almost 100 billion Naira. The monetary figures portend to increase over time when adequate financial tools are implemented to track and interpret earnings in the industry. It was identified that the uniqueness of the entertainment industry in Nigeria gives ‘thought’, ‘voice’ and ‘sight’ to the society’s culture and its shared values through the expression of creative works either in films, music, performing arts, literary, content origination and other related intellectual property assets constantly reminding the people who they are and what they represent.

Collaborations are meant to be a mash-up of two distinct creative worlds aimed at providing a glimpse into more artistic pos-

sibilities. I remember some years back when 2face featured Grammy award winner, Beenie Man on the remix of his smash hit “Nfana Ibaga”, his then record label boss; Kenny Ogungbe proclaimed that this collaboration will help push ‘Nigerian music’ to the international music market and draw more foreign entities into supporting the industry and investing in our emerging sound.

Many years later up to 2014, iconic artistes like P Square & Rick Ross (Onyinye Remix), D’Banj & Snoop Dogg (Mr Endowed Remix), Pulse & Busta Rhymes (Sotey Remix), Dbanj & Kanye West (Scapegoat Remix), P-Square & Akon (Chop My Money Remix), Ice Prince & Gyptian (Magician Remix), Davido & Akon (Dami Duro Remix), Sound Sultan & Wyclef and recently Wizkid & Wale, 2face & TPain (Rainbow Remix), Mode 9 & Canibus (Super Human) and countless other real or imagined collaborations. Our music videos, however, still aren’t getting heavy rotations on MTV America and other Music channels other than the occasional premiere on BET’s 106 & Park.

Our music portfolio of collaboration shows those with ordinary day-to-day subject matter.

P-Square and Rick Ross’ Onyinye did little to celebrate African beauty, at least, in the way Tony Tetuila and Tic Tac did with Fe Nfe Ne Fe, that is if singing about a woman’s bosom is any good.

D’banj and Snoop Doggy Dog’s ‘Mr Endowed’ was a comedy of somesorts if you understand Yoruba and the meaning of “Baba Aja” on an international passport.

Tuface and T.Pain’s ‘Rainbow’ just expresses a different shade of love song while Davido and Akon’s Damiduro remix sounds like an attempt to compete with P-square. One cannot exhaust the list of collaborations. Wizkid is somewhere in the studio recording a song with the world-famous

➔ CONTINUE ON PAGE 59

Sunday, September 28, 2014

sunday e-train 59

How Collaboration Has Helped The Entertainment Industry ➔ FROM PAGE 58 singer-songwriter, Rihanna, and Twitter is animated with discussions on what they are trying to do together.

Credibility in the industry is critical, as this can only be achieved when there is an organised structure put in place to checkmate negative exigencies currently experienced. The fight against piracy, an ugly demon challenging the industry even at a global level, can be curtailed through collective efforts with the agencies established as watch guards, protecting the industry from continued erosion.

To this regard, government policies backing the entertainment industry and protecting the intellectual property rights in this sector should be actively implemented without fear or favour as these will go a long way to create an atmosphere where more international acts would want to come over to the country and do more meaningful collaborations thus advancing the entertainment industry.

Foreign collaborations are not only seen in the music industry only, it is also seen in the film and fashion industry as these days Nigerian homemade Nollywood movies feature American Hollywood actors and visa versa. Example of these movies are ‘Dr Bello’, ‘Ije’, ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ and ‘Turning Point’, just to mention a few. In the Hollywood series, ‘Broke Girls’, Omotola Jakende was given a guest appearance there while the likes of Olu Jacob, and Genevive Nnaji have featured in a few Hollywood productions either as a major or minor role player. With an eye to attracting an international mainstream audience, Nigerian filmmakers are increasingly turning to the west for actors like Isaiah Washington and Thandie Newton. The same developments are taking place in co-productions with filmmakers from other African countries. The Princess of Africa, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, starred in ‘Foreign Demons’, a film set in Nigeria as well as her native South Africa. ‘Feathered Dreams’ is the first Nollywood-Ukrainian co-production.

Set in Ukraine, the film stars Nigerian actress Omoni Oboli and Ukrainian actor Andrey Rozhen who also directed it.

In the world of fashion, there have been steady efforts to turn Lagos, a city with a fearsome reputation, into a fashion destination. In 2012, it reached new heights at the MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week that ran from Oct. 24 to 27 drew European high-fashion brands such as the United Kingdom’s Selfridges & Co. and Munich-based MyTheresa.com to Nigeria for the first

time. Ituen Basi’s newspaper inspired Spring/Summer 2013 collection was among 39 collections spotlighted at the city’s latest major fashion week. The Nigerian label’s collection evoked fun and glamour through its use of print and colour characteristics which have come to define the vibrant local fashion scene.

With local brands seeking wider platforms and international retailers hungry for novelty, designers and buyers see opportunities for collaboration. An encouraging response to African-inspired designs by top western labels gives buyers confidence that designs straight from the continent will also sell.

Online retailer, MyTheresa. com, which ships top designer clothes including Miu Miu, Givenchy, Lanvin and Isabel Meron to clients in 120 different countries, is also looking for products in Nigeria that will sell well. The company hopes that will set it apart from the competition in a fast-paced industry.

“For me, Nigeria represents a fun individualism,” the company’s buying director Justin O’Shea said. He also said that MyTheresa.com was looking forward to working closely with designers and adapt products for their clientele, if needed. Previously, several Nigerian designers have helped put the West African nation on the global fashion map.

Deola Sagoe has gained recognition from U.S. Vogue editor, Andre Leon Talley and Oprah Winfrey. London-based Duro Olowu is considered one of Michelle Obama’s favourite designers.

Maki Oh has dressed American singer, Solange Knowles and Hollywood actress, Leelee Sobieski from her Lagos workshop. Jewel By Lisa, who has also dressed celebrities, designed limited edition BlackBerry mobile phone skins and jewelled cases for Canadian manufacturer, Research In Motion Ltd. While looking to Nigeria could bring much-needed novelty to clothes targeted to global audiences, it could also endear a Nigerian clientele. Though the majority of the nation lives on less than $2 a day, the nation’s wealthy elite have a growing appetite for top-shelf brands. Luxury goods stores are increasingly opening in a country where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm.

Overall, collaborations within the industry has contributed and aided the economic aspect of the entertainment world. The recognition Nigerian artistes are receiving globally are enormous because our production qualities in films, music lyrics and videos and fashion styles has now met up with international standards.

Foreign collaborations are not only seen in the music industry only, it is also seen in the film and fashion industry as these days Nigerian homemade Nollywood movies feature American Hollywood actors and visa versa

Sunday, September 28, 2014

sunday e-train 59

How Collaboration Has Helped The Entertainment Industry ➔ FROM PAGE 58 singer-songwriter, Rihanna, and Twitter is animated with discussions on what they are trying to do together.

Credibility in the industry is critical, as this can only be achieved when there is an organised structure put in place to checkmate negative exigencies currently experienced. The fight against piracy, an ugly demon challenging the industry even at a global level, can be curtailed through collective efforts with the agencies established as watch guards, protecting the industry from continued erosion.

To this regard, government policies backing the entertainment industry and protecting the intellectual property rights in this sector should be actively implemented without fear or favour as these will go a long way to create an atmosphere where more international acts would want to come over to the country and do more meaningful collaborations thus advancing the entertainment industry.

Foreign collaborations are not only seen in the music industry only, it is also seen in the film and fashion industry as these days Nigerian homemade Nollywood movies feature American Hollywood actors and visa versa. Example of these movies are ‘Dr Bello’, ‘Ije’, ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ and ‘Turning Point’, just to mention a few. In the Hollywood series, ‘Broke Girls’, Omotola Jakende was given a guest appearance there while the likes of Olu Jacob, and Genevive Nnaji have featured in a few Hollywood productions either as a major or minor role player. With an eye to attracting an international mainstream audience, Nigerian filmmakers are increasingly turning to the west for actors like Isaiah Washington and Thandie Newton. The same developments are taking place in co-productions with filmmakers from other African countries. The Princess of Africa, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, starred in ‘Foreign Demons’, a film set in Nigeria as well as her native South Africa. ‘Feathered Dreams’ is the first Nollywood-Ukrainian co-production.

Set in Ukraine, the film stars Nigerian actress Omoni Oboli and Ukrainian actor Andrey Rozhen who also directed it.

In the world of fashion, there have been steady efforts to turn Lagos, a city with a fearsome reputation, into a fashion destination. In 2012, it reached new heights at the MTN Lagos Fashion & Design Week that ran from Oct. 24 to 27 drew European high-fashion brands such as the United Kingdom’s Selfridges & Co. and Munich-based MyTheresa.com to Nigeria for the first

time. Ituen Basi’s newspaper inspired Spring/Summer 2013 collection was among 39 collections spotlighted at the city’s latest major fashion week. The Nigerian label’s collection evoked fun and glamour through its use of print and colour characteristics which have come to define the vibrant local fashion scene.

With local brands seeking wider platforms and international retailers hungry for novelty, designers and buyers see opportunities for collaboration. An encouraging response to African-inspired designs by top western labels gives buyers confidence that designs straight from the continent will also sell.

Online retailer, MyTheresa. com, which ships top designer clothes including Miu Miu, Givenchy, Lanvin and Isabel Meron to clients in 120 different countries, is also looking for products in Nigeria that will sell well. The company hopes that will set it apart from the competition in a fast-paced industry.

“For me, Nigeria represents a fun individualism,” the company’s buying director Justin O’Shea said. He also said that MyTheresa.com was looking forward to working closely with designers and adapt products for their clientele, if needed. Previously, several Nigerian designers have helped put the West African nation on the global fashion map.

Deola Sagoe has gained recognition from U.S. Vogue editor, Andre Leon Talley and Oprah Winfrey. London-based Duro Olowu is considered one of Michelle Obama’s favourite designers.

Maki Oh has dressed American singer, Solange Knowles and Hollywood actress, Leelee Sobieski from her Lagos workshop. Jewel By Lisa, who has also dressed celebrities, designed limited edition BlackBerry mobile phone skins and jewelled cases for Canadian manufacturer, Research In Motion Ltd. While looking to Nigeria could bring much-needed novelty to clothes targeted to global audiences, it could also endear a Nigerian clientele. Though the majority of the nation lives on less than $2 a day, the nation’s wealthy elite have a growing appetite for top-shelf brands. Luxury goods stores are increasingly opening in a country where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm.

Overall, collaborations within the industry has contributed and aided the economic aspect of the entertainment world. The recognition Nigerian artistes are receiving globally are enormous because our production qualities in films, music lyrics and videos and fashion styles has now met up with international standards.

Foreign collaborations are not only seen in the music industry only, it is also seen in the film and fashion industry as these days Nigerian homemade Nollywood movies feature American Hollywood actors and visa versa

60 kiddies

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Maze

kiddies kingdom

By Chika mefor

08156719304 (SMS only)

The Frog Prince

O

ne fine evening, a young princess put on her bonnet and clogs, and went out to take a walk by herself in a wood.

When she came to a cool spring of water with a rose in the middle of it, she sat herself down to rest a while. Now, she had a golden ball in her hand, which was her favourite plaything that she was always tossing it up into the air, and catching it again as it fell.

After a time, she threw it up so high that she missed catching it as it fell. The ball bounded away, and rolled along on the ground, until at last it fell down into the spring. The princess looked into the spring after her ball, but it was very deep, so deep that she could not see the bottom of it. She began to cry, and said, ‘Alas! if I could only get my ball again, I would give all my fine clothes and jewels and everything that I have in the world.’

While she was speaking, a frog put its head out of the water, and said, ‘Princess, why do you weep so bitterly?’

‘Alas!’ said she, ‘What can you do for me, you nasty frog?

My golden ball has fallen into the spring.’

The frog said, ‘I do not want your pearls, and jewels, and fine clothes; but if you will love me, and let me live with you and eat from your golden plate, and sleep on your bed, I will bring you your ball again.’

‘What nonsense,’ thought the princess, ‘This silly frog is talking! He can never even get

puzzle

out of the spring to visit me.

Since he may be able to get my ball for me, I will tell him he shall have what he asks.’

So she said to the frog, ‘Well, if you will bring me my ball, I will do all you ask.’

Then the frog put his head down, and dived deep under the water; and after a little while he came up again, with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the edge of the spring.

As soon as the young princess saw her ball, she ran to pick it up; and she was so overjoyed to have it in her hand

again, that she never thought of the frog, but ran home with it as fast as she could.

The frog called after her, ‘Stay, princess, and take me with you as you said,’ But she did not stop to hear a word.

The next day, just as the princess had sat down to dinner, she heard a strange noise - tap, tap - plash, plash - as if something was coming up the marble staircase, and soon afterwards, there was a gentle knock at the door, and a little voice cried out and said:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

➔ T0 BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

SPOT the difference

Precious Oluwadamilola Olore was one on September 2, 2014.

Kiddies Kingdom wishes her long life and God’s blessings.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Imo Govt Sets To Prune Down Hotels

By Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Following the number of wholesome hotels in Imo State, the state government has announced plans to shut down hotels established without official approval and operating below standards without relevant security devices and medical aids.

The state commissioner for Transport and Tourism, Chief Ken Anaeme disclosed this while briefing newsmen on programmes slated for the “2014 World Tourism Day” celebration in the state with the theme: “Tourism and Community Development”.

He said that the measure is part of government’s efforts to sanitize, strengthen and boost tourism in the state.

Anaeme who also denied allegations of government imposition of N40,000 on each hotel proprietor in the

state for the purchase of a piece of the nation’s flag said that a neutral body mutually selected by the government and the hotel owners is rather in charge of the project, adding that the N40,000 levy was a product of mutual agreement between the hotel owners and company in question.

Speaking extensively on the economic benefits of tourism, which, according to him, include job creation, business promotion, site seeing, rural transformation and spiritual uplift, Chief Anaeme said that the state currently boasts of over 200 hotels and over 150 tourist sites some of which are either fully developed or are undergoing development.

“We are not forcing hoteliers to buy pieces of the nation’s flags at N40,000 per piece but as corporate bod-

ies, they (the hoteliers) must put up the Nigerian flag in their offices and premises and there is a company in charge of this”.

The commissioner drew attention to government’s free education programme, road constructions, general hospitals, provision of infrastructural facilities and the Blue Lake Treasure at Oguta, which, according to him, are all geared toward promoting tourism in the state, stressing that the World Tourism Day which takes place on the 27th of September annually as established by the United Nations, was meant to showcase the rich tourism potentials of the state to the world as encapsulated in a compendium for the information and awareness of members of the public.

FRSC Warns Against Indiscrimnate Parking Of Cars

BY ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna

The Assistant Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in charge of RS1, Mr Victor Nwokolo yesterday said any car owner who engages in any indiscriminate parking of their cars would be made to pay a fine of between 50,000 to 150,000 depending on how long such car is parked.

FRSC RS1 is in charge of Jigawa, Katsina, Kano and Kaduna States roads.

The zonal commander also vowed to clamp down on underage drivers,over speeding, overloading and driving under the influence of alcohol. He therefore warned that anyone found culpable henceforth may not have option of fines but imprisonment.

ACM Nwokolo stated this when he led officers of the zone to the state secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) on a courtesy visit. He said with availability of the right equip-

ment to work with, such as towing vehicles, speed reader and alcoholizer, there would be significant reduction in road crashes, saying ‘enough is enough’.

He also lamented that the level of response the FRSC was getting especially from commercial drivers was not commensurate with free education and awareness campaigns they have been offering, hence there was no other option than to embark on strict enforcement now than ever.

Ban On Hijab: Court Adjourns Judgment Till October 17

by OLUGBENGA SOYELE, Lagos

A Lagos High Court in Ikeja yesterday failed to deliver judgment in a suit filed by the Muslim Student Association of Nigeria (MSSN) against the Lagos State government over the use of Hijab by female Muslim students in the state’s primary and secondary schools.

Justice Modupe Onyeabo had fixed Friday for the judgment after counsel to MSSN, Gani Adetola-Kaseem (SAN) and the Lagos State Solicitor General, Lawal Pedro (SAN) argued and adopted their written submissions.

But the case could not proceed yesterday due to

the on going new legal year celebration of the Lagos State judiciary.

The judgment will not be delivered by the court on October 17.

MSSN had dragged the state government to court over the restriction of the use of the Hijab on the ground that it violates their fundamental human rights.

The Muslim students also argued that banning female students from using Hijab on or outside the premises of any educational institution in Lagos State “is wrongful and unconstitutional”.

The MSSN had filed the case against the state government along with two

pupils, Miss Asiyat Abdulkareem and Miss Maryam Oyeniyi, who are the first and second applicants respectively.

The two pupils, who are students of Atunrashe Junior High School, Surulere, Lagos State joined the suit as claimants through their fathers – Alhaji Owolabi Abdulkareem and Mr Suleiman Oyeniyi.

The defendants in the suit are the Lagos State attorney-general and commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, and commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye.

Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr Oyinlomo Danmole, is also one of the defendants.

news across the states 61

62 news across the states

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Fayose, PDP Reply Fayemi As Normalcy Returns To Ekiti

By ALO ABIOLA, ADO-EKITI

Normalcy has returned to Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital following Friday’s violent protest that greeted the assassination of the former state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mr Omolafe Aderiye, culminating in dusk to dawn curfew on the state.

But reacting to Governor Kayode Fayemi’s allegations that supporters of Ayodele Fayose were responsible

for the mayhem, Ayo Fayose said the governor spoke like that because he was a defeated governor.

“He (Fayemi) is a defeated man, so I don’t expect anything better from him. I see him as governor until his time is over. So, I would rather not join issues with him. It is reckless for anybody to be making assertions on an incident you didn’t witness. I will want to accord the office due respect and not join isssues with him.

He has only said he has advised the

Chief Judge, that is only an advice and there is nothing wrong with it. I have been going round town to calm the framed nerves of the people. If we have not been calming the people since last night, you wouldn’t have seen the peace we have now. Their target is to make sure that the inauguration doesn’t take place but my desire is to ensure there is peace and that is why I have been working hard to calm the people. Having failed in the back door of twisting justice through

the court, they have now resorted to self-help. But I’m assuring you that by the grace of God, because God abhors people who shed blood, the blood of Aderiye will fight his killers.”

Also, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has described the broadcast made on Friday, to the people of the State by Governor Kayode Fayemi, on the political unrest in the State as a further demonstration of the governor’s wickedness and heartlessness.

L- R: president of Frank Woopet INC, Chief Franklin Okoye; chairman, Pentecostal Communion of Bishops Council in Nigeria, Bishop Chibuzo Nwabueze, and Pheranzy Offshore operation manager, Amb Chiedu Ezeude, at Ambassadors for Peace annual general assembly 2014 in Abuja yesterday. Photo by Pat-

Railway: Why Borno, Yobe Are Excluded In December Target – Minister Minister of Transportation, Senator Idris Umar, has said, yesterday, that the two northeast states of Borno and Yobe would not enjoy the full takeoff of rail operations in the country targeted to commence in December due to the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency.

The minister who made this known to journalists in Bauchi yesterday while inspecting the ongoing rail tracks rehabilitation projects said, so far, the project was at its advanced stage

of completion.

“A substantial portion of this project which was supposed to be from Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri has been completed and we are expecting full operations

by December this year”, said Senator Umar.

“The only portion that has been left out and may not meet this target is the portion from Bajoga in Gombe State, through Buniyadi in Yobe State up to Maiduguri, Borno State; and this is because of the obvious security challenges we have around the states”, he added.

The minister said with all assurances given by the contractors and engineers on site, the whole project would be completed by the end of November and the trains would start moving from Port-Harcourt up to Gombe and beyond.

Senator Umar, who envisaged the return of an era where haulage and freight movement would be made easier once again by the time the railways started full operations, said the entire railway rehabilitation covers a distance of over 3500km of which over 90 percent of the rails have been re-

habilitated.

The managing director of Nigeria Railway Corporation(NRC) Engr Adeseyi Sijuade, who was in the entourage of the minister said what was witnessed in Bauchi yesterday was the final stage of the rail track rehabilitation which commenced from Kuru all the way to Gombe and Bajoga.

He said the technical exercise known as ‘ballasting’ was the last efforts being made on the railway tracks before the trains would start rolling from one point of the country to the other.

2015: Call Kalu To Order, Group Tells Abia Stakeholders

By Ejike O. Ejike, Abuja

A socio-political organisation under the aegis of Coalition of Patriotic Democrats in Abuja, have expressed concern over the festering crisis between Governor T.A. Orji of Abia State and his predecessor, Orji Uzor Kalu saying the former governor should be called to order from his attacks on the state government ahead of 2015 general election.

The national coordinator of CPD, Chief Ako Atulomah, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, called on the people of the state to use their vote wisely and vote

The acting director general of National Agricultural Seed Councio (NASC)Dr Philips OlusegunOjo, yesterday said the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) is targeting 20 million farmers in 2015.

He stated this in an interview with Leadership Sunday at the closing ceremony of a fourday training organised by NASC held at Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) in Zaria.

The participants were drowned from Youth Corps members, NASC certification officers, internal quality control and seed production officers of seed companies.

The acting D-G said in view of this, the task of making high quality seeds available to farming population was enormous.

Olusegun-Ojo said in 2014 GES reached out to over 90 per cent of Nigerian farmers, saying it was never the case before.

“Before the introduction of GES, only 11 per cent of Nigerian farmers get fertilisers but now over 90 per cent got the commodity from their redemption centres.

“In view of the enormous success recorded by GES in Nigeria, countries like China, Brazil, Kenya and Tanzania will come to borrow a leaf from us,” he assured.

By Aliyu Yusuf, Zaria

rick Ebi Amanama

By Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri

NASC- GES Targets 20m Farmers In 2015

the persons of their choice.

“Going further in observations about today’s Abia in relation to political environment, it is noteworthy that the entrenched practice of god-fatherism spoilt the political ambitions of so many qualified Abians during the past administration, especially during that of Orji Uzor Kalu. Before one could go for any elective or appointment in office, he was required to partake of such obnoxious acts”.

According to him, the CPD team has observed that things have changed in Abia State where everybody is free to aspire to any

office including that of the president so long as that individual has the capability and acceptability.

“People are no longer hounded to take oaths as was practised during the past administration.

We are disturbed by what Orji Uzor Kalu is doing because it is very unpatriotic. We are interested in ensuring that a good government emerges at the state and at the top. Kalu should be called to order by the stakeholders in Abia State including elders. He should be called to order because what he is doing is very undemocratic and unpatriotic”, they stated.

The CPD called on the people

of Abia State not to allow themselves and their democratic aspirations to be derailed by the antics of any politician as we approach 2015.

“We view this as desperation from shady corners and characters who do not wish the state well. They are determined to pull down the present government and take the state back to the dark days of fear, superstition and insecurity. The present government has set a standard in terms of infrastructural development, mass economic empowerment, and political interaction for future administrations to surpass.

2015: Former Governor Canvasses Generational Change In Politics Former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia, has canvassed for generational change in the political space.

He therefore described the presidential aspiration of General Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as clogging the space for younger generation of leaders to emerge.

While Atiku has formerly declared his presidential ambition under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Buhari is expected to declare under the same party soon.

But Omehia while speaking with journalists in Abuja, urged the APC chieftains to sponsor younger candidates to the presidential position, rather than having a perpetual aspiration even though they have the constitutional right to aspire for any office in the land.

“Every human being who is of age has the right to aspire for any position in as much as you have met the constitutional requirement.

“They have consistently contested for the position and their continued aspiration is blocking the interest of the younger ones. Why not believe that there is a destiny?

You just give it up and God has a way of making it up for such people”, he said.

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

feature 63

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Suntai: Can Taraba Assembly End The Political Deadlock?

The political situation in Taraba State has continued to elicit commentary from political watchers, especially, following plans to return the ailing governor, Danbaba Suntai to office. The state assembly has, however, pre-empted the move following the setting up of a medical panel to investigate his state of health. Andrew Ojih reports The unfolding political crisis in Taraba State started after the unfortunate air crash involving Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai in late 2012 near the Yola airport in Adamawa State. This culminated into a very funny political drama, which no doubt, has held the state stagnant almost two years now by different actors both within and outside the state.

Suntai, a pilot by sheer interest, survived that crash by divine help. He was, however, flown to Europe, and later the United States of America, for treatment.

The crash occurred a few weeks after the governor had led the state House of Assembly in impeaching his deputy, Alhaji Danladi Sani and subsequently appointed Garba Umar as the new deputy governor.

The first phase of the drama was when Governor Suntai was reportedly smuggled into the country by a certain group of people who were referred to as cabal.

The move was done to oust the acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, but was trailed by much criticism, before it was rested for a while.

There is no doubt, the activities of these group created a divergent opinions as many understand the mission of the group to be deterrent to the interest and the progress of the state. The motive of the group, as was alleged, was to run the state in proxy in spite of the fact that Suntai was not fit to assume duty as governor thereafter.

All the maneuverings to seize power was, however, repelled by the timely intervention of the state assembly who, after a visit to Suntai in government house shortly after his return from American hospital, held that Suntai requires further treatment, and ignored a letter purported to have been written to the lawmakers that the ailing governor was fit to assume office.

Ironically, the lawmakers insisted that Alhaji Garba Umar must continue to function as the acting governor pending the time Suntai would recover fully.

Understandably, the action of the state assembly detracted all the movements by the cabal, who later resigned to fate and had no option than to allow the ailing governor to continue further treatment.

Again, on June 3 2014, the sick governor was flown to a London hospital following his deteriorating condition of health. He has been receiving treatment for nearly three months before he was eventually flown back to Nigeria on September 13, 2014 under a mystrious circumstance.

The matter, however, again reared its head with his second return into the country last week following an alleged plan by some politicians in the state to bring him back into office ahead of the governorship primary election. This was done in order to stand in the way of acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar who is also working towards retaining the seat by 2015.

The drama, however, assumed a different dimension on arrival. It was gathered that before the plane landed in Abuja at exerctly 9:40 pm, the state acting governor, Garba Umar and a few members of his aides were already at the domestic wing of the airport to receive his boss but unknown to him, the cabal, who was this time, lead by the former governor of the state, Rev jolly Nyame, two members of the National Assembly, former members of Suntai’s cabinet and some members of the state assembly, were waiting at the international wing of the airpot where the plane conveying him was directed to land.

Umar and his entourage, who have been waiting at the airport for over two hours before the plane that brought Suntai landed, did not sight the ailing governor before he was smuggled out of the airport by the cabal.

Even journalists, that were also waiting at the airport to take a glimpse of Suntai, could not sight him understandably to prevent the journalist from taking photographs of how he would be brought down like a baby, as before.

Meanwhile, a few journalists, who were opportuned to chased the cabal later discovered that he was taken to the governor’s lodge otherwise called TY Danjuma House, located at Asokoro in Abuja.

The action of the cabal did not go down well with the state acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, who appears to have been pushed to wall and had no option but to react.

Last week, Umar, during an interview with some foreign media, lamented the humiliations he had suffered as a result of the actions of the cabal.

“I want to state clearly that no individual or a group is bigger than government, so we shall not continue to fold our hands and allow them have their ways after all, our governor is a property of the government and not for an individual”, he said.

The acting governor, who spoke in Hausa warned, “Enough is enough and we cannot continue to tolerate their actions” , said Umar.

“You see, government raised funds to pay for his medical treatment, carter for everything , including chartering of planes that conveyed him all over the places, but we are barred from having access to him or take decisions on him; tell me, if there is any member of cabal that has spent his ten kobo to charter flight for my boss”. He lamented.

He therefore warned that henceforth, government will no longer entertain any matter concerning his boss from members of the cabal. “Let me tell you, if my boss calls me today and say ‘I am well and ready to assume duty’, I will humbly handover certainly, not to a group who do not wish the state well”. Said the acting governor.

Meanwhile, shortly after Suntai’s arrival, the state House of Assembly set a fiveman medical panel to ascertain his health

status with a view to determining weather he was incapacitated or not.

The speaker of the assembly, Hon Josiah Sabo Kente, shortly on arrival from Abuja to Jalingo on September 20, announced the composition of the panel.

Kente said the action followed the resolution of the state executive council meeting on september 10, which evoked the provisions of section 189 (b) and 189 (4) of the 1999 constitution as amended, requesting him to constitute a medical panel.

“I have set up the medical panel in line with the resolution of the state EXCO meeting of sept 10, which requested me to do so,” he said LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that the panel has Prof Bala Shehu as chairman with the personal physician to Gov Danbaba Suntai, Dr Ahmed Kara, Prof Peter Alabi, Dr Shehu Sule and Dr Inusa Samaila as members.

In a swift reaction, a strong member of the cabal, who was former commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Barr Timothy Kataps said that the ailing governor will not appear before the medical panel set up by the state assembly to determine his state of health.

Kataps said since the matter was already a subject matter of judicial interpretation, it would not be legally advisable for him to appear before the panel.

He said the medical panel was part of the reliefs Suntai, who returned to the country two weeks ago, sought in the suit he instituted against the assembly when he wrote to them asking them to allow him to resume duties.

Kataps said, “Remember that the issue of a medical team to examine Suntai was part of the reliefs we sought in an earlier suit we filed against the House of Assembly. So, until that case is dispensed with, it will not be wise for the governor to appear before any medical team”. Suntai is still holed up in Abuja since returning to the country two weeks ago from medical treatment abroad.

In his own reaction, The appointed commissioner for Justice and AttorneyGeneral in the state, Barr Musa Tende said that Suntai must appear before the medical panel set up by the Taraba State House of Assembly last week, if truly he is fit to resume duty.

The commissioner added that Suntai was under oath to appear before the panel to ascertain his fitness or otherwise of his health.

Tende, further argued that there was nothing wrong with the governor appearing before the panel, as according to him, the law permits him to do it.

As the waiting games in Suntai saga continues, a Taraba High Court sitting in Jalingo, has restrained the Taraba State House of Assembly, the speaker, Hon Josiah Sabo Kente and the state deputy governor, Alhaji Garba Umar from taking any

Suntai

Garba

further steps or actions or doing anything further in any manner or otherwise in relation to the office of executive governor of Taraba State pending the determination of the motion on notice fix for 26the September, 2014.

Delivering a ruling in a motion exparte filled by Barr Elijah Nyaro on behalf of the plaintiff, Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai is urging the court to grant an order of interim injunction restraining any medical panel or body of persons constituted or set up by the three defendant from carrying out any action or taking step, whatsoever, for verification or examination of the plaintiff for the purpose of determining his medical status, preparing and submitting any report.

The court, however, refused the application, adding that the said medical panel had not been made a party to the proceeding by the applicant.

The presiding Judge, Justice Silas Haruna said that the court lacks jurisdiction to make an order against a body which had not been joined as proper or necessary party.

The commissioner added that Suntai was under oath to appear before the panel to ascertain his fitness or otherwise of his health

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

THE

ELECTABLES On September 30th, 2014

Who

Makes The List?

The best among Nigeria’s politicians; the best among those who aspire for political and elective office; the most popular candidates; the traiblazers; Nigeria ‘s most presentable candidates and those who have the vision and sense of mission to lead.

This is a must read!

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ChRISTIAN pERSpECTIvE 65

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Pastor W.F. Kumuyi The Study Of God’s Word info@deeperlifeonline.org

Call To A Winning Lifestyle (3) ➔

FROM LAST TWO WEEKS

Why are we alive at such a time on earth? (Genesis 1:28,29; Acts 13:22; Esther 4:14b; Jeremiah 1:5; Ezekiel 3:17; John 15:16; 1 Peter 2:9). We are not alive only to eat and be clothed.

Our preoccupation must not end with finding food, clothing and shelter. All these things are provided to keep us healthy and happy in order to fulfil the main purpose in life. We must not allow distracting worry and distrustful anxiety to make us lose focus. God, who has ordained our life and its purpose will provide all that are necessary to keep us alive.

BETTER THAN BIRDS AND SIGNIFICANTLY WORTHY Matthew 6:26; Luke 12:24; Matthew 10:29-31; Psalm 8:48; Luke 12:6,7; Job 28:7,8,1228; Exodus 19:4,5; Malachi 3:16-18; John 15:16; 1 Peter 2:9.

“Behold the fowls of the air.

Are ye not much better than they?” “Ye are of more value than many sparrows.” “How much more are ye better than the fowls.” One single child in the family is more important to the parents than all the birds in the country. One single believer, a child in God’s family, is of greater value to God than all the birds on earth. If God cares so much for birds and feeds them, having no need to worry and be anxious, will He not care for you and set you free for His eternal purpose?

Think of how valuable you are to God. He created you in His own image. He saved you by the precious blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

He has chosen you to praise Him and to reveal His glory on earth. He sanctified you to love Him supremely. He is teaching you His Word to make His whole mind known unto you

and through you to others. He has commissioned you to serve Him and to bring sinners to salvation in Christ. The price He has paid to bring you to Himself, to fulfil His eternal purpose in you and to prepare you for heaven cannot be estimated in any monetary currency value on earth. If He feeds the birds, if He cares for these inferior, insignificant creatures, will He not take care of you? He will, even beyond your expectation.

BEHAVE LIKE BELIEVERS AND STOP WORRYING Matthew 6:27; 10:16,19,20; 1 Kings 17:2-6; Isaiah 26:3,4; Psalm 27:13,14; John 14:1,27; Acts 27:21-25; 2 Timothy 1:11,12; Hebrews 4:3; Philippians 4:6-8.

“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? ” Which of you by worrying can prolong his life or add to the quality of his life?

Worry is useless and unprofit-

able. What can man’s worry or anxiety accomplish except to weaken him from taking positive, progressive action.

Whatever God has appointed, like man’s stature, height, age or heritage, our worry is of no avail and can do nothing to change it. God does not respond to worry, anxiety, unbelief, discontent, or murmuring as He responds to prayer and faith (Genesis 18:17-26; Exodus 32:9-14; 2 Kings 20:1-6; Jonah 3:1-10). What we cannot do or add by worrying, we can only have by faith, by trusting in God who can do all things.

Living by faith, God will add material benefits and spiritual blessings to our lives (Matthew 6:33). What is the use of worry or anxiety? Who, by anxiety, can add to life’s quality or life span? Anxiety hinders growth.

Faith aids growth and progress.

Have faith in God. ➔

CONCLUDED

Bishop Matthew Daniels Insight For Living bishopmatthewdaniels@yahoo.com +234 811 189 6866

Overcome Procrastination (2) ➔

Once you begin taking action, your focus shifts away from worrying about the difficulty of the task

FROM LAST TWO WEEKS

Finding your purpose is a powerful way to defeat procrastination problems because you won’t procrastinate on what you love to do. Chronic procrastination is actually a big warning sign that tells us, “You’re going the wrong way.

Take a different path!” When you centre your life on an inspiring purpose, then you can take advantage of certain motivational techniques to boost your motivation.

We all sometimes experience temporary laziness, but if you suffer from chronically low motivation and you just can’t seem to get anything going, then it’s time for you to let go of immature thought patterns, to embrace life as a mature human, and to discover your true purpose in life. Until you identify an inspiring purpose, you’ll never come close to achieving your potential, and your motivation will always remain weak.

4. Lack of Discipline

Even when motivation is high, you will still encounter tasks you don’t like to do. In these situations, self-discipline works like a motivational backup system. When you feel motivated, you don’t need much discipline, but it sure comes in handy when you need to get something done but really don’t want to do the work.

If your self-discipline is weak, however, procrastinating will be too tempting to resist.

5. Poor Time Management Habits For tasks you’ve been putting off for a while, I advise you to use what I call ‘time-boxing-reward’ method to fight that habit. Here’s how it works: First, select a small piece of the task you can work on for just 60 minutes. Then choose a reward you will give to yourself immediately you accomplish the task. The amount of time you invest in to work will become so naturally short because your focus will always be shifting to the impending pleasure of the

reward instead of the difficulty of the task. No matter how unpleasant the task may be, there will be nothing you will not endure for just 60 minutes since you are expecting a reward.

When you ‘time-box-reward’ your tasks, you may discover that something very interesting happens. You will probably find yourself working for over 60 minutes because you will often get so involved in a task, even a difficult one that you actually want to keep working on it. Before you know it, you’ve put in two hour or even several hours. The certainty of your reward is still there, so you know you can enjoy it whenever you’re ready to stop. Once you begin taking action, your focus shifts away from worrying about the difficulty of the task and toward finishing the current piece of the task which now has your full attention.

6. Lack of Skill If you lack satisfactory skill to complete a task at a reasonable level of quality, you may

procrastinate to avoid an embarrassing experience or a failure. You then have three viable options to overcome this type of pattern: educate, delegate, or eliminate.

If you are not capable of doing something, do not whimper about it. Educate yourself to gain skill until you become proficient, you can acquire the skill level you need by training up. Just because you can’t do something today doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to do it.

A second option is to delegate tasks you lack the right skill to do it. If you want a certain result but don’t want to acquire the skills to get that result, you can recruit others to help you. There are far too many interesting skills for you to master, so you must rely on others for help. Do you grow all your own food? Did you make your own clothes? Did you build your own house? Nature demands that you have to depend on others for your very survival. ➔

T0 BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

If He feeds the birds, if He cares for these inferior, insignificant creatures, will He not take care of you?

66 ChriStian perSpeCtive

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Brother Gbile Akanni Living Seed trifect2000@yahoo.com +234 806 126 1907

Fresh Fire For Life And Effective Ministry (3)

T

It is a burnt offering because of the burning on the altar. We cannot say this brother is burning by mere talk. It is the burnt offering simply because of the burning that is there

he process of a hypothesis becoming a law can take several years. If it is a law in Nigeria and it breaks down in Russia, it can no longer be a law. It has to be a hypothesis. But what we are talking about here is that it is a law. As a law, it works in Russia, in Europe and will work in Africa.

Let me not hear you say, “Well, you know, I would have kept my fresh fire, if only I was kept in the city.” No! This is a law and it is universal. If a young pastor today begins to operate that law, you will see that fire burning in him. If an old pastor suddenly realises that he had forgotten this law for some years and he applies it from this moment, listen to him in another two weeks and you will see fresh fire. He may have come to the pulpit with a stick because he is already tired. But when that fire begins to burn, you will see him standing up again and speaking with authority. Men may wonder about what happened to a man that was about to re-

tire. He has been re-fired.

Therefore, it is a law not waiting to be confirmed, because it has been confirmed.

It is not waiting to be proved; it has been proved. It is not waiting for experimentation; it has been experimented with over the years. There are so many great men of God in history that followed this law and it worked for them.

I am so sure that it will work for you as well. So, when that scripture says, “This is the law”, the next word I want to draw your attention to is that it is not just “a law” but “the law” – particularity. It is the law. You cannot operate any other law and arrive at this conclusion. So, if you and I will be wise people today, we should just sit down and study it, and be meticulous in applying it to our lives, to see what God will bring out of it.

The law of burnt offering...

“This is the law of the burnt offering. It is the burnt offering because of the burning”.

That is not tautology. You

cannot say you are on the fire if you are not burning. It is a burnt offering because of the burning. You cannot say, “I also have fire” and you are not burning anybody. It is a lie. It is a burnt offering because of the burning on the altar. We cannot say this brother is burning by mere talk. It is the burnt offering simply because of the burning that is there. If something is not burning any more, can we refer to it as a burning offering? We cannot! So, the baseline is that there must be fire. It must be burning, which means this law will not be applicable if it is not burning. These principles cannot be applied except it is burning “…because of the burning upon the altar all night until morning”. Our prayer should be that the burning upon the altar should be from the night until the morning and vice versa. It must be continuous. May God make you such a burning man; burning in the morning, burning in the afternoon, burning in the evening and burning in the night.

Some people burn only when the sun is up. There are certain things that burn when there is sun, but once night comes they die off. There are people that burn only when they are on the platform of popularity. There may be nothing happening in their lives, but when you call them up, maybe just to give a special song, they come, perform and when you go near them again, there is nothing.

We are not talking of those who burn for show. It is the burnt offering because of the burning that is on the altar in the night, all through to the morning. Catch such a man anytime, he is burning.

Don’t give him notice; pounce on him anytime, he is burning. The reason is that there is fire on his altar. Every time you pounce on him, there is something fresh.

Now, you have the chance to begin to allow the Holy Spirit to examine you and reveal to you the level of your own “burning”, if at all you are burning! This is a crucial need of your life.

Dr. Obinna Iheanyichukwu Life Discovery Series obirt@yahoo.com, dovechurchinternational@yahoo.com 08033454006

How To Make Your Faith Strong – Gen 22 In our study of faith this week, we will look at the life of Abraham. He was a man of unusual perception and practicality. One of the things I notice is the prompt way in which he obeys God. In this famous passage, Abraham was instructed by God to sacrifice his only son. This was a son he got after a long wait. After he and his wife almost gave up hope . Inspite of the emotional attachment, God came first in the life of Abraham. Are there things you cannot give up to God? Are there things you cannot sacrifice for the kingdom?

From the entire chapter, there are key points we can pick to make our faith strong; He was prompt and always quick to obey 2.

Even when it will cause him pain or loss of something precious.

3.

He moves even when the entire plan of picture was not clear. vs 2 4.

Vs 5-He kept no distraction with him to hinder his obedience.

There are certain people who if you allow them close to you, they will hinder your walk

with God. Don’t bring them into your inner caucus plan.

5.

He always spoke about what God will do not what he could not do. Vs 7-8. Put the responsibility of performance on God. 6.

He will not move back but keep on moving forward in the face of uncertainty but firmly holding unto nothing but what God said to him. Vs 8 7.

In his obedience, Abraham did not change his mind.

Don’t give up in your journey towards the promise.

8.

Total obedience is revealed by total sacrifice. Vs 12

He withheld nothing from God. In his obedience, he discovered God’s provision. God is a provider to him that fully trusts Him. Abraham went by faith and fully trusting that God knew what he was doing.

9.

Anything I need can be seen in the “Mount of the Lord” -“Jehovah Jireh” Whatever you need in life, it can be found in the presence of the Lord Vs 14.

May you find your provision in the path of your obedience in Jesus name.

One of the things I notice is the prompt way in which he obeys God

67

opinion Sunday, September 28, 2014

2015: A Case For Grassroots Politicians

By Nasiru Umar Chakis

Since the return to democracy in 1999, the turnover of elected public officeholders have been tilted in favour of what many people call “Briefcase politicians” or “money bag politicians”. These are politicians who are either living in Abuja, Lagos or major cities across the country. Some of them are in diaspora – people who are fortunate to have the wherewithal to bankrupt the electoral process.

This development was initially seen as a process of integrating Nigerians from all nooks and crannies to come home and contribute to the growth of democracy. However, since 1999, this trend has only helped to create a divide that is getting wider, dirtier and counterproductive to the growth of democracy.

Between 1999 to date, fewer grassroots politicians have been given opportunity to serve their people. Mostly, these classes of politicians because of their mass support at community levels are usually employed by the city politicians to mobilise and serve as their local links. Majority of election vic-

tories are as a result of the connections, dexterity, political sagacity, and maturity of these grassroots politicians. They are the ones with votes – those who understand the terrain, the politics, the divisions and the cementing factors that brew political victories.

It is a known fact that grassroots politicians are the real politicians.

People living and working with their people, day and night; people who have the pulse of their communities and understand their needs and aspirations, but who have always been regarded as tools for achieving success for others, but who are themselves not worthy of being considered for elections. And because this class of politicians has poor financial chest, political parties ignore it when it comes to being fielded as candidate.

They go after outsiders – politicians who although are indigenes of their communities but have never lived with them or understand their needs. It is because of this disconnect between this so-called briefcase politicians and their communities that Nigeria failed to harness the much-touted talk of democrat-

ic dividends 15 years after the advent of democracy.

What more, a nation that fails to recognise the need for balance in its attempt to build a working strategy for sustenance of democracy, social justice and economic growth will always struggle to establish itself as a responsible country. It is not an exaggeration to state that one of the most unfortunate processes of our democratic journey has been the failure to build a leadership recruitment process that recognises merit rather than money.

In all the 36 states in the federation, the recruitment process lacks vision, merit and the simple wisdom that he who wears the shoes knows where it pains most.

In Nigeria, the trend since the advent of democracy has been to recognise people with financial power and then be drafted to run for offices either they never plan to, or they pay to attain. Our political journey since 1999 has been fraught with this kind of ignominious chemistry where merit is dumped for financial power chest; where popularity and capacity are dumped and turned into mockery ladder to be

used while ascending to the top. No wonder, 15 years after the advent of democracy, the nation is still battling to get its feet balanced as it struggle to find the right formula that will advance it democracy.

In many developed countries, or even less-developed one, where ethos of democracy that rightly recognise power of the people for the people and by the people are guiding mantras of the art, grassroots politicians determine waves of candidature. A responsible, respectable and capable grassroots politician is 50% guaranteed to be fielded by any political party than a non-entity with financial power.

This is why democracy is working elsewhere and is proving difficult, if not impossible to nurture, here.

It is therefore a clarion call for all political parties in the country whether the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), or the remaining registered parties to change the trend and embrace the democratic norm of candidature that allows people’s power to decide.

Chakis wrote from Dutsinma

Grassroots politicians are the real politicians.

People living and working with their people, day and night; people who have the pulse of their communities and understand their needs and aspirations

FEATURE

Ban On Tobacco: How Realistic?

By Blessing Ukemena

Smoking is dangerous to health. So states a popular advert by the Ministry of Health.

This is one of the reasons why there has been a lot of public outcry against smoking tobacco. Although, there has been a ban on smoking in public places, there are some people who are of the opinion that more should be done against the habbit.

Sometimes ago, there was a public hearing on tobacco smoking where the House of Representatives’ Committee on Health received contributions from Nigerian stakeholders on the Tobacco Smoking Bill with the speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, assuring that the bill was not targeted at banning smoking in Nigeria.

The speaker, who was represented by the chief whip, Isiaka Bawa, at the public hearing said the bill, when passed, will assist to address many health issues in the country.

The chairman of the committee on health, Ndudi Elumelu, described the bill as an intervention in the health sector. He was also of the opinion that the pulse of the public on the issues need to be aired. “Since no one has the monopoly of knowledge, it is for us to listen to Nigerians and get their input as we are not determined to impose any inclusion in all the provisions as provided in all the bills. It is what you give to us in this public hearing that will form part of what we will submit at the plenary session,” he said.

At the public hearing, most of the speakers welcomed the bill but wanted amendment on areas, especially the sections that tend to stifle the tobacco industry and save the industry and its aligned businesses.

They wanted regulations that would meet international standard.

In his view, Olusegun Sofola of Initiative for Public Policy Analysis said, to regulate the industry is good but the regulation must be balanced and cater for all industries within the sector, the smokers as well as non-smokers since it also generates a lot of revenue for the government. “As we desire to regulate the smoking aspect of it, we must also ensure that the bill is not disadvantageous to a particular set of people because that will lead to a lot of unintended consequences,” he stated.

He believes that the bill as drafted was a little bit hard on the industry. “If that bill is passed as it is, there is every tendency that it will not be effective because it did not address the supply and demand issue.

Tobacco is not only on health issue, there is also economic side to it. If it is stopped from the supply side and once the demand is there, there would be challenge of smuggling and capital flight.

In an interview with Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), he said, “We are commending the House of Representatives for the public hearing, and we are saying that

they should intensify work on it. They should not be intimidated by the practice of the tobacco industries. They should work very hard to get Nigeria a very effective national tobacco control law that is effective enough to ensure reduction in smoking across the country”. He also gave some very serious implications of tobacco smoking especially among the youths and how the bill would help. “Tobacco kills, causes cancer and there are thousands of young people that die every year from tobacco. About 70 per cent of such cases are from developing countries including Nigeria and we have been on this for a very long time and there is a general agreement from everybody that Nigeria needs to control smoking, and, or prevent ill health among our youths and our children.

Once the bill is passed, it will remove all those environments that allow for youth initiation. It will ban smoking in public places. It will include 70 per cent of pictorial warnings on cigarette packs; it will ban advertisement sponsorship and promotion of cigarettes. It will also enable government to raise taxes on smoking and on cigarette products but most importantly, it is going to bring about a national awareness and education programme so that everybody, regardless of his location, will be able to know the dangers of cigarette smoking,” he stated.

Mrs Hilda Ochefu works for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and is the sub-regional

coordinator for west Africa. She explains why tobacco is a serious threat that should be stopped before it over-escalates and eliminates the teeming younger generation.

“Over the years, what has happened is that the tobacco industry is being pushed out because of the presence of a very strong tobacco controlled laws in the western part of the world. So, they are also being pushed out of this country because the laws regulating them are very strong and stringent.

“Tobacco companies are now looking for a new playground like Africa and countries like Indonesia because in these countries, it is either that there are no laws at all to regulate them or the laws that are in place are weak and ineffective. So, when you have a situation where there are no laws or there is weak implementation of existing laws, the tobacco industry will come in and will like to recruit new consumers which mainly are young people and this is what we are kicking against because when a young child or teen is initiated into smoking, they will become lifetime users of tobacco. So, what we are trying to do now in Africa, not just in Nigeria, is to make sure that we have a very strong national tobacco law in place that will reduce the consumption of tobacco,” she said.

However, one Mr George Bakare said, hose who have the habit of smoking are of course not in support of the tobacco bill.

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

Zainab Jaji Zee’s Corner zeescorner@gmail.com,Twitter. @addazee

The sudden impulse I felt this week when I saw on breaking news that the chibok girls were rescued was to yell out and punch the air. I felt suddenly that Nigeria had won over the terrorists and our girls would be home to the warm embrace of their families.

With the UN General Assembly in full force, it meant Nigeria would now be at the front and centre and world leaders would jubilate with us. A political coup would have taken place and all the awful memories from the World Economic Forum in May 2014 would be erased.

All that was punctured when barely half an hour later, we were told the story was false!

Goodness, gracious me. How could that be? How could such a horrible mistake happen? Oh! How we were going to be the laughing stock of the world yet again. Is it that as a country, we cannot manage information, and how could such a sensitive issue be so bungled?. It is only right for

Elation Amidst Despair

one to feel enraged.

Following all these confusion, a glimmer of hope bursted through with the police in Adamawa State announcing the finding of “Susan”, one of the abducted girls, who had been thrown off the back of a lorry and survived, though thoroughly bruised and battered.

Today, we have been told that the young lady is four months pregnant and traumatised. One cannot help but weep for the other girls and their families.

It truly hurts to imagine what our girls are going through. It is important as a community that we all embrace Susan and show her that she is still loved and cherished. It is also important to stabilise her medically before going in for a debrief. As hard as this might be, the intelligence and information that can be gathered from her ordeal cannot be underestimated.

Our agencies must be steadfast in their search for the girls and not get distracted by the ugly

politics of our times. The girls cannot be part of any political discussion and should not be used for any agenda. This is the only way we can absolve ourselves of the failure to get them rescued.

Initial denials cost us our girls and I am sure all the parents want is to have their girls home. The return of Susan is surely a sign of hope that we must hold on to and learn from.

The reality, however, is that we still have approximately 218 young girls abducted and that despair we feel has not waned. As a Nigerian, I certainly, do not want to be part of a generation whose citizens just disappear and are forgotten. To be resolute is to stay the course.

The cause of #BringBackOurGirls is ours together. We must never forget, even when they get home.

The repression of their voices is a repression of every female. We must congratulate our armed forces on their efforts to curb and overcome the insurgency, for it is with our support that success

becomes certain.

Our military command must ensure that we do not have constant gaffes from their own end. At the beginning, we were told all the girls had been rescued, but again it was false, hence the rise of #BringBackOurGirls. They must verify, verify and verify that information that is to come to us. We cannot continue to accept these lapses. Our country is already battling to manage its image over our own cash for arms affair. Some positive news would be great in these tense political times. We cannot fail in this mission.

One of our girls is home and we are grateful for that. More pressure will also ensure more of them will come home. Our government must double its efforts for their release. The hope of the country and the world lies on its shoulders.

This entrusted leadership comes with inherent responsibility that is designed to erase despair with the light of hope.

Hamza Atta Isn't It Funny? hamzolo@yahoo.co.uk 08181091784

Whither Nigeria?

We should be getting answers on how the Nigerian government had to “borrow” a private jet belonging to a man of God to procure arms when there are 10-12 jets in the Presidential Fleet

I try my best to look at the brighter side of things each time I think, speak or write about Nigeria. I consider it a service to my country not to be a doomsday provocateur.

But these days, maintaining one’s sanity and positivity is becoming increasingly challenging. I have posited time and again that we have focused too much on electoral politics and that it weakens the same institutions we elect our leaders to superintend. Can there be democracy without the rule of law? Can the rule of law be upheld without a strong, independent judiciary and police force? If something urgent isn’t done to salvage the situation, all plausible indices show that our dear country, Nigeria, is nose-diving into the abyss.

The big lie that we are is taking the shine off our potential for greatness; we have become a source of comedy to the international community. We are the laughing stock of the world, yet we seem clueless about it. It is only in Nigeria that a registered private jet would take off from the Presidential Wing of an international airport stacked with $9.3 million cash (a society preaching cashless economy) and land in another sovereign

country in total disrespect for all known international protocols on money laundering. And when the authorities in South Africa arrested the two Nigerians and one Israeli in possession of the confiscated sum of money, a real Pandora’s Box was blown open: the three men were meant to procure weapons with the money on behalf of the Nigerian government! It turns out that the South African government didn’t license the company they intended to do business with!

The whole thing stinks. Who are these people? Who are the arms intended for? Are these some of the arms we find with terrorists and cannot explain how they have arrived in our land?

If we were a sane society, we should be asking the airport authorities, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Central Bank of Nigeria and security agencies how they managed to miss what the South African authorities intercepted.

We would have seen some highlevel resignations and arrests. We should be getting answers on how the Nigerian government had to “borrow” a private jet belonging to a man of God to procure arms

when there are 10-12 jets in the Presidential Fleet. Yet, we cannot ask questions or raise concern because we don’t have institutions strong enough to provide answers.

Our legislators have stood down a debate on the matter, as they see no need.

While we were breaking all protocols and conventions known to man and flouting the local laws of a fellow African country, back home, a church building has collapsed, killing around 115 people on religious tourism. Of that number, 85 people were from – guess where – South Africa!

An apparent case of negligence and violation of set regulations was twisted into a cock-and-bull story of terrorism and perhaps, a witch-hunt. No protection for the believers; no information for us. Even if our government is insensitive to the criminal and/ or diplomatic implications of its actions in the $9.3 million scam and its inaction in the issue of the collapsed sanctuary, shouldn’t it, at least, be mindful of the wellbeing of its Diaspora citizens? The South African media have commenced a sneer campaign on Nigeria and Nigerians. We should be mindful that our own silence makes us

complicit in it. Nigerians in South Africa are being targeted afresh for attacks because back home, the recklessness continues and even if there were a probe, it would amount to nothing, as our rule of law continues to be trampled upon with impunity.

We may never know what brought down that Synagogue building. Nigeria is a country of absurdities and we seem OK with it.

So long as ethnicity, religion and venality are thrown in the mix of our extractive sociopolitical system, core institutions responsible for checks and balances will continue to be defeated. If we cannot speak the truth or protect our laws for fear of being labeled, then greater injustices will continue to ravage us. The power play unfolding in Taraba State is a microcosm of the corruption of our government and the weakness of our institutions. There are two governors in Taraba and no government. A parasitic cabal has retained an evidently incapacitated governor, thereby preventing the constitutional process that would have paved way for the transition of power to his deputy.

The reality, however, is that we still have approximately 218 young girls abducted and that despair we feel has not waned

69

foreign Sunday, September 28, 2014

news

Protesters clash with riot police outside Hong Kong government complex on Saturday.

ISIL Pushes Into Syrian Towns Despite US Raids SYRIA - ISIL fighters continue to advance on Ain al-Arab despite US air strikes and fierce resistance from Kurdish forces.

Al-Jazeera reported that fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have continued to advance into the Kurdishdominated town of Ain al-Arab in Syria, despite the US-led air campaign against the self-declared jihadist group.

More than 15,000 residents have fled the northern Syrian town as ISIL fighters pushed deeper, fighting fierce battles with Kurdish armed groups on Saturday.

Ain al-Arab, which the Kurds call Kobane, is close to the Syrian-Turkey border. Turkish officials said that four mortar shells from the scene of the fight in Syria landed in Turkey on Saturday, injuring two people.

Earlier in the day, US coalitionled warplanes struck ISIL positions

near Ain al-Arab, as well as targets that included wheat silos in the country’s east.

Fighting have been raging there for two weeks as ISIL captured dozens of villages around Ain al-Arab and tried to push into the town itself.

Al-Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from the Turkish side of the border, said smoke could be seen from the eastern side of the town after what sounded like an explosion.

Kurdish sources inside Ain alArab, where fighters had been preparing for street battles should ISIL manage to penetrate their defences, said they had been informed of the strikes in advance so that they could pull back from some frontlines.

Locals said the village of Alishera, just a few kilometres from the border and held by the ISIL, had been hit by one of the four strikes.

Air Strikes Hit Islamic State Militants In East Syria BEIRUT - Air strikes hit Islamic State and other Islamist groups in eastern Syria early Saturday, a monitoring group said, as a U.S.led coalition seeks to turn the tide against the militants who have captured cities in Syria and northern Iraq.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, at least, 31 explosions were heard in the province of Raqqa, a stronghold of the islamic state, and casualties were reported.

It said warplanes also struck areas east of the desert town of Palmyra in Homs province and hit

several IS checkpoints around the Kurdish town of Kobani close to the Turkish border.

Later on Saturday, a Reuters witness saw two British fighter jets leaving a Royal Air Force base in Cyprus, a day after the British parliament authorized air strikes on Iraq.

The U.S.-led air campaign has yet to stop the advance of the Islamic State fighters on the town of Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, which has been under attack for, at least, 10 days. The assault has sent 140,000 refugees across the frontier since last week in the biggest of such exodus in three and a half years of civil war.

Police Clamp Down As Hong Kong Students Protest For Democracy HONG KONG – Police in Hong Kong blocked more protesters from joining a pro-democracy rally outside the government headquarters as tensions rose Saturday, following more than 70 arrests of activists.

CNN reported that protesters already in the restricted zone announced they would stay overnight, but emergency personnel were the only people being allowed into the fenced-off area. A CNN team could see them coming in and out of the area with protesters on stretchers.

The rally was due to start at 8 p.m. (8 a.m. ET) outside the gov-

ernment headquarters in the Admiralty area. But in the lead-up to it, police blocked off the main protest area in front of the headquarters and closed off footbridges to prevent any more people reaching it.

Activists put up umbrellas to protect themselves from possible pepper spray from police as they chanted, “Let us in” in front of the government building.

Hong Kong police appealed to the protesters in the restricted area to leave as soon as possible, saying that having entered by “violent means” they were participating in an “unlawful assembly

otherwise, police will take actions and adopt effective measures to restore public order,” a police statement said. Those gathering nearby on Tim Mei Avenue were also urged to leave.

Hong Kong authorities said 34 people, nine of them women, had been treated in hospital for injuries suffered in the protest as of 6 p.m. Saturday. Of those, 29 have been discharged.

Earlier Saturday, the protesters said they would continue to occupy the area indefinitely until detained student activists are released and they are able to speak directly to Hong Kong’s leader.

Japanese Volcano Kills One, Over 30 Seriously Injured JAPAN – A Japanese volcano popular with hikers erupted on Saturday, killing one woman and seriously injuring more than 30 people, officials and media said.

Reuters reported that the mountain draws walkers who come to admire the autumn colors on the trees. “It was like thunder,” a woman told public broadcaster NHK of the first eruption at the volcano in seven years. “I heard boom, boom, then everything went dark.”

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the volcano, Mount Ontake, which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures 200 km (125 miles) west of Tokyo, erupted just before midday and sent ash pour-

ing down the mountain’s south slope for more than three km (two miles).

Tokyo’s Haneda airport said incoming domestic flights were experiencing delays of about 40 to 50 minutes because they were forced to change routes. International flights to and from Haneda were not affected by the eruption, the airport said.

NHK, citing the local fire brigade, reported that one woman had been confirmed dead. More than 30 people were seriously injured and 10 of them were unconscious, it said.

According to police, more than 250 hikers at one stage had been

stranded on the mountain, which is 3,067 meters (10,062 feet) high and last erupted in 2007. No nuclear power plants are located nearby.

NHK said about 230 hikers had made their way down the mountain, while 41 people remained stranded and were expected to try descending the next day.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who returned from the United States on Saturday, said he had ordered the military to help in rescue efforts. “I instructed them to do all we can to rescue the people affected and secure the safety of the trekkers,” Abe told reporters.

AFGANISTAN – Afghan villagers hanged four captured Taliban militants from a tree on Saturday as security forces battled the insurgents for a sixth day in a district of Ghazni province, an official said.

Reuters reported that the

hangings were carried out after Taliban fighters had killed more than 100 people in the area in the past weeks, including more than a dozen who were beheaded, according to Ghazni deputy governor, Mohammad Ali Ahmadi.

The battle in the Ajrestan district of Ghazni, southwest of the capital Kabul, is part of an escalation of Taliban attacks around the country as the militants take advantage of dwindling U.S. air support as foreign forces leave.

Afghan Villagers Hang Taliban Fighters As Battle For District Rages

70

Sunday, September 28, 2014

8th Godswill Akpabio Scrabble Classics Climax Today

By Salifu Usman, Uyo

The 8th Godswill Akpabio International Scrabble Classics comes to a climax today after three days of top action at the Le Meridien Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State with Gitonga Nderitu of Kenya leading the pack in the masters category.

After 18 round of matches played as at press time yesterday, Gitonga has 14 wins, two draws and lost two games and a cummulative spread of +822 ahead of other top contestants.

Current world champion, Nigel Richard of Malaysia, a serving youth corps member, Wellington Jighere and Allan Oyende have 13 wins, one draw and four losses respectively trailing Gitonga.

Premier League results Yesterday’s Matches Liverpool 1-1 Everton Crystal Palace 2-0 Leicester Chelsea 3-0 Aston Villa Hull City 2-4 Man City Man Utd 2-1 West Ham Southampton 2-1 QPR Sunderland 0-0 Swansea Today’s Matches West Brom vs Burnley

Murray

Murray Reaches Shenzhen Final Andy Murray reached his first final since winning Wimbledon last year after battling past Juan Monaco 2-6 6-3 6-0 at the ATP Shenzhen Open in China.

Murray, who is ranked 11th in the world, also boosted his bid to qualify for November’s ATP World Tour Finals with only the top eight players guaranteed to qualify.

He will now take on world No 22 Tommy Robredo from Spain in today’s title match.

The Scot needs to pick up points to make the season’s finale in London and he reached his first ATP final of the year despite a rather disjointed display.

After losing the opening set and out of sorts, Murray managed to fight back in brutal conditions to take charge of the next and win nine games in a row to defeat the disheartened world No 97 from Argentina.

The second seed will now be aiming to secure his 29th career title when he goes up against 32-yearold fourth seed Robredo who beat Santiago Giraldo with a straightforward 6-1 6-4 in the other semifinal.

With nine games left to decide on the final day rounding off proceedings, scrabble lovers are already looking forward to Kenyan, Malaysian world champion, Nigerian youth corps member and three other persons battling for the ultimate USD 22,000 prize at stake for the Masters title.

A total of 408 players are participating in the five events tournament with the open category which is for the all comers affair having the highest participants of 154 players vying for honours.

This year Akpabio International Scrabble Classics, unlike the last edition does not have heavy presence of foreign players from Europe, America and Asia because of Ebola virus crisis

Akpabio

in African continent.

Godswill Akpabio Scrabble Classics is adjudged to be the highest paid scrabble event in the world. The prize money and international flavour given to the tournament are always responsible for the high presence of foreign players in the competition.

Kimetto, Mutai, Kebede Battle For Marathon World Record

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

With three of the fastest men in history over the distance in the field today, the Berlin Marathon has every chance of seeing yet another world record set.

Kenyan runners, Dennis Kimetto and Emmanuel Mutai, along with Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede are all capable of lowering the world best when they cross the finishing line at the Brandenburg Gate today.

The 40 editions of the race, so far, have already seen the last five world records set along the course, the latest being last year’s 2hr 03min 23sec by another Kenyan, Wilson Kipsang.

Kimetto, 30, made no bones about his intentions. “I’m ready, my preparation has been good and I’m full of confidence,” he said.

“If the conditions are right, we can break the world record.”

Kimetto’s pedigree is clear as he has already run close to a record time with his 2:03:45 on his way to victory in Chicago last year, his second success of the season after his triumph in Tokyo.

He burst on to the marathon scene in Berlin 2012, making the step up from half-marathon to the full distance and defying the odds by finishing runner-up, just a second behind compatriot Geoffrey Mutai.

He has the added advantage of knowing the Berlin streets well from his days of pounding the asphalt in the half-marathon, which he won and then broke the world 25km record by more than half-aminute with a run of 71min 18sec in 2012.

Mutai, 31, is the fourth fastest man over the distance, running Kimetto close in Chicago last year, before tasting victory in his own right in London.

He also knows the streets of the German capital well enough, after winning a silver medal in the 2009 world championships.

At 27, Kebede already has considerable success under his belt, having won six of the 18 marathons. He had run, finished second three times and lifted an Olympic bronze medal in 2008 and World Championships bronze a year later.

Marathon runners

“I heard about the Berlin course from Haile (Gebreselassie) and I’ve always wanted to run here,” said Kebede, hoping to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious compatriot, who won the race twice.

Another man with the potential to gatecrash the Berlin party is young Kenyan runner, Geoffrey Kamworor. Only 21, he was third last year and in March took the world half-marathon title.

There seems little likelihood,

though, of a record in the women’s race and Paula Radcliffe’s London 2003 mark of 2:15:25 looks safe.

The main aim of the leading runners in the field will be to finally break the 2min 20sec mark.

Ethiopian training partners Feyse Tadese (2:21:06) and Tirfi Tsegaye (2:21:19.), have both run close, while American runner Shalane Flanaghan, whose personal best is 2:22:02, is aiming for a US national record.

FIFA Bans Third-Party Ownership FIFA’s executive committee has voted to ban third-party ownership (TPO) of players which allows outside investors to profit from transfers.

FIFA president, Sepp Blatter said a working group will now draft rules to be phased in.

“We took a firm decision that TPO should be banned, but it cannot be banned immediately - there will be a transitional period,” he said.

“Furthermore, there is little doubt that third-party investors do influence the transfer policies of clubs even though FIFA rules expressly forbid this”. The decision was a political victory for UEFA and president Michel Platini has repeat-

edly urged FIFA to act.

Third-party ownership is popular with agents, investors and clubs in Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

It was banned in England following a controversy over Carlos Tevez signing for West Ham in 2006.

UEFA says the practice drains huge sums of money from the sport, and threatens the integrity of competitions when players are transferred regularly to generate profits.

“It threatens the integrity of our competitions, damages football’s image, poses a long-term threat to clubs’ finances and even raises questions about human dignity,’’ Platini said.

Supporters of third-part owner-

ship say it helps clubs sign players they could otherwise not afford.

BBC Sport claims that FIFA’s Players’ Status Committee -- in charge of issues surrounding transfers -voted in favour of recommending a ban on third-party ownership earlier this week.

The global group of players’ unions also opposes what it sees as investors interfering in players’ careers.

“A TPO ban cannot come soon enough,’’ FIFPro secretary-general, Theo van Seggelen said in a statement. “Every day that TPO exists is a lost day.’’

FIFA also reportedly discussed the issue on Thursday at the first day of its autumn executive com-

mittee meeting in Zurich, Switzerland.

UEFA is keen on bringing new rules to clamp down on it as early as next season.

European football’s governing body is looking forward to introducing new legislation to tackle the issue among clubs competing in the Champions League and Europa League, according to UK daily.

The paper reports that UEFA could impose transfer bans on sides breaching the legislation and exclude players from European competition squads under the proposed rules.

FIFA new ruling against thirdparty ownership will supersede any other national league.

sports 71

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Nasri Faces Groin Operation Manchester City winger, Samir Nasri could have surgery on his troublesome groin this week and be missing for a month.

The Frenchman missed the 7-0 Capital One Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday and the game against Hull City yesterday.

“It’s serious because maybe he will have surgery in the next days. I’m not a doctor but I think he will be out for around one month,” Pellegrini said.

“He was training but he

wasn’t 100 per cent. He didn’t feel comfortable with what he was doing so the doctor decided that was the best option.

“Of course he’s a very important player for us and it’s not easy for us to play without Samir.

“But I never give excuses about players that, for different reasons, are not in our squad. We have an important squad.”

City are also currently without midfielder Fernando (groin) and striker Stevan Jovet-

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Chelsea Cement Top Spot, Man Utd Survive Rooney’s Red Chelsea handed Jose Mourinho a victory in his 250th game in charge of the club, beating Aston Villa 3-0 to cement their spot at the top of the Premier League.

Oscar stroked in the opener, before Diego Costa netted his eighth goal in six Premier League games since signing from Atletico Madrid for £32million to make it 2-0 and William brushed in a third in 79 minutes to maintain the Blues’ 100 per cent home record.

The comprehensive win leaves Chelsea three points clear at the summit as they chase a first premier league title since 2010.

The Londoners defeated Manchester United 1-0 in Mourinho’s first league game at the Chelsea helm in 2004 – and it took them little time at all to move into that scoreline against a Villa side thumped 3-0 at home by

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Arsenal in their previous match.

Meanwhile, Manchester United survived Wayne Rooney’s moment of madness as their captain scored and was then sent off in the 2-1 victory over West Ham at Old Trafford.

Rooney was red carded just before the hour mark after a rush of blood saw him kick out at Stewart Downing, but Louis van Gaal’s men held out with teenage defender Paddy McNair impressing on his debut for the club along-

side Marcos Rojo.

Rooney had opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock, applying a superb first-time finish to Rafael’s run and cross down the right to guide the ball across Adrian and into the back of the net.

United made it 2-0 midway through the half, Robin van Persie fainting past Winston Reid before shooting low across goal into the bottom corner from Radamel Falcao’s pass after Alex Song had been robbed of possession in his own half.

Merseyside Derby: Jagielka Earns Everton Draw At Anfield Phil Jagielka’s unlikely equaliser earned Everton a 1-1 draw in the 223rd Merseyside derby yesterday after Steven Gerrard’s free kick had appeared to have secured Liverpool victory.

Liverpool skipper, Gerrard beat Everton keeper Tim Howard midway through the second half with a swerving free kick that squeezed in at the near post.

Mario Balotelli should have doubled Liverpool’s lead shortly after but struck the crossbar from

ill shAcEhCools fund w how tent to tertiary s 5b FRSC’S n13PLA

close range and Everton rode their luck to equalise in stunning fashion.

Everton launched one last attack in stoppage time and when Aiden McGeady’s cross was headed out it fell to Jagielka who let fly an unstoppable drive into the top corner from 25 metres.

It was a body blow for Liverpool who had been hoping to kickstart their season after successive league defeats but a huge relief for Everton who have also begun the season badly. Liverpool have

Much Ado About Seizure of $9.3M: Why LAWMAkerS WALked out: For us as a people and for us as lawmakers, we find this unacceptable, unethical and, in our view, it is an illegal transaction. The Nigerian government owes the Nigerian an explanation as to what source that money came from… Only in GOVERNMENT . jigAWA StAte Why LAMido StePPed doWN for joNAthAN: the iNSide Story Although he had distanced himself from the initial endorsement of President Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the ruling PDP to run for the office of the president for a second term of office by the North-west zone of the party, he instructed one of his aides to sign a statement in which he withdrew his ambition to contest the 2015 presidential election

hoW our LeAderS foiSted idPS’ ProbLeMS oN uS: Due to demolition of residential houses, inter-tribal fracas, flood and other natural disasters, Nigeria is now leading the list of persons displaced in Africa .

iMoke’S huge coSt of MAkiNg cALAbAr NigeriA’S cLeANeSt city: Keeping Calabar clean costs enormous amount, but it provides sound health as well as job opportunities to youths and women in Cross River State .

Jagielka

seven points from six matches with Everton on six.

IT’S A BUMPER EDITION!

AMUSEMENT PARK

i have never killed a man, but i have read many obituaries with a lot of pleasure — ClarenCe Darrow

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

28.09.14 No. 451 N300

Aniebo Nwamu

the sunday Column

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In any case with okada, the motorist is always wrong!

Desperately Poor, Dangerously Wicked

aniebo@leadership.ng

oko Haram bombs may have been defused successfully in many parts of the country, but more deadly bombs are currently being planted in cities that matter in Nigeria. The bombs are made of very poor people who are desperate to stay alive. The cities of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt have been the choice destinations of these wanderers each of which does not know where the next meal will come from.

A recent encounter I had with these impoverished folks has enabled me to understand the reason behind the arrest of 486 people in Aba as they were travelling from parts of the north to Port Harcourt in May this year. But since the Aba incident and the outcry that followed, no such case has been reported in other states.

The truth, however, is that the mass movement of people from mainly the north-east and northwest to other areas has never really stopped. They may not be travelling in a convoy of 35 buses at 2am like those arrested and detained at 144 Battalion Barracks, Asa, Aba, but they still find their way to the cities.

During the screening of the Aba detainees, it was found that most of them had nothing in their pockets. That should be a pointer to the life they were going to lead.

Of course, one trader could have claimed that he invited penniless people to live under shacks in Port Harcourt; what he wouldn’t admit was that he won’t be responsible for providing food and other needs for them.

Towns near Abuja like Suleja in Niger State and Masaka in Nasarawa State have become danger zones because of these desperately poor migrants. So have Dei-Dei, Nyanya and Karimo in the FCT. Many other towns on the outskirts of the capital city are endangered too. The FCT Administration once threatened to demolish every unoccupied building in the FCT. Nothing has happened; nothing will happen.

The country is so far gone that nobody cares about what happens to his neighbour. I wonder why almost every Nigerian uni-

versity runs courses in Sociology, Psychology and other social sciences but no one seems to have given consideration to the threats to peace in places inhabited by unschooled, jobless, unskilled, penniless people. How does a young man survive in the city without N1 in his pocket and without hope of eating any meal in one week?

I heard there is a local herb they chew that could ward off hunger for 48 hours.

From my experience and the experiences shared by other people, I know that these boys (and girls) start out as barrow pushers. Each hires a barrow on a daily basis at N100 and could make N800. Healthy-looking ones look for work as labourers at construction sites. From there, they move to petty trading or water vending. After some weeks or months, some graduate to motorcycle (achaba or okada) riding. And that is where the danger lies.

Since they were driven from the Abuja city centre, a few years ago, they have been wreaking havoc in the hinterlands. Training in okada riding lasts less than two hours.

And, of course, the training does not include understanding road signs or any driving rule at all. It is not surprising, therefore, that these dangerous riders are killing people and getting killed every day in the streets of Abuja and Lagos.

An example: On the morning of Saturday, September 20, one of these urchins carried a pregnant woman straight to the tyre of a truck at Dei-Dei International Market. The trailer crushed the pregnant woman; the foetus spilled out! Bystanders said the cyclist disappeared, that is, with the aid of charms. The next day, on the Zuba-Kubwa expressway, another okada rider crossed over five lanes –illegally – to the spot he hit a vehicle with his passenger. Hundreds of okada riders in Dei-Dei soon assembled to shield the rider while the motorist that did nothing wrong was asked to take the wounded passenger to hospital. By the time the motorist came back from the police, the hoodlums were set to vandalise his vehicle.

He had to “settle” the police, fuel the police van, pick the wounded

0805 410 0220 (sms only)

man’s hospital bills and repair his own car. He soon learned that, in any case with okada, the motorist is always wrong! Acting as a mob, such hungry boys have at times killed motorists that dared knock down okada riding recklessly on the wrong lane.

At a market in Mararaba, last week also, a housewife carefully parked her vehicle at a corner.

A boy selling sugar cane bumped onto the boot of the woman’s stationary vehicle and his sugar cane sticks fell. “Sorry boy,” the woman said in sympathy. Soon, a number of men speaking the same language gathered and asked the woman to pay for the sugar cane.

When she wanted to explain that it was no fault of hers, one of them asked her why she said “sorry” if indeed it was not her fault. To avoid further exchange of words with the hungry-looking men, she paid the boy N700 and fled.

I have given a few examples to show how dangerously wicked these unschooled, unskilled people that troop to the cities could be. Needless to add, some of them are armed robbers. In fact, when they go for robbery, they are merciless: they could kill everyone and steal everything in the house and then disappear into their ghettos.

Some are thieves or cattle rustlers.

Some work with dangerous criminals like drug sellers. At accident scenes, they are the ones that rob corpses and wounded victims. No human sympathy!

A solution for these poor but dangerous urchins must be found quickly. For a start, the use of okada for commercial purposes in every Nigerian city should be abolished. It is better. The job is not even helping the young men. All orthopaedic hospitals are filled with okada riders and their victims. Many are in the mortuaries.

It is selfish to ban okada in areas where the rich live and allow them to ravage places where the middle class and the poor live. I know that motorcycle importers won’t let any such policy see the light of day, just as generator importers are said to frustrate power reforms. But government at the local and state levels must start working to sanitise our cities be-

fore everybody gets consumed. If commercial motorcyclists are sent packing from the cities, many of the young people may be forced to return to the farms in their home villages.

The urge to move to the city – where “things are happening” – is one that afflicts every young person. They hear stories of their mates making millions of naira just in the cities not knowing they do so by stealing, robbing or killing people. It’s not everybody that succeeds. Life is more difficult in the city than in the village, especially when one goes without money. And crime doesn’t pay. One day, the criminal will be caught, jailed or killed.

The people I’m talking about are now in their millions in Abuja.

Millions of them also reside in Lagos, Onitsha, Aba, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna and other cities. .

They cannot read these words because they are unschooled. Those using them for terror activities should please pass the right message to them. Government has a responsibility to care for them.

Where it can’t, they should be persuaded to seek greener pasture in their villages and not constitute a nuisance to city dwellers.

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