Leadership news

SATURDAY No. 468

N300

Fuel Price Slash: Why We Won’t Drop Fares – Transporters

News > 6

I Would Like To Come Back As A Man – Tina

Asisat Oshoala Joins Liverpool Ladies

Secret life > 4

News> 6

Naira Falls To All-time Low At N202 To US Dollar News> 6

24.01.15

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

www.leadership.ng

NIGeRIA'S MOST INFLUeNTIAL NeWSPAPeR

Chibok Diary DAY

285

Leadership Newspapers

@leadershipNGA

AGF To Boko Haram: Stop Using Minors To > Page 2 Prosecute Armed Conflicts

Fire Razes Maitama Sule’s House In Kano 5

The section of the house gutted by fire. PHOTO BY ABUBAKAR SALIHI

We Don’t Need UN Support To Fight Boko Haram -Dasuki

> Page 5

2

Saturday, January 24, 2015

3

our stand Saturday, January 24, 2015

Give Bird Flu The ‘Ebola Treatment’

T

he first time H5N1, the virus that causes avian influenza commonly known as bird flu, reared its ugly head in Nigeria and other countries of the world, it caused quite a stir. Chickens and eggs suddenly became taboo on dining tables. Countries took measures to stop its spread to their territories by banning the importation of poultry products from high risk areas.

Many thought that the public reaction to the disease at that time was primitive, but it was for a reason; the fear of contacting it from the birds was real. A greater fear was of a strain of the virus (H7N9) that could be transmitted from human to human. This created room for widespread panic, especially as treatment for it was not readily available.

While it lasted, poultry farmers counted their losses in billions of dollars. Thankfully, it was soon contained, but not for good it now appears.

The minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, has reported that bird flu is back in Nigeria. He said that it may have spread to 21 commercial cities across seven states – Lagos,

Kano, Ogun, Delta, Rivers, Edo and Plateau. According to him, 140,000 birds are suspected to have been exposed to the virus.

This is bad news, coming so soon after the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). But unlike the Ebola incident, the authorities have past experience to benefit from, if the structures set up during the earlier outbreak are still in place. The minister is trying to calm down farmers, who are terrified at the prospect of losing their businesses and is urging them not to conceal any information they may come across regarding the health of their birds. He is also reassuring everyone that there is no cause for panic, as poultry farms in the affected states have been placed on red alert, the precautionary

Ag. Editor Catherine Agbo Deputy Editor Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards ’Lara Olugbemi, Director

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah

measure of fumigating them is underway and the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Vom, Plateau State is on standby.

In our opinion, the agriculture authorities must immediately borrow a leaf on tactical measures from the health authorities, so as to deal with this outbreak of bird flu as decisively as Ebola was handled in the country.

This, we insist, should involve effective coordination among the agencies of government; information must be shared.

Farmers must be told measures to take to prevent their poultry from contact with the disease, and the general public of its prevention among humans and treatment, if contacted. This would go a long way in educating the public and checking its spread.

In the campaign against Ebola, politics was downplayed; there was commendable cooperation between the federal and state governments, as well as international agencies. Practical measures were also adopted in the provision of remedial facilities. These steps must urgently be taken to eradicate this disease. We did it with Ebola. We can do it with bird flu.

Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Divisional Directors Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Abdulmumin Balogun Zipporah D. Tanko

Leadership Holdings

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

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital.

We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed.

We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!

4

my secret life

Saturday, January 24, 2015

I Would Like To Come Back As A Man – Tina, Engineer My parents are… Mr David Awan, a retired staff of the Northern Nigeria Textile company, Kaduna; while my mother is Mrs Mary Awan, a trader.

My most unforgettable childhood memory…was when I was sent out of school due to the inability of my parents to pay the N20 fees. l lost a whole term just because my dad’s pay was slashed that month just before the textile company was shut down. In spite of the small pay accruable to my father then, he was eventually retrenched from work, while ill health deterred my mum from continuing with her tomatoes business. To pay for food, water and school became herculean. This forced me to go and live with my aunt in Kaduna while my elder sister got married prematurely.

Household I was brought up in… was a family of six children comprising two boys and four girls. Life has not been fair to me since birth as acquiring western education was difficult due to lack of money.

Craziest thing I did while growing up…was putting sugar in my mum’s pot of stew believing that it would add to the taste. I was severely beaten for that act of stupidity.

My biggest regret in life… is pushing my younger brother off a mango tree just because he denied me a particular fruit I had first sighted and assisted him to climb and pluck for me. I felt short changed by someone I was much older than.

My best books…Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Animal Farm.

One thing I would want to change in my life… If I had my way, I’d like to come back to this world as a man, because most men believe they are superior to women even when you are better trained than them. I wish the Creator would make men wear the shoes women wear and men made to bear for instance, children, even if it is for the purpose of comparison.

Fashion to me… I have no time for fashion, maybe due to my busy schedule. I wear simple

Condemned The director-general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Mr. Mike Omeri has condemned in strong terms methods of thuggery, intimidation of opponents and violence which have occurred in some places as parties’ canvas for votes.

He specifically condemned the alleged attack on President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team saying such conduct runs counter to the established political spirit which Nigerians are known for.

Disclosed A member of the House of Representatives, representing Dala constituency, Alhaji Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini has disclosed that he was solely responsible for bringing to an end the lopsided recruitment in the Nigerian Army.

Speaking to news men in Kano, Madakin Gini explained that since he came on board as member of the federal House of Representatives, he had sponsored at least 30 Bills on the floor of the house.

Warned

Tina

attires but can also dress to fit the occasion.

As a child, I wanted to be …a teacher but after two years in college, I realised that there were other options besides teaching.

Five words to describe me... determined, hard working, focused, creative and generous.

In five years’ time … I wish to be the managing director of one of the biggest auto mechanised companies in north-central Nigeria.

When I look into a mirror…I see a woman who is different from a mere kitchen attendant.

I see someone with the zeal to create wealth and jobs for others.

My most embarrassing moment …was when thugs made away with my wallet while

travelling to settle the school fees of my siblings.

Life has taught me… not to

depend on any man but on God; not even my biological father.

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Engr Oluseyi Makinde, has warned against any attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to force the people of the state to vote for governor Abiola Ajimobi in the February governorship election.

Reacting to a government directive, forcing teachers in the state to report and take part in a political activity at the Government House, Ibadan, Makinde described the decision as gross abuse of office by the governor.

Described

A LIFE IN BRIEF Tina David Awan is an indigene of Zonkwa in Zangon Kataf local government of Kaduna State where she attended Government Girls College (GGC), Zonkwa, before enrolling at the Crossword Computer Institute, Angwan Rimi in Kaduna where she obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in computer engineering. Tina is the managing director/chief executive officer, Tina's Technology Workshop in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

Her workshop offers computerised wheel balancing, alignment and computerised auto car wash, among other services. She is single but looking forward to marrying an engineer like herself.

Interview By

Photo By

david aduge-ani

tina awan

Senate President, Senator David Mark has described as despicable the consistent attacks on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) campaign train in parts of the country.

In a terse media statement issued by his chief Press Secretary Paul Mumeh, Senator Mark said the attacks on the PDP were an affront on democracy and a betrayal of the peace pact entered into by the political parties and their candidates.

NEWS 5

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Fire Razes Maitama Sule’s House In Kano

By ABuBAkAR SAlIHI, Kano

An inferno has destroyed a significant part of the residence of Nigeria’s former permanent representative to the United Nation, Alh Yusuf Maitama Sule, in Kano.

A source in the Danmasanin Kano’s residence, located at Dawaki Road, Nasarawa GRA, Shamsu Da’u Abdullahi, disclosed that the fire started on Thursday night, at about 10pm.

According to him, the fire was believed to have been as a result of an electrical fault.

He said the fire was quickly put out by sympathisers and the men of fire service but not before a significant section and property were razed.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that the part of the house affected by the fire belonged to his late wife and was before the fire, was used in housing guests and relatives on vacation, as it has been the tradition of the Danmasanin Kano to every Friday, stay at home to oversee the feeding programme of hundreds of almajiris he initiated as part of his humanitarian gesture.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, has said that Nigeria does not require the support of the United Nations (UN) to successfully prosecute the war against Islamist sect, Boko Haram.

He insisted that Nigeria and her neighbours can handle the insurgents.

In an interview with the BBC yesterday, the NSA who acknowledged that the sect was a “real security threat” however said “no” when asked if Nigeria needed outside help, but later said it was an option to involve UN and AU forces even though regional partners were best placed to deal with the problem.

This is coming on the heels of a pledge by the Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for West Africa and UN Special Envoy to Nigeria, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, that the apex global body would support Nigeria in the ongoing counterterrorism operations.

A statement signed by Lieutenant Commander Way Olabisi on behalf of the director defence information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said Chambas made the disclosure when he visited the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja yesterday.

The statement quoted Chambas as saying that the United Nations would be ready to give Nigeria all the needed support to counter terrorism in the country. He therefore

called for collaborative efforts with neighbouring countries in order to defeat the menace of terrorism.

For his part while thanking the UN envoy, Chief of Defence Staff said that Nigeria welcomes any form of assistance that could help in the prosecution of her campaign against Boko Haram insurgents.

“He assured the UN Envoy that Nigerian Armed Forces would continue to adhere strictly to the rules of engagement and other guidelines relevant to the observance of the fundamental Human Rights and would work with relevant organisations accordingly.

“The CDS used the occasion to reassure the UN that the military’s presence and roles before, during and after Nigeria’s general elections were focused on ensuring peaceful conduct of elections and protection of lives and properties,” Olabisi said.

Since the Nigerian government declared a state of emergency 20 months ago in three northeastern states to deal with the insurgency, Boko Haram has strengthened and now controls several towns, where it has declared a caliphate.

The militants gained worldwide notoriety after kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls in April last year - who have yet to be rescued.

Recently they have carried out raids into neighbouring Cameroon and this week Boko Haram’s leader said his fighters had carried out the brutal attacks on the Nigerian town of Baga.

He said they had seized enough weapons from Baga’s military

Some health tips daily Exercise & Yoga The normal ratio of our breathing i.e. inhaling, retaining and exhaling should be 1:4:2 Keep your posture erect Try inhaling the breath from left nostril during day time and from right nostril during the night time Our internal organs are more important as our outer organs in keeping us healthy. So to keep the liver, stomach and lungs etc in a healthy state. Daily walking in the morning and evening is very essential.

It is possible to even reverse the heart problems by not using oil or ghee at all, by taking only boiled vegetables, doing yogic exercises, and by living a tension free life.

Sule

We Don’t Need UN Support To Fight Boko Haram -Dasuki

By ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos; BOdE GBAdEBO, Abuja

LIVING TO BE 100

Mind, Temperament and way of living There is no yoga greater than the control of mind.

Keep your mind busy and active with lot of physical work.

Keep yourself happy and at peace - avoid anger and hot temperament By meditation, high blood pressures, forgetfulness & aging process can be controlled Keep enchanting the Maha-mritunjaya Mantra in case of health problems.

Take life as it comes, don’t get disturbed by the ups and downs of life. Eat & drink in moderation, have religious faith, work hard and adopt the habit of early to bed and early to rise.

It was the finding of survey done in Japan, that a large portion of centenarians were engaged in the Agriculture or Forestry as their primary jobs.

— Source: livelongto100years.com

Dasuki base to “annihilate Nigeria”.

Some reports said that as many as 2,000 people died in Baga but Nigeria’s government has disputed this, putting the toll at 150.

Dasuki told the BBC’s Newsday programme that close to 50 per cent of Nigeria’s army was now deployed to the north-east, which he said showed how seriously the situation was being taken.

He, however, dismissed complaints by soldiers that they were not being given enough weapons and working equipment to tackle Boko Haram, saying there were “cowards” within the armed forces who hampered the campaign against the insurgents.

“Nigerian soldiers currently make up the bulk of UN peacekeepers deployed to Africa,” he added.

Efforts to form a multinational force involving Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon have floundered. However, following a meeting this week, it was agreed that they would seek UN backing for the force - and move the headquarters from the captured

town of Baga to Chad’s capital, N’Djamena.

Over the weekend, Chadian soldiers deployed to Cameroon’s border with Nigeria to help secure the porous border.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State, John Kerry says he plans to visit Nigeria in a couple of days.

Kerry made the announcement in a speech discussing how to tackle violent extremism at the Davos economic conference.

How DHQ Website Was Hacked, Restored Olukolade An attempt to infiltrate the official website of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), defenceinfo.mil.ng, has been uncovered while the hackers have consequently been knocked off the military site.

This was disclosed by the director of defence information, Major General Chris Olukolade, who initially took to his twitter handle, @GENOlukolade, before releasing a press statement to journalists later in the day yesterday, which announced that the hackers had been stopped.

Olukolade said that the hackers defaced the front end of the website earlier in the day but could not penetrate the database

of the site. He revealed that the hackers may have targeted the military blogsite because of the crucial role it plays in the dissemination of information on the ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

He added that preliminary investigation revealed that the attack was launched from the site end of the host, saying that one Ima Sadiq, who posed as the hacker on the site, had been knocked off and the site has been restored.

“The Defence Headquarters’ information blogsite, defenceinfo.mil.ng, was hacked into at the early hours of Friday, 23 January, 2015. The site was defaced at the front end.

However, the hackers could not infiltrate the database of the site.

“Preliminary investigation shows that the attack was from the end of the site’s host. One ImaSadiq who posed as the hacker has been knocked off and normal activities on the channel has resumed.

“Apparently, the site was targeted because of its role as a major channel for disseminating information on military and security activities in the nation’s counter-terrorism campaign,” he said.

6 NEWS

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Asisat Oshoala Joins Liverpool Ladies Agency Report

Nigeria’s Super Falcons player and African Female Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala has joined English women’s football club, Liverpool Ladies.

The Reds boss, Matt Beard, according to BBC Sport, described the new Liverpool signing as “one of the best young players in the world.”

Oshoala won both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball - as Player

of the Tournament - at last year’s Under-20 World Cup Finals, and becomes the first player from Africa to compete in the Women’s Super League.

“We beat a number of top American and European clubs to Asisat’s signature,” said Beard as he welcomed the 20-year-old striker. “Asisat is one of the best young players in the world.”

In addition to her star performances in the U20 World Cup, Oshoala also collected the

Golden Ball award as the senior Nigeria team qualified for the2015 World Cup by winning the African Women’s Championship.

And she was named 2014’s African Women’s Player of the Year and Youth Player of the Year after helping her club side Rivers Angels become Nigerian champions.

Beard added, “she’s not the finished article yet but she’s got pace, power and she certainly knows where the goal is.

Oshoala

Naira Falls To All-time Low At N202 To US Dollar

By Nse Anthony-Uko, Abuja; Friday Atufe, Lagos

The Naira exchanged at an all-time low of over N200 to the United States dollar yesterday, at the parallel market, after which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stopped, with immediate effect, sale of dollars (forex) through the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) and interbank to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators.

In Lagos, BDCs were trading the naira at between N200 and N202 per one US dollar after the news of the circular became public. In Abuja the value hovered around N196 to N198 a dollar.

This is the lowest rate recorded in more than a decade; data from the CBN has shown.

In a circular released, the apex bank said the bank took the decision to curb speculative demand in the forex market and to protect the foreign reserve.

The CBN had in a circular to authorised dealers signed by Director, Trade & Exchange, Olakanmi Gbadamosi, said the weekly sales of forex to BDCs would

be sustained by the CBN based on the liquidity needs of the market.

He explained that the regulator took the decision based on ongoing review of developments in the foreign exchange market and the need to check speculative demand in the market.

“Both at the Retail Dutch Auction System (rDAS) and the interbank fund, the dollar should henceforth be used strictly for funding of letters of credit, bills for collections and other invisible transaction, subject to appropriate documentation as provided by extant regulations.

“Consequently, rDAS and interbank funds should no longer be sold to BDCs and other authorised buyers. Meanwhile the weekly sale of forex to BDCs will be sustained by the CBN based on the liquidity needs of the market.”

CBN said.

Reacting to this, Mr Victor Ogiemwonyi, managing director of Partnership Investment said the management of a nation’s currency exchange rate is a critical monetary policy function of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and it has

dire consequences on economic activities in the medium and long term.

“However, it is always a very difficult exercise to keep a tab on the nation’s currency; hence the reason why many industrialised countries opted for the ‘float’ exchange rate mechanism where the currency value is market determined.”

He said although the ‘semi- Emefiele fixed’ or ‘managed float’ exchange rate mechanism adopted by the naira value and thus making Nigeria has a lot of advantages, it it artificial while also depleting had been at the detriment of the the nation’s foreign reserve in nation’s foreign reserves, adding defending the naira exchange that in the present day, “it appears rate. Since the value of the foreign that no country has been able to reserve essentially determines successfully defend its currency. A the country’s capacity to borrow clear example is that of Switzerland internationally and to support which recently let go of the peg on our international trade, the continuous haemorrhaging of the its currency.”

“The apex bank devalued the reserves is not in the best interest Naira in November last year in of the country,” Ogiemwonyi said.

He said while keeping the order to ensure appropriate value for the currency. We believe that managed float, he believed that devaluation of the Naira has the currency should be allowed a potential to prevent round-tripping wider band, say up to N200/US$.

“The CBN may need to intervene and protect local industries among others. However, it appears that the if the new band is breached. We CBN is currently over-protecting believe that at N200, it would

“I watched her at the Under-20 World Cup, where she was sensational, and we had early dialogue with her about coming to Liverpool. There’s been plenty of other interest in her in the last few months, but she chose to join us and I’m absolutely delighted.”

Reacting to her new feat, Oshoala, nicknamed ‘Seedorf’ after Dutch legend Clarence, said, “to be able to join the reigning Super League champions is absolutely fantastic. become unattractive for speculators to engage in any profitable business that requires hard currency. While imports could become more expensive, we believe that it portends significant opportunity for consumers to consider local substitutes.

A wider exchange rate band may also help exports as local producers earn more from their exports.”

Also speaking against the backdrop of retaining exchange rate among others by the Monetary Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria, chief executive of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr Bismarck Rewane, said the “jitters are likely to continue in view of the apparent shallowness of the foreign exchange market in Nigeria and the currency pressure will not abate.”

He noted that the decision to leave all parameters unchanged was not surprising to the market, adding that “any move would have been politically inexpedient and wrongfully misinterpreted as a ploy.

“Even though there were fears that the CBN might have been pushed into making some changes by external pressures especially the J.P. Morgan negative watch index on Nigeria but the MPC stood its ground.”

Fuel Price Reduction: Why We Won’t Drop Fares – Transporters

By MOHAMMED ISMAIL, Yola; Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta; JOSHUA DADA, Osogbo; David Aduge-Ani, Abuja; SAM EGWU, Lokoja and Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Despite the reduction in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol by the federal government this week, investigations by LEADERSHIP Weekend in various states across the country revealed that there was yet to be a commensurate reduction in transport fares and other commodities.

The Federal government had on Sunday announced a reduction in the pump price of petrol from N97 to N87. Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, who announced the price slash, explained that the reduction became necessary due to the consistent slide in the price of crude at the international market.

Unlike what obtains when there is an increase in the price of the product, commercial transport operators are yet to beat down the cost of intra and interstate commuting.

In Adamawa State, Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Alhaji Adamu Bello said the price of petrol was still N100 per litre, about N3 higher that the former official pump price of N97. He disclosed that members of his union did not reduce transport fares because the independent marketers did not comply with the Federal Government’s directive of reverting to the new price regime.

He said apart from the NNPC Mega stations that have complied with the directive, the independent marketers had not adjusted their pump prices as they were still selling the commodity at N100 per litre, adding that due to the pressure mounted on

the mega stations, long queues stretching several kilometres had surfaced, leading motorists to spend several man hours before getting the commodity.

“There are long queues at the mega stations that have complied with the new price regime as a result of the fact that the independent marketers did not comply with the Federal Government’s directive. Our members spend many man hours at the NNPC Mega stations and sometimes we spend the whole day on fuel queues before obtaining the commodity from such stations.

“We have to resort to buying the commodity from the independent marketers who did not adjust their prices and as such, we cannot reduce our fares and operate at a loss,” Bello explained.

The NURTW chairman however assured that members of his union will review transport fares downwards as soon as they start

obtaining the product at the approved official price.

“We will adjust our transport fares as soon as the marketers adjust to the new price regime.

We are not happy that up till now marketers could not adjust the pump price making the masses to pay through their noses,” he said and called on the Federal Government to enforce compliance with the new price regime for the masses to enjoy the benefits associated with the price reduction.

In Kogi State, rather than reduce, transport fares have increased to some destinations since the introduction of the new price regime.

Before now, the fare from Lokoja to Abaji used to be N500 but has been increased to N600, while Lokoja to Anyigba which was N600 is now N700.

LEADERSHIP Weekend investigation showed that most of the petrol stations including the

government-owned NNPC mega station within Lokoja metropolis were yet to adjust their pumps to the new price.

Speaking with our correspondent in Lokoja yesterday, the secretary of NURTW in Kogi, Kayode Olagbemi, said that motorists were at the mercy of petrol dealers since the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Kogi state had not enforced the new price.

Similarly, commercial transport operators in Ogun State were yet to reduce transportation fares as at yesterday. Some of them who spoke with our correspondent dismissed the reduction as too insignificant for them reduce transport fare.

They reasoned that if the price had been brought down to N40 or N50 per litre, commercial drivers would not have any choice than to bring down their fares to be commensurate with the new price regime.

news across the states 7

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Saudi Arabia’s New King Salman Promises Continuity

Saudi Arabian King Salman has pledged continuity, shortly after his ascension to the throne following the demise of his half-brother, King Abdullah.

The new king moved swiftly to appoint heirs and ministers, including one prince from the ruling dynasty’s third generation.

King Abdullah died overnight, weeks after being admitted in a hospital with a lung infection.

He was buried in an unmarked grave in Riyadh, yesterday.

His burial was conducted in line with the traditions of Wahhabism the ultra-conservative form of Sunni Islam followed by the kingdom - where funerals are austere and simple.

King Abdullah’s body was wrapped in a shroud and buried in a public cemetery after prayers attended by Gulf heads of state and some foreign leaders.

Within hours of ascending the throne, 78-year-old King Salman, vowed to maintain the same policies as his predecessors.

“We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment,” he said in a speech broadcast on state television.

By David Aduge-Ani With Agency Report

Imo Election: PDP Leaders Ask Ihedioha To Beg Araraume Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State have advised the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha to apologise to Senator Ifeanyi Araraume if he wishes to get the support of the Imo people in his bid to become the governor of the state.

Araraume has since gone to Court to challenge the declaration of Ihedioha as the winner of the PDP governorship primaries.

The advice was contained in a statement issued by a group, Concerned Chieftains of Imo PDP and signed by Engr George Okoronkwo in which a copy was made available to LEADERSHIP Weekend.

The leaders expressed total disaffection over the inability of Ihedioha to recognise his fellow governorship aspirants in his speech during the presidential rally in Owerri last Saturday.

According to Okoronkwo who is also the national leader of Imo Equity Assembly, “during the presidential rally in Owerri, we expected Emeka Ihedioha to use the opportunity to extend an olive branch to his fellow PDP governorship aspirants such as: Senator Chris Anyanwu, Hon Bethel Amadi, Prof Jude Njoku, Senator Bright Nwanne.

By Agbo-Paul Augustine,

Leadership Conference/Awards: Etsu Nupe Is Royal Father Of The Day

By Agbo-Paul Augustine, Abuja

The Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Yahaya Abubakar, is to be the Royal Father of the Day at the forthcoming annual Leadership Conference/ Awards on February 5, 2015.

The revered royal father of

Nupe Kingdom of Niger State has expressed his willingness to grace the occasion as Royal Father of the Day alongside other top dignitaries from across the country.

According to LEADERSHIP’s management, the event which holds at the Sheraton Hotel

would attract top personalities in the country.

LEADERSHIP’s management also disclosed that the Person of the Year, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has confirmed that he would attend the event to personally receive the award.

Other eminent recipients of the award, including the LEADERSHIP Governor of the Year, Borno State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shettima and the LEADERSHIP Politician of the Year, Nasarawa State governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, have also confirmed their attendance.

short news Thank You For Remembering Us, Charity Homes Tell Glo

Mourners gather around the grave of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah at the Al-Oud cemetery in Riyadh yesterday, following his death in the early hours of the morning. PHOTO BY AFP

Katsina Has No Recorded Case Of Meningitis, Measles – Shema …Ikara LG to immunise 144, 600 Children

by Muazu Elazeh, Katsina and Aliyu

Yusuf, Zaria

Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina State said, there were no recorded cases of outbreak of meningitis or measles in the for the past two years, just as the state has no recorded case of new polio infection since the past 26 months.

Meanwhile, the wife of Ikara local government chairman in Kaduna State,

Hajiya Fatima Sagir, disclosed yesterday that about 144,6000 children under the age of five will receive the polio immunisation in the local government.

She stated this yesterday at the flag off of the first round of polio immunisation for IPDs held at Anguwan Dahiru, Rinji Rumi Ward of Ikara local government. Fatima urged mothers to mobilise children for the immunisation against polio virus.

Speaking in Rimi village yesterday during the official flag off ceremony of January 2015 polio immunisation, Shema attributed the feat to sustained

commitments of the state government and relevant stakeholders in the health sector.

He said government set up a task force on polio with the state deputy governor in 2012 as part of measures to support the war against poliomyelitis adding that the sum of N181 million was being spent annually on polio campaigns.

He said the state has ordered for the purchase of 34 new rural mobile ambulances which would be made available soon adding that “our commitment to rural health is unshakeable.”

Ekiti Varsity Shut As Workers Protest Alleged Victimisation

By ALO ABIOLA, Ado-Ekiti

Federal University, Oye Ekiti, was yesterday shut down following the protest by staff of the institution over alleged plans by the management to sack and arrest those who participated in the last December protest. The workers who blocked the main gate of the university and prevented staff from gaining entry, alleged that some of the staff members were arrested by the State Security Service during the week on the order of the vice chancellor, Prof Isaac Asuzu.

During their protest last month, the

workers had accused the management of the institution of highhandedness, non-payment of allowances and non-remittance of deduction of cooperatives to the appropriate quarters. When contacted, Asuzu said though there were moves by some workers to stage protest, it has been quelled and brought under control.

When LEADERSHIP Weekend visited the Oye campus of the university, anti-riot policemen were seen at the main gate while staff members were denied entry into the institution. The protesters ensured that all activities were grounded as lecturers who were already teaching the

students were ordered out of the lecture rooms. Lecturers who defied the order, it was reliably gathered, were beaten up by the irate staff to send a signal that they meant business. Before the issue escalated to the latest level, rumours had it that the vice chancellor was planning to sack those that led the December protest but the management denied it.

A staff member who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “what caused the latest crisis is that, within the week, some perceived arrowhead of the December protest were arrested by men of the SSS.

Charity homes across the country have expressed their appreciation to telecoms company, Globacom for its generous donations to the less privileged during the Yuletide.

One of those who made the commendation was the administrator of Little Saints Orphanage, Mrs Ruth George-Udeh in Lagos during the visit of top staff of Globacom to the charity home. “It is a thing of joy to see that a big organisation like Globacom would remember the less privileged in their yearly budget. It is worthy of commendation,” she said.

She introduced the Globacom team to a number of graduates from the home with Bachelor’s degrees and took the Glo team through a corporate presentation of the strides and attainments of Little Saints Orphanage over the years.

Mrs George-Udeh expressed deep appreciation for Glo’s support over the years. She also expressed a wish for continued support, especially in the area of providing employment for the graduates among the children.

8 news across the states

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Northern Elders Urged To Speak Up Against Attacks On Jonathan

By Agbo-Paul Augustine, Abuja

Following attacks on President Goodluck Jonathan’s convoy in Katsina and Bauchi States where he campaigned for his re-election earlier in the week, members of the Northern Emancipation Network (NEM) have decried the silence of northern elders on the issue and urged them to speak up against the acts.

Coordinator of the group, Mallam Abdulazeez Suleiman, in a statement issued in Abuja, said

it was baffling that elders in the north had yet to say anything about the attacks on the president and his supporters, noting that the attacks were an infringement on the rights of association of the president’s supporters.

“As concerned northern citizens who have the long term political interest of our region at heart, we are forced to publicly raise concern about the looming danger in the quest by some of our people in the frenzy of perpetrating General Buhari’s candidacy in the forthcom-

ing presidential elections. We are concerned that millions of Nigerians in the north who express support for President Jonathan are constantly harassed sometimes with death threats, but not once have these so-called northern elders come out to speak in defence of our constitutional right of association. Are we not Nigerians?

Is President Jonathan not a Nigerian? Is Gen Buhari seeking to be a northern or Nigeria’s president?

Are the lives of APC or Buhari supporters more Nigerian or more

precious than ours?” he queried.

Suleiman also faulted the recent endorsement of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen Muhammadu Buhari by former head of state, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, noting that the purported endorsement raises many moral questions as Buhari allegedly terminated his first marriage on the suspicion that his wife sought favour from the Babangida administration, emphasising that Buhari was yet to deny the allegation.

short news Campaign Rally: Hold Fayose Responsible For Any Violence In Ekiti - APC

President Goodluck Jonathan and First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan at the funeral service of president Jonathan’s younger sister, Nancy JonathanOloei, at Otuoke Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State, yesterday.

PHOTO nan

NIMC, CBN, FMARD Sign MOU On Agric Initiative

by Max Amuchie, Abuja

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to integrate Farmers Database and the National Agricultural Payment Initiative (NAPI) with the National Identity Management System (NIMS) deployed by the NIMC. Sources close to the CBN governor’s office confirmed this development last week. The benefits of the National Elec-

tronic Card recently launched by President Goodluck Jonathan would soon get to Nigerian farmers.

The collaboration will result in the integration of the FMARD farmers’ legacy database of 14.5 million. It has also harmonised the process for farmers’ data capture henceforth. Under the MOU, the FMARD and CBN will now use the NIMC’s platform for authentication and verification of farmers’ identity as well as the use of the payment solution in the national eID card.

Sources close to the minister’s office confirmed that the FMARD has adopted the data capture equipment specified by

NIMC and NIMC has also adjusted their enrolment software solution and provided a procedure for registered farmers to be enrolled for their National Identity Number (NIN) under the MOU. Also included are the various farmers enrolment exercises funded by the development partners of FMARD. The donor agencies had earlier introduced a pilot scheme with the farmers’ database proposed to be hosted abroad but has now been aligned with the NIMS procedure under the MOU, a development the donor agencies are said to be quite happy with.

Anti-Jonathan Protests, PDP Plot To Postpone Polls – APC Scribe GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

Incidents of reported attacks on President Goodluck Jonathan by irate youths in some northern states is part of the plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to frustrate the conduct of the general elections billed to hold in February across the country, the national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Mai Mala Buni has said. The APC secretary in an interview on Friday, said the attacks were organised and sponsored by the PDP to achieve their obnoxious plot.

He also accused the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki of flying an unpopular kite for the illegal extension of President Goodluck’s tenure beyond May 29, 2015.

He said the unending insecurity in some parts of the north is sustained ostensibly to prevent elections in those areas.

“Added to this, they are instigating crises, protests and stoning of the president at PDP rallies in some northern states to give the impression that there are security threats that may hinder peaceful con-

duct of the polls.

“Be mindful of the fact that PDP rallies are heavily secured by armed soldiers and policemen and are not accessible to APC members. It is the PDP chiefs that are organising the attacks on Jonathan to achieve their aim. It is their project,” Buni asserted.

He cited the comment recently by Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema that cockroaches in politics should be attacked and killed as one of those comments that incite violence against the opposition.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over alleged plans by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State to disrupt and cause mayhem during its presidential campaign rally scheduled to take place in the state today.

The party in a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed warned him against disrupting or interfering in any way with the APC presidential campaign rally in Ado-Ekiti, saying the governor’s plan to hold a parallel rally on the same day is a recipe for chaos.

The party wondered why Gov Fayose will schedule a rally also for Saturday at Fajuyi Park, which is a major route to the venue of the APC presidential campaign rally.

George Okojie, Lagos

Attack On Jonathan: Tame Your SupportersPresidency Warns APC Miffed by the attack on the convoy of President Goodluck Jonathan and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina and Bauchi States by supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the presidency yesterday cautioned the opposition party to rein in its supporters.

Special adviser to the president on political affairs, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali, in a statement said the actions of APC supporters were contrary to the non-violence peace pact signed recently in Abuja by all the presidential candidates.

The statement read: “When the peace pact by the major political parties participating in the 2015 general elections was signed, Nigerians heaved a great sigh of relief in the belief that the tensions stocked up in the build-up to the campaigns will subside.

“President Goodluck Jonathan who is also the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) blazed the trail in appending his signature to the historic document. General Muhammadu Buhari and leaders of other parties also signed, pledging a violence free electioneering process and rejection of uncouth and inciting language.”

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Osun Election Tribunal To Deliver Judgement Soon The Osun State election petitions tribunal handling the petition challenging the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) at the last August 9th governorship election has adjourned indefinitely for judgment.

Delivering her ruling after the parties in the case had adopted their final written addresses, the chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime said the tribunal will soon deliver the judgment in the case.

Senator Iyiola Omisore is praying the tribunal to cancel the results of the election in some polling units in 17 local government councils of the state and declare him the lawful winner of the election.

Counsel to Senator Omisore, Alex Izilyon (SAN) while addressing the panel said the first respondent in the case, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his party (APC) failed to prove their defence beyond reasonable doubt that the said election was not manipulated in their favour.

He insisted that the petitioner’s evidences were weighty enough to declare Omisore the winner of the election.

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

NIGERIA DECIDES 9

2015 NIGERIAdecides 21 Saturday, January 24, 2015

COUNTDO W

THE CAMPAIGN FALLOUTS, THRILLS & FRILLS

Gov Nggilari Gets A Shout Down For Demanding Postponement of Elections in Adamawa Fani-Kayode

Is PDP Obsessed With Buhari?

Buhari

In a bid to forestall the postelection violence that marred the 2011 general elections in which lives and property were lost, President Goodluck Jonathan, Gen Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates signed a non-violence pact.

Special adviser to the president on inter-party affairs, Senator Ben Obi, said the 2015 summit on the signing of the non-violence pact was due to palpable political tension in the country and the aftermath of several attacks by insurgents in different parts of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory.

“One of those areas is electoral violence, which is being escalated by political parties across the country,” he stated.

However, recent trends show that the signing is just another piece of paper that may not be heeded to by all the actors.

It would be recalled that one of the campaign buses of President Jonathan was recently burnt in Jos just as explosives were said to have been thrown into the office of the APC in Rivers State.

One of those areas is electoral violence, which is being escalated by political parties across the country

Also, the recent advertorial on the health and age of the APC presidential candidate, Gen Buhari

by Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, has drawn condemnation from several quarters with some political analysts saying the advertorial could cause anarchy.

Meanwhile, political thugs attacked the convoy of President Goodluck Jonathan in Katsina State during the continuation of his reelection campaign. The leader of the Niger Delta People Volunteer Force, Asari Dokubo, has said the Niger Delta would retaliate in good time.

Similarly, the team was also attacked in Bauchi State the homestate of the PDP national chairman, Dr Adamu Mu’azu.

Judging by the ongoing trends, it may be difficult for the presidential candidates to stop election violence in the event that their supporters feel their candidate has been rigged out. Violence is usually perpetrated by hoodlums who use the opportunity to unleash mayhem on innocent victims and it’s usually a spur of the moment but free, fair and transparent elections may be

FACTCHECKER

Jega

O

oddbAlls

The presidential candidates of all the political parties recently signed a peace pact to forestall any election violence, but recent trends show that the peace pact may not really work. JONATHAN NDA-ISAIAH writes

Jonathan

DAYS T OG

www.election2015.leadership.ng

Peace Pact: How Far Can The Presidential Candidates Go?

N

The campaigns have so far thrown up some interesting talking points, far from the issuebased campaigns both parties signed for.

However the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem to have a bad crush on the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

Well, the media team of President Jonathan’s campaign have always declared that Buhari is an issue for them but what kind?

First, the PDP started with Buhari’s certificate, declaring that he has no secondary school certificate, which was eventually supplied by his secondary school, Government College Katsina, formerly known as Provincial Secondary School.

The PDP then moved to his health concerns, demanding that he takes a jog round a stadium.

But Buhari disproved the health concern.

Undeterred, they came back to his certificate issue declaring that he perjured and should surrender himself to the nearest police station. Later they claimed the certificate was forged.

A call by the Adamawa State Governor, Bala Nggilari, for a postponement of the election in the state was greeted by boos and jeers. He, while speaking at a stakeholders meeting for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the three troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, advocated that the elections for Adamawa should be postponed till April.

Brandishing his chief security officer of the state status, he argued that the state was not suitable for election as seven communities were still under siege of the Boko Haram insurgents.

But he had barely started advancing his reasons than the other stakeholders started to shout him down in apparent disagreement to his position.

An amazed Ngilari, however soldiered on in his demand, amidst pleas by the moderator of the meeting, Prof Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the audience to allow him make his point.

Nggilari

Concerns Over INEC’s Preparation For Next Month’s Elections

There have been concerns over the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the face of an election which will be keenly contested next month.

However, facts from the electoral commission reveal that since 2010, there has been a dedicated system

of electoral risk management.

Among other things, it established the Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and a standing committee of the commission on security.

This task of improving the management of election security has led to an integrated mechanism,

which the commission is presently implementing to ensure secure and violence-free elections in February 2015.

This mechanism has three basic components, namely planning and implementation, which is carried out through ICCES and knowlegde and training, which is conducted by

INEC electoral institute; as well as monitoring and implementation using the International IDEA’s Election Risk Management Tool.

During elections, all these are coordinated through the INEC situation room at the headquarters and election support centres at the state offices.

10 NUMBERS 12 Number of National Electoral Commissioners in INEC.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Mitigating Electoral Violence

QUOTES

➔ Olisa Metuh “What do they have to say to the fact that under Jonathan’s watch, enrollment in basic schools has increased from 23 million in 2010 to 29 million in 2012 and still growing, or to the sponsoring of over 5, 867 lecturers of federal and state tertiary institutions for post-graduate studies?

60 Number of estimated unemployed youths in the country.

59 Age of Prof.

Oluremi Sonaiya, the presidential candidate of KOWA party and only woman in the contest.

812 Number of INEC offices in the country.

9000 Number of collation centres for the elections.

L-R: Country director, International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES) Mr. Shalva Kipshidze; chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega and representative of European Union Alan Munday, during the IFES Mitigation of Violence in Election (MOVE) project launch in Abuja yesterday. PHOTO

BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

15 Number of states under opposition governors in Nigeria.

21 Number of state under governors of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party 1 Number of open letters written by former president, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, to President Goodluck Jonathan, criticising his governance style.

EU, Bulkachuwa Task Jonathan, Buhari On Non-violence Pact The European Union (EU), yesterday charged political actors ahead of next month’s general election to desist from making violence-prone statements, warning that they risk losing the respect of the international community.

This comes as the president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, appealed to politicians to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship throughout the election cycle.

These declarations were made at the official launch of the Mitigation Of Violence in Election (MOVE) in Abuja which was organised by International Foundation For Electoral System (IFES) and other local partners to address issues of election violence before, during and after the elections.

The first secretary of EU, Alan Munday, who underscored the essence of the programme said it would strengthen existing conflict mitigation mechanisms in Nigeria

INECWATCH

and develop alternative dispute mechanisms in the country.

Munday, who commended the Abuja Accord signed by president Goodluck Jonathan, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gen Muhammadu Buhari and other presidential candidates, urged them to remain committed to the accord.

He urged them to personally speak out against any party member or supporter who makes violent speech. ”Politicians should do all to prevent violence or else they will undermine democracy and lose the respect of the Nigerian electorate and the international community,” he stated.

Munday who decried the spate of violent speeches so far by some political actors stated that Nigeria electorates should be able to engage the election peacefully without fear and intimidation.

He charged security agencies to remain neutral and professional during the elections

The first EU secretary however underscored the importance of a free, fair and transparent election just as he charged security agencies to remain neutral and professional during the elections.

He said INEC alone cannot do the work of preventing non-violent elections, adding that there would not be a repeat of the 2011 post election violence if the political class take the Abuja Peace Accord seriously.

He said that “violence will not change the election results” stressing that the courts remain the place to go to seek justice just as he noted recent history shows that election outcomes have been overturned in the country by the judiciary.

–By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

➔ Garba Shehu “The APC and its candidate are in this presidential campaign to discuss issues that will improve the standard of living of Nigerians and ensure that the people of this country are properly secured.

Whenever the PDP and its presidential campaign spokesman feel ready to join us on this noble path, we will not be willing to join them on petty issues.”

➔ Presidential candidate of the KOWA Party, Prof Oluremi Sonaiya “I am aware that my people are living in poverty; I’m looking forward to a leadership that will care for the people and take them along.”

INEC Not Liable For Failure Of Eligible Voters To Collect PVCs – Jega

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, yesterday pointed out that the commission cannot be blamed for people who refuse to come out and collect their PVCs which have been produced and sent to various collection points across the

country.

He said the commission has continued to produce PVCs to meet the 68 million registered voters already captured and certified by the commission to be genuine. He revealed that about four million cards were received by the commission on

Thursday.

Jega also identified some troubled spots where he said all should take precautions over as Edo, Rivers, FCT, Bauchi Plateau and Imo states.

He said these places are prone to violence on the ground of conflicts in the outcome

of their primaries and the frustrations associated with the PVCs distribution.

“These and other possible causes informed the workshop with civil society organisations to promote aggressive voters enlightenment,” he said.

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

NIGERIA DECIDES 11

Saturday, January 24, 2015

PDP, APC Squandered Our Goodwill Since 1999 – Ahmed

voices

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the February 14 election, Dr Mani Ibrahim Ahmed, believes that there is no difference between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying key members of the party have wasted the goodwill the country got, since this democratic dispensation. In this interview with KUNLE OLASANMI, he warns that the country cannot afford another four years of hardship. what they require as far as change is concerned.

How would you say the

Things have not just been working youths have fared in this the way they should, in the last couple present democratic dispenof years. We had a dream that this sation? country that would grow into a better More than half of the electorate in society where we hope to raise our this country are young people who are families and give them a better life. certainly dissatisfied with the situation But today, all of that has remained a they have found themselves in. I am mirage, it is not just happening. If we talking about people who are less than continue in the way and manner we 50 years of age. These are people who are going, there is every possibility had opportunities in this country but that the situation will be worse for our were never allowed to prevail. You children and our grandchildren. The know they had the opportunity of unfortunate thing is that the goodwill getting university degrees, masters’ which God has endowed this country degrees and even Ph.ds but they are with has been largely squandered over continually being subjugated and the years. Today in Nigeria, we are removed from the space by people from left with people at the helm of affairs the old brigade who have systematically who to a very large extent care about found a way of recycling themselves. nothing other than their personal Seriously speaking, we need a paradigm interests which usually translate into shift; we need to look the other way. We accumulation of wealth at the expense cannot continue to think that we are of the greater population of Nigerians. not good enough or that our ideas are Nigerians are not happy about their not bright enough. No country would situation but the glory of the country ever succeed in that way. can still be restored. If you ask most Nigerians about the situation they find Before the campaigns themselves in today, the answer you get started in earnest, politiis that they are not happy. Everybody cians promised Nigerians wants change. Many people want a issue-based campaigns. departure from what is prevailing now.

Would you say the camSince1999, we have had democratic paigns so far have been rule and this is the period Nigeria based on the real issues afearned so much money from the sale of fecting the country? crude oil and there was so much money The campaign going on between available to government at all levels; the two main political parties in the federal, state and local governments. If country so far is not based on issues. you remember, this is the same period The PDP and the APC have been more Nigerians became impoverished. busy attacking themselves. I expect It shows that the people who have that Nigerian politicians would managed our political and economic have out-grown life from 1999 till date are the same gathering people people that we must run away from. in political rallies They are the characters that are found and addressing in the PDP and the APC. Now, if we them. I believe truly want change, there is no need real campaigns of looking at those people to show us should be focused direction or to be the agents of that on looking for change. As a matter of fact, there is no difference between the people in the PDP and those in the APC. They are the same people that have supervised the rape of this country over the last 16 years. I don’t think any of those two big parties can give NigeriansAduroshakin Ahmed

avenue to sit with people, listen to them and tell them what you want to do. We want a scenario where our politics will become issue-based. If I travel to a town, I want a situation where I can meet in a much more conducive and formal sitting and talk to the people regarding what I have for them in that area. The presidential campaign fund pegged at about N1billion is too much. Election campaign should not be all about money, the most important thing is to try to get the message across to Nigerians and make it resonate in a way that they will understand.

There is nothing new as I have said that anybody is presenting among those that seem to be favoured now.

People must look the other way. Do we really want change? Do we really want genuine change? For instance; change is something that requires a lot of effort.

What is your manifesto?

What key areas in your opinion should government tackle for the country to witness progress? Illiteracy, poverty and indiscipline have often been said to be the problem.

The problem Nigeria faces goes beyond the three you have mentioned. Government has continually looked at the issues from a very myopic and narrow point of view, thereby treating the symptoms instead of treating the real cause or the source of the problems. I believe government should have approached the problem from the root cause.

Nigeria is one of the most blessed countries in the world not because we have oil, not because we have solid minerals, weather or vegetation but the most important blessings that this country has are in terms of the people; the population; our number and the fact that the Nigerian spirit is very strong. Nigerians are respected in terms of their ingenuity and dexterity over time.

ANSWERS

QUIZ TEST YOUR POLITICAL IQq 1. Who was the pioneer chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?

2. How many po-

litical parties are there in Nigeria?

3. How many parties merged to form the All Progressives Congress

(APC)?

4. Who was the last national chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria?

5. Under which political party did Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha get elected in 2011?

1. Chief Solomon Lar 2. 26 3. 4 4.Chief Bisi Akande 5. APGA

What is your assessment of developments in the country in the last couple of years?

Like Dame Patience, Like Amina Sambo

Amina Sambo

Much like the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of the vice president, Amina Sambo, appears to have taken on the mantle of leading the charge for female votes in the North for husband, Namadi Sambo and his boss, President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mrs. Jonathan had led the charge of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for women votes when the party campaigned in the South East, wooing the women folk in the native Igbo language to vote no other than PDP.

But as the PDP campaign train turned up North, Mrs. Sambo assumed the role of “campaigner-in-chief for Northern Women vote.”

She, at the heavily packed campaign ground in Kano State, (the most populous state in the north), mounted the stage, pleading in Hausa language for the women of the north to vote for PDP. Like, the first lady, she was to play the forerunner for her husband, the vice president, who spoke immediately after.

Expectedly, her message was not different from Mrs Jonathan’s as she extolled the virtues of this administration.

She argued that this administration under which her husband serves as vice president, has supported and empowered women more than another president.

trending President Goodluck Jonathan’s supporters are not resting on their oars to ensure that he gathers votes with the hashtag #GEJWinsIt. Blessed Comfort @ IndomiePikin Roflmao”@Its_trueson: Baddest guy ever...@OfficialUwem: Lmao this guy is a boss #GEJWinsIt_

Haha RT @ O N E B O I Y LY K D A H T _ : Free headphones abeg “@ OfficialUwem: A date with Dbanj or A free headphone #GEJWinsIt_ #GEJWinsIt_”

#GEJ 2015 @ notjust9jamusic Are you from Imo? Want to know what GEJ has done to develop your state? #GEJStatebyState #GEJWinsIt_”

USK @AguataBoy Izz allowed”@ObaHustle: UNCLE_AJALA “@ OfficialUwem: What’s the name of your gateman #GEJWinsIt_ #GEJWinsIt_””

ZISAN :) @bodamzisan Sandalili”@spyro_bleedz: 2 little black birds “@OfficialUwem: Your Fav nursery school rhyme #GEJWinsIt_ #GEJWinsIt_””

Busisiwe Nhlapo @Busi_ Really 2 @spyro_bleedz: 5 @ OfficialUwem: How many siblings do you have #GEJWinsIt_ #GEJWinsIt_

0-100 real quick @certified_ tweep Vote for GEJ @OfficialUwem: Orijin drinkers are liable to #GEJWinsIt_ #GEJWinsIt_ No Name @iam_blueel Blue, red and yellow “@ SnucksPride_: Black & yellow “@ OfficialUwem: What’s the color of the clothe your wearing now #GEJWinsIt_ #GEJWinsIt_ Chep @beelangat

joel john ndaka @joel_ndaka And we complain about our politicians. We shld be grateful “@OfficialUwem: Lmao this guy is a boss #GEJWinsIt_ pic. twitter.com/kr7ImK3U2m” samgabriels @samgabriels2 @ProfOsinbajo for aligning yourself with the son of a bound woman, you have fallen out of faith. Ask God His will for Nigeria and align.

12

Saturday, January 24, 2015

13

Saturday, January 24, 2015

ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) NORTH WEST ZONE

PRESIDENTIAL Campaign Council (NORTH WEST ZONE)

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari The underlisted distinguished Nigerians are to serve as members of the Muhammadu Buhari / Yemi Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North West zone.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

HE Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Chairman/Co-ordinator) HE Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso HE Abdulazeez Yari Abubakar Inuwa Abdul-Kadir Hon Dikko Umar Radda Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai Alhaji Muhammad Badru Abubakar Hon. Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila Hon. Isa Ashiru Hon. Bature Umar Sambo Amb. Garba Abdullahi Aminchi Abubakar Chika Malami SAN Aminu Dalhatu Dr. Mai Kano Rabiu Mr. Tom Mataimaki Maiyashi Admirah Ibrahim Iko (rtd) All State Chairmen of the Party All members of the Presidential Campaign Council All NEC members from the zone All Senatorial Candidates Women Representation Hon. Abdullahi Alhaji Minjibir Suleiman Umar Hajiya Aisha Kaita Zonal Women Leader / Chairman Shehu Marshal Jega Zonal Youth Leader /Chairman J.D Ephraim

SECRETARIAT 1.

Tukur Abdulkadir Gusau 2.

Mal. Mohammed Lawal 3.

Mukhtar Lawal 4.

Abubakar Adamu CONTACT ANd MObILISATION 1.

Sen. Muhammadu Magoro - Chairman 2.

Engr. Bello Suleiman 3.

Hon. Ibrahim Garba Hanun Giwa 4.

Gen. Lawal Ja’afaru Isa 5.

Alhaji Danbuba Mohammed

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Alhaji Yaro Makama Rigachikun Sen. Kanti Bello Alhaji Bello Dantani Magaji Rafi Abdullahi Aminu Tafida Sheik Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa Alhaji Abubakar Dan Maraya Alhaji Ahmadu Yaro Coca Cola Hajiya Talatu Mohammed Hajiya Najaatu Mohammed Sule Musa Fagam

MEdIA ANd PubLICITY 1.

Nasiru Zarumai 2.

Sani Dododo 3.

Sidi Aliyu Lamido 4.

Nura Mohd Dankadai 5.

Turaki Ibrahim Kafin Hausa 6.

Bala Umar Mahe 7.

Mal. ShietuShuaibu 8.

Engr Bashir Karaye 9.

Nasiru Dahiru Jahun 10. Katuka Bege 11. Sani GwamnaMayanchi 12. Dr. Badamasi Lawal 13. Dr. Salihu Lukman 14. Mohammed Isa Funtua 15. Alhaji Abdullahi Lamba 16. Malam Idi Faruk Chairman 17. Sen. Saidu Mohammed Dansadau 18. Yakubu Mohammed Rigasa 19. Hauwa Baba Ahmed 20. Umar Karaye 21. Abba Yusuf Funtua PLANNING ANd STRATEGY 1.

Dr. Hakeem Baba AhamedChairman 2.

Umar Abbas 3.

Bello Mahmood Babura 4.

Maj-Gen Tanko Ayuba 5.

Aminu Abba Ibrahim 6.

Sada Ilu 7.

Col.Abdulazeez Musa Yar’adua(rtd) 8.

Dr. Usman Bugaje 9.

Hon. Usman Adamu Gaya 10. Rt. Hon. Aminu Musa Jega 11. Dr. Kulu Haruna 12. Dr. Bello Aliyu Gusau 13. Barr. Mairo Kaita

For enquiries call: 08036240503 and 08033113770

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo 14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed Malam Bukhari Bello Nasiru Ibrahim Junju Ibrahim Mohammed Kankarofi AIG Suleiman Bawa Brig. Gen. Mansur Dan Ali Ali Mohammed Magashi

YOuTH MObILISATION 1.

Shehu Marshal Jega Zonal Youth Leader / Chairman 2.

Bala Ado 3.

Musa Mohammed 4.

Abdallah Sani Dan’azumi 5.

Umar Yahaya 6.

Nasiru Italy 7.

Ahamad Usman Gummi 8.

Garba Yusuf 9.

Haruna Ahamad AG 10. Ahmed Garba Hadejia 11. Ismaila Sule Shuwaki 12. Bala Ado Faskari 13. Engr. Saleh Dan Yaro 14. Barr. Aminu Shamaki 15. Alex Aliyu 16. Barr. Hassan Tanko 17. Mouktar Dan Sarki 18. Barr. Mohammed Dutsima 19. Imrana Wada Nas 20. Ibrahim Alhaji 21. Hon. Shehu Garba ABG wOMEN MObILISATION 1.

Hajiya Aisha Kaita Zonal Women Leader /Chairman 2.

Fati Yar Kangiwa 3.

Zuwaira Sani Bakori 4.

Hajiya Binta Farin Dutse 5.

Hajiya Safiya Daura 6.

Habiba Yandalla 7.

Jumai Wakili 8.

Tsahara Bawa 9.

Esther John 10. Hajiya Amburo Daura 11. Hajiya Ai Malu 12. Hajiya Hadiza Abdullahi 13. Nafisa Ahmed Baba 14. Hajiya Tabawa Abdu 15. Fatima Bukuma 16. Ladi Dansurede

Signed:

INuwA AbduL-KAdIR, ESq

(Magatakarda Babba) National Vice Chairman, North-West

14

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Felicitation!

Felicitation!

Dr. Musa Babayo Chairman, Board of TETFUND

I heartily congratulate you, Dr. Musa Babayo, Chairman, Board of TETFUND, on the award of Honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Administration by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, today.

You have distinguished yourself as a reformist. This is evident in your landmark achievements in TETFUND. You have contributed to the growth of education in Nigeria at the university level while ensuring the growth of TETFUND with good initiatives.

Under your leadership, TETFUND has witnessed tremendous reforms which include but are not limited to: 1. Ensuring proper monitoring of developmental projects within designated tertiary institutions with a view to ensuring their proper execution and delivery.

2. Transforming TETFUND into a world-class intervention government Agency focused on the development of tertiary education in Nigeria.

3. Introducing the TETFUND Board’s interventionist approach, academic staff training and development to several universities in Nigeria-which led to the overseas training of several graduates and undergraduates.

4. Developing special programmes and initiatives through which some public universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education were selected for special programmes and infrastructural development.

We are indeed proud of your achievements, and we pray Almighty Allah grant your more wisdom and strength to do more; not just in the education sector, but in the country in general.

Congratulations!

Signed:

Alhaji Maula A. Aliyu

Chief Executive Officer, MAA International Nig. Ltd

15

Saturday, January 24, 2015

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES LIMITED

c

(A SUBSIDIARY OF LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPERS GROUP)

2015 ANNUAL

CONFERENCE & AWARDS CEREMONY Chairman PRINCE JULIUS ADELUSI-ADELUYI Former Minister of Health and Chairman, Juli Pharmacy Plc.

Royal Father Of The Day HRH. ALHAJI (DR.) YAHAYA ABUBAKAR CFR Etsu Nupe

Keynote Speaker PROF. IBRAHIM GAMBARI

Former Nigerian Permanent Representative To The United Nations

Theme: “Reclaiming Nigeria: A Pathway” STAR AWARDS 2014 LEADERSHIP PERSON OF THE YEAR Chief Olusegun Obasanjo LEADERSHIP GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR Alh. Kashim Shettima

LEADERSHIP POLITICIAN OF THE YEAR Gov. Tanko Al-Makura LEADERSHIP BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Adewale Jubril Tinubu

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2014

LEADERSHIP CEO OF THE YEAR Benedict Peters Founder, Aiteo Group LEADERSHIP COMPANY OF THE YEAR Stallion Group LEADERSHIP BANK OF THE YEAR Jaiz Bank LEADERSHIP BANKER OF THE YEAR Henry James Semenitari MD/CEO, Unity Bank LEADERSHIP GOVERNMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria SMEDAN

LEADERSHIP PRODUCT OF THE YEAR Innoson Vehicle LEADERSHIP MICROFINANCE BANK OF THE YEAR Fortis Microfinance Bank Plc. LEADERSHIP PUBLIC OFFICER OF THE YEAR Gimba Ya’u Kumo MD/CEO, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria LEADERSHIP BRAND OF THE YEAR Brains and Hammers LEADERSHIP ARTISTE OF THE YEAR Ali Nuhu LEADERSHIP YOUNG PERSONS OF THE YEAR The Chibok Girls LEADERSHIP SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR Asisat Oshoala

Venue: Sheraton Abuja Hotel Time: 9:00am Date: February 5th, 2015

16 FAITH

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Pastor T. O. Banso Faith 08155744752

cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com

Following God’s Direction (3) In previous editions, I talked about the different ways God gave people in the Bible direction. I have talked about Moses, Elijah and Philip. I’ll continue from where I stopped.

God led Ananias In Acts 9:10-19, the Lord gave direction to a certain disciple, Ananias, in a vision to go where He would use him to open Saul’s eyes.

“So the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.’”

(Acts 9:11-12 NKJV) He objected initially because of the evil reports he had heard about Saul. But he went after God had told him Saul was his chosen vessel. Saul received his sight back and was bap-

tized. Don’t let fear stop you from following God’s direction.

God led Joseph God led Joseph, the husband of Mary, in a dream, not once, not twice. A dream is “a state of mind in which images, thoughts, and impressions pass through the mind of a person who is sleeping.” (Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers) After he had taken a decision to divorce her secretly because of her pregnancy, the Bible says, “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.’” (Matt 1:20-

21 NKJV) Joseph did as he was told in the dream.

Just about the time that Herod wanted to start killing children in his bid to kill Jesus whom he saw as a threat to his throne, an angel, in a dream, gave direction to Joseph to flee with the child and mother to Egypt. Matt 2:13 says, “An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’” (NKJV) Joseph obeyed and the life of Jesus was preserved.

After the death of Herod, and Joseph was to leave Egypt with Jesus and Mary, he received direction again from an angel in a dream.

“Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.’ Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” (Matt 2:19-23 NKJV) As that Scripture showed, quiet characteristic of Joseph, he followed the direction he was given. Joseph was a dreamer like the Joseph of the Old Testament. Does God talk to you in dream regularly? Don’t despise your dreams. If it’s a dream you need to pray over, please, don’t be careless about it.

Permit me to stop here again today. I believe God has spoken to you. Be sensitive to God’s direction in your life.

TAKE ACTION! If you’re not born again, kindly say this prayer now: “0 Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess and forsake them today. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God”

I believe you’ve said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations!

You’ll need to join a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in your area where you’ll be taught how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things becoming all God wants you to be. I’ll be glad to hear from you.

May the Lord be with you.

FOLLOWING GOD’S DIRECTION (4)

BY PASTOR T.O.BANSO Praise the Lord! Today, I want to conclude this message by talking about some people more in the Bible God gave direction and the different means God used. I’ve already talked about Moses, Elijah, Philip, Ananias and Joseph.

God led Cornelius and Peter We again see in Acts 10 God’s leading through vision or trance and the Holy Spirit. A trance is “an ecstatic state of mind that gives a person a sense of detachment from his physical surroundings.” (Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary) But a vision is similar to a dream. However whereas dreams occur only during sleep, visions happens while a person is awake. (I’m not talking about dream in terms of plans or goals someone hopes to achieve which doesn’t necessarily have to do with sleeping.)

In a vision, God directed Cornelius to send for Peter. The same God gave direction to Peter via a trance preparing him to go and minister in Cornelius’ house. When Cornelius’ emissaries came to where Peter was, the Holy Spirit made the meaning of his trance or vision clear to him by telling him to follow Cornelius’ emissaries where he ministered to gentiles for the first time and they were baptized with the Holy Ghost while he was still speaking.

If Peter had remained conservative refusing to go, Cornelius and his household might have had to wait for another vessel that God would use. Thank God he obeyed God. On another occasion, it was an angel that God used for Peter. Acts 12:5-6 says, “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Pe- I believe God ter was sleeping, bound with two has spoken to chains between two soldiers; and the you. Be sensiguards before the door were keeping tive to God’s the prison.”

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

direction in your life

close up 17

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Tuface Helped Me Overcome Criticism –Jo-El

Bearing a striking resemblance to Hiphop music icon Tu Face Idiabia has its perks as well as its pressures. Just ask Jo-El. The Oya Now and Hold On singer hit the Nigerian music industry scene in 2014 and has been making waves ever since. SAMUEL ABULUDE recently caught up with the Kennis Music singer, who was born Joel Amadi, at the Best Of Nollywood Awards. In this interview, the artiste speaks on his music, controversies and close resemblance to Tuface.

Yeah! It was a good year. I can’t complain. I have been able to announce myself in the music industry with my songs. I performed at shows like this one (Best Of Nollywood (BON) Awards).

How did recording Hold On with Tuface come about?

Why did you decide to record Ileke?

As a somewhat new artiste how do you handle criticism?

Did you deliberately go bald like Tuface?

I don’t know how. But Tuface himself encouraged me. He gave me a word of wisdom. He said, “don’t allow what people say to get to you negatively. People will naturally want to say something to hurt you but know yourself and ignore the noise and focus.

Don’t give up on your dreams.”

Those short words from an icon encouraged me.

It has been doing great and not only that; my other singles are doing well and getting rave reviews.

Ileke is a club banger; a lovely track produced by my Solshine. Ileke means beads in Yoruba. The song is about the beads on women’s waist.

It is a delight to behold when ladies dance and shake their waist, gyrating; the colourful beads shake too.

I got the Best Collabo Award at BEN TV UK Awards in London. I was nominated for two HEADIESBest Collabo and Best Music Videowhich was won by Wizzy Pro featuring others in Emergency. The Best Video was won by Clarence for Ada Ada. Oya Now featuring Oritsefemi was produced by OJB. Unlimited LA directed the video. That shows that Oya Now could have as well won both awards. Being nominated is a credit to my relevance that year among other singers who have been there before me. That among other things made 2014 unique for me. My brand is taking shape and the name Jo-EL is being heard on the lips of many, courtesy of my work out there. I can only thank God and hope that 2015 will be better for me.

Well, I can’t say (smiles). Initially, every step I took, people would compare me to Tuface. Some said I wanted to be like Tuface. If I don’t do it like he did it effortlessly, people would complain; but I got used to it. It has been a blessing. People say that not only do I look like TuBaba, but that I sing like him too.

So, how did you overcome the pressure?

You dropped Ileke in October 2014, how is it faring?

In terms of awards, how did 2014 go for you?

Has your striking resemblance to Tu-Face Idibia been a blessing or otherwise?

I have always shaved my hair like this before I got to know about Tuface. It is coincidental. God himself did not make a mistake. We just happen to have striking similarities.

Would you say 2014 was a good year for you?

Ileke is a song by my producer. It was a lovely done track by Solshine.

I was inspired to do a dance song because my fans have been asking for such from me since I had been releasing songs that were more of R&B, like You’re In Love, I No Mind and She Like Me. They wanted a danceable beat and I spoke to my producer and the idea of Ileke came and the rest is history. So Ileke shows how versatile I am. Paul Gambit shot the video.

and buy some things that I want.

As you are aware, I was the singer who opened the show at BON Awards. I also performed last year at Felabration, campus shows and other mega shows. Watch out for me in 2015!

I must thank Now Music and Hypertek Label for that. I had prayed to do something with Tuface; a collabo that would work for both of us and in 2014 that opportunity came. Hold On is not just a song for me or for Tuface; it’s a song for us as citizens and for every professional to believe in his ability and in our nation. That is what the song is all about. Hold on because the promise will come and will soon be a reality despite the challenges.

Jo-El

Criticism is part of the game.

You learn to cope with it as a young artiste and keep working on yourself, improving on all aspects of your music. Some people via social media and also in real life come to tell you that what you are doing is not good enough. You have to keep on doing your best and don’t allow negative criticism to pull you down. I have also observed that anyone that abuses you is not your fan. I’m human and can make mistakes. So, I respond by working harder and studying the industry’s terrain because it is tough as a young artiste to get reckoned with and get invitations to perform. That is why I feel honoured to have been invited to perform at the BON 2014 awards.

Which of the music genres between R&B and Hip-hop is your forte?

I would say I prefer R&B; but you have to be versatile in this industry because of the market. You should be able to hold forth and do other genres of music that suit you. Don’t be a bandwagon kind of artiste. I’d advise every artiste to do Rhythm and Blues song before doing other genres as it makes you versatile and better as an artiste.

For example, Iyanya recorded R&B before he did his Kukere hit song and it made him accepted and a better artiste. He has learnt how to churn out songs, especially commercial hits that have made him richer. As a singer, you can’t usually tell what would work for you. We do commercial songs because of the market.

Would you say you are now successful as an artiste?

I can’t complain (smiles). I can afford three square meals in a day

Would you say Kennis Music has helped your career?

Of course! They have been my support. With Kennis, I was able to grow as an artiste. The label makes you look beyond music and plan for the future.

What is your take on the music industry and how long have you been in it?

I have been in the industry for four years; precisely since August 2010. The industry is good and will get better. With more endorsements coming, I too will get mine.

Lastly, who is Jo-El?

Jo-El is that simple and loving guy who likes to play. I love music am I’m passionate about it. I’m the only son and second child of my parents. I was born in Sokoto and grew up in Kano.

Criticism is part of the game. You learn to cope with it as a young artiste and keep working on yourself

18 e-FEATURE

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Grace To Grass: Artistes In Limbo In this report SAMUEL ABULUDE and OBIANUJU ASIKA write on personalities in the entertainment industry whose stories are of grace to grass.

T

he Nigerian entertainment industry has seen tremendous growth; some artistes are now been paid up to six figure fees and living the life they deserve. Indeed, hard-work pays. But before the industry got its much needed recognition, certain veterans and artistes had to pay the price. Unfortunately, most were not able to grow with the times and new artistes are now reaping from where these veterans sowed.

In the entertainment industry where talent, skill and creativity are traded in exchange for money, entertainers are naturally spured to flaunt their wealth when they acquire them. Thus, actors, musicians, comedians, movie producers, etc., look forward to that turning point where poverty is conquered. The life span of a celebrity is very short. A musician's song becomes a hit and he leverages on that and begins to smile to the bank. Having achieved success in his career, to consolidate on that success and manage it becomes his main task and this requires more than hardwork.

Iconic comedian, James Iroha popularly known as Gringory of the New Masquarade comedy series can be said to have died due to poverty more than two years ago, in February 2012. The man who entertained us all with his partner, Clarus on national television for decades could not raise enough funds to treat his eye problems. He is not alone in that tragic trend.

Here are some entertainers who rose to fame and fortune but eventually fell dramatically.

Majek Fashek Majek Fashek is presently in

the northern part of the country laundering the image of the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan for the upcoming elections. The rastaman whose latest album, Dancing Rasta is yet to be released, has been battling with ill health since he relocated back to Nigeria, due to personal problems that greatly affected his health. Gone are the days when the rainmaker was bubbly, robust and the cynosure of all eyes because of his talent. Majek's talent is not in doubt. The reggae musician who has been a professional singer for over 25 years has had his glory days. He was the first Nigerian singer to have his debut album shoot to international acclaim.

Baba Suwe November 2011 would always be an unforgettable day for Babatunde Omidina aka Baba Suwe's. He is yet to recover from the events of that day. The veteran actor cum comedian was the toast of fans of Yoruba movies in the 2000s. The accomplished comedian appeared in a lot of movies during that period, but life has not been the same again for him as a result of his arrest at he Lagos airport by anti-narcotic agents for allegedly concealing drugs in his stomach.

Though he sued the NDLEA and won the case, with a compensation of two thousand pounds awarded to him, Baba Suwe hasn't collected the money and sadly the person at the forefront of the law suit, Barrister Bamidele Aturu, died last year and that somewhat put paid to the case. Since then, 'Adimeru' has largely been shunned by corporate bodies and others.

In an interview, the comic actor confessed facing hard times as a result of the protracted drug saga.

He lamented, “I have not collected any compensation money from NDLEA yet. The most painful thing is that I was wrongly accused. Had it been I actually committed the crime, I wouldn't mind, but they just punished me for nothing. I was in NDLEA custody for almost three weeks, and nothing was found on me. No matter the kind of juju one may have, I don’t think there is anybody that can conceal cocaine for even two days. Even a lot of people that could have assisted me financially don’t want to associate with me again. People within and outside the industry have deserted me on account of the allegation. They still doubt me despite my victory in court. I have sung praises of some people in some of my movies, and I always appreciate whatever they give me.

This makes a lot of people close to me. For instance, I was close to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu before and he was very nice to me. But now, it’s very difficult for me to be close to him. He is even not comfortable seeing me around him again because of the allegation. I don’t enjoy people’s love and admiration like before because people still believe that it was true,” he lamented.

Eddy (Brown) Remedies Eddy Asiedu Brown was the vocalist among the famed Remedies group which pioneered Hip Hop music in Nigeria in the late 90s and early 2000. Eddy Montana, as he was , was part of the group which churned out hits like Shako Mo, Omode Meta, to name a few. Other members are the rapper, Idris Abdulkareem and Tony Tetuila. They have since parted ways, but the Remedies were the toast of parties and clubs during that period. Signed under Kennis Music, The Remedies enjoyed enormous patronage, but where are the trio now?

Eddy Remedy, according to some quarters, has not recovered from his messy divorce from Kennis Music singer and executive, Kenny St Brown, nee Ogungbe.

Eddy has now remixed his Shako Mo hit song and is using the platform to re-launch his embattled musical career. Reports say the singer is not in a good state financially.

Feyikogbon (Yinka Ikudaisi) Feyikogbon is the popular drama series akin to the famed Tales By Moonlight. It was aired every Sunday on NTA 7, Tejuoso now NTA 10. The producer, Yinka Ikudaisi had started Feyikogbon from the NTV in 1978 and it is reputed to be the longest running Yoruba drama series.

The series came back on DSTV

last year, featuring a blended cast of young artistes and veterans like Bimbo, Amuda and the narrator, Ajobiewe. The actor who is aged now was reported to have acquired numerous wives while his soap was the toast of TV. Feyikogbon married a number of talented actresses who featured in his productions. Now the actor whose drama series was gold, is living in the shadow of the times, struggling to eke out a living with his many wives, though some of them have deserted him according to news making the rounds.

Baba Sala Baba Sala’s story is a sad tale.

He obtained a loan from the now closed National Bank to produce his movie, Mose Bolatan. The movie underwent post production in London and the veteran comedian, elated that he had done a major work that would fetch him millions after it is screened, came back to Nigeria, The Ilesha-born actor was greeted with the news that the Mose Bolatan VHS was already being sold on the streets. This sad development took Baba’s bubbling career backward, leaving him in debt running into millions. Some even alleged that Baba was partly responsible for National Bank going bankrupt.

In 2012, Moses Olaiya (his real name) was spotted at LTV 8 Ground, in Ikeja during the festive period. He was still his comical self though age had caught up with him. The septuagenarian had to come from his Ilesha abode to monitor the screening of his movie, Orun Moor. Elder Moses Olaiya was instrumental in birthing the career of King Sunny Ade and , Michael Abulude.

Blackface Black Face was with the famous trio Plantasun Boyz alongside 2face and Faze. The group made platinum songs that shot them to the top before they decided to call it quits in 2004. Black Face cowrote the famous African Queen that became Tuface’s hit song. He continued with his solo career and released some songs but never got the recognition that would have made him a bigger brand.

Baba Fryo This Nigerian ghetto singer from Ajegunle who was born Friday Igwe is famous for his hit street song Dem Go Dey Pose in the late 90s. He did some songs after the popular anthem, but sadly never made another hit like the first. He seems to have fallen into the category of one-hit wonders. In an interview, he expressed his frustrations as a musician but since then, nothing new has been heard from the once famous artiste.

Unfortunately, most were not able to grow with the times and new artistes are now reaping from where these veterans sowed.

scoop 19

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Solomon Nda–Isaiah Entertainment Ricochet

08116759802

nda_is@yahoo.co.uk

Open Letter To Nigerian Artistes

T

oday, the Nigerian music industry is enjoying a boom-no doubt. Artistes are snapping up multimillion naira deals left right and centre and smiling to the bank. So strong is this new awakening that gone are the days when musicians were seen as neverdo-wells. Schools are cashing in on the boom by introducing music into their curriculum and the catch-them-young bug has bitten Nigerian parents as they now go the extra mile to purchase musical instruments for their children.

Corporate bodies are not left out of the scramble as brand managers have discovered the awesome power of music in driving their products and this has given birth to a multi million naira industry. But the question is, how has the boom reflected on the goose that lays the golden eggs? How has the boom impacted the lives and careers of the majority of Nigerian musicians?

The Nigerian music industry has definitely come a long way since the “dark ages” of the late 80s to late 1990s which witnessed the total meltdown of structures which once made it the envy of the world as legends like James Brown, Paul McCartney and drummer, Jim Baker, either relocated to the country to pursue their careers or came here to record platinum selling albums in their search for the African sound. Those were the years when Oliver De Coque’s album, Identity, sold over two million copies and Fela rejected an offer of $100, 000 USD to remix his songs by his American manager, Jim Bishop.

However, with the downturn of Nigeria’s economic fortunes in the early 80s, the music industry was one of the first casualties as it was hard hit and this gave rise to piracy which ultimately led to the exit of the big three labels from Nigeria namely Sony Music, Premier Music and Polygram.

Their sudden exit created a shock which culminated in runaway piracy which crippled the industry and led to the relocation of a lot of artistes to the west while some like Bongos Ikwue quit out-rightly and found success as a building contractor.

However, nature abhors vacuums. The vacuum created by the exit of the big three created a leeway for the rise of Ajegunle music which produced stars like Daddy Showkey, Daddy Fresh and African China to mention a few. It finally took the back burner with the rise of what

is now known as the afro-hip hop revolution of the late 1990s. Thanks to Kennis Music, Ray Power and AIT. Ever since, the industry has continued to grow, attracting talent from the Diaspora, patronage from blue chip companies and telecoms giants with Nigerian sound dominating the African stage and going global, winning rave reviews and numerous awards in the process and above all, laundering Nigeria’s battered image!

However, it is sad that despite these giant strides, a majority of Nigerian artistes are living in squalor and poverty. Nigerian artistes have no unifying platform and indeed, this is a sad development.

The Nigerian music industry is replete with tales of talented musicians who made millions of naira and then went burst before finally succumbing to terminal diseases that could have been treated. Why is it that whenever artistes are sick, they have to go cap in hand begging for a lifeline when in their active years they worked in a multi-billion naira industry?

The reason is not far-fetched. It is the absence of a viral union which will not only protect the industry but also set up structures for its continuous sustenance and growth.

Once Upon A Time Today millions of naira is lost to digital downloads at bus stops and shops across the country. Alaba International Market, which used to be the hub of piracy has bowed to the sheer power of the internet due to free down loads and this has created a new wave of pirates.

Armed with a laptop and a modem, these new pests fleece artistes of millions of naira on a daily basis but the question is, who will bell the cat? It is these artistes whose intellectual works are being stolen and this only further underpins the need for a strong and virile union which will regulate digital downloads and by extension, improve the lot of Nigerian musicians.

But the question is, are Nigerian artistes ready for change? Imagine what would happen if D’banj, Wizkid, Davido, P Square and 2face stage a march on the Lagos House of Assembly to demand for the implementation of anti piracy laws, the results would be awesome because of the influence they wield!

Written By Kevin Luciano Gabriel Chairman, Pman Caretaker Committee, Lagos

Our Political Campaigns Not For Money – Ibinabo

By Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Abuja

Contrary to the popular belief that the trend of celebrities turning campaigners is due to financial inducement, president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ibinabor Ferberesima, has revealed that entertainers’ involvement in political campaigns is far beyond financial reasons.

She said that the act is personal and that it also has to do with choice and respect for the candidates.

On why she has chosen to campaign for President Goodluck Jonathan, Ibinabor told LEADERSHIP WEEKEND

Ibinabo

that it is a matter of choice.

According to her, "I have the right to campaign for anybody.

I personally respect and believe in President Goodluck Jonathan, so it is my choice."

Just as Ibinabor and others have chosen to campaign for President Goodluck, some have joined the APC train, as many notable entertainers were recently hosted by Buhari’s supporters.

However, some observers have opined that most of these entertainers-turnedcampaigners may end up not voting as some of them may not be in the country during the elections.

Ernest Asuzu Goes Back To Former Love

By SAMUEL ABUlUDE, Lagos

Remember Ernest Asuzu? The actor cum singer who was hot on the Nollywood scene during the last decade? The actor known for playing bad boy roles in movies like Rituals produced by the famed Kenneth Nnebue and Another Campus Queen has gone back to his roots.

Ernest Asuzu, who fell on hard times and was rumoured to have lost his sanity, is now focusing on music, which he says was his first love. He now goes by the stage name “El Creram”, signifying a new per-

Asuzu

sonality with love for God and spreading the gospel. He hinted

to LEADERSHIP Weekend at the Film House premises in Surulere, Lagos, that he was done with the movie industry and was now a full fledged musician; a rapper to be precise.

“My brother I have been through thick and thin. Some said I had run mad and was not fit to act again. I fell on bad times and it was like my whole world crumbled. Nollywood betrayed me; some of my friends abandoned me.

Well, God has promised to restore me and that is being signified by the launching of my new album next month,” he stated.

Terry Tha Rapman Is Back By obianuju asika, Abuja

Terry Tha Rapman now addressed as T.R is back to take his place in the music industry.

The Boys Are Not Smiling crooner released his new single Je Ka Mo featuring EME's former artiste, Skales. The song has hit the airwaves and is fast becoming a fan favourite. From a ran-

Terry Tha Rapman

dom survey, listeners had this to say about the song: “Are you sure this jam is Nigerian? It sticks on you; you can’t get it out of your head!”

Well, Kudos to T.R who also released G.O.D featuring Vee Dee in 2014 and would be having his birthday media tour and party from January 28th to 30th, 2015, in Abuja.

My Love Life Is Balanced – Angel Twani

By Aderibigbe Tolulope, Abuja

One of the new sensations on the Nigerian music scene, Abuja based Angel Twani, has disclosed to LEADERSHIP Weekend that one of her missions in the music industry is to make an impact and difference in the field as well as to be a role model and an achiever. She said even though the music industry is quite saturated, she strongly believes she would carve a niche for herself, leaving a mark to be remembered by generations to come.

Angel

The sexy looking artiste with a voice that surely makes others green with envy added that in the next two years she sees her music going international and being an ambassador of different brands.

“I want to travel to Ghana and hear my songs being played as well as in UK and different other countries,” she enthused.

The afrocenttric cum R&B singer when asked about her love life said "My love life is cool and balanced I don’t want to go any further on the issue.”

20 BLITZ

Saturday, January 24, 2015

J Martins Ready For Youssou N'dor Collabo

By Anthony ada abraham , Abuja

Nigerian modern high life king and hit-maker, J Martins is on the verge of opening up deep musical connections with Frenchspeaking African countries.

The artiste who spoke to LEADERSHIP Weekend over the phone said plans are in the works to release his new single Time is Now which features Africa’s richest and legendary Senegalese musical icon, Youssou N’dour.

Martins, who has been busy cooking this project for a while now, promised it would wow the entire world as it's going to be the best song that would come out of

J Martins

Africa.

J Martins, whose hit songs made a significant contribution to 2014’s musical charts, will be giving his fans a double dose of goodness as he plans to drop both this surefire hit and accompanying visuals in a few days.

Meanwhile, the artiste has released some behind-thescenes photos on social media, so his teeming fans would get a preview of the highly anticipated collaboration.

This collaboration is expected to be one of the biggest raves in the music industry when it’s released.

DJ TTB, 15 Others To Storm 16 Campuses

By Aderibigbe Tolulope, Abuja

The Goodluck/Sambo 2015 Initiative (GS2I) has announced its plans to host a show tagged “Goodluck/Sambo 2005 Rave” in 16 universities across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, the national coordinator of GS2I, Ikenna Chidoka, said that 15 popular Djs led by Cool FM's D.J TTB will be performing at the University of Abuja, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), University of Jos, University of Benin and twelve other schools for the music/comedy fiesta packaged by his organisation.

Chidoka, who is the former national commandant of Man O' War Nigeria, said that the show,

Ikenna Chidoka

which will have the best of music dished out by DJs along with a heavy dose of comedy from comedians, will also be used to galvanise students to peacefully

participate in the forthcoming elections.

He said, "it is quite obvious that we support the Goodluck/ Sambo ticket, but not only will we be telling youths to vote for continuity due to how well the Jonathan administration has done in the area of youth empowerment, we will also preach the message of nonviolence.

"Just as we will be reminding students how the current administration has touched the lives of youths with interventions like the $200 million entertainment grant, You Win, SURE-P graduate scheme, the Nagro-preneur program and of course the revolutionary NEEDS plan for universities , we also will warn against violence."

Dayo Ogunyemi Becomes New AMAA CEO

By SAMUEL ABULUDE, Lagos

Dayo Ogunyemi has been announced as the new CEO of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). Ogunyemi, after serving on the board of the African Film Academy and as a film law expert for the WIPO, has spent the past two decades at the confluence of entertainment, media and technology with employment experience with Booz Allen& Hamilton's media and technology practice, Sony Music Entertainment Inc., and BMG. This was disclosed by AMAA's director of administration, Tony Anih who also disclosed that the submission of entries for the biggest movie awards in Africa, the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2015, would end by the end of January.

He explained that organisers of

Dayo Ogunyemi

the pan-African reward system for motion picture professionals postponed the 2015 edition of the event in honour of Michael Anyiam-Osigwe, the elder brother of the founder of the awards who passed on recently.

“Michael has been a great pillar of support for AMAA since

its inception and his untimely death has sure thrown some immediate challenges to us as a body, but we are pressing on and we have to change the date from traditional month to April to June to allow us prepare and respond to the current realities.

We will announce the actual date for nominations and the main award in April and June soonest,’’ said Anih.

The AMAA award is still receiving entries up until the end of January after which no more entries would be entertained.

Entries are open to all black filmmakers, who appreciate recognition as well as reward for their work in cinema on the acclaimed AMAA platform. The nomination event will hold in April in continuation of the tradition of celebrating the best in the business of film-making across Africa and beyond.

Kunle

October 1 Gets Netflix Deal

By SOLOMON NDA-ISAIAH, Abuja

These are exciting times for award-winning Nollywood filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, whose film, October 1, has continued to break new grounds. Only last weekend, he received the Nollywood Man of the Year diadem, given by organisers of The Sun Awards, but the movie director, who has his hands full with several movie-related projects, says that is just the beginning.

Afolayan has just revealed that his latest flick, October 1, has bagged a distribution deal with Netflix, one of the biggest global online distribution platforms.

Making the revelation in his Ikeja office, an excited Afolayan said: “I am happy and delighted to announce that October 1 has gotten a deal with Netflix. Netflix covers the whole of Europe and America. That means the film will be exposed to the world. It is a distribution deal. Netflix is an SVOD platform, an online platform that you can watch on your television. Their application is everywhere. They are one of the most recognised SVOD platforms around the world.”

He also added that with the new deal, the movie will be subtitled in 10 different languages. Afolayan further revealed that October 1 has also been selected in some major film festivals around the world, with some international premieres in view.

“It is going to the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles which I should be attending in the first week of February. It has also been selected for the Luxor Film Festival in Egypt. I am also going to be attending that,” he said.

It will be recalled that the film, a psychological thriller, featuring veteran broadcaster, Sadiq Daba, actress Kehinde Bankole, Kanayo O. Kanayo and Kunle Afolayan himself, received 13 nominations, the biggest in this year’s edition of Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).

The nominations include top categories such as Best Movie (Drama), Best Movie of 2014, Best Art Director, Best Actress and Best Cinematographer.

The film also came tops at the last edition of Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), having won Best Feature Film, Best Actor and Best Screen Play laurels.

The sky is the limit for the filmmaker, who is already in preproduction stage for his next movie, which he said is another thriller, a contemporary film with a lot of commercial appeal.

“There is another series I am about to do, and it will be in partnership with the Lagos campus of the Nigerian Law School. We are going to reveal this officially when the time comes. It is going to be something that is very big. We will be taking court cases in Nigeria and converting them to stories. It is a Law And Order kind of production,” he revealed.

cover story

21

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Suicide: A Rising Social Problem

It was not so long ago when youths committing suicide in Nigeria seemed a very distant, far-fetched thought. It seemed unreal and people hardly ever talked about it. The times have, however, changed, as reports of suicide and its attempts by Nigerians of all ages and diverse backgrounds now abound.

Bukola Ogunsina investigates why suicide is on the increase in Nigeria and how it can be prevented

R

ihaisa was in her early twenties when her older brother committed suicide.

For months, it affected her both psychologically and

socially. She was just in her first year in the university. Studies became a herculean task as she could not concentrate.

Usual days spent going out with friends became lonely

afternoon of nightmares that did not have the decency to wait for nightfall. Her lecturers were gravely concerned that this was affecting her grades; she was naturally a bright pupil

at school. Her friends could not begin to fathom why she had suddenly withdrawn and become this stranger they no longer knew.

And for Rihasai, she just wanted to die too. Her home was not a happy home, it was just herself and her brother and now she was left to suffer it alone, adding unto the stern atmosphere already endured at home, the burden of her brother’s suicide.

Just like Rihasai’s brother, there are many other Nigerians who have fallen victim to suicide. From the politician who jumped into the Lagos Lagoon, to the young woman who hung herself.

Known for its accommodating and friendly communal ambience borne from its history and cultural background, suicide was a foreign term in Nigeria, until startling statistics of Nigerians taking their lives went on the increase recently.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) disclosed that every year, about one million people die from suicide which represents a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100,000 or one death every 40 seconds. Statistics indicate that an estimated 10 to 20 million attempted suicides occur every year. Reports have also shown that suicide cases are on the increase among people between the ages of 15 to 44 years.

After much research, there is no definite figure for suicide cases in Nigeria, as most go unreported or undocumented.

Despite the unavailability of statistics to back up the claim that suicide cases have increased in the country, media reports are proofs. Hardly any day passes that there are no such reports.

Between January and April 2014, there were at least four reported suicide cases in Taraba State, an average of one per month. One involved a 32-year-old 400 level student of the Taraba State University, Friday Samson, who poisoned himself to death over lack of funds to pay his school fees.

The other involved a 45-yearold watchman, Saidu Babura, who hung himself on a tree at Hassan Primary School, Jalingo, after an alleged battle against drug abuse while 21-year-old Mansur Tanko burnt himself to death in Jalingo because his father allegedly disapproved of his plan to marry. In April 2014, a 30-year-old student of the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, Auwal Haruna, allegedly committed suicide by hanging ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 22

Between January and April 2014, there were at least four reported suicide cases in Taraba State, an average of one per month

22 cover story

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Suicide: A Rising Social Problem

Religious delusion as it stands today is the leading cause of suicide the world over and in all history

➔ CONTINUES FROM PAGE 21 himself on the ceiling fan in his hotel room in Takum, Taraba State. Also, a 17-year-old senior secondary school student, Anthony Oyeniyi, was reported to have committed suicide in the premises of his school in Irepodun local government area of Kwara State. Anthony who was the school’s head boy was said to have sneaked out of the class and hung himself on a tree. In Nnoche-Uduke community in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State, a 12-year-old primary five pupil, Chisom Okechukwu, also reportedly committed suicide by hanging herself on a tree at the back of her compound. In Jalingo, Taraba State, a 30-yearold woman, Mrs Bilkisi Gidado, committed suicide after her husband reportedly took a second wife while a young unmarried lady, Tobilola Ajihun, ended her life after taking rat poison, after her boyfriend rejected her pregnancy. She said so in a suicide note left behind.

These are just a few examples.

Suicide cases have reached an alarming rate in the country.

There is a growing penchant among people for taking their lives for reasons as mundane as a quarrel with a sibling, loss of a game by a fan’s favourite team, among others, but what is the reason for this increase and what can be done to change the tide? Experts have identified several factors as being responsible for the upswing in suicide cases in Nigeria. They include the socioeconomic situation, emotional and psychological imbalance, undetected mental cases, among others.

According to a public health specialist, Dr Folake Sina, “generally, depression is the main cause of suicide.

Depression can be brought about by financial setback.

There is also what is called academic depression which can be caused by a student being under pressure to excel in their studies when they are struggling to meet up with these expectations.

“Suicide can be as a result of psychological or psychiatric problem that is genetically inherited in families. Also, sad relationships can lead to depression which may result in suicide. I got a lot of that when I was working at the university teaching hospital. We received quite a number of patients who tried to commit suicide because their boyfriends broke up with them.

A psychiatrist at the Karu General Hospital, Dr Ahmed Ndako also attributed most suicide cases to depression.

"Typically, there are a lot of

reasons why people commit suicide. The reason is that, it is endemic; it is more of a psychological problem. As a social problem, poverty has brought about depression.

An example is when people are unable to meet their daily needs.

"Some people cannot cope with living a difficult life and so take their lives as a result.

"In the case of crime, the intake of hard drugs and abuse of alcohol can lead to depression. Crime is rampant in the country and when some of the perpetrators are apprehended to face the law, they would rather commit suicide than serve the punishment. So, depression is a major reason mainly caused by the social status of present day Nigeria. Lack of jobs, marital discord, increase in mental disorder and the inability to cope are some of the challenges.

Suicide has different stages; there is the suicidal ideation, having the idea to commit suicide; the second stage is suicidal attempt, before the final stage which is suicide itself.

LEADERSHIP Weekend spoke with a psychologist and state programme officer at Solina Healthcare, Olamide Pitan, who noted that, “suicide is mainly caused by depression.

Depression can be caused by unpaid debt. I know of a man who was in debt and killed himself in November last year.

The burden was too much for him and the people he owed were after him, calling to ask

for their money."

She added that different forms of hardships can also lead to suicide. "Some people need a form of escape from all these problems and so resort to taking their own lives," she added.

Commenting on good relationships gone sour, Pitan explained that, “the people involved in these kinds of relationship end up believing that there is nothing else worth living for hence, they often decide to take their own lives.

“I have an aunty who got pregnant in her first year in the university. Her parents were upset with her. She had the baby and put the baby in care of her mother while she studied. Then she met another man who got her pregnant. He promised her marriage and then disappointed her. When she got to his house, she discovered he had been telling her lies. He was already married with two wives and in a small house. As a result of the entire sad situation, she went into depression. She lost the baby.

“Finally, she decided to leave the country, pull the plug on the whole situation that was causing her sadness and moved to Libya. She is doing well.

She got away from the whole situation. So, sometimes a change of scenery is vital and it helps. She has a chance to start her whole life again without people pointing fingers at her.

Pitan advised that for people who are depressed or suicideminded, it would help a lot to move away from the whole

situation and start afresh somewhere else living life differently but with a positive attitude. Family and friends can also help such individual to toe this path.

“For people who are in a situation that is causing them depression, they can change their current jobs if they are employed and move away from the current place they live. A change in environment can help.

“The depressed person cannot continue to live in the same situation; it is the height of insanity. As psychologists say, it is not possible to be ‘doing the same thing and be expecting different results," she emphasised.

Again, she told LEADERSHIP Weekend that, “and then, having God in one’s life also helps to prevent suicide because you know that you are not alone as God is there to help and protect you. God helps the situation. Some people do not go to psychiatrists for help when they are depressed, they go to pastors. More psychologists are needed to be able to address this situation of depression instead of sending a depressed person to a psychiatrist hospital.

“But most importantly, if one is in a situation that is causing depression, it is better to pull the plug and move on, try to forget the past and go on with life elsewhere,” she stated.

Talking about child suicide, the psychologist said, “you find that some children have been known to have committed suicide. Mostly, children from bad and abusive homes take their own lives. To prevent this, a change of environment and putting these children in care goes a long way. For children that are not going to school, put them in schools to make them feel better."

A cleric, Pastor Alfred Okwori told LEADERSHIP Weekend that, “suicide can be seen as an intentional killing of oneself, shedding one’s own blood or self-murder. Life is sacred; no one can create or replace it once lost.

“Christianity is vehemently against shedding of blood in all its ramifications, hence God warns in Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 19:10 that under no circumstance should blood be shed in the land, because blood defiles and invokes curses on the land and its people. In the Bible, two prominent biblical figures committed suicide; King Saul (1 Samuel 31: 4-5; 1 Chronicles 10: 13 to 14) and Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27: 5; Acts 1: 18 to 19). In recent times, Reverend ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 23

cover story 23

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Suicide: A Rising Social Problem ➔ CONTINUES FROM PAGE 22 Jim Jones of Guyana led himself and over 600 members of his congregation to the worst suicide mission in history.

“While the Bible frowns at it, some religions encourage it.

The Bible views suicide as paying for your own ticket on a fastlane to hell. The following could precipitate suicidal behaviour or suicide; Religious delusion, this has a very strong influence on its adherents; Karl Marx was right in a way when he said, ‘religion is opium of the masses.’

“Religious delusion as it stands today is the leading cause of suicide the world over and in all history. Spiritual ignorance of the consequences of suicide makes people swallow doctrinal absurdities hook-line-andsinker.

“Unbroken generational curses, can also be a cause. If a curse is placed on a family, perhaps for the misdeed of its ancestors, it could precipitate untimely deaths by whatever means including suicides until such a curse is discovered and dealt with.

“Demonic influence can also be a cause. Some suicides actually have spiritual causes. If the spirit of a man is summoned in demonic covens, their victim will suddenly come under a strong demonic influence and he might be hearing a voice telling him or her to commit suicide. If such a person does not look for spiritual help in a Bible-believing church immediately, he or she may end up doing their bidding.

“Drug addiction, over dependence on hard drugs, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine etc, predisposes addicts to suicidal tendencies. Again, limited perspective, when there is a general state of despair, hopelessness, insecurity, anxiety, anarchy, fear of the unknown, fear of failure, uncertainty, etc, due to failure of the political system, the citizenry becomes susceptible and vulnerable to suicide.

“Again, loss of loved ones, of property, jobs etc, could also lead to someone committing suicide.

Frustration and depression are just like the two sides of the same

coin. Frustration in life can cause deep depression which provokes suicidal thoughts and deeds.

Other causes are the imminence of death, fear of disadvantage and chronic, persistent disease.

The Cleric states that to prevent suicide, there should be religious enlightenment, salvation through Jesus Christ, provision of social security, reverse discrimination, employment and political stability.

What the government can do Dr Ndako said the government can take the minds of youths off acts such as suicide by ensuring that every youth is positively engaged.

"These days, many youths are idle in the country. This encourages them to lean towards suicide as they begin to feel as if their life is worthless.

Government should create jobs and meaningful social activities.

Parents, of course, have a lot to do by guiding the morals and conduct of their children.

School authorities should also encourage children to do away with bad behaviour. The media can also help by giving enlightenment on how to avoid suicide. Religious leaders on their part should discourage it through the preaching of sermons. No matter how difficult a situation is, it will get better,” he said.

Asked on what can be done to reduce the rate of suicide cases in Nigeria, Sina explained that, “the government needs to improve the healthcare system and introduce more ‘walk-in’ psychologist appointments for people who are depressed and need counselling or simply just need someone to talk to, instead of treating depression as a mental case.”

Truly, the country needs more psychologists and average Nigerians ought to be given easy access to them.

Psychologists ought to be placed in educational institutions and places of work to assist people in coping with everyday stress to prevent it from resulting to suicide.

chibok diary 285 DAY

Leadership weeKeNd Saturday, January 24, 2015 CHibok tweets @Ola_Olatunji We asked them to #BringBackOurGirls, they didn’t. They asked him to #ShowHisCertificate, he did.

@danielgeorge_a @DeleMomodu I am ashamed of Naija celebrities.Same pple who carried placards for #BringBackOurGirls hav gone to wear uniforms to support GEJ.

@Yemisi_Akere TGIF, yes it’s the weekend. As we get set to put our feet up, let’s put our beloved Girls & Nation up in prayers too.

@Gidi_Traffic “@Bukkyshonibare: Day 284 of abduction 22 days to Presidential Election.

@mmaggie47 Chibok girls - “Our arms are open, but we don’t know who to talk to” @goni_adam @renoomokri @ CNN When they said #bringbackourgirls,you keep silent and mute.

Members of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group at their village meeting in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY DELE DAMISA

AGF To Boko Haram: Stop Using Minors To Prosecute Armed Conflicts

By DAVID ADUGE-ANI, Abuja

“@YHWHsFave: Just like that, days passed. Wks &months went by- d girls are still not back. It’s really disturbing. @Abu_Aaid When will Nigeria bring relief to the pain, anxiety and trepidation of the remnants of the parents of #OurGirls?.

@kanjie_lugaah What happened 2 the #BringBackOurGirls campaign?were the girls found or is it 1 of those things we’ve forgoten about? @Act4Account @BBOG_Nigeria Day 284 of demanding action to #BringBackOurGirls and for #Baga. We mourn with families who have lost.

COMPILED BY agBO augustInE

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke has issued an Advisory to the Boko Haram terrorist group on the unlawful use of children in the prosecution of hostilities and armed conflict in the North-eastern states of Nigeria.

In a press statement to LEADERSHIP Weekend in Abuja yesterday, Mr Adoke said recent reports have particularly highlighted the use of minors, some as young as 10 years old female children as suicide bombers by the Boko Haram group, to wreak havoc on innocent civilians as well as against members of the Nigerian security forces.

“The continued abuse of the rights of innocent children and young persons in the region through killings, maiming, abductions, forced displacements, sexual slavery and other vices by terrorist elements have equally been highlighted in both official and unofficial reports on the situation in the North-East”, he said.

Mr Adoke noted that he received the reports with great distress as the actions of the terrorists not only violate the innocence of young children but also constitute grave breaches of international and domestic laws which guarantee the

rights and interests of children during periods of hostilities and armed conflicts.

He noted that the Advisory was to put all terrorist elements on notice that the current hostilities in the region will not compromise the resolve of the federal government to enforce all domestic laws and international conventions to which Nigeria is a party to.

“I also wish to reiterate the fact that no matter how long it takes, all violators of the said laws and conventions will ultimately be brought to justice”, Adoke warned.

He further stressed that Nigeria, as a signatory to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, is under obligation to abide by, and enforce, the provisions of Article 8 (2) (6) (xxvi) which makes it a war crime to conscript or enlist children ‘under the age of fifteen years into the national armed forces or using them to participate actively in hostilities’.

“We shall continue to abide by our obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which we signed on 26th Januar y, 1990 and ratified on 19th April, 1991, as well as the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts which our country signed on

8th September, 2000 and ratified on 25th September, 2012.

“The Child Rights Act (which has been replicated at state level by our various State Governments), contains extensive provisions against the abuse of the right of children as we are currently witnessing in the Northern States affected by the insurgency of Boko Harm. Let me reiterate that we shall enforce those provisions to the letter”, Adoke stated.

On the purported enlisting of minors in ‘Civilian JTF’, The Minister of Justice noted that he has been re-assured by the position of Nigerian Armed Forces that it is conscious of it domestic and international obligations in that regard.

A doke ur ge d the mili tar y Hi g h Command to ensure compliance with the laws and avoid the use or abuse of children and young persons in the current campaign against terrorists groups in the country.

He said the federal government is resolve to prosecute terrorist elements and any other person who undertake the active use of children in hostilities or armed conflicts, or engage in other unlawful acts contrary to the domestic laws and international obligations on the protection of children and young persons, remains unshakable and irreversible.

ISSUE 169 JANUARY 24, 2015.

techLIFe 7-Year-OLd ShOWS hOW eaSY It IS tO break IntO a pUbLIc WI-FI In LeSS than 11 MInUteS

>43

WOrLd’S bIGGeSt SLUMS MIchaeL OjO

Inspirational industrialist

Eddie Murphy teases music career after reggae He has played a soul singer, a policeman and an African king.

He's also voiced a donkey and fleeced Wall Street Brahmins. He's even been funny in a few movies. But is that enough to justify him putting out a reggae single? trended

StUFF

LIFeStYLed

IndULGe

Cristiano Ronaldo confirms split from Irina Shayk

10 things China does better than anywhere else

Are men natural born criminals?

Goldgenie’s 24 karat gold plated bike

26

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Know-all

THAT'S inSide THiS iSSue

32 sTuff

BELIEVE THIS! Al Qaeda has denounced ISIS for filming and broadcasting beheadings, claiming their tactics are “barbaric.”

28 TRENDED

31 DEspOTs AND DICTATORs

35 kEy quEsTION

30 whAT's up?

29 TOp TEN STarTIng BLockS 27 ProudlY NigeriA

• Michael Ojo Inspirational industrialist

28 treNded

• Cristiano Ronaldo confirms split from Irina Shayk

29 toP teN

• Youngest political leaders of 2015

30 WHAt's uP

• Xi Jinping's 2015 hit list Corruption, cleavage

STuFF

THE BIg STorY

31 desPots ANd dictAtors

37 World’s biggest slums

THE rEguLarS

43 TEChlIfE

44 DREss sENsE BoXED

• Believe this • Fact Box, Do You Remember • India’s rich slum, When? Strictly For JJCs Maharashtra 44 cultured!

• Etiquettewise, Superstitions, • Shocking Foodfacts • Public servants’ hub, Neza32 stuff • Psychology Ideas, Useless Proverbs, Excusez moi Chalco-Itza, Mexico • 10 things China does better Information, Business 45 desirAbles than anywhere else • Kenya’s ‘Free Town’, Kibera Blunder, Quick Quiz, 46 miNdful • Pakistan’s Orangi Town • Espionage, Discovered 33 forbiddeN kNoWledge • Live in an airport • Egypt’s rubbish city, Manshiet • Crossword, WordSearch, • Sounding Clever, Sudoku, Homework, Nasser 34 ArticulAte Sounding Great, Spotlights, Bookshelf • Salt restaurant • Popular Dharavi, India • Know Why, 47 A lA cArte • Haiti’s sun city, Cité Soleil 35 keYed QuestioN • Celeb Info, Teeny • Den of shacks, Khayelitsha, • Crazy Tricks, Gentleman's • Are men natural born • Fascinating Facts, Words, Laugh-Out-Loud criminals?

South Africa • Keepsakes, 48 boNus PAck 36 doers • Brazil’s glorified favela, • Just Unbelievable, Fast • Seen & Overhead, English • Xi Jinping's 2015 hit list Rocinha Forward Phrases, Keepsakes Corruption, cleavage • China’s Yuan Shikai • Russia’s Romanov II

43 tecHlife

• Click Click,

Buzzstop Fighting in eastern Ukraine is fiercer than ever in some locations, NATO’s top commander in Europe said Thursday – adding that the weapons system seen now in the region has in the past heralded a fresh incursion.

A 2-year-old shot himself dead with his father’s gun, reports said Wednesday. Kaleb Ahles shot himself while his parents were moving out of their Florida home.

Miley Cyrus and her family are finally leaving behind their home in suburban Los Angeles, reports said Thursday. They bought the house when she was 14 and had recently become the star of the hit TV show Hannah Montana.

Justin Bieber’s Calvin Klein recent

campaign boosted the brand’s social media credentials report said Wednesday.

Boris Johnson has bowed to pressure from America and paid a US tax bill which he previously rejected reports said Thursday.

The American-born London Mayor had been furious the he was being chased by US tax men.

A UK secondary school teacher who also starred in a TV educative programme has been banned from the classroom for life after admitting to having sex with two former pupils, report said Thursday.

Prince Andrew on Thursday arrived in Davos to meet the world’s most rich and powerful people as he faced growing pressure to testify on oath about his

contacts with an alleged underage ‘sex slave’.

Indonesian divers Thursday recovered six bodies, some still belted into their seats, near the main section of an AirAsia plane that crashed into Java Sea last month.

President Obama will not meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his the latter’s visit to Washington, the White House announced Thursday, saying it risked looking like the administration was trying to influence Israel’s March 17 elections.

Kurdish forces in northern Iraq say they have cut off a strategic supply line used by Islamic State to link the city of Mosul to western strongholds and Syria, reports said Thursday.

Content Victoria Usman, Abisola Alawode, Love Adeyemi, Faith Kure DeSIGn/LAYoUt Matthew Akhabue ACTING EDITOR Catherine Agbo

group

FoUnDeR Sam nda-Isaiah GRoUP MAnAGInG DIReCto DIReCtoR Azubuike Ishiekwene GRoUP eXeCUtIVe DIReCtoRS Michael okpere, Dr Kazeem Durodoye FeeDbACK AnD MAILS Cognoscenti is published as an insert in LEADERSHIP Weekend. A number of the articles in this pullout are sourced from diverse sources.

Please do send your feedback and enquiries to cognoscenti@leadership.ng or send us a tweet @LeCognoscenti

27

Saturday, January 24, 2015

StartingBlocks

THE PACESETTING PAGES

Egypt’s Al Ahly is the most successful club in CAF Champions league’s history, having won the tournament 8 times.

africanFacts

Cameroon is Africa’s third largest producer of palm oil.

SaM iwuajOku

hardworking business magnate

Proudly Nigeria Michael OjO

inspirational industrialist Even though he was born without a silver spoon in his mouth, Chief Michael Ade Ojo’s humble background paved the way for his numerous achievements in life.

Unique, illustrious, determined, these are some of the words that come to mind when describing the founder of the Elizade group of companies.

Born on June 14, 1938 at Ilara-Mokin in Ondo State, Nigeria, to the family of Chief Solomon Ojo and Mrs Beatrice Ademolawe Ojo, Chief Ade Ojo had his primary education at St. Michael’s Anglican School, Ilara-Mokin, after which he proceeded to the famous Imade College, Owo under the headship of the Late Pa. Adekunle Ajasin in 1954 and finished in 1958.

He thereafter undertook an 18-month course at the School of Agriculture, Akure after which he had a brief working stint as a laboratory technician in the ministry of agriculture, Moore Plantation, Ibadan. He proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1961 where he studied business administration and graduated with a second class (upper division in 1965).

On leaving the university in 1965, he worked with CFAO, which had sponsored him in his last two years in the University, The Federal Inland Revenue Department and thereafter at British Petroleum Nigeria Limited (now African Petroleum) between 1967 and 1971 where he distinguished himself as the best sales representative.

In fulfilment of his resolve to establish his own organisation within 10 years of graduation, he abandoned the certainty of a plum colonial job for the uncertainty of private enterprise.

The result was the establishment of Elizade Independent Agencies; a family business co-founded with his late wife, Elizabeth Ojo. This was later incorporated into Elizade

Ojo

Nigeria Limited, a company dealing in motor vehicle sales, spare parts and services. This business has remained an unsurpassed success in Nigeria’s automobile industry to date.

Today, the company which Chief Michael Ade Ojo started with just 2 support staff in 1971 has become a conglomerate with several subsidiaries including Toyota Nigeria Limited, Oodua Creations Ltd, among others.

In addition, he is also the chairman of various companies including Toyota Nigeria Limited, Moorehouse Sofitel Ltd, Imperial Telecommunications Limited, Courteville Investments Company Plc, Custodian & Allied Insurance Company Ltd, Adphil Transport Company Limited, distributors of Volvo Construction Equipment’s and Volvo Trucks in Nigeria.

He is also director in several organisations among which are First

City Monument Group, Meristem Securities Limited and Ecobank Nigeria Plc. In recognition of his developmental strides within his homeland, he was awarded the prestigious chieftaincy title of Aare Ataiyese of Ilara-Mokin by his people in 1992 and in 2007 was awarded the Asiwaju of Imesi-Ile, the home town of his late wife Wuraola Ojo. In January 2010, he was conferred with yet another prestigious chieftaincy title of Baaloro of the Source, Ile-Ife by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

A patriot and a lover of culture, Chief Michael Ade Ojo has never failed in demonstrating his love for both his country and culture at all times.

His passion for the sustenance of Yoruba culture motivated him in the establishment of Oodua Creations Limited, a garment manufacturing outfit which specialises in traditional and corporate wears with the use of Nigerian fabrics. Ade-Ojo’s empire has morphed into education as he founded Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ekiti State. What impelled him into this crowded terrain of setting up a private ivory tower? His response is, “I was determined to do it because I want to develop youths and make them productive. I won’t joke with morals.”

In recognition of his chain of entrepreneurial successes, general contribution to various fields of human endeavours and his enormous assistance to religious and sociocultural organisations, Chief Michael Ade Ojo has won numerous national and International Awards. A devout Christian, he is blessed with children and grandchildren.

STricTlY fOr jjcs Mobile phone cameras are fuelling a new rise in ATM fraud In a recent article published on MailOnline, it was revealed that criminal gangs are adapting mobile phone video cameras and hiding them in cash points to help empty bank accounts. This device has been secretly helping to fuel a rise in the $150m year card fraud industry in parts of the world.

After being stripped from its phone housing, the camera is hidden under a false panel above an ATM keypad.

It then secretly records unsuspecting customers as they tap in their PIN while all the time being watched by thieves just metres away. The video recording is then used in conjunction with a separate device placed over the card slot that can either trap or clone

your card, giving fraudsters all the information they need to plunder your accounts. While police advise potential victims to look out for anything suspicious, they warn against taking devices away because there's a good chance these gangs could come after you to get them back.

'They will be watching you,' says one of the police officers interviewed.

'And if you go off with their camera, they might come after you to get their equipment back so it's best not to try looking for devices fitted by fraudsters as the vast majority are very small and well concealed.' If you do notice anything suspicious or if the ATM does swallow your card, the advice is to call your bank straightaway. He also shared

ways to avoid being scammed. If you spot anything unusual about the cash machine or there are signs of tampering, do not use it - report it to the police immediately. Be alert and put your personal safety first.

If someone is crowding or watching you, cancel the transaction and go to another machine. Do not accept help from seemingly well-meaning strangers and never allow yourself to be distracted. Stand close to the cash machine. Always shield the keypad with your free hand and your body to avoid anyone seeing you enter your PIN. Once you have completed a transaction put your money and card away before leaving the cash machine.

Sam Iwuajoku is regarded by many as a skilful businessman and industrialist, who always has an eager eye for fruitful opportunities. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of California and has extensive experience in the oil & gas, steel and commodities industries. This led to his establishment of companies like: Corporate Oil and Gas Ltd, which deals in oil and petroleum products, Intercity Commodities Ltd, which deals in bulk commodities supplier, Steelman Nigeria Ltd, which deals in Steel and Billets and Unigate Investments Ltd. which deals with Stock Trading Company.

Having purchased a Hawker 800 business jet in the late 1990s, he developed an interest in aviation and this led to him founding Quits Aviation Services Ltd. An aviation services and construction company. His company runs a private hangar and Fixed Based Operation (FBO) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. As a businessman passionate about developing the economy of Africa, Sam was part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s economic delegation to Kenya where he stated that his company Quits Aviation was committed to establishing an aircraft hangar and FBO services to cater to business jet customers in the East African region. His company signed an agreement with the authorities in Kenya to provide aircraft maintenance and FBO services which entail cleaning the aircraft, fuelling, route planning and dispatching, full passenger and crew handling, as well as a complete concierge service. This would enable Quits Aviation to get the nod of the manufactures of business jets such as Bombardier, Hawker Beechcraft and Dassault have centres for the service of their aircraft in Kenya.

All this are the true sides of a hardworking businessman.

He is happily married with children.

28

Saturday, January 24, 2015

StartingBlocks

30,000,000 Copies of Adele’s second album that were sold worldwide.

92,000,000

Number of African women and girls around the world that have been victims of female genital mutation according to the World Health Organisation.

The BuzzworThy sTuff oNLINe

Trended

Funny web

Cristiano Ronaldo confirms split from Irina Shayk

McDonald’s customer finds ‘souls of the damned’ floating in her ice cream

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally confirmed that his five year relationship with Irina Shayk is over. The Portuguese footballer said: ‘After dating for five years, my relationship with Irina Shayk has come to an end. We believed it would be best for both of us to take this step now.’ ‘I wish Irina the greatest happiness.’ It has been widely reported the Real Madrid captain had already moved on: he is now thought to be dating a Spanish news reporter called Lucia Villalon. The stunning model on her part has since unfollowed him on Twitter. She was also notably absent at his third prestigious Ballon d’Or win celebration on January 12.

‘I have no family,’ designer Karl Lagerfeld declares Karl Lagerfeld is the legendary fashion designer who this week icily declared: ‘I have no family.’

Multi-millionaire Karl Lagerfeld said that he saw his entourage of male models as his real ‘family’ - and that although he had a sister in the United States, he suggested they had no relationship. But in fact, Daily Mail Online revealed recently that the Chanel designer has a sister living in rural Connecticut who dotes on the fashion icon, and is ready to pop out to get his favourite Coca Cola if he comes to visit.

The Paris-based designer who is 81 and worth an estimated $125m told The New York Times recently that he prefers his entourage of male models to his relatives.

He said: ‘I see them like family. I have no family at all, so it’s good to have, like, sons but without the unpleasant problems sons can create.

A McDonald’s ice cream treat may have contained something far more ominous than high fructose corn syrup.

In fact one customer suspects he saw he gazed into the face of the inferno when he held his icy treat aloft. What the company claimed to be a fruit flavouring had settled into the eerie visage of a skull. ‘hey @mcdonalds i ordered a sundae but instead you gave me the souls of the damned,’ wrote the offended customer on Twitter. ‘did i have to pay extra for this>’ @bonerman_ inc’s tweet, including the terrifying image, has been favorited more than 20,000 times and retweeted more than 20,000 times.

Jilted wife sells her ex’s $150,000 Porsche for just $20,000 A disgruntled woman is selling her ex-husband’s Porsche for a measly $20,000 as payback for him cheating on her so she can have her own fun with men on a European jaunt.

The jilted woman from Templestowe, in Melbourne Australia placed an advertisement titled - Exhusbands precious Porsche 911 - on the Revenge Sales website with the justification behind her vindictive plan.

And she ends the post with the clincher on how she plans to spend the money. ‘I figured $20,000 is just enough for a return flight/accommodation to Europe so I can fondle with all the wealthy European men!’

Viral Video of two-year-old dancer goes viral At just two-years-old, a California boy called Tegan has made a name for himself online thanks to a series on videos showing him busting out some incredible dub step dance moves. But the clips have also raised some eyebrows as to whether they are authentic, amid questions they may have been doctored to seem more impressive than they are. Not so, says the creators of the YouTube videos, one of whom is Lino Morin, the father of Tegan and a dancer himself. The first video of Tegan appeared online on October 3, 2014. Tegan’s most popular clip features him dancing to Adventure Club’s remix of Crave You by Flight Facilities. That video has been viewed near 4 million times. It was filmed dancing outside his home in northern California.

Irate woman throws ear-shattering tantrum after missing ferry If high-pitched screaming occurs in a public place, more often than not the culprit is a moody toddler. But one woman proved she has never quite grown out of the ‘terrible twos’ stage by throwing a shameless hissy fit at Tsawwassen BC Ferries terminal in Canada. Although being told she was too late to board the ferry must have been extremely frustrating, there is just no excuse for this sort of outrageous behaviour

in an adult. ‘You have no idea, you have no idea!’ the latecomer wails in a fit of hysterics, after her ticket is rejected. Raising her voice, she continues to pour out her wrath on the unlucky employee: ‘You have no understanding of people’s feelings. I am so mad!’ The viral video, posted on the Facebook group Spotted in Victoria, also shows her shrieking at the top of her lungs as she storms off with her luggage in tow.

STrange Man rapes his dog until his genitals got stuck

A man was arrested on charges of animal cruelty after being caught raping his dog, police in Florida said.

Tampa Police said that horrified neighbours called police when they heard the suspect, 57-year-old Bernard Marsonek, screaming for help in the front yard of his home. According to Worldwide Weird News, Marsonek was participating in a despicable act

with his dog Pounder. Shortly after the act began, Pounder became stuck in its owner. Unable to part with his dog, Marsonek screamed for help. He was in a lot of pain. Many shocked neighbours told him to stop raping his dog, but he simply replied: ‘I can’t.

I am stuck.’ Paramedics who arrived at the scene, spent 35 minutes to separate the dog from its owner. Police officers searched the suspect’s home and found a gun and ammunition. A total of eight dogs were removed from his home and taken to animal control.

Marsonek said that he rapes a different dog each night. Marsonek was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and a single count of sexual activity with animals.

29

Saturday, January 24, 2015

StartingBlocks duMBlaWS

It is against the law to insinuate that someone is Swedish in Belgium.

10

A dog owner can have only 2 dogs in Mauritius, else, he/she is considered a dog breeder, in which case they must obtain a permit.

OF EVERYTHING THAT'S WORTH ITS SALT

youngeST PoliTiCAl leAdeRS of 2015

Jong-Un

Garibashvili

Wangchuck

S/n Politician

Post/country

Age

1 2

Kim Jong-Un Irakli Garibashvili

Supreme leader/North Korea PM/Georgia

32 32

3

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

King/Bhutan

34

4 5

Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Taavi Roivas

Emir/ Qatar PM/Estonia

34 35

6

Atifete Jahjaga

President/Kosovo

39

7

Charles Michel

PM/Belgium

39

8

Sigmundur David Gunnalaugsson

PM/Iceland

39

9

Moussa Mara

PM/Mali

39

10

Matteo Renzi

PM/Italy

40

MoST exPenSive fooTbAlleR HouSeS

Rooney's house

Drogba's house

S/n footballer

House worth

1

David Beckham

$ 20m

2

Wayne Rooney

17.5m

3

Didier Drogba

14.4m

4 5

John Terry Frank Lampard

$ 7.5m $ 7m

6

Cristiano Ronaldo

$ 6m

7

Mario Balotelli

$ 5m

8

Lionel Messi

$ 5m

9

Andres Iniesta

$4.6m

10

Gareth Bale

$ 3m

Terry's house

Beckham's house

SHOckInG

In Saudi Arabia you must carry a doctor’s prescription for any medication you have with you.

Whether a vegetable is more nutritious cooked or raw depends FooDFactS on the vegetable, the nutrient and the cooking method.

Maori culture – AucklAnd 1. The Haka Probably the most famous element of Maori culture worldwide, thanks to the All Blacks rugby team, this is a traditional war dance performed by men. Eyes and tongues protrude in a gesture of defiance.

2. Moko (Tattoos) The moko involves incising deep patterns, often spirals, into the skin and colouring them with pigment. The tradition has been revived today and some Maori proudly wear moko.

3. Song and dance Oratory chant, song and dance are the means of passing on ancestral know- ledge, and form an essential part of Maori life, key to the rituals of challenge, welcome and farewell.

4. Costume Cloaks and capes, made of pelts, feathers or flax, are a feature of Maori dress.

Skirts are made of flax too, the leaves scraped and dried to form tubes, strips of which hang from a belt.

5. Plaiting and weaving Maori women create beautifully patterned and useful household items, such as baskets, rugs and wall hangings, from flax, feathers and reeds.

6. Carving Wood, bone, stones and shells are all carved into ornaments, jewellery and ceremonial objects such as Tiki pendants.

7. Art Modern Maori artists are increasingly incorporating traditional techniques and subjects into their work.

8. Waka (Canoes) The Poynesian settlers were skilled boat-builders and navigators. Maori canoes have forward-thrusting

The Haka

Moko

Song and dance

prows, carved in intricate patterns, to improve the vessel’s performance.

9. Mau Rakau (Martial Art) The traditional weapon is the taiaha, a wooden or whalebone staff the height 0 a person.

There has been a revival of the skilled art of its use, known as Mau Rakau.

10. Meeting houses The buildings are symbolic of a male ancestor - a mask on the gable end represents his head; the wide, sloping bargeboards his 0 en arms.

30

Saturday, January 24, 2015

StartingBlocks CELEBINFO

BY THE NUMBERS

CAF AFRiCAN FooTBAllER oF THE YEAR AwARd

1

Number of times Chad have produced a candidate for the African Footballer of the Year award.

Legendary musician Billy Joel usually gives away all his front row tickets to random people in the cheap seats so that the front row isn’t always just wealthy people.

WHAT'S UP

IN-THE-NOW HappENINgS arOuNd uS

Xi Jinping's 2015 hit list Corruption, cleavage For a nation still largely ruled from behind closed doors, official pronouncements after a series of year-end meetings shows China’s most powerful leader in decades ambitions and priorities in 2015.

3

Number of times Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) and Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire) have won the African Footballer of the Year award.

4 Number of times Yaya Toure has won the award in a row.

5 Number of times Ghana’s Michael Essien has been nominated without winning.

In 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

7

Number of times the English Premiership has produced winners of the award.

20

Age if Senegal’s El Hadji Diouf the youngest recipient of the award.

9 Number of times Cote d’Ivoire’s Didier Drogba has been nominated for the award in the past 10 editions.

BOXOFFICESTATS

Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper opened to a historic $105.3m this past weekend. Making it the biggest launch ever for a movie opening in January.

Xi Jinping Corruption fight In the last week of December, Xi presided over the gathering of the 25-member Politburo, the Communist Party’s elite decision-making body.

‘Organizing cliques within the Party to run personal businesses is absolutely not tolerated,’ read a statement issued after the meeting, while acknowledging the challenges in the ongoing fight against corruption, a lightning rod for mass discontent. 2014 saw Xi break some powerful cliques involving an intricate web of officials, cronies and tycoons as well as billions of dollars’ worth of bribes and deals.

He took down former domestic security czar Zhou Yongkang, General Xu Caihou, once the military’s second-incommand; and Ling Jihua, a top aide to ex-President Hu Jintao. State media have touted them as the three biggest ‘tigers’ caught in Xi’s now two-year-old anti-graft campaign, with a stated goal of targeting both ‘tigers and flies’ high and low ranking officials.

While applauded by many ordinary citizens, Xi’s ever-wider dragnet has also attracted increasing scrutiny. “The question remains to be whether Xi is taking a page from Chairman Mao,” said long-time political analyst Willy Lam with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, noting the three fallen leaders were all considered to be Xi’s political opponents. “Starting with Mao, corruption has been used to take down enemies of the more powerful faction.” For the sake of stability within the Party, Lam predicted a moratorium

on the hunt for ‘big tigers ‘anyone in the rank of a Politburo member and above in the next few years.

Sustainable development Other observers even detect the anticorruption campaign’s ominous effect on the economy, the world’s second largest. “China’s economic success had relied on some very capable people, who also happened to be corrupt because of the system,” said economist Mao Yushi, one of the country’s leading liberal voices. He pointed to the example of former railway minister Liu Zhijun, who was often credited with turning the country’s high-speed rail network from non-existent to the world’s largest in a few years. Liu received a suspended death sentence in 2013 for corruption and abuse of power.

Master of the nation ‘The rule of law’ has become an unlikely catchphrase in state media since late October, when the Communist leadership made it the theme of a major meeting, and declared the importance of upholding the Constitution that enshrines the respect for human rights.

“Only if the Communist Party rules the country in line with the law, will people’s rights as the master of the nation be realized,” read a communiqué released after the gathering known as the Fourth Plenum.

Art serving socialism Lawyers are not the only group feeling the squeeze from the authorities. One of the hottest topics across Chinese cyberspace so far in 2015 has been

the case of vanishing cleavage in a hit television show called ‘The Empress of China.’ Reflecting aesthetics in seventh century Tang dynasty, the historical drama depicting the life of the only woman who ruled China in her own right had featured ample female bosoms before being suddenly pulled off air in late December. When the series returned to air on New Year’s Day, viewers nationwide noticed crudely edited scenes, in which women were only shown in close-up shots to avoid revealing their chests. The show’s creators probably should have seen this coming, though, after Xi addressed a delegation of actors, dancers and writers in Beijing last October. Underscoring the need for art to serve socialism and foster correct worldviews, the president told the artists not to pursue commercial success at the expense of producing work with moral values.

“Popularity should not necessitate vulgarity,” Xi said. “Pure sensual entertainment does not equate spiritual elation.” “Anybody associated with thought work or ideology or the image of China -- everything is being squeezed or tightened or limited,” said Jeremy Goldkorn, a leading commentator on China’s media landscape. “I think this is connected to Xi’s idea of the new normal,” he added. “These things are going to go on, not just a cyclical campaign -- whether it’s anticorruption or tightening up on media, ideological issues.”

Already, signs were plenty throughout last year: universities and state-run think tanks warned to toe the Party line in their teaching and research, civil rights groups forced to cancel most public events, and Google’s popular Gmail service completely blocked in China.

All the worrying developments have only confirmed some observers’ grim view on Xi’s signature political campaign.

“Fighting corruption is necessary,” offered economist Mao. “But it’s a complex issue related to income, education, freedom of speech and the rule of law. Without fundamental changes in these areas, the campaign won’t succeed in the long run.” “There were expectations that once he consolidated power, he would launch far-reaching reforms but the past two years has not been encouraging,” said analyst Lam. “The big question in 2015 is: How will Xi use his newfound supreme power?”

31

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Stuff

p32

Things China is better at The Chinese market keeps expanding while remaining bests at others.

p35

Are men born criminals?

For many, being male is identified as a risk factor for criminal behaviour.

p36

Jennifer Aniston With the spotlight on her, the actress has admitted to quite a lot.

that will tickle your fancy

despots and dictators

Big Ideas

Totalitarianism

China’s Yuan Shikai Ill-fated president of China who rose meteorically and rapidly fell from grace.

Chosen to rebuild China’s army following the Sino-Japanese War, Yuan further impressed the empress dowager Tzu-hsi when his division was the only one to emerge intact from the Boxer Rebellion.

In the shadow of her death and the demise of the Qing Dynasty, Yong became China’s first president of the new-born republic.

He was impatient with the workings of representative government and schemed to have his leading rival murdered. He plummeted further into disfavour when he pronounced himself Emperor. The tide of public opinion turned against him, once- loyal subordinates abandoned him, and he succumbed to uremia, aged fiftysix. His death would open the door to the warlord era, an unstable period during which control of China was fragmented among competing military cliques, each vying for the upper hand.

Totalitarian regimes not only seek to wield absolute power, but also to control every aspect of life within the state, so that every action and every thought of every citizen accords with their ideology. Totalitarianism is particularly associated with the fascist, Nazi and communist dictatorship of the 20th century, such as Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union. It is unlikely that totalitarianism could have arisen before the development of mass media such as newspapers, radio and cinema, which are used to indoctrinate the populace with endless streams of propaganda. Schools and universities are diverted to similar ends, and the individual’s sense of only having significance in the context of the state or the ruling ideology is reinforced by mass rallies. Only institutions sanctioned by the state are permitted - there can be no such thing as civil society. Totalitarianism is thus at the other end of the political spectrum to liberal democracy.

Russia’s Romanov II L ast Tzar of Russia, scion of a family that had ruled the nation for three hundred years, and supreme overload of the antiquated and inhumane feudal system of serfdom, by the terms of which landless peasants had less value than livestock at the same time that political rights were denied and economic inequities were rife throughout Russian society as a whole. In 1917, exhausted by the privations of war and appalled and contemptuous of the inf luence wielded over the Tzarina by the ‘mad monk’ Grigori R asputin, the malignant and mysterious ‘power behind the throne,’ insurrectionists rose up against Nicholas and the rest of the Romanov clan and murdered them in the throes of the Bolshevik Revolution.

The royal we The Queen of England has two birthdays - one real and one official.

The shortest British monarch was Charles I, who was 4ft 9inc.

Prince Harry and Prince William are uncircumcised.

Catherine the Great relaxed by being tickled.

Princess Grace of Monaco was once on the board of 20th Century Fox. The royal house of Saudi Arabia has close to ten thousand princes and princesses.

Oxygen is the most common element in the body by mass occupying 65 per cent of the human body.

Answer:

QUICKQUIZ

What is the most common element in the human body by mass?

USELESS INFORMATION

While performing her duties as queen, Cleopatra sometimes wore a fake beard.

32

Stuff

Saturday, January 24, 2015 that will tickle your fancy

HISTORIFIC

SCIENTIFIC

During the past 400 years, nearly a quarter of a million people have been killed as a direct result of volcanic eruptions.

Enough sunlight reaches the earth’s surface each minute to satisfy the world’s energy demands for an entire year.

10 things China does better than anywhere else

China calligraphy

China pragmatism

China tea

Pork As the first place to domesticate pigs, we can be sure China knows a thing or two about making pork delicious.

According to the US National Pork Board, the earliest evidence of domestication of the wild boar can be dated to 4900 BC in China.

Historically, the animal has been so integral to Chinese society that the Chinese character for ‘home’ is a pictogram of a pig with a roof over its head. Today, China is the world’s top producer and consumer of hogs and, wow, how it’s consumed. We love and respect the traditions of the entire world of barbecue out there, but China’s unparalleled experience and variety of dishes places it atop the pork pile.

Indoor sports So China isn’t all that great at football so what? Its state system of athletic training has perfected a fool proof method for producing top gymnasts, ping pong champs, badminton aces and diving divas. Since it first participated in the modern Olympics in 1984, it’s steadily risen toward the top of the medals table. Chinesestyle athleticism reached a climax at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing when the country garnered 51 gold medals and ranked number one overall. In comparison, the United States is undeniably the longstanding king of the Olympics, but it’s had an 18-Olympic head start on China.

Pragmatism Idea for a thoughtful gift? Cash.

China’s achievements today, including several of the items on this list, can be credited to a deep sense of pragmatism, which assesses most situations by looking at the practical consequences of actions.

On a policy level, China will engage with any country, regardless of moral standing. As Deng Xiaoping, architect of modern China, famously said: “It doesn’t matter whether a cat is white

or black, as long as it catches mice.”

Deng pretty much captured the political and entrepreneurial zeitgeist for the past few decades.

Calligraphy Calligraphy in China is an art form, a meditative practice, a scholarly pursuit and, nowadays, an investment. With a rich tradition of calligraphy tracing back thousands of years, China reveres the works on paper by great masters, as well as the experimental new media calligraphic works of contemporary artists. At auction, these calligraphic artworks routinely fetch millions of dollars, collected by connoisseurs around the world, such as the paper scroll ‘Gong Fu Tie,’ which sold for $8.2m at Sotheby’s New York in September 2013. The ancient work was written by the famous poet Su Shi and consists of just nine characters.

Copying Why reinvent the wheel? China is great at copying other people’s version of the wheel and making it more affordable. There’s a cheap Chinese version of almost everything and anything, from luxury fashions to electronic gadgets. While the iPhone 6 Plus is selling at almost $2,400 in China ($299 in the United States), counterfeit iPhone models sell for between $2 and $75 on China’s online shop Taobao.

Building fast Not just cheap China builds thing fast as well. A fast-growing middle class and an explosion in domestic travel means China needs hotels. It’s meeting the demand with the fastest, quirkiest and most impressive construction boom the world has ever seen. Budget chain Hanting Inns boasts two hotel openings per day across China. The company expects to be the world’s largest chain by 2020.

Meanwhile, a 30-story hotel was created in 15 days in Hunan Province at a cost of $17m. The construction company is now aiming to pull off the

WORlD OF ESPIONaGE

quESTIONS yOu'll NEvER aSk

Sri Lanka expels Indian spy official for meddling in elections The government of Sri Lanka has expelled a senior Indian intelligence official, accusing him of meddling in national elections that took place earlier this month.

Sri Lanka’s President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, stepped down on January 9 after losing a nationwide electoral contest to his former cabinet aide and main contender for the post, Maithripala Sirisena. Sirisena led a coalition of opposition parties and figures, including several of Rajapaksa’s government ministers, who defected to the opposition en masse in the months leading to the election. Rajapaksa’s defeat surprised observers, who believed he would easily win a successive third term in office. Since 2005, when he was first elected president, Rajapaksa led an all-out military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as Tamil Tigers), after dismissing a prior truce deal between the government and the separatist group as‘treasonous’. Under his leadership, the Sri Lankan military drove the Tigers out of Sri Lanka’s entire Eastern Province, reducing the extent of the group’s territorial control by 95 per cent. However, relations with India, a traditional Sri Lankan ally, deteriorated drastically under Rajapaksa’s leadership. New Delhi became concerned that Colombo was making too many openings toward India’s geopolitical rival China.

same feat in eight days.

Tea The first in the world to appreciate the simple drink made from steeping leaves in water, China has since developed a profound appreciation for tea.

Evaluated much in the way that wine is in the West, different teas have distinct characteristics depending on terroir, treatment and storage. The culture of tea has become so integral to China and held in such esteem that prestigious varietals regularly sell for thousands of dollars per kilo -- it’s practically currency.

Getting to high places While the world’s highest point, Mount Everest (8,848 meters), exists on the border between Nepal and China, and is claimed by both countries, this in itself isn’t an achievement, just a geographical fact. The triumph is in bringing the masses quickly and efficiently to the world’s peaks. China claims the world’s highest railway.

The Tanggula Pass at more than 5,000 meters in the Tanggula Mountains can be traversed via the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

Dumplings China has countless styles of delicious dumplings. The humble dumpling has been elevated to art form in China.

Nowhere can you find a diversity and sophistication that matches China’s exhaustive list of dumpling variations.

Olympic opening ceremonies The world is still shaking in its boots from the raucous display of totalitarian jazz hands that opened the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

Whether you saw it as a spectacle of precision showmanship or the result of a lockstep society trying to freak out the entire planet, there’s no denying it was the opening ceremony that made all others tremble in shock and awe.

The hour-long cinematic showcase, directed by celebrated filmmaker Zhang Yimou, incorporated every Chinese art form, from ink painting to acrobatics to tai chi and opera.

Late last year the Indian government protested after Sri Lanka permitted Chinese submarines to dock there without first informing its northern neighbour.

On December 28, Sri Lankan media alleged that the senior representative of India’s Research and Analysis Wing in Colombo had been expelled from the country due to his behind-the-scenes support of the opposition’s electoral campaign. According to Sri Lankan sources, it was the Indian intelligence official who convinced Sirisena to resign from President Rajapaksa’s cabinet and run against him. The Indian intelligence operative then hosted secret meetings between Sirisena and other opposition figures, during which a united political front against Rajapaksa was formed. The allegations were also reported by the Reuters news agency on January 18, in an article that cited‘political and intelligence sources’in Sri Lanka and India. New Delhi denied the allegations, saying that the intelligence official had been replaced because his overseas tour had expired, not because he had been expelled by authorities in Colombo. Meanwhile, the newly installed President Sirisena said he intends visit New Delhi on his first foreign trip in February, adding that India will form his government’s‘first, main concern’on matters of foreign policy.

Does drinking a beer get you less drunk than drinking a shot of liquor?

The answer to this question is a little complicated.

A standard serving of beer is 12 ounces (can, bottle, or poured), of wine is 5 ounces, and of liqueur is 11/2 ounces (in a mixed drink or straight shot). If the liquor is 80 proof (that is, 40% alcohol), then each of the servings of beer, wine, and liquor contains the same amount of alcohol. It makes sense that someone might think ‘a drink is a drink’ and assume that each would get a person drunk at the same rate. In theory this is right, but in reality and everyday practice, it is wrong.

Even though the drinks contain the same amount of alcohol, the truth is that they are not all the same., a person will get full on beer before wine or liquor, because he or she has to drink more liquid to get the same amount of alcohol. Another difference is that a person can drink a straight shot of alcohol faster than a beer or a glass of wine. People drinking shots may, therefore, feel the effects sooner. Also, a beer comes in a pre-measured can or bottle.

Remember, never ever drive if you’d had a drink.

If you do, you are risking both your life and the lives of others.

33

Saturday, January 24, 2015

BRANDED In 2010, Nike was recorgnised as one of the world's most ethical companies, as well as scoring highly for its green credentials and sustainability.

SoundingClever

effluent

Waste in liquid form that is emitted into the river from the Latin effluere: to flow out.

Effluent from factories contaminates rivers.

SPORTSFACT

The USA have won 7 out of the 9 FINA Water Polo World League contests since the competition started in 2005.

FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE

THINGS not everyone should know how to do

Live in an airport

Stuff

that will tickle your fancy

september 2007

spotlights

impassible

Incapable of feeling hardship from the Latin in: not, and pass-: suffered. Indian fakirs who walk barefoot across hot coals give the impression of being impassible.

FILM The Game Plan

simper

To smile in a flirty fashion from the German zimpfer: delicate. Julia Roberts became an international sex symbol due to her role in the film Pretty Woman (1990) in which she simpered continually at the camera.

apparatchik

An official in a huge organisation from the Russian apparat: apparatus, and -chik: denoting agent. Within the Conservative Party, George Osborne is no more apparatchik, for he is one of David Cameron's closest advisers and the Chancellor.

SOUNDING GREAT

juggernaut

An overwhelming or unstoppable force.

The computer turns the untrammeled market into a global juggernaut crashing across frontiers, enfeebling national powers of taxation and regulation, undercutting national management of interest rates and exchange rates, widening disparities of wealth both withing and between nations, dragging down labour standards, degrading the environment, denying nations the shaping of their own economic destiny, accountable to no one, creating a world economy without a world polity.

An NFL quarterback living the bachelor lifestyle discovers that he has an 8-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

MUSIC Rihanna

In the movie The Terminal, Tom Hanks plays a visitor to New York from Eastern Europe, who is stranded at Kennedy Airport after a civil war erupts in his country. He is unauthorised to enter the United States, but cannot return home, so he spends several weeks at the airport.

How easy would this be in real life, and how badly do you want to get away from the local bums who hang out with you at the bus depot?

Invisibility cloak The biggest problem you’ll face when bumming around in an airport is security. Short of wearing an invisibility cloak, there’s not much you can do to avoid the surveillance cameras and security guards. You need to buy time by looking like a passenger who hasn’t checked in yet. Carry a large suitcase stuffed with changes of clothes and various disguises, such as fake beards, glasses, and wigs.

Every morning, dress up in a different disguise so that the security guards don’t realise you are planning on becoming a semipermanent fixture. Alternatively, wear a smart suit and a good pair of shoes, carry an attaché case,

and talk loudly into your mobile phone. You will look like any another business-class traveller.

Finding food All you’ve got to do is stay alive; anything else is a luxury: that means getting hold of food and drink. Go to any rest room and you can drink from the faucet for free. Forage for food in a trash can, or hang around at the fastfood places farthest away from the departure terminals-this is where the most food is left uneaten because many passengers misjudge their check-in time and have to leave in a hurry. If you’re a man, you need about 2,500 calories a day to live. Have a super-sized Big Mac meal and we’re talking about 1,500 calories right there. If you can find a few coins in pay phones, you’re set for the day.

Sleeping You don’t have to lock yourself in a bathroom stall to get some sleep. Airports are open 24-7 and there are always people lounging around looking exhausted and trying to catch some shut-eye.

Staving off boredom There are always lots of discarded newspapers lying around, and when you’ve read the daily news, you can play games like counting how many times you blink in one day.

Don’t Stop the Music is a song

by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad.

TELEVISION Gossip Girl

The life and style of privileged teens living on the Upper Eastside of New York City.

EVENT Swearing in ceremony

On the 11th, Bruce Golding is sworn in as Prime Minister of Jamaica following the victory of his Jamaica Labour Party in the parliamentary elections.

BIRTHDAY Chimamanda Adichie Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie, known for such works as Purple Hibiscus and Americana, celebrated her 30th birthday on the 15th.

DEATH Rex Humbard

American television evangelist Rex Humbard, whose Cathedral of Tomorrow show was aired on over 600 stations at the peak of its popularity, died on the 21st.

34

Stuff

Saturday, January 24, 2015 that will tickle your fancy

2.5

metres

ARTICULATE

Salt restaurant

The aptly named salt restaurant in Shiraz, southern Iran, is completely made of salt. The walls, bar, tables and chairs are entirely made of the white mineral; even the stairs have a smooth, salty coating. The unique restaurant is the brainchild of Iranian firm Emtiaz Designing Group, who used salt as the main construction material in order to promote the concept of green construction. They created the building using environmentally sustainable, locally sourced, affordable salt, powder and rock. In this particular case, the walls, structural sculptures and ceilings are made from salt sourced from the nearby salt mines and salt lake of Shiraz which was mixed with natural gum to harden it. The project began with a thorough study on the appropriate type of local salt and its combination with natural gums. Inspired by salt caves, the designers wanted to make sure the interiors of the restaurant twisted and turned just like they do in natural salt caverns. Once the research phase was over, they designed the walls, roof and stairs to represent a modern view of salt caves – and the result is both striking and environmentally sustainable.

They handcrafted the tables entirely from rock salt, and recycled soft drink cans were used to surface the stairs and chair frames, which was another way of keeping down the carbon footprint. Salt is actually a wise choice of construction material for the restaurant, because it purifies the air and creates positive ions in the atmosphere. But in fact, salt has been known as a powerful health remedy since ancient times, especially for respiratory health and detoxification. Therefore, eating at the salt restaurant could have several benefits like taking part in salt therapy while also enjoying the food.

KNOW WHY... ...mopping up water is easier with wet cloth than dry cloth To do a decent job of mopping up, you need a force strong enough to counteract gravity and lift the water off the floor. With a dry cloth that comes from the molecular forces between the material making up the nooks and crannies of the cloth and the water molecules; what is often called capillary action, driving the water up into the cloth. With a wet cloth, the water molecules already in the cloth can exert their relatively strong inter-molecular force on the water still on the ground, mopping it up much more effectively.

The average length of certain species of kangaroo when they are born.

30

Number of players allowed in the early hockey games on each side on the ice.

How do karate chop pack such a punch?

The sight of a karate expert smashing through a heap of roof tiles with a single chop is impressive, as is the force involved. Studies using target wired up to record the effect of the blow have shown that a karate chop can deliver an impact force equivalent to half a ton in weight, all focused on to the edge of the hand more than enough to break roof tiles, bricks or human bones. The secret to smashing things up lies in delivering as much kinetic energy as possible to the target, deforming the material beyond its limit of flexibility. To do this, the hand has to be moving as fast as possible on contact. Karate experts practise blows which finish an inch or so below the point of contact, with their hand reaching maximum speed, around 20ft per second, just at the point of contact.

Exponents of tamashiwara, as this kind of demolition work is called, like to have tiles, blocks or bricks supported at their edges, allowing them to flex and break during the karate chop.

Why do your teeth chatter when you are cold?

The body usually maintains a constant temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the cells of the body work best. If there is any significant change in temperature, it is sensed by an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. When the body gets too cold, this centre alerts the rest of the body to begin warming up. Shivering, the rapid movement of the muscles to generate heat, then begins.

Do cucumbers relieve swollen eyes?

A well placed cucumber may feel wonderful, but there is no special ingredient in it that reduces swelling under the eye. Cucumbers are 90 percent water, and it is the cooling effect of the water that constricts the blood vessels around the eyes, therefore decreasing the swelling. Some other swollen eye solutions include black tea bags in cold water, the tannic acid content being the key to reducing swelling.

What are age spots?

Age spots are also known as sunspots or lentigines. They are flat, brown discolouration of the skin that usually occur on the back of the hands, neck and face of people older than forty years. Age spots are caused by an increased number of pigment producing cells in the skin. As our skin becomes thinner with age, it also becomes more translucent, which makes these spots more obvious. Age spots are caused by the skin being exposed to the sun over many years and are a sign of sun damage. They are not harmful and do not represent skin cancer.

Does marijuana help glaucoma?

There are some important medical use for marijuana, and some of these lead to solid arguments for legalisation. However, the use of marijuana for glaucoma does not appear to have any benefit over available medications. Marijuana does reduce pressure in the eye.

35

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Stuff

ThE kEY question

Are men natural born criminals?

The pandemic of violence always gets explained as anything but gender, anything but what would seem to be the broadest explanatory pattern of all. Being male has been identified as a risk factor for violent criminal behaviour

Our jails are overflowing with men, while women account for less than five per cent of the prisoner population. There are 84,731 people in prison in Britain and according to the latest figures, 80,915 of them are men. Less than five per cent of this country’s prison population is female, and the trend is similar elsewhere in the western world. In France, it’s about three per cent; in Germany, just under six. The global median is 4.3 per cent, according to figures from the International centre for prison studies. You can find all sorts of trends by analysing the demographics of the prison population that might tell us something about the groups most likely to offend, at least at a level warranting incarceration, but perhaps the most striking and persistent is that serious crime is still overwhelmingly committed by men. The discrepancy is not quite so stark when looking at lower-level crimes, because when women participate in crime they tend to commit less serious offences. But the gap still exists at all levels: in 2011, men accounted for about threequarters of all criminal court cases and out-of-court disposals.

Yet from pickpocketing to white collar crime to assault, men are more likely to offend than women.

For a long time, this phenomenon was overlooked.

The factors most commonly thought to contribute to crime - a lack of education (half of prisoners have no qualifications, compared with 15 per cent of the general population); experiences of violence or abuse as a child (41 per cent of prisoners witnessed domestic violence as children and almost a third experienced abuse); financial difficulties, and so on—affect men and women alike. Yet from pickpocketing to white collar crime to assault, men are more likely to offend than women. For a long time, this phenomenon was overlooked. Criminological research and theory focused almost exclusively on men,

without explicitly questioning why the gap existed. But as feminist theorists started demanding a closer look at such differences the crime gap rose to light, and from the 1970s onwards various explanations were presented. Today, although there is still no universallyaccepted explanation, most criminologists point to socialised gender roles and the different expectations of male and female behaviour. Some people have of course argued that it is biological rather than sociological: that men are naturally more violent.

These assumptions might explain why it took so long for anyone to question the different levels of crime among men and women.

This is not to say that men are inherently more criminal. Neither is it to deny the very real effect that other risk factors such as age, education and background have on offenders. But it is important to recognise one of the most universal and yet frequently overlooked trends in crime. If we can properly work out why the crime gender gap exists, why women are so much more likely to stay away from it, we might be able to use that knowledge to tackle the cycles of criminality more effectively.

that will tickle your fancy

TEENY What your birthday says about your character If you were born on the 1st, 10th, 19th, 28th of any month you are number 1….

Number 1.

You are smart, straight talking, funny, stubborn, hardworking, honest, Jealous on competing basis, kind hearted, angry, friendly, authorities, famous person, always wants to be and regarded as first on people position, they often like to be independent, will never be under others, self-confident people.

If you were born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th, 29th of any month then you are number 2…

Number 2.

No matter what, you will be loved by everyone. You are a person who day dreams a lot, you have very low-selfconfidence, you need back up for every move in your life, you are very much unpredictable (means you do change according to time and circumstances), kind of selfish, have a very strong sense of musical, artistic talent, and verbal communication.

If you were born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st, 30th of any month then you are number 3…

Number 3.

You are a hard hearted person, selfish most of the times, religious, loves to climb up in your life. You always tend to have lots of problems within your family in the early stages but you will put up with everything. You have the strong word power, pretty happy face. So wherever you go, you always have what you want. When you grow to a man or woman age, you will want other younger once to listen to you because you want younger people to respect people older than them.

If you were born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd, 31st of any month then you are number 4…

Number 4.

You are very stubborn, hardworking but unlucky in important matters in life, very cool, helpful, you have rough word power.

Might put lots of people away from you, you may cause nuisance to others if you are a man, and you often understand others and their problems well. If you are a girl you are very good with studies and arts.

If you were born on the 5th, 14th, 23rd of any month then you are number 5…

Number 5.

You are very popular within the community, you can get things done by just chatting. You have a pretty good business mind, you often have no-idea what today is like, or tomorrow will be like, and you are a person who does anything when your head thinks. You will be famous if you open up a business, you will excel. Very popular with sense of humour, you are the one your friends and families will always ask for help, and you actually get money on credit and help your friends.

To be continued….

36

Stuff

Saturday, January 24, 2015 that will tickle your fancy

SHOPAHOLIC

If you’re an over-the-top wealthy lady, Gerrit Guggenberger and Martin Gadalla’s 140 grams of 18-carat gold iPhone case for $108,880 would definitely make you stand out.

LADYLIKE

Once a lady's dinner knife has been dirtied, she never lets it touch the tablecloth.

fitnessdorm Work your cheeks & mouth

Jennifer Aniston

'I have dyslexia'

Jennifer Aniston is relishing her acting success from her first criticallyacclaimed dramatic role in Cake. And as the spotlight has been shining brightly on her as of late, she shared her ‘struggles with anger, dyslexia (and) that Oscar snub’ in a new interview.

The 45-year-old actress was not ashamed to admit her ignorance of the disease that has plagued her all her life. ‘The only reason I knew (that I had dyslexia) was because I went to get a prescription for glasses,’ the blonde said. ‘I had to wear these Buddy Holly glasses. One had a blue lens and one had a red lens.

And I had to read a paragraph, and they gave me a quiz, gave me 10 questions based on what I’d just read, and I think I got three right.’ The fiancée of Justin Theroux continued, ‘Then they put a computer on my eyes, showing where my eyes went when I read. My eyes would jump four words and go back two words, and I also had a little bit of a lazy eye, like a crossed eye, which they always have to correct in photos.’ Her dyslexia hurt her self-esteem.

‘I thought I wasn’t smart. I just couldn’t retain anything,’ the Just Go With It star said.

‘Now I had this great discovery.

I felt like all of my childhood trauma-dies, tragedies, and dramas were explained.’ Aniston didn’t shy away from that big baby question. ‘Listen, that’s a topic that’s so exhausted. I get nervous around that, just because it’s very personal,’ the

Horrible Bosses 2 star added.

‘Who knows if it’s going to happen? It’s been a want. We’re doing our best.’ Of Theroux, Jennifer said she was attracted to his humour and how comfortable he was in his skin.

‘He’s the easiest guy to hang around... It was the first time I remember being so comfortable (with a romantic interest), like with all my gay friends,’ the Bruce Almighty star said. She even talked a bit about her famous ex-husband Brad Pitt, who married Angelina Jolie last summer in France. ‘We’re not in daily communication. But we wish nothing but wonderful things for each other. Nobody did anything wrong. You know what I mean? It was just like, sometimes things (happen). If the world only could just stop with the stupid, soap-opera bulls***,’ she said. ‘There’s no story. I mean, at this point it’s starting to become — please, give more credit to these human beings.’ As far as her film Cake, the LA native said, ‘I’ve been told so many times “You’re not that type” that part of me went, “Am I not? Can I really (do this)?” So it was like, “I’m going to prove it to myself.” There was a confidence in knowing that

I’m capable of doing this after so many years of being able to “show up.” This was the first time. ‘I had so many layers to explore. I took out a tool bag I hadn’t used.’

In her interview with Stephen Galloway, the Switch star talked about her mother, who she doesn’t seem to be close with.

‘She was critical. She was very critical of me. Because she was a model, she was gorgeous, stunning. I wasn’t,’ said the beauty - who has appeared on the cover of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. ‘I never was. I honestly still don’t think of myself in that sort of light, which is fine. She was also very unforgiving. She would hold grudges that I just found so petty.’ And the Golden Globe nominee also said she has recently fallen for an old dating show. ‘I’ll say it out loud. Last year, (friends) were saying, “It’s The Bachelor, it’s premiering tonight! The Bachelor is premiering tonight!” And I was like, “Oh, guys! Seriously? The Bachelor? That’s been on for 15 years or something.” And Justin and I, just for fun, watched — and two hours later, we were addicted,’ she said. ‘It was like junk food. We were sad when it ended.

Signs of ageing in the cheeks show up as slack muscles, which causes a drooping effect in the lower jaw area, perhaps with loose loose folds of skin. One of the best and simplest exercises is to chew some raw food, such as carrot or celery, at least once daily to exercise the muscles in the cheeks and around the mouth.

Sit comfortably in a hard-backed chair, with your legs uncrossed and hands resting lightly in your lap. These exercises use sounds as well as face postures, so you might like to play some music to disguise the sounds you will make!

1. Take a deep breath and, as you exhale, make an exaggerated ‘aah’ shape with your mouth, sounding the vowel at the same time. Do this slowly three times. Feel the muscles in your cheeks begin to stretch.

2. Breathe in, then exhale and make an exaggerated ‘air’ sound, feeling how the shape of your face changes as the vowel changes. Repeat three times.

3. Breathe in, then exhale and make an exaggerated ‘ee’ sound. As the sound changes, note that your face is now in a totally different shape and position.

Repeat three times.

4. Breathe in, then exhale and make an exaggerated ‘or’ sound; now your mouth is rounded and you can really feel the cheeks working hard. Repeat three times.

5. Breathe in, then exhale and make an exaggerated ‘00’ sound. This position engages the ring of muscles around the mouth, the cheek area and the muscles under the chin. Repeat three times.

6. Now slowly form all five sounds in turn - ‘aah’, ‘air’, ‘ee, ‘or’, ‘00’ - feeling your face working and changing as the sounds change. Repeat the whole sequence three times. Your face should now feel well exercised.

37

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Stuff

that will tickle your fancy

FASCINATING FACTS ANImAl SeNSeS Infrared sensors/ snakes Boas and vipers come equipped with temperature- sensitive organs between their eyes and nostrils, allowing the snakes to sense the body heat of their prey.

Advanced tactile sense / rats Rats have poor vision, but they make up for it with touch. By whisking their hairs across objects they encounter, these rodents form mental pictures of their surroundings.

Electric field sensors / sharks Sharks have special cells in their brains that are sensitive to the electrical fields other creatures generate. They use this sense to find prey, even when it’s camouflaged.

Echolocation / dolphins Dolphins send out high-frequency clicks, which bounce off nearby objects and prey. The sound returns to the dolphins, and they use it to track their next meal.

Pheromone detection / moths Moths can sniff out chemical love signals, called pheromones, emitted by moths of the opposite sex – sometimes from as far as 7 miles away.

Ultraviolet perception / damselfish Damselfish can see ultraviolet rays reflected as colour, which helps them identify different fish species that would all look the same to the human eye.

Smell defence / minnows Young minnows learn to associate the smell of ruptured minnow flesh with the sight of pike fish, their most feared natural predators.

Night vision / cats Cats have special membranes at the back of their eyes that reflect and increase available light, helping felines see, hunt, and protect themselves in the dark.

Seismic sensors / toads Toads have been known to leave a scene before an earthquake hits, only to return a few days later. They may sense changes in the magnetic field or in radon gas levels.

Magnetic navigation / birds Many birds, especially those that migrate, have tiny compass needles of iron oxygen in their brains, which they use to stay on course during long flights.

p38-42

THE BIG STORY

BIGGEST

SLUMS

For millions of people around the world, slumming is a stark reality. Though it isn’t quite the same as being without a home, it’s pretty close, and without access to decent food, clean water and suitable housing, those who live in slums are certainly well below the poverty line. Here are some of the biggest of these settlements.

38

Saturday, January 24, 2015

World’s biggest slums

Public servants’ hub, Neza-Chalco-Itza, Mexico As the railroad and population grew in the 1900’s, so did the barrio of NezaChalco-Itza in Mexico City, Mexico.

Unable to meet the increased housing demand due to large expenses and the sudden change in population, NezaChalco-Itza settlement just outside of Mexico City is now one of the largest slums in the world. Despite the efforts of the Mexican Government to create more sustainable housing by collaborating with organisations such as Infonavit and FOVISSSTE, the demand for affordable housing is still on a steady rise.

Unique to this area is its diversity in housing arrangements. As with many slums, most people in Neza-ChalcoItza live illegally on unauthorised land. However, unlike in most areas, some of Mexico City’s slum dwellers here also live in former mansions abandoned by wealthy families that have been converted into low-income rental apartments. About 10 per cent of all the residents of the Mexican capital live in these buildings. Most

of the apartments in this settlement do not have toilet, and where there is, the one square mile facility is shared by close to one million other people or more. The home – the place where most of these people eat, play, sleep – does not have a proper floor and is without an adequate barrier that separates the outside from the inside.

There are no fancy tiles, no beautifully stained hardwoods, not even a slab of cold cement for the around four million residents of Neza-Chalco-Itza, just a brown mud/dirt floor. Majority of residents work in the service sector as household help or do manual labour. A primary infrastructure challenge is the lack of water supply within the household. To address this infrastructure constraint residents buy water for between 80 and 500 pesos per truck. Poorer families purchase 200-liter drums of water from intermediaries costing them over half of a monthly minimum wage on water. As a result, families ration their water.

Kenya’s ‘Free Town’, Kibera With a population of around one million dwellers, the slum of Kibera, located 7km southwest of Nairobi, consists of 200 settlements and occupies just 6 per cent of Nairobi’s total land. Completely void of any cartographical context, its many unpaved roads see thousands of Kiberians walk many miles to and from work, passing metal homes and stores made from scrap barrels fashioned by hand. There are no title deeds for houses here. There are also no sewage and to cope with the situation, residents have invented ‘flying toilets’ where one puts the waste in plastic bag and tosses away in the river which is heavily polluted or on the narrow streets where the people walk. There is also no water, no roads, no government schools and hospitals and no services of any kind in this Kenyan slum. Most

houses here are wooden shacks with a mud floor and a tin roof - no toilets or running water. Kibera’s water is piped in by private dealers.

They lay their own hosepipes in the mud, and charge exorbitantly for the commodity. The available schools have been started by NGO’s and the hospitals and clinics are either NGO or private. Even the schools will usually have mud/dirt floors, grey mud walls and old school wooden pews. The classes may be the size of an average lounge and have as many as 60 kids and no books, no pens, pencils or other writing materials.

The inhabitants of Kibera live on less than a dollar a day. Often they do not have enough money to pay the school fees or buy food and medicine. Fifty-Four per cent of people living here are either HIV positive or have AIDS.

Other big slums Hidalgo County, United States

As farm-working Mexicans crossed the Rio Grande seeking opportunities in employment and a better standard of living, colonials became home to thousands of residents in the Hidalgo County of Texas in the United States.

Exploited by wealthy landowners, many of these new migrants were sold inadequate property and land. Without a proper water supply, housing, or equal opportunities for a competitive wage, settlers are forced to take matters into their own hands by buying water in buckets or drums and constructing shelters with tents, wood, and cardboard. 52,000 of Hidalgo County’s around 800,000 residents live in a slum, and it’s reported that over 50 per cent of the county’s population live below the poverty line – in contrast to the state average of around 20 per cent.

Caracas, Venezuela

Caracas has one of the highest crime and homicide rates in the world and it’s in the interminable slums where the danger is fuelled. But the most unique of all these is the 620-feet tall, Torre Confinanzas, the third highest skyscraper in Caracas. It has 45 floors — 28 of which are occupied by families — two towers, and a parking lot.

At the time of its construction in the early 90s, the building was intended as a financial centre. But in 1994, Venezuela’s economic crisis left Torre Confinanzas unfinished, at 60 per cent of its proposed design. Construction was abandoned, and a few years later, the first families seeking housing began to show up and settle inside. It earned its nickname ‘Tower of David’ from the building’s original developer, David Brillembourg.

Manila, Philippines

In one of Asia’s fastest growing economies many people are still people left behind in abject poverty. These people live in Manila’s largest dumpsite which they call ‘Smokey Mountain’, a gigantic 50-metre high mountain of garbage that consists more than 2 million tons of waste. On this mountain they are making their livelihood by picking up garbage. Early in the morning, residents wait for the garbage trucks that drop off the waste from the city. The people are rushing towards the trucks; some people even jump on the driving trucks to be the first ones who get to scavenge the rubbish. What is left in the heap is almost always on fire burning tires and wood. This leaves a constant smell in the air that is rotten and heavily polluted. There is an estimated 25,000 people living here including

kids.

Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta’s growth as both the nation’s capital and primary centre of business has been accompanied by waves of new, mostly poor, arrivals. Rapid urbanisation has created problems of land and housing scarcity, and as these scarcities increase and housing prices rise, economic constraints force the poor to inhabit land that no one else wants. Just follow any back alley in Jakarta’s periphery and odds are good you will end up in a poor kampung. Or look out the window while riding the commuter trains and you will see dilapidated, makeshift shacks sandwiching the tracks. Whilst slums may be photogenic and ‘picturesque’ to the photographer or tourist, people are living in extreme poverty and the health issues are astronomical.

39

Saturday, January 24, 2015

World’s biggest slums

Pakistan’s Orangi Town Early of settlers in the largest slum in Asia, Orangi Town were blue collar workers from the Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE). Today, the settlement has become known for its self-financed sewage system and its booming cottage industry. The town which has been negatively affected largely by the growth of globalisation has over 80 per cent of its residents working in the ‘informal sector’, on the garment, leather, solid waste recycling, and service sector. Two third of Karachi’s population of 17 million live in unauthorised settlements on government land and 1.5 million among them are gathered in Orangi Town. Household size consists of about 8 people who live in a two-room dwelling with de-facto security of tenure.

Settlers in this Asian slum live without basic amenities and way

below $1 a day. There is no portable water supply, no electricity, no proper sewage channels and no healthy disposal system. Settlers have to organise to acquire water, electricity, gas and basic social infrastructure. A household requires $100 for monthly expenditure, spending $15 per month on water compared to $5 per month paid by middle income households. To tackle lack of sustainable water supplies, settlers are forced to rely on community groups and each other for clean water purchased from water tanks. Earning enough money to supply for their basic needs or to purchase adequate land is among the biggest hurdles settlers face in Orangi Town. Although migrants are more ready and willing to solve their various problems, which are plentiful, old-world settlers are less likely.

Egypt’s rubbish city, Manshiet Nasser With an estimated one million inhabitants, Cairo’s huge slum, Manshiet Nasser, sits on the rocks where Egypt’s Eastern Desert plateau meets the Nile valley. In Cairo and other mega-cities that are home to millions of urban poor, slums typically develop on wasteland or the most precarious environmental zones. Unstable, sub-standard housing in areas that lack any formal provision of services is the norm for most of the world’s one billion slum dwellers.

Due to the prevalence of highincome housing that low-income families simply cannot afford, the 3 million slum dwellers of Greater Cairo, Egypt, are unable to get on the property ladder and are forced to live without water, electricity, plumbing or a sustainable food supply. Finding shelter wherever they can – including graveyard tombs and abandoned urban apartment buildings – Cairo’s largest slum, Manshiet, finds home

to more than 1 million impoverished people. There are gradations of poverty in Manshiet, with perhaps $50 being the average per month and many wage rates much lower. The city became known as garbage city in Cairo because the Coptic Christians – the Zabbaleen in the Mokattam area – pick up the majority of garbage in Cairo and bring it back to sort, finding pieces they can resell. Little children, shoeless, pick through the garbage all day, as do their mothers.

These people are comparatively lucky, as they are able to make some sort of subsistence living – paltry though it may be – and thus survive in their poverty-stricken conditions with meagre amounts of food. According to reports, only recently has the Egyptian government recognised these “deteriorated and underserved urban residential areas,” of which the poorest dwellers are not isolated, but mixed with middle-income and highincome residents.

Big NigeriaN slums Makoko, Lagos

With a population of 30,000 to 250,000, Makoko slum in Lagos Nigeria exist in its own peculiar world. Dubbed - with a heavy sense of irony - the Venice of Africa, the oily waters provide a way of life for the fishing community but also the greatest dangers, spreading disease through the cramped population. Sprawling out from what was originally a small village in the 18th century, it has been consumed by Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city. But, a warren of twisting canals and puffed-up gangs, it’s somewhere even police hesitate to tread. Ironically, Nigeria’s success is to blame for Makoko’s demise. The country is one of the richest in the entire continent, second only to South Africa, and the chugging engine of this growth is Lagos - the city alone has a larger economy than

Kenya.

Diobu, Port Harcourt

Lack of provision for adequate housing is the reason the Port Harcourt slum, Diobu exists with an estimated 12,000 residents. With the acute housing shortage, demands are now being met by the erection of crowded insanitary dwellings in the unplanned suburb where there is no control. The whole settlement is packed with low, dark ill ventilated small rooms made from mud and thatch shacks, with odd permanent or semi-permanent houses. There are no roads or proper drainages here. Access is by muddy narrow refuse littered lanes, where one sidesteps the cesspools and the borrow pits.

Refuse lies where it is flung; the only latrines are a few insanitary shallow pits; water is drawn from shallow unprotected wells.

Ajegunle, Lagos

By Yoruba literary paraphrase, Ajegunle means, a settlement where wealth and affluence has found a place, but this cannot be said of Ajegunle, a slum of about 5 million residents on the outskirts of Lagos. The settlement greets visitors with a medley of odours – the smell of heaps of garbage and gutters, open sewage channels running between the tightly packed structures – and a symphony of sounds especially that from the mini generators with which every resident generate the electricity supply that the government have refused to provide.

The occupancy ratio of Ajegunle is put at approximately six persons in a single room with a gender ratio of 4 to 2 in terms of a male and female population of mixed ethnic groups.

Mpape, Abuja

Mpape is an urban slum few kilometres from Abuja city centre where residents who cut across various ethnic groups in the country manage just a handful of government facilities. Residents here virtually cater for themselves the little way they can especially in the area of generating electricity and water supply, patronising water hawkers who buy from the few borehole owners around for resale. Sanitation in this community is at the lowest point that is in the few areas where residents deem fit.

There are no drainages here and no legal dump site so the streets are littered with refuse piled up on all sides. The fate of those who live here to escape from the high rent charged in the city is disease which breaks out every once in a while.

40

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Football siblings

India’s rich slum, Maharashtra Situated in the western part of India, Maharashtra is the third largest state in the nation and stands second in population among all Indian states. It’s also India’s most developed and wealthiest states as well as a representative of the wealth gap in the country; it houses India’s largest and poorest ‘informal settlement,’ according to a study conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). This impoverished and over-populated area in India’s capital houses 7,000 of the nation’s 33,000 slums (23 per cent) with homes almost doubling that of any other slum in the country. A reported 60 per

cent of Maharashtra’s entire population live in slum areas. The region is one of those most polluted in the world, with little government intervention for proper assessments.

According to one government state-audit report, The Maharashtra Pollution Board has not prepared suitable databases to identify water pollutants, nor is there any common effluent treatment plants deemed adequate to treat industrial toxins.

Maharashtra contributes around 15 per cent of the industrial output of the whole of India and around 14 per cent of its gross domestic product. The state has several wildlife

sanctuaries, few national parks, and patronises project Tiger which is an attempt to preserve the endangered species like the Bengal tiger, only to conserve the bio-heritage of the country. Maharashtra has a tropical monsoon climate and the annual rainfall is between 400 mm to 6000 mm annually, with the Konkan area receiving the maximum rainfall in the state. The rental market here is very buoyant, as renting or buying a room is an expensive proposition. Rents vary according to location, level of infrastructure and the condition of the house, $40 for an average room and as low as $10.

41

Saturday, January 24, 2015

World’s biggest slums

Popular Dharavi, India Also famous among journalists and development organisations, Dharavi, which provided the backdrop to the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire in 2008 is home to somewhere between 600,000 and one million people.

Dharavi is located squarely in the heart of Mumbai and spans more than 500 acres. This has contributed to its surprising multi-religious, multi-ethnic diversity. There are businesses of every kind here: it is something of an informal economic powerhouse. People in Dharavi live and labour in an environment that lacks good living conditions, infrastructure and sanitation. The settlement comprises huts as big as 12.5 metres-squared occupied by families who are probably migrants from around or after the 1960s.

40 per cent of the household here belong to the ‘economically weak’ while 39 per cent belong to the low-income category. ‘Chawls’ and ‘pavement dwellers’ make up this

gargantuan community with most residents over 50-years or older who have little to no education. Water is extremely scarce, coming mostly from informal taps, although this source is inadequate. You tend to feel that Dharavi remains one of the biggest informal urban settlements in the world because it has been neglected for so long.

Waste management is a problem in Dharavi and although there are dustbins everywhere, there will often be a circle of garbage around them. Plus, while most houses are not ventilated, there is a good flow of fresh air on the streets as there are no high-rise buildings blocking its path. Public bathrooms and toilets are some of the most poorly maintained structures in Dharavi.

There are three types of public toilets here: free, paid and those maintained by housing societies. And of course, the free toilets ones are the ones that do not have water supply and so are left dirty most of the time.

Haiti’s sun city, Cité Soleil Cité Soleil is the most infamous and most violent slum of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.

The neighbourhood was originally constructed in the 1950s to house sugar workers and their families, but as jobs in agriculture began to disappear, and more and more people from the countryside moved to find work in the city, the community of Cité Soleil grew rapidly. Due to political turmoil and a coup d’état in 1991, which led to a boycott of Haitian products, the industrial sector was also given a crushing blow.

Since then, chaos has been the norm for the almost 400,000 inhabitants of one of the world’s poorest and most dangerous areas. Seven out of ten Haitians live on less than US$ 2 a day, and the situation is even worse in the ‘Sun City’.

The population here is mostly of

children and young adults who live in low houses built of grey breeze blocks with little or no water, food, electricity and other basic needs.

There are numerous bullet holes on the walls of the huts, a reminder of the armed violence that goes on in the city against criminal gangs based in the shanty town. The police station is a ruin. Looted and set alight, it is now used as a lavatory. Diseases such as AIDS and many others terrorise many of settlers here where there isn’t enough clinics to cater for the health needs of residents whose life expectancy is only 52. Many of the residents originate from La Saline slum after it was a destroyed by a devastating fire. Armed gangs and almost a complete lack of public servants make this commune one of the poorest and most dangerous in the Americas.

Difficult to live in cites West Point, Monrovia, Liberia

Clean water, electricity, basic services, these are luxuries in Monrovia, a city named for James Monroe. West Point, a peninsular slum jutting out into the Atlantic, is home to a special breed of disgusting squalor. Home to 75,000 Monrovians, it is one of Africa’s most notorious and crowded slums. Cholera is at an epidemic level, drug use is rampant, teenage prostitution is a commonality, and toilets are scarce. In fact, since it costs money to use neighbourhood toilets, many Monrovians in West Point just crap in the streets or on the beach.

Mogadishu, Somalia

Mogadishu is regarded as the most lawless and dangerous city on Earth and is currently experiencing a major food and refugee

crisis. It is not safe for leisure or tourism.

Civil War has raged this city for decades, and the government controls only a few blocks of the city. It is a base for modern pirates, the backdrop for the true story surrounding Black Hawk Down, and it is said that machine guns are frequently used by drivers to negotiate through car traffic. It is a land without law, a soulless place at the edge of Africa. Much of it bears more resemblance to the last level in an especially difficult video game than to life on Earth. It is more modern warfare than modern world.

Kandahar, Afghanistan

Surrounded by gorgeous mountains, it is a tragedy that Kandahar is so awfully dangerous. A onetime trading centre and strategic foothold, Kandahar is a victim of

its perfect location between the worlds of East and West. It has been a point of interest since Alexander the Great stumbled upon it in the 4th century BC. For centuries, traders passed through this city when traveling between Asia and Europe. As result, wars have also passed through and control has changed hands over its centuries of existence, from Mongols to Arabs to Brits and beyond. Kidnappings, suicide bombings, and other criminal activities have turned it into an absolute monster of a destination.

Having a 28 per cent national literacy rate does not help matters.

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Just as turbulence occurs where hot and cold air meet, similarly a point of human turbulence occurs in this nasty city where

Mexico meets the United States. Drug violence, government incompetence, and poverty mix to form what has been called the murder capital of the world (this dishonour has since been ceded to Honduras). As drug wars continue to rage, Juarez continues to be a dangerous place.

Sana’a, Yemen

“Just off the horn of Africa…” is a common statement that generally precedes a story about modern piracy. And just on the other side of the dangerous Gulf of Aden where such piracy goes down is treacherous Yemen – a land frozen in time. It is a time machine to the modern edge of the Islamic dark ages.

On one hand this brings old world Arabian architecture and cultures of antiquity, but on the other, it brings out Islamic fanaticism.

42

Saturday, January 24, 2015

World’s biggest slums

Den of shacks, Khayelitsha, South Africa This slum, located south of iKhusi Primary School on the Cape Flats of South Africa, was founded in 1985 and its population is the result of the historical apartheid and its end during the Second World War. Khayeltisha’s population is projected to be around 400,000, with a striking 40 per cent of its residents under 19-years-old. A location of extreme poverty and disease, the biggest risk factors for this informal settlement are crime, AIDS and a huge 80 per cent unemployment rate, one out of two people living here is unemployed. Conditions here are so dismal that infestation has become a major and often over-looked problem.

Khayelitsha was built under the principle of racial segregation executed by the government. Due to the immense influx of people, it is the second biggest Black township

in South Africa after Soweto in Johannesburg. The government envisaged Khayelitsha as a relocation point to accommodate all ‘legal’ residents of the Cape Peninsula, whether they were in informal settlements or in existing townships, in one new purposely built and easily controlled township. The government classified people as legal if they had already lived in the area for ten years. There are no street names in Khayelitsha. The huge area is divided into 26 districts that are simply numbered by letters.

People here live in shacks and each shack has a number which is difficult to find for obvious reasons, the materials used to make the shacks are old and deteriorated.

And like most slums, these people live without the basics, electricity, portable water, proper sewage system and all.

Brazil’s glorified Favela, Rocinha Located on a steep hillside in Rio de Janeiro, Rocinha is the largest slum of a group that totals more than 11 million people. The vast majority of the dwellings are made from raw material such as hard rock, unlike the typical metal constructions in many of the slums in Africa and Asia. Classified as a favela neighbourhood, this slum is fortunate enough to have access to basic plumbing, transportation and, at one time, a McDonald’s shop. But sanitation is often a big problem here with sewage flowing down a large channel in the middle of houses. Known for police bribery and under-the-table deals between authorities and drug traffickers, this community makes a large profit in the illegal drug trade.

Rocinha is located in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro, between the neighbourhoods of Gávea and São Conrado. Due to its location, the favela

shares the same geographical space with Rio’s high society. The proximity between the luxury residences and the shanties of Rocinha presents a profound contrast in the landscape of the region. In spite of the problems, like the lack of safety and the presence of drug gangs, commanded by the criminal group Amigos dos Amigos (ADA) (Friends of Friends) Rocinha is the community with the largest array of commerce and services among the favelas of Rio. Rocinha has its own unique characteristics. Due to its enormous size, it is sub-divided into sub-neighbourhoods. In the Barcelos sub-neighbourhood there is a wide variety of stores and services, as well as a good deal of better quality residential real estate. But in other areas, like Vila Macega, there are simple wooden shacks in at-risk situations, where several families live in a situation of extreme poverty.

Difficult to live in cites Kinshasa, DR Congo

Violence and political instability still ravage the second most populated city in Africa, Kinshasa. It has come a long way, but the heart of Africa is still an exceptionally complicated place. Sometime ago during the presidential election, thousands fled this city in anticipation of violence, and tanks rolled in to police the streets. Tens of thousands of orphaned street children call the slums of Kinshasa home and are also routinely accused of witchcraft by locals.

Carjackings are one of the more common types of tourist robbery, especially outside of the city centre. And one more thing, photography is illegal.

Port Moresby, Papua New

Guinea

The lone entry from Oceania is the ultradiverse Port Moresby of Papua New Guinea.

PNG is home to over 820 languages – more than any other country in the world. As such, its capital Port Moresby boasts a diverse crew of opportunists and island cultures. It was recently voted by the Economist as the 137th out of 140 places in the liveable cities index, making it a tough place to get by.

Rapes, Murders, and HIV are just a few of the daily tragedies that befall this enclave at the edge of the map. Here, even riding in cars is a dangerous activity. Gangs called Raskols are known to rob vehicles transporting foreigners at gunpoint. Port Moresby is best used as a temporary gateway to nearby dive

sites and for flights to PNG’s jungle interior and its solitary treks. Reaching Port Moresby is easy from Australia on PNG’s national carrier Air Niugini.

Harare, Zimbabwe

Recently voted by the Economist as the world’s worst city to live in, Harare is a unique study in failed fiscal policy. The once acceptable city fell into disrepair during Zimbabwe’s severe bouts with hyperinflation and corruption. The troubles began in the early 21st century when Zimbabwe’s inflation rate increased to 112.1%. Sounds terrible right? As it turns out, those were the sunny days. In 2008, the inflation rate peaked at 231,150,000% per annum. In US terms, this means that if you

deposited $10,000, it would be worth about 4 thousandths of a U.S. cent in one years’ time. That sucks. (For the record, 10,000USD = 46.720 quadrillion Zimbabwe dollars in 2009.) This sort of economic arrangement allowed Harare to fail. There are not enough printers in Zimbabwe to print enough of its Z100 Billion notes, and when a loaf of bread costs trillions, doom is soon to follow.

Unemployment grew to 80% and many services faltered. Today, foreign currencies have been adopted but the damage has been done. Much of Harare is in disrepair, and few foreign companies care to directly invest in the troubled city. That said, it is probably the safest place on this list to visit with flights direct from London on the national carrier – Air Zimbabwe.

43

Saturday, January 24, 2015

GAMETROPIC

GADGETED

Dubbed the 'sickest ever' video game because players only have one aim - to massacre as many people as possible in a 'genocide crusade', Hatred is the second game in history to get adults only rating.

Obviously inspired by the iPhone’s glass touchscreen display, the Iconoclock, which is a wall clock that points out each hour with approximations of familiar app icons.

Its crystal face delivers a similar jet black yet glossy background as the ubiquitous smartphone.

TechLife

7-year-old shows how easy it is to break into a public Wi-Fi in less than 11 minutes Just days after an investigation revealed how much personal information public Wi-Fi networks can ‘suck’ from phones, a child has shown how easy the hotspots are to hack.

A seven-year-old broke into a Wi-Fi hotspot in just 10 minutes and 54 seconds after watching an online video tutorial. The ethical hacking demo was carried out under the supervision of an online security expert to highlight just how vulnerable the networks are.

Experts predict that attacks on free, public Wi-Fi networks will rise in 2015. An investigation by 5 News earlier this week found that hackers can force customers in a café to switch their phones from a legitimate Wi-Fi network to a fake one, without them knowing. This made it possible for thieves to access phones, hack email accounts, steal login details, track people’s movements and access online

Betsy Davies

bank accounts. To put these dangers into perspective, virtual private network (VPN) provider Hidemyass. com (HMA) recruited a child to attack a public network. Betsy Davies from Dulwich in South London hacked a willing participant’s laptop while they

were connected to an open Wi-Fi network. She began by searching for, and watching, a freely available video tutorial detailing how to hack a network - a Google search returns over 11 million results, and YouTube lists almost 14,000 tutorials.

The schoolgirl then set up a Rogue Access Point - frequently used by attackers to activate what is known as a ‘man in the middle’ attack, and began eavesdropping on, or ‘sniffing’ traffic. Rogue Access Points are wireless access points, installed on a company’s network without the company’s knowledge. These access points override the legitimate network, allowing the hacker to launch an attack and intercept data. During this hack, Ms Davies was effectively sitting between the legitimate Wi-Fi network and the customer’s laptop, which is why it is dubbed a ‘man in the middle’ attack.

iPhone 6 survives 100,000ft drop from outer space without a single scratch An iPhone 6 has survived what must rank as the ultimate drop test after being sent 100,000ft (30,480 metres) to the edge of space and brought back down to earth with a thud. Incredible footage reveals the device soaring into the stratosphere while attached to a weather balloon, and being exposed to 70mph (112kph) winds and temperatures of below -56°C (-70°F). The rig carrying the phone then drops back down to earth, before crashing to the ground to supposedly demonstrate the durability of its protective case. Although the phone shut down during its flight due to the extreme temperatures, it was fully functional after the test - despite not having a screen protector. The stunt was undertaken by California-based Urban Armour Gear, which made the case.

The firm sent the iPhone into space attached to a rig that had two GoPro cameras, a GPS locator, a weather balloon to lift it to the intended 100,000ft altitude and a parachute to

Click! Click!!

for the upwardly mobile

Apptitude invisible Girlfriend and invisible Boyfriend app helps you fake a relationship For singletons fed up with their family and friends asking whether they have met ‘that special someone,’ there are two new apps that could help them fake a relationship. The Invisible Girlfriend and Invisible Boyfriend apps will send convincing text messages and even voicemails from a virtual partner as ‘proof’ of a relationship. It was created so that single people under pressure to find a partner, but who don’t want to date, can practice flirting, or simply use the service

Be My eyes lets sighted users read signs and navigate for the visually impaired Checking the expiry date on a tin of food, or navigating through a train station is easy for people with full vision. But, for the blind, these everyday tasks can prove difficult.

To solve this problem, a visually impaired developer from Denmark has launched the Be My Eyes app. It connects blind people to a sighted volunteer using a live video chat.

The volunteer can then answer questions and see the blind person’s surroundings using a phone’s camera. It’s currently available for iPhones only.

GasBuddy helps you find the cheapest fuel stations By far the best-known gas price app is GasBuddy. The crowd sourced app asks people to enter the prices they pay at the pump. GasBuddy then lists the gas stations in your area, letting you find the one with the lowest price. GasBuddy gives users points every time they post prices. They need to report about six or seven gas prices to be eligible for the drawing. It’s currently available for iPhones only. regulate the descent. A video posted by CNET, shows that the rig lifting off from a field close to Chirk Castle in north Wales on a grey, rainy day in November.

It rapidly climbs above the rain clouds to emerge in bright sunshine and, as it gains altitude, so the temperature rapidly drops. Once it passes 101,000ft, the balloon is detached from the rig and the handset begins its fall back to earth.

The parachute fails to fully stabilise the

rig and the footage shows it spinning wildly as it descends, turning at speeds of up to 150rpm. It eventually lands, in a field 12 miles from its take-off point, with an almighty bump that breaks the rig - but the iPhone remains intact. Steve Armstrong, the co-founder of Urban Armor Gear, said after the test: ‘Our cases already meet military drop-test standards, but now we can officially say that they are space tested as well.

Dash tells you everything about your car Dash’s tiny sensor connects to any car model made in 1996 or after, plugging in just underneath the steering wheel. The app provides useful driving information: What your ‘check engine’ light means, how you’re driving, and how much gas you’re using. It’s currently available for iPhones only.

Snapchat to charge advertisers a staggering $750,000 per ad

Snapchat started showing adverts last October in a bid to finally make a profit from its hugely popular ephemeral app. And now a report has revealed just how much it is charging advertising firms to reach the app’s 100 million users. ‘Multiple industry sources’ claim Snapchat demands a staggering $750,000 minimum -despite the fact the ads self-destruct like its messages at the end of each day. The figures were reported in AdWeek on Wednesday, and one source in particular is quoted as saying: ‘[Snapchat] has minimums, and they are very firm on them.

‘From a monetisation perspective, they are looking for fewer, bigger, better.’

To put this into perspective, an advert during American Idol costs approximately $475,000 (£313,185), while a 30-second slot during the Superbowl costs in the region of $4m. YouTube charges $500,000 a day for a masthead. Instagram runs similar Sponsored Posts to Snapchat, with prices ranging from around $350,000 up to $1m but that is said to be for a month-long contract.

Advertisers have typically struggled

to be accessible to teens. Snapchat’s demographic is younger than its social media rivals - predominantly Twitter and Facebook - and this route of advertising essentially provides a direct link to teenagers globally.

The app does has limited reporting capabilities, however, due to its ephemeral nature, so advertisers will be given limited demographic feedback about ad reach.

Snapchat’s first adverts appeared in October, but only on the app’s ‘Recent Updates’ page in the US. The firm said at the time that it

won’t put adverts in user’s personal communications, such as Snaps or Chats, because ‘that would be totally rude.’ It added: ‘Understandably, a lot of folks want to know why we’re introducing advertisements to our service. ‘The answer is probably unsurprising - we need to make money. ‘Advertising allows us to support our service while delivering neat content to Snapchatters. ‘We promise that we’ll use the money we make to continue to surprise the Snapchat community with more terrific products.’

44

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Cultured!

for the uninformed & clueless

CULTURE

SHOCK

Hospitals in Japan package new baby's cords inside wooden boxes and present them to mothers upon their departure from the hospital. It is believed that preserving the umbilical cord in this way ensures a positive relationship between the child and the mother.

Superstitions

Dresssense

Jennifer Lopez displays extreme cleavage Jennifer Lopez made sure that all eyes were on her at a fan screening of her new movie, The boy next Door in New York on Tuesday evening as she cosies up to her co-star Kristin Chenoweth. The 45-year-old stepped out in a dress which was slashed down to the navel and held together with a decorative clasp.

With sheer sleeves and a pleated skirt detail, Jennifer also gave a glimpse of her toned legs as she sashayed her way down the red carpet.

Wearing killer heels by Christian Louboutin, Jennifer gave her look some added appeal with sultry eye make-up and slicked back locks which accentuated her features. She draped her arm around Kristin who was clad in a skin-tight leather dress and patent silver court shoes. Wearing her long blonde locks into a beehive style pony, the actress was sporting lengthy lashes as she enjoyed her moment in the limelight. The boy next Door tells the story of a Claire Peterson [Lopez] who, shortly after her divorce, falls for a younger man who just moved in across the street.

But their torrid affair takes an obsessive and dangerous turn. Jennifer stars opposite leading man Ryan Guzman in the movie, which is slated for release on February 27. The actress recently told talk show, Ellen DeGeneres that

Some seafarers believe that changing a ship’s name will cause bad luck to befall it.

she hates being called a ‘cougar’ because she believes the term to be sexist.

The singer, who dated Casper Smart, who is almost 20 years her junior, said she hates that they have a label for a woman who would date a younger guy.

If a younger guy is interested in you, what’s the big deal? What’s the word for the man who’s after younger girls?’

Jennifer showed off her incredible physique as she posed for cameras.

The last few days has seen Jennifer Lopez working a feminine aesthetic of pastel pinks and washed out lilacs in looks by Solace London and Georges Hobeika. This head turning dress by Andrew is hard to miss. It may be in classic black but the extreme plunging neckline and sheer chiffon ensures that Jennifer makes an entrance. This Paris based designer is renowned for his luxurious fabrics and hand crafted embellishments and has a clientele that includes Jessica Alba, Emma Stone, Olivia Palermo and Zooey Deschanel to name a few.

Jennifer’s dress is from Gn’s AW14 collection.

Proverbs Act in the valley so that you need not fear those who stand on the hill.

– Danish Proverb A throne is only a bench covered with velvet.

– French Proverb Not the cry, but the flight of the wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.

– chinese Proverb

excusez-moi Manners in Portugal Do not join the hostess in the kitchen unless invited.

Indulge

Goldgenie’s 24 karat gold plated bike Bicycle enthusiasts with a special affinity for gold and some serious money to throw can now look forward to add a new, overwhelmingly opulent dimension to their cycling experience, thanks to Goldgenie’s inspiring 24 karat gold plated men’s racing bike. With a world-famous clientele ranging from A-list celebrities, the wealthiest hip-hop artists and the rich such as the likes of Roman Abramovich to corporate clients including American Express, Visa, Aston Martin and Nokia, Goldgenie is a London, UK-based company specialized in luxury personalized gifts such as watches, mobile phones (including iPhone 6 and Blackberry) and other gadgets customized in 24 karat yellow gold, rose gold and platinum for distinctive luxuriousness. Recently, the Goldgenie’s 24 Karat gold racing bicycle was launched and it is a gold-packed, mobile masterpiece that famously puts the bling in bike. Goldgenie’s team of highly skilled and experienced artisans have diligently and masterfully applied an ostentatious layer of 24 karat gold to the entire structure of the racing bike,

from the tips of the handlebars and every cog on the gear clusters to the derailleur, wheel stays, spokes and even to every ridge of the gear chain. This gleaming, one-of-a-kind gold-plated model is adorned with charmingly elegant black accents in a limited edition soft suede saddle designed by San Marco, SR4 racing tires and handlebar grips. The black accents make a sublime contrast with the 24 karat gold, creating a distinctive visual appeal, while the soft saddle adds extra comfort when riding this

uncommon history of common things German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen (1845 – 1923) was experimenting with electric current in a cathode – ray tube in 1895 when he noticed a strange phenomenon.

A fluorescent chemical across the room began to glow with light.

Electrons formed in the tube were somehow traveling across the room

and interacting with the chemical.

Furthermore, the electrons could travel not only through glass, but through wood, paper, aluminium, and other materials. Not willing to give a name to something he did not completely understand, he simply called it “X radiation.” Since the radiation did not appear to behave

classy bike. Goldgenie’s team of talented and passionate designers are currently developing more bicycle models that buyers can select to customize from a wide array of luxury finishes on the handlebars and saddle, including a selection of precious stones such as emeralds, sapphires, rubies and diamonds as well as exotic skins and the finest leathers. The price of Goldgenie’s 24 karat gold-plated bike starts from a whopping $390,000 and it can go upwards, even to $470,345 if the buyer chooses to have it adorned with diamonds embedded all over the golden frame for the ultimate twowheeled extravaganza. According to Frank Fernando, Goldgenie’s CEO, this racing bike not only fully retains its functionality, but despite the fact that it is almost completely covered in 24 karat gold, it also remains lightweight.

The Portuguese generally serve dinners family style – the guest of honour serves him or herself first and passes dishes around the table.

Do not use your fingers to soak bread in gravy; use your fork.

The Portuguese eat fish with a special knife and fork.

It is okay to leave food on your plate if you are satisfy.

After a meal, fold your napkin and place it on the table beside your plate.

Let your host open the door when it is time to leave.

Your hostess will appreciate your reciprocating the invitation in the near future.

Do not eat while walking in public places except for ice cream.

Defer to older people.

Summon wait staff by raising your hand.

X-ray

like light, he did not at first realize that it was part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The existence of an electromagnetic spectrum had been theorised only in 1864. Radio waves, discovered in the late 1880s, were the longest wave length, followed by infrared rays, visible light, and ultraviolet rays. X- Rays fit next on the

spectrum, with a wavelength shorter than ultraviolet rays. Like all other electromagnetic energy, or radiation, x- rays come naturally from the sun.

Most of this radiation is blocked by the atmosphere. But Rontgen’s discovery showed that x- rays could be artificially created, and to useful purpose.