18th oct 2014

SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY

Sanctity of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Vol. 1 No. 242

/newtelegraph /newtelegraph

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com @newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

Chibok girls may be released Monday Emmanuel Onani

lFG, Boko Haram in ceasefire deal lOkupe: Sect’s demands have been met

here are strong indications that the over 200 schoolgirls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, kidnapped by Boko Haram

group over six months ago may be released on Monday to the Chadian leader, Idriss Déby, following a ceasefire agreement between the federal government and the

T

group in Abuja yesterday.

A government source, who confirmed the deal, said with the ceasefire agreement, the reign of terror spearheaded by the

group in the North-East would also end.

The truce was brokered

by Deby, who facilitated talks between the federal government and a “self-

styled” chief security officer of the terror group, identified as Danladi Ahmadu.

The disclosure was made yesterday by the directorgeneral of the National Ori-

entation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri.

Omeri also doused anxiety over the condition of CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

DOLNALD OBASEKI

showbiz

2015: TAN holds final rally after ‘12.2 million signatures’ for Jonathan l’President’s declaration today likely’ Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan may formally declare his ambition to contest the 2015 presidential election today. Jonathan whose political future has remained a subject of speculation for several months is expected to make the declaration at the final rally being organised by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria( TAN) at the Eagles Square , Abuja.

This is coming just as TAN yesterday announced that it has mobiliszed a total of 12.2 million signatories in support of Jonathan’s re- election bid. The group also announced its formal adoption of Jonathan as CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

REV. FR. GODFREY

DESTINY AMAKA

SPORT

'Celibacy goes beyond liking women or not' }6

‘People should see my potential, not my physique }34

Your free 8-page thriller }25

Founder of Songhai Farms

'I won't mind going hungry to buy my dream car' }13

OPENING SHOT

SHOWBIZ

KESHI

FREE

Sport Splash 25

Interview

I’m ready to challenge Enyeama – Olorunleke Ojo p.26

Europe

Emenike set to thrill in Istanbul derby p.27

News

No regrets dumping Nigeria for Dubai – Ogunode p.27

EPL

Man City, Totteham tangle at Etihad p.28

no to foreign coach, SayS faShanu l Shocked at Keshi’s removal

F

The Team Vincent EboigbelAssistant Editor Ajibade Olusesanl Correspondent Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing

Vincent Eboigbe “With the exception of (Clemens) Westerhof how many foreign coaches perormer Wimbledon of England formed in Nigeria? Keshi did a good job, star, John Fashanu, has faulted in Samson Siasia also did his bit; so I don’t strong terms, the plan by the Ni- know why they are looking abroad again. geria Football Federation to em- I would have thought that is behind us.” ploy a foreign coach for the Super Eagles The ex-Aston Villa and Norwich star in the near future. said he was shocked on hearing of Keshi’s The NFF on Wednesday sacked Stephen sacking noting that was not a timely action.

Keshi and replaced him with a consortium Fashanu added: “I was shocked. I canof coaches, namely Amodu Shuaibu, Salisu not say now how that will help us, so we Yusuf, Gbenga Ogunbote and Alloy Agu will have to wait, but how do you sack a in the interim, to prosecute the remaining top manager in the middle of a qualifying matches of 2015 AFCON qualifiers. campaign when you don’t have another in Not even the 3-1 win over Sudan in place to step in immediately?”

Abuja on Wednesday could save Keshi On being told that Amodu Shuaibu from the axe after he had managed only has been named to head a consortium of four points from a maximum of 12, putting coaches, Fashanu said although Amodu Nigeria’s qualification for the Nations Cup was okay but that was only a stopgap meain Morocco in January in jeopardy. sure, hinting that was not what Nigeria The body intends to hire a foreign coach needed at the moment. on a permanent basis after the consortium has navigated the two matches left of the qualifying series.

But Fashanu sees this as a retrogressive move given that there are top Nigerian coaches who can do the job and the fact that foreign coaches have not been particularly successful in the country.

“I thought we should have moved past the issue of foreign coaches by now. We have top Nigerian ex-internationals who have what it takes to do good job. So I don’t understand why we have to be goFashanu ing around in cycles,” said Fashanu.

FALL of the BIG BOSS }30-31

Alleged forgery: EFCC releases Edo Speaker, two others Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

N

otable leaders and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State yesterday converged on Benin airport to welcome the three principal officers of the state House of Assembly, who were

released by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after spending five days in the custody of the anti-corruption agency.

The principal officers are the Speaker, Uyi Igbe, the Majority Leader; Philip shaibu and the Chief Whip of the assembly, Folio Ogedemgbe.

The three lawmakers were invited by the EFCC on Monday for questioning over alleged forgery of the signature of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker representing Etsako West constituency 1, Mr. Abdul Rasaq Momoh, and used same to impeach the suspended deputy speaker of

the assembly, Chief Festus Ebea.

It was gathered that the intervention of some APC South-South caucus in the House of Representatives led by Samson Osagie (Orhionmwon/ Uhunmwonde federal constituency) and core leaders of the party as well as top officials of the state

government, who also condemned the action of EFCC, facilitated the release of the lawmakers.

In the same vein, the police said yesterday that they had arraigned 22 persons suspected to have participated in the attack on the legislative quarters last week Saturday.

The attack had left

about 36 cars and other valuables destroyed as well as many persons seriously injured in the process.

The APC leaders and National Assembly members expressed disappointment at the diversionary action taken by the EFCC CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Kalu urges Jonathan to retain Sambo... picks Senate nomination form

}7

2

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Contents | 18.10.14 INSTYLE

Comment

The Diamond Stud

Small but cute, diamond stud earrings remain one of few fashion accessories that would never let down a lady seeking to make a riveting entry into that event where class is the defining feature

}16

IDEAS & BRANDS

SHOWBIZ

SPORT

Talking Reputation Elder Emma Okoro, former chairman of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations in the FCT and Imo State, talks about how states and public servants can best manage their image

}18

The Minister’s Son On stage, he is simply P.R.E, a moniker which gives him an anonymity that shields the fact he is the son of former petroleum minister, Dan Etete. His father, sceptical initially, only gave his consent after music producer, Cobhams Asuquo, certified his work, he said

}23

To Be or Not To Be

With the sack of Stephen Keshi as Super Eagles coach comes another big debate: should the NFF go for a foreign coach as announced? Ex-Wimbledon FC striker, John Fashanu, believes it would be a wrong move

}25

THE ARTS

Art Since Amalgamation A three-day exhibition that opens tomorrow in Lagos as part of the Muson Festival looks at how Nigerian art has evolved in the last one hundred years and also celebrates the works of some artists whose works have been defining

}37

DESTINATION

Roaring Rwanda Putting behind its recent history blighted by acts of genocide, Rwanda has consistently grown to emerge as one of Africa’s major destination - a status that would be further sealed as the country prepares for Akwaaba, a forum for tour and travel operators that opens in Lagos soon

}42 Plus: Street Diary 11 | My Weekend 44 |

Faceoff 48

N

The plight of old people

igeria has been described as one of the worst places to grow old, according to a Help Age International’s Global Age Watch Index report. An organisation committed to helping older people to claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy, Help Age International measured the social and economic welfare of those over 60 in its latest report.

The report published on the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, ranks Nigeria at 85th position out of 96 countries. “Nigeria ranks 85 on the overall Global Age Watch Index,” said the report.

“Its highest rank is in the capability domain (47), with a lower than regional average for the employment indicator (70.6%) and a higher than regional average for educational attainment (17.4%).

“Nigeria ranks low in the enabling environment domain (75) and below the regional average for civic freedom (53%) and satisfaction with public transport (42%).

Its rank for the health domain is very low (88) and it has a below regional average for the life expectancy at 60 indicator. It ranks lowest on the income security domain (90), with very low pension income coverage (5%) and GDP per capita (US$ 2,254),” the report noted.

The Help Age listed Ekiti and Osun as the only states in the country providing social pensions to older people. It added that only five per cent of people over 65 currently receive pension in Nigeria. Elsewhere in the country, the elderly are neglected and or abandoned, both by families and society.

On the employment of older people, the organisation noted that 70 per cent of the population aged 55-64 are employed, adding that the indicator measures older people’s access to the labour market and their ability to supplement pension income with wages, and their access to work-related networks.

According to the report, the employment rate is a proxy for the economic empowerment of older people in the country.

Nigeria is presently undergoing a demographic transition, with an increasing population of old people. The 2006 population census showed that there were 3.8 million males and 3 million females aged between 60 years and above. With a growth rate of 3.2 per cent in Nigeria, it is estimated that the figures will multiply in 2050. No doubt, the rise in the population of older persons poses major challenges to the UN and the developing countries in particular. Central to these challenges is the nearabsence of social security service for the

elderly in developing societies.

For many societies such as ours, ageing is perceived by some as a burden, especially as the societies fail to tap from the blessings that come with old age in form of wise counsel in the resolution of crises. As part of measures to address challenges associated with the momentous demographic shift, the UN General Assembly convened the second World Assembly on Ageing in Madrid, Spain in 2002. It sought to help governments and societies plan policies that would ensure that older persons could continue to contribute to society in meaningful ways.

The strategy stressed the need to ensure that ageing had a basic place in all policy agenda, both domestic and international, as well as in other major documents for social, economic and human rights development.

Experts point out that ageing is a lifelong process because individuals begin their ageing process at the moment of birth, through life’s course, accumulating a range of experiences that may positively or negatively affect their capabilities and wellbeing in later years. According to Mr. Ban ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General, “we must be vigilant in ensuring that the provision of social protection, long-term care and access to public health for the elderly is not undermined”.

The UN categorises any country with 10 per cent of its population above the age of 60 as an ageing nation and the world devotes one day every year to voice its opposition to elder abuse and the suffering inflicted on old people. An elderly person is especially vulnerable because of his or her cognitive deficits such as dementia, physical frailty and general dependence on others, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Available statistics indicate that the global population of people, who are 60 years old and above, will more than double from 542 million in 1995 to about 1.2 billion by 2025.

Around four per cent to six per cent of elderly people have experienced some form of maltreatment at home and such abuse can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences.

We insist that governments, families and NGO’s must show increased interest in the well-being of elderly persons. The government at all levels, individuals, companies, NGO’s, religious bodies, faith-based organizations must as a matter of course, provide for the needs of the elderly in our midst. As they say, we are all going to get old someday.

Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief n Eric Osagie Deputy Managing Directors n Gabriel Akinadewo

Felix Oguejiofor Abugu

Managing Editor n Suleiman Uba Gaya

Editor, Daily n Yemi Ajayi

Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani

Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

Deputy Editor, Saturday n Waheed Bakare

Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins

Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam

Ag. Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi

News Editor n Ndubuisi Ugah

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed

Ag. Sales/Circulation Manager n Uchey Okezie

Head, Graphics n Timothy Akinleye

Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

3

4

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Take two for the price of one, from October 6, 2014.

Read the International New York Times in every Monday Edition of the New Telegraph

Nigeria’s authoritative Newspaper in Business and Politics

www.newtelegraphonline.com

www.facebook.com/newtelegraph

www.twitter.com/newtelegraph1

18 OCTOBER 2014

CO NTINUED FRO M PAG E 1

the schoolgirls who were abducted by Boko Haram elements on April 14, saying the sect has given assurances that the girls were safe.

This is the first time the government will officially announce that it had been in negotiation with the insurgent group.

The violent group has killed about 12,000 people since it began its campaign of terror in parts of the North.

Before the ceasefire deal was reached, the federal government, had made several efforts, including holding multi-lateral meetings with neighbouring countries, to bring an end to the bloodletting and, by extension, secure the safe release of the girls.

Addressing journalists at the National Information Centre, Omeri, who doubles as the coordinator, disclosed that Deby is playing a central role in the negotiation.

President Goodluck Jonathan recently met with Deby at N’ Djamena, the capital of Chad.

While confirming the ceasefire to journalists yesterday, Omeri said: “We can confirm to you that there have been contacts between the government and representatives of Boko Haram.

“The discussions are essentially in relation to the general insecurity in the North East and also the need to rescue all captives of the terrorists, including the stu-

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

‘We’ve struck ceasefire deal with Boko Haram’ dents of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok.

“From the discussions, they (Boko Haram) indicated their desire for and willingness to discuss and resolve all associated issues.

“They also assured us that the schoolgirls and all other people in their captivity, are all alive and well.

“Already, the terrorists have announced a ceasefire in furtherance of their desire for peace. In this regard, the government of Nigeria has, in similar vein, declared a ceasefire,” Omeri, who was flanked by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade and other members of the NIC, stated.

He further assured Nigerians “that the greater goal of this process is to ensure the return of normalcy in the land, especially in parts of the country troubled by the activities of terrorists.”

It was once reported that a similar such talks between the federal government’s representatives and Boko Haram, via what the former had called “backdoor channel,” broke down due to the sect’s demand that its captured members be released in exchange for the Chibok girls.

Although it’s not clear yet whether that demand was still part of the deal, the Special Assistant to

the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, told the CNN that the group made certain demands which the federal government had met. He wouldn’t however be specific.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has directed the Service Chiefs to ensure compliance by field commanders.

The CDS’ directive was posted on the website of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday by Olukolade, who, however, noted that the directive was without prejudice to the resolutions reached at the three-day trans-border military cooperation between the

CDS and his Camerounian counterpart.

The post reads:”While closing the coordinating conference between Nigeria and Cameroun on trans-border military operations, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, informed the delegates that without any prejudice to the outcome of the three days interactions and the conclusions of the forum, a ceasefire agreement had been concluded between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Ahlul Sunna Li Daawa Wal Jihad. Accordingly, he directed the Service Chiefs to ensure immediate compliance with this development in the field.

“At the meeting was the Cameroonian Chief of Defence Staff, GCA Meka Rene Claude leading his country’s military delegation. Service Chiefs and senior military officers also attended the event,” In a related development, Isa Gusau, media aide to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State: “Hundred’s of journalists, local and international have been making inquiries following widely circulated reports about a ceasefire over Boko Haram attacks.

Governor Kashim Shettima has no comment for now regarding the issue. He would make comments at an appropriate time.”

L-R: Alhaji Haruna Shakarayau; Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose; Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Dr. Olusola Eleka; Mr. Dipo Anisilowo and Alhaji Abdurahman Olowoyo, during the Jumat service, at the Ado-Ekiti Central mosque…yesterday

EFCC releases Edo Speaker, two others CO NTINUED FRO M PAG E 1

and for allowing itself to be used to score cheap political points.

The APC leaders, market women, traders, youth groups, and other support groups in their large numbers with placards of various inscriptions and posters of the lawmakers chanted solidarity songs and in the process booed the opposition PDP for what the people tagged as evil scheme aimed at derailing the course of democracy in the state.

Igbe told journalists at the airport that they were invited to Abuja with the expectation that they were accused of financial misappropriation only to be greeted with shocking accusation of forged signature to impeach the former deputy speaker.

He said: “Last week we were invited by the EFCC ans they claimed that they were doing some investigations and that we will able to contribute to it. So, we went there on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“And I was of the impression that the EFCC means financial crimes commission, and theregfore I was under the impression that they were going to investigate financial misappropriaitons only for us to get there and issues that concerns the House of Assembly was what they brought up. What they were telling us was that somebody alleged that we forged the signa-

5

Igbe

ture amongst the signatures that we used to impeach the former deputy speaker.”

He added that: “That was the reason they invited us. I was taken completely aback. But then again I am not too surprise because we all know that this is the systematic way that they use to harass and intimidate us. But I want them to know that this is only going to make us stronger, we will remain focused, we will keep our eye on the ball and eventually we will score the goal, we will not shake, we will not be intimidated, we refused to be intimidated, we are back

to the state.”

Also the Majority Leader, Shaibu, said: “We cannot be intimidated by EFCC, we cannot be intimidated even by the President or the PDP. As far as I am concerned, Nigeria remains one, Nigeria will grow from strength to strength and nobody can derail the destiny of this country.

And we are ready to fight intellectually.

“We will not arm our youths but the power of the tongue we shall use to defeat them. Never again will Edo State go back to the years of under development, never again will this country get leaders that are clueless about the issues of Nigeria. We are determined to fight for the destiny of our children.”

Meanwhile, a statement by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer (DPPRO), Mr. Ejiro Ahwara, and made available to journalists yesterday in Benin, stated that 22 suspects were arraigned in court and charged for various offences over the mayhem in the state.

The command listed their charges to include conspiracy, threatening violence, wilful malicious damage and unlawful possession of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.

It lamented that in spite of the persistent warnings from the command, “hoodlums still remain unrepentant as they still allow themselves to be used by political gladiators to carry out their selfish aims.”

‘President may declare today’ CONT INU E D FROM PAGE 1

its candidate and pledged to work with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming election.

TAN, the foremost political pressure group in support of Jonathan’s administration’s Transformation Agenda, had in the last three months, held rallies in each of the six geo- political zones to showcase the achievement of Jonathan’s government and demanded that he seeks re- election for a second term.

Director of Public Communications and Strategy, TAN, Dr Udenta Udenta, told journalists yesterday that today’s rally was the final push by his group to give Nigerians the opportunity to make the final demand on Jonathan to declare his aspiration to contest the forthcoming presidential election.

Udenta said that the support for Jonathan was based on the performance of his administration and the need to mobilise Nigerians

to encourage him to seek reelection and continue with the transformation agenda.

According to him, on a fair scale, Jonathan has performed more than his predecessors in his first tenure but has suffered a lot of negative narratives in both the local and foreign media.

He expressed delight that since the entry of TAN with its aggressive media strategies and novel engagement with the Nigerian public the story of the Jonathan administration had changed for the better.

In order to demonstrate the wholesale support of TAN for Jonathan and the PDP, Udenta said that members of the group would today be dressed in apparels bearing the the photograph of President Goodluck Jonathan, the logo of PDP as well as the logo of TAN. Udenta would neither confirm nor deny that Jonathan would be present at today’s rally but simply said that it was an open rally for Nigerians without discrimination.

CORRECTION

In our September 27 issue, we published an interview with Alhaji Muhammadu Ibrahim, spokesman for the Arewa Consultative Forum with the headline: “Northern governors ignored our recommendations on Boko Haram.” Although he did not actually use those words, the headline was based on our interpretation of his views.

There was no mischief intended. - Editor

OpeningShot SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

6

18 OCTOBER, 2014

Rev. Father Godfrey Nzamujo, former professor of electronics at University of California, tells DOMINIK UMOSEN, why his radical model of integrated agriculture is generating considerable excitement.

‘Celibacy goes beyond whether one likes women or not’

6

What inspired Songhai Farms?

The sorry state of agriculture on the continent coupled with disgust for the idea of people, who used to be self-sufficient in food production now being reliant on others to feed themselves, was the major inspiration. I am a Catholic priest of the Dominican Order who was a professor of electronics at the University of California before venturing into agriculture.

Before establishing this rave venture in Porto Novo, Benin Republic, I tried unsuccessfully to acquire land to start the integrated farm in Nigeria. This is part of the reasons I am convinced that we need a new crop of Africans who are polyvalent; who can develop the capacity to harness what is possible.

We need a cream of young people who will realise what God gave to us as resource; the most important capital in the world is natural things. Songhai is capturing these from the soil, relying on the power of the micro-organism which can transform everything which is what is going on at Songhai today. Resources that God has given us form the most important capital.

Songhai is determined to refocus attention on the need to rediscover power of the micro organism in the soil.

Why was Songhai sited in Benin Republic, instead of your native Nigeria?

I tried everything in Nigeria but in vain, nobody wanted to offer us land.

In Cross River, during the administration of Col. Dan Archibong (during the military); he came to Porto Novo and said we want to replicate this until another person replaced him and it has been like that since. Archibong came to Porto Novo and we signed a contract for us to replicate Songhai in Cross River but soon after, Archibong was removed (as military governor) and made Chief of Staff to the Chief of Supreme Headquarters, late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu. They put another man in Cross River called Princewill and that was how the dream fizzled and I said ‘forget it.’ We tried to do it in Imo State and it was the same story.

But we have now secured commitments with Katsina and Rivers states.

How were you able to get Katsina and Rivers states to buy into the project?

The truth is that our reputation precedes us and people always come to seek our opinion on one thing or the other, especially a different approach to managing the ecosystem. When President Goodluck Jonathan was the governor of Bayelsa State, he came to Songhai Farms with other friends. He actually came. And Governor Chibuike Amaechi has visited Songhai four times, stressing every time that ‘I want my Songhai.’ A former ambassador of the United States in Nigeria, who incidentally is a member of our board of directors, asked them in Katsina to visit Songhai. And they came, same as the people from Governor Liyel Imoke from Cross River where a replica Songhai is already in existence.

Looking back, did you feel betrayed when your country denied you land to

“Nigeria should be a cake to bake, not to share. Nigeria, unfortunately, is a cake to share today”

build Songhai Farms?

You know, it is a function of ignorance. I might not have been angry but I was not happy. Well, they say that God’s time is the best. Maybe the time to do it in Nigeria was not yet ripe.

But what is the reception like now?

Oh! Everybody is excited. In the Republic of Benin, I am the special adviser to the president. That is why I must go back to Benin Republic today (a day after the interview was conducted).

Almost everyone has visited Songhai.

President Goodluck Jonathan was there when he was governor (of Bayelsa).

Governor Chibuike Amaechi (of Rivers) has visited about four times. Former United Nations Secretary-General, Dr. Kofi Annan, has been there. I have got the highest honour in Benin Republic.

Every student doing agriculture there must do six months exposure time in Songhai.

What is the job of special adviser to the president of Benin like?

I made it very clear to the president that I was going to be different. I do not get any kind of pay. That is the truth. Whenever the president wants to hear the truth about any issue, a factual assessment, he sends for me. The president knows that he can rely on my frankness any time.

What about President Jonathan, has he sought your experience?

Yes, there is considerable encouragement here; it may interest you to know that President Jonathan is interested in having Songhai in every geo-political zone in Nigeria. The minister of agriculture was here last week.

As a priest, are you comfortable with

the vow of celibacy?

The point a lot of people greatly miss is that there is a world of difference between man-and-woman or physical love and real love. That is, going out of your way to develop genuine concern, real love for an individual, even to the point of empathy. The capacity to develop this ability certifies you fit for celibacy. It goes beyond whether one likes women or not. It is also not just about celibacy being good or bad alone.

The senses must necessarily be developed, enough to transcend effortlessly the threshold of empathy for another.

That is what genuine love entails. If you did not have the natural love for one another, I might be overwhelmed by the natural attraction, confusing same with love. Celibacy is for those who really understand the true meaning of love.

There is serious spiritual and psychological process and development involved in celibacy. The issue transcends just good or bad. You could be married but still holier than me. Celibacy implies that one must have developed to a point where the basic instinct of raw physical attraction becomes subordinated to the natural capacity to empathise with others. Look at even terrorists, they are ready to die for what they believe in.

The martyrs, what did they do? They died for what they believed in.

Are there things in the church that you are not comfortable with?

Of course, many things Like what?

The church structure today, for instance, is not broad-based. It is still pyramidal; not democratic. Most of the pronouncements in the church are still being handed down, from top to the bottom like orders. The church is still undemocratic. The model of the hand-

ed down to us by Jesus Christ was one where power and influence would be properly distributed. It is usually problematic where an individual arrogates to himself the foci of attention. That is my fundamental reservation with the system. The bishop gives an order and everyone starts jumping.

Nigeria is having some very fundamental problems of nationhood, including a protracted insurgency. Are you worried?

I think we Nigerians do not love this country as much as we should. We have spoken extensively on empathy. Nigeria should be a cake to bake, not to share.

Nigeria, unfortunately, is a cake to share today. It is a land of beautiful people. It is a magnificent gift that we are blessed with such a rich diversity of people. I would not like to live in Japan because all Japanese look alike. It is a wonderful gift that we have, maybe that is why we take it for granted.

The new industrial revolution I am talking about will thrive better on linkages and interconnectivity, reinforcement or deepening of empathy, of love. I see an Efik, for instance, valuing his relationship with a Nupe and so on and so forth. Why can’t we love our different groups? More of social, not physical love.

We should become cosmic dancers, with feet firmly planted across cultures. The new emphasis should be on what I call empathic civilisation which is a gift. See the mess we have made of this gift with ethnicity. This winner-takes-all mentality has also not helped matter. We should not be interested in who becomes the president basically based on ones ethnicity. Look at even the issue of insurgency, this Boko Haram issue. You will never settle that problem with bombs.

The more you bomb the more you are likely to win sympathy for the terrorists.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Kalu urges Jonathan to retain Sambo ADVICE Former Abia State governor advises Jonathan not to drop his deputy.

F

Ndubuisi Ugah ormer Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan not to buckle under pressure to drop Vice- President Namani Sambo as his running mate when he declares to seek re-election in 2015.

This advice was given just as the former governor has picked his nomination form to run for Abia North Senatorial seat under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The former governor described those pushing for the dropping of Sambo as political jobbers who ate only out to create disaffection in the seat of power.

He said those routing for other persons as the running mate of the president are the enemy of the ruling party.

Kalu said dropping the vice-president would amount to a disincentive for the loyalty Sambo had demonstrated as a good deputy and ally who is not ambitious to rock the boat .

Speaking yesterday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Kalu dismissed insinuations making the round that Jonathan was buckling under pressure to consider the Governor of Katsina, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema , the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu or the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, as his running mate.

Kalu said: "Considering the good working relationship between the duo of President Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, the wise thing is to allow the

l Picks nomination form to run for Senate same team fly the party flag.

"Not only has Sambo been loyal to the President, he had also supported and added value to the transformation agenda of the present administration.

"In order to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in government, the president delegated the vice-president to oversee some government agencies and technical committees and Sambo has performed credibly well. In addition, he has also contributed meaningfully to the party in maintaining peace and unity in PDP, especially in the North.

"Forget what anyone says, give it to Sambo, he remains a seasoned professional and a consummate politician.”

On the rumour that Jonathan was considering Mu’azu and others as running mate, Kalu said: “I see that as a rumour. Our national chairman, Mu’azu, is busy running the affairs of the party ahead of the forthcoming general elections. Remember, PDP remains the largest party and as such, Mu'azu has a lot on his shoulders. I know he is not thinking in the direction of political jobbers.

“Anyone proposing Mu’azu as running mate to President Jonathan is an enemy of PDP. Jonathan/Sambo ticket remains the best.

I urge perpetrators of such rumour not to cause confusion between trio of Jonathan, Sambo and Muazu.

God has placed everyone in their rightful positions.”

On his ambition to run for the Abia North Senatorial seat, Kalu said: “Last week I picked my nomination form at Wadata Plaza.

I decided to run for Senate after several calls by the good people of Abia North for a better representation.

I and Gov T.A Orji are from different senatorial zones

and more so, the mandate belongs to the people.

“No one has monopoly of power to make anyone Senator except God and your constituents. I believe that the beauty of democracy is fair play and the President has promised a level playing ground for all aspirants. Before venturing into politics I had been empowering my people the same way I was doing when I was in public office, so based on this, I am rest assured of victory.”

Kalu said the chances of President Jonathan in the 2015 elections are bright when he declares interest affirming the president would not be intimated with the expression of interest by General Muhammadu Buhari to challenge him at the polls.

He said: “The victory of President Jonathan in 2015 is certain and has been destined by God. The declaration of Atiku and Buhari for President on the platform of APC is not in any way a threat to President Jonathan’s re election.

“Nigerians are solidly behind the President, owing to the positive impact of the transformation agenda.

Infrastructural regeneration, freedom of speech, gender equality, privatisation and industrialisation are some of the projects that will earn the President Jonathan a second term in office. In essence, it is just fair to allow the President consolidate his achievements in his first tenure. PDP is sure of victory in 2015, we are just praying to God to grant us life to witness the inauguration of President Jonathan come May 29, 2015.”

He said the PDP is reaching out to aggrieved members to return to the fold.

“As the saying goes, one tree cannot make a forest and also the more,

the merrier. For instance in South East, you can see that people like Chief Achike Udenwa was recently re-admitted. Chief Peter Obi and Iroko, Olusegun Mimiko, have joined the ruling party. It is a timely and welcome move. However, I will want the party to extend olive branch to other aggrieved members of PDP that are now in other political parties,” he said.

He, however, commended government for addressing the insecurity affecting the country calling on traditional rulers and leaders of thought to educate their subjects on the negative effects of terrorism.

Kalu said: “Boko Haram has been surmounted to a large extent. We must commend the efforts of the federal government and support of foreign countries and international agencies in curbing terrorism.

"On Chibok girls, politicians are over heating the issue, though I feel very pained as a father too. However, we must not forget that the President is trying his best and having sleepless night over the abduction of these girls. We all need to work together without been partisan to collectively salvage the situation.

“The BringBackOurGirls campaign is commendable as they have created awareness and put government on its toes in finding a lasting solution to the menace. I want to appeal to Emirs and leaders of thought to continue to educate the people on the negative effect of terrorism to the nation as nothing strive in an atmosphere of unrest.

“We should keep praying for the country as we approach election year and politicians should embrace the spirit of sportsmanship in the forthcoming elections,” he said.

News

The Week Ahead

TAN mega rally holds today The Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), will hold its mega rally today at the Eagles Square, Abuja. The rally, according to its organisers, is aimed at urging President Goodluck Jonathan to contest for a second term given the positive impact of the Transformation Agenda.

Felabration ends tomorrow The yearly celebration of the exploits of late Afro-beat music, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, tagged ‘Felabration’ will end tomorrow at the African Shrine, 1 NERDC Road, Agidingbi, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos.

The yearly event, which began on October 13 and sponsored by 7up Bottling Company, is aimed at showcasing the life and times of Fela (aka Abamieda) and his music exploits.

Jonathan’s sole candidacy suit comes up Oct 20 The Court of Appeal will on October 20 hear an appeal challenging the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as the consensus presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of next year’s general election.

The application was filed by a former PDP governorship aspirant in Adamawa State, Dr. Umar Ardo, who also indicated interest in contesting the presidential election on the platform of the party.

Ardo is urging the appeal court to grant him leave, as an interested party, to be joined in an earlier suit decided at the high court between one Cyriacus Njoku, a member of PDP, and Jonathan, so as to use the particulars of the case to challenge the president’s emergence as PDP’s sole candidate.

Jonathan to open NAFEST Oct 21 President Goodluck Jonathan will open the 28th edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) on October 21 at the Township Stadium in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, at noon.

The festival will hold from October 19 to 26.

This year’s festival, with the theme: ‘Celebrating Nigeria @100: The Role of Culture as a Vehicle for National Unity’, is the first time Ebonyi State would be hosting the event since its inception.

The week-long fiesta, which will hold from October 19 to 26, has participants drawn from the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Court hears appeal against NFF Oct 23 The Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State will on October 23 continue hearing in the case against the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), for conducting the September 30 elections into the executive committee of the federation.

Messrs Yahaya Adamu and three others had on September 19 approached the court to restrain Aminu Magari (First defendant), NFF (second defendant) and Football Associations (third defendant) from going ahead with another elections after the Chris Giwa-led faction were elected.

The presiding judge, Justice Ambrose Allagoa, said the adjournment was meant for the Plaintiffs counsel to personally serve the defendants with the contempt of court orders.

Remi Oyo for burial Oct 24 The remains of the former Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs. Oluremi Oyo, will be buried on October 24.

The deceased widower, Mr. Vincent Oyo, said a Service of Songs would be held in her honour on October 20, while a Media Night of Tributes would follow on October 21.

Christian wake will hold on October 22, while the final funeral mass and interment would hold on October 23 and 24. Her remains would be interred at Atan Cemetery, Yaba, Lagos.

Delta council polls fixed for Oct 25

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha (left), and the National Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Mustapher, during Ihedioha’s collection of nomination form for the Imo State PDP governorship primary at the party’s headquarters in Abuja…Wednesday

The Delta State Independent National Electoral Commission (DSIEC) has fixed October 25 for the conduct of local government elections in the state. Chairman of DSIEC, Mr. Moses Ogbe, said the date was chosen after wide consultations were made with the various stakeholders in the state.

7

8

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

IBADAN IKEJA Nyako’s impeachment: Court Ajimobi receives Alaafin’s reserves judgment for Nov 7 blessings for second term

N EWS I N BRIEF

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday fixed November 7 to rule on a fundamental rights enforcement suit seeking the reinstatement of impeached Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako.

Justice Okon Abang reserved his ruling after hearing arguments by counsel of parties in the suit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, had filed the suit in August challenging the legality of Nyako's impeachment on July, 15.

Ogungbeje had argued that Nyako’s impeachment was a clear derogation from the due process of law and prayed the court for an order reinstating him as a

1.6%

The annual population growth rate of Bolivia in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has received the blessings of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, for his second term in office.

He received the royal blessings on Thursday, when he paid homage to the monarch in his palace as a mark honour for the royal father who is celebrating his 76th birthday.

Adeyemi, while showering his blessings on Ajimobi, prayed for his success in his second term bid.

“You have done well. I pray that God will grant you your heart desire. Your dream and ambitions will come true. I also pray that these buses procured for your campaign will not be involved in accident,” he said.

€43.2m

The amount realized from match day revenues by Hamburg in the 2012-2013 season.

Source: Goal.com

ILORIN First Lady sends food to Kwara PDP

First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, donated yesterday three lorry lords of food items to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women and youths across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State.

The food items, according to a statement from the state secretariat of the party, arrived around 2:45p.m. and were handed over to the state chairman, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo and his other Executive members.

While receiving the items, Akogun said: “We are grateful to our mother for reaching out to us. We are happy for this timely gesture to our party members and other members of the public.”

15%

The percentage of all deaths related to natural disasters is due to floods.

Source: Unesco.org

Jonathan inaugurates N4.4bn Otor bridge, Calabar port dredging DEVELOPMENT

The president has inaugurated two projects to boost the nation's economy.

Dominic Adewole and Clement James

I

ASABA/Calabar

t was a dream come through yesterday in Otor, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State when President Goodluck Jonathan inauguarted the newly-constructed bridge on Otor River.

The bridge, which was constructed by an indigenous construction company – Inter Bau Limited links Delta, Edo states and leads to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Similarly, President Jonathan also inaugurated the dredging of Calabar port,

to improve economic activities in Cross River State and beyond.

When it was initially awarded at the cost of N2.9 billion in 2006, it was 400 metres long and consists of 10 kilometre access roads, but could not be completed between 2008 and 2009.

Inaugurating the project yesterday, President Jonathan, who was represented

by Vice President Namadi Sambo listed the feat as one of his transformation agenda.

The vice president, who was flanked by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen and others, said work was ongoing on 15 other weighbridges, including Benin-OreShagamu, Onitsha-Enugu, Abuja-Kaduna, KadunaKano, Ibadan-Ife, OkeneAjaokuta, Makurdi-Lafia and Onitsha-Asaba-Benin dual carriageways, along major arterial roads.

Sambo said the Fed-

eral Government was determined to upgrade the infrastructural base of the country, adding that the government decided to change the policy of arterial roads in 2012 and that resulted in the completion of the bridge at a record time.

He said: “President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has rehabilitated kilometres of good roads upto more than 25,000kilometres in just 36 months with some of the road alignments comparing favourably with roads in the developed parts of the world.

“It is gratifying to note that the completed bridge is already impacting on the lives of the people in terms of enhancing farmers' productivity and better social integration between the communities on both sides of the bridge. I am pleased to inform you that we have directed the Minister of Works to commence the

design and dualisation of the road.”

On his part, Onolememen said the completed bridge was part of the road which runs all the way from the Delta State capital of Asaba to Illah, Ebu all the Illushi, Ubiaja, Uromi and Irrua in Edo State.

Uduaghan appealed that the weight of vehicles plying the road should be regulated so as to avoid the wear and tear of the road.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, said when Calabar Channel was completed, the port would improve investment and trade opportunities between Anambra, Abia, Enugu, and Ebonyi states.

The ceremony, which took place in Calabar, is believed to be a major step in the dredging of the Calabar port, which has remained controversial for some time.

Impeachment threat: Ekiti speaker adjourns sitting of Assembly

l Fayose faults decision Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

I

n an apparent move to thwart his impeachment, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, adjourned plenary session of the Assembly till November 16.

In a statement in AdoEkiti yesterday by his media aide, Mr. Wole Olujobi, the speaker said the decision was to allow consultations to go on following a change of leadership in the state.

However, the state Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, through his Special Assistant on Information and Social Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said the closure of the assembly was an attempt to frustrate the new administration.

“The speaker claimed that the seven PDP members in the House were plotting to impeach him and for this, Ekiti must be hold to ransom. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no plan by the state government to force the removal of the speaker or anyone in the House of Assembly.

“Most importantly, election and removal of the speaker and other principal officers of the House of Assembly is the prerogative of the House members, and not the duty of the executive arm of government.

"However, we are aware of the plan by the APC to frustrate the Ayodele Fayose-led government, using the party-dominated House of Assembly. The plan is to prevent the governor from making statutory appointments like commissioners and special advisers as well as the presentation and the passage of the 2015 budget."

“Therefore, by ordering that the Ekiti lawmakers should go on one month recess, Omirin is only acting the Plan B script of the APC. That is: 'Make Ekiti ungovernable for Fayose the way they made the state ungovernable for Segun Oni.' “However, we wish to assure the good people of the state that like their previous plans to subvert the will of Ekiti people, this APC Plan B, which is to frustrate the government will fail."

Anenih loses N500m libel suit against Oshiomhole’s aide, TV station Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

C

hairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, lost yesterday at the High Court Benin City in a N500 million libel suit he slammed against Mr. Peter Ohiria, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

Also joined in the suit filed at the High Court sitting in Benin is the Edo State Broadcasting Service (ESBS).

Justice U.I Erameh in the consolidated suits numbers B/285/2010 & B/366/2010 between Chief Tony Anenih (CFR) as claimant and Mr. Peter Okhiria (CPS to Edo State Governor), ESBC and Bendel Newspaper Company Limited, defendants, dismissed the case for lack of merit.

The case was instituted against the defendant (Peter Okhiria) by Anenih in 2010.

The court refused the prayers of Anenih to declare that a press release issued on behalf of the state government in 2010 was libelous and, therefore, refused the prayer for N500 million damages, among others.

Anenih had sought the declaration of the court in his prayers with a claim that a press release issued on behalf of the government by the Chief Press Secretary libeled him and in the process sought N500 million in damages.

Justice Erameh in her judgment held that the defence of privileged occasion availed the first defendant (Peter Okhiria) on the ground that he acted on the instruction of the Chief Security Officer of the state, (the governor) to educate and inform the public on security happenings in the state and that such statement was made by the Chief Press Secretary in his official capacity as the spokesman for the government of the state.

Unity Schools’ teachers suspend strike

T Ghana President, John Dramani Mahama (left), and President Goodluck Jonathan, during Mahama’s visit to Nigeria in Abuja …yesterday

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

he Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), has announced the suspension of the strike by its members in the Federal Ministry of Education and the Unity Colleges across the country.

A statement jointly signed by the Permanent

Secretary, Dr. Clement Illoh; Director, Human Resources in the ministry, Dr. Bello Umar and ASCSN Secretary General, Mr. Alade Lawal, on Friday in Abuja, stated that the suspension, was sequel to an agreement reached at a stakeholders’ meeting held on October 15.

18 OCTOBER 2014

Elechi: I will contest for Senate in 2015

KADUNA Yero appoints eight new Permanent Secretaries

l APC Minority Whip defects to PDP Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

E

bonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, yesterday said after due consultations and pleas from major stakeholders of his senatorial zone, he has accepted to contest the Ebonyi Central senatorial seat in the 2015 general elections.

Elechi stated this at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Abakaliki, when the leadership of a group, Ebonyi Youths Assembly, procured and issued to the governor, PDP senatorial form to contest the Ebonyi Central senatorial seat.

The governor, who expressed regrets the way and manner legislatures were changed each election year, urged the state Chair-

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

man of the party, Chief Ugorji Amaoti, to declare and contest the Afikpo South/Afikpo North Federal Constituency.

He pleaded with the leadership of the party in the state to allow legislators at all levels to return, adding that changing of legislators affects the legislative arms of government and makes it cumbersome.

Briefing journalists shortly after procuring and issuing the senatorial form to the governor at the party secretariat, the National President of the organisation, Chinedu Ogah, said the organisation decided to procure the form to enable the governor to proceed to the upper chamber to continue his infrastructural and human developmental strides in the state.

NEWS IN BRIE F

Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State on Friday appointed eight new permanent secretaries into the state civil service.

Swearing-in the permanent secretaries in Kaduna, Yero enjoined them to keep to their oath of office and ensure excellent service delivery.

The new permanent secretaries include Aliyu Bamali, Lukman Musa, Adamu Atama, Ladi Pate, Marcus Baba, Lawal Usman, Joshua Gambo and Ishaya Yem. He said the appointments were based strictly on merits and not politically motivated.

FCT INEC begins Phase III PVC distribution Nov 7

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will begin the distribution of the third and final phase of the Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) from November 7.

The exercise which will end on November 9 will cover 13 states and will be followed immediately by Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise in the affected states from November 13 through 17.

The states involved are: Adamawa, Borno, Edo, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Plateau and Rivers.

INEC had earlier conducted the PVCs and CVR exercises in 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Phases I and II.

9

FCT 2015: PDP governorship aspirants unveil agenda

Governorship aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have listed what they will do for their people if they emerge candidates of the party and, are eventually elected in the general election.

They spoke after picking the Expression of Interest (EOI) and nomination forms at the party’s National Secretariat yesterday.

Friday Nwosu an aspirant from Abia State said: “I, by the grace of God, will be the governor of Abia State, I won't be a big man. I don't want to be a jet owner. I don't want to be all that rich. I want to use the little energy and little wisdom God gives me to develop my state and human beings and that is the spirit with which I am coming to the state.”

Oneya’s murdered daughter buried Joe Obende Warri

T

he remains of Frances, daughter of former military administrator of Kano and Plateau states, Brig-Gen. Dominic Oneya (rtd.), who was killed by armed robbers in Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, last week, was yesterday interred at her hometown in Ehwerhe-Agbarho of Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state amid tears and sobs.

The retired military general’s daughter had been shot dead by dare-devil armed robbers who trailed her from a bank where she had gone to withdraw a substantial sum.

The money was later recovered in the car when the robbers had left with another bag containing her other personal effects.

In a requiem mass held at the St. Jude Catholic Church, Effurun in hon-

our of the late Ms. Oneya, the officiating Priest, Rev. Fr. Augustine Erutor, while consoling the family on the death of their daughter, described her as a very accommodating and receptive person who took delight in the worship of God. He said: “No human has been able to give the exact time of exit from earth except God. According to human calculations, it is always painful when we a loved one departs from earth, but we should be consoled in the fact that there is life after death.”

In a swift move by the police in the state after the robbery, the fourman gang robbers were trailed with two of them shot dead while the other two are still in the custody with investigations ongoing to unravel how the information had leaked to the hoodlums that she had withdrawn some large sum on the day.

Buhari: Odigie-Oyegun, group flay Presidency Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

N

ational Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) yesterday slammed the presidency for referring to a presidential hopeful of APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as a serial presidential loser.

Odigie-Oyegun, who spoke at the National Secretariat of the party, stated

that the presidency and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were living in the past for such a comment.

Reacting to the statement credited to the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, that Buhari and former vice-president Abubakar Atiku were serial losers, the APC chairman said: “Well it means that they are not good students of history and they are not realistic and practical."

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (left), and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, at Gowon's 80th birthday lecture in Abuja …yesterday

Atiku: I’m the best APC aspirant Johnchuks Onuanyim

F Abuja

ormer vice president and All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday stated that he is more qualified than co-contenders for the party’s presidential ticket.

This is just as the APC said it had no regrets over its membership of #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

Speaking separately to APC leaders from Bauchi State and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, at an interactive session on Thursday at Protea Hotel, Asokoro, Atiku said that other co-contenders lacked business experience.

Also, Atiku warned that a mandate to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2015 will be a vote for a single-party dictatorship.

According to him the arrogance of the ruling PDP has reached a point where the country can no longer bear it.

Atiku said, “You cannot run a complex and a modern economy as we

l Opposition party says ‘No regrets for supporting BBOG' have without business experience. They don’t even know how to create jobs.

So, I believe I am more prepared than anyone of them. In terms of uniting this country and defending this country, I also believe I stand out. You don’t have to be a soldier to defend your country. It takes a will.”

On how to create jobs, Atiku said, “You have to deregulate the economy. Open it up. Empower the private sector, small, medium enterprises getting access to capital. Give incentives to large-scale employers, they will create the jobs.”

He therefore asked for the support of his visitors “so that together we can bring about the desired change. I am a national politician. In politics, I don’t know religion or ethnicity. I don’t know North or South.

I know only one Nigeria.”

“Here is a warning to all Nigerians,” Atiku said, adding, “A ruling party that barred its members from running against the President in the primaries this year will, if

care is not taken bar the entire citizens of the country from challenging him four years down the road.”

Responding to the litany of cries over insecurity and the lack of development in the North-East geopolitical zone, Atiku agreed that the region was the country’s least in terms of development, adding the United Nations agencies also acknowledged his position on the North-East.

Speaking to the delegates, Atiku said the country was currently faced with “bad resources management, insecurity, ethnic and religious disharmony and most importantly, we have poverty imposed on us. We have no reason to be poor because we have endowments in human and material resources. Sadly, we have failed to utilise them due to poor leadership.”

The FCT delegation promised him 90 per cent of their delegates while their Bauchi counterparts pledged 100 per cent support.

Meanwhile, a year after the formation of the APC, the party has gone back to the drawing board to amend its constitution.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this yesterday after the National Executive Committee meeting of the party at its National Secretariat in Abuja.

On the allegation that APC sponsors Bring-BackOur-Girls campaign group that is agitating for the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, he said, “I think we must make clearly a distinction between my membership of a political party and my constitutional right to express my view, We cannot say people who are sympathising with our party cannot be members of any organisation but its only when they become an official policy of the party we now see an exco of the party are now directing the affairs of the group that we now say its sponsoring the BringBackOurGirls.

10

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

IGANMU TOTO Nasarawa withdraws plans to APCON to sensitise Nigerians on alcohol consumption engage over 10,000 youths

N EWS I N BRIEF

Nasarawa State Government on Friday said its current financial position had stalled its plans to engage over 10,000 youths in different areas of economic activities.

Chairman, Nasarawa State Youths Empowerment Scheme (NAYES), Mr. Daniel Ogazzi, stated this in Toto, at the handing over ceremony of 100 NAYES marshals to the authorities in Toto Local Government Area.

He said: “The state government has trained over 1470 youths as sanitary inspectors, community watchers and traffic marshals to assist government in ensuring healthy environment, security and traffic decongestion in the state."

The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) on Friday said it had concluded plans to sensitise Nigerians on the effect of excessive alcohol consumption through a summit themed: ‘Responsible Alcohol Marketing’.

The Registrar of APCON, Mr. Garba Kankarofi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos, that Nigerians needed to be conscious of the way and manner in which they consumed alcohol.

“Excess intake of alcohol is dangerous to health; therefore, Nigerians should be mindful of the way and manner they consume it,” Kankarofi said.

86,600

The total area (in sq. km) of Azerbaijanr.

Source: Worldfactsandfigures.com

ENUGU PDP leaders endorse Chime

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu West Senatorial zone yesterday endorsed Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State to fly the party’s flag for the 2015 senatorial election.

Expectedly, Mr. Matthias Ekweremadu, younger brother of deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, was conspicuously absent at the meeting of the zone that adopted Chime, and every political observer in the state could predict that in view of the intense rivalry between the governor and the National Assembly lawmaker over who picks the ticket of the party for the West zone of the state.

28,500

The total number of internet users in Jersey in 2007.

Source: Blatantworld.com

19%

The percentage of population under 15 years old in China in 2012 Source: Un.org

Boko Haram: Ghanian President promises to support Nigeria Anule Emmanuel

P

resident of Ghana, John Mahama, yesterday visited President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja where offered his country’s support for Nigeria to fight the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Both leaders after a closed-door meeting briefed state House Correspondents.

The Ghanaian President disclosing that key bilateral issues concerning Nigeria and Ghana formed the kernel of discussions.

Mahama, who urged Nigerians to also fully support Jonathan's administration in the effort to crush the terrorists, was at the presidential villa a few hours after the Boko Haram group reached a ceasefire with the federal government.

The Ghanaian leader, who is the current chairman of the Economic Community of West African States

(ECOWAS), stressed that Nigeria was strategic country in West Africa, so it's destabilisation would deal a heavy blow to the stability of the entire region.

He noted that anyone who means well for West African region must join hands with Nigeria to ensure the menace of insurgency and terrorism is contained.

Mahama commended Jonathan and Nigerians for successfully checking the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country and for her willingness and efforts to assist less successful West African countries in tackling the deadly disease.

He said Ghana plans to convene a meeting of ECOWAS heads of state by the first week of November to discuss concerted efforts at checking further spread of Ebola which has already killed over 4,000 persons in the region in the past four months.

With hunger, physical infrastructure meaningless - Fayose Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

A

R-L: Mr. Vincent Oyo, widower of the former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), late Mrs. Remi Oyo husband and other family members, at the service of song in honour of Remi, at the Church of Assumption, Asokoro, Abuja...yesterday.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

2015: Eight cabinet members quit Aliyu’s govt AMBITION

Eight members left Governor Babangida Aliyu's cabinet to realise their political ambition.

Dan Atori MINNA

E

ight members of the Niger State Executive Council on Friday quit the cabinet to enable them to contest the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in their constituencies ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Prominent among those who resigned are the Chief of Staff Government House, Alhaji Umar Nasko, Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mallam Bashir Nuhu, his Environment counterpart, Kabiru Wushishii and that of Gender Affairs, Hajia Hassana Adamu.

Others are the Commissioner for Sports, Al-

l Don’t remove immunity clause, says governor

haji Yussuf Garba Tagwai; Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mallam Abbas; General Manager of the state Rural Electrification Board, Mohammed Sharu and the Special Adviser on Women Mobilisation, Hajia Fati Abubakar.

All the commissioners are seeking election into the House of Representatives in Tafa, Shiroro, Paikoro, Wushishi and Bida, while the two women are aspiring for the ticket of the PDP for the state House of Assembly under Borgu and Chanchaga constituencies.

At a valedictory session in honour of the former aides, Governor Babangida Aliyu, expressed appreciation to them for joining him in providing the needed leadership for the state which had led to the transformation of the state.

He admonished them to moderate their ambitions with those of their communities, adding that they

should also have a vision that was shared with that of the people.

Aliyu advised them to ensure they tidy up all their documents, adding that they should not claim what they did not have. He reminded them that the minimum qualification for any elective post is the West African School Certificate (WASC).

Responding on behalf of the former commissioners, Tagwai, who was in tears expressed their appreciation to the governor for allowing them to serve the people of the state.

Meanwhile, Aliyu has said the amendment of the immunity clause in the 1999 Constitution should not be totally removed but should be retained in the statutes so that administrators will not be faced with unnecessary distraction.

Aliyu, who said this yesterday in Minna at a valedictory meeting held for his

council members who are vying for various elective positions added that he was initially in support of the removal but with the insight he now has, the immunity clause should not be totally removed.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday announced the removal of immunity clause from the President and governors after the final process of the amendment of the constitution. The amendment was met as 252 out of the 261 members voted in favour of the amendment.

He also submitted that if the immunity clause was removed, government would waste a lot of resources on litigation.

Aliyu also said politicians should find a way of resolving disputes amicably without resorting to the courts, stating that this would stabilise democracy and remove unnecessary rancour.

s the world marks International Day for Poverty Eradication, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has said with hunger lashing their stomachs, physical infrastructure will remain irrelevant to the people.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, he said his own concept of stomach infrastructure would take cognisance of the welfare needs of the people.

He added that his belief was that eradicating poverty also encompassed providing qualitative health care services for the people, as their well-being was vital to getting above the poverty level.

“The Concept of Stomach Infrastructure which has giv-

en me fame and acceptability with the people of Ekiti State remains an integral part of this administration. Physical infrastructure and urban renewal will continue to play its own role in the development of any nation. It is only the living who are hale and hearty that can enjoy such infrastructure.

"Every policy of any administration that cannot put food on the table of the people is irrelevant.

Stomach infrastructure is not about food alone, it is also about the welfare of the people. Welfare of the people is also about health, provision of drugs, eradication of diseases, clothing and housing. All these are the basic essentials of life without which physical infrastructure will be meaningless,” he said.

Take Yoruba cultural values seriously, Adams urges parents Shola Adefuwa

C

onvener of Olokun Festival Foundation, Chief Gani Adams, has urged parents to take Yoruba cultural values seriously in the life of the children.

Speaking during a public lecture title “The Dialectics of Culture and Development”, he said parents rather encourage their children to have access to information technology devices and other means that filled them with bad behaviour than allowing them to research into the core values of Yoruba culture.

According to him, the

role of cultural orientation cannot in anyway be over emphasised as a means to achieve moral standard in Nigeria.

There is no gain saying, the fact that our society is fast losing its sense of moral virtues and value has been thrown to the dog.

Adams said moral failure in children begins from their early days as interactions with care givers and peers had influenced their development of moral understanding and behaviour.

He also urged the government to look inward for the solution to problems in Nigeria.

Voices Can you marry your late sibling's spouse? p.12

Street Diary SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

11

How man lost wife, three children to Ibadan tanker fire incident

H

e left home on Saturday morning for his work place at the UMC, Oke Ado, Ibadan while his wife and the three kids bade him bye. Femi Ijebu, as he is fondly called by friends, never knew that he was seeing his family members for the last time that moment. While the man was at work, his family on went out. But on their way home in the evening, the wife, an Ibira origin in Kogi State, and the three boys, perished in an inferno occasioned by a fuel-laden petrol tanker that fell and emptied its content under the popular Molete Bridge in Ibadan. Devastated beyond comprehension, Femi was on Tuesday rumoured to have developed mental derangement as he was muttering incomprehensible and incoherent statements. He was hurriedly conveyed to his home town in a part of Ogun State for medical attention, New Telegraph on Saturday gathered.

A resident of Oke Ado, who identified himself simply as Bode, said, “Femi used to come and repair vehicles close to our house here. I know he is from Ijebu and he works at the UMC. His wife, I learnt is from Ibira area of Kogi State. The family has three children- all boys, much as I know. He lost the wife and the three children to the Saturday evening fire at Molete.

“She had put her three children on a bus and quickly went to buy bread by the road side at Molete. Before she could come back, the fire had caught the bus. As she was shouting and trying to run away from the scene, the flowing flaming fuel caught her and the baby on her back. They were both burnt to death. Some people even said that the woman was pregnant.

“As a result of the shock, Femi encountered through the calamity, I learnt today that he has gone mentally deranged and that his people have taken him home for medical attention. I learnt he could not withstand the mental torture anymore.

His situation is very pathetic.”

The abrupt end to the lives of the family members, as well as about 16 others, started around 9pm on Saturday when the tanker driver was trying to negotiate the roundabout. While the driver was trying to avoid hitting any of the cars parked by the roadside, he lost control and the tanker fell, spilling its content.

Upon catching fire, the accident resulted in burning 45 shops, 13 vehicles, three houses, seven commercial motorcycles, three commercial tricycles and goods worth millions of naira.

Most of the people that died in the fire according to investigation were roadside traders.

Eleven persons, who were severely burnt, were hurriedly rushed to the University College Hospital (UCH) for treatment. Among them was a secondary school boy, Segun Adeyemi, and a policeman, who was not on duty, but tried to rescue some people and in the process was caught by the fire. Adeyemi and the policeman died on Monday at the UCH. When New Telegraph visited the scene on Sunday morning, the police and other security agencies in large number were

Traders at Molete Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, will not forget in a hurry the fire incident of last week Saturday. Our correspondent, SOLA ADEYEMO, reports that most of the victims were roadside traders.

seen working to restore order in the area, while men of the Oyo State Fire Service Department were trying to evacuate the fallen tanker and other vehicles affected.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi equally visited the scene, sympathising with the victims. He ordered the evacuation of the burnt tanker to allow for free flow of traffic. He also promised to foot the bill of all the victims at the UCH. It was not quite up to two months after the fancy section of the Aleshinloye Market, Ibadan, was also destroyed by fire. Property worth millions of naira was razed.

Going down memory lane, a resident of the area, and a retired school Principal, Adewuyi Ajani (65), who had lived in the area for decades, said the ugly incident was the fifth he had experienced, with the first being on August 23, 1971.

“Before Saturday’s tragedy, three other similar incidents had happened in 1975, 1987 and 1994. The government has tried to put things right, but they still need to maintain discipline among motorists and traders in this area.”

Iyaloja of Molete Market, Alhaja Iswat Oyinlola, said the effect of the disaster could have been graver but for a river that flow behind the market, which absorbed more than half of the fuel that spilled from the tanker.

She said, “I was already at home around 10 pm when I got the message that a truck loaded with petrol fell at Molete Roundabout and spilled its content, causing huge fire. By the time I got to the market, the fire had spread to every corner around the roundabout. If not for the river behind the market, the fuel would have flooded the whole neighbourhood and caused many more deaths because it happened when many people were retiring to their beds.

“I discovered that 13 vehicles, seven commercial motorcycles and three commercial tricycles were burnt. Ten people were roasted and 45 shops were affected.

We don’t know the actual number of those who died in the inferno but from the list I

have with me, 10 people were confirmed dead. Others were taken to the hospital.”

She nevertheless blamed the commercial bus drivers operating in the area, condemning the inappropriate manner they park and operate, saying, “Commercial bus drivers that turned the roundabout to their park, thereby causing huge traffic around the area, caused the accident. From what I learnt, the truck was unable to negotiate the bend smoothly, and because it had full load of fuel in its tanker, it lost control and fell. We appeal to the police to do their work without sentiment. They should ensure that the drivers don’t load their passengers by the roundabout. This

We were expecting her at home that night but when we could not hear from her again, we called her phone but it was switched off

will ease the traffic around the area and avert disaster.”

Among the dead was a man who was caught in the fire after leaving a drug store overlooking the overhead bridge. The owner of the pharmacy store, Chigozie Eze, narrated how he lost everything to the fire.

“I sell drugs and I have another store where I sell second-hand spare parts. I had left the shops and headed home when suddenly, I got a call from my brother, who was still in the drug store, that fire had gutted the whole place. I was shocked because I could imagine what our losses would be.

“I learnt that the truck driver was trying to steer the vehicle away from a pothole at the roundabout and at the same time making attempt not to collide with the commercial buses in the area when it fell. The content spilled and exploded.

My brother and another person escaped through the back door but we lost everything. I had more than N400, 000 cash in the shop but it was burnt to ashes. A customer who just bought drugs and was about to leave was caught in the fire. He died immediately. I don’t know where to start again,” lamented Eze. Another trader in the area who also bore the brunt of the disaster, Alfa Ahmed Adeoye, building materials and house accessories in his store.

“The fire gutted everything I have in my shop including money. I cannot quantify the amount I lost accurately but it is over N2m.

The Public Relation Officer of the UCH, Ayodeji Bobade, confirmed the deaths of two of the victims of the accident, saying that they died as a result of the severe degrees of burns they sustained.

Many of the relatives of the victims had besieged the burn unit of the hospital since Sunday, awaiting report of the state of health of their loved ones. Some of them said they were ready to donate blood for their relatives who were receiving treatment. One of them, Alhaja Oyetunde Adesokan, whose sister, Kafilat Olatunji, 45, was in critical condition said her sister, a widow, was caught up in the fire while coming from Lagos to see her children in Ibadan.

“She is my immediate younger sister. She sustained serious burn from head to toe; only her hair and part of her face were not seriously affected. I could hardly recognise her. The hospital management is doing its best but it is too early to say how she is responding to treatment.

“She was coming from Lagos and she alighted from a bus, awaiting another bus to Idi-Arere when she was caught up in the fire. We were expecting her at home that night but when we could not hear from her again, we called her phone but it was switched off. Because we knew that there was fire around the area where she was to take a bus home, we rushed there but she was not among the dead. We came to UCH and found her. Her husband is dead and she was trading at Somolu area of Lagos to take care of the four children who live in Ibadan.”

Voices

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

Can you marry your late sibling’s spouse?

I can't do that For me, I believe it is a barbaric act that should be condemned.

How would I look before my kids and my supposed nephews and nieces? First and foremost, personally I am against apolygamy and then having two women under my roof will tear me apart. Secondly, I feel men who do such probably had feelings for their sibling’s wife even before he died.

(John Ekpemioghena David, student) Capital no!

One important reason is because I don't love him.

How can I marry a man I don’t love when there are millions of men out there?

(Favour Richard-Kerri, civil servant)

It's madness It is madness since it is not biblical and my own culture does not accept that.

(Omoniyi Muritala personal assistant) It's not possible It is not possible because I cannot eat the remains of what my brother left behind. ( Fa b i a n Duru, Librarian) My conscience will not allow me No, I cannot because my conscience won’t allow me. I will feel people will think that I am too desperate.

(Amy Byron, student) I will marry her It is cultural for a younger sibling to marry his or late sibling's spouse. So, I will not even think twice about it before doing it.

(Damilola Daniel)

I can’t stand what the people will say Never will I do that; I can’t marry my late sibling’s spouse. What do you want people to say about me?

(Arikawe Morenikeji, businesswoman) I can if accepted by the family I can if the rest of the family accepts it because it depends on my family members since the late person is my blood.

(Aduwo Adedeji, businessman) It's a no go area For me, it is a no go area, I don’t care what my family members care. Don’t tell me I can’t marry her.

(Gbenga Ogunyelu)

If she is pretty enough If she is beautiful enough I will definitely marry her since my brother is dead and he needs someone to take care of his children and wife and there is no better way I can do it more than making her my wife.

(Goke William, information technologist)

I can’t do such a thing This type of act has been a custom from our fore fathers in those days but thank God for Christ and technology which has help to enlighten and open the eyes of this generation on this evil practice. But for me I can’t do such a thing.

(Odigweb Ndubuisi, civil servant)

It's abomination I can’t do such a thing when I was not the one that killed my sister in order to marry her husband. It is an abomination and I can’t do that for any reason.

(Funmilayo Ikuopenikan, businesswoman)

I will rely on divine guidance I will let the holy spirit lead me because that kind of thing, you don’t just go into it.

(Akinsola Fayemi) I can’t betray my love That will be inimical and betrayal to brotherhood. I just wouldn’t be able to do such a thing.

(Jasper, businessman) I can’t even if tradition permits Personally I am not sure I can do that, but it’s not a wrong thing to do because our tradition permits it.

(Victor Chimeziria, civil servant) compiled by

ANGELA DAVIES, AYORINDE DUROJAIYE, JOHN EDU AND INIOLUWA EKEOLERE

It will amount to betrayal Why would I do such? If I already have kids for him I don't need to remarry and even if I have to I would rather go outside and do that instead of betraying his love.

(Bello Modupe, businesswoman)

It depends on the kind of relationship It depends on the kind of relationship I had with my sister before her death and if I don’t already have someone that I am dating.

Also the factor of me loving the guy in question and him loving me back is very important.

(Tope Olokunola, beautician)

12

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2014

WeekendDelight 13

C o n v e r s at i o n

Instyle

The peplum glamour p.15

Showbiz

My father didn’t believe I could sing p.23

The Arts

When an art comes of age p.37

Destination

Rwanda: Basking in the beauty of a thousand hills p.42

DONALD OBASEKI

I WOULDN’T MIND GOING HUNGRY TO BUY MY DREAM CAR Managing director and chief executive officer of Guarantee Properties and Guarantee Solid Structure, Donald Obaseki, is back on his grind after a hibernation from the scene. But he certainly hasn’t lost his ebulient nature. In this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA, he talks about fast cars, recognising business opportunities and rallying support for president Jonathan’s re-elecection

changing today...

That’s true. Until recently I didn’t leave this country to do business anywhere. But when it was God’s time, I got to the embassy, they gave me a visa to America and when I got there, definitely one would have friends.

Some that you know back home or the new ones you made there. I didn’t know what was happening in civilised worlds like America and it was the first place I travelled to. I met friends at Beverly Hills where I stayed and they were asking me to invest in different things. Eventually, I sat down and weighed my options. I asked them, ‘how do I raise that money?’ They made me know that when I have little money I could open a bank account and approach the bank later and they will support me. I was afraid that the interests might be too much and I didn’t want to go to jail in a foreign land. When I finally looked at the options, I found it amazing. So, I partnered with my friend and we invested in healthcare.

Though the profit is not like the one in real estate, it’s a good one. I know about medicine a great deal and that’s why I invested in it.

You’re a big player in real estate; how did it begin?

Guarantee Properties and Guarantee Solid Structure are sister companies that I own by the grace of God. We also opened a clinic in California, Beverly Hills in Roseberry, United States. When growing up, you just wanted to survive. My work has no retirement benefit, no gratuity; what I do now is what will sustain me for the rest of my life. Guarantee Properties has been my brainchild since when I was young. I love everything properties. All that I’ve earned and have in my life is from real estate. It’s called real estate because it’s real.

They say if you trade in land, you’d never lose and that’s why I’m carefully going into it. I grew up in FESTAC, you know what happened in FESTAC 77, after the festival, federal government allocated lands to civil servants.

So, I already built up my idea because I did estate management then to understand how to let out and sell. I gathered my experience from that point and I can tell you that it’s been rewarding. If you wake me up to talk about a property, I will not stammer, I will tell you properties in good locations. When I was growing up, I always emphasise that one thing is certain in considering properties and it’s called location. When you have properties in good location, you won’t stress too much.

You’d start by speculating. From speculating you can position better and if you know how to market well. In real estate, you can actually convince someone to buy a bad property and transform it to a good property. You can also foresee prospects in some locations based on the infrastructure available there. There are properties bought for N10m and today they’re selling for over N100m.

You were quite visible on the social scene; why did you suddenly withdraw?

When you’re growing old, you’d automatically start winding down. There’s no point in being seen everywhere. I don’t want to continue to be a Champagne-popper, I don’t need everybody to know me by that noise. My first daughter is 19 and my son is 18. I need to lay a good example for them. It doesn’t mean that I don’t have fun. I go out but on a quiet note.

The press even reported the other day that I am broke and that I lost so much in stock. If I read these kinds of things, I just stay back here and laugh. For two years now I refused to grant any interview. I just decided not to be getting interviewed when it’s unnecessary. I choose what parties I even attend. I’m a little over 50 years now and I mind that. Imagine that I’m a friend of the president or the senate president’s; would they want to see me or read in the newspaper that I was caught fighting in a bar? This is the time to build my tomorrow.

Renee

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

You once said you had no reason to globetrot for business, the story seems to be

How do you unwind after shedding the workload?

This is my office and my guest house. It’s a purpose-built facility to welcome high octane guests and as my office on the other hand. I have my lounge here to drink Champagne with pals, the same that I will drink at clubs and they’d charge N35,000. In my room, I have more than 30 bottles of cognac. I had Obaseki

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14

Weekend Delight

| Conversation

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

‘When I read reports that I’m broke, I just sit back and laugh’

Obaseki says: “I drive sometimes and the Americans ask, ‘is he a Nigerian’” C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

to create an environment for myself that is devoid of noise. If you’re in that place and tagged with ruffians, the president wouldn’t even invite you for dinner.

What manner of family man are you?

A man that has a daughter who is 19-year-old with his family close knit has no more convincing to do about what manner of family man he is. My kids are in high school and I have to do what won’t make me start looking to them for survival at old age. Children of these days, their business have no returns. You spend all the millions on them and expect them to take care of you when you’re senile, their wives would tell them, “are you crazy? Leave your father, his time is passed”.

Which was the first ever car you bought?

I don’t want to start naming brands, but I’m sure you know I’ve driven cars. I love cars and I have lost count of the ones I owned. I love cars and there’s hardly anyone you’d mention that I’ve not driven. I’m a fashion person and I love the good things of life. I’m still driving cars even in California where I have my business. I drive sometimes and the Americans ask, “is he a Nigerian?” If I have N100 million today and a car is N90 million, I will buy as long as I love it, I don’t mind to go hungry.

In 2011, you were part of the campaign to make then vice president, Goodluck Jonathan the president.

Are you still rooting for him in 2015?

Of course, yes. You know they say a road that is good, you pass it

all over again because you only have to avoid a bad road. President Jonathan’s governance is good, he has good a good cabinet, some ministers are good and others are commendable. His tenure has been fair compared to previous governments we’ve had here and there are proofs to this claim. As of 2011, we set up a team called Door2Door campaign even though we hadn’t tested his ability then as a vice president.

We tried to support him because we wanted him to consolidate on what his predecessor, the late Umar Yar’dua had done. And we felt Yar’Adua’s seven-point agenda was good enough. You remember that there were forces trying to frustrate his ascension to power as the president but with the campaign group and the good people of Nigeria who stood out, activists like Femi Falana, Agbakoba, Wole Soyinka who insisted he must be allowed to step in as an interim president then, Door2Door headed by Stella Oduah with a couple of us then, by the grace of God, he was sworn in as the president of Nigeria.

Wouldn’t the experience this time be a hard sell given the security challenges in the country?

You and I know this Boko Haram insurgency is alien to us.

And because it’s strange to us, we are grappling and will win soon.

If it was a challenge that has always been with us, by now we would have had a way to combat this insurgency. Insurgency is new and as you can see, we don’t even have the weapons to fight this menace. We don’t have a well-serviced military aircraft let alone the sophisticated am-

“Imagine that I’m a friend of the president or the senate president’s; would they want to see me or read in the newspaper that I was caught fighting in a bar? This is the time to build my tomorrow”

munition. These insurgents have it because they have oil money to lavish on them. The international cabal is there to supply them with sophisticated arms that our military doesn’t have. Even some of our military men are not properly trained. Some are only trained to be in the barracks or stay at the border.

At most, the kind of war they’ve prepared for are the ones in Sierra Leone and Liberia. How can you fight someone you don’t know? It takes intelligence. Look at Iraq and Syria, these are advanced nations in terms of economy, technology and what have you yet they’re begging the western world to help them, let alone Nigeria.

President Jonathan is seeking $1b to procure arms to execute the war on insurgency; how justified is that given the military is already making gains against Boko Haram?

How much is $1b to buy arms?

Apart from that, our country has been frustrated, Britain doesn’t want to sell arms to us, America doesn’t want to sell, every other country doesn’t want to sell, even look at South Africa. There’s a particular technology by which we can give these insurgents away and that was what we were going to buy in South Africa. If you want to buy these kinds of things, you don’t send the military to go and get it. It’s the target individual with the contact you will engage. It’s a highly discreet transaction. Look at the N9.3b that was held down by South Africa, they say it was money laundering, how can you call such amount money laundering? $9.3m doesn’t buy one land in Ikoyi, Lagos. It can’t buy a 4000 square meter land in Ikoyi. So, if the federal

government or someone wants to launder money, is it $9.3m or $5.3m?

We needed to buy this technology and only a private individual with the right contact can facilitate it and it was why the money was given to them in cash. The matter was urgent. It’s like a satellite and we don’t have it. Recently, it was reported that America doesn’t want to sell arms to us because of human rights that may be abused with them by our military. That’s a flimsy excuse. There’s connivance from some quarters to frustrate this government. Things of great values are bought with pains.

How would you react to the notion that the president is too liberal and that disposition has fuelled the rise of Boko Haram?

Jonathan cannot be like his predecessor who helped him to get to where he is today. We inaugurate a team called, Goodluck2Goodluck and you can see the posts everywhere around. When God chooses a man, you cannot fault him. He might not be an aggressive person but God chose him for a purpose at a particular time. Imagine if God had made a short-tempered man like me a president and you hurt me, we’re talking here of the commanderin-chief of the armed forces; his words are like God’s. If the president gives an order to finish the whole of Odi just like a former president did, the order must be carried out. I watched one of Jonathan’s interview and he said, “when you’re given 100 percent power, please take only 30 or 35 and give the rest to the people.

Don’t use up to 50 because there will be so much aggression in half of a hundred.”

Instyle

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

15

The peplum glamour

P

Angela Davies

eplum outfits are elegant and flattering. As such, it is one trend that has refused to be edged out of the global fashion scene. The charm in these outfits lies in the way the style accentuates the wearer’s silhouette despite her size while retaining the innate sophistication built into the style.

What makes this trend even more popular is that it suits every woman's body type. Any lady can wear the peplum and it will still do justice to her figure.

Peplum comes in different fabric and styles. Peplum tops and dresses are characterized by a ruffle detail at the waistline.

Whether at the bottom of a top or around the waist of a dress or skirt, the peplum hem effortlessly accentuate the figure and instantly creates a feminine look that is great for any occasion like party, office, red carpet events, movie premier, luncheon as well as other social gatherings.

Here are the basic peplum styles to choose from.

Peplum dress - These dresses always looks elegant and attractive. They are great attire for the office and special occasion. The fabric, colour, style, sleeve, detailing and length of the peplum dress you choose

depend on your personal style.

However, ensure that the fabric of the dress stretches so that it will perfectly fit your figure. The key is to accentuate your curves.

Peplum top - Peplum tops are a great way to add style to any kind of bottom. However, it looks superb on pencil skirt and fitted jeans and pants. You can enhance your style by adding a skinny waist belt if you want to make your midsection appear slimmer.

Peplum skirt - Peplum skirts can be mix and matched with a variety of tops and accessories.

There are different creative ways to wear your skirt with a blouse, shoes and accessories.

Peplum hem dress - The peplum hem dress features peplum at the hem of the dress. These fitted dresses come in sweetheart, off shoulder and V necklines.

These brilliant and versatile styles come in mini and midi lengths as well as different exciting colours to choose from.

Peplum hem skirt - These skirts are classy and feminine.

These skirts can be paired with any beautiful blouse that compliments the skirt and accessorized properly for that event.

Just choose and wear a peplum style that looks good on you and you are set to turn heads at that event.

Understated elegance Dark-hued Margaret Adewunmi, CEO of Lillies Trendy Fashion House, speaks of her out-of-the-box approach to style with ANGELA DAVIES. Define your style My style is simple, elegant, classy and not too revealing. My personal style depicts me because you dress the way you want to be addressed.

What determines the kind of outfit you wear?

Most times it is how I feel and the event as well.

When there is a dress code for an event, I follow it and dress stylishly to suit the occasion.

What kind of outfits make up a larger part of your wardrobe?

They are mostly dark, simple but classy long gowns. I mean long gowns that get to the knee and breaks out because of my stature.

What is that clothing item you will never be caught wearing?

I wear everything. It is about wearing the right outfit at the right place and time.

Most expensive fashion item ever bought It is a designer wristwatch.

Signature perfume I use Gucci because the fragrance is simply amazing.

Best designer Of course that will be Lillies trendy fashion. Our designs are unique.

What is that fashion item you cannot do without?

I cannot go anywhere without my wristwatch. That is because I am always time conscious.

Best colour I like dark colours like black and brown.

They make me look slimmer.

How do you love your makeup?

I like it very light, nothing too heavy.

Why do you wear dreads?

I just want something a little different from the norm. I go to the salon every two weeks, lock it and wash to maintain it.

Do you love shoes?

I love shoes but I am not a shoe freak.

Ladies in different peplum top, dress and skirt

If you had to flaunt any part of your body, what will that be?

My back because everyone tells me that it is fresh. That is why I wear a low back and high neckline gowns.

Ezeamakam Newman Adewunmi

16

Instyle

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Accessories to live for

Make timeless fashion statement with diamond stud earrings

Facts Chartered accountant and businesswoman, Charity Aiyedogbon, CEO Charvid Fashion ‘N’ Style started her fashion label after so many disappointments from her tailors and also fuelled by her passion for fashion. She has participated in numerous fashion shows and also runs a fashion school in Abuja.

Small but cute, diamond stud earrings have been in vogue since time immemorial. They exude grace and style no matter the kind of outfit you wear them with, ANGELA DAVIES writes.

W

hen it comes to earrings, nothing can beat the simplicity yet elegance of diamond stud earrings. These earrings have remained a classic favourite of most women who love diamond as they possess a timeless appeal.

They are small pieces of fashion jewellery yet versatile and have the ability to go with absolutely any kind of outfit ranging from casual to formal and evening gowns. A pair of diamond studs in your ears will sure add charm and elegance to your look.

Diamond stud earrings come in an array of designs. However, the two popular ones are the round and princess cut diamond studs. The round cut diamond studs are the most fashionable design and perfect for women with narrow face. The princess cut diamond studs are ideal for women with broader faces and the best earring to enhance the look of a glamorous evening outfit.

These charming earrings come in different carat, colour, clarity and cut.

And the most common metals are white gold, sterling silver, yellow gold and platinum.

You should remember that diamond stud earrings make every woman feel and look classy and beautiful even as they add sparkle to her ears.

High heels can make an outfit appear stunning, but a woman has to know how to choose the right pair of heels to complement an outfit.

The princess cut diamond earring is the second most popular cut of diamond. It was first created in the 1960s.

Nail polish as we know it today was invented about 5000 years ago by the Chinese with the favoured colours being red and black.

FASHION ETIQUETTE

Wearing leggings under a dress

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

Floor length shirt worn with cropped top and pant

T

W

hen you decide to wear leggings under a dress, the basic rule is to keep it simple. However, the length of the dress is important. In general, dresses far below the hips are the ones that work best with leggings.

Also, dresses that end just above the knees could be worn with leggings. As stylish and sexy as wearing leggings are under dresses, they are meant for casual look. So, if you are attending a casual event, you can wear leggings with any kind of dress and at any age.

You should stick to colours like black, navy blue and brown. However, many women prefer to wear black colour leggings underneath their dresses because it matches all colours. Also, if you are wearing a patterned dress, you should choose a leggings colour to match at least one colour on the dress to stand out.

Osei

Akudo

he fashion showdown this week is between current Miss Nigeria, Ezinne Akudo and co-host of 53 Extra and budding Ghana actress, Sika Osei. And the outfit in contention is a floor length shirt without buttons worn with cropped top and pant.

Akudo wore a black cropped top which flaunted her midriff paired with a bright yellow wide leg pant and a long sleeve floor length shirt from Wana Sambo Resort 2015 collection to the second edition of Bovi Man on Fire which held at the Eko Hotel and Suits on Friday, October 3.

Akudo harmonized her sexy look with a simple hairstyle that flattered her face, stud earrings and carried a black Chanel bag. Her make-up was light but beautifully done coupled with a well shaved eye brow.

She toned down the bright yellow colour outfit with dark lipstick.

On her part, Osei wore a black cropped top which also showed-off her midriff, slim fitting black pant and a blue long sleeve floor length shirt to Today’s Woman, TW, magazine seventh year anniversary which took place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Sunday, September 28. Osei styled her look with black collar necklace, earrings, silver bangles on both hands and black ankle strap sandals. Spotting red lipstick that complemented her dark complexion, she also wore a side part bouncy curls that dropped down her shoulder.

No doubt, both ladies wore similar outfits; however, who do you think wore it better? Is it beauty queen, Akudo or television presenter, Osei?

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Trends

17

Rock the Valentino Garavani ‘rockstud' pumps

N

Angela Davies

Elohor Aisien

o doubt women love to wear good shoes that will attract attention. Hence, one designer shoe that has been trending for celebrities which they wear with different stylish outfits is known as the Valentino rockstud pumps.

These enchanting rockstud pointed-toe pumps are exclusively designed by celebrated Italian-born designer, Valentino Garavani popularly known as Valentino.

Valentino rockstud pumps have been the in-thing for celebrities across the globe for some time. It has been seen gracefully worn by celebrities like Sofia Vergara, Eva Longoria, Garcelle Beauvais, Emma Stone, J Mendel, Khloe Kardashian, LaLa Anthony and Kris Jenner on the red carpet as well as at other events. They paired these elegant pumps in various colours with elegant outfits that made them the cynosure of all eyes.

These shoes come with the effortless combination of the edginess of the stud detail strung all over the shoe and the timeless chic of the sleek shape. These pumps speak cuteness, elegance and comfort.

The rockstud pumps from Valentino Garavani which comes in t-strap and sling back features patent leather, pointed toe, adjustable ankle strap with a side buckle fastening, a brand embossed insole, gold tone rockstud embellishments, gold-tone pyramid studs.

Some also feature a pointed toe, t-bar strap with one strap across instep and one ankle strap with a side buckle fastening, platinum pyramid studs and rockstud embellishments. Some Valentino rockstud pumps come with two and three adjustable straps for a perfect fit. The heels that come with these pumps are basically high stiletto, mid and kitten heels. Your choice will depend on what kind of heels you are comfortable with.

These elegant pumps come in a variety of colours to choose from. These colours include pink, blue, red, brown, black, yellow, wine and many more to complement your look. Valentino rockstuds are classic and timeless shoes with a twist. They are definitely eye catchers, because of their glistening studs.

You can pair these pumps with just about any kind of outfit from dresses, short and top, cocktail dress, skirt and blouse, pant and top to fitted jeans and blouse to any kind of event without feeling out of place. And then accessorise properly with earrings, bracelets, wristwatch, necklaces, clutch or handbag. Just ensure the colour you choose complements your outfit. Most importantly, let your outfit flaunt your rockstud pumps because it is a perfect combination of edgy and elegance.

Although, these shoes come in different exciting colours, however, the interesting part is that prices for each colour differ. Whether you decide to shop for a pair online or walk into a shoe shop to purchase one, it is ideal to know that the price for Valentino Garavani 'rockstud' pumps ranges between $751 and $1,500 (N117, 907 and 235,500).

If you are sure that you can afford these edgy and elegant pointed-toe rockstud pumps, then, go for a colour that will suit your personal style as well as add instant attitude to the simplest of your outfits. However, you have to be careful not to fall prey of purchasing the fake Valentino Garavani 'rockstud' pumps on which you will be spending so much on.

So ensure that the studs are not fading and they are well placed and firm, the buckles on the strap can be tightened as much as possible and the shoe is not peeling. Most importantly, look out for a brand-embossed insole.

Tara Fela-Durotoye

Toke Makinwa-Ayida

Tyna Ezenma

Sasha P

Ideas & Brands SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

‘Poor information management, bane of present administration’ What do you make out of crisis in Elder Emma Okoro, a fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Administration government as a result of Information Management from a public relations and the Professional Bodies of Nigeria is a Public Relations Consultant. perspective?

Number one, democracy is simply a In this interview with Johnchuks Onuanyim, he says bad informasystem whereby men and women who are competent set aside their time, energy and tion can lead to war. resources to sort out conflicts and conflict resolution is the main aspect of Information management because at the root cause of all conflicts is missed apprehension and missed communication. Therefore, in government one of the things we in Public Relations have found out is the absence and emphasises on meritocracy. Competency in anybody's affairs must be based on training, exposure and experience. A lot of people in government do not know about this. You cannot do well in governance if you are not familiar with the needs of the electorate who elected you and how to reach the needs and how to sensitise them on the need to cooperate and live in an integrated society. Secondly, the projects which are destined to help the electorate are projects they themselves have already determined will help their lives. Many politicians assume that they are aware of the peculiar problems affecting each community and this not true. The global practice is to mingle effectively and create a synergy within where you live and those who live there. And when you mix and mingle with them, you will be able to find out those aspects of development that would best help them, particularly the majority of those residents in that community.

In governance for instance, most of the parties do not have public relations people managing their information management.

They assume that as soon as you are a lawyer, it equips you with the rudiments in the society that you can perform in the field of journalism and PR. I want to say that is not true. The law profession is a distinct Okoro profession that deals with the judiciary and legal finesse. In PR, communication and the ability of one to actually relate to broad in the main fabric of our society. Reasons You cannot do well in spectrum of people is in entirety the main were that they underrate the Nigerian essence of PR. The mere fact of people who public, which is a great dangerous thing governance if you are not reside in a place coming together, you will to do. The Nigerian public has grown fifamiliar with the needs be able to find out how they mingle, how nancial, economically and socially wise. they interact and how they relate to one So, you must queue into their system of of the electorate who another from day to day, year to year and intellectual depth and work along with century to century. In Public Relations, we them so when you leave government you elected you and how to ourselves don't assume we know, we go to stay a par because you were relating to reach the needs the public to know how they feel, but this them when you were in government. is missing whether in the judiciary, the legany problem in the social system you islators or those administering the policies How should government manage inforcurb it by finding out the root cause. If of government. Today in Nigeria, there is mation in the media to reduce tension? lacuna between those who have been ap- For instance the alleged denial of Presiyou don't at a time, this is where we are pointed to serve the people and those that dent Goodluck Jonathan purported now, the fourth stage of bad information they are serving. If you visit the Senate or plans to visit Chibok one time. management and it may even get worst, Let me explain two things in our systhat is why bad information management any of the state House of Assembly you may even lead to war. At the beginning, will see that the legislators or the ministers tem. One is the apprehension as l said again between those who are leading we found out that some people in govsee themselves as emperors in the clan. and those who are being led. The Chibok ernment were not properly educated on Why is this so? the restlessness among some segment of issue is a part of an expanded problem the Northern population. Something has They don't see themselves as part of the that came along as a result of poor inforcaused something. There is nothing that community and that explains why, when mation management beginning from the happens in a vacuum all over the world. they leave government they run into prob- root. When there was restlessness among Even creation didn't happen in a vacuum. lems because the people they refused to some segment of our population, in adSo, in our society, take an example most relate with will stigmatise them in so vance climate, you nip those problems government officials pay less emphasis many ways. Take a look at the former min- in the bud before they expand because to information management and many isters, former governors and ask yourself no problem is static. Problems have the what are they doing now? Only very few tendency of expanding or blowing up or of them who are there are less competent because they are not trained. Go through are successful and integrating themselves defacing. So you want to make sure that

18

all the 36 states information commissioners only very few of them are equipped to actually manage information flow within their states and that have caused most of our problems within the polity. It could have been nicer like the doctors are insisting that only trained medical doctors must be health commissioners or health ministers.

What can we do to ensure that information is well managed in government?

We should insist that only public relations experts and well-trained journalists should man the information ministry because that is where the whole core of their profession lies. There is no reason bringing somebody who studied engineering and making him minister of information. Of course he will managing from the point of view of an engineer or manages information from the point of view of a Lawyer. But that is not how we were trained. In many years of university training, you are told the rudiments of information - feedbacks, mechanisms of sending and receiving, encoding and feedback research analyses- to see what you are doing; who is it getting to and how is it getting to them. The great success that people like Governor Fashola has attained has come from good information management and go and check his information commissioner and that of Godswill Akpabio and all those six performing governors in Nigeria, they are very careful about public relations approaches. Now in Delta, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has joined them to separate the wheat from the chaff, getting human beings who are well trained and experienced to manage the information flow from all segments of the population.

The other day, he prevented women from rioting because they were relocated from one market to the other. The information commissioner managed the information properly. It was nipped in the bud. The same thing with Adams Oshiomhole in Edo State. These are governors who are very sensitive to communicate with the people. Take the last example where Oshiomhole inadvertently said something terrible to a woman - like go and die. The media picked that story up and that was really going to draw his image to the gutter, but he reversed himself and some politicians and other governors learnt their lessons that it is not fair to abuse people or to curse them publicly. Nobody should abuse anybody. People should be civil, should be courteous, and should be responsible in relating to another person, whether poor or rich because you have sworn to do justice to all manners of people. It doesn't mean that you will give every person every kind of opportunity but you are to be fair to them because they are the people whom you were elected to serve and that is the reason why many people who are elected fail. They refuse to understand the rudiment of our Nigerian constitution that says that every elected official must do justice and be fair to all manners of people including those who are handicapped. This is where the problem lies. If you appoint somebody and he is not prepared to help the women, the poor, the children, etc he is not wholesome in executing his duty and this is the reason why many government policies and projects fail. Go around the country you will see that a lot of projects there failed because they were not properly researched into.

LIfe Experience:

Dear Love Doctor, 'She cheated on me, but I can't break up with her' p.21

'I won’t donate my kidney to save my husband’s life'

p.20

L ve&Lv ng SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

‘My boss had an affair with... my mother' Love Confession Office romance is fairly common among colleagues in the workplace. However, what is uncommon is when a boss begins to sleep with his subordinate's mother.

Your touch makes me shiver in ecstasy.

M

y name is Ameze and I work with a GSM company. But since my mother came from Benin to stay with me in Lagos, things haven’t remained the same in my office. One day, I decided to take my mum to the office and introduce her to my boss, a senior manager, out of joy that my mum had come to stay with me. But to my surprise, my mother adopted a fondness or rather, lust, for my boss.

Whenever I returned from work, she would ask me questions about what he wore to the office, how handsome he looked, and what he did. But I never took offence until my mother began to pay me surprise visits at work. She’d come unannounced to my office during break with an excuse. Then she’d sit and chat with my boss at length under the guise of ‘greeting him’.

My mother’s behaviour irritated me, but I never understood until I started hearing gossip months later that my mother was sleeping with my boss. I learned my boss usually took my mother to one hotel. But I didn’t ask my mother. Neither did I ask my boss. I just kept them quiet.

But I couldn’t believe it when my

boss asked me out one day.

When a lizard nods its head, it does not always mean yes.

I pretended as if I had agreed to go out with him even when I knew my mother was sleeping with him.

He’d taken me for a fool, thinking he could eat his cake and have it.

But I was determined to show my boss that he was the real fool. So I reported him to the director. I told the director everything that was going on between my mother and my boss, the senior manager.

The director was displeased and invited my boss to his office. When my boss came, the director washed him down, saying he should be ashamed of himself for sleeping with the mother of a staff. The director asked my boss what he would do if his wife found out he was committing adultery with the mother of a staff. According to the director, the two families would be torn apart.

The director then warned my boss to keep off me and told him the implication of causing a scandal in the office by sleeping with my mother. If I had my way, I’d make sure newspapers carry the name of my boss and his adulterous relationship with my mother. But because I don’t want my mother disgraced, I have to conceal it. But it hurts.

My mother makes it hurt more by saying she did it for me. According to my mother, her affair with my boss would guarantee me job security. I would never get sacked because my boss would always watch my back since he is her lover. And I would enjoy fast promotions too because of what she’s doing.

I hate the idea of my mother acting like a whore because she wants me to progress in life. I believe what is mine will be mine. And I’ve threatened to disown my mother or send her back to Benin immediately if she doesn’t stop sleeping with my boss.

Romantic Quotes "Romance is tempestuous.

Love is calm." ― Mason Cooley

"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope." ― Maya Angelou

MODEL OF THE WEEK

19

Martina Moses 08034809240

20

Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Love News

Love Songs

Brother places mortifying 'advert' online to find a boyfriend for his older sister

Lonely Lonely I'm Mr Lonely, I have nobody, For my own I'm so lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely I have nobody, For my own I'm so lonely, Yo this one here goes out to all my players out there ya know got that one good girl who's always been there like ya Know took all the bullshit then one day she can't take it no more and decides to leave

A

sister has received offers from dozens of from potential suitors... after her brother decided to place a 'commercial' pleading for a date for her on Facebook, Gumtree and the Free Ads website.

Adam Clarke, 26, decided it was about time his older sibling Natalie got a boyfriend, so he posted a video about his sister online.

'She hasn't had a boyfriend for a long while,' he says in the home-made clip, filmed in his car. 'Don't know whether it's because she's infertile, she's too old, whatever.'

'I'm not going to go into that because she'll kick off.'

'We need to get her a boyfriend because she's doing my head in!'

His unwitting sister then gets into the car, looking a tad taken aback when he explains what he's doing.

Life Experience For your love, I will climb the highest mountain And swim the deepest ocean.

He then continues: 'If anyone's interested, she's 33, she's got her own car, runs her own business, she's... I've run out of things to say about you. Anyway, if you're interested, add her on Facebook.'

Adam put the video on Facebook without his sister's knowledge and then shared it on different sites such as Free Ads and Gumtree.

When Natalie found out about the video she said 'at first I was shocked and kicked off but then I began to see the funny side and now I'm thankful'.

The fact it was an an instant success

and sparked multiple responses in just 24 hours may have helped.

'My laptop has not stopped beeping since,' says Natalie.

'It was not until we got home when he told me he shared it on his Facebook.'

Adam says the video has been watched over 8,000 times so far and Natalie has had around 70 messages.

She says she's whittled potential suitors down to between five and eight and may even be heading out on a date this week.

Courtesy: Woman's Day

'I won’t donate my kidney to save my husband’s life'

T

he going was good when Tunde and I met in Abuja several years ago. We had so much in common that we thought our love was made in heaven. We met when Tunde was doing his youth service with a very profitable company in the federal capital territory and I was a final year student at the University of Abuja.

Tunde was a fun loving person and liked to take me out regularly. We attended many parties together and danced together all through the night on several occasions. We were not ashamed, nor were we afraid to kiss in public.

Tunde set my body and soul on fire. Whenever I heard the sound of his voice, I would be turned on and my nipples would stand. Even at night whenever I lay down in bed, the mere remembrance of his touch roused me and made hunger for his embrace. We were in love and love made us do things that could ordinarily be regarded as stupid.

We made love in the car, the garage, the garden, and in every darned place where we found ourselves alone. It was the madness of love that made us do it.

I couldn’t quarrel with Tunde throughout the period of our courtship. And he too couldn’t quarrel with me. We were just too much in love to

'Whenever I heard the sound of his voice, I would be turned on'

AKON

quarrel or fight each other.

Tunde didn’t even need to propose to me. We naturally found ourselves planning our marriage with our relatives, and eventually, our marriage ceremony turned out as a very grand affair.

As the years progressed however, my husband and I grew richer and acquired more and more possessions.

And as we grew richer, my husband began to womanize.

He acquired more and more mistresses and before I knew it, I started hearing rumours of children born for my husband by his various mistresses. I confirmed the rumours myself and found out that my husband had at least three children from other women outside.

My husband has been diagnosed of a kidney ailment.

He needs to have a kidney transplant, else he would die.

And I have been called upon to either donate my kidney or get someone who will.

I still love my husband. But that won’t make me donate

my kidney to him, especially when I know the kind of womanizer he is.

Donating my kidney to Tunde would only make him live longer to cheat on me and have more children out of wedlock. I won’t donate my kidney to my husband to prolong his life on earth for economic reasons. Why I’m saying so is because I worked very hard with him to achieve the wealth we have today. And I’m not ready to lose all that wealth to Tunde’s concubines and illegitimate children.

So, if my husband peacefully dies now from his kidney disease, he won’t have time to have more concubines and illegitimate children that would challenge me and my children in future over the family’s wealth.

As for now, I will continue to secretly prevent any willing donor from donating a kidney to my husband. I won’t donate my kidney and I won’t let anyone else donate a kidney. I know that people reading my story might think I’m being devilish, but I’m not. I’m only considering the future of my children.

It is said that in any relationship it is better for the woman to love the man more.

But it’s dangerous for the man to love the woman more, since the woman can take advantage to do whatever she likes to him.

But what if the woman loves him more and the man takes advantage? Tunde is killing me with his womanizing and illegitimate kids. I think my decision is good.

I woke up in the middle of the night and I noticed my girl wasn't by my side, coulda sworn I was dreaming, for her I was Feenin, so I had to take a little ride, back tracking over these few years, tryna figure out what I do to make it go bad, cause Ever since my girl left me, my whole life came crashing I'm so lonely (so lonely), I'm Mr. Lonely (Mr. Lonely) I have nobody (I have nobody) For my own (to call my own) girl I'm so lonely (so lonely) I'm Mr. Lonely (Mr. Lonely) I have nobody (I have nobody) For my own (to call my own) girl Can't believe I had a girl like you and I just let you walk right outta my life, after all I put you through you still stuck Around and stayed by my side, what really hurt me is I broke your heart, baby you were a good girl and I had no right, I Really wanna make things right, cause without you in my life girl I'm so lonely (so lonely) I'm Mr. Lonely (Mr. Lonely) I have nobody (I have nobody) For my own (to call my own) girl I'm so lonely (so lonely) I'm Mr. Lonely (Mr. Lonely) I have nobody (I have nobody) For my own (to call my own) girl Been all about the world ain't never met a girl that can take the things that you been through Never thought the day would come where you would get up and run and I would be out chasing you Cause ain't nowhere in the globe I'd rather be, ain't no-one in the globe I'd rather see then the girl of my dreams that made me Be so happy but now so lonely

Love Poem

Jacquelyn Upton

I'll Be… You fill the room with sweet sensation distracting bits of information crowd the space where logic dwells distorting sights and sounds and smells touching me with tactile pleasure pushing me beyond a measure of reasonable doubt that soon I sense I'm nowhere in the present tense.

*Send your love poems along with your name and number to ireto007@yahoo.com

Romantic Jokes

ANNIVERSARY GIFT

A couple had been married for 25 years and also celebrated their 60th birthdays. During the celebration a fairy appeared and said that because they had been such a loving couple all those years, she would give them one wish each. The wife wanted to travel around the world.

The fairy waved her wand and boom! She had the tickets in her hand.

Next, it was the husband's turn. He paused for a moment, then said shyly, "Well, I'd like to have a woman 30 years younger than me." The fairy picked up her wand and boom! He was 90...

18 OCTOBER 2014

Relationships & Love Advice

'She cheated on me, but I can't break up with her' Dear Love Doctor, I met my present girlfriend three years ago and fell in love with her at first sight.

Since then, our relationship has been moving smoothly until she recently confessed to me that she cheated on me by sleeping with a guy in the same department with her at school.

I love him and I don't want to break up with her. What should I do?

From Daniel Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Daniel, You need to first get to the root of the problem by asking her to tell you the real reason she cheated on you. You may have a lesson to learn if she tells you the truth, because it could just be your fault. She may have cheated on you because something is

Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

missing in your relationship, and if you don't address the real issue now, she could well cheat on you again tomorrow.

However, if it is entirely her fault, make it clear to her that you are not willing to be in a relationship where there is no faithfulness. Tell her that if you can't trust her, then there is no point being with her. If she promises to change, take her back. .

If you want daily love tips or advice, download The Color of Love Guide on your iPad and iPhone. Search for ‘Color of Love’ on your Apple App store now and download the App. *Send your comments/stories to Love Doctor. E-mail: ireto007@yahoo. com. For free marriage/relationships counseling, or if you have fibroid, fertility problems or need a male or female child; call Love Doctor Mike 07031028714, 08131161840. Visit lovedrmike.blogspot.com

H♥♥K UP...find your heart’s desire Women SEEKING relationship/ marriage ♥ Chinasa, 41, a single mother of one, from Imo, in PH, needs a loving, Christian man for marriage. +234 9094061656. ♥ An Igala woman, a civil servant, graduate, masters student, needs a honest and gainfully employed Igala man for marriage.

08053528041. ♥ Chii wants a sincere Pentecostal Christian man of God from Owerri/Mbaise, of 40-48 years for marriage. He must be a graduate, tall, never been married and willing to relocate. 08142060051. ♥ Busola, 27, graduate, responsible and homely, needs a graduate, working man of 32-50 years for marriage. 07068263247. ♥ God's Time, 29, Igbo, orphan, final year student, needs a serious, educated truthful, humble, Christian widower, not a divorce, of 35-38 years for marriage. 08169279907.

MEN LOOKING FOR RELATIONSHIP/ MARRIAGE ♥ Osas, 49, widower, from Edo, works in Abuja, with grown up children, wants a mature Bini or Ishan lady of not less than 36 years for marriage. 08065900513. ♥ Williams, 48, businessman, from Edo, in PH, needs a good, working, caring and loving woman of 35-50 years for marriage.

09032076714. ♥ TK, 42, dark, from Ogun, in Lagos, needs a responsible lady of 27-42 years for marriage.

08068957914. ♥ Peter, 32, from Delta, works in Warri, needs a busty, fat lady with a big backside for marriage. 08169397376, 08077670406. ♥ Chris, 37, HIV Positive, businessman in Lagos, needs a caring, sweet, HIV Positive lady for marriage. 08056576819. ♥ Chidera, 40, from Ebonyi, civil servant in PH, needs a good Christian lady between 23-31 years with a nice shape and very big breasts for marriage. 08037317375.

Lovers’ Answers Game: The rule: Ask the opposite sex one question about love, and choose your lover from the top 3 answers.

Faith, 23, in Akwa Ibom, is asking all men: "Between a man and a woman, who stays longer without having sex?" *Call Mike: 07031028714 to send questions or issues.

Romantic Text of the Week

I miss you like the deserts miss the rain.

21

Blackberry Connection Chika, a principled and focused young lady, needs a gentle, intelligent, working guy of 30-39 years.

BB Pin: 7A111DF.

• Connect with Mike on WhatsApp or BlackBerry Pin: 7ab29e22 or 21978F71 for details on how to send your BlackBerry or Smartphone Connect request.

• Call Mike on 07031028714, 08131161840 or 08023700641 to link up and for direct hookup.

Odd News

Women's memories of childbirth are shaped around the WORST pain they felt, rather than the length of labour

M

any women say childbirth is the most painful experience of their life.

But new research suggests a woman's memory of giving birth is shaped by different factors.

When recalling their experience of childbirth, women tend to remember the most painful part of labour and the pain they felt at the end - and apply these levels of pain to the whole event.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, women who received an epidural remembered having lower levels of pain when asked to reflect on their overall experience of giving birth afterwards, the study found.

This is despite the fact an epidural is known to prolong birth, meaning they could have been in pain for longer, researchers said.

It could be due to the fact that women who receive an epidural are likely to feel less pain toward the end of labour, when

the epidural has kicked in.

In fact, the length of time women spent in labour did not affect their memory of how painful the experience was, they added.

One of the authors of the study, Eran Chajut of the Open University of Israel, concluded epidurals are not only beneficial during the childbirth itself but are also effective in modifying women’s memory of the event so they remember less pain.

He added that epidural was developed to help with the pain of labour, but its influence on the memory of childbirth is important as well.

As part of the study, researchers recruited 320 women and accompanied each one of them into the delivery room while they were giving birth.

They asked her to rate her pain every 20 minutes, on a scale of 1 (meaning no pain) to 100 (meaning the worst pain imaginable).

They called the new mother two days

after delivery and asked her to rate her pain using the same scale and provide and overall number evaluating the pain of her labour, from the moment she entered the delivery room up until she gave birth.

Two months after the delivery they asked her to evaluate the pain of her labour in this way again.

The pain rating women gave for the pain they felt at the peak of their labour - and the pain they felt at the end - were the best predictors of the rating they provided for pain overall, when asked two days - or even two months - after the birth.

Surprisingly, researchers found the length of the delivery was not related to how painful the women evaluated their labour at either follow up.

However, whether the woman received an epidural did influence their memory of the pain of childbirth.

The study backs up previous research on two psychological observations known as ‘peak-end bias’ and ‘duration neglect’, which had only been observed in very short painful experiences before now, the authors said.

Courtesy: Daily Mail.

22

Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

True Confession From Overseas

‘I kissed my twin sister's fiancé'

M

y twin sister had been away travelling and working abroad for three years. We were very close and when she called one morning to let me know that she would be returning home within the month I was very excited. Not only would she be returning but she also mentioned that she had a big surprise.

I couldn't wait to see her and the big surprise. Well, the month dragged on but finally she arrived. The whole family arrived at the airport to greet her and eventually we spotted Jessica walking through the crowd of people. But she wasn't alone. A tall guy was walking next to her. Immediately everyone was abuzz with excitement. Jessica ran up to me smiling, crying and hugging.

Instantly my attention drew back to the tall guy standing behind her. Jessica took his hand and introduced him to everyone as Chris, her fiancé.

Over the course of the week, Chris settled in at home while Jessica caught up with family and friends. Over the next few months Jessica started the wedding preparations.

During that time, if I wasn't needed for wedding duties and chores, Jessica had mainly left Chris with me as she didn't want him to be left alone and bored. So I was left to entertain him. At first I felt a little awkward as I was quite shy but eventually we hit it off and I began to realise all the great things Jessica saw in Chris.

One day, after spending a great day out with Chris I became quite depressed. Of course Chris asked if he had done something wrong to upset me. I told him he hadn't. I told him that I was just a little sad after having spent so much time with him and having a great time, and that I began to wonder when I would ever find my true love.

Chris assured me I would but I was very adamant that it would never happen. Being single and alone for three years, you do lose hope. I explained this to Chris and he continued to point out all my great qualities and traits. And then all of a sudden he kissed me. I was so shocked. I didn't know what to do, so I excused myself and quickly ran into my room to be alone. I didn't talk to or see Chris for the next three days. I stayed at my friend's house and told my family that she needed support as she was going through a rough patch.

Chris constantly tried to call me and left messages explaining that he did not know what had come over him and that he was only trying to console me, but I did not want to speak to him as I had no idea what to do or say. I had never been in a situation like that before and I had never kept anything from my sister. I was very confused and tried to avoid both of them.

A couple of days later Mum was hosting a family dinner and it was a 'must-attend' event. I reluctantly went along and saw Chris for the first time in days. I completely ignored him. Jessica made a comment on my mood and I just replied that I was tired.

Towards the end of the night I offered to do the dishes to get away from everyone.

I slipped into the kitchen but two minutes later Chris followed. He started talking and I instantly cut him off and told him not to say anything, but he wasn't listening. He said that he had wanted to speak to me for days about what happened and he couldn't keep it in any longer.

I was expecting him to apologise, to put it all down to bad judgment but instead he started confessing his feelings for me. I couldn't believe it. I wasn't really listening to what he was saying. It was all a blur. He told me how he couldn't stop thinking about me, that he had strong feelings for me, my head started spinning. I didn't know what to do. My twin sister was to marry this guy in less than a month and here he was telling me that he didn't know what to do or how

'I was expecting him to apologise, to put it all down to bad judgment but instead he started confessing his feelings for me'

to stop his feelings for me.

I quickly snapped out of my daze and took hold of Chris by both arms. Very clearly and directly I told him to never mention this conversation again. Not to bring it up or repeat to anyone what he just said to me. I assured him that what he was feeling would soon subside and it was only because Jessica and I were so alike that he was confusing his feelings for her with me. I told him that I was not taking anything he said seriously and that I was going to turn a blind eye to it after the day had ended.

I left after that and never told anyone what happened between Chris and me.

The wedding went ahead and my sister was none the wiser. Chris carried on very convincingly, much to my relief, and he never spoke to me about the issue again.

To this day I am still unsure whether I should have told Jessica. I did not want her to blame me or even worse, herself, for losing the love of her life. I believe that everyone has moments of weakness.

I just hope that Chris won't have a moment of weakness with someone else in the future.

Love Education

What is petting?

P

etting is an old (mid-20th century) term that means stimulating another person's sex organs or breasts – usually with your hand or mouth, and normally while kissing them.

It's actually an American word – originally meaning stroking or caressing (as one would stroke a 'pet' cat). It is more or less the equivalent of the U.S. terms 'necking' and 'making out', both of which originated in the 1940s.

There was no equivalent word in 'polite' (British) English, so the US word 'petting' gradually became used worldwide during the late 20th Century and is still employed – particularly by middle-aged people. In fact, the expression 'petting' and 'to pet' have now become a little old-fashioned – so that in the UK it's now much commoner to speak of: 'touching someone up' 'frigging someone' 'rubbing someone up' 'bringing someone off' (if petting proceeds to climax).

All these are still slang expressions, and the only non-slang English expression is 'masturbating someone'. In practice, this phrase is hardly ever used – because of the fact that most people only employ the word 'masturbation' to mean self-stimulation.

Instead of saying 'petting', many of today's couples talk about love play.

'Heavy petting' is an American expression that usually implies petting below the waist – rather than just involving the breasts.

Note: in recent years, there has been slight confusion in the UK over an alternative use of the word 'petting' – to mean 'stroking an animal'. Thus, 'petting farms' have been widely established, where amiable, woolly creatures like sheep can be stroked by children.

What does human petting involve?

The idea of petting is to stimulate your partner's body, in order to give them sexual excitement.

Fortunately, this activity is also usually nice for the person who is doing the petting!

Petting (love play) very often continues until the partner who's on the receiving end actually climaxes.

Bringing someone to a climax by petting is frequently referred to as: 'bringing them off' 'fetching them off' 'tossing them off' (only used when the recipient is male).

Courtesy: msn.com

TO BE continued NEXT week

Wedding Traditions

The Strawboys and the Bride: Ireland

O

ne of the stranger wedding traditions comes to us from the Irish counties of Leitrim and Mayo. In these counties there are 9 young men that are collectively designated as “straw boys”.

On the eve before the wedding the strawboys go to the house of the bride and dance with her. If there are any other women in the home they dance with them too.

Courtesy: list.com

Taiwo Oshadipe

Destiny Amaka

Streams of emotions as she makes final journey home

‘I want people to see my potential, not physique’

p.24

ShowBiz

p.34

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

23

‘My father took me to Cobhams to prove myself musically' David Kosowoye Etete otherwise known as P.R.E is a singer, songwriter and the founder of Twisted Minds Records. But there's something about him that many fans do not know. He is the son of ex-petroleum minister Dan Etete. P.R.E, a graduate of business administration from the University of Greenwich in London, and also a holder of a degree in music production and audio engineering from the London School of Sounds, speaks about his fledgling career with LANRE ODUKOYA. What was your background like?

I am 24 years old; I was born on the 26th of October. I’m from the SouthSouth region of Nigeria (Bayelsa). I’m an Ijaw boy. I come from a family of seven children - four boys and three girls.

I was brought up in a very lovely and respectful manner. I'm a well brought up young man.

So how did you get into singing after a degree in business administration?

P.R.E is actually an acronym for ‘Pretty Real and Entertaining’. I also happen to be the ambassador for a fashion line called Sick Rabbit. I’ve been singing since I was in secondary school. I can recall that in class we would use the school desk as drum. When I was about to leave secondary school, I knew music was what I wanted to do. I remember when I first started music, I was part of a singing duo called Twisted Minds, but we split after two years for mutually beneficial reasons. After that I went on a musical sabbatical to rejuvenate my career.

When did you record your first single?

Officially my first song was recorded sometime in 2007. Some of the other songs I have are Omoge, featuring Dammy krane; Take it Up, featuring 2face and I have a song coming out soon which features Runtown. The other one features Phyno. However, my new song is called High Grade. It’s a song that I did to show my love and appreciation for music.

In the song, I related music to women and it’s so far been getting great reviews.

How challenging has it been so far?

You know in life we go through a lot, but I thank Almighty God. The only challenge you face as a musician is the fact that you need to learn how to spread your songs, because of the large population in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. For me, the most difficult part is putting together the right team and to get my music to the ears of people who I want it to get it to.

Etete

How supportive are your parents?

Initially, my daddy didn't want me to do music. He however gave me a chance to prove myself, and I did. Afterwards, he took me to Cobhams Asuquo and after Cobhams listened to some of my tracks that I had already recorded he told my daddy, " this boy is good; let him do his thing". And since then, my dad has been strongly behind me.

As an artiste and record label owner how are you able to balance your schedule?

Well, I thank God that I’ve been able to put together a good team that helps me handle tight schedules and balance my time. There’s delegation of duties and everyone knows their job very well.

I’m the only artiste under the label for now, but we have an in-house producer called Cheeky Cheesy.

A couple of years back you had dreadlocks; what happened to it?

(Chuckling) Well, I decided to cut off the dreadlocks. I want to appeal more to the ladies because women are very important in anything that you try to do. Men are the bread winners of the house, but if your woman likes an artiste, the man would surely listen to the artiste too and that’s the way music grows.

If you weren't into music, what else will you be doing?

If I wasn't doing music, I will be doing something that's fashion-related. I have passion for it.

Who is your celebrity crush?

Well, the truth about the matter is this, I won’t say I have any celebrity crush. I actually think all these female celebrities are having a crush on me and admiring me (smiling).

As an artiste, what stands you out?

My music stands out in a lot of ways, the things that I talk about and the way that I look don’t really correlate. A lot of people tend to think I’m a foreign artiste when they see me, but I’m very African and Nigerian. What a lot of people see that makes me stand out is the way I combine R&B, hip-hop and reggae to make a very nice sound, my diction and intonation also stands me out, the content of my lyrics also shows that I’m educated.

24

Showbiz

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Streams of emotions as Taiwo Oshadipe makes final journey home

T

he remains of late Taiwo Oshadipe, one half of the Oshadipe Twins, have been buried. Friends and family members swarmed the Vault & Gardens cemetery, Ikoyi, Lagos to pay their last respect Wednesday. The body was conveyed in a Volvo ambulance from LASUTH where a convoy of more than 10 cars and SUVs led Oshadipe to her final place of rest. The funeral was made befitting by the performance of pallbearers from TOS Funerals.

The deceased’s other half, Kehinde was devastated and was help up throughout the ceremony by a family member.

Unlike most corpses first led to the church, Oshadipe’s was conveyed to the grave straight from the morgue and there was a Christian service led by the officiating pastor from the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Abule Egba (Lagos) zone

who also prayed for the repose of her soul.

On request, Kehinde made some sober whispers amid tears on the body of her twin sister before she was lowered.

Disappointingly, despite the buzz that greeted her death, most gospel singers who professed to be her friends shunned the burial. The singular development sparked off controversies among those who witnessed the burial ceremony.

Our further checks revealed that the deceased’s aged parents were not informed about the burial as they were still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

The deceased’s elder sister, Bunmi Oshadipe, said almost in a soliloquy: “When I saw her corpse, she was looking very peaceful, no colour change, not even did her skin change, she looked at peace with herself and glowing at death. On that, I find solace. RIP Taye”

E-BRIEFS

‘Keep Your Marriages Private', Betty Irabor Advises

T

he beautiful face behind Genevieve Magazine, Betty Irabor, was recently on Twitter to advise celebrities on how best to manage their marriages.

The publisher who is also the founder of ‘The Pink Ball Cancer Benefit’ says celebrities should try to keep their union private and away from media scrutiny. She however advised Nigerian celebrities to stop living their lives on social media.

“Celebrity couples should stop living their lives on twitter and Instagram; it’s ok in the real world for couples to disagree,” Irabor wrote.

Betty and her husband, broadcaster Soni Irabor have been married for a long time, and recently celebrated their 31st anniversary in July.

She further tweeted thus: “The media puts too much pressure on celebrities and their private lives, no wonder celebrity marriages are crumbling like a pack of cards.

“But if celebrity couples are true to themselves and are not playing out a script, they can make their marriages work, regardless. The media is too harsh on celebrities!

Celebrity couples sometimes deserve what they get when all they do is take each other to the cleaners on the social media. Marriage is for grown-ups!!”

Wizkid to feature mother in new video

A

yo Balogun a.k.a. Wizkid who recently released his sophomore album, Ayo, has one of the songs, Mummy Mi, dedicated to his mum and is determined to celebrate her further. "I will shoot Mummy Mi video with my mum.," said the 24-year-old singer who is no doubt one of the most successful artistes in the country at present. Other songs in which he pays copious tribute to his mother include Joy and Ojuelegba. That is with regard to his newly-released sophomore album.

Photo: Lindaikejiblog

Lynxxx condemns 'smelly weave-ons and wigs' L

ooks like hip-hop and rhythm and blues singer, Lynxxx, may have grown tired of holding his breath during those customary hugs and kisses on the cheek at social gatherings. The hunky singer shared this on the social media recently: “Morning!

PSA(public service announcement): Ladies please always wash ur hair and advice your homegirls to do d same! Ain’t Nothing Sexy About A smelling Weave Wig Etc That Sits Right Next To Boo. It Reduces your Sexy From A 100 To A 0 Real Quick. On Behalf Of The Beard Gang #PleaseSayNoToASmellingWeave #ThanksForComing #Offkess”

D'banj is now African ambassador for Beats by Dre D

apo Oyebanji - or D’banj also known as Bangalee - has been made the first African ambassador to Apple’s newly acquired Beats by Dre headphone brand. The lucrative deal D’banj signed with Apple also comes with custom made studio wireless Beats by Dre headphones which has D’banj’s name on it. It will be launched in December. The development would perhaps help give some lift to the musician's career which has been at some low.

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

FREE

Sport Splash 25

Interview

I’m ready to challenge Enyeama – Olorunleke Ojo p.26

Europe

Emenike set to thrill in Istanbul derby p.27

News

No regrets dumping Nigeria for Dubai – Ogunode p.27

EPL

Man City, Totteham tangle at Etihad p.28

no to foreign coach, says Fashanu � Shocked at Keshi’s removal

F

Vincent Eboigbe

The Team

Vincent EboigbelAssistant Editor Ajibade Olusesan l Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing

ormer Wimbledon of England star, John Fashanu, has faulted in strong terms, the plan by the Nigeria Football Federation to employ a foreign coach for the Super Eagles in the near future.

The NFF on Wednesday sacked Stephen Keshi and replaced him with a consortium of coaches, namely Amodu Shuaibu, Salisu Yusuf, Gbenga Ogunbote and Alloy Agu in the interim, to prosecute the remaining matches of 2015 AFCON qualifiers.

Not even the 3-1 win over Sudan in Abuja on Wednesday could save Keshi from the axe after he had managed only four points from a maximum of 12, putting Nigeria’s qualification for the Nations Cup in Morocco in January in jeopardy.

The body intends to hire a foreign coach on a permanent basis after the consortium has navigated the two matches left of the qualifying series.

But Fashanu sees this as a retrogressive move given that there are top Nigerian coaches who can do the job and the fact that foreign coaches have not been particularly successful in the country.

“I thought we should have moved past the issue of foreign coaches by now. We have top Nigerian ex-internationals who have what it takes to do good job. So I don’t understand why we have to be going around in cycles,” said Fashanu.

“With the exception of (Clemens) Westerhof how many foreign coaches performed in Nigeria? Keshi did a good job, Samson Siasia also did his bit; so I don’t know why they are looking abroad again.

I would have thought that is behind us.”

The ex-Aston Villa and Norwich star said he was shocked on hearing of Keshi’s sacking noting that was not a timely action.

Fashanu added: “I was shocked. I cannot say now how that will help us, so we will have to wait, but how do you sack a top manager in the middle of a qualifying campaign when you don’t have another in place to step in immediately?”

On being told that Amodu Shuaibu has been named to head a consortium of coaches, Fashanu said although Amodu was okay but that was only a stopgap measure, hinting that was not what Nigeria needed at the moment.

Fashanu

26

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Nigerian League Rendezvous with charles Ogundiya

charlesog2001@yahoo.com, charles.ogundiya@newtelegraphonline.com

08098042287

I’m ready to challenge Enyeama – Olorunleke Ojo Giwa FC of Jos goalkeeper, Olorunleke Ojo, has said he would be glad to compete in the same team as his hero, Vincent Enyeama. He stated this to League Rendezvous among other issues in a recent interview. Excerpts: How did your career start?

I started my football career right from my school days, because as a child I had always loved and dreamt of being a footballer. So while schooling I was finding time to practice my football. While growing up, I watched video clips of players like Peter Rufai, Aloy Agu, and Ike Shorunmu. I admired them and told myself I would love to stop the ball like these goalies.

My hero, Vincent Enyeama, was among the goalkeepers who made me to choose goal keeping while he was still playing for Enyimba in the Nigeria League.

My height also contributed to my choice too.

What was the support like from the home front?

Initially my parents were not in support, especially my daddy who is a lecturer and wanted me to be a lawyer. I remember those times he will come to the school to chase me from where we used to play football when I was at St. Augustine Secondary School, Kabba, Kogi State. But some people who noticed my

talent and passion for the game advised him to let me pursue my dream. In fact my daddy today is one of my backbone in terms of advice and support.

Are you still thinking of going further in your education?

I still have a hundred percent plan to continue with my higher education as soon as I get a better offer to travel abroad, but it may be on part time basis. I still want to fulfill my dad’s plan of having a lawyer as son by God’s grace.

What’s your plan to get into the Super Eagles?

To the glory of God, I am already with the U-20 national team. And my plan is to put in my best and make the final cut for the African youth championship and World Cup with the team. I work hard everyday to improve my game. I want to do well with the U-20 team and get promoted to the senior team.

Do you think you have what it takes to compete with the current players in the national

Ojo

team if given the opportunity?

Yes, I do. I've never for once doubt my decision to be a goalkeeper because I know I have the quality to succeed. With continuous hard work and prayer I know I can. I've been voted as NPFL goalkeeper of the week nine times so far and my target is to be the goalkeeper of the season in my debut in the NPFL. I can't wait to get the invitation to challenge my role model Vincent Enyeama in the Super Eagles. I want his blessings and it will be dream come true to play with him.

Penalties galore for home teams

W

eek 32 of the Glo Nigeria Professional League has thrown up so many questions begging for answers regarding the antics of home teams to win at all cost.

Eight penalties were awarded to teams playing at home last weekend. While some were converted, others were either missed or saved by opposing goalkeepers.

Despite being awarded two opportunities to score from the penalty spot, Bayelsa United still lost their home game against Warri Wolves 2-1, a result which catapulted Wolves to second spot, one point behind league leaders, Kano Pillars.

Going two goals down within the opening 22 minutes of their encounter at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City, Bayelsa United were awarded a penalty in the final minute of the first half only for the resultant kick by Peter Ebimobowei to be saved by goalkeeper, Okiemute Odah.

Another spot kick was however awarded the home side at the start of the second half and it was duly converted by Olu-

femi Oladapo.

Although Wolves were reduced to 10 men, the side from held on to secure all three points.

Two penalties converted

by Haruna Babalo and Austin Ekpoma also gave home team Gombe United a 2-1 victory over Enyimba in Gombe, with the latter of the penalties arriving in the 85th minute with the score line at one apiece.

Describing the penalties as ‘unfortunate’, Enyimba captain, Chinedu Udoji, said he and his teammates have been frustrated away from home all season and called on the League Management Company to do something about it.

“I don’t like complaining about officiating, but what we experienced in Gombe was sad.

They got the first penalty and we equalised, only for the referee to award them a second one. It has been the same thing since the start of the season and something has to be done about it,” Udoji said.

In Makurdi, Lobi Stars opened scoring with a penalty against Rangers, who subsequently had their goalkeeper sent off. The home side went on to win the game 2-0.

FC Taraba defeated Dolphins of Port Harcourt 2-0 with their second goal arriving from the penalty spot two minutes into the second half, while the league’s other Port Harcourtbased side, Sharks, lost a penalty against Kano Pillars, but still went on to win the game 1-0.

Kaduna United were awarded a 78th minute penalty against El-Kanemi Warriors, but goalkeeper David Obiazor came to his team’s rescue as the side from Maiduguri snatched a vital away point from the encounter.

As the battle for the league title and continental tickets intensifies, and with more than a handful of teams battling against relegation, there is a need for the LMC to monitor the remaining six rounds of matches in order to forestall foul play.

TOP SCORER AS AT MATCH DAY 29 1 Mfon Udoh (Enyimba) 17 Goals 2 Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves)15 Goals 3 Ighodaro Osaguona (Rangers) 15 Goals 4 Peter Ebimobowei (Bayelsa Utd) 14 Goals 5 Emem Eduok (Dolphins FC) 13 Goals 6 Adamu Hassan (Kano Pillars) 12 Goals 7 Peter Onyekachi (Abia Warriors) 12 Goals 8 Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars) 11 Goals 9 Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC) 10 Goals 10 Bright Ejike (Heartland) 8 Goals

Who is your role model?

In Nigeria no other than Vincent Enyeama and in Europe it is Manuel Neuer. I always watch the video clips of the two players so as to improve my game. I learn from their moves, timing, kicks and also watch their mistakes to avoid making them.

The secret behind Giwa’s success this season There is no other secret behind Giwa’s success than God and hard work. We work and MATCH DAY 34: (19TH OCT 14) KADUNA UTD VS ENYIMBA NASARAWA UTD VS KANO PILLARS EL-KANEMI VS NEMBE CITY CROWN VS RANGERS SHARKS VS SUNSHINE BAYELSA UTD VS FC TARABA GOMBE UTD VS GIWA AKWA UTD VS DOLPHINS LOBI STARS VS ABIA WARRIORS HEARTLAND VS WARRI WOLVES

Glo league table Team

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

Pts

GD

1

Kano Pillars

33 16

8

9

47

35

56

12

2

Warri Wolves

33 17

4

12

38

32

55

6

3

Enyimba

33 14

9

10

42

24

51

18

4

Abia Warriors

33 15

6

12

33

51

11

10

5

Dolphins

33 14

9

10

36

27

51

9

6

Nasarawa Utd

33 15

5

13

38

34

50

4

7

Sharks

33 13

9

10

36

30

48

6

8

Sunshine

33 12

12

9

43

38

48

5

9

Rangers

33 14

6

13

39

35

48

4

10

Giwa

33 14

6

12

32

29

48

3

11

Heartland

33 12

11

10

32

24

47

8

12

Lobi Stars

32

15

2

15

32

39

47

-7

13

El-Kanemi

33 12

9

12

34

27

45

7

14

Akwa Utd

33 12

9

12

24

26

45

-2

15

Taraba

33 13

4

16

27

38

43

-11

16

Gombe Utd

33 12

6

15

35

36

42

-1

17

Bayelsa Utd

33 12

3

18

38

50

39

-12

18

Kaduna Utd

33 11

4

18

30

45

37

-15

19

Crown

33 10

6

17

26

42

36

-16

20

Nembe

32

10

16

22

51

28

-29

6

pray together as a family irrespective of religion and family background; we are one. Our chairman Ambassador Chris Giwa has always been supportive financially to ensure the team achieves its aims.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

By the grace of God I see myself playing abroad for my dream club, Manchester United. I want to be the first Nigerian to play for the Red Devils.

I also want to be a regular with the Super Eagles.

Players' protests reign supreme

O

n Tuesday, players of two Premier League clubs sponsored by the Rivers State government, Sharks and Dolphins, marched to Government House, in Port Harcourt, to protest their unpaid sign-on fees and salaries.

This will be the second time both teams will be going to Government House to protest this season, a scenario that is becoming rampant with teams in the league.

Since the introduction of the revised minimum wage by the League Management Company, some clubs have been finding it difficult to meet their obligations to their players.

Players of Crown FC of Ogbomosho went on strike at the beginning of the second half of the season to press for the payment of the backlog of salaries owed them.

In July, players of Nembe City FC protested the non-payment of six months’ salaries and other entitlements, a situation that is yet to be addressed by the club’s owner, Rumson Baribote.

Barely 24 hours after Kaduna United defeated Crown of Ogbomosho 5-0 in a week 27 NPFL fixture, players of the club staged a peaceful protest to demand for their 12 months unpaid salaries.

During the protest, the players said they were not fighting the state government but only demanding their rights.

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

England, 10 others for Lagos Int’l Squash Classics

Emenike set to thrill in Istanbul derby

E

Ajibade Olusesan mmanuel Emenike will be desperate to shrug off poor form ahead of the big Istanbul derby between his club, Fernabahce, and city rival, Galatasaray on Saturday.

Emenike’s form has dropped since scoring his first league goal this season in his team's 3-2 home win against Karabükspor and he was penultimate weekend axed by his coach in their home match.

He will fight to return to the starting line-up of Yellow Canaries after helping Nige-

ria to 3-1 win over Sudan midweek.

Emenike has played four matches with one goal. He is yet to make any assist in the five-week old league.

Similarly, Eagles midfielder, Raheem Lawal, is expected to be in the line-up of Eskişehirspor when they travel to Bursa Atatürk Stadium to face Bursaspor on Sunday. Raheem has played five matches for his club and is yet to score.

Ahmed Musa can add to his three goal haul in the Russian league when his CSKA Moscow host Kuban' Krasnodar on Saturday.

Emmanuel Tobi

E

Emenike

No regrets dumping Nigeria – Ogunode

N Danagogo

Institutionalise a Hall of Fame for sportsmen – Danagogo M

inister of sports and chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, has charged the Technical Committee on Nigerian Sports Data Base and Hall of Fame to maintain reference records of sports matters and institute a befitting hall of fame for those who have excelled in sporting activities.

While inaugurating a 10-man committee in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister said “the aim of setting up a data base for Nigerian sportsmen and women in various categories of sports, sports marketing, administration as well as sports journalism is to ensure that we immortalise them.”

Danagogo noted that any organisation, country or system that does not recognise those who have excelled was bound to collapse; hence, there was the need for the country to encourage aspiring sportsmen and women to the pinnacle of success through identifying those that have won medals in various sports.

He decried the unavailability of records in different fields and expressed the belief that establishing a committee that would source, maintain and manage database would make retrieval of records of athletes that participated in previous sports activities easier.

“Members of the committee are men and women who have excelled on their own; they are veteran sportsmen, marketers and sports journalists,” he said.

The committee that is chaired by Pastor Idah Peterside has Mrs. Hauwa-Kulu Akinyemi as coordinator.

igerian-born Qatari sprint champion, Femi Seun Ogunode, has said the decision to leave his fatherland and move to Qatar was a calculated risk and he’s glad it all worked out in the end.

In a recent interview with Qatar’s first English sports weekly magazine, DohaStadiumPlus, the Incheon Asian Games 2014 sprint double winner blamed the Nigeria Athletics Federations attitude for his decision.

“I wanted to compete in the 2007 AllAfrica Games in Algiers, Algeria. I ran in the Mobil Track and Field race, the Nigerian qualification event for it. I made the cut, but they dropped me without any explanation,” said Ogunode.

“A year later, I qualified for the biennial IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, as the best age-group

Ogunode

27

sprinter in Nigeria. Subsequently, I also made it to the senior side for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“But due to politics within the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, they dropped me from the squad for Poland, pacifying me by saying I would get my chance in China. I agreed, as I always wanted to compete in the Olympics. But just two weeks prior to the Games, I found out I was out of the team. I felt powerless against the AFN’s internal games.

“It was then that I received an e-mail asking whether I was interested to do trials in Qatar. I wrote back saying I was, but that I didn’t have money to make the trip. They requested a copy of my passport and soon, I was attending trials in Doha. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.”

ngland will be leading the foreign legion as eleven countries have been listed for the second Lagos International Squash Classics billed for November 3 to 8 at the Molade OkoyaThomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

Other top squash playing nations like Egypt, South Africa, Wales, Jordan, Pakistan, France, Slovakia, Switzerland and Netherlands will also compete for honours at the Professional Squash Association and Women Squash Association sanctioned $40,000 prize money tournament.

According to the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development, Oluseyi Whenu, the tournament received the overwhelming support of the World Squash Federation following the success of the maiden edition.

The qualifiers will kick-start the championship on November 3 with four players joining the 12 seeded players in the main draw of the men and women events.

England’s Adrian Grant and Egypt’s Heba El-Torky, ranked 24 and 28 respectively are seeded number one in the men and women events, while the only Nigerian who got automatic place in the main draw is Babatunde Ajagbe, who is ranked 186 in the world.

Chairman, Lagos State Squash Association, Sanya Akindele, said, “It is worthy to note that the draw for this year’s tournament was done by the PSA and WSA and the tournament officials are WSF referees – Pakistan’s Tahir Khandaza and Zimbabwe’s Lucky Mlilo. The total prize money to be won is $40,000 with $25,000 for the men and $15,000 for the women and is mainly sponsored by the Lagos State Government and our sponsors.”

Murray hopeful as race to London heightens A ndy Murray has admitted that he is prepared for all possibilities as the race for the last handful of spots at the World Tour Finals heats up with less than three weeks left in the season.

"It (making the eight-man championships in London) is a goal for every player at the start of the year," said the 2013 Wimbledon champion.

"There are a lot of seeding advantages with being in the top eight. I will be trying my best to make it to London over the next two or three events.

"I'm not under pressure. I'd like to get there. But if not, then it's just not to be. If I don't qualify, I don't deserve it."

Murray stands provisional tenth in the points, one spot behind Vienna top seed and fellow year-end rival David Ferrer.

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka have already qualified.

One of the four remaining spots will go automatically to US Open winner Marin Cilic (provisional sixth), leaving three that are contested in the main by

by Ferrer, Murray, Moscow top seed Milos Raonic, Tomas Berdych and Kei Nishikori.

Murray repeated his assertion last week that the rule automatically sending any Grand Slam winner into the London field could be slightly detrimental to the ATP.

oel Ward is confident Crystal Palace can repeat their shock win over Chelsea of last season when the Barclays Premier League leaders visit Selhurst Park on Saturday.

The defender played a key role in the Eagles' 1-0 win against Chelsea at Selhurst Park, providing the cross that John Terry headed into his own net for the only goal. It was the first of five successive victories as Palace secured

J

Ward: We can shock Chelsea

Ward

igue 1 leaders Marseille return to action against Toulouse on Sunday hoping to pick up where they left off before the international break.

Marseille have been transformed under the guidance of former Argentina boss Marcelo Bielsa, taking 22 points from a possible 27 to open up a healthy lead at the summit of the French top flight.

In many ways, the south-coast club could have done without the international break, which came after they had strung together seven league wins in a row.

Seemingly benefitting from their lack of European action this term, Marseille sit five points clear of second-placed Bordeaux and will hope top-scorer Andre-Pierre Gignac can continue the form that has seen him score nine goals in as many league appearances.

Toulouse displayed impressive form of their own prior to the international fixtures and will arrive at the Stade Velodrome unbeaten in four matches, having held champions Paris Saint-Germain to a draw during that period.

L

Marseille target sustained form, injury worries for PSG

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

NEW TELEGRAPH

NO TEAM 1 Juventus 2 Roma 3 Sampdoria 4 Udinese 5 Milan 6 Verona 7 Napoli 8 Lazio 9 Fiorentina 10 Inter Milan 11 Genoa 12 Empoli 13 Cesena 14 Torino 15 Cagliari 16 Chievo

Serie A

PTS 19 14 13 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 9 9 8 8 8 8 6 4 4 4

PTS 18 15 14 13 11 11 10 9 9 8 8 6 6 5 4 4

PTS 19 17 16 15 14 12 11 9 9 9 9 8 8 7 5 5 5 4 4 4

P 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

NO TEAM P 1 Barcelona 7 2 Valencia 7 3 Sevilla 7 4 Real Madrid 7 5 Atl Madrid 7 6 Celta de Vigo 7 7 Villarreal 7 8 Espanyol 7 9 Eibar 7 10 Almería 7 11 Málaga 7 12 Vallecano 7 13 Granada 7 14 Getafe 7 15 Sociedad 7 16 Elche 7 17 Levante 7 18 Ath Bilbao 7 19 Córdoba 7 20 Deportivo 7

La Liga

NO TEAM P 1 Chelsea 7 2 Man City 7 3 Southampton 7 4 Man Utd 7 5 Swansea 7 6 Tottenham 7 7 West Ham 7 8 Arsenal 7 9 Liverpool 7 10 Aston Villa 7 11 Hull 7 12 Leicester 7 13 Sunderland 7 14 West Brom 7 15 Crystal Palace 7 16 Stoke 7 17 Everton 7 18 Newcastle 7 19 Burnley 7 20 QPR 7

PREMIER LEAGUE

hope his side keep up with the Blues by extending their impressive record against Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

The Citizens will be confident of their offensive threat as they have scored 14 goals in their last four games in all competitions. Sergio Aguero has been key to that record and he has scored in his last three games for the club.

Aston Villa in the last game de-

Head-to-head Man City Tottenham Played: 127

127 Won: 48

49 Drawn: 30

30

and have more stoppages".

Whether Messi scores or not

Mueller

fended well against City but the way Aguero laced his shot for Manchester City’s second goal hinted at the confidence the Argentine currently has in front of goal.

Spurs will have a good reason to hope to pull off a surprise at the Etihad with Yaya Toure unlikely to start. Toure, who usually dominates midfield battles with his quality in possession, power and vision, may not be fit to play the full 90 minutes due to his international exertions.

The Ivorian will link up with Manchester City’s squad just over 24 hours before the game and he may not be ready to start.

Pochettino will take any positives as he aims to collect his biggest win as Tottenham manager. A win away at the champions will leave Spurs level with their hosts on 14 points.

ictor Moses is expected to feature when Stoke City host Swansea after a few days on the treatment table.

Moses suffered an injury in Stoke’s 3-1 loss at Sunderland on October 4 and was not part of his team last Premier League game.

The striker who has played five times for the Potters midweek declared himself fit and coach Mark Hughes may hand him a starting berth.

Another Super Eagles winger, Sone Aluko, may play a part for Hull City when they visit the Emirates for a clash with Arsenal.

Aluko has continued to operate at the peripheral of the Tigers squad and he has managed just two appearances this term.

It is also remains to be seen if Mikel Obi will secure his first start for Chelsea when they travel to play Crystal Palace.

He has featured five times for the Blues so far, in fact he has managed just 88 minutes of football this term.

V

Stories by Ajibade Olusesan

Moses returns for Swansea clash

EAGLES FOCUS

Sport

ionel Messi is on the brink of making yet more La Liga his-

Messi chases history as Barca host Eibar

M anchester City resume their title defence when they host Tottenham Hotspur in the early kick-off on Saturday. The Citizens completed a league double over Spurs last season, including a 6-0 home victory in which Jesus Navas scored one of the fastest goals in Premier League history.

That 6-0 drubbing was the only time Manchester City have kept a clean sheet against Tottenham in recent times. They have recorded five wins in their last six meetings by simply outscoring Spurs.

With Chelsea already five points ahead of City, Manuel Pellegrini will

Time 12:45pm

Man City, Totteham tangle at Etihad

Global Football Special 28 SATURDAY N 18 OCT

NO TEAM P 1 Bayern 7 2 Hoffenheim 7 3 M’gladbach 7 4 Leverkusen 7 5 Frankfurt 7 6 Mainz 7 7 Wolfsburg 7 8 Hannover 96 7 9 Paderborn 7 10 Augsburg 7 11 Schalke 7 12 Hertha 7 13 Dortmund 7 14 1. Köln 7 15 Freiburg 7 16 Stuttgart 7 17 Hamburger 7 18 Bremen 7

Casillas

LA Liga Saturday Levante v Real Madrid Bilbao v Celta de Vigo Barcelona v Eibar Córdoba v Málaga Sunday Atletico v Espanyol Deportivo v Valencia Elche v Sevilla Villarreal v Almería

Serie A Roma v Chievo Sassuolo v Juventus Sunday Fiorentina v Lazio Atalanta v Parma Cagliari v Sampdoria Palermo v Cesena Torino v Udinese Verona v Milan Inter v Napoli

6 6 6 6

4 3 3 3

PTS 17 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 9 9 8 8 7 6 5 5 5 4

Bundesliga

17 Atalanta 18 Parma 19 Palermo 20 Sassuolo

Nikolay Davydenko Former French Open and US Open semi-finalist Nikolay Davydenko has confirmed his retirement from the game.

Davydenko, a former world number three, had not played on the ATP circuit since Roland Garros in May and made his announcement on the sidelines of the Kremlin Cup tournament in Moscow on Thursday.

The 33-year-old Russian said a series of injuries in recent years prompted him to retire. He said the injuries "still disturb me and it's hard to fight them," and that he can't produce "a good result anymore".

Robert Garcia, who trains f ormer two division world champion Marcos Maidana, would like to see him back in a major fight in 2015 - preferably against WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, who defends his title on November 22nd against Chris Algieri.

Garcia has gone 0-2 against Pacquiao, with the Filipino star dominating his fighters Brandon Rios and Antonio Margarito. But he believes the third time might be the charm with Maidana.

"He's' resting up for the rest of the year. Hopefully by next year he'll get something big. There's a lot of big fights out there. Especially if we're talking about a rematch with [Adrien] Broner, a rematch with Amir Khan.

Uche

Fernando Alonso is leaving Ferrari because he wants to add to the two world championship titles he won with Renault, the former president of the Italian glamour team, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, said.

Speaking on Italian talk show Porta a Porta, Montezemolo said Alonso's departure was due to "two reasons: firstly because he wants to test himself in another team, and secondly because he's at an age when he can't wait much longer to win again".

SPORT BRIEFLY

on, with rock-bottom Werder the next target in their sights as they look to stretch their fourpoint lead at the top of the table.

"When you play for Bayern, you fight for everything," the Spain international said. "Until now we have done it well.

"But we want to keep improving and, when it comes to the title, be at our peak in the second half [of the season]."

The only chink in Bayern's armour that Werder may be able to exploit is the form of their Germany internationals, who have failed to win either of their games during the recent Euro 2016 qualifiers.

Marcos Maidana

Casillas

ayern Munich will look to extend their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga season on Saturday when they entertain lowly Werder Bremen.

Pep Guardiola's side has only dropped points in two of their opening seven matches and boasts a 100 per cent record at the Allianz Arena.

Prior to the international break Bayern scored 14 goals without reply in seven matches in all competitions, an ominous sign to a winless Werder side yet to keep a clean sheet this season.

And Xabi Alonso believes the champions are only going to get better as the campaign goes

B

Bayern look to extend unbeaten run

kechukwu Uche and his younger compatriot, Ramon Azeez, will cross swords when Villarreal welcome Almeria in a La Liga fixture on Sunday.

Uche has played five league games this season but he is yet to add to the only goal he scored in the opening day of the season.

He will fancy his chances against Almeria this weekend but Azeez who will operate as an anchor man in Almeria midfield will try to block supply for Uche.

In Italy, Ogenyi Onazi is expected to earn his fourth consecutive start for Lazio as they face Fiorentina this weekend.

Onazi has been a regular feature since returning from an injury that prevented him from playing in Lazio’s first three league matches and the Capital Club will count on his work rate as they attempt to beat high-riding Fiorentina.

Anthony Ujah has not scored for Cologne in the Bundesliga since his lone strike in their 2-0 win over Stuttgart in August despite playing all of their matches and he will be hoping to end the drought when they host Borrusia Dortmund on Sunday.

I

Uche, Azeez duel in Spain

Moses

Fernando Alonso

teve Harper has revealed that Hull City will make it hard for Arsenal to break them down in Saturday’s Premier League clash.

‘You have to be defensively tight when you go down to a place like Arsenal and you need to be on top of your game because they will ask serious questions of you’, the 39-year-old told Hull’s official website.

‘We’ll have to go down there and remain compact and be hard to break down and frustrate them as we have shown before that we can upset these sides’.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and his players will probably not be surprised by the defensive strategy that Hull are going to use on Saturday. After all, the North London club often has to face teams in the Premier League who drop deep and shut up shop.

S

iverpool are set to make an offer for Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, according to Metro.

The Reds have been linked with a move for a new goalkeeper to challenge Simon Mignolet for the number one spot, with former Barcelona keeper and free agent Victor Valdes one name mentioned.

But the publication reckons the Reds have turned their attentions to Real Madrid skipper and World Cup winning captain Iker Casillas, who has found first team opportunities difficult to come by in recent seasons.

L

Liverpool to make offer for Casillas

against Eibar, Barca will be looking to continue their excellent Liga start under Luis Enrique - the Catalans have won six of their first seven games and are yet to concede a goal domestically.

Real Madrid found form with six straight wins in all competitions before the international break, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a sensational 13 goals in the process and the run should continuewhen they make a trip to Levante.

‘Hull City will punish Arsenal’

tory as Barcelona host Eibar this weekend.

Barca's star forward has 249 goals in Spain's top flight to his name, after scoring six in seven appearances this term, leaving him just two behind Athletic Bilbao legend Telmo Zarra's record total of 251.

A hat-trick would see Messi rewrite history and LFP president Javier Tebas has called for the game Messi breaks the record in to be stopped in order to mark the event suitably - though that has courted controversy with El Clasico on the horizon next week. Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has dampened talk of such a commemoration, claiming it "smacks more of American football or basketball, which are more like spectacles

L

Bundesliga Köln v Dortmund Mainz v FAugsburg Bayern v Bremen Hannover v Mö’gladbach Freiburg v Wolfsburg Stuttgart v Leverkusen Schalke v Hertha

Premier League Saturday Man City v Tottenham Arsenal v Hull Burnley v West Ham Palace v Chelsea Everton v Aston Villa Newcastle v Leicester Southampton v Sunderland Sunday QPR v Liverpool Stoke v Swansea Monday West Brom v Man Utd 8pm

FIXTURES

he brother of Diego Maradona says Napoli are in talks with a Qatari Sheikh over a possible sale, and that the former No 10 could be involved.

Speculation continues to grow that Aurelio De Laurentiis is in negotiations with a Qatari investor rumoured to be Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmad Al Thani - over a possible sale of the club.

Hugo Maradona - brother of Vesuviani legend Diego - has claimed negotiations are real and speculated on the possibility of ‘El Diego’ being given a role at the club in the event of a takeover.

“Diego knows that there are negotiations between [Aurelio] De Laurentiis and the Sheikh from Qatar for the sale of Napoli,” the Argentinean superstar’s brother has told Cronache di Napoli.

T

Maradona advises on Napoli takeover

Barclays Premier League survival with an 11th-place finish. As with last season, the visitors go into the match top of the table after a home victory against Arsenal, but Ward believes Palace can spring another surprise on Jose Mourinho's team.

"I can't wait to play the big teams and big names but every team has got good players and that's why it's the best league in the world" "Last year we proved the type of team we are and the squad that we've got," said Ward, at the opening of a new 3G pitch at Darrick Wood School in Orpington, south London, which was financed by the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund and will be used by Crystal Palace in the Community. "There's a belief of going out there and the attitude that we all bring and the expectations that we demand of each other, there's no reason why we should fear any team."

NEW TELEGRAPH TOBER 2014

Sport

29

30

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Keshi:

From hero to zero Fall of the 'Big Boss'

Stephen Keshi rode on the crest of fame as Super Eagles coach when he won the Nations Cup in 2013, but a slew of misjudgements since then conspired to bring down the ‘Big Boss’ to earth with a huge jolt, writes VINCENT EBOIGBE

H

ow quickly can fortunes change! Not long ago, Stephen Keshi was toasted as the best thing that has ever happened to Nigerian football, the greatest coach of all-time after he led the Super Eagles to win the African Cup of Nations in 2013, 19 years after the last success in Tunisia.

But a little over 18 months later, he had swung from one end of the spectrum to the other and Nigerian fans were calling for his head. The case is illustrative of how a coach can quickly crash to earth with a massive thud after hugging the sun only months earlier. But never one to be outdone, Keshi characteristically retorted: “How can they (fans) be calling for my head; they can’t call for my head since they did not give it to me in the first place.”

The calls for his sacking and its concretisation on Wednesday cannot be a function of just the abysmal performance of the Eagles in the AFCON 2015 qualifiers, as bad as that is, after all football is an imprecise science and coaching cannot therefore lay any claim to exactness. A coach may win all the accolades and titles in one season only to fail dismally the next. There are several variables at play. Vicente del Bosque has won virtually everything with Spain in their most glorious years, but the team has unraveled in recent time. Arsenal under Arsene Wenger did not win any significant title for a decade, but in both cases there was no threat to the coaches’ jobs.

So it is more than just the results, something is broken in the Super Eagles and it will take a new coach to fix it.

The team was fractured and Keshi largely to blame. His penchant for picking fights with his players, having favourites, criticising them on the pages of newspapers, had caused so much disaffection in

the dressing room and it was only a matter of time before it spilled onto the field.

First it was Ikechukwu Uche, and the coach’s intransigence with regard to the striker was well known. He not only refused to take the striker to the World Cup, he actually engaged him, in the glare of the media, in a long-running battle.

In spite of the entreaties of stakeholders that cut across all segments of the game, Keshi stuck to his stance on the Villarreal striker who has been Nigeria’s best forward in recent time.

Keshi’s grouse stemmed from the fact that Uche was an outspoken critic of his style during the Nations Cup in 2013 and since then he tried at every opportunity to demonise the player going as far as warning the media to stop asking him questions about Uche. “I don’t want to talk about the issue of Ikechukwu Uche again and I don’t want anybody to ever ask me about him again,” he said.

Osaze Odemwingie’s case was also celebrated. The saga raged for long periods until Osaze was forced to apologise.

That apology and the intervention of some highly placed people in the society ensured the striker was included in the team to Brazil, but he had since been frozen out, the injury to the Stoke striker being a convenient excuse.

Joseph Yobo was another high profile bust-up. Although short-lived, it further underscored Keshi’s tendency to have issues with his players. The last in these unending altercations with players was that involving Emmanuel Emenike. The striker was at the receiving end of Keshi’s abrasive style. The player reportedly came late for the AFCON qualifier against Congo and was as a result not started for the match. Keshi also accused Emenike of causing problems in the camp, leading the player to fire back that the coach can leave him out of his future selections rather than make him out to be an undisciplined player before Nigerians.

Part of Emenike’s problem emanated from the fact that he had the guts to stand up to Mikel Obi who had become something of a demi-god in the team. Some of the players queued behind Emenike, while others were loyal to Mikel. Rather than sort out the issue Keshi took sides with Mikel

further worsening the already frosty atmosphere in camp.

Clearly, these frequent spats, which are at the root of the poor outing in the ongoing AFCON qualifiers, came back to haunt the coach, turning him into a villain in a matter of months.

“Keshi didn’t have to fight with his players, they were his materials. Even if players make mistakes the coach takes it in his stride. He is like a teacher and must correct them at all times to get the result; that is the important thing,” said former Nigeria midfielder, Garba Lawal.

“Granted a coach has to be tough but certain infractions must also be overlooked, you cannot exclude players just on the basis of being undisciplined; at any rate these players have been playing in Europe for years and they have not been said to be undisciplined by their club coaches.

Keshi never wanted to change, he kept

doing things the same way and that is the reason the team is in this situation and why Nigerians called for his sacking.”

Sentiments and arrogance were also some of the things Keshi had been accused of. In his invitations for national engagements, match day selections and changes, Keshi’s choices were heavily criticised. His invitations for the AFCON 2015 qualifiers were particularly shocking. The players he called up included former junior international, Raheem Lawal, China-based striker, Aaron Samuel, Reading of England’s Hope Akpan, Austria–based forward, Sunday Emmanuel, and a relatively unknown Anyora Ugonna, who plays in Norway. Strange enough, former U-17 star, Kelechi Iheanacho, one player many followers of the game expected to have already graduated into the team, did not make Keshi’s list.

His reason was that the Manchester

I once dropped my cousin for another player - Fanny Amun Former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation, Fanny Amun, spoke to Emmanuel Tobi about bickering, corruption in the Super Eagles and the team’s struggle to qualify for the 2015 African Cup of Nations.

Obeying authorities In 1995, when I was preparing the Flying Eagles for the Africa Youth Championship, the then football leadership of Sani Toro, late Emeka Omerua and late Shola Rhodes insisted I couldn’t use any of my foreign-based players especially Wilson Oruma, Celestine Babayaro and Kanu Nwankwo during the qualifiers.

I pleaded with them in Ibadan and Lagos before we concluded in Abuja

and I had no choice but to obey them and use the home-based. But I went for the best local players in Olumide Harris, Duke Udi, Sam Okoye, Gbenga Okunowo etc. and we did well during the qualifiers.

We could have done well at the World Youth Championship which we hosted in 1999 if we had the exceptional players that played for me at the Japan 1993 U-17 World Cup. We drew 3-3 in our first match, won 2-1 and 1-0 in our

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

City starlet was too young and this was a player who featured alongside Man City top stars during the club's pre-season and was not fazed by the occasion. He scored three goals for the English champions. On the other hand, the coach also was adamant in not calling Obafemi Martins who has scored 18 goals so far for his club, Seattle Sounders, in the Major League Soccer in America. His reason was that Martins was too old. The inconsistency was not lost on former national team goalkeeper, Emmanuel Babayaro.

“We can’t keep inviting players from places like China and Austria, players who don’t have any experience whatever to speak of and yet say that Iheanacho is too young. It is contradictory. We must have set parameters for making these invitations,” remarked Babayaro.

“Our main problem is that Nigerian coaches (myself inclusive) are too sentimental and football and sentiments don’t mix. It is sad to say that this is one area where Keshi was seriously lacking and that was the reason he kept having problems with his players. Another sad aspect was that Keshi wouldn't listen to anybody; it was quite unfortunate that as the “Big Boss” he didn't like being criticised not even by his former teammates.

It is a recipe for disaster if your friends cannot criticise you.”

The national team should be all-inclusive, for all Nigerian players who are deserving of the distinction, but corruption is alleged to be so rife that merit has been thrown out of the window. Players like Warri Wolves’ Azubuike Egwuekwe, who was also the World Cup where he played no match-not even when Godfrey Oboabona was injured; Chigozie Agbim, Gabriel Reuben etc. were taken to the World Cup even though there were far better options. Reuben for instance was still suffering from an injury. Brown Ideye and Sunday Mba, who scored Nigeria’s winner in the AFCON 2013 final match, were allegedly left out because they changed their agents who were said to be close friends of the coach. In fact one of the agents who used to manage Ideye currently manages Kunle Odunlami who was taken to the World Cup, and Glolahan Salami, who was part of the CHAN 2014 and the current set-up. This issue also came to the fore when Keshi was coach of the Togolese national team.

He allegedly wanted to be Emmanuel Adebayor’s agent and the eventual fallout led to him being relived of that job.

“There is nothing wrong being approached by football agents to recommend players. A coach might have more

31

Granted a coach has to be tough but certain infractions must also be overlooked

than 50 agents approaching him with different players, even the team curator may suggest a player but it is absolutely wrong for the Eagles coaches to mortgage their conscience for money. If your mind is corrupt, you will accept their advances and put objectivity aside in favour of sentiments. I coached the Eagles and ended a poor man but I have my integrity intact. Things were not bad like this during our days,” noted former General Secretary of the NFF Fanny Amun.

“When you are given a job it shows confidence in your ability to handle the team without any fear or favour but the opposite is the case now with the Super Eagles. What we see now is that very skillful players are being dropped because of money, corruption and 'Godfatherism.'

Lawal who is also the general manager of Kaduna United buttresses the point; “That is what we have been saying. Issues like these cause problems in the team. All the players, those the coach manages and the others, have a right to play for the national team, it belongs to everybody whether at home or abroad.

But when we asked the coach he denied it, but the allegations did not go away.”

Only on Wednesday, Keshi led Eagles to record a 3-1 victory over Sudan in Abuja but the team was obviously not convincing. In four games, Nigeria now has four points out of the possible 12. The team was not coordinated but merely struggled to get the much-needed result.

The victory was also not enough to save Keshi as the NFF, the body with whom he had had a feisty relationship, finally relieved him of the Eagles job.

The federation in sacking him said Keshi could go for a coaching course anywhere of his choice on the federation’s account. Perhaps he could make use of the opportunity to acquire more knowledge on how to manage players. He may also need to pick up one of the numerous coaching offers he had repeatedly said was his for the asking... but he has his ego to contend with in taking Keshi a decision. second and third matches respectively before losing to Cameroon in the quarterfinal and the rest is history.

Integrity A coach might have more than 50 agents approaching him with different players, even the team curator may suggest a player; but the coach must not mortgage his conscience for money as is the case in the current Super Eagles.

I coached the Eagles and ended a poor man, but I have my integrity intact. Things were not as bad as they are now during our days.

Amun

Sport

Dropped my cousin When I led the Eaglets to win the Meridian Cup in 1997, I dropped my dad’s younger sister’s son for a player I never met in my life. The player, Aliyu Datti Mohammed, who later played for AC Milan, came to Lagos in a trailer carrying cattle from Kaduna to Oyingbo and the boy was very exceptional.

All my coaches picked Aliyi Mohammed ahead of my little cousin who had lived in my house, washed my car, ate with me and was sure he was going to make the team.

I had to do that because the interest

of the country was my number one priority and that is what should be obtainable.

I shunned family pressure and emotional sentiments to pick the best players who later proved us right that with excellence, things can be done rightly. Mohammed later scored three goals at the tournament and joined AC Milan.

I shunned family pressure and emotional sentiments to pick the best players who later proved us right that with excellence, things can be done rightly

The records are there to cross check and you can confirm from Tijani Babaginda, Garba Lawal and Shehu Dikko.

That action made my cousin to take me as his enemy till date and Aliyu Mohammed has never called me since. But my integrity is intact.

Super Eagles Job The Super Eagles job is the easiest job you can fin because it only entails managing top players who have experience and ego. Let the current coaches try their hands with the junior side and let see what they will achieve. The junior teams entail football development and imbuing the young lads with techniques and tactics.

Corruption is rife in the Super Eagles such that you see the coaches buying houses in less than one year on the job. Let them declare their assets and let’s know how they made their money. I earned N37 000 as head coach of the Super Eagles at the 1998 World Cup in France and the highest pay we got was our winning bonuses. I received one quarter as my estacode but I have my integrity intact because we justified the confidence reposed placed in us. I never compromised my integrity.

32

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Lifestyle

Ozil cheats on pop star girlfriend A rsenal star Mesut Ozil has been dragged into a public row with a fellow German footballer and accused of cheating on his pop star girlfriend Mandy Capristo.

Former Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin star Christian Lell accused Ozil of 'muscling in' on his relationship with former girlfriend Melanie Rickinger.

In an interview with Bild, Lell somewhat ungraciously described his ex as a 'snake' and explained that she had exchanged intimate messages with Ozil on the messaging service WhatsApp. 'Mesut exploited his fame, and muscled in on our relationship', said Lell, 'that isn't OK'.

Ozil himself has refused to comment on the situation. 'We are not commenting on this.

We will keep an eye on the situation, and take legal action if necessary,' said his agent Roland Eitel.

Lell's ex-girlfriend Rickinger has said her former boyfriend is 'crazy'. She has not denied the accusations of an affair with Ozil, but did insist that Lell had accessed her messages without her permission.

'I deleted everything on my phone. He must have gone on himself and backed everything up,' she said, 'he's completely crazy.'

S

uper Falcons players, Cynthia Uwak and Chichi Igbo, have been accused of being gay because of their dress sense and attitude and their close bond.

Cynthia Uwak shared some new pics and said: "They say I'm trying to be a Man, they say I'm Gay, they say my Body is too strong to be a woman , they say I'm trying too hard , and bla bla etc , 99 Problems and non of ya'll opinion is included "

“Man who hates cats is insecure, but a man who likes them is one worth keeping. If he can appreciate a cat, he can appreciate a strong, independent woman.”

– Larissa

Schweinsteiger in secret affair with Ivanovic

Ione, Passion Unleashed

B

astian Schweinsteiger has been snapped on a secret date with tennis superstar Ana Ivanovic in Belgrade, the home city of the Serbian heart throb, reports Bild.

The pair were romantically linked last month, and now it appears that they’re well and truly an item.

Ivanovic

Uwak denies gay reports

Rickinger

Igbo (left) and Uwak

Sol Campbell puts plush London pad up for sale

F

ormer England international Sol Campbell has put his Chelsea mansion up for sale for a cool £25million For that sort of money you expect only the best and you certainly get it from this plush Chelsea pad right on the Thames riverbank.

The six-floor mansion was renovated in 2008 and has six bedrooms, five bathrooms (including three en suite), four living rooms and a double internal garage in the 7,224-square feet of space.

As if that wasn't enough, there is also a drawing room and a library to relax and spend some down time - as well as accommodation for 40-year-old Campbell's 'staff' in a separate annexe.

And, during a beautiful summer's day in London, there is the option of wiling away the hours on the beautiful roof terrace or the 45-foot long garden.

Campbell, who officially retired in 2012, also represented Portsmouth and Notts County in a professional career spanning 19 years.

Stories courtesy Dailymail

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

'MTV's Top 20 Nigerian songs of all time is rubbish' Musician Baba Dee (real name Dare Fasasi) and his younger brother, Sound Sultan, recently held a screening for their new movie, Head Gone, in Lagos.

Baba Dee speaks with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS about the movie which features an array of celebrities.

Recently you screened a movie, Head Gone; could you tell us about it?

Head Gone is a comedy and It features the likes of Tuface, Ali Baba, Basket Mouth, Zack Orji, Wale Ojo, Saka, Papa Aluwe and a host of others. The film is a socio-political satire, looking at the way we perceived mental issues in Nigeria. I directed and produced the film alongside my brother, Sultan. Head Gone is the story of a bus driver conveying mentally-challenged patients to an Abuja hospital. He later loses five of the patients after a quick stop over for refreshment. In order to cover-up for their grave mistake, the driver and his crew pick up unsuspecting commuters and deliver them to the specialist mental hospital. The story was written

by Solomon Iguanre. The movie is going to cinema by November. It would be premiered across the world. Our screening was well attended and everybody had a great time. So we are working with our sponsors for people to experience a movie like never before.

When exactly did you start directing movies?

In the University of Ibadan my major was film directing. This is what I was trained to do. People know me as a director and I have done a lot of documentaries, shot films among others, but this is my first fiction film. I took my time because I crave for the best. I waited for the right budget and time and I guess the time is right now.

Do we see you leaving music entirely?

I am not leaving music; I just did a single which is also the sound track of Head Gone. I featured Harrysong.

Everything is based on evolution. There is a problem if by now I am still doing what I did then. I would not spend my whole energy on music now when I have other things that are equally demanding. For this film it took us time and energy. Right now I am focused more on making good films. The music part to be frank has always been a second love. So I have decided to concentrate on films this year and it explains why I haven’t done anything much in music. But I still believe that I am very relevant in the music industry. Go Down produced by Del-B last year was like a national anthem in many Nigerian clubs. I was nominated for almost all the awards, including The Headies as best raggae dancehall artiste. Last year also, I got the Caribbean African and American Music Award organized by Silverbird and Bayelsa State government.

When should we be expecting your next hit song?

Right now it is all about Head Gone. This is a movie that would redefine the perception of people about Nigerian comedy. When you have array of stars in a movie you should expect the best. At the beginning I didn’t see it as an all star casts. The strength of the movie is in the casting. If you see how they play the role you will understand what I am saying. Nigerian artists are wonderful people; they’re very supportive.

Is there a song among your composition that you're particularly fond of?

The best is yet to come because your songs get better by the day. I was performing in Manchester (United Kingdom) last December and the crowd was screaming for some songs I had even forgotten that I did.

How would you react to the MTV Top 20 Nigerian songs of all time recently released?

That is rubbish. MTV is trying to talk about things that happened when they were not around. They don’t even know how it all started 18 years ago. Nigerian music has now attained the level that even parents embrace it and allow their kids to do music. But we should not

Showbiz

33

forget the struggles of the pioneers of Nigerian music.

Having a platform doesn’t give you a room to interfere in what you know nothing about. It happens a lot, not in music alone.

How prepared are you for the challenges of Nollywood?

I have been preparing all my life to get to this point. I am not new to the movie industry, so it makes things easier for me. I was just not doing home videos; I have friends that will tell you that the industry didn’t start behind me.

Away from music and movies what are your other engagements?

I am running for a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly on the All Progressives Congress banner to represent Amuwo Odofin Constituency 2. I ran last year, but the party politics didn’t favour me. I also believe that the problems shaking the entertainment industry and all other sectors could be addressed from the top, instead of the bottom.

How come there is a major drift by entertainers into politics?

I cannot speak for everybody, but I have been actively involved in politics since my university days. I don’t want to live in an environment that is misguided and I won’t do anything. I am joining politics to proffer solutions and to make the society a better place.

Do you believe in celebrity marriages considering the rate of failed relationships?

What is the definition of a celebrity? Failed marriage is a global trend, not just in Nigeria. A little issue gets to the press and the press mishandles it. I don’t have anything against it. If two celebrated people get attracted to one another it is allowed, but they should understand that there is a tough work to do that an average man.

With piracy and influx of artistes, can the music industry still be considered lucrative?

I am one of the directors of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and I can tell you that the future of Nigerian music is when we can get royalty from things like airplay, copyright usage etc. Artistes do not have the solution to the problems in the industry and they will never because our lifespan is very shot. We are working on a structure for the music industry where people could get good remuneration from their jobs that keep them years after they walk away from music. I also tell young artistes that if they make hit songs today they should remember that they won’t be there forever. I tell them to be careful in their dealings with people. When the hit songs stop coming what would be left is the goodwill such person has gathered over time. If you are the type who disrespected people when you were on top, then you would have a problem.

What is new about Naija Ninja, the record label you set up with your brother?

I thank God that over the years Naija Ninja has been consistent in what we do. We just signed new artistes and some are already doing well.

We have Kamal, Blackah and Young GreyC. I am not saying I will not sing again, but we want to concentrate on our artistes too. When I also see a good young artiste I try to celebrate him or her. It is always a joy because I am very critical of what is out there.

How have you been able to run a business with your brother without conflict?

If I tell you that we do not fight it means that we do not do business at all. But our issues are purely creative, not based on sentiment or bias. We look at things objectively and if there is a conflict we would look for a way to resolve it and move forward. This is over 10 years we have been working together and we thank God for the bond.

34

Showbiz

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

‘I want people to see my potential, not physique’ After spending most of her life in France and England, Destiny Amaka relocated to Nigeria last year to join the rising acts in Nollywood . Destiny, born to a Nigerian father and a Tanzanian mother, speaks with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS. How would you describe yourself?

I'm just a young and ambitious girl with the passion to impact positively on the society. My mother gave birth to me in Nigeria, but she took me to France some weeks after my birth. So I spent most part of my life in France and England. I only came back to Nigeria last year. Though I don't speak my native language, Igbo, I appreciate my culture. My dad is from Nnewi South in Anambra State, while my mum is from Tanzania. I want to be associated with Nigeria and be part of her entertainment culture.

Did your father move to France too?

No, he didn't. He is a retired politician.

Even if you gave him all the money in this world my dad loves it in Nigeria. He only visits, but he still complains whenever he visits.

So we could call you mummy’s girl?

It really depends. If daddy buys me a car today I would be on his side and if mummy buys me a house I would move to her side.

But people say I have the qualities of both of them.

Are you the only child?

No, we are four from my mother’s. I am from a polygamous home; my mum is the second wife. I'm the youngest of my mum’s. My other siblings completed their schools in Nigeria before coming over, but everyone is now here.

But what brought you back exactly?

My dad convinced me to relocate to Nigeria. He wants me to be familiar with Nigeria and get to understand the way things are done here. My other siblings grew up here, had their education and can speak our language. So my dad wanted me to come down and learn more about Nigeria.

Could you tell us your first movie here in Nigeria?

My first major hit is a cinema movie, Dream Walker. It was directed and produced

by Neville. I acted alongside Nse Ikpe Etim, Alex Ekubo, Jackie Appiah and Femi Jacobs.

It was my first and I was alongside with big names in the industry. I also featured in Keeping My Man, with the likes of Ramsey Nouah, Ini Edo, Monalisa Chinda and Alex.

It was so awesome. I love acting, but I want to focus on other areas now. I am hoping to venture into productions; I want to start producing my own films. And in no time I hope to change the face of TV programmes in Africa through documentaries. I was nominated for BAFTA Award at the age of 14 in London and I got that nomination based on a documentary I anchored. We visited West Africa and did a film on the way teenagers are living.

Amaka says Nigerian men tend to "stare a lot" and it makes her "uncomfortable"

Do you have any background in entertainment?

I have been doing entertainment all my life. I went to theatre school at the age of three and I have always been on TV. I have a lot of energy and loves attention, but since my mum was always busy she put me where I could exercise my energy. So the idea of putting me in the theatre school came in. I also started meeting with Nigerians and learnt how to speak Pidgin. I met

JJC and 419 Squad; I worked with them as backup singer. I met D'banj and Don Jazzy also, so I have always been into entertainment. It was not hard for me moving to Nigeria after many years. Ruke Amata was also a good friend of mine in London. I did my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Oyo State and I finished February last year. I could recall that when I got to know I was posted to Oyo State, I was worried.

I didn't know where Oyo was, so I started asking people if Oyo was close to Ikeja, Surulere or Ajah. They laughed at me. I really appreciate my dad because he encouraged and told me I could do it. I am so proud I served my country.

How are you coping with the new environment?

I feel slightly intimidated at times because things are done differently here.

Over there we are so used to technical things. If you give me a script, it is a complete offence to the writer for me to add my own idea. The script remains like that; you can’t change it even if you feel you could add something little to it. In a case you want to do such you must discuss it with the director. And I came with that concept. Nse was amazing and helpful.

Since she knew I was new and foreign she guided me through. My first production was very interesting.

It seems you and Wazobia fm's Yaw is bonding well; is there anything going on?

We are just actors; there is nothing between us than the business of acting. Yaw is handsome, but I don’t think Yaw is as single as I am. I am young and single. Our chemistry is strictly professional; I would say we are just comfortable with each other.

Are you really single?

I am single, but I'm not ready for any serious relationship. I am not emotionally ready, as relationship requires a lot of time and attention. I don’t have time for that now and it explains why I am still single.

Was there a time a man broke your heart?

Being heartbroken is inevitable. But the person I am makes me not to stay down for too long. God has been so faithful to me in that aspect. My life is a testimony because it is a beautiful life. And I am very expressive.

Have you dated any Nigerian since you came back?

It is not that easy. Though since I came back to Nigeria I had tried to date two times and they didn’t work out. Ninety-eight per cent of Lagos men are married, one per cent is still very young and hustling and the other one percent is young, rich and arrogant. If the right person comes I would give him a chance. Inasmuch as I want to face my work life is too beautiful not to enjoy.

How do you manage admirers?

Sometimes, I see my shape and curve as a curse than a blessing. Whenever I enter an office or a public place, the first thing they notice is my physique. Nigerian men stare a lot and it makes me so uncomfortable. I want people to see the potential in me, not just stare at my curvy physique.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Showbiz

35

'My album will revive old highlife songs' As a child, Oluwole Alabi found solace in his church choir playing some musical instruments. Today, Alabi whose showbiz moniker is Olujazz, the Saxtalkative, has taken that passion some notches higher as a professional jazz musician. He speaks with IBUKUNOLUWA KAYODE.

posed by Sir Victor Uwaifo.

These ever green songs are actually remixed in my sax version. I just shot the video in England and it has started airing.

Who are your mentors?

I learn from everybody.

I have a lot of them here in Nigeria - Yemi Sax, Lagbaja, Femi Kuti, Mike Aremu, Pastor Kunle Ajayi and Dotun Bankole. But the people I learnt mostly from are my international mentors - late Charlie Parker, Kenny G, Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum.

How did you get the name, Olujazz the Saxtalkative?

I actually got that name in 2009 when I was recording my first album titled, Saxdeclassico with Wole Oni. One of the guys who came to the studio heard me play the saxophone and said to me I was fantastic that I talk so much on the sax and right there I was given the name Olujazz, the Saxtalkative.

Olujazz actually came from the kind of music I play which is basically jazz. I started playing instruments since I was eight in a Baptist Church choir. Later, I joined the Celestial Church of Christ where I played drums and later moved to keyboard and then trumpet. I played trumpet for 10 years and then I decided to play sax fully.

I’m the fourth child in a family of five and I'm from Kogi State. I am multi-lingual, love tourism and meeting people.

So why the switch to music given your mathematics and computer science background?

Although I love calculations, my dream has always lain with music. Music has always been my passion. I went to school because it was necessary as a foothold. There is no link between what I studied and music. Playing sax has been a passion I nurtured through hard work and a lot of perseverance.

I have always been passionate about music and I don’t think I can ever do anything aside being an instrumental musician that I am today. I also studied music at Peter King College of Music in Badagry (a Lagos coastal town on the fringe of Nigeria's border with Benin Republic), which was actually where I studied how to play saxophone. I play virtually all the common instruments - keyboards, guitar, sax, trumpet, drums, flutes and many more. But what I love most to play is sax.

What informed your decision to stick to music and not take on a formal job?

Actually when I was growing up I never imagined someone could make money from playing any instrument. It all started as a passion for me. I just wanted to be a musician. I started making money from sax recently. When I graduated from school (he studied mathematics and computer science at the Lagos State University) I was jobless but never had intention to work for anybody because as a child growing up I had always seen myself as a boss. I got that belief that I will be my own boss someday.

So when I began playing sax I noticed that people started calling me from here and there to perform, which gave me opportunity to work with a couple of artistes in Nigeria like Omawumi, Tiwa Savage, T-Mac Omatsola, Demola Olota, Banky W, D'banj, amongst others. I just saw myself choosing music because I never liked to work under anybody or being paid a salary.

What are the fond memories of your recent musical

How do you get inspiration?

I’m usually inspired by my environment. Whatever I see around me serves as my inspiration either good or bad, especially nature.

When should we expect your album?

My album will be coming out in November this year. My album would revive all old high life songs. It is a medley that has about 36 tracks which will be touching all genres of music in Nigeria.

If not music what would you have done?

Honestly, there is nothing I can do apart from music. If there was no music I would have been idle. If I can’t be a musician then there is no existence for me.

Are you satisfied with your present achievement?

No, I’m not satisfied at all and that is why I keep struggling to achieve more. I set my eyes above because my goals are larger than myself just like this world, which is why I can never be satisfied until I get to the top. tour to the UK? It was a very good experience for me and was really an eye opener because that was my first European tour and it was full of fun. I visited a lot of place in London to play. I also performed at Manchester, Peckham, Stratford, Stamford Bridge and Dublin in Ireland. The best experience I had was my performance alongside other musicians all the way from Denmark. They featured in my upcoming video.

What were the lessons learnt?

I learnt basically two things: professionalism and hard work. Giving your best to whatever you love to do pays and reasoning out of the box makes you much better and exposes you to learning new things. Also, when you are a professional in your passion it attracts people to appreciate you more and become their favourites. The acceptance I received at the tour was actually beyond my expectation. A lot of people who I met when I performed at Eko Wine Bar in Hackney and Sahib Restaurant in Middlessex, London, were like they had never seen a saxophone player that could entertain; not just playing but being able to win the soul of the crowd like I did. It made me feel so right about what I do and on top of my game.

What singles are you coming out with?

I have two singles - the reggae version of All of Me by John Legend which I did the sax version and the just concluded sax version of Girlie O, by Patoranking. The other one is Joromi, originally com-

What was your most challenging experience?

The most challenging experience I had was when I was trying to establish Olujazz as a company. Trying to make the dream a global one was when I had to beg, solicit for partnership, for funds and sponsorship. The day I would never forget was when I was kicked out of an office by a so-called big man who promised to help me back then and didn’t help at the end of the day.

It was a very challenging time for me and I felt I won’t be able to forge ahead. But I knew there was something I possessed inside of me that the whole world needed to be acquainted with. That disappointment served as a strong push for me and I didn’t stop till date and I have been doing this all alone and I'm not going to stop.

Any regrets?

I have not had any regrets pursuing my passion for music because this is what I have always loved to do. I’m really living my dream to be a musician for life which is the only thing that makes me live.

How would you describe your fashion sense?

I love to look good. I’m not lousy with my fashion sense. I love to play cool and simple with whatever I choose to wear and fit for the particular occasion.

Are you married?

I'm not married yet.

36

Showbiz

CONFLUENCE

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

... a finger on the city’s pulse

Group photograph of the Women of Vision 2014

LANRE ODUKOYA

T

he exclusive unveiling of Tiffany Amber’s 15 Women of Vision was held last Saturday at Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos in partnership with Diamond Bank’s initiative, Diamond Woman. The impressive roll call includes Ifeoluwa Otedola (DJ Cuppy), Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, Funke Opeke, Ola Orekunrin, Eku Edewor, Peju Alatise, Uche Majekodunmi, Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Adenike Ogunlesi, Oluchi Onweagba Orlandi, Maryam Augie, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Omoyemi Akerele, Uche Pedro and Jumoke Oduwole. The Women of Vision Campaign in line with the brand’s age features 15 women between the ages of 18 and 60 representing Tiffany Amber’s multi-generational following. The unveiling cocktail was graced by high net worth individuals and it was supported by Oando Marketing, a subsidiary of Oando Plc. Event Decor

Short takes from Tiffany Amber’s unveiling of Women of Vision

Specialists, Newton & David took guests on a breathtaking journey throughout the usually stark white gallery space, implementing the monochrome theme with perfection. Official drink sponsor on the night was Laurent Perrier. A short “Behind the Scenes” footage from the campaign was screened, followed by the big unveiling of the campaign image which will be etched on billboards across the country.

After a speech from the brand’s creative director, Folake Coker, and a vote of thanks from Ayona Aguele-Trimnell (Diamond Bank's head of corporate communications) attendees were then serenaded by singer, Omawumi, ending the programme of events with a bang. The Diamond Woman is an initiative of Diamond Bank, designed for women, providing women with financial, business and lifestyle advice, and helping them to achieve their aspirations.

Ali Baba’s got A Place In The Stars N Ayefele

How Yinka Ayefele's father died after birthday celebration

I

t’s no news that awardwinning musician, Yinka Ayefele has lost his father, High Chief Joshua Taiwo Ayefele. However, what you might not have been told is the circumstance of his demise.

Late Pa Ayefele who was fondly called Baba Teacher died last Sunday in the midst of his 76th birthday celebration.

Confirming the story, Yinka Ayefele, his most prominent child, uploaded his late father’s picture on his Facebook page, with the caption: ‘My Dad is Gone, High Chief J.T Ayefele'.

It was gathered that the late Ekiti chief was hale and hearty weeks and days before his birthday event. He had in-

formed his children of his desire to celebrate his birthday, which they considered quite unusual due to his quiet manner of celebrating through the years. Ayefele, while reacting to the "shocking news," said: "I was there with him at Ipoti Ekiti to celebrate with him; he even saw me off when I was leaving. But I was surprised to hear of his demise few minutes after I left him."

Late Pa Ayefele had earlier held a birthday thanksgiving service at the Anglican Church, Ipoti Ekiti. Born in 1938, the late Joshua Ayefele was an educationist and community leader in his native Ipoti Ekiti until his demise yesterday.

SOLUTIONS TO CROSSWORD PUZZLE M

I

I D

U

W I

T

F

S

T

H

V

O

E

V

R

E M L

E A

R

G

E

A

E

P I

E

ACROSS 1. MISTAKE 5. TIT 7. ANI 8. DUO 9. ESS DOWN 1. MIDWIFE 2. SHOVEL 3. AVER 4. EASTER 5. TIER 6. TOP

K

A S

R

E

T

I

R X

D U

D

C E

E

S

S

E

V

A

T N E

10. TERM 11. ITEM 12. RE 16. EX 17. BASF 18. AGED

T

I

O

E

P

R M O

S M B

A

F S

F E

R

N

S

U

I

N N

D L

I

E

L V

A

C T

E

ative Filmworks Limited, Film Producers And Makers of the feature movie, “A Place in the Stars“, hosted an exclusive screening of the movie at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel, Victoria Island, on Sunday, October 12.

This entirely private affair is part of a series of activities leading up to the November premiere of the movie, and was awash with VIP guests, including Ali Baba, Gideon Okeke, Segun Arinze, Adebola Williams and individuals from the Lagos business community.

Directed and produced by the filmmaker, Steve Gukas, “Place in the Stars” is a riveting voyage into the dark underworld of fake drugs trafficking and of the harrowing consequences to the most vulnerable members of society.

Set in 2006 Nigeria, A Place in the Stars tells the story of Kim Dakim (Gideon Okeke), a young lawyer with a case and a client that leave him professionally conflicted. Kim is in possession of information that could save scores, if he would only pass it on. Faced with the deathly consequences of crossing "industry" kingpins, including the toughest of them all, Diokpa Okonwo (Segun Arinze); and with millions to earn if he would only turn a blind eye, Kim battles conscience and professional responsibility as he determines which way to turn.

Also starring in the movie are Dejumo Lewis, Yemi Blaq, Femi Branch, Matilda Obaseki, Julian Mcdowell, Armajit Deu and Amaka Mgbor.

22. UDU 23. INN 24. PIC 25. VIE 26. ELEVATE

13. OFFENCE 14. SEDUCE 15. MANILA 19. GAPE 20. RUDE 21. REV

L-R: Gideon Okeke, Dejumo Lewis, Segun Arinze and Steve Gukas

The Arts

Books Bathing in the stream of wisdom

p.38

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

37

When an art comes of age There's a hint of the evolution of Nigerian art in the last one hundred years as visual arts return to the Muson Festival, writes TONY OKUYEME

L

overs of visual arts would indeed welcome its return to this year’s Festival programme which kicked off on Thursday with one of the Festival’s favourites, My Kind of Music, the personality programme where a select cast of eminent Nigerians, provide a rare glimpse of their persona to an invited audience.

The visual arts aspect of the festival is making a bold return with an exhibition being put together by the Visual Arts Society of Nigeria (VASON). The general theme of the festival, Coming of Age, has been adopted for this exhibition which is organised by MUSON in collaboration with VASON. The exhibition features a cross section of artists, mostly comprising emerging artists with a few established ones.

The essence of this, according to Ekpo Udoma, the curator of the exhibition, is to celebrate a century of the amalgamation of Nigeria, by showcasing the array of Nigerian talent that exists as well as typifying the rich visual art heritage that has been nurtured since the days of Chief Aina Onabolu (1882-1963), who started selling his paintings from as far back as 1902.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition is on Sunday, October 19, and the exhibition will run until Wednesday, October 22. The event is organised by MUSON in collaboration with the Visual Arts Society of Nigeria.

“Onabolu was a pioneer in many ways as he inspired other artists of his day such as Akinola Lasekan (1916 - 1972) and Eke Okeybolu (1916 - 1958), amongst others. Onabolu also influenced the art curriculum in Nigerian schools through his incessant appeals to the colonial government, which eventually led to the appointment of Kenneth Murray, a colonial officer to develop a curriculum for art in Nigerian schools.

In addition, Onabolu offered to teach in many of these schools.

“The interventions of Kenneth Murray influenced the emergence of Ben Enwonwu (1921- 1994), who later became the art adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria in the 1960s. A natural follow through of this was the introduction of the art curriculum in our tertiary institutions, pioneered by the Yaba College of Technology,

Lagos (1952) and the Department of Fine and Applied Arts in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1953).

“This exhibition hereby showcases a glimpse of how far we have come since those days. Most of the works featured are by graduates of the various art schools in the country who are in one way or the other beneficiaries of the Aina Onabolu legacy,” Udoma says Some of the interesting works by the younger artists on show include Where Two are United

by Olumide Onadipe, a graduate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka and the University of Lagos. This picture exemplifies the unique use of foliage to create forms without the use of lines. This piece attempts to demonstrate the artist’s keen sense of the use of his creative sensibilities in highlighting the use of colours, tonal gradation, light and shade to represent forms and images.

The leaves seen in various shades of red, green and blue depict a man and woman facing each other. This work is perhaps em-

Bede Umeh...Joint Venture (oil)

"Most of the works featured are by graduates of the various art schools in the country who are in one way or the other beneficiaries of the Aina Onabolu legacy"

Ufuoma Isiavwe...Unconditional Love

phasizing the benefits of men and women working together for the common good of all humanity.

Other works include Adamuorisha by Osagie Aimufia depicting the famous Eyo masquerade.

In the work, the artist represents the masquerade in static motion.

“It is not clear whether the masquerade is squatting or jumping in the air. However, the interesting aspect of this work is the fact that the treatment of the folds of masqueraders costume is so intense that the folds seem to be endless. Joint venture by Umeh Bede depicts the regular petty trader by the road side."

Other works in the exhibition include Unconditional Love by Ufuoma Isiavwe a touching depiction of a young society woman with her child, National Conference by Olaniyi Ojo a batik work and Asiri by Ariyo Oguntemehin an oil painting depicting three young adolescents sharing a secret. In all, over 40 works shall be on show highlighting the common scenes of our everyday life as well as ideas and concepts of a personal nature.

The Visual Arts Society of Nigeria was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2006, with Mr. Sammy Olagbaju as chairman and began operations in May 2007, with the setting up of a temporary secretariat provided by the Vice-Chairman Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi (OFR) In August 2007 VASON launched itself formerly into the arts circuit by sponsoring an exhibition of works by Larry Isimah in collaboration with Nkem Gallery owned by Chief Frank Okonta held at Nkem Gallery, UPDC Estate, Lekki, Lagos. In October 2007, VASON supported Abiodun Kafaru in his exhibition entitled, My Environment.

In 2008, there was collaboration with ArtZero in Art on the

Mainland, an exhibition featuring 40 Nigerian Artists. This was followed by the VASON exhibition, which held from May 24th -30th, 2008 featuring 40 works in the collection of Mr. Sammy O. Olagbaju, Chairman VASON Board of Trustees. This exhibition featured works by a cross section of Nigerian Artists. The next programme was the Ancient Tones and Totems (Columns) Exhibition November 2008.

In 2009, VASON organized an interactive platform for Artists to engage in discussions and exchange of ideas, which was tagged Artists’ Talk and took place on March 16, 2009, at the Terra Kulture. A very successful outing featured presentations by Sam Ovraiti, Olu Ajayi and Ato Arinze. In the same year VASON hosted Open House Exhibition, an invitational exhibition, open to all artists held at Mydrim Gallery from August 20 to September 3, 2009. This exhibition featured 45 artists and over 60 works of art.

Since February 2012, VASON relocated to Freedom Park and organized a Special Exhibition and Art Sale, which took place from March 24 - 31, 2012. As an organization, VASON’s goals are to promote the appreciation and enjoyment of visual arts, within and outside Nigeria and the continent of Africa. It is keen on promoting Art education in schools, as well as, helping in the modernization of the non-creative aspects of professional practice of the visual arts in Nigeria; encouraging the practice and documentation of important Nigerian visual artworks, as well as, promoting, encouraging and enhancing the valuation, preservation and authentication of visual artworks of African heritage. The ultimate goal is to establish the VASON Art Centre for the advancement of the Visual Arts in Nigeria.

38

Books

REVIEW

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Bathing in the stream of wisdom

Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole

M

r. Reuben Chinedum Onwubiko has gone through the ladder of life from its rude beginnings. He knew how to live in lack and struggle to achieve financial freedom. He worked his up the corporate ladder to hold very senior management positions in six multinational corporations in over twenty countries across three continents. He is currently the Africa Marketing Director, Glaxosmithkline Plc. In this unique treatise, he unveils biblical secrets to multiple income streams.

The end of a thing is far better than its beginning (Eccl 7:8).

Take that from the mouth of the wisest man, Solomon. Reuben has digested the wisdom of Solomon more than most. His time travel has yielded these 7streams of income. These are no theories, but time-tested principles juiced by the writer from the fruits of ancient wit. Reuben has done better than most theologians by telling us how to turn the gold mine of Scripture into real gold. Drawing heavily from Ecclesiastes 11, the writer insists that each one of us must have a minimum of seven (7) incomes to achieve financial security the Bible way, no matter the winds that blow.

The writer combines good story-telling skills with wholesome humor and punch lines to communicate business wisdom, encapsulated. By helping us to develop keen and razor-sharp foresight, this book is determined to save us from the pain of hindsight after a depressing financial fall. The writer’s conviction and passion literally jumps at you from the book.

If you have only one source of income, you will have several queries awaiting you from the Master of thousands of cattle on thousand hills; who gives us the power to get wealth. Onwubiko posits that it is not God’s plan that we live in penury. The only way for God to promote His work is to bless His people who would in turn sponsor the gospel. Once your life is in line with His and you live for God’s glory, God will trust you with silver and gold.

The author begins by attacking long-held paradigms and mental chains that have held generations of people down in the financial dumps. Many are prisoners of their wishful thinking, assumptions, cherished, superstitions, misconceptions, fears, and blind-

The author begins by attacking long-held paradigms and mental chains that have held generations of people down in the financial dump

ing bias. Many indeed are perishing for lack of knowledge. He echoes prophetically: “The greatest undoing of mankind is not poverty or disease but ignorance” (Onwubiko, 2014, xxix). This financial doctor has diagnosis this disease of Ebolaic proportions as ROTS, Running on the Spots.

The author argues eloquently that God does not expect you to have only one source of income.

Many government tax forms also expect you to have up to 14 sources of income in the categories of “earned income,” “portfolio income,” and “passive income.” The axiom “do not put all your eggs in one basket” also indicates that you have multiple streams of income.

The author’s creativity is amazing as he gives practical examples of areas people can make money.

His illustrations, charts, tables, and diagrams bring clarity to his teaching. Examples include his pillars of income generation and the streams and tributaries of income. He also employed African proverbs and maxims as an ardent practitioner.

As a true Sabbatarian, the author seems fascinated with sevens: 7

This, awkwardly to your ear may sound, But I must hastily without ado tell There's no melody in hell!

And there mayest not also be found A poet, a verse to read nor foretell.

Ah, but wait, for thou must as well know: Illumination comes not from the Light,

as advocating the “prosperity gospel.”

2. Exegetically, the book is bereft of thorough exegesis of the main chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes on which it is based. Not enough word-study was done outside of the English language. Examining the nuances of the key words and terms of Ecclesiastes 11 in the original language could further strengthen this book.

3. Contextually and thematically, the book of Ecclesiastes is about: “vanity of vanities, all is vanity!” The book, 7Streams of Income, does not key into the general themes of the book of Ecclesiastes as a whole.

4. In biblically accuracy, one can only conjecture the income streams of some of the Bible characters. There is no strong biblical support that Apostle Paul harnessed all the possible income streams suggested by this author.

5. Spiritually speaking, it could really be that some people are called to fully dedicate their entire lives and carrier to emotionally and spiritually enrich the downtrodden, like Mother Theresa. Love and acceptance are the most valuable means of exchange there is in the world.

Money does not pay the highest role in kingdom building.

In conclusion, Onwubiko has made a unique contribution to poverty alleviation by teaching these grand Bible-based and research-supported ideas. Charles H. Spurgeon advocates: “Poverty is no virtue; wealth is no sin” (Spurgeon, 2014, 99). Samuel Johnson backs: “Resolve not to be poor.

Poverty is a great enemy of human happiness” (Boswell, 2001, 128). Adam Smith concludes: “No society can surely be flourishing and happy; of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.” Onwubiko’s book attacks poverty like a plague. It is an antidote to the disease of low productivity, meager achievement, not thriving, colorless dreams, intelligent and talented people living below their potential, and minimalist and mediocre tendencies.

It is a must-read for all religionists and all wanting to take control of their future. * Ojewale is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies, Babcock University, and also Associate Vice-President for Spiritual Life/University Pastor, Babcock University.

No Melody In Hell

REFLECTION Timothy Akinleye

aspects of discipline for financial success; 7 deadly sins that ruin; 7 divine bases for 7 streams; 7 heavenly virtues for successful living; 7 steps to income generation; and 42 ways of hearing from God. One of the unique features of this book is the review mechanism at the end of each chapter to ensure digestion of the life principles he spoon-feeds readers with. The writer artfully provides an avenue for quizzing the readers, forcing them to find practical life applications relevant to each reader’s unique situation.

The author emphasizes the importance of perseverance. He agrees with Stephen Richards’s mantras: “When you do what you fear most, then you can do anything.” “The only thing limiting your aspiration is your imagination.” “If you do not have persistence then no amount of education, talent or genius can make up for it.”

The author believes you can achieve anything by ignoring your limitations. “The realization that limitations are imaginary will make you strong and overpowering” (Richards, 2011, n.p.). “You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making” (Richards, 2011, n.p.). Tommy Lasorda agrees: “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination” (www.goodreads. com/author/quotes/395665.Tommy_Lasorda).

Onwubiko’s clarion call is to take control of your life now. Start today. “Inaction creates nothing.

Action creates success,” agrees Stephen Richards (Richards, 2011, n.p.). You cannot afford to do nothing. Richards concurs further: “Happy people produce. Bored people consume” (Richards, 2006, 93). He continues: “Our souls sparkle brightly with creative energy, our beings are as complex as the universe, and at the same time we help make up a higher body of energy” (Richards, 2006, 93).

To strengthen the groundbreaking ethos of this literary piece, I would suggest the following: 1. Ideologically, the book suggests that everyone could become financially self-sufficient in life.

The Bible says the poor would always be with us. Some would also not be able to carry this out because of extenuating circumstances of health or disability totally beyond their control. The tendency may be for some to mistake the thrust of this book

But from fire that burns steadily bright And streams of tears that ebb not its glow Made for those who loves the blight.

Where do the wicked descend?

They descend and descend and sink Where nobody a melody dare to sing Whereas, the Saints joyously ascend Uniting with angels a hymn, a psalm to sing.

Once more I say, there's no melody in hell Though hourly and daily grows Multitudes of shrieks, screams and groans And 'cause there's no melody in hell, As death sounds its cadence and knell To hell, I refuse to go.

But ne'er for once its face shows.

Where souls malnourished and lo

Much pains mouth cannot tell Abode of them who choose not to know.

Perhaps, from my home too a flight Melody of love; of justice, of peace Essence of its foundation no more at ease Where leading leaders hath no light Leaving us all with a sour kiss! © Tim October, 2014

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

Travel &Tourism 39

Chef's Corner

HOSPITALITY

HOSPITALITY BITS

Facts and figures: Burj Al Arab

Sunday brunch leads the pack at Golden Tulip Warri Airport p.40

Travel Personality

Wasiu Babalola: Hospitality, most unregulated sector in Nigeria p.41

Destination

Rwanda: Basking in the beauty of a thousand hills p.42

One of the rooms (inset: The facade of the hotel)

Chelsea Suite: Standing out from the horde

feels once within the facility are just some of the defining features that give the hotel its appeal.

According to the hotel's general manager, Mrs. Nkechi Uzozea, the hotel's cosy outlook is by no mean a happenstance; it's the result of a deliberate policy, which has turned out to be one of the unique elements that attract guests over the years.

The hotel’s target, said the general manager, is both the business and leisure travellers as the facilities and services on offer are tailored made to cater to the needs of these discerning guests. Interestingly, it has also struck a resonant ute, posh and welcom- chord among the residents of this ing are three words bustling community. which best describe Festac Town, Lagos-based Accommodation The hotel offers 16 rooms of Chelsea Suite. Despite its intensely competitive location, Chelsea different classes, including deSuite still manages to snap up luxe, executive, royal, business attention of residents and visitors. and standard. All well laid out Its homey feel, warmth and and furnished for the comfort and sense of security that one easily relaxation of the guests as well as

Festac Town, in Lagos is gradually becoming a home to hospitality outfits of different shades. It's somewhat challenging to carve a niche in such setting; but Chelsea Suite is doing just that, reports BLESSING ORUCHE.

C

fitted with a number of sophisticated amenities such as comfy bed, tea/coffee set, working desk, flat screen and fridge.

Restaurant/bar The restaurant also comes with its own appeal as it has a fine setting and you are sure to savour the pleasure of the meal on offer, ranging from Nigerian to continental dishes. The bar is just as inviting with its array of wine, champagne and vintage liquors.

On a normal day, the bar is a serene affair. Not so, for very obvious reasons, when live sport events - especially football - are being screened. On such days, many residents converge on the bar to watch their favourite teams while enjoying the treat of the hotel.

Events The hotel also boasts a conference and meeting facility for the corporate as well as social events.

Also known as Tower of the Arab, Burj Al Arab is the third tallest hotel in the world. It construction commenced in 1994 and was completed five years after, 1999 while it was formally opened in December 1999.

The estimated construction budget then was put at $650 million.

The height is put at 332.0 metres (1, 056 feet) with 18 elevators. The luxury hotel, which is the pearl and symbol of Dubai’s tourism height, occupies an artificial island from Jumeirah beach and connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge while the shape of the hotel is that of a ship (Sail of dhow). The hotel was designed by architect Tom Wright of WKK Architects while the design and construction was managed by a Canadian engineer, Rick Gregory of WS Atkins and the construction entails massive engineering work and features.

The hotel is owned and managed by Jumeirah Group and it has 28 floors featuring 202 bedroom suites with the smallest room measuring 169 square metres while the largest room measures 780 square metres.

It is one of the most expensive hotels in the world with the royal suite going for nothing less than $20, 000 per night.

It is a delightsome place to dine and wine with its array of restaurants very classic and featuring variety of world’s menu. One of such is Al Muntaha, which stands for highest or ultimate and it is truly the highest as it is located 200 metres above the Persian Gulf and offers a scenic view of Dubai. There is Al Mahara or Oyster, which is accessed through a simulated submarine voyage and features among others a large seawater aquarium storing over 990, 000 litres of water while the wall of the tank is constructed from acrylic glass in order for its to withstand the water pressure.

It is unofficially called by many a 7 – star hotel. It hosts a helipad, which has played host to many world’s event including tennis with the likes of Roger Federer and Andre Agassi on display and golf with Tiger Woods and Rory Mcilroy.

NEW TELEGRAPH PARTNER HOTELS BENEFITS There are lots of benefits to derive as one of our partner hotels. For FESTAC, LAGOS

enquiries and details on how

ABA LAGOS

to join the programme, please contact Andrew Iro Okungbowa: 08023152195 (sms only), e-mail: iroandy@ymail.com or Chinyere

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Opara: 08063768131 (sms only) ABA

e-mail angela_curtis-2@live.com

40

Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

CHEF’S CORNER

Sunday brunch leads the pack at Golden Tulip Warri Airport Sam Omajala, the food and beverage manager at Golden Tulip Warri Airport Hotel, tells ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA why the hotel's Sunday Brunch is a huge hit among guests.

G

olden Tulip Warri Airport Hotel makes no pretence about its mission to be the best and a home for those with discerning taste and would not compromise on that. Its imposing structure coupled with the sophisticated facilities and devotion to professional service delivery have already distinguished the hotel in its few months of operation.

But the hotel's management led by the general manager, Mr. Akram Daoud, is taking the dream beyond aesthetic heights. He dreams of making the hotel the most sought after dining-out spot in the city. He has put that vision in the hands of the hotel’s food and beverage manager, Mr. Sam Omajala, while he dictates the pace from the backroom, having himself been a food and beverage manager Aware of his boss' huge expectation, Omajala has set afoot a most ambitious plan towards the realisation of this marching order. At the centre of his plan is the family. He explained that when it comes to enjoying the best of culinary treat, no hotel in Warri can rival the hotel, as its menu is designed with the intention of getting families to rekindle the tradition of dining out.

To this end, the food and beverage manager in partnership with the hotel’s general manager has designed a special Sunday Family Brunch, where every family in the city and those visiting should look forward to with relish. According to him, the special package is designed to look after adults as well as children. Children one to six years are treated to meals of their choice gratis while those between six and 12 pay half the regular price.

Omajala...Hopes the experience will rekindle dining out among families

It is a four-course meal with 12 different serving menus, a complimentary glass of sparkling wine, laid at either the restaurant or at the swimming area in enticing buffet style accompanied by two different fruit salad and drinks. ‘‘This is

unique to the hotel," Omajala said, beaming with pride. ‘‘The children will love the Sunday brunch because of the food items that they love are included in the package and it will be an elaborate setting. It is going to be a

meal that brings all the family members together during the weekend to have quality time together and enjoy the benefits of bonding as a family."

Aside this, Omajala also reveals the detailed plans in place to introduce theme nights, an offering which he says entails savouring the best world’s culinary in seven days.

On the bill, he says, is a Nigerian night slated for the last Friday of the month. Everyone will be treated to a variety of Nigerian food with a complimentary local glass of wine juice.

Another highly-rated theme night is that of the Lebanese night with the food and music strictly those of the Asian world. He says this will cater for the increasing Lebanese population in the city, while a live band would sway between Fridays and Sundays at either the lounge bar or the poolside.

It would feature old school music across different genres. This would also be complemented by weekend barbeque at the poolside.

Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner packages come with international recipes and standards as well as infused with the Golden Tulip culinary imprint. You have to sample the hotel’s food offering to appreciate the deliberate attempt by the hotel to be a pacesetter in this aspect of service delivery. ‘‘Our uniqueness is the variety of foods offered to the public as buffet and not as ala carte. It is a real complete buffet, which is a combination of international and Nigerian dishes, as we offer value for the money,’’ adding that the highest standard of service, high quality food, fresh and hygienic with the best of hospitality and professional service are what set the hotel apart from the crowd,’’ the food and beverage manager said.

When next in the oil rich city, a visit to Golden Tulip Warri Airport, may not be a bad idea. Hopefully Sam Omajala and his team may just surpass your expectations.

TRAVEL BEATS

African Business Travel Association to host buyers THE African Business Travel Association (ABTA) is to host its end of year buyers cocktail function on November 3 at the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel, South Africa. The yearly event, which is to hold on the sideline of ABTA’S annual African Business Travel Conference, is to be hosted by ABTA and its founding partners.

According to its founder, Monique Swart, the occasion is ‘‘a social highlight amongst travel buyers in the business travel industry,’’ adding that it is open to all members and partners. ‘‘Following on from our previous end of year events, this cocktail function will be a purely fun and social gathering, giving you the chance to enjoy a light dinner and some drinks with your fellow Travel Buyers and our valued Founding Partners. You will also be participating in a fun activity that we are busy concocting for you! Watch this space for more details,’’ said Swart.

Etihad Airways records impressive performance in third quarter Etihad Airways' performance of the year has continued to score high with its third quarter of the year earning put at $1.8 billion, an increase of 29% year-on-year performance. For the United Arabs Emirates' national carrier, other areas of its business also witnessed a huge leap with growth in passenger increasing to 30% ($3.9 million) between July and September.

Other key areas of growth include available seat kilometre rising from 19 billion in the same quarter of last year to 22 billion this

Hilton sells Waldorf Astoria New York for $1.95 billion year while its cargo operations received a 16% growth in revenue with a carrying capacities 144, 498. This brilliant performances of the airline is believed to put the airlines on track to achieve its strongest ever annual results, having carried 10.5 million passengers and almost 415,000 tonnes of cargo between January and September 2014.

James Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Airways, said: “Our focus on organic growth, codeshare partnerships and minority investments in other airlines has continued to produce strong results, despite the prevalence of industry chal-

lenges such as volatile oil prices, economic and political instability, overcapacity in the market, and access constraints.

“We are confident about sustaining our profitability in 2014 and there are a number of important milestones in the final quarter, including the entry into service of Etihad Airways’ ground-breaking Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in our striking new livery. These aircraft will feature our next generation First, Business and Economy Class products, together with The Residence by Etihad, the world’s first threeroom private cabin."

HILTON Worldwide Holdings has made public the sale of Waldorf Astoria New York for $1.95 billion to Anbang Insurance Group Company Limited. As part of this long-term strategic partnership, Anbang will grant Hilton Worldwide a management agreement to continue to operate the property for the next 100 years while the hotel will undergo a major renovation to restore the property to its historic grandeur.

The Waldorf Astoria New York is the flagship hotel of Hilton Worldwide’s rapidly-expanding luxury brand, Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts. Since 2007, the brand has increased its footprint more than five times to a portfolio of 27 landmark destinations, including Amsterdam, Beijing, Chicago, Dubai, Jerusalem, Ras Al Khaimah and Shanghai. Its pipeline of nine additional hotels includes key destinations such as Bali, Bangkok and Beverly Hills.

“We are very excited to be entering into this longterm relationship with Anbang, which will ensure that the Waldorf Astoria New York represents the brand’s world-class standards for generations to come” said the president and chief executive officer, Hilton Worldwide, Christopher J. Nassetta.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

E Wasiu Babalola TRAVEL PERSONALITY

Hospitality, most unregulated sector in Nigeria

Dr. Wasiu Babalola, a rising star in the hospitality sector, is the chief executive officer of EcoSignature Hospitality Services and managing director of Swiss International Hotels (Switzerland), West Africa, the newest international brand to the Nigerian market and also the honourary secretary of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Nigeria branch, he speaks ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on his various engagements and fate of the hospitality sector.

The beginning ven though he describes his sojourn in the hospitality world as purely accidental, however, he attributes it to God: “I will rather give the inspiration to God. I got into the profession by accident; due to the fact that I do not want to stay idle for a year sitting for another university entrance examination (JAMB) but then, interest built and I found myself wanting to do more for myself and so on.”

With such inspiration, Babalola proceeded to earn a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Hotel and Catering and thus began his romance with the industry, where as a youngster he made quite an impression on the various people and organisations that he has had to work with.

The motivation to the height he has achieved in a little less than two decades of his joining the industry, he says is as a result of the advice from his lecturers during his polytechnic days and elders in the industry who have mentored him.

“My experiences in the industry cover that of a student, employee, lecturer, manager, author, trainer, consultant, and also investor among others. Each role with its own challenges but I thank God for where I am at the moment and where He is taking me to,” he says of his sojourn.

One thing that has stood him out is the fact that has over the years carved a niche for himself in a very distinct aspect of the vast industry: “I have developed a special interest in the field of marketing and corporate strategy and have publications that demonstrated the synergy between the knowledge of marketing and the practices of hospitality and tourism,” he reveals.

Challenges “First and foremost, this industry is the most unregulated industry in Nigeria in which anybody can go into once he has the money without following any guidelines. The challenges are there depending on which side of the coin you face.

The numbers of PhD holders in hospitality and tourism are not enough compared to the numbers of universities offering the courses, yet government is not dedicating enough funds into research for the sector. With increase in numbers of international brands in the country, we are already experiencing shortage of qualified manpower; hence, many of the brands turn to graduates from other disciplines to meet the shortages which also have its own service standards issues and other drawbacks.

Milestones “There may have been considerable gains of late but when compared to other less developed countries then you ask yourself if such should be celebrated. But for the records, we now have government at all levels talking about hospitality and tourism without a master plan or actions for execution. It is a plus that all levels of government are talking at least.

We now have more universities offering

Background Wasiu Babalola holds a PhD in Hospitality Management and currently serves as the chief executive officer of EcoSingature Hospitality Services. Managing director of Swiss International Hotels Switzerland), West Africa, honourary secretary, Institute of Hospitality, UK (Nigeria International Branch), an author and lecturer in several hospitality schools across the country.

Also, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC), Nigerian Hotel and Catering Institute (FNHCI), National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and Certified Board of Administrators of Nigeria (CBAN), among others.

Travel & Tourism

41

hospitality and tourism courses at B.Sc. and Masters levels; one university creating a school for tourism, Hospitality and event management.

The Judiciary has also helped in defining who should grade, yet no acceptable grading system on offer. The only economic milestone is that the industry has helped in reducing the numbers of unemployed youth, which has been due to stable politics and security in some places. This is an economic milestone and not industry specifics.”

Attractions for international brands “Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and the most populous black nation in the world. In fact, Nigeria remains one of the few countries globally that has a robust internal demand that can support its economy. So, if you are not in Nigeria, then you are not in Africa,” he says of the attraction for every international brand fighting to set up shop in Nigeria.

For him, the battle for space is just beginning, as he discloses that more of the international brands are gearing up to have a foot hood in the country. Besides a robust market, he says the relative stable polity and crisis in the Middle East region have helped to boost the industry.

On indigenous brands Why he acknowledges that a number of the Nigerian brands have succeeded in setting some amount of standard in the industry, however, he rues the inability of the brands to compete outside the shores of the country, a situation, which he says is responsible for many of them not earning the deserved respect.

Dearth of manpower “There is death of qualified manpower in the sector, hence the need for training and retraining of the employees. This is where the international brands differ from the unbranded hotels. Most international brands have internal training mechanism in ensuring their staff are up to date in their service delivery.

Practically, the unbranded hotels do not even have budget for staff training, they hardly send staff out to attend trainings or workshops. We all keep blaming the educational sector for not giving to the industry quality workers but what do you expect from an excellent recruit without induction or re-training? Such will soon rust!”

Institute of hospitality The institute has a rich history dating back to the 1930s but it berthed in Nigeria in 2010. It is opened to operators across the various strata of the industry and provides strong professional services for the members. Babalola says of its legacy thus: “This legacy has provided the institute with a rich and diverse community of members, reflecting the broad span of the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry.

On Swiss International Hotels “Our hotels are located in urban areas or in top quality resort locations. We are great believers in offering consistent quality levels. That is why we work with concepts and systems. That applies to our hotels, be it the luxury Royal Swiss Hotel, the upscale Swiss International Hotels or Swiss Spirit Inn, Hotels and Suites. The same applies to our restaurants, bars, meetings and events spaces and our leisure facilities. They are all branded and based on thought-through concepts.

“The Swiss International Brands has become the fastest growing hospitality brand in West Africa with functional hotels in Port Harcourt (Swiss International Mabisel), Lagos (Swiss International D'Palms Airport), Freetown (Swiss Spirit) with Asaba (Swiss Spirit, Mardezok) due for opening in November; and about 10 signings under development in Abuja, Kano, Enugu, Benin, Makurdi, Ibadan, Lome (Togo), and Mali among others.

Our target is to be the preferred brand of choice in all the markets will operate in.”

Advice to government “We need measurable targets with accompanying actions. This will improve the economic confidence that has been triggering the growth of the industry of recent. The tourism master plan should also be reconsidered for execution. The issues of grading of hotels will be more effective where government encourages private-sector participation in its processes, among others.’’

42

Travel & Tourism

Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Lake Kivu

King's Palace in Nyanza

Kibeho- Shrine of our

DESTINATION

Rwanda: Basking in the beauty of a thousand hills As the 10th edition of Akwaaba – Africa Travel Market – opens in a few days time in Lagos, one of the countries expected to showcase at the travel and tourism trade exhibition is Rwanda. ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA highlights the attractions of the country, which is gradually opening a new vista to the world.

L

ast year, Rwanda made a late entry as first timer to the yearly travel and tourism trade exhibition, Akwaaba, in Lagos. The country came with a bang alongside its national carrier, RwandAir, which then also debuted in the Nigerian aviation market.

Given its size and rather troubled history, you would expected a quiet entry; but not so. They took everyone by storm with their colourful and entertaining presentations, especially the splendid display by its national cultural troupe which kept everyone on the edge of their seats all through the three days of the expo.

They literarily stole the show, pulling the rug off the feet of some of the long established and regular exhibitors and countries at the fair. Therefore, it was not totally unexpected at the end of the expo when the country was announced as the best country. Even its airline came top as well.

This development in a way confirmed the fact that the country, since overcoming the darkest era in its history (the 1994 genocide act), has somehow forced the world to look at its brighter and colourful side as it opens a new vista to the world through tourism, which in the last decade or so have continued to attract some level of attention.

Not many people know this until you visit or have the opportunity to be treated to the sweetness of the destination. Of course, they gave a glimpse of that at the event last year. And this year again, they are waiting on the wings to give another five-star entertaining pack-

age as the yearly expo preps for opening to the world in a few days time.

Background Rwanda is a landlocked country located in the tropical region of Central Africa, bordered by Tanzania, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Known as the country of a thousand hills, it enjoys a place of pride geographically and that as you would discover later works perfectly to its advantage because in a way, the country’s landscape presents a picturesque pull that anyone would hardly resist because of its natural beauties.

It sits perfectly on the eastern rim of the Albertine Rift, a western arm of the Great Rift Valley, on the watershed between Africa's two largest river systems - the Nile and the Congo. The landmass spans 26,338 square kilometres with most of its dotted by impressive mountainous ranges with the highest peak being Karisimbi (4,507 metres) in the volcanic Virunga chain protected by the Parc des Volcans while the largest body of water is Lake Kivu.

What you discover as a result of this natural beauty is that the country is full of interesting and exciting sights to explore ranging from a green undulating landscape of hills, gardens and tea plantations, waterfalls, wildlife, rivers, rocky and hilly planes of different colouration and rhythms as well as volcanoes with fine and attractive layouts to explore. Its diverse and rich flora and fauna as well as rich birdlife are something else to behold.

City of Thousand Hills' cityscape

For a sampler, Rwanda is home to a huge diverse population of animals including gorillas, harbouring one third of the world's remaining population of mountain gorilla.

This is one of the most exciting attractions for visitors to the country who engage in gorilla-tracking at such locations as the Parc National des Volcans while primates found in both Nyungwe forest and Akagera National Park are enticing just as it is home to the largest natural park for hippos, which population is put over 20,000.

All of these may just as well account for why the country is also popularly called the land of "gorillas in the mist" with the mountain gorilla as one of its most fascinating attractions. Recently, a naming ceremony was held for some of the gorillas under a carnival–like atmosphere with large crowds and important personalities from across the world, including Nigerians attending the ceremony.

Kigali Rwanda’s capital city is Kigali and it is in the distinct league of some of the world’s small, cute and attractive cities with a lot of inviting characters. It occupies the geographical heart of the country and serves as the commercial and business nerve centre of the country with a booming business life and home to the country’s sea port.

The city has a rich history dating

back to 1907 when it first started as a small colonial outpost but over the years has risen to become a pretty metropolis, notching up and amassing a modern and sophisticated outlook of note. It is dotted by government offices, private businesses and residences of solid nature and many high rise and fascinating structures, making the city an emerging economic, socio-cultural and entertaining place to live in.

Made up of three distinct cities – Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge, the city enjoys, a rich tropical outlook and in a way presents a bird's eye view to the tourism menu of the country. It is actually the best place for a tourist to begin the exploration of the country with a city tour, which as the day progresses opens up to the magical pull that awaits you at the other carefully crafted and packaged sites of the country’s vast and rich tourism experience.

For the city’s administrators, the vision is to ‘‘make the city of Kigali a safer, cleaner and more competitive modern city with expanding opportunities for sustainable development of its citizens and the country at large. Our identity is ‘better service delivery.'" Undoubtedly, after seeing this city you come away with the impression that the city's minders indeed deserve a toast in their honour for at least making the city that attractive and colourful to behold.

r Lady

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Ethnographic Museum- Formerly National Museum

Travel & Tourism

43

Mountain Gorrillas

Intore Dancer

Mountain Gorrillas

Genocide Memorial Centre: This is one of the must see attractions of Kigali, being home to memorabilia that offer hints of the 1994 genocidal act where one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered in hundreds. The museum is a well laid structure and easy to view. It is divided into three distinct sections with the first section detailing the events of the Rwandan genocide, the second section brings to light genocidal acts of other countries while the third and last section is devoted to the children who died during the crisis.

It is quite emotive, so prepare to let out some of these emotions as you engage with the works on display.

Butare This is also another emerging city to explore. It is home to the country’s most prestigious national university, conferring on it the sobriquet - the country’s intellectual capital city. It is also home to the national museum among other icons and institutions scattered across its landscape. To the north of the city is Gitarama, which houses an art museum, a cathedral at the town of Kabgayi and at Mushubati, the grottoes of Bihongori.

It is also the cultural melting pot of the country with its vast, colourful and rich cultural materials to explore with one of the country’s biggest museum to view the great history of the country.

Butare is 135 kilometres from Kigali.

Wildlife Akagera National Park: Is one of

the country’s national park, a savannah covering over 2, 500 square kilometres with the Akagera River to its west. It boasts diverse and rich wildlife of flora and fauna while it is said to be home to over 500 species of birds. It offers an exciting safari with its animal population including lions, zebras, antelopes, hippos, buffalos, leopards, apes, impalas, crested herons, fish eagles, cormorants, giraffes, elephants, elands and warthogs.

Nyungwe Forest National Park: This enclave is regarded as one of the largest remaining high-altitude rainforests in Africa and is home to the world’s largest troop of colobus monkeys, which have a distinctive black and white colouring. It is always fun embarking on a trek just to spot these creations, which swarm around as you walk through the park’s trail tracks.

One other attraction of the park is the canopy walkway. Opened in 2010, it was constructed by a Canadian firm and it is the first of its kind in the region, rising 50 metres (164ft) above ground level and 90 metres (295ft) long. It offers a vintage view of the park.

Lake Kivu: Attractive and beautiful are the words and, of course, quite picturesque to explore is this inland lake, which is enclosed by steep terraced hillsides. You are sure to enjoy a good dose of birdlife at this sanctuarylike enclosure.

Gisenyi: While at Lake Kivu, you can hike to Gisenyi, just by the fringe of the lake and at the tip of the Demo-

cratic Republic of Congo border with the country. The main attraction here is the market, a busy one attracting all kinds of traders and visitors.

Kibuye: On the southern end of the country, it is said to be one of the most attractive places in Rwanda to explore with its rich outlay of natural attractions. This especially so with the lakeside resort where steep forested slopes rise from crystal clear water dotted with dug-out canoes and fishing boats. The town boasts a lively market, range of hotels and restaurants on the lake shore. Great for kayaking and other water-related adrenalin pumping activities around the pockets of lakes.

Virunga Volcanoes: Located between Ruhengeri and Gisenyi in Nyiragongo, across the DRC, it is one of the most inviting volcanoes for mountaineers who throng the country in their numbers. This actually forms part of the volcanoes destination of the country and attract huge following all year with a lot of activities on showpiece, ranging from cultural entertainment to arts and craft.

Congo Nile Trail Is another attractions to explore among the many thousands hills offerings of the country, as this enclave crisscross the Congo Nile and connects two of the country’s national treasures. Hiking is an experience to cherish here covering 227 kilometres across Rubavu to Rusizi via Karongi and Nyamasheke districts.

Among its treasures are the best coffee and tea experiences, eight base camps, two extra-ordinary paths and four bonus diverse sub trails, which are all added value that make up this breath-taking hiking experience a life time one.

Tracking the Golden Monkey Tracking the golden monkey is one fascinating activity to engage in while in Rwanda, as it has a population of endangered primates in the continent, which are sighted at the Virunga Volcanoes. The golden monkey is quite distinct species of guenon and there are two groups within this national volcanoes park, the Kabatwa group, which is found in the east of the park, on the flanks of the Sabinyo volcano while the Musongo group lives higher up on the flanks of the Karisimbi volcano.

Culture The country lays claim to a diverse and rich cultural elements, to which visitors are lavishly treated. Quite a warm and welcoming people, you are sure to enjoy a taste of the people’s traditional hospitality. The list includes arts and craft, music and dance, poetry and pottery.

Night life could be pleasurable in many of the attractions across the country with its national cultural troupe and ballet’s scintillating performances of traditional music and dance to contemporary renditions very tantalizing to experience.

My Weekend SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER, 2014

44

I only attend worthwhile parties – Fashina

F

or Mrs. Olushola Fashina, her status as the spouse to a former deputy speaker of the Lagos State House 24 years ago is not a credential she flaunts. She strives as much as she could to refrain from talking about it. Rather, what makes much meaning to her is to get the better part of life, see her business grows and most of all get the best of relaxations.

She says her social life is well on track because she has achieved her dream of building a family, with her children now fully grown and raising their own families.

Fashina, in her early 50s says she imbibes good ideals from her parents who imparted utmost discipline in their children as way of life. “I’m a hardworking person because my parents taught us to embrace good ideals, like been gainfully engaged in a profitable endeavour which is the only way one could assert oneself in the society and among peers. So, I was bred by focused parents. This, I have been able to pass on to my own family, it is my focal point of life, I don’t I condone laziness.”

She restates her long cherished way of life, socialisation, which she still lives with. “I mingled with friends, people of like minds from my younger days. Then we used to have the best of time, attending social events. Some of them I still have contact with,” she enthuses.

Fashina adds, “I still have contact with one or two of my classmates up till now.

For instance, I’m in touch with Mrs. Bisi Ibrahim, a proprietor of a filling station in Ikeja and another, Mrs. Anifowoshe, an Ibadan-based businesswoman. We are still in contact with one another and we come together when there is need for us to do that. We even attend social events together though not often.”

Fashina, who is already a grandmother, says she always looks forward to have eventful weekends whenever one approaches.

“My weekend starts on Saturday as I’m always in my shop for five days, from Monday to Friday to transact business. I spend my weekend in splendid ways.

On Saturday, I start my day at home with activities like cleaning despite the fact that I have house helps. I ensure that my environment is properly cleaned up, this is part of my routine weekly exercise. Thereafter, I set sight on what I want to do for remaining part of the day.

I attend social events at times if I am invited but not in all cases. If I have to attend party, it has to be worth the while and I will ensure I get utmost enjoyment from such outings, which certainly will create opportunities for me to be with friends and family friends. If I don’t have social engagement, I spend quality time at home relaxing and wind down from the week’s busy schedules at shop,” she explains.

Irrespective of her frame, she obviously sounds like a stickler for the menu she cherishes particularly on weekends as she says, “If I’m not engaged or invited for any occasion on weekend, I will relax at home and cook one of my favourite menus. I love taking stuff like salad, which I prepare by myself. But I have preference for a particular menu, which is rice and vegetable with assorted meat part or fresh or dried fish. I love this is menu and it has been my preferred menu on weekend for several years.

I opt for agidi or pap, the solid one with the vegetable soup in some cases. I like taking this when I’m at home on weekend. It is

What makes the most sense to Olushola Fashina, a fabric merchant and chief executive officer of Olushola Investment Company is not her status as a spouse to a former deputy speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly but how she makes the best out of her weekends, writes SEGUN EDWARDS. usually very nice. I always love to take beans and I take my time to prepare this to my taste. I will boil the beans and add a lot of nutritional value. For instance, I will add fish and crayfish to it for the deserved taste and it always sumptuous.”

She equally has preference for the upper class choice drink saying, “I’m the type that love to take cream mixed with mild liquor tasted drink popularly known as Irish cream, it has been my preferred drink when I’m relaxing at home on weekend.”

The towering fabric merchant says irrespective of her socialisation consciousness, she does not belong to any social club.

“No, I don’t belong to any social organisation from my younger days, though, I am always in touch with my friends, those that I called friends of like minds. We get to meet always, particularly when we have social events to attend. They invite me to their social activities and I do just the same, but I have not been associated with any social. For my hubby, I think I’ll say yes he is a member of Island Club and others, but for me no string attach to any.

Talking about some of her memorable recent social outings she said: “Just recently, we graced the occasion of one of the All Progressives Congress (APC), governorship aspirant, Akin Ambode, mother in-law’s burial at Epe, Lagos. We were all there together and had a good time. The atmosphere was a great one, we had the best of time at the party, as we were all clad in the same Aso Ebi sold by the organisers of the occasion. Everybody was clad in the same cloth sewn in

I’m a hardworking person because my parents taught us to embrace good ideals

different designs by all the attendees, the atmosphere was electrifying. The occasion as expected was graced by who is in the society, politicians, business moguls and Nigerians from far near.

On her social flings with friends, she says, “We rally round one another whenever there is activity to be attended like when our children are having their wedding, we get in touch over arrangement for such event. I get their Aso Ebi across to them, while they remit the money into my bank account without any stress. Such instance is the preparation for the wedding of one of my children coming up in December. They will get in touch with me to find out, what we require to make the occasion splendid, and everybody will make adequate preparation for the occasion.”

She says she has always devoted time to relax with her family stating, “I have a cordial relationship with my family particularly with my children, we wined and dine together, though they are grown -ups now. I could recall we used to visit the National Art Theatre in Iganmmu, Lagos, often several years back. It was every weekend affairs back then.

But the children are grown now, we still have a cordial relationship though. Two of them (ladies), wedded five ago, while my second son is the one whose wedding is billed for December.

Asked about her location of preference, if she has an opportunity for holiday abroad, she says, “I will wish to spend such holiday in Washington DC, United States, because my immediate younger sister has been residing there for years with her family. I know such a visit would be a pleasant experience because it provides opportunity for re-union with my sister.

“I would also like the idea of travelling to the UK, as this would equally create a platform for a re-union with my elder sister. She is been living there for several years too.

Such opportunity would afford me the opportunity to visit some interesting places in London.”

Olushola Karimat Fashina, says was born into the Ogunbunmi family of Ikorodu, popularly called the ‘Eleyin Gold’ meaning ‘Golden teeth,’ in Epetedo area of Lagos Island over 50 years ago.

Recalling her growing up days in Lagos, she says, “Life was meaningful in our days, because was quietness, Lagos was not as crowded as it is now and there were minimal incidents of social decadence which is prevalent these days.

People know one another, as families related in an atmosphere of cordiality.”

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014

Politics 45

Chibok

Sarah, that's an attack on me, Ezekwesili tells minister p.47

FaceOff

APC and PDP stalwarts disagree on Obasanjo p.48 & 49

Business Sense

Integrity and the business index decline p.52

There is nothing like democracy in Nigeria, says Abubakar Audu Former Kogi State governor, Prince Abubakar Audu, is the state leader of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC). During a recent parley with newsmen at his Ogbonicha home in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi state, Audu spoke to MOHAMMED BASHIR about the forthcoming presidential primaries of the party.

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Are you not worried that the calibre of politicians vying for the presidential ticket of the APC, might affect the party’s chances in 2015?

Why should I be worried? I think I should be worried that the number of the aspirants is not enough. Besides, I don’t think that their aspiration will ever, in any way, affect the party. In the western part of the world, including America where we took our democracy from, a seating president will have more than four people contesting with him in the primaries and that can not change or affect the political party he belongs to.

Definitely, all of them can not win; it is only one person that will emerge in the end. If that happens, it behoves the others to support him to win in the general election.

It is a mockery of democracy if only one man emerges sole candidate, that is

not good for our democracy. But If that is a Nigerian factor, so be it, but if there are more than two aspirants, it makes the process more democratic; the man with the best manifesto and the man that the people like will emerge at the end of the primaries and such person, if he wins the general election, will definitely perform because he got the power through a legitimate electoral process. He will also be accountable to the electorate.

So I don’t see anything wrong if APC has three or four bigwigs contesting the forthcoming presidential primary. It is only in the military that when a general gives order, every other soldier obeys the order. In a democracy, it is not like that. An aspirant has to convince his people before they can vote for him. We are democrats and we should be able to absorb and assimilate criticism, constructive or otherwise.That is what true

democracy is all about.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has just lifted ban on the activities of political parties.

Considering the insecurity in the northern parts of the country, what is the implication?

As far as I am concerned, INEC did not live up to expectation. Where was INEC when a particular party was campaigning openly and organising rallies, despite the order? The insecurity in the north is a general phenomenon and terrorism is a global issue. In my opinion, the insecurity in the north emanated from gross unemployment in the country. It is unemployment that ushered in Boko Haram, kidnapping, armed robbery, 419 and other vices that are inimical CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

46

Politics

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

‘I have great respect for Gov Wada’

CONTINUED from PAGE 45

to the peace of the society today.

Unless the government, at all levels, stand firm to reduce the pressure on the labour market, the country can not move from this unpleasant situation we are facing right now. We have to check other contributing factors too.

A situation where tertiary institutions in the country continue to churn out graduates every year and there is nothing for them to do pose a great threat to the peace and security of the country. My candid advice is that the three tiers of government we have today should intensify efforts to create jobs for the youths; discourage them from venturing into criminal activities all in the search for survival.

Your relationship with Governor Idris Wada, has generated criticism from your party. Are you perturbed over the allegation of Mr. James Ocholi (SAN) that you may end up campaign director of the governor’s re-election?

The governor, Captain Idris Wada, is my brother and a good. Politics can never come between us. As far as I am concerned , he remains my friend . I respect him because he did what I can not do.

Immediately after his inauguration in January 2012, he was in my house, despite the fact that we were in the court at that time and he did not mention any thing about the court case. He reminded me of our friendship of over 40 years. I said it in my mind that “did this man know that I am in the court with him?” He did not show any sign of concern that we were litigants. Few months after, he came to my house again . As a person, I can not do that and I will continue to appreciate him for the gesture.

Even if I am contesting the presidency, I can not blackmail him. When my children wedded, Wada was not invited but he deemed it necessary to attend the reception. Even when he was not allowed into the reception venue, he insisted that he must enter because he did not come there as a governor but as a friend. I quickly intervened and he entered the reception venue. Such thing I can not do it and he has done it . I will continue to be grateful to him and respect him. I can not blackmail him because I want to win election. I will never do that.

He play his politics as a member of People Democratic Party (PDP) and I play mine as a member of the APC).

I don’t think that should create a rift between us. If not because of the primitive politics we play in Nigeria, in other parts of the world, twins from the same womb can belong to different parties. When they climb the rostrum, they can criticize or even abuse each other but when they come home, they sit together and eat from the same plate. That is what I believe politics should be. Politics should not be allowed to create permanent enmity between people, especially friends who have been together before venturing into politics .

Politics is all about interests and such interests may differ or be the same. As far as I am concerned, Captain Wada is my friend , I belong to APC and he belongs to PDP. I will never insult him or blackmail him, but that does not deter me from winning my election or achieving what God has destined for me.

I am not into politics as played in the state in the past. What I did for the

former governor, Ibrahim Idris , I did not do a quarter of it for Wada and he appreciated it. Instead, the former governor made me his worst enemy.

Wada is playing civilized politics and not primitive politics that is played in the developing world. Wada is an intelligent man , his brain box is impressive , he has the intellectual capacity and is exposed. So whenever you see somebody who possesses similar quality, you will definitely admire him, but that does not mean that I am working for PDP or I want to defect to that party and become a campaign director to him.

I am one of the few politicians in this country who can never join the ruling party . I have consistently and permanently remained in the opposition.

Barrister James Ocholi’s case is a non-issue in the APC fold. He was suspended twice from the party and only decided to take the party to court, hence he stands to be expelled from the party because the constitution of APC clearly stipulates that any member who takes the party to court for any reason whatsoever will face expulsion. I wonder why he is impersonating the deputy national legal adviser of the party when he was sacked. I am saying it now, without mincing words, that Ocholi is no longer our member and he is not a member of the national executive council of the party.

The people of Kogi State still yearns for you to return as governor of the state, based on your track record when you ruled the state some years back. Will you respect their wish?

There is nothing to think about.

Most often than not, I think about what is happening to the state in terms of its low and slow development pace. If it is the wish of God and the people for me to come back again as governor of the state, I will definitely come back. If it is not the wish of God and that of the people, I will not because I will be the last person or politician who will accept an election to be rigged in my favour to satisfy my ambition of becoming a governor again.

Every thing is in God’s hand. I hail from Ogbonicho, a most remote area in the state and in the country at large and if not God, how could someone from this locality get the opportunity to rule this state? It is an act of God. I knew about yesterday and today, but God knows yesterday, today and tomorrow.

If you want to be frank about elections in Nigeria, every elections that took place in 1999 was free and fair . I have been saying repeatedly that there has been no credible elections in Nigeria since. As a matter of fact, the1999 election that was midwived by the military was the

truest, freest, fairest and most credible election that was held in Nigeria since the return of democracy.

Since 2003 that the political class has been holding elections, it has all been a sham and festival of flaws.

The late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua attested to the fact that the election that brought him to power was characterised by irregularities and as such, described it as not free and fair. I am not exaggerating this issue because I belong to the opposition party. The Justice Mohammed Uwais committee on electoral reforms also confirmed, in clear terms, that there has been no free and fair election in Nigeria, especially civilian to civilian transition. The Uwais committee advanced a way forward through which the electoral process of the country can be reshaped via the committee’s recommendations based on their findings from the political class and the statement made by the late president.

Federal Government, up till date, has refused to implement a single item of that report because they knew that if such report and recommendation are implemented to the letter, the right people will start winning elections in the country. It is disheartening

I am one of the few politicians in this country who can never join the ruling party

that those in power want to remain there permanently without considering how they got there. We have a terrible situation at hand, where the electorate can no longer hold their leaders accountable for their actions and inactions while they occupied public offices which, ordinarily, ought to be on trust.

Of recent, America stopped buying our crude oil, other countries may soon join because there is no true democracy in Nigeria which is not palatable to us Nigerians. It is apparent that 90 percent of the people in elective positions in this country today were not elected but selected and that mode of operation is not good for democracy. The essence of democracy is for the electorate to choose, by way of electing, the person or persons they believe can adequately represent them at any level.

Nigeria has a very strong economic base and there are avalanches of indices of development, but all of these also depend on the political situation of the country for such available potential to be utilized maximally. If we don’t practice true democracy, we will have it all wrong and if we have it all wrong , it will be terrible for the people of the country. This means there is no democracy, but civil rule in Nigeria.

Politics

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Sarah, that's an attack on me, Ezekwesili tells minister

47

The inability of an escapee Chibok girl to speak english triggers a ribcracking comedy featuring Sarah Ochepe and Oby Ezekwesili, YEKEEN NURUDEEN reports

A

n altercation between a former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and current Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe over inability of one of the escaped Chibok girls to address the Minister in English language at a rally organised by the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) advocacy group to mark the six months that 219 Chibok girls have been missing.

The Chibok girl simply identified as Rebecca, who was called to address the Minister after a parent, Enoch Mark from Chibok whose two daughters are among the missing girls had spoken to the Minister. But the inability of the girl to express herself in English language but Hausa drew the ire of members of BBOG led by Dr. Ezekwesili. A member of the group,

F

Aisha Yesufu was quick to make reference to the quality of education in the country. To this, Mrs. Ochekpe quickly responded that Dr. Ezekwesili was also responsible for the problem as she was a Minister of Education. As a result, the following altercation ensued between the two amazons who spat fire at each other in the presence of all security operatives, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina, Minister of Environment Laurencia Malam, local and foreign journalists and BBOG members.

Yesufu: Can you see the quality of education in this country under this government?

Ochekpe: She was the Minister of Education (referring to Dr. Ezekwesili) Ezekwesili: Sarah, I consider that as

Ezekwesili

an attack on me.

Ochekpe: I will respond to you. We run the education together Ezekwesili: Oh, yes, very good and I'm sure you know the reforms that were done in the education that you have dumped. You know the reforms that were not about transactions. You know the reforms that were about reforming the institutions of education. Shame on you Sarah, shame .

Ochekpe: Minister of education, shame! It is not over, let's talk about

Ochekpe

education.

Ezekwesili: The days are coming, when the same person who is misrepresenting the reforms in the education that she knew about just because she happens to in a situation where discrediting the reforms she knew about pays her. The day is coming when you will recant what you have said today.

Ochekpe: Not at all Ezekwesili: Alright we would see. We are going to let the girl speak... she will speak to you in the language that she can speak.

NAFDAC: Beginning Ebola fight from mind’s eye

or those who see the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as a household name in the regulation of drugs and food products, they will be certain that the agency anticipates outcomes and promptly nips them in the bud. Regarding EVD, the agency has, since its emergence in 2001, been resolute in suing for consistent hand-washing, sanitation and proper hygiene among households in the country.

Little did the agency or anyone, at any point within the last five decades, have the inkling that the viral disease, which reportedly emerged first in a West African country in 1976, would resurface in Nigeria, imposing on everyone the need to wash their hands; maintain strict sanitation and hygiene codes as antidotes for the disease.

Established by an Act of the National Assembly in 1993, NAFDAC has been aggressively sensitising Nigerians on the need for personal hygiene and sanitation. This accounts for the agency’s landmark records of no fewer than 2000 local, national and international records in the last 10years on hygiene among children between 0-59 months. This was achieved through consistent polio immunization and exclusive breastfeeding, and enhanced dieting among expectant women and those with special health needs. These are done to ensure that the health of the nation is safeguarded as emphasized in its slogan-NAFDAC: Safeguarding the health of the nation.

For polio vaccines, the agency regularly collaborates with appropriate immunization agencies to emphasize refrigeration and sterilization of vaccines to avoid contamination with bacteria and viruses. Recall that the agency had few years back, dissuaded parents from patronizing sellers of My Pickin teething formula for fear of escalating deaths among children.

About 40 Nigerian children reportedly

As if the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) got an inkling that the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) will emerge in Nigeria with accompanying symptoms associated with poor hygiene, it stepped up, far ahead of time, warnings against poor attention to hygiene, writes OTEI OHAM died after the syrup was administered on them, according to the agency.

As a measure to control the spread of EVD, World Health Organization (WHO) has reportedly warned people living in high risk areas in West Africa to avoid consuming the meat of bush animals such as monkeys, gorillas, bats and chimpanzees, and to properly cook their foods before consumption. This follows the agency’s dismissal of rumour, through its Director, Special Duties, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh that salt-water solution was a panacea for contracting ebola virus.

Again, long before the outbreak of the disease, the agency strengthened its Directorate of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition to sensitize the public towards cooking their foods up to 60 degrees before consumption. In a recent media chat in Abuja, Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Mrs Benedicta Obaseki stressed that poorly cooked food could cause infection, leading to diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid and cholera. She emphasized that the right temperature for food is between 50 degrees to 60 degrees celcius, adding that all cooked and perishable foods should be properly refrigerated and not stored for too long, even in the required temperature.

Sadly, cooked foods are being refrigerated at most urban homes for as long as 30 days, and upon consumption, add no nutrient to the body. In rural homes, foods are consumed as they are cooked and vegetables are also consumed as they are harvested, or sometimes raw, increasing chances of healthy living and life expectancy.

NAFDAC is also aggressive in the fortification of food. It recently part-

Political office holders in the country are equally valuable partners of the agency

nered Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) at Oyingbo Market in Lagos to implement National Food Fortification Campaign where they campaigned for the consumption of fortified food as a boost to disease resistance. Closely linked to this is the campaign for the consumption of iodized salts among households.

While receiving I- Check equipment for testing of iodine in salt donated to NAFDAC by GAIN and Micronutrient Initiative (MI) in Abuja, Director General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii said the consumption of non-iodized salt constituted a serious health challenge on the mental development of children and other devastating consequences occasioned by iodine deficiency disorders. He sued for public cooperation to achieve the objectives of the campaign. Not just GAIN and MI, NAFDAC has since the amendments of the Act establishing it in April 2001 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, been in close working relationships with Consumer Protection Council of Nigeria (CPC), Standard Organizations of Nigeria (SON), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufactures Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) and Consumer Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Other bodies the agency has been partnering with include Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Associa-

tion of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees of Nigeria (AFBTE), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Association of Nigeria Custom Licensed Agents (ANCLA), Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Association (PPMDA), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).

Political office holders in the country are equally valuable partners of the agency. Akwa Ibom State governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio, for instance, recently tasked the Society for Family Health (SFH) to collaborate with NAFDAC in controlling incidence of fake malaria drugs in the country For CPC, in its commitment to its partnership, NAFDAC announced recently that all was now set for it to commence penalization of eateries and restaurants operating below standard in all parts of the country.

In a media chat in Abuja, Dr Orhii said it was mandatory for such outlets to be standard-driven to ensure safety of foods, stressing that the agency had been monitoring eateries and restaurants across the country to ensure full compliance. This is being appreciated at the time health bodies are identifying sanitation and personal hygiene as antidote for contracting the EVD. Sadly, a good number of eateries and restaurants, as fashionable as they are, have no conveniences and hand- washing facilities. Those who do, have no soaps, detergents and sanitizers. It is also in recognition of this that the agency infused Food and Drug Safety education in the country’s Basic School Curriculum, as well as the championing of enlightenment campaigns on its aims and objectives on major broadcast stations in Nigeria and the Ben Tv in the United Kingdom.

FaceOff SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH 18 OCTOBER 2014

48

What is your assessment of Nigeria at 54?

Nigeria is a growing and developing project. At 54, Nigeria has started to get to that point of showing maturity, in showing development. Nigeria is having all the indications of a country that is going to prosper at the end of the day, if we are all resolute, all committed, determined and patriotic. When I say we all, I don’t mean 100 per cent, if 70 per cent or 90 per cent is patriotic and committed, we will realize the Nigeria of our dream.

Some stakeholders say that Nigeria’s problem is leadership. Do you agree?

In what country don’t you have the leadership problem? However, I do not believe that the entire problem of Nigeria is leadership. In Brazil, they will say they are having leadership problem. We have a situation in different countries whereby different leaders have styles of governance. The most important thing is that they are able to achieve their goal when in government. An example is during Olusegun Obasanjo’s era, there were giant strides in the right direction that Obasanjo took that have taken Nigeria to a different and better level from where he met it.

What do you mean by giant strides Obasanjo took as president?

Obasanjo was the one that revolutionalised the aviation industry, he was the one that revolutionalised the power industry, and he was the one that revolutionalised the civil service.

He also revolutionalised the telecommunication industry. He also did a lot in terms of education by giving us the UBE and Educational Trust Fund. He revolutionalised even the psyche of the people of Nigeria. He revolutionalised the finance sector of the country.

He is the one that took the bull by the horn and blocked a lot of leaking holes that have been ruining government finances. Same thing with President Goodluck Jonathan. Yar’adua also took the bull by the horns by instituting an amnesty programme which stabilized the Niger Delta. He subsequently increased oil production from 700,000 barrel per day to almost 2 million barrel per day. Obasanjo also did well; he cleaned out the major debt of Nigeria in the Paris Club that was worth billion of dollars. Goodluck Jonathan has revolutionalised the rail industry. He has also sparked a revolution in the finance industry. He has also increased the GDP. He has created the ministry of trade and investment for the first time; he has pursued the Nigerian content in the oil industry. He has been able to curtail lavish spending, even though many people don’t like it. He has tried his best as far as he can on corruption.

Even though people say it is not good enough. He is the president that allowed the freedom of information bill and executed it. Everybody knows that there is total freedom of the press.

He has given practical expression to affirmative action by allocating up to 35 percent of his cabinet to women. He has kept the military together, even in the high of opposition and in the height of mutiny and insurgency. He is a human being; he is not a super robot.

Under the circumstances that we have found ourselves in this country, leaders have performed to the best of their ability at the federal level. They have made their mark. Thank God they are all representatives of the PDP. Contrary to your high rating, Chief Olu

Doherty

Obasanjo transformed Nigeria’s economy, says Doherty Engineer Adedeji Doherty, former acting national vice chairman (South-West) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and governorship aspirant in 2015, reiterated to WALE ABIODUN, that even if he did nothing else, former President Olusegun Obasanjo transformed Nigeria’s economy.

Falae believes that Obasanjo’s administration was most corrupt and that he set up anti- corruption agencies to tackle political enemies. What is your opinion on this?

I don’t like to comment on statements made by those we call leaders of our zone. You will remember that I was the former acting national vice chairman (South-West) of PDP. I see it quite belated for a person of Chief Olu Falae’s calibre to be throwing stones at one of his colleagues, retired General Olusegun Obasanjo. If my memory serves me right, Chief Olu Falae has been in the system for a very long time and I am sure he was once a minister at a particular time. He also ran for the position of president. When he was in this position what did he do. He should tell us, where are his children?

He should tell us where and how he contributed to the emancipation and the progress of the zone when he was in the position to do it. So, I will believe that whatever he says is between him and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. But I will plead with them that they should please take the generation we are in right now and make it the priority in their utterances. Make it a priority in their actions and decision-making.

Some stakeholders are of the view that a major problem facing Nigeria is

I believe that we even blow the issue of corruption out of proportion to make it look as if it is a daily thing

corruption. Do you agree?

On corruption, I think if we want to call a spade a spade, there is corruption in the low, middle, high and in all facets of the nation. However, in most developed countries, there is advanced corruption. That does not mean that corruption is right. That does not mean that corruption is correct and that does not mean that corruption should be acceptable. But I believe that we even blow the issue of corruption out of proportion to make it look as if it is a daily thing. It is good for us to have the awareness of corruption. The infrastructure and machineries that are supposed to curtail corruption should do so. I believe that instead of us shouting that a government is corrupt, we should be shouting of the infrastructures and agencies that are supposed to curtail corruption. They should do their job as it should be done.

The EFCC, police, ICPC and most of all, the judiciary.

Do you still believe in a treasury ministry as panacea for corruption?

It is part of the machineries I am telling you about. Treasury ministry is the bus stop of investigating corruption.

For instance, if you have corruption in the oil industry, from the treasury ministry, you can see the blueprint and the whole scenario of the corruption.

Because, they will deal with statistics,

figures, projections and earnings.

Right from there, you will be able to see where the corruption has been committed.

What informed your public declaration of intention to be the next governor of Lagos State on the platform of PDP? Since 2003, I have been on the project of becoming the governor of the state. The vision, dream and actualization of this project is something that has been on in me since I left school. It now increased the more when I started doing business on my own and I started living among the rural people. I lived in Tejuosho. I had shops in Fiditi, Oshogbo, Gbongan, Kano, Maiduguri, Onitsha, Aba. In Lagos here, I had shops in Alaba, EbuteEro, Oke- Arin, Ido, Ketu, Mile 12, and Mushin. I lived with the rural people. I Iived in the grassroots.

I made money within the system and the ambience of the grassroots people. They made me what I am today. What I’m saying is that Lagos State should give me a chance to plough back what I have gotten from the society. I want to help in the development of Lagos State.

Not only that, I want to help the impoverished people of Lagos State so that they can enjoy the dividends of democracy. I can empower the youths, women and the whole people. I can empower and help retired civil servants, retired medical doctors, nurses, lecturers.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

FaceOff | Politics

49

Obasanjo’s administration was the worst of PDP, says Igbokwe

Joe Igbokwe, publicity secretary of Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), speaks to WALE ABIODUN, on national issues, including democracy in Nigeria and former President Obasanjo’s administration which he described as corrupt, belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

What is your assessment of Nigeria at 54?

Nigeria, at 54, is a brand new car without a driver. We have failed in all the departments of leadership. Talk of health, power, transportation, security, Agriculture, infrastructure, Housing, employment, we have failed in all these directions. I am going to bring out four critical areas; look at security, employment, power, transportation. Do we really have security in this country? The army of Nigeria that was the best in Africa few years back is now the worst in the world. Look at BokoHaram: our soldiers ran to Cameroon, they were humiliated and brought back. Boko-Haram has bombed United Nations office, bombed army barracks, bombed schools, churches and mosques.

Any government that cannot guarantee security of lives and property, that government must go. We have failed in all areas of security.

Our army is no longer the army we used to know. The problem of unemployment has always been there. Look at the recruitment into the Nigerian Immigration Service, where almost 6 million people applied for three thousand jobs.

These mediocres decided to do it in the open; they went to the national stadium to conduct examination, where people don’t have tables, they don’t have seats.

There was stampede that led to loss of lives. They just created an impression that they were doing something to reduce unemployment. Before 1999, our electricity supply was better than what is obtainable now. After investing over 16 billion dollars; after 15 years, we are still producing under 4,000 megawatts. Corruption and impunity have taken great dimension in Nigeria. Our transportation is a ruse, they cannot plan. The only thing I can see in Nigeria is that we thank God that we remain together as one people, despite our many wars, including civil war, religious wars, ethnic wars, we are still together as one entity. But what is in this world if you are to wait till the end of age before you get the promise of good water, security, good transportation system? Do we have to wait till the end of age to get these things? Time does not wait for anybody; nobody is going to come here to build this country for us. The major problem we have is that we are having wrong people in the seat of power, they are in charge and they don’t understand what the leadership is all about. They don’t even know when to say enough is enough.

They have stolen for themselves, their children and they have stolen for their grand children and they want to steal more. That is Nigeria’s problem; the money that was supposed to be used for investment is diverted to private pockets. We have missed the first century and God forbid that we

Boko-Haram has killed. Check the number of people that have been killed unaccountable for.

Bola Ige was killed, a sitting minister, we have not found his killers. We have not found the killers of Harry Marshal. We cannot continue in that way. Things are getting worse. They have messed up this country.

Are you saying that the problem of Nigeria has to do with leadership and corruption?

Leadership, not only corruption; if you put a good leader there, if he does not like corruption, corruption will be reduced to the barest minimum. But if they see that this person does not care, corruption will go up.

How prepared is your party APC to win the 2015 presidential election and retain Lagos?

We are asking people to trust APC. If you have tested PDP for almost 15 years and they are not working, try APC. Some people say there is no difference between PDP and APC; it is a big lie from the pit of hell. Try APC first and see how APC will effect positive change in Nigeria. Try us before you can judge us. Give us a trial for just four years and compare us with PDP of 15 years. For Lagos they are wasting their time, they have stolen some other states but they cannot steal Lagos. Lagosians will ask you what you have done with federal power before they can give you Lagos. This is the only state that is working in Nigeria. This is the only state that has done Nigeria proud. When Ebola came, it was crushed in Lagos. There is no Ebola in Nigeria as I am speaking to you now. A governor sitting in Lagos did it and they were taking the accolades. Lagos people are wise; it is too important, too precious to be left in the hands of PDP because anything they touch, they turn it to ashes. Anything they touch goes down. They are instruments of mass destruction. They don’t know how to build but how to destroy. What PDP is known for is corruption and impunity. They have destroyed Nigeria.

Igbokwe

What we want is to sack them.

miss the next century.

You said that before 1999, electricity supply was better then than what is obtainable now. In a I recent interview, Chief Olu Falae, described Chief Obasanjo’s administration as most corrupt, adding that Obasanjo set up anti corruption agencies to fight opposition. What is your view on this?

It is the same PDP. Obasanjo’s administration was corrupt because he belongs to the same PDP. Whether it is Obasanjo’s own or Jonathan’s own, it is the same PDP.

You believe that Obasanjo’s administration was corrupt?

It started from there. Nobody was prosecuted except his enemies. It is still the same people.

What PDP is known for is corruption and impunity

Assess democracy in Nigeria since 1999?

At what cost? Fine, we have had democracy for almost 15 years now but at what cost? We are supposed to be improving but we are not better. Many people have been killed under this democracy.

Check the number of people that

How do you intend to beat the power of incumbency at the federal level?

Nigerian people are tired of PDP and Nigerians are ready to vote PDP out. We are going to vote PDP out through free and fair elections.

Assess the the just-concluded national conference.

We have seen many national conferences before. What have we done with them? Our problems are not laws; our problem is with people in charge. These are people that cannot think; not visionary. They cannot see things differently for the development of Nigeria.

Companies & Stock SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

50

18 OCTOBER, 2014

Can Oando sustain first quarter profitability to full year?

O

ando Plc’s financial year 2013 audited result as well as its first quarter and half year ’s 2014 unaudited results all showed that the company’s top line weakness is continuing.

The company had proposed a dividend of N0.30k per share for its 2013 financial year in line with all expectations implying a dividend yield of 1.2 per cent.

It also proposed for the first time, an interim dividend of N0.70k for the 2014 half year financial period.

The company’s top line weakness persists on lower downstream through its output in the 2013 as revenues fell 30 per cent on year on year to N449.8 billion.

Revenue from upstream subsidiary dipped 5 per cent year on year on the back of lower net realizable crude price of $87.32 in 2013 as against $91.20 in 2012 as average production volumes remained flat. On the other hand, sales from gas and power division declined 30 per cent to N24.8 billion largely as a result of exclusion of contributions from its East Horizon Gas Company (EHGC).

Gross profit for the year contracted by 32 per cent to N390 billion, with gross profit also dropping by 15 per cent to N59.2 billion. However, lower contribution from its downstream business was evidently reflective as gross margin continued to average 2 per cent in the last 2 years.

Gross margin expanded 240bps year on year to 13 per cent.

Operating expenses rose by a modest 1.6 per cent to N47.8 billion as a administrative expens-

Oando’s 2013 Q2 results 2013

2012

Change

Turnover

N280.32 billion

N350.69 billion

-20.0%

Gross profit

N30.23 billion

N31.01 billion

-2.5%

Profit before tax

N6.15 billion

N10.41 billion

40.9%

Profit after tax

N4.01 billion

N6.53 billion

-38.5%

Wale Tinubu...MD Oando

es rose by 5 per cent increase to N41.4 billion—on the back of higher depreciation particularly from its upstream assets.

This offset the 14 per cent year on year decline in selling and

distribution expenses to N5.5 billion.

On largely reflecting interest charges linked to deposit for the COP acquisition, net finance charges rose 55 per cent

to N15.8 billion causing profit before tax to plunge by 96 per cent to N713 million. Taxes of N5.4 billion equally resulted in loss-after-tax of N4.7 billion from continuing operations.

However, it reported profit of N6.1 billion from discontinued operations—OEPL and EHGC—which imply a profit after tax of N1.39 billion in the year.

Mirroring the financial year patterns, its first quarter 2014 COGS fell by a 34 per cent decrease to N70 billion resulting in a 10.8 per cent year on year rise in gross profit to N14.5 billion, with related margins expanding 620bps to 17 per cent.

Following delayed consummation of COP acquisition, in the first quarter 2014, net interest expense rose by 26 per cent to N4.7 billion on still elevated borrowings N240 billion. The impact is a resulting loss before tax of N59 million. The impact of taxation of N2.6 billion also resulted in lossafter-tax of N2.7 billion as against PAT of N2.4 billion in the corresponding period of 2013.

Outlook appears brightened with closure of COP acquisition Overall, the consummation of the COP acquisition has showed that Oando’s outlook appears upbeat. The acquisition which registers Oando as the largest indigenous oil and gas exploration and production company in Nigeria, with daily total production of 39 thousand barrels of oil equivalent (kboe) based on 2013 figures, marks the end of a costly transition process suggesting improved financial performance in the coming quarters.

GlaxoSmithKline: Facing five-year low profit drop

G

laxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria may yet close the current year’s operations with a lower profit that has been the company’s lot n since since 2010. The pharmaceutical company lost profit margin last year and a much wider drop has happened this year. Sales revenue is slowing down and costs are growing well ahead of earnings, which has reduced profit margin to the lowest mark in many years.

Its company’s new management under Mr. Dayanand Sriram, has taken over the headship in what is turning out to be one of the company’s most challenging operating years. Obvious, innovative approaches is needed to both drive sales volume and keep costs in check. The needs to consolidate on previous product introductions and look out for new products that can drive growth.

It ended second quarter op-

Glaxosmithkline’s 2013 audited year results Revenue

2013

2012

Change

N29.18 billion

N25.30 billion

15.3%

Profit before tax

N4.31 billion

N4.17 billion

3.4%

Income expenses

N(1,396) million

N(1,348) million

-3.6%

Profit after tax

N2.91 billion

N2.82 billion

3.4%

erations with a sales revenue of N15.67 billion, which is an increase of 11.9 per cent over the corresponding figure in 2013. If the current growth rate is maintained, turnover is expected to come to N32.4 billion for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria at the end of 2014. This will be an increase of 11 per cent over the closing revenue figure last year and a slowdown from the annual growth of 15 per cent in 2013. The company has maintained stable growth in sales revenue over the past five years, as new product launches have led to revenue base diversification and some gains in market share.

Osunkeye... MD GlaxoSmithKline

Against the growth in sales revenue, the company lost profit in the second quarter. After tax profit came to over N863 million at the end of June, which is

a drop of 39.5 per cent from the corresponding figure last year.

Full year expectation indicates after tax profit in the region of N1.84 billion for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria at the end of 2014. This will be a drop of 37 per cent from the peak profit figure of N2.92 billion the company reported in 2013.

Growing revenue and falling profit is explained by rising costs. The company is spending considerably more to generate a naira of sales revenue. Cost of sales grew by 23.2 per cent to N10.32 billion year-on-year in the second quarter, nearly twice as fast as sales revenue. That raised the proportion of sales revenue devoted to cost of sales from 59.8 per cent in June last year and 60.2 per cent at the end of the year to 65.8 per cent at the end of the second quarter. Gross profit margin has therefore declined from 40.2 per cent to 34.2 per cent over the review period.

New Cement producer ICCL set to challenge Nigeria’s duopoly market

N

igeria’s newest cement operator, the International Cement Company Limited (ICCL) has said its cement factory located in Sagamu, Ogun State, a prime industrial cluster, is expected to begin operation by in 2016, a move that could alter what is considered a duopoly of the market, with Africa’s top cement producer Dangote and French producer Lafarge holding a majority of the market share.

International Cement Company Limited (ICCL) sits on 1,415 hectares of land, covering nine communities including Ayetoto, Makun and Sagamu.

ICCL Managing Director, Ken Mordi said the company has obtained a 21 year operational licence and has received $500 million from China’s Export-Import Bank to allow a smooth entry phase. It has also employed Cesa, a cement engineering firm as a consultant for the project, confirming its seriousness to break the existing status quo.

On its production capacity, Mordi said “a total of 3,600 tonnes of cement will be produced per day. Eighty percent shall be bagged and 20 percent will be bulked.” About 3,000 direct jobs will also be provided to Nigerians at the launch of the company’s operation.

BOI blacklists 24 loan defaulting companies

T

he Bank of Industry (BOI) has blacklisted 24 companies which allegedly failed to repay loans granted to them.

The Managing Director of the bank, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, announced this on Friday in Lagos during induction of 10 customers into its hall of fame.

Olaoluwa alleged that the blacklisted companies were also involved in shady deals.

He said that BOI decided to “name and shame the bad customers’’ to help Nigerian banks to identify business people with no respect for integrity and purpose.

He alleged that the 24 companies cloned and falsified documents and diverted loans to non-profitable ventures.

“We decided to do this as two sides of a coin. Just as we have had exemplary customers, we also have had the very bad and difficult ones.

“Some of these customers provided cloned title documents; thus, committing outright frauds.

“In addition to naming these companies, we have also exposed their directors and shareholders in order to put leading institutions and credit bureaus on notice.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

Tribute

51

'Mama Cass' at 70, blames parents for errant children Walking down memory lane, the retired nurse tells BIODUN OYELEYE in Ilorin why she can not break her daily routine of tea-drinking.

S

itting down to speak with Mrs. Catherine Omodunjoyinlo Cassidy is an interesting encounter. Her laughter and her obvious simplicity reflected in her humble environment. And of course, the big cup of tea that is her constant companion sat majestically on the table right before her! Her children joke that she uses a ‘giant’ cup to drink every day, but Catherine, who turns 70 years today, will definitely be celebrated by Catholic faithfuls and other well wishers in Ilorin, Kwara state.

To her, the cup is normal; after all, drinking tea is her second nature.

This is the first intriguing aspect of her life; the daily tea routine, something she has not missed since she started training as a nurse attendant in 1959 at Idah, present Kogi state. There is also the daily attendance at morning mass by 5.30am, unless she is out of town or at home and ill, both of which she told me were far in between.

“I didn’t know I would attain 70 years, given the various vicissitudes of life I have encountered”, she said as we started the conversation. These challenges include having to lose her first husband, not to death, but to a white woman!

The man had travelled abroad and came back with the white woman and told Catherine white women resented black people, especially seeing them!. “I told him, but you are also black, what about that?”, she recalled, noting, however that all her protests amounted to nothing and so she left with her only child for the man.

Then there was the time she lost the first son for her second husband at the age of 11. “Both of us wept for three full weeks until I took up courage and told my husband it was enough and we needed to carry on with living”, she recalled.

She lost that husband too on May 7, 2003. But today, given the way God has blessed her children, Catherine could sing without any regret.

Her life has revolved around the entire old Kwara state: she started as Nurse Attendant in 1959-1961 then went for training at Idah, to become a Grade Two Midwife between 1961- 1965 and briefly went to Kaduna before coming to Offa on 1966 . She went back to Idah again in 1967 to train as Grade 1 Midwife and finished in 1967. She has settled in Ilorin since then, combining her work as a nurse with running a restaurant.

“I loved nursing as a job because it was my intended job”, she said recalling how she became attracted to the nurse among the white missionaries who came to her village while she was a teenager. The lady was wearing a peculiar cape; and it became the point of attraction for the young Catherine who made a bargain with God to help her become a nurse. God heard her and she only retired from nursing services in 1994.

Cassidy... 'Mama Cass'

How did she meet her second husband, who was her life partner until his death in 2003? She recalled: “Well, the then young man had come to my nursing station and saw me; I think he discovered our closing time and so he came back one day while I was leaving the station and he confronted me, asking for information about me. I rebuffed him but he still came back and that was how we started until

I am not happy with the way Nigeria is going, but what can I do?

we married.”

I asked how she has learnt to cope with challenges. “With joy and dependence on God”, she said, pointing out that even when she was on a salary of N122, yes, One Hundred and Twenty-Two naira only, she still managed to make some savings. “My husband was earning N240 and I was earning N122, that was between 1968-1969 and we still made savings”, she

said expressing sadness over the way things are going in the country and how the country is treating her old citizens.

“I am not happy with the way Nigeria is going, but what can I do?”, she asked and that was the only time I noticed a hesitation in her. She said: “We bought our fist car, a Peugeot for N7,000, it was brand new, we bought the second one, a Volkswagen, also brand new for N1, 500 but see the one my children just bought for me, it is not brand new and it is almost N1 million. Government should be ready to regularly support widows or those who have attained certain age; it is not as if Nigeria is poor but those in power have not allowed the poor to enjoy the country.”

Mrs Cassidy is considered a tough woman, even at her age and she agreed the description fits well. “I know I am tough, I don’t tolerate indiscipline, my children say I am tough and I know it, if anyone comes here slightly drunk I will not serve him alcohol again, if you come here and buy more than there bottles I am watching you to see your behaviour and ay ask you to start going home; you can’t stay in my place late into the night. I am not happy today seeing young ladies dressed anyhow, I am always sad about the immoralities going on because in our time we had not time for such things. I think parents are to blame for some of these things because many of them see their wards dressing and behaving anyhow yet they will not talk. You can’t do that under my roof.

“God has blessed me with good children; now I have a car and they have sent me to Jerusalem so if people are talking about travelling by air I have done it too. I have a house and I will pack there soon. I am ready to retire finally

by December this year because my children have insisted I must stop working and I don’t want to disobey them again.”

One of the children who was around us as chatted, Ellen Cassidy, a pharmacist described her mother as ‘a real definition of a mother ’, “She embraces everybody, she relates well with everybody around her, she is a great encourager, she is God-fearing she doesn’t joke with her church and of course her tea.”

I couldn’t end the meeting without asking about her love for tea particularly because she told me she has not tasted pounded yam this year. “I love drinking tea, I am never tired of it”, she said, adding: “I don’t drink from small cups because I am not used to such and once I drink my cup in the morning it can take me through the afternoon. Then I eat small rice and plenty meat. Tea and rice, I cant afford to miss any of them any day.

I have told my children that anytime I fall ill and refuse to drink tea then they should know there is a problem.”

A member of the St Veronica Society, Mama Cass, as she is fondly called, would be celebrated this morning at the St James Catholic Church, Sabo Oke, Ilorin. As I stood up to leave, I asked about her final wish: “I keep praying to make heaven”, she said

52 Perspectives

P

18 OCTOBER 2014

Integrity and the business index decline

unctuality is the soul of good business, so is integrity. Those of us in the public and private sectors ought to be able to show up on time and be honest with whatever we do. Like a good friend put it: “If you signed up, show up!” While larger society likes to point fingers at the minority that rule and accuse them of impunity, oppression, graft and all manner of sins, those of us who fall into the ordinary category of the majority will not be able to cast stones if the chips are down. While we point one finger at them, there are three pointing at us. Many of us loathe the people in the public eye, wondering for instance, why Femi Fani-Kayode can defect back and forth from one political party to another and abuse his former allies without any hesitation whatsoever. They wonder how billions can go missing in aviation and two former ministers can walk the streets of Nigeria free! They wonder how a House of Representatives member can collect a bribe (in dollars) and his colleagues on an ethics committee can pronounce him clean.

Before we get carried away, this piece is not about the ruling class. For we know their antics too well. It’s about you and me, the commoners who are also contributing an unpalatable quota to the whole gamut of corruption in Nigeria. Self assessment is a most difficult thing. Nobody likes to willingly own up to a deficiency. We like to imagine ourselves - warts, spots and wrinkles and all – as being perfect. But the truth is very few of us are. Check out this quote and see where you belong: “what do we say of resume falsifications by applicants; employees stealing their employers time to attend to personal business; marketers exploiting customers by taking advantage of adverse situations; fuel stations creating artificial scarcity; commercial drivers hiking fares for opportunistic reasons; doctors diverting drugs meant for patients in public health care centres to their private clinics; employers

I

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS SENSE ALEX OGUNDADEGBE alexogundadegbe@gmail.com

make heroes out of star footballers, preachers, musicians, actors and politicians and turn around to tongue-lash them when they go wrong.

Business ranking for Nigeria is on the decline. Nobody needed the International Monetary Fund to tell us this. All the economic theories of growth in Nigeria have been thrown out of the window. Infrastructure is an issue- stable electricity, security; rule of law and transportation all contribute to the rating. But the human being is a key factor. Every time a Nigerian in the Diaspora comes home, right from the point of entry, he is on hyper alert. He is expecting to be duped! If Nigerians have to be on high-alert what should we say about foreigners who are visiting?

Dr. Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga the current Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, has to do more than deliver rousing motivational speeches to Nigerian communities abroad. There is an urgent need to shore up Nigeria’s competitiveness rating. Sadly Rwanda, South Africa and Gabon have higher business ratings than the self proclaimed giant of Africa and the human factor is key.

The Nigerian citizenry still conjure an aura of suspicion abroad. Right from the entry points of foreign nations, immigration officials look for faults and complaints they can tender against a Nigerian and

What it does mean is our society requires a thorough cleansing from the cesspool it has become turning a company’s property to personal use; teachers differing subjects they should have taught their students in the school to their private tutorial classes, where they would make parents pay more; sports men and women taking illegal performanceenhancing drugs; journalists collecting money to publish falsified stories; judges turning judgment on its head because of bribes they have collected; lawyers lying with no conscience at all before a law court”. The list goes on. Integrity has become the exception rather than the rule, even in larger society!

Does this mean we have no right to hold those who are in public office accountable? Far from it! What it does mean is our society requires a thorough cleansing from the cesspool it has become.

Shockingly, the debate is now about who is more corrupt. Society takes its ideals and standards from those in the public eye. We

when they find none, they are even more aggressive. Before we can change our rating on the international business index, we have to foster a level of sincerity among our people.

Ambassador Aminu Wali, our foreign affairs minister must have one of the most difficult jobs in the transformational cabinet. He can only tell the world of our commitment to maintain what he imagines to be “Nigeria’s status as a preferred destination for foreign direct investment in Africa.” The World Bank Doing Business 2014 data for Nigeria rates us as losing some notches as against the rating of last year. Criteria includes: starting a business, dealing with construction permits and getting electricity. In each case Nigeria has lost a lot of notches. The only area that we have gained a couple of points is in the areas of trading across boarders and enforcing contracts. Our resolving insolvency rating is the worst of all. There has been no change as against last year.

Surprising the city covered in the analysis is Lagos, the heart beat of business in Nigeria. With this rating in Lagos you wonder where the rest of the country is!

This means that whoever comes into governance next year has a lot to do in the country, if they want the viability for business upstarts to surge. More people have to be encouraged to start businesses locally, so that the government would not be burdened with job creation. Construction permits and infrastructure development must be paid more attention; electricity is urgently needed all over the country for industrialization. (Nigeria has the capacity to give at least 20 hours in day). Registration of property has to be improved tremendously, credit availability for loan seekers and start ups must be improved, and investors need more protection than they are getting from fraudsters and criminal elements.

Pastor Chris Okotie, CAN and the private jet

used to be a member of Pastor Okotie's beautiful church in Oregun, in Lagos.

Those days I was just starting out and did not have a car, so I will jump Molue and go and stare at the spectacle that unfolded every Sunday. My pastor has always been a no-nonsense man The church services used to be well produced and those days the jerry curl used be gleaming with cream and really wet. He sang with the voice of a nightingale and refused to share the spotlight with anybody.

I used to enjoy the sermon so much that I always used to attend two services. I could not get enough.

Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, I once knew when he was down. He used to hold a humble church service in one run down hall near Obalende. He too had small jerry curl and used to run around the hall shouting like Akpororo. I was suffering too that time. So while waiting for the Onipanu bus to come, I will just sneak in and watch the service. Yes, watch. It was a show. From the songs to the exhortation, everything was well planned. But the poverty could not be mistaken. I used to pray to God to help the church.

And there lies my mistake. God answered my prayers for them, but may have suspended mine because today, my man's name is being connected to the ownership of a private jet. whereas I am still going to Obalende to eat at the many bukas that dot the landscape.

I love both Pastors and will never yab them. Okotie is my mentor when it comes to selecting light-skinned women. All the wives have all been light-skinned. They must really inspire him as I have learnt

EDGAR’S WORLD JOSEPH EDGAR

josephsamsponedgar@gmail.com

that light-skinned women make better praying partners than their darker colleagues. Angel Gabriel sees the lighter ones faster when he comes down to answer prayers and since he is very busy, he really does not have the time to be searching in the dark when he descends. He just likes to come straight to the point, see the light-skinned damsel, bestows his blessings and moves on. So you see why Pastor Chris prefers them light-skinned.

So when this issue came up and Pastor Chris fired the first salvo, I was not surprised. A man who took on Pastor Joshua in the "hand of God" saga, took out his namesake Oyakilhome, would most certainly jump into this saga. He asked Pastor Oritsejafor to step down as President of CAN as a result of his involvement in the saga.

But what shocked me was the response of CAN. They dutifully started looking into Okotie's harem of wives.

Here they have touched my anointed and

A man who took on Pastor Joshua in the "hand of God" saga, took out his namesake Oyakilhome, would most certainly jump into this saga I must fight back. A handsome and rich man of God cannot be kept by one woman. That would be very unfair. He has to be shared by as many light-skinned women as possible.

So what is CAN's concern with the number of wives he has. Is that the issue, who owns the private jet and why was it used to ferry whatever it was used to ferry. Their principal had come out to state his position and I hear he has been absolved, so CAN should have concentrated in organizing the thanksgiving party instead of trying to unravel the mys-

tery that is Okotie and women.

I am still waiting for the women's group in this a country to rise up to Okotie's support for he has been very good to their members. He even gave his last wife, my sister a blank cheque to choose anything as a parting gift and the lady chose a bracelet and car. She really deserves to be kicked out. She should have asked for just one per cent of the contributions that comes in from the church and she too would have been making young, dark-skinned guys very happy all over the country. Bracelet, na real mumu.

So because a man of God get many women, he cannot ask simple question?

Then you people did not meet Jesu Oyingbo. Whatever number of women Okotie has would devolve into child's play besides Jesu Oyingbo. Yet, he is presently in heaven. I saw him last week there when I went to see Fela.

Seriously, I think CAN under Oritsejafor has lost focus and direction. It is no longer that moral force that stood as a bulwark against the military dictatorship. It has now muted into a travel agency and a platform for all sort of characters. I remain ashamed to be linked to this body as a Christian and I am considering very seriously of porting or crosscarpeting to a much more serious faith where truth still remains sacred.

I know my mother will kill me for this last paragraph, but guess what: she is in Uyo, busy looking for the biggest fish to catch and eat and just may not be interested in a private jet, $9.3m, lightskinned women or jerry curls.

18 OCTOBER 2014

Presidency: Group offers to pick nomination forms for Jonathan Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

A

group under the aegis of Niger Delta Youths for President Goodluck Jonathan has written to the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu, offering to purchase PDP presidential Expression of Interest and nomination forms for President Goodluck Jonathan.

In the letter dated October 15, 2014 and signed by its National Coordinator, Prince Ebile Dudu, the group said it was making the request on behalf of other groups in the five other geopolitical zones.

"We want to purchase the Expression of Interest form and Nomination form for Mr. President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the National

Headquarters our great party, PDP on Wednesday, 22nd October, 2015".

Speaking to journalists yesterday after submitting the letter, chairman, Board of Trustee (BoT) of the group, Benjamin Nduka Egbunike, said they were told PDP has a procedure since the president is the sole presidential candidate.

"We are here to purchase the form. We have the money with us, but the party said the president is a sole candidate, so there is a procedure and the procedure is that we have to inform the party and by so doing we have written to the PDP and it has been acknowledged by the party.

"We do this to encourage him and to tell him that Nigerians believe in his administration that he is leading the country well and that if given another opportunity, he will do better."

Jimoh Ibrahim is a mole in PDP – Chieftain

A

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Ondo State, Chief Ademola Adeyemi, has alleged that the Chairman of Energy Group and Publisher of Newswatch and National Mirror newspapers, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, is a mole in the PDP, who is secretly working to create division in the party, ostensibly in the realisation of the presidential aspiration of his political godfather in the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2015 general elections.

Adeyemi, who stated this in a statement issued in Akure yesterday, said that Ibrahim should be exorcised from the PDP system in the state to enable the party to achieve the required success.

According to him, the PDP should watch out for Ibrahim, insisting that he is bent on destabilising the party for the sake of his godfather, Gen. Muham-

News Extra

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

madu Buhari whose previous presidential campaigns he bankrolled.

“The lid has since blown off his plans to destabilise the party. He was the one who hired jets and financed his godfather’s presidential campaigns in 2003 and 2011 and his plans this time around is to destabilise the PDP in Ondo State and move unsuspecting party members to the APC to work for his godfather. That is his ultimate aim but he will not succeed,” Adeyemi said.

Describing the publisher as one without electoral value, the PDP chieftain said Ibrahim had never sponsored anyone to win an election in the state before, adding that he never at anytime in the history of elections in the state won election in a ward neither has he been able to convince his immediate family to be in the same party with him.

NEWS IN BRIE F

53

LAFIA

IKOLE-EKITI

IKEJA

87 PDP aspirants jostle for 24 seats in Nasarawa Assembly

Educationist advises Fayose

Funke Felix-Adejumo Foundation holds summit

An educationist, Dr. Ajayi Bolagade, Chairman of Nasarawa State Chapter of has advised Ekiti State Governor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Mr. Ayodele Fayose, to appoint technocrats as commissioners in Yunana Iliya, has said 87 aspirants for order to achieve his desire to serve various elective offices had bought the the people well. party's nomination forms to vie for the Bolagade, who gave the advice in an 24 seats in the state assembly. interview with the News Agency of Iliya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lafia, that the PDP remained the Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ikole, urged Fayose to shun “party patronage”, but party to beat in the 2015 general election. to involve professionals who could He said 10 aspirants were vying for the help his government to succeed. three senatorial seats while 20 others “The new governor is determined to indicated interest to contest the five transform every sector in the state House of Representatives positions. and involvement of people who “Despite the fact that the PDP is not controlling the present government in the are capable to do the job based on state, people are still eager and anxious to experience will fast-track positive changes,” he said. contest election in our party," Iliya said.

€4m The annual earnings of Philippe Mexes of AC Milan in 2014-2015.

Source: Goal.com

8.1%

The percentage of households with internet access at home in developing countries in 2005.

Source: Itu.int

The organisers of Rev. Funke Felix Adejumo Foundation yesterday said the 5th edition of the annual mother’s summit, which will hold on November 1 in Lagos. The annual mother’s summit is a six-hour prayer session put together by the founder of the Funke Felix-Adejumo Foundation, Rev. Funke Felix-Adejumo.

Funke Felix Adejumo foundation is a developmental agency set up to help women fulfil their purposes as mothers, wives, careerists, friends and nation helpers.

Speaking on the project, Adejumo, said: “The summit is a non-denominational gathering of women who come together to pray for our children, and their general wellbeing."

37%

The percentage contribution of the Banking sector to Nigeria’s capital importation in 2007.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Why we want to stop Jonathan from contesting – Lawyer REASON A lawyer who filed a suit to challenge Jonathan's candidacy has explained why he did so.

Waheed Bakare and Tunde Oyesina

A

legal practitioner, Wahab Olatoye, has said his resolve to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan did not breach the provision of the constitution informed his decision to challenge in court his eligibility to seek re-election in 2015.

Olatoye, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Adejumo Ajagbe, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos

State, had approached a Federal High Court in Abuja in a suit marked: FHC/ ABJ/CS/662/2014, asking the court to stop President Jonathan from contesting the 2015 election.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed had agreed to an accelerated hearing of the suit and subsequently adjourned the matter till November 12 following his ruling on an ex-parte application argued by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN).

Olatoye said: “As a matter of fact I was the first majority leader of the Osun State House of Assembly.

And I have my desire to serve this country and for a level playing ground to be established and for provisions that are contained in our provision and which must be obeyed by all Nigerians because of the concept

of rule of law.

“I notice there can be an inhibition if there is contravention in the constitution, if it is not obeyed in terms of strict compliance. Nobody is above the law. I also discovered that the TAN (Transformation Agenda of Nigeria) has been canvassing for the current President to contest. I don’t want then to mislead the entire nation so that we don't we don’t rob ourselves of the actual provision of the constitution.

“They are all aware that this is the second term the President is using. The constitution only allows you to spend two terms of eight years and nothing more.

The constitution gives the right to contest for the chief executive officer, either president or governor, the provision of the constitution is either a tenure of one

term for four years and four years of second term. You cannot hold that office for third term. The constitution says ‘...cannot hold the office more than eight years’.”

He said he wanted to aspire to become the president “and I don't want anybody to block me. That is why I have gone to the court to stop him from recontesting.”

When reminded that an Abuja High Court had struck out a similar case and his could be termed as an abuse of court process, Olatoye, who spoke with one of our correspondents in Abuja, said the plaintiffs and the reliefs being sought were different.

Besides, he said the earlier suit was struck out for lack of diligent prosecution by the plaintiffs, adding that “court is a serious business.”

Igbinedion condoles with Akpata family

F

ormer governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, has condoled with the Akpata family over the death of their patriarch, Chief Tayo Akpata.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, Igbinedion described the late Akpata, who was the Ima of Benin Kingdom and former Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) as a notable educationist, elder statesman and an astute administrator, who left indelible footprints everywhere he was privileged to serve.

“Either as an administra-

tor or educationist or a super civil servant, Chief Akpata discharged his duties excellently. He was a distinguished Mid Westerner, an illustrious son of Bendel and later, Edo State. We will miss his honesty, brilliance and profound sense of duty.

The nation has no doubt lost a great patriot and nationalist of the first order,” Igbinedion said.

The former governor prayed God to grant his soul eternal rest in His bosom, while noting that the late Akpata family can be proud of the enviable legacies of the deceased.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer of Symrise Group, Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram; Managing Director of Allied Technol Systems Limited, Henry Olujimi Boyo and Head of Corporate Communication of Symrise, Bernhard Kott, at the inauguration of the Nigeria office in Lagos…recently

54

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

18 OCTOBER 2014

ASABA Olejeme meets PDP leaders, unfolds vision for Delta

N EWS I N BRIEF

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, has described her visit to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat as one of the sure steps to Delta State Government House, saying that her coming is symbolic.

“I am the first governorship aspirant to visit this new secretariat. I will definitely be the flagbearer of the party and also win the 2015 governorship election in the state,” Olejeme said.

Olejeme, who was in the state secretariat to inform the leaders of the party of her governorship ambition, said: “I just need the support of El Shaddai, the Lord God Almighty to be governor of Delta State."

228,000

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of Bahrain in 2010.

Source: Itu.int

ENUGU

CALABAR

Physically challenged National Council on Finance decries dwindling resource base persons back ex-Imoke’s aide The National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) has attributed the nation’s dwindling economy to the shortfall in oil revenue due to oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its 2014 conference in Enugu on Friday, the council called for collaboration between the state and federal governments to arrest the situation.

The communiqué read by the Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Bashir Yuguda, emphasised the need to broaden and improve the nation's revenue generation to finance governments’ expenditures.

95

The sex ratio of men above 60 years per 100 women in China in 2012.

Source: Un.org

The ambition of the immediate past chief of staff to the Cross River State Governor, Dr. Alex Egbona, for the House of Representatives received a boost on Friday, when some physically challenged persons in Abi Local Government Area of the state pledged their support for him.

The backing came on the heels of his 50th birthday celebration with physically challenged persons in the area, which also led to his adoption as the sole aspirant/candidate for the Abi/ Yakurr Federal Constituency election.

Egbona birthday celebration with physically challenged people in his Ekuriku village also provided him the opportunity to relate with them.

60%

The percentage of the world’s population that lives in the Asia-Pacific region.

Source: Unesco.org

I'll work with Sashore – Oba of Lagos Muritala Ayinla

A

s speculations over Governor Babatunde Fashola’s endorsement of the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Shasore (SAN) as his successor in 2015, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, yesterday threw his weight behind the former Commissioner, describing him as the true son of Lagos.

Akiolu had earlier endorsed the candidature of one of the leading governorship aspirants and former Accountant General, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, even as he publicly rebuffed one of the aspirants, Dr Hamzat Kadiri over question indigene.

But speaking at a book launch authored by Sha-

sore, Akiolu said he would work with Shasore after Fashola’s tenure expires in 2015 to enable Lagos regains some of its properties that have been over by Federal Government.

The book titled: ‘Possessed: A History of Law and Justice in the Crown Colony of Lagos" was launched at the City Hall Lagos, where dignitaries from all walks of life were in attendance.

Akiolu, who spoke in English and Yoruba language, said: “I am a lawyer, when (this son) Fashola leaves office after eight years, me and you will look at the issues that have deprived Lagos some of its benefits especially some of the heritages of the state, using what we used 1905-1913 we will use it to get them back .”

Akpabio condemns alleged attack on Esuene A

L-R: Chairman, Ammasco International Limited/Awardee, Alhaji Mustapha Ado Mohammed; Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr. Rasheed Adejare Olarewaju; Executive Chairman, Innoson Group/Awardee, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma; Executive Director, Large Enterprises, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali and Executive Director, Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, at the inauguration of Customers into BoI Hall of Fame in Lagos…yesterday

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

We’re not against total ban on tobacco products - Senate c’ttee MISCONCEPTION

The Senate Committee on Health has cleared the air on National Control Bill

C

Ndubuisi Ugah

hairman of Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has allayed fears that the National Control Bill is not meant to ban or chase away the legal industry on tobacco but to regulate manufacturing, consumption and promotion of tobacco products in Nigeria.

Okowa, who clarified this during a public hearing conducted by his committee in Abuja, said: “It is not our intention to drive away the legal industry but to make them operate in a responsible manner for the sake of the health of our citizens as the hearing will strengthen

the bill to address some issues confronting the health system," adding that "the bill is not seeking outright ban on smoking but to restrict and control tobacco smoking. We are not legislating against for total ban.”

Corroborating Okowa's position, Senate President, David Mark, said the bill would protect future generation of Nigerians from the devastating health, social economic and environmental consequences of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke amongst others.

“The tobacco regulations bill as we all know has been on the floor of the Senate for some time now and anything that has such effect on the public health deserves the right awareness and attention,” Mark said.

In the same vein, the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) has reiterated its support for the passage of balanced regulation for the industry. The

company made its position known during the public hearing for the National Tobacco Control Bill at the National Assembly in Abuja The Director of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, BAT West Africa, Mr. Freddy Messanvi, said that BATN had always supported the passage of a balanced and evidence based regulation of the tobacco industry in Nigeria.

“Through co-operation between BATN and regulatory agencies, we have achieved reduction in the incidence of illicit trade from over 80 per cent to around 20 per cent today,” he said.

Messanvi pointed out that any proposed regulation must not force the legal and regulated businesses out of operation and leave the market at the mercy of smugglers and illicit traders.

He added that in passing this bill, it was important that trends in other countries where similar legisla-

tion had been considered and its implications should be taken into consideration.

He conveyed BATN’s support for various provisions in the bill such as sales of cigarettes to people under the age of 18, but also highlighted areas of concern such as the outright ban of retail sales of tobacco products which would drive the sales underground into the hands of tobacco smugglers.

Other stakeholders such as Initiative for Public Policy Analysis and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) in their submissions were of the opinion that the legal industry should not be stifled out of operation thereby leaving the citizenry at the mercy of smugglers.

According to them, this will defeat the purpose that the law is supposed to achieve.

kwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has described as unfortunate, the alleged squabble between supporters of a PDP governorship aspirant, Senator Helen Esuene and some youths during her consultation visit to stakeholders and members of the party, in Essien Udim local government area of the State.

Akpabio, in a statement signed by his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, condemned the action and regretted any embarrassment and inconveniences it might have caused the Senator.

He wondered why the Senator would be attacked in his local government,

when several aspirants had visited without any hitches.

According to him, preliminary reports on the matter indicate that a disagreement occurred when some youths who suspected they could be short-changed, protested over the collection of their transport stipends by their leaders before the event commenced.

The governor distanced himself and his administration from the unfortunate incident, stressing that as the state leader of the ruling party, he will continue to work with public office seekers and political parties with a view of providing a level playing field for all aspirants to pursue their legitimate ambitions without fear.

What Nigeria will gain from Indian firm - SIMAR MD Ebere Ameh

A

n Indian company, SIMAR Projects and Infrastructure, has inaugurated its Nigerian office, its first in Africa. It is set to help turnaround the Nigerian oil and power sectors in consonance with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Fielding questions from journalists at a media parley on what the company stands for and what it tends to achieve in Nigeria, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian office, Mr. Doyle Edeni, said his passion for technology transfer, local content, among others, led him to SIMAR, a company that is willing to bring in its equipment and

personnel, train and transfer part of their know-how to the Nigerian engineers.

“In Nigeria, we require at least 50,000 mega watts but we are generating just about 4,000 mega watts.

So, there is a huge gap that need to be breached. Many of the plants are not producing up to their installed capacity and some of their equipment are obsolete, that is where SIMAR comes in. We have the capacity to turn the equipment around,” Edeni said.

In his remarks, Group Managing Director of SIMAR, Jaswinder Singh, said the company’s focus areas would be towards refineries, petrochemicals, fertilisers, thermal energy plants, renewable energy plants be it bio mass, hydro plant and so on.

18 OCTOBER 2014

55

Sport Extra

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

Song backs NFF over Keshi sacking …says African coaches live on past glory

C

that the NFF decided to end its three-year romance with the former national team skipper.

“Past successes are not guaranteed for future success,” said Song in an exclusive interview with New Telegraph. “Coaches must strive to work harder to maintain and surpass previous achievements because a coach is good as his last result.

“Coaching in Africa is very tough because Africans are exposed to modern football due to the impact of television but African coaches are always carried away by past successes,” added the former Liverpool and West Ham United defender who was capped 137 times for Cameroon.

Speaking further, Song, who holds the record of being the youngest player ever to be sent off in a World Cup, aged 17, in 1994, said; “It happened in Egypt, Zambia, Cameroon, Ghana and everywhere but it will continue to happen because hiring and firing is the name of the game for coaches.”

Emmanuel Tobi and Ifeanyi Ibeh ameroonian football legend, Rigobert Song, has thrown his weight behind the Nigeria Football Federation over its decision to remove Stephen Keshi as head coach of the Super Eagles.

The NFF on Wednesday night, hours after the Super Eagles’ 3-1 win over Sudan in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers decided in Abuja, to let go of Keshi no thanks to the national team’s recent poor results.

Under Keshi, the Super Eagles won the Cup of Nations for the first time in 19 years and progressed to the knockout rounds of this year’s World Cup in Brazil.

The team has however won only two of its last 12 matches, and with just four points from their opening four AFCON qualifying games, face the possibility of not defending their title at next year’s tournament in Morocco.

So it did not come as a surprise to Song

John Ogu of Nigeria dribbling past Dean Furman of South Africa during the 2013 Nelson Mandela Challenge football match between the two countries.

Messi targets La Liga record

Federations Cup: Lagos to host finals Nov. 23

A

Adekunle Salami

rgentine football legend, Lionel Messi, is not tired of breaking records in the round leather game. When Barcelona files out for their 8th match of the season at Camp Nou against Eibar on Saturday (today), Messi will be attempting to equal or break the all-time La Liga goals record of Telmo Zarra. The record is about 60 years old.

Zarra scored 251 La Liga goals in the colours of Athletic Bilbao. Messi with 249 goals needs just two goals in today’s match to equal the record and three goals to surpass the agelong record. Zarra died in 2006 at the age of 85 and will not

Ifeanyi Ibeh

F

ollowing the approval of the Nigeria Football Federation, the respective men’s and women’s final of this year’s Federation Cup will take place on November 23 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Cup holders Enyimba FC of Aba will confront Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt in the men’s final, while Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt and Sunshine Queens of Akure will lock horns in the women’s final.

Although a number of Federation Cup finals have taken place outside of Lagos, the former Nigerian capital has traditionally been the venue of the final match of the oldest club competition in the country from its inception in 1945.

Rogers defends Sterling over fatigue row L iverpool manager Brendan Rogers says Raheem Sterling has been "hung out to dry" in the row following England's 1-0 win over Estonia.

England manager Roy Hodgson claimed forward Sterling, 19, asked to sit out the game because of fatigue.

"At no point did Raheem Sterling say he didn't want to play for England," Rodgers told the Independent.

"The boy is being hung out to dry. I have never seen such Sterling

rubbish written over the past few days."

Sterling played 45 minutes of the 5-0 win against San Marino and came on as 64th-minute substitute three days later against Estonia.

After the win in Tallinn, Hodgson questioned Rodgers's claim that some players need a two-day recovery period after matches.

"I don't think there's medical evidence to support the 'two-day recovery'," said Hodgson.

IAAF World Athlete of the Year: Drug cheat Gatlin not on shortlist

A

merican sprinter Justin Gatlin has not made the three-man shortlist for the World Athlete of the Year.

The 32-year-old, who has served two doping bans, was one of 10 contenders for the International Association of Athletics Federations award.

But high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie and

Dennis Kimetto, the world marathon record holder, are the three finalists.

Lord Coe was among those to criticise Gatlin's inclusion on the 10-man list.

The British double Olympic champion, an IAAF vicechairman, said he had "big problems" with the nomination.

Gatlin has this year run the fastest 100m and 200m by a man in his thirties.

Nkwocha

witness how his record will be erased by the brilliant Argentine who has been consistent for Barca in the past 10 years.

On October 16, 2004, Messi made his debut for Barcelona against city rivals Espanyol in a match Barca won 1-0. He has won FIFA’s World Player of the Year a record four times.

“The records are secondary to me. I am more particular about the titles and trophies I can win for my club and country. Most times, I don’t know about some of these things until my attention is drawn to it in the media.

“For now, I want to win more honours with Barcelona especially with the new coach. We are working hard to do very well in all the competitions,” he said.

Messi has played 284 La Liga games with 100 assists for Barcelona. He has helped the Spanish team win 21 trophies during the past decade, including three Champions League trophies and six titles in the Spanish elite football cadre.

He was particularly outstanding in the 2012/2013 season when he scored 91 goals to break Gerd Muller's record of scoring the most goals in a calendar year.

Falcons beat Namibia, await semi-final foes Ifeanyi Ibeh

N

igeria’s Super Falcons will on Saturday know their semi-final opponent at the on-going African Women Championships after defeating hosts Namibia 2-0 on Friday to confirm their status as Group A winners with the maximum nine points.

The Super Falcons, who are the most successful team in the history of the championship, were already assured of a place in the semi-finals prior to Friday’s match after winning their opening two games against Cote d’Ivoire (4-2) and Zambia (6-0).

Though coach Edwin Okon made numerous changes in his regular starting line-up, even starting veteran forward Perpetua Nkwocha, the Super Falcons were too strong for their opponents.

The Super Falcons got their noses in front on 37 minutes courtesy of a Gloria Ofoegbu free kick from the edge of the penalty area which curled over the Namibian wall into the net.

A minute later, Francesca Ordega, after latching onto a through ball, rounded the Namibian goalkeeper before slotting into a gaping net from a tight angle for Nigeria’s second.

GAMES/CROSS WORD PUZZLE Kinds of fruit-1

KEY WORDS

APPLE AVOCADO BANANA COCONUT CUSTARD APPLE STAR FRUIT

N E S T A R F R U I T

CANTALOUPE LEMON GUAVA MANGO ORANGE CHERRY PLUM PUMPKIN DURIAN PEAR PINEAPPLE PEACH

C O C O N U T A P P L

A U U A V A U G L M Y

T P A T R D A P M A S

A B A N A N A I R U D

L N P Y R R E H C H R

O R A N G E D L E C A

U O D A C O V A A A N

P

U M P

K

N

E

R

P E A C G N A M N M N A I P O N K I N G P N O A M E M P U A E L P P L E E P R A G L L N A E P E

1

2

8

3

4 7

5

6

9 10

11

12

13

14 16 18 19 21 24 25

26

1 Incorrect decision 5 Small song bird 7 Former Finance Minister 8 Players of duet 9 Obe ___, The Guardian Cartoonist 10 Name for something 11 One in collection 12 Concerning

16 Indicating 'former' 17 King of cassette recorder 18 Very advanced in years 22 'Four' in Hausa language 23 Restaurant 24 Picture 25 Contend 26 Raise up

15 17

DOWN Person trained to deliver babies

13 Legal crime

2 Long-handed scoop

14 Lead astray

3 Assert confidently

15 Made of manila paper

4 Christian festival in spring

19 Stare with mouth open

1

20 22

ACROSS

23

5 Layer 20 Ill-mannered

6 Highest part

See solution on page 36

SHOWBIZ

SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

LYNXXX CONDEMNS 'SMELLY WEAVE-ONS AND WIGS'

no to foreign coach, says Fashanu

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

P.24

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2014.

N150

P.25

2015: National security and leadership style

F

Segun Olanipekun or obvious reasons, and due to the myriad of security challenges confronting the Nigerian nation, there is a mistaken trend that perhaps the best leader to infuse discipline and engender national security is a man or woman with a military mien, a person who can order people around. In short, a fearsome leader, or a draconian despot, who forces people to cower under his breath and, at whose command, the endemic corruption that has perenially plagued the country would just fly away. These thoughts cannot but be naive; it's like a man who thinks his wishes are horses.

But why do Nigerians seem to embrace this erroneous and troubling notion that their security or safety lies in the hands of a so-called "no-nonsense" leader? The reasons are both historical and contemporary. First, the governance history of Nigeria since independence in 1960 has been burdened by incompetent administrations and blighted by series of interventionist military coup d'etats, the consequence of which has brutally militarised the collective psyche of the citizenry. This makes people to believe, albeit wrongly, that it is only the man in uniform or his retired clone that is capable of re-ordering and re-orientating the Nigerian people. So, let us seek another Praetorian guard to carry out a surgical operation for us, many people seem to be saying this time around!

But history again, even from the Nigerian example, has fatally faulted this line of reasoning. It is incontrovertible that such an approach does not endure in instituting desired changes; its success is short-lived as it is enforced through coercive decrees, cruel, unjust and inhuman adjudication processes.

Human nature abhors oppression in any form.

The second contemporary factor why many citizens thirst for a dictator, even though he is in a fake democratic garb, is multi-faceted. One major reason is undoubtedly attributable to the agonizingly-embarrassing failure of the incumbent administration to frontally confront the numerous security and safety issues Nigerians face on daily basis. Some of these are a break down of the law and order system, impunity and rampant lawlessnes by both high and low, increasing rates of crimes, kidnappings for ransom, abductions, bloody skirmishes and tensions between rival ethnic groups across large swathes of the nation, and the unspeakable crimes being routinely committed by the murderous terrorist insurgents called Boko Haram.

This ad infinitum list of security failures has justifiably made people to lose faith in the capacity of the current, clueless administration to carry out its first constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property of the citizenry. The tendency therefore is to seek out a man who as they say, "brooks no nonsense and tolerates no opposition." But that will only com-

President Jonathan

It is a universal fact that when people are gainfully engaged, they have less or no time for brewing trouble

pound the present security dilemma of Nigeria as the issue of sustanaible national security is not achievable by fiat or by electing a ruthless leader with the swagger stick.

Issues of national security, in modern times, transcend merely installing a regime of local diktat; it involves building a nexus of collaborative military, paramilitary and civil institutions, and the gathering and sharing of national and cross-border intelligence to enhance safety and health of the nation and its citizens. Most importantly,

modern concept of national security is largely anchored on the economic wellbeing of a nation, while the militaryindustrial complex plays complementary but also vital role in the scheme of sustainable peace and tranquility in any country. In other words, the economic indicators determine, to a large extent, the level of peace and stability enjoyed by the citizenry.

It is inarguable; therefore, that the major plank in any nation's security platform is its economy. A nation's security can only be enhanced when its labor force, especially its youth, are gainfully employed, and there is a creation of welfare schemes to serve as safety nets to those unable to work or are physically challenged. This is what is operational in advanced, and young, stable democracies all over the world.

It is a universal fact that when people are gainfully engaged, they have less or no time for brewing trouble. But the idle hand is the devil's workshop.

Also, modern thoughts and practices have since discountenanced the traditional notion that national security is limited to acquisition and warehousing of huge military hardware; neither is it

just about displaying formidable military force nor traditional military activity, though all these may be included in the overall security architecture of a nation. It is essential to know however that development is nowadays sine qua non to any nation's security.

Development in this context relates to the capacity of a nation to utilise its human and capital potential to optimally provide opportunities for its citizens to dream and realise those desires in a conducive and well-structured environment. It is when this is achieved consistently over a period of time or on a sustainable basis that the society experiences noticeable decline in disorder, violence and its security is subsequently and correspondingly enhanced. This holistic approach to national security has been the view of a one-time, but now late, respected President of the World Bank, Robert McNamara.

In addition to the above, other means of boosting national security and arresting the current breakdown of law and order and the rule of law in the country are running a truly federal system of government where much power is devolved to the states, including the power to create state police. This means additional job opportunities and enhanced capacity to institute community policing to fight crimes, especially at local levels.

National security could be further enhanced through proper delineation of national, state and council boundaries to reduce communal clashes and needless inter and intra-ethnic tensions; to properly equip and train the police to fight crimes and internal disorder while the military should be well-funded and equipped to effectively dismantle and destroy the scourge of terrorism in the country.

In conclusion, it is obvious from the above that a democratic Nigeria of the 21st century really doesn't need an Orwellian Napoleon, who is always right and must be obeyed. This is a federal democracy that is fostered through healthy debates, dialogues and discourse. It is not a command economy or unitary state that responds to the dictates, decrees and is ruled by whims and caprices of a single strong person, no matter how Spartan in stuff. That era is passĂŠ.

Citizens are, therefore, enjoined in a nascent democracy like ours to be wary of politicians seeking their votes for the highest office in the land to know that what Nigeria mostly need, at this time, is not the emergence of a leader who rules by bravado, or creates hysteria among citizens but a wellgroomed and well-grilled democrat, whose policy agenda is similar to the template above, and whose antecedents are well known as someone who is a bridge builder and is committed to strengthen the nation's fragile key institutions. • Dr. Segun Olanipekun is an Associate Professor of Journalism, Warwick University, Washington DC, United States.

Printed and Published by Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Ltd: Head Office: No. 1A, Ajumobi Street, Off ACME Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja-Lagos. Tel: +234 1-2219496, 2219498. Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322,

by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Advert Hotline: 01-8541248, Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: Laurence ani.