20th dec 2014

SATURDAY SATURDAY

Saturday, December 20, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 305

Sanctity of Truth

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Banky W and I: The true story by singer, Niyola } 21

}5

2015

the SCRAMBLE FOR NORTH

lBuhari, Jonathan split region lJunaid: Niger Delta can’t cow us }45 - 49

from tunde bakare to yemi osiNbajo...

Candidate Buhari and his pastors }49

Femi kuti My kids’ paternity now old story }5 NEWS

State assemblies vote against councils’ autonomy }5 Tribunal upholds Fayose’s election as APC legislators in Ekiti Assembly suspend PDP members }5, 11

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20 DECEMBER 2014

Contents | 20.12.14 INSTYLE

Clutch It Clutch bags are must have items. When it comes to party accessories, clutches are definite winners especially during this festive season

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THE ARTS

Broad Canvas Olisa Nwadiogbu’s ongoing exhibition at the National Museum in Lagos is a window into the artist’s variegated experiences of over 20 years

}18

SHOWBIZ

Reality Time For Isaac Geralds, runner-up in MTN Project Fame 4, winning the grand prize of the reality TV show is not all that matters; the important thing is using the platform to launch one’s career

}23

INVESTIGATIONS

Tokunbo Headache Many banks now offer facilities that help customers purchase new cars, consistent with the government’s recent auto policy. But the devil is in the details

}24

SPORT

Ping Pong Memories Table tennis queen, Funke Oshonaike, reminisces on her growing up years and how the bond with her doting 77-year-old father aided her rise to the top

}26

DESTINATION

Christmas Groove Besides being a period for sharing gifts, Christmas is a time to cast inhibitions away.

This report outlines the many cities to get in the groove

}42 Plus: Voices 12 | Love&Living 35 | Faceoff 52

Comment

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APC convention and ‘parallel government’

ast week, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), moderated what arguably represents a model presidential primary transparent, fair to all and indicative of a party serious about its stated intention of taking over power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Classical democratic tradition accommodates such intelligently structured strategy and transparently choreographed exercise which precluded any uproarious in-fighting and complaints by all the central players.

But does this scenario make the APC a candidate for political sainthood? It certainly does not. However, one thing is clear - when political parties deliver an exemplary exercise as the one under reference, society’s watchdogs must recognise and commend it. It is also within the media’s purview to point out certain tendencies in the political environment that have the potential of endangering the polity.

Some weeks before APC’s national convention in Lagos which produced General Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential torch-bearer, the party proclaimed what we view as a rather curious position. It essentially formalised a statement credited to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State to the effect that if the 2015 elections were rigged, the party will not recognise the outcome and will go ahead and form a parallel government.

Clarifying his party’s position Lai Mohammed, APC’s national publicity secretary, stated: “What we made is a conditional statement. If A happens, then B will follow. That means if elections are not rigged, there will be no problem.” Cut to the bone, the foregoing represents APC’s position ahead of the 2015 poll. Not to be seen as an idle party mouth-piece, PDP’s national publicity secretary, Mr. Oliseh Metuh, told newsmen in Abuja that the comments were treasonable and capable of destabilising the country.

Beyond Metuh’s “treasonability” allegation, there is need to warn against this kind of incendiary rhetoric which lacks constitutional underpinning.

Here is why.

Apart from an outright revolution, the 1999 Constitution clarifies out how the country is to be governed, powers of the government and the procedures of changing the government - which is through periodic elections. We draw attention to Section 1 (2) of the constitution which states that “The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any persons or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.”

Further, Section 5 (1) (a) and (b) also vests the executive powers of the Federation on the President who may exercise such powers directly or through the Vice-President and Ministers of the Government of the Federation or officers in the public service of the Federation. And, Section 130 (1) and (2) goes ahead to establish the office of a President who shall be the Head of State, the Chief Executive of the Federation and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation.

It is factual that significant governance deficits exist in the current administration. But should this grant the opposition unreasoned, unconstitutional latitude to field what could be called “rival impunity”? In a sense, this threat of forming a parallel government is comparable to the unsightly spectacle of our national lawmakers scaling the fence to protect their own agenda dressed up as national interest.

While the APC is legitimately pushing an alternative vision of governance this should certainly not morph into unseemly alternative impunity.

The survival of the Nigerian nation-state goes beyond pious preachments and incendiary rhetoric. Nigerian statesmen must close ranks and do the needful. The history of many countries show that when rhetoric like the one proclaimed by the APC on creating a parallel government should it lose the forthcoming presidential election is not taken seriously, the consequences are better imagined than experienced.

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20 DECEMBER 2014

5

Constitution Review: State assemblies reject LG autonomy Chukwu David, Steve Uzoechi and Cajetan Mmuta

l Approve financial autonomy for themselves l Edo PDP flays APC lawmakers

he bid by the National Assembly to grant financial autonomy to local government areas across the country suffered a major setback yesterday as the 36 state Houses of Assembly kicked against the move.

Following this development, the assemblies approved financial autonomy for themselves, just as they also endorsed the separation of the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation from the office of the Minister of Justice.

The actions of the assemblies in the ongoing constitution review process were disclosed yesterday at the

transmission of the Bill to the two Chambers of the National Assembly by the Conference of Nigerian Speakers.

The proposed amendments were contained in the fourth Alteration Bill passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the assemblies for ratification in October this year.

To justify this move, the Imo State House of Assembly yesterday voted in favour of local government’s autonomy, abolition of State Electoral Commissions (SIECs) as well as the financial and administrative autonomy of state Houses of Assembly, independence of the

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legislature, constitutional establishment of Houses of Assembly Commission and the separation of the offices of the Ministry of Justice and that of the AttorneyGeneral, in the interest of national development.

Speaker of the assembly, Benjamin Uwajumogu, who introduced the matter at the committee of the whole assembly, urged the members to consider the bill and vote freely in the interest of the country.

But presenting the document to the President of the Senate, David Mark, the Chairman, Nigerian Conference of Speakers, Samuel Ikon, said: “Few weeks back,

we the speakers of the state Houses of Assembly were here to receive the resolutions of the conference committee of the National Assembly on Constitution Review, containing 23 items for concurrence from us and I assured then on behalf of other speakers that we shall stand on the side of the people and democracy as far the proposed items for amendments were concerned.

“Today, I am happy to inform you all with these resolutions of ours we are transmitting to the National Assembly, that we have stood on the side of the people and acted to further deepen democracy in our

country.

“We have specifically concurred to the need for financial autonomy for state Houses of Assembly, separation of the office of Attorney General and that of Minister of Justice at both the federal and state levels.”

Responding, Mark, while commending the assemblies for their expeditious handling of the constitution alteration project, enjoined operators of the constitution to ensure strict adherence to the provisions in the nation's grand norm.

“I appreciate the fact that we have amended some aspects of the constitution and that we are going to amend some aspects of the constitution based on what we have drafted but let me make one point clear, it doesn’t matter how many times we amend the constitution, it doesn’t matter how often we rewrite the constitution unless the operators are prepared to go by the constitution.

In his remarks, the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said the legislature had recognised that the future of Nigeria was dependent on a constitution that would meet the needs and aspirations of the people and facilitate national development.

“The legislature has long recognised that to secure the future of Nigeria, it must produce a constitu-

tion that would meet the aspirations and needs of Nigerians and that which will facilitate national development in an equitable manner,” he stated.

Commenting also, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, commended the speakers for concluding work on the 1999 Constitution Review report in less than two months it was transmitted to them.

However, Imo State House of Assembly, while voting in favour of the local government autonomy, among others, said it was in the interest of national development.

Speaker of the assembly, Benjamin Uwajumogu, who introduced the matter at the committee of the whole assembly, urged the members to consider the bill and vote freely in the interest of the country.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State yesterday flayed members of the state House of Assembly over their rejection of some sections of the amended 1999 Constitution that granted financial autonomy to local government councils.

Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Osi Orbih, at a press conference in Benin City, said such condemnable act was meant to serve the political interest of the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

The Week Ahead President Goodluck Jonathan (right) and Chairman of the Presidential Committee of Experts on Inter-Professional Relationship in the Public Health Sector, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, at the presentation of the report in Abuja…yesterday

Tribunal dismisses APC’s petition, upholds Fayose’s election Tunde Oyesina and Adesina Wahab

l APC to appeal judgment

Abuja and Ado-Ekiti

pendent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police.

The petitioner had asked the tribunal to withdraw the certificate of return given to Fayose and hand it over to Kayode Fayemi.

The petitioner also alleged that Fayose forged a Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate from the Polytechnic, Ibadan.

Delivering judgment, the three-man panel led by Justice Suraj Mohammed held that the petitioner failed to prove that the election was marred with irregularities.

It noted that the petitioner contradicted itself when it said that the election should be nullified and in another breadth said the certificate of return should be given to its

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he Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday dismissed the petition brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the victory of the state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, in the last governorship election.

The tribunal in the judgment that lasted for about four hours dismissed the petition in its entirety on the ground that the petitioner failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

APC had approached the tribunal asking it to nullify the governorship election on the ground that the election was marred with irregularities.

Join as respondents are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Fayose, Inde-

candidate (Fayemi).

The tribunal further held that the issue of impeachment is a pre- election and not election matter but however noted that the petitioner should have raised such issue before the election. On that ground, the tribunal dismissed the relief.

On the allegations of malpractices, the tribunal held that the petitioner did not show in specific terms how and where such malpractices were carried out.

Furthermore, the tribunal struck out the names of the Nigeria Police and Army from the respondents list and at the same time struck out all the paragraphs of the affidavits which accused them of any wrong doing.

On the allegation of forgery, the tribunal also held that the petitioner did not present enough

concrete evidence.

Commenting, Fayose said: “We have said abinitio that going to court by the APC was trying God and that is the character of a bad loser whose stock in trade is fabricating lies purposely to deceive gullible minds."

Meanwhile, the APC in Ekiti State has said it would appeal the judgment of the tribunal.

In a statement by the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Taiwo Olatubosun, the party said it was dissatisfied with the ruling, which dismissed the petition based on the fact that the grounds of the petition were pre-election matters.

“Even though the tribunal did not say that all the issues raised against Fayose were not true, dismissing the entire case on the basis of pre-election matter tag will be challenged at the Appeal Court,” Olatubosun said.

PDP holds special fund-raising today As preparations for the 2015 general elections gain momentum, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today hold a special fund raising dinner aimed at strengthening its campaigns for its candidates nationwide at the banquet Hall, State House, Abuja.

A statement issued by Sarah Reng Ochekpe on behalf of the chairman, PDP Fund Raising Committee, said the event is billed for 7p.m., which it said was open to all its supporters, friends and well-wishers.

FUTA honours Afe Babalola today The Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Ondo State, will today present an honorary Doctor of Management degree to the founder, Afe Babalola university, Ado-Ekiti, (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola.

A letter dated November 17 and signed by the Registrar and Secretary of Council, Dr. M. O. Ajayi, said the award was predicated on Babalola’s “significant contributions to the growth and development of the university (FUTA) and the nation.”

Obanikoro: Court summons PDP, INEC to appear Dec 23 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will on December 23 appear before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which ordered both parties to maintain status quo on the contentious governorship primary election held on December 8 in Lagos.

The party had announced Mr. Jimi Agbaje as the acclaimed winner of the primary election, a development which forced Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to plead with the court to compel the PDP not to accept the result of the primary election due to the alleged rigging that saw 806 accredited voters turn in 866 votes.

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20 DECEMBER 2014

GOMBE

APAPA 17 ships arrive Lagos ports with petroleum products

N EWS I N BRIEF

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Friday that 17 ships laden with petroleum products had arrived at the Lagos ports, waiting to discharge.

The NPA disclosed this in its daily publication, the ‘Shipping Position’ made available to newsmen in Lagos.

It said 12 of the 17 ships were laden with petrol, while the remaining ships contained base oil, kerosene and aviation fuel.

It said that six other ships sailed into the ports with food items like bulk malt, bulk sugar and rice in bags.

The document indicated that NPA was expecting 63 other ships between December 19 and January 11, 2015.

€106.99m

Oil price: AFAN advises FG

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Gombe State, has called on the Federal Government to give more priority to agriculture in order to reduce over dependence on petroleum in its revenue drive.

Secretary of the association, Alhaji Gambo Sarkin-Noma, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe, on Friday, that this would also assist the government in getting more revenues and employment opportunities in the country.

According to him, if government approaches it in that direction, people will be encouraged to return to farm.

He said a lot of people have the interest and they needed to be encouraged.

The amount of money realized from TV rights

by Manchester United in 2013-2014 season.

Source: Goal.com

53%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Greece in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

FCT INEC sets up task force on IDPs

In a bid to accommodate Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the forthcoming general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set up a task force on how they can vote in the elections.

The commission has at various times, expressed worry on the fate of the IDPs especially since most of them missed the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercises.

INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who approved the constitution of the task force, named Mrs. Thelma Iremiren, a National Commissioner in the commission, as chairperson and would be assisted by nine others.

76

The life expectancy (in years) at birth of women in Cook Islands in 2001-2006.

Source: Un.org

Oil workers suspend strike as new N100 note goes into circulation Ndubuisi Ugah

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fter a protracted meeting with government officials which lasted for 13 hours, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG), suspended their nationwide strike on Friday.

The decision to call-off the strike was arrived at a closedoor meeting in Abuja, between representatives of the union and the Federal Government's delegation led by the supervising Labour Minister, Tanimu Turaki.

According to officials of the NUPENG and the PENGASSAN, the government has refused to implement agreements reached with the unions on these issues.

At the meeting, Turaki had promised the unions of government’s commit-

ment to resolving all the issues they raised, but the striking workers expressed doubt over the willingness of the international oil companies to implement resolutions of their meetings.

Commenting on the strike, the National President of NUPENG, Mr Igwe Achese, said the union suspended its three days strike in order not to create hardship for Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said the commemorative N100 banknote unveiled recently by President Goodluck Jonathan will be going into circulation from yesterday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has reported.

A statement signed by CBN’s Head, Corporate Communications, Ibrahim Mu’azu, in Abuja, directed all branches of the bank to commence issuance of the currency in their respective locations.

INEC’s postponement of PVCs deprives Aliyu, IBB, others Dan Atori MINNA

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Chairman, Conference of Speakers, Hon. Samuel Ikon (left), and Senate President David Mark, at the presentation of the resolutions of the state Houses of Assembly on the 1999 Constitution (fourth alteration) bill in Abuja …yesterday

Stop deceiving Nigerians, Tinubu tells Jonathan, PDP CONFRONTATION

APC national leader accuses the president of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

Cajetan Mmuta

N BENIN

ational Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, yesterday challenged President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to desist from further deceit on ‘Nigeria’s sinking ship.’

Tinubu said the present administration of the PDP had failed the nation and therefore, should be booted out in 2015 to save the polity from imminent anarchy and total collapse.

The APC leader said only a good and visionary leader could take the country out of her present

socio-political, ethnic, religious and economic logjam.

Tinubu, who spoke as special guest at the inauguration of the newlyconstructed Lagos-Ugbowo Road in Benin and new hospital project in Ewohinmi built by the administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, noted that a nation fails because of leadership question.

According to him, a good leader must be alive to his responsibilities and not taken to giving excuses each time there are challenges.

The former governor of Lagos State cautioned that any leader that had failed in his responsibility to the people should better quit his position rather than give excuses.

“A nation fails because of leadership failure, if there is a good leader at the top nations will not fail because fish start to rotten from the head. The tribulations, insecurity and lack of

services we are experiencing in the country today is because the leadership has failed , let them stop giving us excuses, like Boko Haram is in our government, fish them out. Today, Boko Haram is saboteur, military is saboteur, it means they are admitting failure.

What we hear are excuses upon excuses. We are saying no excuse for failure.

Mr. President, we chose you to defend this country, quit, resign you can’t do it, enough of excuses,” he stated.

He urged Nigerians across various segments to unite to canvass for votes that would help boot out bad leaders in next year’s polls, adding that the people must brace up for revolution that would change the leadership challenges of the country.

“We must all unite by going to villages and communities, across the state and country to canvas for

votes that will vote out bad leaders. The revolution being craved for, especially, by the APC, is not that of bloodshed but that of determination to vote out bad leaders in the country. This is the common sense revolution,” he said.

He lauded Oshiomhole for the bold and progressive stand at developing Edo State even as he commended members of the state House of Assembly for uniting with the executive arm of government towards ensuring that the people remain their central focus in their legislative business.

Tinubu stated: “They ask me to come and commission and I will not leave without talking and that is why all these great men and women are assembled here. Let everybody know that I came to celebrate all of you because you have a leader."

he hope by former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu of collecting their Permanent Voters' Card was dashed yesterday, following the postponement of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State.

The development followed a statement which stated that the PVCs would only be distributed in 11 local government areas out of the 25 LGAs of the state.

The two Generals and the state governor, who were to receive their PVCs in Chanchaga Local Government Area, did not come out of their homes because they already had feelers that their LG was among those without PVCs as announced by INEC. Others affected are the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the former gov-

ernor, Abdulkadir Kure and his wife, Zainab, who are from Lapai and the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Abubakar Sani Bello, who is from Kotangora.

INEC on Friday said that only PVCs for 11 local government areas had been received with that of the remaining 14 Local government yet to arrive from China.

According to the statement signed by INEC’s Administrative Secretary, Mr. Paul A. Atser, on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, the local government areas yet to receive their PVCs are; Bosso, Chanchaga, Bida, Katcha, Lavun, Kontagora, Lapai, Edatti, Magama, Agwara, Borgu, Agaie, Gurara and Gbako.

Atser said: “I have been directed to inform you with regrets that the remaining 14 local government areas are yet to receive their PVCs. It is no longer feasible to have them before the commencement of the exercise on December 19."

PLASIEC boss arraigned for contempt of court Musa Pam Jos

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hairman of Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), Mr. Peter Dalyop, has been arraigned for contempt of court.

Dalyop was arraigned before Justice Daniel Lonji of Plateau State High Court, for his refusal to obey the order of the Local

Government Election Appeal Tribunal, which declared Mr. Dan Dull of the Democratic People Party (DPP) winner of the Langtang North council election held on February 25.

After listening to the argument of the counsel to PLASIEC and Dull, Justice Longji then adjourned the motion for committal of contempt of court by the PLASIEC chairman to February 12, 2015.

20 DECEMBER 2014

Investors panic over CBN’s clampdown Ndubuisi Ugah

F

with agency reports

oreign investors in Nigeria are concerned that measures taken by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to prevent speculation against the falling naira will hinder their ability to sell investments in the country.

Head of African Strategy at Standard Chartered Plc, Samir Gadio, told Bloomberg on the phone from London, that: “The reality is that if you have $100 million invested in Nigeria, in the current environment it would probably take you a year to source that foreign exchange. Some people would argue that the lack of foreign-exchange liquidity to these measures cause could implicitly be compared to capital controls, although they’re not formally.”

The CBN had issued a circular on its website yesterday, that any dollar

bought from banks in the interbank market should be used within 48 hours or sold back to the apex bank.

The CBN’s measures are temporary and investors can still enter and exit Nigeria “very freely,” Ibrahim Mu’azu, a spokesman for the regulator, said.

Mu’azu told Bloomberg on the phone from Abuja, that: “These measures are not capital controls. When the market stabilises, they can be reversed.”

The CBN could be forced to devalue its target exchange rate of N168 per dollar, plus or minus five per cent, before elections in February, according to Ridle Markus, an Africa strategist at Barclays Plc’s Absa Capital unit.

“Our estimates show that Nigeria loses potential average annual export proceeds of $740 million for every $1 decline in oil prices,” Markus said on the phone from Johannesburg, South Africa," Markus said.

Jonathan vows to end unhealthy rivalries in health sector Anule Emmanuel Abuja

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has promised that the Federal Government will expeditiously take action to end unnecessary rivalries between professions in the health sector.

Receiving the report of the Presidential Committee of Experts on InterProfessional Relationship in the Public Health Sector, which was headed by former Head of Service, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Jonathan said the Federal Government would review the report immediately with a view to issuing a White Paper on it. “I had to set up the committee be-

cause I am very sad, and I know most Nigerians feel very sad that strikes and unhealthy rivalries among professionals in the health sector have adversely affected medical services,” the President said.

The President explained that he was optimistic that the implementation of the committee “accepted recommendations will help to end unhealthy rivalries and incessant strikes in the public health sector,” which had created an atmosphere of uncertainty in the sector.

Yayale, while presenting the report, told the President that the committee identified 50 areas of conflict after receiving memoranda and interacting with about 40 professional bodies.

Abducted Bauchi ex-Accountant General found dead Mohammed Kawu BAUCHI

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he former Accountant General of Bauchi State, Alhaji Bappa Tilde, who was abducted on December 12 by gunmen has been killed by his abductors with his body found yesterday somewhere around his residence at Nuru Quarters in Bauchi metropolis.

Family members had last week told journalists that Tilde was abducted in Bauchi at Nuru Quarters on his way back to his house after performing his night prayer (Isha).

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Haruna Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), had after the abduction when contacted, said: “I heard about it, but I am yet to get the details.”

Family members after the abduction of Tilde had intensified prayers and appealled to his abductors to return the 71-year-old father back home before his body was later found.

Meanwhile, Tilde was yesterday buried after the normal Islamic rites by family members, relatives and neighbours.

BAUCHI SSG sues for peaceful co-existence

NEWS IN BRIEF

Secretary to the Bauchi State Government (SSG), Mahmud Maijama’a, yesterday stressed the need for people in the northern part of the country to be enlightened in order to reduce the rate of conflicts arising from crave for personal interests among them.

Maijama’a said such conflicts were only to achieve personal interests, which were not good for the development and growth of the nation.

Speaking at an interactive session with a group, Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), the SSG said: “The Northern part of the country is having a lot of problems in terms of conflicts and we need to educate people."

ABA Youths caution PDP over Ikpeazu’s candidature

As controversy continues to trail the just concluded Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Abia State, the PDP Youth Vanguard (PDPYV), Abia State chapter, has cautioned the leadership of the party over the nomination of Okezie Ikpeazu as the party flag bearer for the state.

The group in a statement by its state Coordinator, Nicholas Ahamaefule, drew the attention of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to the alleged inaccurate tax records of Ikpeazu It claimed that the nomination of Ikpeazu as the party’s candidate without a verifiable and valid tax record is capable of robbing PDP victory at the court if it went ahead to field him in next year’s gubernatorial election.

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FCT Abduction: Troops patrolling Gumsuri - DHQ

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday said troops were currently patrolling Gumsuri in Borno State, where over 100 people were reportedly abducted by Boko Haram insurgents.

“A statement posted on the DHQ's website reads: “Troops are patrolling the general area of Gumsuri in search of terrorists who were said to have attacked the community last weekend. Although it has been confirmed that some people were killed by the terrorists during the attack, efforts are ongoing to verify the reported abductions from credible sources in the community in view of claims by unidentified sources being quoted in some foreign media.

Bomb blasts victims accuse FG of neglect, petition NHRC Tunde Oyesina and Ahmed Miringa

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abuja and Maiduguri

ictims of bomb blasts which occurred in various parts of northern Nigeria yesterday accused the Federal Government of neglect.

The position of the victims was contained in a petition they sent to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

“We have been neglected and abandoned by the Federal Government as it has failed to keep to its promise of taking care of our medical bills, a promise made by President Goodluck Jonathan at every visit he made to the scenes of the blasts and to the hospitals where the victims were treated,” the victims stated.

In the petition signed

by Mr. Kayode Olatunji, on behalf of other victims, they said: “Many who initially survived the bombing died months later as they could no longer cope with the exorbitant medical bills.

Many underwent surgical operations in other hospitals after the initial hospitals at which they were hospitalised withdrew

l l l

30 Bama IDP’s give birth in camp U.S. restates commitment to rescue Chibok girls Military probing claims of mass abduction in Borno

from handling their cases.”

The victims said they recorded various degrees of injuries from bomb blasts which occurred at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Suleja, Niger State, United Nations Building in Abuja and Nyanya motor park among others.

“We are citizens of Nigeria who should enjoy safety and security of our lives like other citizens, so we deserve to be given proper attention. We, therefore, write to solicit help from the human rights commission to cause the Federal Government to redeem its pledges for our treatment.”

Responding, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Commission, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, assured the victims that the Federal Government remained committed to their welfare.

In the same vein, 30 pregnant women currently taking refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri, Borno State, have given birth.

Chairman, Committee on the IDPs camp in Government Girls Secondary School, Maiduguri, Alhaji Babagana Mahmoud, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that more than 4,200 women and children had been displaced by insurgents in Bama and its environs.

Mahmoud said 20 other pregnant women in IDP camps in the areas were also expected to deliver as confirmed by medical doctors in the camp.

“We have health workers who always check the well-being of our IDPs that is why we hardly record any case of complications among women,” he said.

Also, United States said on Friday in Abuja, that it remained committed to helping the Federal Government in tackling the threat of Boko Haram and other extremist organisations to the country.

A statement issued by the Public Affairs Department of the embassy in Nigeria, said the U.S. government had also restated its commitment to support Nigeria’s efforts

to "rescue the abducted Chibok girls and all others who have been abducted in various communities."

“We abhor such violence, which continues to take a terrible toll on the people of Nigeria, and we extend our condolences to the victims and their families. Boko Haram has shown no regard for human life,” it said.

Meanwhile, the military high command has said it is yet to verify reports of alleged kidnap of scores of villagers in Borno State earlier this week.

According to a statement on the Defence Headquarters blog, “troops are patrolling the general area of Gumsuri in search of terrorists who were said to have attacked the community last weekend. Although it has been confirmed that some people were killed by the terrorists during the attack, the reported abductions as claimed by unidentified sources being quoted in some foreign media is yet to be verified from any credible sources in the community."

L-R: All Progressives Congress (APC) Vice-Presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola and a Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), at the end of the sitting of the Election Petitions Tribunal in Osogbo …yesterday

8

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SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

ABAKILIKI

IBADAN Ajimobi seeks assembly’s approval of new LG chairmen

N EWS I N BRIEF

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has forwarded the names of nine persons to the state House of Assembly for appointment as Transition Committee Chairmen in their respective local governments.

The governor, in a letter dated December 18 and addressed to the Speaker of the assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, listed the names of the nominees to include Gbodeniyi Ibrahim Azeez (Surulere Local Government), Adepoju Aderemi (Ogo Oluwa), Bamigboye Jacob Abidoye (Oriire) and Omolewu Francis Adetunji (Ibarapa North).

Others are Akinlabi Akinyemi (Ibarapa Central), Atanda Adelore (Ibarapa East), Oorelope Kolawole (Oluyole), Olagunju Clement (Iddo) and Gbolagade Okeniyi (Atiba).

15.8m

The total population of Oceania region in 1960.

Source: Un.org

APGA candidate assures constituents of employment

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) House of Assembly candidate in Ebonyi State, Chief Gregory Duru, has pledged to promote employment generation bills at the assembly if elected.

The APGA candidate, who is vying to represent Abakaliki-North constituency at the state assembly, said solving unemployment would guarantee desired peace, security and rapid development of the country.

“Countries that achieve greatness pay much attention to youth development which has employment generation as a cardinal factor. I will ensure that I initiate and support bills that will ensure the inauguration of industries to create jobs for the youth,” he said.

1.28

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Benin Republic in 2008.

Source: Itu.int

FCT Group donates computer centre for rural youths

A group, Golden Age Humanitarian Foundation (GAHF), has donated a free computer training centre for the youth in Ikulu, Kamuru in Kaduna State in furtherance of its commitment to ensure that the youth are computer literates.

President of the Foundation, Mr. Andrew Garba, who made the donation yesterday, said the action was prompted by the fact that the world was fast becoming a global village where nothing was done without the use of computer.

Garba said the foundation was moved by the mass failure in this year’s Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the West African Examination Council (WAEC), in which only 50 per cent got five credits.

£6,760

The average yearly salary of Nigerian League players in 2013-2014 season.

Source: Soccernet.com

IMF downgrades Nigeria’s growth to 5% ...says inflation’ll rise in 2015 Ayodele Aminu

N

igeria’s growth rate is expected to slow to about five per cent in 2015 as falling oil prices cut revenues and spending, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said yesterday.

The Federal Government had also last Wednesday, downgraded Nigeria’s growth forecasts to 5.5 per cent in 2015, down from an earlier projection of 6.4 per cent, in response to plummeting global crude prices, which has lowered the country’s revenue.

Foremost rating agency - Fitch Ratings Limited had also forecast weaker growth of to 5.2 per cent for Nigeria.

The IMF, which made downgrade known in its concluding statement of its 2014 Article IV Mission to Nigeria, said Africa’s biggest economy would have to rely more on businesses outside its core oil sector in the medium term - agriculture, trade, and services all

helped it grow 6.1 per cent in the third quarter of this year.

Nigeria had been battered by the more than 45 per cent decline in crude prices since the summer, in the run up to hotly contested presidential elections in February.

“The authorities fully recognise the implications of this exogenous shock.

They have already taken bold measures to counteract lower oil receipts, pressure on the naira, and a fall in reserves,” IMF mission leader to Nigeria, Gene Leon, said in the statement.

An eight per cent devaluation of the naira currency in late November would likely boost inflation, the fund added.

“But the effect is likely to be contained, in part owing to lower food prices from increased local production of staple food crops,” Leon said.

Leon said the country's fiscal and external buffers had shrunk since the last sharp oil drop in 2008, leaving little room for manoeuvring.

Nasarawa PDP moves to reconcile aggrieved members Cheke Emmanuel LAFI A

T Mr. Chukwudi Azubuike (left) and his wife, Amarachi, during the solemnisation of their marriage at St. Silas Anglican Church, Ahiaba Umueze, Aba, Abia State…recently

APC has removed religion from 2015 polls, says Saraki 2015 ELECTION

With the nomination of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as running mate of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, attention should now be on issues.

Biodun Oyeleye

F Ilorin

ormer Kwara State Governor and Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday said the All Progressives Congress (APC), has succeeded in removing religion as an issue in the next general election with the emergence of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as vice-presidential candidate of the party.

Saraki, who spoke with journalists after a prayer session to mark his 52nd birthday in Ilorin, also be-

l Keyamo asks APC to disqualify Masari over certificate forgery rated the local chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it had not showed any seriousness to frighten the APC in the 2015 general election.

The former governor said with the emergence of Osinbajo, a Christian from the South-West, as running mate to General Muhammad Buhari, the 2015 presidential race would now be about the character and capacity of the two candidates; President Goodluck Jonathan and Buhari.

He said: “PDP had wanted these elections to be about religion. Now there is no religion issue. PDP has a Christian and Muslim on the ticket, APC has a Muslim and a Christian on the ticket. We have now removed religion. Let us look at the candidates, access their character, their ca-

pacity, their ability to fight issues that are important to us as a nation. This is not about sentiment, it is about Nigeria; it is not personal.”

Also, yesterday, the state chapter of the APC cautioned the PDP from overheating the polity in the state with the way the result of the party’s governorship election was being handled.

A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Sulyman Buhari, alleged that there were reports of pockets of violence across the state, including an attack on a former PDP governorship aspirant by some party thugs.

Meanwhile, a Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has written to the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, asking the party to disqualify the former Speaker of the

House of Representatives, Aminu Masari, over alleged presentation of forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Keyamo said he was writing on behalf of his clients, who are members of the APC in Katsina StateAlhaji Ibrahim Yadullah, Alhaji Kabir Mamman, Alhaji Aminu Hashirmu, Falalu Sale and Alhaji Ya’u Sule, on the issue.

He said: “On behalf our clients, we write this petition concerning your supposed gubernatorial candidate for Katsina State, Rt. Hon Aminu Bello Masari.

We wish to kindly draw your attention to certain facts which are likely to disqualify him from contesting for the said position or if he does contest at all and is victorious, maybe a ground to remove him as Governor if the pre-election matter concerning the issue is not determined on time."

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State yesterday inaugurated a 10-man reconciliatory committee to reconcile aggrieved aspirants that lost the just concluded primaries conducted by the party in the state.

The committee chaired

by Mr. Danladi Sule, is to reconcile party members who lost at state House of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship primaries.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held at the party’s secretariat in Lafia, the party’s Chairman, Chief Yunana Iliya, said the constitution of the committee became necessary in view of the grievances expressed by some aspirants that lost their bid to clinch the party’s ticket at the primaries.

In his remark, Chairman of the committee, Mr. Danladi Sule, said the committee would do its best to reconcile all aggrieved members, especially those who lost out at the primaries.

Osun guber: APC opens defence against Omisore Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

T

he Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday commenced the hearing of the defence of All Progressives Congress (APC), which is the second respondent in the petition filed by Senator Iyiola Omisore and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the August 9 governorship election in the state.

APC opened its defence before the tribunal after the closing of the first respondent, Aregbesola, last Wednesday.

However, Aregbesola for the first time made appearance before the tribu-

nal at the resume hearing of the party's case.

At the commencement of the hearing, the APC called four of its agents, Isau Waheed Olawale, Musa AbdulBaki, Opeyemi Olalemi and Otegbayo Oyebanji Ayomide, as witnesses and were cross-examined by the petitioner's counsel, Mr. Nathaniel Oke (SAN).

During the cross-examination, all the witnesses from Ward 4, Unit 5, Ejigbo Local Government, Ward 1, Unit 3, Osogbo Local Government, Ward 2, Unit 1, Atakumosa East Local Government and Ward 8, Unit 5, Obokun Local Government, told the panel that the conduct of the election in their various local governments was free and fair.

20 DECEMBER 2014

Sokoto govt to implement ‘no work, no pay' policy Umar Danladi Ado Sokoto

T

he Head of Civil Service (HOS) of Sokoto State, Alhaji Bature Shinkafi, has said the state government will implement the ‘no work, no pay’ policy for the striking academic staff of its three tertiary institutions in the state.

Shinkafi, who said this in Sokoto on Friday, while reacting to the strike action embarked upon by the members of the three unions in the three stateowned tertiary institutions, said the state government was aware of the commencement of the strike, which began yesterday.

The unions are the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, College of Education Academic Staff Union and the College of Legal

and Islamic Studies Academic Staff Union, while the three affected institutions are: Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State Polytechnic and the college of Legal and Islamic Studies.

He said, “The action is ill-timed as everybody has been aware of the global dwindling since July 2014. The striking workers should have even commended the state government for ensuring the regular payment of the workers' salary in spite of the nation-wide and global cash-crunch.”

Shinkafi also stated that the state government was not however averse to continuous negotiations with the unions under the umbrella of the joint consultative forum of the tertiary institutions.

‘Criticisms against Jonathan are lies, misconceptions’

A

group of Non-Governmental Association (NGOs) and trade and business associations from across the country, yesterday said a good number of the criticisms against the person and administration of President Goodluck Jonathan are lies and misconceptions of the opposition, to merely discredit him, and put the government in bad light.

The groups, which met in Lagos, to discuss ways of ensuring that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wins the presidential as well as the governorship election in Lagos State come 2015, noted that the PDP had come of age, and was matured enough to produce the governor of the state in the next year’s election.

President of the Foundation for World Peace (FWP), Ambassador Samson Benjamin, said the PDP; unlike other political parties in the country is the only one that is multi ethnic, and truly

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SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

democratic in its set up and administration, even as he called on Nigerians to take active part in the electoral process.

He stated that President Jonathan has a lot of enemies, and that a lot have been said and spread around him and his administration which are not totally true, adding, that the president is a silent achiever, who rarely celebrates his achievements.

Benjamin stated that the main opposition political party in the country, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had wide spread and very active propaganda machinery which it unleashes to make the Federal Government look unpopular.

He also called on the PDP in Lagos State to put its house in order, resolve any rancor within its fold and come together to ensure the party presents a united front to win in the governorship election in the state.

FCT

IKEJA FAAN suspends cargo flights to MMIA

NEWS IN BRIEF

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday advised operators of all cargo flights to find alternative entry points for their cargo rather than the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

FAAN in a statement issued by the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Yakubu Dati, said: “Already, FAAN has advised the Nigerian Airspace Manager Agency to issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to this effect. This has become imperative due to the congestion created by the backlog of cargo created following the two-week closure of the terminal by the Nigerian Customs Service.

“The Authority has initiated measures to accelerate the clearance of these goods and return the situation to normalcy."

Moro receives award of excellence

Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, on Thursday received an award of excellence for his outstanding performance in the ministry.

Moro, who was appointed minister in 2011, received the award from the Centre for Leadership Network Initiative (CLNI) led by its Coordinator, Nelson Ossaize.

In his speech, Ossaize described Moro as a distinguished Nigerian, who involved all Nigerians in his policies.

He said his group had monitored the activities of the ministry under Moro, adding that the group decided to honour the minister due to his performance in the ministry.

21%

The percentage of the population of Azerbaijan under 15 years in 2012.

Source: Un.org

12,173 The total area (in sq. km) of Falkland Islands.

Source: Worldfactsandfigures.com

9

GOMBE Dankwambo reinstates defeated political appointees

Some political office holders, who were appointed by Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, and later resigned to contest at various primaries for the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial districts in the state under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been reinstated to their former positions, after they lost out.

The governor, who said this during the stakeholders' meeting held at Government House, assured the people when the issue of compensation for the victims of post-election violence was raised that the Federal Government would pay before the end of the year.

2.21m

The total population of Namibia (rep. 0.032% of the world’s population) in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Troops kill 75 Boko Haram members in Borno INSURGENCY

The Nigerian military grounded Boko Haram insurgents with their weaponry forcing them to retreat to a familiar terrain.

Ahmed Miringa

A Maiduguri

bout 75 Boko Haram insurgents were on We d n e s d a y killed by troops of the Nigerian Army at Dogonwire along the Maiduguri Damboa Road in Borno State.

A military source, who does not want his name in print, told our correspondent in Maiduguri, that they gave security cover to members of staff of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to repair destroyed transmission cable at Damboa when they sighted the insurgents coming towards them.

l Sect relocating to Bama, say hunters He said: “We were on the electric tower on surveillance for any perceived threat, while the staff of the TCN were repairing the destroyed cable when we sighted the insurgents coming in groups and we immediately opened fire on them.

“We kept on firing but they continued to move toward us then our commander ordered the armoured tanker to start firing but they persisted in their advance towards us until the commander ordered the artillery to shell them and that was how we cleared them.”

The source also noted that he, “personally counted 75 corpses of the insurgents, while over 15 vehicles and many motorcycles were destroyed by the artillery.”

A member of staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), who did not

want his name in print, said they came back to Maiduguri on flat tyres after their Hilux vehicle was punctured by bullets.

He said the military personnel did a good job fighting the insurgents as none of them escaped.

“I commended the army for the gallant work, if they continue like this, I believe the issue of Boko Haram insurgency will soon be a thing of the past,” he stated.

Meanwhile, some local hunters and vigilante officials have confirmed that Boko Haram members are shifting their operational base from Gwoza area to Bama, less than 70 kilometres, away from Maiduguri, according to Associated Press (AP).

They said local hunters saw many insurgents relocating their war hardware to Bama town, with some on motorcycles and Hilux

trucks.

The news of the relocation has fuelled speculations that the insurgents want to lunch onslaughts on Maiduguri in a bid to capture the city.

Muhammed Abbas Gava, a spokesman for the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, said some fleeing Bama residents reported that the presence of the insurgents in Bama is swelling by the day.

Gava said the insurgents were led by an ex- grains merchant in Baga Market, called Bakura, who is now the emir of Gwoza and Bama axis.

“Some of the residents of Bama that fled to Maiduguri said they saw and recognised Bakura, who used to be a corn merchant at the popular Baga Park Market before he disappeared some years back to join the Boko Haram,” he said.

L-R: A cleric with Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo, Lagos, Revd. Olatunde Oniyide; a member of the church, Mrs. Ola Odutola; an outgoing Minister, Revd. Femi Adebanjo and Mrs. Ola Okelola, at the choir festival organised by the church in Lagos…recently

Voices How would you wish someone Merry Christmas? p.12

Street Diary SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

10

Police hunt for soldier who gives guns, uniforms to robbers

O

Shola Adefuwa

peratives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, have started quizzing some members of a robbery gang which specialised in using army uniform to snatch trucks loaded with bags of rice along the highway.

According to the police, the gang has been carrying out such nefarious activities for long, but the operation that led to their downfall, was the snatching of 600 bags of rice valued at N6.3m.

After the gang met its waterloo, some of the members disclosed that they carried out their robbery operations dressed in military uniforms.

According to them, their guns and uniforms were provided by an army officer called Kingsley alias Small soldiers.

Some of the suspects who are in police custody are: Kingley Okorie, Mrs. Bola Akinoniwa and Samuel Igwe.

A police source said the suspects were arrested by SARS detectives led by the officer in charge of SARS, SP. Abba Kyarri, after a tip-off.

The police explained that the snatching of the truck load of rice was carried out on March 25 at 11.30pm, along Third Mainland Bridge, Iyana-Oworo, Oworoshoki.

A police source said: “The truck

was snatched at gun point by six armed men who operated in Hilux (Toyota) SUV and one Volkswagen painted colour in Lagos. The truck was rerouting to Ughelli, Delta State. It was however abandoned and later recovered at Sango Ota Road, Ogun State.”

Before it was recovered, the case had earlier been reported at IyanaOworo Police Station The driver of the truck, Orobosa Agowoye, told the police that the armed men held his escort, Sunday Omoruyi and his conductor, Cyril Friday, hostage at Agbara area and later dumped them in a bush.

The robbers took the truck to Sango area and offloaded the bags of rice.

Okorie, 38, a trader, selling fairlyused clothes at Oshodi Market, said: “We were six in number that carried out that operation. One is Papa. I don’t know his real name. We planned the operation at Katangwa area of Abule-Egba, with one male engineer and Tony. I don’t know the others. Papa brought the person who wore the military uniform.

After that, Papa called the receiver.

They told me the rice was sold for N2.7m, but they gave me only N40, 000. When they brought the first instalment of the money they did not give me part of it. I met ‘Papa’ at Wilma garage and he was the one who invited me for the operation.”

Igwe, 38, an electrician said: “I

The suspects

According to them, their guns and uniforms were provided by an army officer called Kingsley alias Small soldiers

was arrested because of a trailer load of rice. I bought all the bags for N2.1m. The goods belonged to Mr. Bassey and Abuchi. This is my first time of buying goods from the gang. I knew the bags of rice were stolen. They told me that the rice was stolen from Wharf.

“I connected them to the buyer.

My share was N100, 000. It was poverty that made me to involve myself in stolen goods. I know only Bassey among the gang members.

He used to lodge in a hotel in my area. I met him at the hotel when I was invited to fix electric bulbs there. It was there he told me that he was a businessman and that he had bags of rice for sale. He said I should assist him to look for buyers. I brought Akinoniwa to him. I knew the woman when I used to buy black oil and soap.”

Another suspect, Akinoniwa, 50, a divorcee, said: “I’m a trader.

I deal in plastic raw materials. I

was arrested because of bags of rice. Bosede Shittu invited me to buy the rice. She told me she got it from Customs. I told him that I didn’t have money but I invited Akeem. I was not aware the bags of rice were stolen. After the sales; that is after Akeem bought them, I was given N200, 000 as my commission. I have since returned the money to police after my arrest. I was arrested in August but was later released to enable me to bring Akeem. But I didn’t know where he lives. All his phones were switched off. It was one Akamu that introduced me to Akeem.

Akamu is now dead.”

However, it was learnt that she had been arrested before for buying stolen goods but was later released.

“Yes, I’ve been arrested before for buying stolen plastic materials,” she confirmed.

The woman however refused to disclose the year she was arrested.

Exhume Adekunle's corpse, re-bury it in home town, says Alabi-Isama Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

F

rom the civil war veteran, Brigadier-General Godwin AlabiIsama (rtd) has come an expression of displeasure for the burial of the late Brigadier-General Benjamin Adekunle, otherwise known as 'Black Scorpion' in Lagos.

He said that his remains should be exhumed and buried in his home town, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

Adekunle, popular war veteran, died on September 3 and was buried on October 3 at the Ikoyi Cemetery, Lagos. He was aged 78.

Speaking on Thursday evening at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, where he delivered a public lecture organised

by Ogbomoso Community Foundation in memory of the late soldier, AlabiIsama said the remains of the Ashipa of Ogbomoso should be removed “out of Ikoyi Cemetery back home to Ogbomoso, his home town, for a befitting hero’s burial in a proposed Hero’s Park.”

Describing Adekunle as a renowned patriot who did all within his power to ensure a sustained “one Nigeria,” Alabi-Isama, also Adekunle

a war veteran, lamented that the nation never deemed it fit to immortalise or award such a citizen a posthumous national honour.

He specifically expressed worry that Adekunle’s kinsmen, the Yoruba nation, cared little in that respect, stressing that “General Benjamin Adekunle is a nation builder who deserves to be immortalised and awarded a posthumous national honours award, on account of his civil war efforts.

“Adekunle personified honour, Adekunle personified integrity, Adekunle personified courage, and Adekunle personified loyalty.

The greatness of Adekunle is

inseparable from the 3rd Marine Commando (3MCDO) that he formed, built, trained, and led in battle to defeat Biafra in order to keep Nigeria one”, Alabi-Isama said.

In his piece of advice to the Ogbomoso people, AlabiIsama said, “My final word is for you sons and daughters of Ogbomoso, nay Yoruba nation, to get your acts together and recognise your heroes. Do not expect anyone to do it for you. Go get your son, the hero of our time, General Adekunle out of Ikoyi Cemetery back home to Ogbomoso for a befitting hero’s burial in a newly to be created Hero’s Park, and leave the rest to God.”

Street Diary

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

11

Midnight fire kills family of seven in Benue Cephas Iorhemen

B

Makurdi

arely one week to Christmas, Benue State on Thursday witnessed a tragic incident as a family of seven were trapped and killed in a midnight fire that occurred in Anyamkor near Young Christian Secondary School (YCSS) in Gboko Local government Area of the state.

Saturday Telegraph gathered that the fire which began about 11: 45 pm on that fateful day, burnt a man, his wife and five children beyond recognition.

It was learnt that immediately the inferno started from one Mr. Oye's flat, his wife popularly known as Mama Tunde had reportedly raised the alarm which attracted other neighbours and sympathisers who rushed to the scene and assisted to evacuate some items.

It was learnt that the fire soon spread to other apartments and burnt four flats of two bedrooms.

One of the neighbours who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said, “We were woken up when one of our neighbours, Mama Tunde, shouted ‘fire!’ ‘fire!’ ‘fire!.’ We rushed

out of our flat and did not bother to remove anything.”

An eyewitness told our correspondent that some of the residents with the help of their neighbours were able to remove some other household items before the fire went out of hand.

"Neighbours were able to remove some items from the building, thinking everybody was out, only to discover yesterday that a whole family was burnt beyond recognition," he said.

The eyewitness said although the cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained, he hinted that the only clue he

had was that a generator was on at night and by the time they went round after the fire had doused, they saw a lantern near it.

When our correspondent visited, policemen from a division in Gboko were seen removing the charred remains of the victims which they deposited at the morgue of the General Hospital in the area.

When contacted, the acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, ASP Matthew Oku, said that the command was yet to be briefed on the matter.

Oluwo stool: Ruling house denies having sole candidate

Ekiti crisis: Omirin faction suspends PDP lawmakers

Adeolu Adeyemo

T

Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

Osogbo

T

he non-occupation of the stool of the Oluwo of Iwo since the demise of Oba Ashiru Tadese more than two years ago seems to be causing some ripples among aspirants contesting for the position from one of the ruling houses called Adegunodo in the town.

One of the aspirants who claimed to be the sole candidate jostling for the position from the ruling house had been warned by other aspirants from the same ruling house to desist from parading himself as such.

The other aspirants advised the said aspirant to stop deceiving people of the town, saying his claim was untrue.

The Secretary of the Ruling House, Alhaji Semiu Oladimeji, in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo yesterday, stated that “no candidate is contesting for the Oluwo vacant stool from our ruling house.

We don’t have a candidate yet but we have eight aspirants vying for the position and we warn that, no one should parade himself as the sole candidate for the stool."

"It has filtered into the Adegunodo Ruling House that there is only one candidate vying for the vacant stool but we are using this medium to tell indigenes of the town that there are eight contestants for the post from our own side as against only one being rumoured round the town as the sole contestant.”

The secretary who listed names of the

Aregbesola

eight contestants as princes Yekeen Oyeleke, Azeez Olawumi, Sarafadeen Ayinde, Ismaila Adebayo, Azeez Bamgboye, Muftau Adio, Azeez Adio and Oladosu Isola, charged people concerned to disregard the claim that the family was having a candidate for the stool.

While appealing to the state government to expedite action on the installation of the new monarch in the town, the secretary maintained that the absence of a monarch on the throne had robbed the town of a lot of opportunities.

In the statement, the ruling house’s spokesperson felicitated with Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his second term victory in office and described his re-election as divine.

Police intercept IED-laden vehicle in Gombe Ben Ngwakwe Gombe

A

joint team comprising soldiers and policemen on Tuesday intercepted a vehicle carrying 10 Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs) at the Tactical Operation Point (TOP), Bajoga, in Funakaye Local Government Area of Gombe State.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP. Fwaje Atajiri, on Thursday, said the vehicle, Honda Odyssey, with registration number AT.670 DKA was carrying time bombs connected to wall clock and was intercepted at the TOP point by the Joint Team of Army and Police operation.

Also, on Thursday, a suspected suicide bomber who attempted to force his way into Gombe Line Terminal was intercepted by police personnel on duty at the gate who

demanded that his bag should be searched.

The PPRO added that the suspect refused and in the process started to struggle with the policeman who collected the bag forcefully from him and found IEDs in it when it was opened.

He noted that mob descended on him and beat him to death, adding that the police cordoned off the scene while the Bomb Disposal Unit of the command was drafted to the area to recover and safely detonate the IEDs. According to him, the bag contained five RPD war heads, two mortar war heads and 10 cylinders of IEDs. Atajiri added that the strategies put in place by the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Kudu Abdullahi Nma, had sent political thugs and hooligans away from the state as residents of the state could now sleep at nights with their eyes closed.

he crisis rocking the Ekiti State House of Assembly got messier on Friday as the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) law makers sat at a hideout and announced the suspension of seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers.

Speaking to journalists on the phone, the embattled Speaker, Dr Adewale Omirin, who said he and his colleagues sat at an undisclosed location in Ado-Ekiti, said all the actions taken by the Dele Olugbemiled faction of the Assembly were nullified during the said meeting.

The actions, according to Omirin, included the presentation of the 2015 Appropriation Bill by Governor Ayo Fayose last Monday.

Apart from that, he claimed that the Assembly, during the sitting, also passed a resolution granting autonomy to local governments in the state.

Omirin said the sitting of his faction would be a continuous exercise, adding that his faction would henceforth holds its sitting at the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

He later sent the photograph of the sitting to the email addresses of journalists, adding that the suspended seven lawmakers had been directed to face the Ethics and Privileges Committee of the Assembly.

The affected seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers are the factional Speaker, Dele Olugbemi, Adeloye Olubunmi, Fatunbi Ayo, Adeojo Ayodele, Ajijola Oyedele, Olayinka Abeni and Ajiboye Olowo.

Speaking against the backdrop of the legal action his removal has assumed, Omirin said the court litigation did not preclude them from sitting.

He said they resolved to relocate the sittings of the House to the campus of the Ekiti

State University (EKSU) because of the “situation of the state” in the last one month and the taking over of the Assembly complex by thugs and miscreants “who have been mobilised to kill and destroy.”

Omirin said the lawmakers at the plenary voted in favour of local government autonomy and constitutional amendment giving autonomy to the Assembly.

Other constitutional amendments that received legislative approval of the lawmakers were Section 8 of the constitution which confers citizenship rights and privileges on Nigerians anywhere they live in the country.

Omirin said they also approved autonomy for the offices of Accountant General and Auditor General of the state as part of constitutional amendment exercise.

He said all the 19 APC legislators were present with the mace of the House at the proceedings.

Omirin added that the first issue on the Order Paper was the motion to reconvene at a public place within the state capital outside the House of Assembly chambers in view of security breach in and around the Assembly complex.

When contacted for his reaction, Olugbemi said the action was okay.

Fayose

CDHR protests killing of blacks in America Shola Adefuwa

T

he Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has condemned the recent killings of blacks by white policemen in the United States of America.

The protest which was organised to mark this year ’s annual World Human Rights Day ended up at the US Embassy located at Victoria Island, Lagos.

President General of CDHR Nationwide, Mr. Sunny Enenuvwedia, who spoke during the protest, queried why in America blacks were being killed unjustly.

He said: “We found it necessary to ask why a country that claims to be a model in justice, should be condoning such evil as killing of blacks.”

Enenuvwedia further said that Nigerians decidedly expressed their displeasure over the killings and would be happy if their message was conveyed to US President Barack Obama.

Also, Lagos State Chairman of the CDHR, Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak, said, “We are protesting here to pay solidarity and question the recent killing of our brothers in America and query the justice system in America.”

Isiak said Nigerians upheld the United States as a model in the defence of human rights in accordance with the United Nation Universal Declaration of Human and People’s Rights, adding, “that is why we call on this esteemed office of the US embassy to ensure justice is delivered within the shortest period of time.”

Voices

SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

12

How would you wish someone Merry Christmas?

I prefer sending SMS

SMS or card is fine SMS is okay, greeting card is also good but we have a specific and a spectacular way to wish someone merry Christmas.

– John Eze, student

A gift with card A gift of your choice, well wrapped and accompanied with a beautiful card if it is a female. Same thing goes if it is a male but the card maybe optional.

– Hillary Etowa, student

I don’t believe in sending gifts, I send SMS to my loved ones though but this period is a time for me to host my friends and to me that is the best way to celebrate the season.

– Edegan Frank, student

Greeting card is the best for me Greeting card is the best for me, it will be so passionate for the person involved and it will surely be indelible in that person’s mind.

– Oluronbi Michael, student

Greeting card is more valuable For me, e-mail is ruled out, SMS is acceptable a bit but greeting card is more valuable and presentable, mostly for ladies.

– Bolawa Bright, student

SMS is your creation I would prefer SMS because you get to write from your heart and they get to read instantly and it is faster too..

– Ibitomilola Oluwatusin, customer care centre

What is the essence of using a card when my phone is readily available to send text messages at the snap of my finger and also, I am the author of whatever SMS I send, so it is more genuine than a card.

– Afolayan Ayo, teacher

I send greeting cards

I love sending greeting cards

Christmas is a season of love and a season whereby sharing of gifts is important to keep the bond alive so most times I send greeting cards to my loved ones and this year will be no different.

–Olaoye Kolawole, banker

I love to wish people merry Christmas with a card, I just love it.

– Mrs. Ogunrinde, teacher

Social media has a lot more coverage

Email is faster It depends on the one you feel like using, all is correct, we all know that sms or e-mail is faster, so I could use any available one.

– Ade Ola, student

SMS is my choice

Greeting cards are more presentable I wish my loved ones merry Christmas with greeting cards because it is more presentable as a gift and a wish at the same time.

– Oni Josephine, student

I would send my greetings

by SMS and social media because I can easily reach out to a lot of friends and family. Social media has a lot more coverage while SMS reaches out to people who aren't on my social media contacts.

– Lydian Akaigbe, actress

SMS is fine, cheaper

SMS is more personal

An SMS will be okay to express what I want to without stressing myself buying a card and it is cheaper to access.

– Obanla Ibukun, student

I would prefer SMS and social media. SMS makes the person feel special and remembered. Social media reaches out to all your friends far and wide.

– Aderemi Owodunni, model

I will go for greeting cards

Social media is the fastest

I will go for the card because I love to present cards to people to wish them something and because I love cards.

– Alonge Femi, student

There is nothing special about Christmas Christmas! Well, there is nothing new, just like what I do every year my family and I go on a holiday, so there is nothing special.

– Uzozie Sandra, student

I prefer social media because I think that is where I have 90% of people who I communicate with consistently and that is the fastest way of reaching out to people.

– Adetola Akingboye, musician

compiled by

OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, AYILARA DAYO, TOPE DADA AND JOHN EDU

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

WeekendDelight 13

C o n v e r s at i o n

Instyle Dress to stun this Yuletide p.15

Showbiz

Isaac Geralds:Project Fame isn’t all about winning p.23

Love&Living ‘I married a Nigerian after I got tired of American men’ p.35

Chef’s Corner Bake your cake this season p.40

Bolanle

austen-peters

Oiling the wheels of culture Outspoken and lively Bolanle Austen-Peters has a masters degree in international human rights law but her passion for arts and culture spurred her to establish Terra Kulture, an educational and recreational private sector organisation to promote the richness and diversity of Nigerian languages, arts and culture. In this interview, she talks about the resounding 10 years of its successful existence, challenges, landmarks, arts and culture with Angela Davies.

You recently marked 10 years of Terra Kulture. How has the journey been?

It’s been a remarkable journey. For those who have built or started anything, they can attest to the fact that it is not easy starting anything from conceptualization to reality. And I think what is even more daunting is the ability to sustain it and probably improve on what you started out with.

The environment in Nigeria is not particularly conducive for doing business and in particular business of our own kind of nature. It is not something that would ordinarily thrive. So it has been a very interesting, fulfilling slow but progressive journey.

What were some of the challenges you faced when you started?

The first one obviously was staffing. There was the challenge of getting the right kind of people in this kind of business when we started. As at 2003, Nigeria’s service culture in the hospitality industry was non-existent as a matter of fact. We have been sort of a grooming ground for a lot of this kind of business because a lot of people have left here to do other things. Then obviously marketing what you are trying to do to the public also. Like I said, a public that otherwise was not very savvy about arts. And again obviously issues such as infrastructure, electricity generation, sanitation in the environment and little things that are supposed to be local government related were the challenges faced as a business owner. But you do what you have to do.

What about financing the project?

We were fortunate at the beginning. Mr Tayo Aderinokun, the late Managing Director of GT Bank, supported the vision and he was a very active part of the process. He was one person with the board who assisted in making sure that we got the necessary finance with about two other shareholders that I started off with.

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Why is making Nigerian art, culture and lifestyle the top priority for Terra Kulture?

What I wanted to do was to set up a space where people would come and appreciate our arts, food and literature. You CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

AUSTEN-PETERS

14

Weekend Delight

| Conversation

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

‘Watching Fela on Broadway inspired us to create Saro the Musical’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 3

have them all over the world so I am not doing something that is never done before.

It is just that in Nigerian because it is not a very high revenue yielding business, most people will obviously not delve into it. So, Terra Kulture promotes Nigeria art, culture and lifestyle out of passion not out of financial gains. And it has proven to be the case that it is more of a passion driven thing than a revenue generating business.

What does it take to sustain arts and culture business in Nigeria?

I think the first thing is that you need to be constantly innovative. We’ve always been innovative and we keep introducing new things, we keep having new contents, our gallery is always having different artistes and exhibitions that are interesting.

There is always new literature, book readings done by different artistes and plays also. All these add to the flavour of the space. But I think apart from innovation, the ability to provide good quality service to people is important. People who were here 10 years ago, come here and say, it looks the same way it looked 10 years ago, probably even better in terms of what we have done with the space, I think that is critical.

What are some of the landmark achievements of Terra Kulture?

First, we’ve created a hub where locals and foreigners visit. It is a rare thing in Nigeria to find like a melting point where you have people from different backgrounds and cultures meeting together. I think that in itself is a huge achievement because there is no real formula to it.

Secondly, we’ve been able to in the course of 10 years have about over a 100 exhibitions, over 60 plays, maybe 50 book readings and we have children come here on excursion on daily basis.

For children who don’t

have museums to visit, we teach them about our arts and literature. All these things are achievements in themselves.

But I think some of the crowning moments are things like the establishment of Terra Kulture and My Dream Auction House which we started four years ago. And that has elevated the platform in which artistes exhibit their works both locally and internationally and it has obviously affected the pricing of their works. The other big landmark achievement is the fact that we have been able to put together productions now that are exportable and clearly marketable.

That in itself is a feat. But ordinarily is not achievable in Nigeria because the infrastructure is not just available.

What is the future of Terra Kulture and how profitable has it been?

Terra Kulture has not being a profit making institution per say. We are almost like a non governmental organisation if you will, but, we are a self sustaining institution let’s put it that way. So, we sustain what we do but we don’t make that much to declare a profit or otherwise. The future is basically productions. We see that Nigerians and Nigeria is ready for productions and we are focusing on theatre productions, television series and movies going forward, that is our plan.

A National monument like the National Arts Theatre is wasting, what do you think the government should do to make it functional again?

In Nigeria, government owned institutions and funding of such institutions can be problematic. And in view of the fact that this is a government owned initiative and it is a massive project, it might be a little bit difficult for them to run. Maybe it might be wiser if they had a public-private partnership.

I think what drives Terra Kulture is the fact that it is privately owned so there is no government involvement.

And once you have accountability, you have a group of people that are of like minds work-

ing together, there is always progress. I think that is really the crux of the matter itself.

How was growing up?

I would say happy.

How do we guard against the prevailing western influence in our arts and music?

I think we are in a global world so influences are drawn from all over. Where we were as a group culturally 10 years ago is not where we are today. Things will always evolve. I think we should note the fact that, as much as there is a lot of foreign influence, we also are influencing a lot especially through our movies and culture as Nigeria is being sold out both within Africa as well as across the world. Our musicals are also travelling all over the world, hence, people are learning our languages through our music and thought process, so it’s the same way American and European influences come into Nigeria. So I think what we need to do is to keep encouraging those who are promoting our culture to keep doing it because that way, there will be no accusation of cultural imperialism in the future because everyone is doing what they need to do to protect themselves.

How supportive has your husband been?

My husband has been phenomenal. He is the one that was there from day one and he’s been supportive of the idea and he keeps pushing me to get better and I think that is critical. If you don’t have a supportive husband, you clearly will not be able to do what I am doing because we work seven days a week.

How did you conceive the idea to create the Broadway style Saro The Musical?

We started theatre six years ago and our theatre productions became increasingly bigger. And the idea was that we should start doing productions that would rival the things that are imported into Nigeria that we also go and see when we travel abroad. So I think that was what challenged me and also after seeing Fela on Broadway which story was basically a Nigerian story and it was all about music and dance, I figured that it’s something we can do ourselves. So, Saro was created.

What is the future of Saro and what do you hope to achieve with it?

I think we have delivered the goods first and foremost. And since we did Saro, we’ve had about six productions and we are doing Saro The musical 2 a 100-man cast which is a progression from the first one.

We have revised the script because the first one was our first major outing. We also have a new cast who are stars from television and stage involved in the project.

What we hope to achieve first and foremost is to create entertainment. Secondly, it is to showcase the best of Nigeria in terms of culture, dance and music. And lastly and most significantly to create jobs because with each production there are over a 100 jobs that are created if not more.

“I think we should note the fact that, as much as there is a lot of foreign influence, we also are influencing a lot especially through our movies and culture... Our musicals are also travelling all over the world”

What has running Terra Kulture taught you?

It has exposed me to a lot of people. It has also made me a little bit less shy about talking to people and more importantly it has taught me a lot about growing a business. And in doing a business you come across all sort of people, those who will encourage you and those who will distract and want to take you down. But most importantly, it’s been a very fulfilling experience.

What is the stage of the Terra Kulture complex?

We have plans for it but we are not doing anything for now.

Was your studying law born out of passion or because that was what your parents wanted you to study?

I studied law because I wasn’t good in maths or sciences and my father is a lawyer. So it was a natural progression.

How have you been able to balance the role of being a wife, mother and entrepreneur?

I create a balance. It’s not easy; something will suffer therefore at the end of the day you will just have to recognise that your choices are your choices. Whatever you choose to do in life, if you decide to do it, you just have to do it well.

How would you define your style?

My personal style is laidback. I’m very casual in my dressing but very trendy.

If we take a peep into your wardrobe what kind of clothes are we likely to see?

You will see fun pieces. I don’t dress age typical of what you would expect. So, like I said, I dress casual but trendy.

If you had the chance to change one about yourself what would it be?

It is a tough one, I have never thought about it. But really you don’t see yourself; people will be the ones to tell you what they would like to change about you.

How do you relax?

I am very lucky, my relaxation is sleep. I don’t need to think hard before I fall asleep.

I can sleep at any time; sleep comes so easy and naturally to me.

What makes you happy to be a woman?

I was born a woman so I don’t have a choice. I like who I am and being a woman have not been too much of a demerit for me. Even if I were a man, I would be able to see from the other side why I would not like to be a woman. I am happy to be a natural, wife, mother and I also mother those that work with me. I love being a woman; I think to be otherwise will be odd.

Do you have a beauty regimen?

No, I exercise a lot. I love exercising and everybody knows that about me. I guess that is one of the ways I relax too. I enjoy dancing as well.

Why is it difficult for women to work together most times?

Maybe because we are similar and are configured in the same way. But I know women, who work together because I am part of Women in Business. It is group of 10 women who came together with a man and we work beautifully. So to some extent, women do work together. I think it is also one of those things that is put out there to make women feel that other women do not support each other. So we need to start saying that women work together to encourage us to work together.

What is the centre of attraction of Terra Kulture?

Terra Kulture means different things to different people. For some people, it’s all about arts. They will tell you that they are going to Terra Kulture to see the gallery. For some, it’s the food; Terra Kulture is a restaurant to them. And to some people it’s a theatre. Also, some people only know Terra Kulture for the book store while some people only know Terra Kulture for the language classes and excursion. So it depends on where or what your perspective really is.

Instyle

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Dress to stun this Yuletide

15

fashion etiquette

N

Angela Davies o doubt, there will be lots of events to attend this Yuletide season. So, are you thinking of what outfit to wear to that Christmas church service as well as that special night event? You could decide to wear traditional or English outfit depending on the time of the event.

If you decide to wear traditional outfit to your church Christmas service, then try to incorporate any of the colours of the Christmas which are red, gold and green. Opt for lovely styles made with different gorgeous fabrics. You could opt for a blend of lace blouse and complementing wrapper or stylish skirt style, a combination of Ankara fabric and lace gown as well as lustre lace fabric combined with other alluring fabrics made into lovely gown or skirt and top among other lovely styles as you so choose. Nevertheless, you should make a style that would flatter your silhouette gracefully and choose a matching headgear to harmonise your look.

If you will be attending a black tie or special formal evening event, then it is time to slip into an elegant, sexy and exquisite evening gown.

There are a variety of evening gown styles, cuts and colours to select from to make your evening special and memorable. You could opt for a lovely sequined or intricately embellished evening gown in different styles and colours which is trending. However, ensure it is comfortable, flattering and stylish.

If you are confused about what colour to wear, then, simply opt for an elegant black evening gown that catches your fancy, suits your style and will make heads turn.

Don’t forget to accessories your outfit with a cute clutch, chandelier earrings, a pair of high heels and other accessories to make you stand out.

Dressing for your office Christmas party

I

t is that time of the year when many offices hold Christmas office party to mark the end of a successful work year. Most times, it is a great official event to dress up for. However, there are outfits you should never wear and rules to keep in mind when picking out that outfit for your office Christmas party.

Women should wear something modest but comfortable and classy and accessorise accordingly if it is going to be a daytime party. Hair nicely styled and make-up should not be heavy.

But, if it is going to be an evening party, you should show up at the event in a gorgeous evening gown or cocktail dress.

You should not wear clothes that are too revealing, short, tight or overly clinging as well as dresses with deep cleavage cut.

Also, do not wear clothes that are too casual. You do not want to be stared at for the wrong reasons and become a subject of gossip in the office.

Also, ensure your hair is well styled and go for classic but natural makeup look and avoid spritzing too much perfume. You could also have a touch of red, green or gold in line with the festive season. So, dress elegantly but you do not need to over dress to impress.

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Instyle

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Clutch it A clutch is definitely a must have in every woman’s wardrobe.

When it comes to party accessories, clutches are definite winners especially during this festive season, ANGELA DAVIES writes.

Y

ou have picked out that dazzling outfit, pair of high heels and other accessories just perfect for the night event.

Nevertheless, you still need the perfect clutch to complement, add panache and help complete your great evening look.

Clutches are cute, charming and elegant. They come in different styles, shapes, fabrics, colours and lengths.

However, box clutches which are dramatic in style seems to be the favourite of many women. They are hardbacked little boxes which do not allow room for so much. So, be prepared to carry only the essentials when choos-

ing to accessorise with a box clutch.

For an evening event, go for a clutch with beads, sequins and other embellishments to give your clutch the extra glam factor it requires to make that minute but salient fashion statement.

So whether you choose a box, envelope or overlay clutch, you should either tuck it gracefully in the crook of your arm or hold it in your hand where it functions as a sort of glamorous extension of your body.

However, ensure your fingers are well manicured as you gracefully grab your clutch for that special night event.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Simply casual

What determines the kind of outfit you wear?

The event determines the kind of outfit I wear. If there is a dress code, I follow it but if there is none, I dress to suit my style. I will call what I am wearing executive casual.

What kind of outfits take up the most space in your wardrobe?

I would say jeans, chinos trousers, shirts and T-shirts.

Is there any kind of dress you would rather not wear?

I will not be caught wearing maybe agbada. I have never worn it not even on my wedding day.

Basically that is one outfit I have never worn and I am not sure I can wear it.

Nancy Nwadire is the creative director of Iconic Invanity which she founded in 2009.

She believes that her first encounter with fashion occurred when she watched her mother make hand-sewn outfits for her siblings.

Iconic Invanity exquisitely combines an afrocentric flavour with the Western influences within the high fashion industry.

their outfits should be of good quality and should look good on me.

Signature perfume Right now I'm using Gucci, but tomorrow I could decide to use another perfume.

What kind of shoes do you love?

I like loafers. I don’t like shoes that are too executive.

Do you have a fashion role model?

I think my fashion role model is Puff Daddy. I like the way he dresses, he dresses well. He inspires me the way he dresses.

Most expensive fashion accessory you have ever bought That will be my wristwatch.

Chanel’s famous 2.55 handbag got its name from the date it was invented, which was February 1955.

Best colour It is white and blue.

Fashion accessory you cannot leave home without My wristwatch, it helps me keep to time. We all know that time is money.

The first fashion magazine was published in Germany in 1586.

Best designer I like Versace because his style is a bit out of normal, they are unique. For other designers, what matters to me is that Rasqie

Beauty

W

ith your dress ready, hair neatly done and other accessories ready for that event, you also have to take care of one important aspect, which is your make-up.

When attending a daytime event, your make-up should be subtle. Less is more as this would make you look younger and endearing. With perfectly shaped brows for example, you may not need much liner as well shaped brows would frame your face. Also, applying a little mascara will go a long way with a daytime look. It will polish your look and add that touch of femininity that will draw attention.

Then, your night time event festive make-up look

17

Facts

In real life, Abdul Rasaq Lawal, the artiste who goes by the showbiz moniker Rasqie, flaunts a style just as casual as his looks on stage. But he would nonetheless dress as the occasion demands. ANGELA DAVIES writes.

How would you define your style?

I would define my style as casual. Once I wear my jeans, shirt and sneakers I am good to go.

Instyle

Get the perfect make-up look this Christmas should be dramatic. Go for bold red, pink or chocolate colour lipstick and possibly a touch of metallic eye shadow.

Here are tips to have that charming and dramatic evening make-up look: • Red Lipstick – Red lipstick never leaves the beauty scene. They come in different shades and give your lips classic and seductive look. If you are not a fan of red lipstick, then, opt for pink or chocolate.

• Liner – Be a little more generous with the liner in the night time look. This is because it is more dramatic and makes the eyes stand out.

• Play with colour – Use a little pop of sophisticated shade of colour that complements your skin tone.

It is fun, unique and highlights your naturally beautiful features.

• Smoke it out: Smokey eyes will never go out of make-up looks. Use a deeper shade in the crease of the eye and smudge it out to reach the length

Both the pencil skirt and the A-line skirt were designed by French designer, Christian Dior, who is singlehandedly credited with inspiring 1950s fashion.

of the line of the eyebrow. For a picture perfect night, use lighter shades on the lid and highlight just below the brow. You could also opt for the metallic Smokey eye as it is a hot look for Christmas night parties.

Just ensure both your daytime and night makeup looks complement your skin tone. However, to apply make-up whether for daytime or night event, cleanse, tone and moisturize to stop your pores from getting clogged, prevent spots and blemishes, and protect your skin.

Also, now that the harmattan is here, ensure your lips do not get chapped, so make sure you use your lips stick, lip gloss or balm to prevent your lips from cracking and bleeding. And do not forget to moisturise your body properly.

The Arts SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

Nwadiogbu finds renewal in latest effort

Reflection with

Tim Akinleye 08098668480

timorousray@gmail.com

Enemies of the State (1) Nothing deeply reflects more, The inner sublime thoughts of man, Than the musings of a poet.

And nothing paints more hues, Than the rapid strokes of his reticent thoughts.

The main exhibition hall of National Museum Onikan, Lagos, came alive Tuesday December 16 as an art exhibition entitled, "Effort", by Olisa Nwadiogbu opened. The Lagosbased painter and bronze caster is using the show to give the public a glimpse of some of his recent works, writes TONY OKUYEME.

N

wadiogbu returned to the exhibition space earlier this week with a solo exhibition he titled, Effort. The artist who for thepast two decades has carried out commissioned works across various genres such as sculpture, painting and bronze casting, in this current exhibition is showcasing some of his recent works to the public.

The works on display are divided into three categories, namely acrylic on canvas, mixed media on canvas and mixed media with bottle tops and cans. They speak of his experiences.

The artist explained that "Effort" is a collection of his experiences and travails.

“Effort is captured in acrylic on canvas of his old engravings (original), some recent paintings and mixed media presented for public consumption.”

The Onitsha, Anambra State born artist, popularly known as Olisa, said that the show was packaged by his Gon Studio and the National Museum Onikan, Lagos, adding that the exhibition is reminiscent of his studio art experience.

“After some years of creating large pictures in oil and water colour, I felt the need to use original engravings starting from 1993 to explore a new and deeper direction in my artistic journey. Interestingly, my exploration followed the encounter with Edwin Inyang, who was then an informal student of Bruce Onabrekpeya School of Art. I must also say that the chance meeting with Inyang in 1987 has not only left an indelible mark on my works but has brought out an inner creativity through engravings,” he said.

Continuing, Nwadiogbu explained that although he has always worked with foils using engraved panels as master plates, numerous years of deep interest in engravings has crystallized into a peculiar technique and new art mission and vision.

“Today, these works on exhibition started as preliminary sketches on pieces of paper and then transferred to the lino, board or even tiles mounted on panels. The images are engraved out with the help of engraving

18

From the turbulence of his still mind, Comes the distilled chaos, And the reflections from his golden tears, Fire up the hope of many.

Who dare to incline their ears to him.

And when in feats of poetic dialogues, His roving rays may Behind the veil reveal, The plight of a nation crouching, Under the siege of insatiable enemies. tools which are manually operated. Colours were introduced on the engraved patterns to provide contrast to the image.

“Ordinarily, patinas deployed in flat engravings give the work a deep illusion with three dimensional effects that create the feeling of weight and objectivity. On the other hand, the other bodies of works in this exhibition are conveyed on acrylic, oil, enamel, and spray paint on canvas.

The items are mostly derived from my past figurative works. In this body of works, playfulness and spontaneity remains central in my message.”

According to him, the theme that underpins the exhibition is renewal and to demonstrate the need for artists to always put some effort in their creative endeavours.

“Through drips paint, scratches and super-imposes paint on canvas, my works also task all to appreciate the pure and undiluted abstract nature of art. The third category of works in Effort showcase a mixed media platform with everyday objects such as bottle caps, plastic bottle and cans, horns, dolls, beads, raffia, disc, seed, wire etc. In using every day discarded objects as a medium for art, my aim is to once again draw our attention to the increasing and difficult challenges of our environment and the quality of life in a contemporary era.

“Basically like most Nigerians, our education is/was delivered in the Western European culture and tradition. But as an African that has succeeded in emancipating himself from the vestiges cultural imperialism, the works on exhibition attest to my African root, especially in the culture and tradition of ancient Onitsha Kingdom, uli and nsibidi signs and symbols, religious rituals to mention but a few.

My exploratory and painstaking visits to nation numerous, arts galleries and participation in several art workshops, seminars, salons and exhibitions inform this exhibition.”

"Effort" is his fourth solo show in the same venue. The exhibition runs till December 23.

A State under siege: Souls languishing within, She groans unheeded, While her enemies milk her dry, And feast on her living spoils.

The enemies of State are assorted: Politicians who feed fat Leaving crumbs for the masses, Who relocate to Banana Islands But with election bells toiling, Come back with stomach infrastructure.

Conniving with contractors, Who corner juicy contracts, That are never executed!

Magnates who engage in sharp practices, With fellow crooks from Asia and yonder.

Drug importers who callously Capsize the capsules, And flood our drug stores with fakes, Decimating our children and youths, Deforming our future.

Citizens who revel in Defying our laws and decent ways of life, Driving against traffic And jumping patient queues Puzzling younger ones without a clue.

Law enforcement officials who, At the slightest provocation, Brutalize unarmed civilians, And ignore a distress call For lack of fuel in the patrol van.

All rights reserved © copyright Tim 2014 To be continued next week

Niyola Banky W is my boss and that's it

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Showbiz celebs How we'll spend our Christmas

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SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

19

'Issues about the paternity of some of my kids now old story' Afrobeat musician, Femi Kuti, has signed a management deal with a relatively young music company, Chocolate City and he’s unapologetic about his choice. In this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA, the singer and saxophonist speaks about the deal and reports of paternity issues relating to some of his kids.

Why did you sign a management deal with Chocolate City, a record label that’s barely 10 years in operation?

When Chocolate City approached me to have a management deal with them, I got a lot of calls and many people said they are too young, “you’re too big for them”. My training doesn’t allow me to be arrogant, though sometimes people see me that way. It is the seriousness that I put in my profession that makes me look sometimes like I’m arrogant. And it’s also because I’m giving my all to the best of the music I can produce. So, when people started talking about Chocolate City, I did my own findings and found out that the guys at Chocolate City are very young but very vibrant.

When I met them, they had done a lot of researches on my career which interests me. They didn’t just touch the job on the surface, they went very deep and they knew what they were talking about. I’ve never had a management contract in Nigeria and I had more or less managed myself because I’ve been very disappointed in people. We must always take cognisance of the bad part of our country and I’ve had very bad experiences here. So, I’ve been very discouraged in doing the business in Nigeria. When I met the young men at the Chocolate City and discovered another kind of my people, so enthusiastic and sincere, that excited me and said, ‘wow, so we still have good people like these in our country that are sincere?’

What else did you find impressive?

I had already made up my mind that I was going to sign the deal with them. Although I ensured that my lawyers gave them a lot of stress in securing it and the contract is very tight in my favour. But they really impressed and ever since I signed that contract, I’ve never been disappointed. I see them an extended family of my life, friends, brothers and sisters and very warm in my heart. And when I found out that Keem Bello-Osagie was the chairman, it impressed me and I felt very comfortable.

And I want to say that I will always put 100percent of my time to make sure that I give the best of my music. You can rest assured that my next album will go far because as usual, I will put everything.

What’s the size of your band?

We’re about 30 now because; we have about 12 dancers, five horns, three guitarists, percussionists, keyboardists apart from the sideliners in the band.

So we do cater for a lot, I strongly believe in Africa and I don’t think anyone who has followed my career will doubt that. I believe that if we all do our jobs properly, Nigeria should be the pride of the world. And this is the projection I’ve always done outside Nigeria with my career. Yes, hopefully, I will win the Grammy one day but my greatest joy will be for Nigeria to have electricity, best healthcare services, education, good roads and all that me and my father’s music has stood for. If this happens in my lifetime, it will be more fulfilling than having a Grammy. I have no doubt in the Chocolate City because now I have a family from my because I could continue to do it from Europe or America, but I feel this is more intimate. I feel this is my people watching my back for the first time in my career.

What’s the duration of the contract?

Actually, no comment on that, but it I want it to last me for a lifetime. It’s fairly long term contract, but for the purpose of confidentiality, I won’t go into details.

How has your foreign partners taken this news?

I’ve always kept Nigeria out of the territory in all the international deals I’ve had. So, legally and techni-

cally, they have no say. But genuinely, they are very happy for me because for the first time they heard me say that I would now be managed from Nigeria. We have to understand that the perception about Nigeria is not very nice, so they were first wary and were almost saying, ‘don’t do this...don’t do that.’ I had to convince them that this isn’t the typical news you hear about Nigerians. It’s a new age and movement from Nigeria. Honestly, right now, internationally and locally, we are at a stage where Chocolate City even communicate with my international partners on my behalf because I’ve introduced them. They’ve met my publishers, my producers in Europe, so they talk directly with them now. What will happen in the future is that we will now work as a team probably not by the contract because it’s now turning out to be very friendly. And I think trust is the basis of any business. What I want from my career at the end of the day is to take off from Nigeria and I have no problem trusting that Chocolate City takes my career to the next level. It’s what I’ve always wanted; unfortunately, I’ve had to take off from Europe or America and come back home. If I can secure my base for the first time in my career, that will bring me a lot of comfort, not monetarily, but spiritual comfort because I love my country, my home.

A story recently made the rounds that you denied being the father of some of your children. What really happened?

It happened eight years ago. What they did was that they brought back the story and made it sound like it happened yesterday. They took pictures of my biological children and posted on the internet which was very unfair. They put the photographs of some of them when they were on stage with me and some from my house sitting on my bed. What they (Encomium) did was very unfair. It’s not that it didn’t happen, but it happened eight years ago and it doesn’t concern the children I have right now - six of them - and my eldest son, Made, is in England.

Then I have Ayomide, Tunmise, Lade, Teju and my last child, Bisayo. They went to my Instagram and took those pictures and pretended that I was talking about them. That’s not fair.

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Showbiz

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Hilarious moments at The Headies

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igeria’s most prestigious music award ceremony, The Headies held last Sunday amid fanfare. It left us some hilarious memories and here are the characters that made the soiree a really riveting one.

TOKE MAKINWA On-air-personality Toke Makinwa and comedian Bovi Ugboma were supposed to anchor the show together, but for whatever reason, Bovi was absent.

So, Bright Okpocha a.k.a Basketmouth stood in for him for a while. At some intervals, Toke Makinwa was left to engage the massive audience alone. The task was so overwhelming that your darling V-logger was caught gasping for breath. She changed her outfits five times before the show ended. And the most disastrous for her was a moment when she stepped on stage in a jumpsuit that made her look almost like a clown. Whatever she had underneath looked so much like a diaper on an adult. The audience couldn’t hold back the laughter provoked by her look, but the unsuspecting lady thought she was getting a sincere cheer. She was the wrong person for the job apparently.

BETWEEN SALAWA ABENI AND VICTOR UWAIFO It might interest you to know that Waka queen, Salawa Abeni and Pa Victor Uwaifo made it to the award

ceremony that would ordinarily look like one for today’s artistes. Abeni had spotted Uwaifo and made to exchange pleasantries with the septuagenarian.

For a few seconds, Uwaifo struggled to recognise Abeni until the latter repeatedly mentioned her name and perhaps, her former husband’s, Kollington Ayinla. How time flies.

KCEE Singer, KCee’s Limpopo won the Song of the Year category. He came on stage to celebrate that victory with a live band to perform the song, Pull Over on stage. With super theatrics, he charmed all especially with Saka and other comic dancers performing live, but he flawed the outing with his voice that sounded off beat throughout the performance. You’d almost be forced to ask, “did this guy rehearse at all?”

Tiwa Savage and Patoranking performing the popular single, Girlie O

K1 AND PASUMA Fuji musicians, K1 the Ultimate and Pasuma Wonder are in a lingering feud. Though, they appear to be keeping their cool, there are indications that highlight the existence of some rancour. They were both guests at the award ceremony. Pasuma was on stage to present an award, as if it was intended to prove a point, the camera zoomed in on K1 where he was seated and the acclaimed King of Fuji wore a look that screamed rage. The fight isn’t over yet, obviously.

AYIRI EMAMI Ayiri Emami, the Warri billionaire graced the show. As he walked past, he was asked by a curious team of journalists if he was going to give Tayo Faniran (the Nigerian representative at the recent Big Brother Africa) $350,000 as has been widely circulated. “I don talk am” was all he said as he walked past without responding to other questions.

Phyno clinching his award, Best Rap Single

Makinwa and Basketmouth (MCs)

OJB leads kidney Trust Fund

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ne of the few survivors of kidney failure in showbiz, OJB Jezreel, is pursuing a humanitarian cause that holds a deep personal significance for him. He’s identifying with a campaign to help alleviate the pains of Nigerians down with kidney diseases. Some statistics say that over 30 million Nigerians suffer from different levels of kidney and renal failure. Most of these people experience great pain in seeking medical solution. Locally, the cost and quality of seeking these solutions are usually above the means of majority of sufferers, although, the few fortunate ones seek solutions abroad, mostly in India.

It is in this regard, that two not-

... replaces Oritsefemi’s damaged Range Rover Evoque

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treet pop singer, Oritsefemi, has got his groove back after his car, Range Rover Evoque bought for him by his management was badly damaged days after he received it. The said vehicle has been replaced by the

ex-militant, Ayiri Emami.

He announced this at the Headies where his song, Double Wahala won the Best Street Pop category. So excited was Oritsefemi that he took the microphone to sing Emami's praise on stage.

K1 and daughter at The Headies

for-profit-organizations – the OJB foundation and The Bowtie Club - have come together with support from well-meaning institutions to launch the Kidney Trust Fund with the aim of galvanizing funds towards assisting those who otherwise would be left to die as a result of their poor financial status.

The fundraiser seeks to raise over N200m monthly solely for the purpose of providing medical succour to as many Nigerians who are suffering from this disease as possible.

This is most likely the first time that a group is finding a nexus between investment banking, celebrity and charity in intervening and seeking solution to both social and medical

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The fundraiser will run on a structural tripod - FCMB serving as the collection bank, while CSL Trustees Limited serving as the trustee firm having full custody of the funds and reserving the rights to disbursement, usually directly to the partner hospital in India (Vikram Hospital).

OJB Foundation would provide the patients from their register of patients which grows astronomically almost on a daily basis as a result of their periodic kidney health clinic.

The projection is that in five years, the initiative should be in a position to build a local facility with up to date modern equipment with which we plan to render the transplant and other associated services to our people according to set international standards. To achieve this, the Kidney Trust Fund has appointed a frontline Asset Management Firm - FCMB Asset Management to manage a portion of funds raised over a five year period.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Niyola: Banky W is my boss and that's it Empire Mates Entertainment sign-on and the nominee of Best Vocal Performance (Female) at the recent award ceremony, The Headies, Eniola Akinbo otherwise known as Niyola was interviewed by LANRE ODUKOYA on the red carpet of the show held last Sunday. The sassy singer speaks about her career, romance and plans for 2015.

What are you expecting at this show tonight?

I’m here to be entertained and I’m looking forward to watch performances and see how people react when they’re being called upon and announced as winners. That aspect is intriguing for me because the fears, tears, laughter and the tension are worth observing.

man you love. I also know that every woman at every point in time has been in a position where she has had to battle in the middle of such situation. And that’s why you have to go back when you know that someone isn’t just good for you. You spent time to think, 'oh, he’s just being a man, I can understand what he’s going through and all that.'

You’re nominated for Best Vocal Performance (Female), how do you feel?

I feel that as long as I’m nominated, I’m still a winner because it shows that I’ve done something pretty impressive to be singled out for that honour. But I hope I win The Headie really. Toh Bad, my song was nominated for the Video of the Year, but that’s for the director, Kemi Adetiba.

What are you going to be doing differently in 2015?

2015 is here already and hopefully, I’m going to drop an album and my fans are going to be seeing more songs, more videos, local and international collaboration next year. I cannot tell you exactly what it would be, but it would be next year definitely.

You celebrated your birthday yesterday, how did you spend it?

Yes, I did but it was just something on the low key. I spent it with my loved ones, I just had some food and drinks.

You and Banky W got intimate in one of your recent videos and prior to that, he has admitted some affection for you in an interview that went viral?

I’m not aware of that, he’s my boss and that’s it.

And if he proposes to you now, what will you say?

(Chuckles) I don’t know until he does.

What’s your ideal man like?

I don’t think there’s such thing as an ideal man. I just like a mature, very self-respecting, Godfearing and good looking man who is also intelligent enough to take me for who I am.

Do you have the man already?

No, I’m yet to have him.

That's hard to believe given that you’ve been in Nigeria for a while, don't you think?

I’m single now because I chose to.

How long more would you like to remain single?

I don’t know, when I’m ready for a relationship, I will know and you will also know after me.

Is the storyline of Toh Bad your true life experience?

Well, I would say that in a way it is. I have felt love and I actually know what it feels being torn in between love for your job and the

If you have not been doing music what will you be doing by now?

I honestly don’t know because I have many talents. I love writing, and to meet and inspire people. I’m just a happy-go-lucky girl, I get excited by little things in life, I don’t ask for too many things and I’m very simple.

Who actually styles you?

It depends, today I’m wearing April by Kunbi. Most of the time I style myself but occasionally have people style me.

It appears you've had butt enhancement?

How did you know the size of my butt? Have you ever seen my butt before? I have no answer please.

Do you think female artistes are now more appreciated in Nigeria?

Of course, you get appreciated for the good works you put out there.

What have been your challenges in the industry?

I can’t start to count because I take challenges well. I believe that for you to succeed, you must face challenges and at the point you’re sure you’ve overcome some, that’s when you’d know that you’re growing. It’s like when you are a seamstress, you want to sew and you get pricked by a needle, you’d not say that the problem you have is that you are hurt. It’s your job and you take everything that comes like that.

Do you see yourself quitting EME musical company anytime soon?

No, I don’t see myself leaving, at least not at the moment.

Showbiz

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Showbiz

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Showbiz celebs How we’ll spend our Christmas

Christmas is here again and our showbiz celebrities are already prepping to make this year’s celebration possibly their best ever. They speak to LANRE ODUKOYA and OLUSOLA RICKETTS about their plans for the holiday.

AY

Femi Kuti

JIMMY JATT – DISC JOCKEY The season is one that God and His son are celebrated by the entire world. The season is very good for my kind of business as it’s our peak period business-wise. I will be working all through.

Joke Silva

Jimmy Jatt

AYO MAKUN – COMEDIAN Well, at Christmas, I work all the time because it’s the peak period for my work. Celebration goes along with work for me. I have a show on Christmas day and my family will be with me. It has been like that for about four years.

STEPHANIE OKEREKE – ACTRESS I can’t begin to define what Christmas is here. The world already knows how special the season is. And for this reason, I will be celebrating my Christmas with my family and a few

IYABO OJO – ACTRESS It’s a season of joy and thanksgiving. 2014 has already been a very fruitful year for me in all areas and I’m thankful. We are already in the mood of the season and I will celebrate till 2015 knocks. I will be spending Christmas with my family. It’s a time to show them love as Christ was given to us for love.

Harrysong

Joe El

DENRELE EDUN – TV HOST I have many plans. My mother has been out of the country for over 14 years and I haven't set my eyes on her since then. My plan was to go spend the Christmas with her by surprising her, but the armed robbers that attacked me stole my bag and all my passports were there. Right now I am stranded in Nigeria and I am doing shows. On Christmas day I will definitely spend it with my family; my dad and sisters, cousins and the many friends that will be visiting us.

JULIUS AGWU– COMEDIAN I am taking love back home and for me, it’s like picnicking with my larger family. This Christmas, I will be at my show, Crack Ya Ribs, with my people in Port Harcourt. Christmas reminds us of God’s love for mankind and I’m sharing love this Christmas.

HARRYSONG– MUSICIAN I wish to spend my Christmas back home with my grandma, but because of my shows around the country, I will use it as an opportunity to give back to my fans.

So, this Christmas is a giving back Christmas for me because God has done a lot for me in 2014.

friends specially and quietly in a place I won’t disclose for security reasons.

FEMI KUTI – MUSICIAN I will be spending Christmas with my family on that day, but I will also be playing at The Shrine. It falls on a Thursday don’t forget.

JOKE SYLVA – ACTRESS It’s a season when we are reminded of how much God loves us. I’m actually going to be spending my Christmas very quietly with my family.

Ojo

Julius Agwu

NOMORELOSS– MUSICIAN We should be working all day; that is the main thing for entertainers. In the morning, I will be spending time with my family, but in the day it will be working as usual. My family members understand what I do. For me Christmas is just another day. It is all fun, but it also means more expenses. But it is good for we entertainers because we get more shows than the usual.

Sound Sultan

Stephanie

SOUND SULTAN– MUSICIAN It is basically about work; from

Ebele

Nomoreloss

one show to another.

JOE EL– MUSICIAN I am having a show in Gombe on the 24th and another in Ibadan on 25th. So, it is about shows for me; we can rest later.

EBELE– FLUTIST It is work throughout and it has started since December 16 where I was at National Mirror End of Year Party in Abuja. I will be going to Anambra on the 19; Abuja again on the 21; Port Harcourt festival on the 27 and City Fm Praise Jam on the 29.

BENSON OKONKWO – ACTOR/ MODEL Christmas is a season that will celebrate the birth of Jesus and it means a lot to me. I am already in the mood. I'll spending my Christmas in the village with my family.

TUNJI SHOTIMIRIN – ACTOR Christmas is a period when people take a break from their regular jobs. It is an opportunity to visit places you've not been to for a while and celebrate with your loved ones.

I'll be at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, December 27 to 28 for a play.

Edun

Okonkwo

Shotimirin

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Showbiz

23

'MTN Project Fame isn't all about winning the grand prize' Though Isaac Geralds didn’t win the grand prize when he featured on MTN Project Fame 4, he gave a good account of his potential and his performance was rewarded with a runner-up position. The singer who just released the video of his single, Fall in Love, talks about life after the reality show in an encounter with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS. You were one of the favourites during the MTN Project Fame season 4; how did you feel when you didn’t win it?

It was a game and they didn’t promise us anything. We were 19 people in the house, so it was obvious that one person had to win. They always say: “May the best man win”, but I don’t think it is always about the best man in all cases. There is element of luck and other factors could come to play too. I tell people that it is not all about winning, though it would be nice if I had won it. Project Fame is just a platform; it doesn’t even guarantee that you would be a superstar after the show. It is basically a platform to ride on and that is what I have been doing.

You started as a gospel artiste, but you are now doing other genres of music; why the switch?

Immediately I got out of Project Fame I had to redefine myself. Then, I was in a group of four boys and we did basically gospel. But after the show, music grew beyond me and I believe that everyone has an assignment in life. I just want to sing about everyday life and it doesn’t take me away from my religion. My relationship with God gives me restriction, but I am very straight with my message and that message is everyday living as well as what people could relate with. So if you are asking if I am still a gospel artiste, obviously I am not.

and a lot of people. So in 2013, I came out with Ijebu Girl produced by L37 and the response was massive with over seven million downloads. It is a funny song about a girl who was demanding so much money, but gave little. People then asked me if I had experienced something like that, but I didn’t. The idea came to me while I was busy with the dishes in the kitchen. After Ijebu Girl I dropped Fall in Love this year, which was produced by Olaitan Dada and the video was directed by Oluyinka Davids. We are really working and I have been recording in the studio.

People will actually get to see more of me next year.

What were some of the fond of your memories in the academy?

Everyday had its own drama. I could still recall that we were locked in the house for like three months without phones or computers; it was just us. There were days of excitement and days of sorrow. I won’t forget a particular day Aunty Dupe Ige came to the house, asked us to close our eyes and get to a place of pain. Before we knew it we were all crying like babies.

I am not sure I want to do the Project Fame thing again, but hanging with the people I met there is what I would love to do anytime. I still keep in touch with Chidinma, Joba, Monica and others who are reachable. It is just that we need to understand that it is a busy and demanding line of work and we cannot always see.

What influenced your choice of music as career?

I studied mass communication at the Ajayi Crowther University and I have other degrees too. There is a lot to me that people don’t know; we are unfolding them one after the other, but music comes first. I used to run a clothing line before I had to put it on hold. There is the advertising part of me, presentation and I do MC for programmes too. But the truth is you cannot come out and start playing with so many things at the same time. At present, music is my life and everything I do; other things will follow at the right time.

Is there anything you love to change in the music industry?

I would love the industry to be more united. People should look out for one another more; it shouldn’t be about an individual thing alone. We have some people who are doing well in that area, but Nigerian comedians are more united and it helps them to grow others. To them, I think it is an obligation that when you get to a a certain level you have to start mentoring another person. That cannot be said about the music industry; musicians see themselves as rivals. What happens to people who are coming up? Mentorship is very rare; I hope we look towards that direction more.

What are those things you learnt that are still applicable to what you do?

For me, I would say that I am striving on the platform and I am doing what I have to do. The show is not an end; it is just a means to an end.

I cannot say I didn’t learn anything in the house; I learnt from Mummy Jay’s teaching, Uncle Ben and a host of other things I cannot really remember right now.

It’s been three years since you left Project Fame; don’t you think you should have released an album?

I am not under pressure to release any album because it is not about an album. Praiz featured on Project Fame Season 1 and he just came out with an album. When there was a lot of pressure after I left Project Fame, I dropped a promo album containing three songs, Number One, Oluwa is Involved and one other song. I decided to take a break from music after that for like a year because I needed to redefine myself. During that period I listened to different kinds of music

I am not under pressure to release any album because it is not about an album

Are you under any record company?

There was no time I was signed to any label and I am still not.

How did you combine education with music as an undergraduate?

Then, I was doing music but not actively. So that made things easier for me. Though I went to gigs and did some recording, I didn’t allow that to affect my studies. I went to a private school and I know how much my mother had to cough out.

How did your parents react to your

career choice?

My mother pushes me to do my wish. The only thing she did was that at a tender age she introduced us to God. I lost my father long ago, so I grew up basically under the watch of my mother. Even when I wanted to resign from a regular job in an oil company to concentrate on music she just asked if I was sure I really wanted to do so. The salary was lucrative, but there are times as a musician you will do a job that supersedes the salary of a month. Anything you decide to do she would just tell you to put it in God’s hands. I could still recall the excitement of my mum the first time she saw my video on television when she called. My mother have lived her life and she would tell you to live yours. I am the last child in a family of four. I am glad that I have supportive family; they supported me all the way and when things were gloomy I ran to them.

About this time last year you survived a car accident; what was the experience like?

That day was December 11, I think.

I was coming from a gig at night on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, when the drama happened. I don’t drink, so there was no issue that I was drunk. I don’t really want to go deep into the issue again, but what it meant to me was that God has me in mind. It was so bad that the whole of the driver’s side was gone. I have always known like the Bible says: “we are like candles and could be blown off anytime.” I value life a lot because I think it is a privilege or gift; I don’t think it is our right. It changes my perception about speed because at night it is always tempting for one to drive so fast. But it is easier to step on the breaks when you are not driving so fast in case anything happens suddenly. Some friends till date tell me I drive like a grandmother, but I don’t mind because I could tell my experience better.

Investigations SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH 20 DECEMBER 2014

Banks' auto financing and hidden clauses (1)

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Car assembly plant PHOTO: TODAY.NG

Many automobile dealers are currently romancing banks that now offer various credit schemes aimed at making the dream of ownership of brand new low-budget cars a reality in Nigeria. This, perhaps, is in response to the recent Federal Government auto policy, targeted at wiping out the era of fairly used cars in the country. But, would this alliance signal the end of tokunbo cars in Nigeria? Is the scheme designed to bring back the often overlooked middle class into reckoning? What are the deal terms and how far would it go? These are the focal points of this report by ISIOMA MADIKE

N

namdi Akabunma works with one of the oil companies in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. While contemplating buying a fairly used car in August, Akabunma got a hint from his friend in Lagos of opportunities to purchase a brand new car with painless mode of payment.

He approached his bank for a loan and was obliged with a payment period of 48 months.

“This is a wonderful package that is capable of rubbishing the tokunbo market in the country,” Akabunma remarked with excitement.

However, Akabunma is not alone in this new found love with the banks.

Emmanuel Nwaghodoh, a Lagos-based lawyer also benefited from this scheme, which was financed by his bank. Like Akabunma, Nwaghodoh is today a proud owner of a Kia 2013 model Jeep.

“This is pleasing; by this many Nigerians would no longer go for the overused cars from Europe and America. This is capable of bringing back the long neglected middle class into consciousness again.

For a very long time, Nigeria has run on two extremes; the rich and have not,” Nwaghodoh noted.

Perhaps, the current bank-customers’

Parked Tokunbo cars at Apapa Wharf, Lagos

Isioma madike

Editor, INVESTIGATIONS isioma.madike@newtelegraphonline.com © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Aganga

Madueke

PHOTO: CONNECTNIGERIA.COM

romance, which is screwed around the freshly introduced government auto policy, is designed to empower the upwardly mobile and professional customers to purchase brand new cars and enjoy the convenience of splendid installment plan after procurement of the product.

The features includes, financing of brand new vehicles purchased from approved vendors across Nigeria with minimum equity contribution of 10 per cent for account holders and 20 per cent for other categories of customers.

Aside that, the deal enjoys a flexible repayment plan, which spans over a maximum period of 48 months with salary domiciliation or post-dated cheques as part of acceptable conditions to be fulfilled by intending beneficiaries. The banks are equally promising fast and easy processing of the loan facility in which customers would be made to enjoy tracking and insurance facilities. Focus on competitive interest rate is also on the table, according to insider sources.

However, for one to be eligible, such customers must be a staff member of a well-structured reputable organisation in either private or public sectors. Applicants must also fall within the middle to high-income group, earning at least a net income of N1million annually. Though, facility is only available to confirmed member of staff with specific instruction to buy brand new car with the approved auto loan.

In addition, applicant's monthly salary is expected to be able to accommodate monthly loan repayment after all expenses, taxes and other sundry deductions.

Customers, whose salaries are domiciled with other banks though, are eligible to CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

FREE

Sport Splash 25

Special Feature

My 77-year-old dad still cooks for me – Funke Oshonaike p.26-27

EPL

Arsenal battle wounded Liverpool p.28

Interview

My wife is lucky to 'hook' me – Gbolahan Salami p.30

Lifestyle

Ronaldo: My girlfriend steals my underwears p.31

Uphold Amodu’s stand on Keshi • Akpoborie tells NFF

J

Vincent Eboigbe

The Team

Vincent EboigbelAssistant Editor Ajibade Olusesan l Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing

onathan Akpoborie has urged the Nigeria Football Federation to respect the position of the Technical Director of the body, Amodu Shaibu, that Stephen Keshi should be got rid of as coach of the Super Eagles.

On Tuesday Amodu called on Keshi to quit if he had any reputation, adding that it would amount to double standard if the coach were allowed to stay on the job given that Samson Siasia was sacked in similar circumstances.

In the wake of Super Eagles’ poor run in the qualifying campaign for the African Nations Cup, Amodu was conscripted by the new NFF’s helmsman, Amaju Pinnick, to prosecute the last two matches of the series, but the technical director impressed on the federation to allow him (Keshi) to continue. Nigeria eventually failed to make it to Equatorial Guinea, bungling the last home tie against South Africa after raising hopes in the 2-0 away win against Congo DR. And ex-international striker, Akpoborie, argued that the NFF had no choice than to listen to Amodu who as technical

director of the federation was the boss of all the coaches of the national teams.

“Amodu’s views should be taken seriously. When you look at the hierarchy in the football house Amodu is the boss of the coaches and as such whatever he says should be accorded respect,” said Akpoborie.

“I do believe that Keshi himself should have gone a long time ago; if he has any pride and I think he does, he should not wait to be sent packing. I appreciate the fact that coaches sometimes want to be given time to rectify their mistakes, but the question is do we have that luxury of time? I don’t think so.

“We failed to qualify for the Nations Cup and Nigerian fans are the ones who will feel the pain of not being able to watch their team at AFCON, also many businesses will suffer as a consequence of this failure. As it stands now, we are back to square one, after two to three years of Keshi we are going to start rebuilding again. The NFF must think twice about what they have done to Nigerians by the decision to retain Keshi and revert it.”

26

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

My 77-year-old dad still cooks

National table tennis star, Funke Oshonaike, takes Saturday New Telegraph down memory lane in this compelling story.

I was among the few people that started teaching her how to play the ball. She started by picking balls for people and later started playing on the pavement

W

Adekunle Salami hen an athlete shows deep emotion after a victory or loss in a competition, not many can comprehend the implication of such reaction. If athletes fail to win in an event, some of them could go as far as crying to ease the inner pains and relieve the heavy burden of coming to terms with the disappointment. It is also a response to not meeting the expectations of so many people looking up to the athlete to excel. The reverse is the case for a victory. The joy of a victorious athlete knows no bound but interestingly some could also go as far as shedding tears but that could be described as tears of joy.

Athletes participate in competitions banking on some motivating factors to enable them to accomplish set goals in their various disciplines. Some of them will listen to music to get inspiration shortly before an event. Many others think about their relatives, coaches or loved ones to excel.

For table tennis queen, Funke Oshonaike, it is her father, Mr. Olujuwon Oshonaike, that is the motivating factor. He has been a solid pillar behind the huge successes she recorded over the years. In very dicey situations, she told our correspondent that she looked back at all the efforts of her father in the early years of her career.

She said: “He is such a great man. I call him my number one fan because he is always there for me.

If I play 20 matches in La-

End of the year Series

The primary school she attended, Ola Olu

Funke and her dad, Olujuwon Oshonaike

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Oshonaike with her husband and kids

The house she grew up in Somolu, Lagos

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

gos in one day, he will see all. He loves to see me win games and if I lose, it affects him even more than me such that I will be the one consoling him to forget the defeat.

“It is always rare to see parents supporting their children to go into sport at a tender age but mine was different.

I had the support from both of them with a promise that I will also face my studies. Each time I want to compete,

I think of the various ways my father has been motivating me to get results.

“He borrowed money to buy me my first set of kits for the game - the racket (bats), trainers and jerseys.It was tough and I knew it. There was no other option for me than to do well because of the huge support and the confidence reposed in me by my number one fan, my father. I always work

hard to make him happy by winning and winning. It gets to him anytime I lose and so it is not an option to lose a match.”

Oshonaike’s 30-year-romance with table tennis began in the streets of Somolu, Lagos at the age of 10.

She was then a primary six pupil of Community Primary School, now Olaolu Primary School, Somolu.

It was not a deliberate attempt to start a career. It was just one of those pastime children engage in after hours in school. She found herself in the company of boys who loved table tennis so much and she had to join.

“They made me to develop love for the game because they attached so much importance to it and taunted one another on a daily basis over results. We made use of any available space. We rarely used boards; we used space in front of houses or long seats just to knock the ball to one another. It was fun because later on, I started beating the guys as well.

It became a big issue,” she said.

In the Apata area of Somolu, Oshonaike became so popular with her table tennis exploits such that people placed bets on her to win games.

Not only that, people also gathered round to watch her display her skills to the delight of lovers of the sport.

“Huge crowd do gather to watch me in Somolu. I was so small then, I was in the last year of my primary school education. I played against male adults and beat them. Some of them will bet on me to win. I knew nothing about the betting. For me, it was fun. I was enjoying the fame.

“People would point at me in our area as the girl with the big heart. I guess the crowd that used to watch me play then and the early exposure to playing against boys helped me later because I usually played my game without intimidation.”

Because of the talent she exhibited in Somolu, a man took Oshonaike to Rowe Park (a sports centre in Lagos) where it was believed she could be nurtured into a star. A female coach in Lagos State known simply as Toun started the basics for her in the game.

It was another experience entirely as she had to learn the proper way to hold the bat, how to toss the ball and how to apply the various technicalities of the game in concrete terms.

When coach Toun saw the potential in Oshonaike, she took her to another coach also in Rowe Park, Dele Olasumbo, popularly known as Malawi. The coach, a stern disci-

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

for me – Funke Oshonaike plinarian, took over the grooming of the 11-year-old girl.

“It was tough working with Malawi. He was very strict and will not take ‘almost’ from any player; he wanted you to get it right 100 per cent. I was ready to work hard and gradually I understood him.

I thought he was wicked but later realised he wanted the best for me.

He made me what I am today because foundation is crucial in any sport discipline. What I learnt from ‘Malawi’ is still helping me till date,” she noted.

Our correspondent visited the Apata Street house where Oshonaike grew up. Of course people there could still recollect her exploits and they are still following her progress in the sport. The landlord of the house, Mr. Dele Onabule, spoke highly of the national athlete.

Onabule said: “Nobody believed she would become such a great star. She started by playing with boys sometimes when they were trying to stop her from playing, she will quarrel with the boys.

She was well-behaved and a role model. Despite the little difficulties experienced by the parents at the time, she made sure she was satisfied with what her parents provided. She concentrated on her studies and sport. When she started making money, she invested a lot in the parents and the junior ones.

She sends money to me through the father who still comes around once in a while. We all love her because she remains humble.”

Saturday New Telegraph also spoke to Titi Koiki, who called himself an ‘area brother’ of Oshonaike. He said: “I was among the few people that started teaching her how to play the ball. She started by picking balls for people and later started playing on the pavement.

Later, we created a small table and she grew in confidence. She is very humble and has really made us proud in this area.”

Osonaike later attended Igbobi Girls High School from where she moved to the University of Lagos. Interestingly, she did not really enjoy her youth because of her brilliance. She joined the national table tennis team at the age of 14.

Till date, she is still a national team athlete.

As a junior athlete and a secondary school student, Oshonaike was beating the senior players. She was one of the junior players who sent the old ones packing early from the scene.

In the early 90s, she opted to take part in a national competition sponsored by Coca-Cola instead of the National Sports Festival.

“I could have won the gold at the festival but decided to test my skills with the senior players. I did not win but was in the semifinal after beating three top-rated players then. That was my turning point and I was promoted to the senior cadre of the national team,” she said.

So far, she has spent 26 years in the national team and Oshonaike has lost count of the number of events she had attended and medals won but she has represented Nigeria at five Olympic Games.

She was number one in Africa for about six years. In the African Top 16 tournament held in Lagos earlier

Sport

27

End of the year Series

Funke Oshonaike during a competition

in the year, the Germany-based ping ponger won the silver medal.

The 2003 All Africa Games will always be in her mind with fond memories. She was a nursing mother and she won four gold and two silver medals to emerge the best Team Nigeria athlete at the event, helping the country to clinch overall first position for the very first time in the continental multi-sports event.

The table tennis queen is the third in the family of 10. The mother, Mrs Olayinka Oshonaike, gave birth to a set of twins twice.

“I am very close to my mother but somehow my dad is equally close because he does special things in his own way,” she said.

Mr. Oshonaike is 77 years old but he still finds time to show care to all his children. The attachment to Funke is because of his love for sport.

“I love sports and I am impressed that Funke listens to me. She is also very humble despite her fame. Such a daughter is worth everything you can do for her,” he said.

Interestingly, the man still enjoys cooking for the daughter anytime she is in Nigeria. Her favourite food is "Ikokore," a delicacy from the western part of Nigeria, IjebuOde, Ogun State.

Oshonaike added: “My father still cooks my favourite food for me.

He is a good cook. Without telling

In her early days in the sport

He borrowed money to buy me my first set of kits for the game - the racket (bats), trainers and jerseys. It was tough and I knew it

Oshonaike

me, he will just prepare the meal to surprise me. Each time I travel to Nigeria, he will welcome me at the airport with a bowl of "Ikokore"cooked by him. At 77, that’s astounding.

I don’t know where he gets his strength from. If am travelling out of Nigeria he will still follow me to the airport. I cherish those special things he does for me.

“He is simply amazing. He understands me but sometimes we do quarrel and it’s always heated because we are both stubborn.”

The Sports Club Poppenbuttel of Hamburg player met her husband, Kevin Irabor, in 2002 in Germany and they got married two years later traditionally. Later a white wedding took place in Germany. The union is blessed with two kids-Divine (12) and Unique (8).

She quantified combining her duty as a wife, mother and an international athlete that travels sometime away from the family for two months or more.

“It has been God helping me to balance it. I cannot say it is easy but my boys understand me such that when I return I try to make up for the period I was away.”

Oshonaike is looking forward to returning to Nigeria after 20 years in Europe. Her first point of call was Italy, where she spent four years playing for two clubs before moving to Hamburg, Germany.

“I want to return home for one full year and if things work out, I will permanently relocate to Nigeria with my family,” she said.

A

n out-of-sorts Liverpool will aim to revive their Premier League fortunes when they host Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds head into the clash on the back of a 3-0 thumping at Manchester United in their last league outing, meaning they have already lost more games this term (7) than the whole of last season (6).

That defeat saw Brendan RodArsenal 182 67 48 67

Arsene Wenger will no doubt still have nightmares of the corresponding fixture last season.

The Gunners sat at the top of the table when they traveled to Liverpool in February but rather than showing the mettle of champions, they simply capitulated as the Reds ran riot in a 5-1 win.

A repeat of that scoreline this time around is highly unlikely given the Merseysiders' current poor form, thus presenting the Londoners with a golden oppor-

SG slipped up as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Guingamp last weekend and coach Laurent Blanc called for the big-spending Parisian giants to take collective responsibility for that setback.

Montpellier will be the visitors to Parc des Princes on Saturday, with Rolland Courbis' men coming into the game on the back of a 3-3 home draw with Lens following a resounding 4-0 win at Rennes.

In their final game before the midseason break, Lyon face a Bordeaux side

P

PSG welcome Montpellier

Ibrahimovic

eil Warnock concedes he will be taking Crystal Palace to face a Manchester City side starting to fire on all cylinders - but insists his players will not simply roll over.

The Eagles face reigning Barclays Premier League champions City at the Etihad Stadium in Saturday's early kick-off looking for their first win in almost a month - with the Londoners just one point clear of the relegation zone.

"They are just hitting their form," he said."It is always difficult to go to the Etihad, they play some wonderful football but we have been playing well so we do not go there with any fear, but we realise we have got to be on top of our game to come away with anything. We know our goalkeeper and our back four have got to play well and we have got to create chances. "(Sergio) Aguero is as good as anything, he and (Chelsea striker) Diego Costa are probably the best two in the Premier League. But if they wanted to give me Samir Nasri and David Silva I would take them tomorrow.

"I think they are as good as anybody in the country, those two, the difference between the top clubs and everyone at the bottom end is that every player in the 25 is a top international player who can play in several

N

Man City's quality not lost on Warnock

undesliga leaders Bayern Mu-

Bayern seek to extend unbeaten run

Neymar

arcelona can enter the New Year just one point behind Real Madrid, if they can surpass Cordoba in La Liga on Saturday.

Luis Enrique's men could not break down Getafe in a 0-0 stalemate last time out in the top flight but can put the pressure back on Carlo Ancelotti's leaders - given the latter's league duties are complete for 2014, due to Club World Cup commitments.

Barca were also buoyed by an 8-1 Copa del Rey victory over Huesca on Tuesday, with Pedro on target with a hat-trick in the 12-1 aggregate triumph.

The meeting will be the sides' first in La Liga, with Barca winning their Copa del Rey tie in 2012-13 7-0 on aggregate - including a 5-0 win at Camp Nou. Third-placed Atletico Madrid are also looking to bounce back from a last-start league slip-up.

Diego Simeone's men lost at home to in-form Villarreal, and are again on the road at the San Mames to face Athletic Bilbao.

Valencia and Villarreal have the chance to finish the year in fourth, given Sevilla's clash with Real was postponed.

B

Barca host Cordoba, Atletico travel to Bilbao

Sport

Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud both struck a brace while Alexis Sanchez continued his rich vein of form with two more assists, taking his tally to five this campaign.

With the Gunners being in bet-

Head-to-head

Liverpool Matches played: 182 Macthes won: 67 Matches drawn: 48 Matches lost: 67

R eigning European champions go oneon-one with the reigning Copa Libertadores champions when Real Madrid face San Lorenzo in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup final.

A final between two teams that won their confederation’s highest honor (Champions League and Copa Libertadores) might seem like a fair and even match-up, however when you look at form, squad, circumstances, and resources, you know that Ancelotti’s men are the overwhelming favourites.

In terms of form, no team in the world at the moment is better than Real Madrid, who have

won an incredible 21 out of their last 21 matches in all competitions. They have also scored 79 goals in that winning run with an average of 3.76 goals per match.

If that wasn’t enough, their defensive acumen is also on point with just 10 goals conceded during that stretch (average of 0.48 goals per game).

In normal, equal, circumstances Real Madrid would be the great favourites, however in a scenario that benefits Real so much Ancelotti might as well have written it, San Lorenzo will contest the final with a day less rest after playing a grueling twohour match with plucky Auckland City.

Real target Club World Cup title

Global Football Special

Arsenal battle wounded liverpool

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

NEW TELEGRAPH

28 SATURDAY N 20 DECE

P PTS 16 39 16 36 16 31 16 28 16 26 16 26 16 24 16 23 16 22 16 21 16 21 16 19 16 19 16 17 16 16 16 15 16 15 16 14 16 13 16 10

La Liga

Ilicic

Floyd Mayweather American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. lashed out at Filipino champ Manny Pacquiao after the "Pacman" said the unbeaten champion's fights "induced us to sleep."

Mayweather and Pacquiao have been trading barbs ever since the Filipino called out "Money" after his win over American Chris Algieri late November. In a recent interview with Showtime, Mayweather said he would love to fight Pacquiao, but only on his terms.

Pacquiao responded by saying money was no object and that he was even willing to fight for charity.

Lewis Hamilton believes Nico Rosberg's "mistake" during qualifying in Monaco took their rivalry "to another level".

Rosberg locked up during the final qualifying session on the streets of Monte Carlo and pulled his car into the run-off zone, leading to the deployment of yellow flags. It meant Hamilton was unable to complete his flying lap and ultimately cost the Brit pole.

Martinez

ive consecutive defeats for Southampton suggests the over-achieving south coast club's season is on the wane, but Everton manager Roberto Martinez is wary of a backlash.

Everton travel to Southampton on Saturday on the back of a morale-boosting 3-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Monday which lifted them to 10th in the Premier League, five points behind the fifth-placed Saints.

Ronald Koeman's Southampton began the season in tremendous form and were being tipped as genuine contenders for a top-four finish until consecutive league defeats by Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Burnley.

This week, the poor run continued when they were humbled in the League Cup quarter-finals by third tier side Sheffield United.

Yet Martinez warned on Thursday: "I don't assess Southampton in their current moment of form.

"I assess them over what they have done all season. They are a joy to watch.

They are based on attacking football and full of flair. I really like watching Southampton and they are a team who can compete for the top six."

F

Everton boss wary of Southampton

positions.

French number one Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Thursday pulled out of January's mixed team Hopman Cup in Australia due to an arm injury, organisers said.

Tsonga, who with partner Alize Cornet won the tournament this year, said he was disappointed at not being able to defend the title.

"I'm disappointed I have to withdraw from the Hopman Cup as I was looking forward to returning to Perth to play with Alize," said the world number 12.

"But a persisting injury to my arm has given me no choice but to withdraw from the event."

SPORT BRIEFLY

ormer Aston Villa star, Ken McNaught, has called on Paul Lambert's team to go on the attack against in-form Manchester United on Saturday.

McNaught reckons Aston Villa can exploit Manchester United’s weaknesses and end their winning run – but only if they attack.

The Holte End hero has called on Villa to take the game to their in-form opponents and force them into making more mistakes at the back.

Despite winning six games on the bounce, United’s defensive frailties have been highlighted and they’re far from the complete side that manager Louis van Gaal is hoping to assemble.

European Cup winner McNaught has seen their rearguard problems and is hoping Villa can take advantage on Saturday.

“We need to have a real good go at them because they can be breached,” said McNaught.

“I want to see us unsettle them because they’re not playing with confidence in defence."

F

and Lazio are the latest team who could meet their terms.

The side from Florence is increasingly expected to sell Ilicic in the coming market, with some sources suggesting that former Milan man Alexandre Pato’s arrival may hinge on this.

Whilst Sampdoria and Torino have been linked with interest in Ilicic, La Nazione reported that Lazio can be added to the list of suitors.

The Florentine publication asserts that talks are afoot between Fiorentina and the Aquile for the Slovenian to move to the capital.

While the relationship between these two clubs has not always been peaceful, the Biancocelesti are seen as perhaps willing to meet the terms set

by La Viola.

Lazio move for Ilicic iorentina are lookF ing for bidders for winger Josip Ilicic

who suffered a 2-1 defeat at Nantes last weekend and sit fifth in the table.

But Bordeaux boast an unbeaten home record in the league and Fournier is not getting head of himself after his side gained ground on the top two last weekend.

Lyon coach, Hubert Fournier, has played down talk that his club could head into the winter break top of Ligue 1 as they prepare to face Bordeaux on Sunday.

Marseille suffered a 1-0 defeat at Monaco last weekend which coach Marco Bielsa felt was harsh on the leaders.

Lewis Hamilton

NO TEAM P PTS 1 Madrid 15 39 2 Barcelona 15 35 3 Atl Madrid 15 32 4 Sevilla 15 30 5 Valencia 15 28 6 Villarreal 15 27 7 Málaga 15 27 8 Celta Vigo 15 20 9 Eibar 15 20 10 Ath Bilbao 15 19 11 Espanyol 15 17 12 Vallecano 15 17 13 Getafe 15 16 14 l Sociedad 15 14 15 Levante 15 14 16 Deportivo 15 13 17 Granada 15 12 18 Córdoba 15 11 19 Almería 15 10 20 Elche 15 10

Attack Man United , Aston Villa legend tells team

van Persie

tunity to banish the demons of the humiliation.

The Reds' porous back line is hardly news but they will definitely need to be at their best to stop the red-hot Sanchez.

The Chilean has scored 13 and assisted six, including eight and three respectively in the last 10 matches, in all competitions since joining Arsenal in the summer.

If the hosts' defence continues to be as generous as they have been, then the former Barcelona could have a field day.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

NO TEAM P PTS 1 Bayern 16 42 2 Wolfsburg 16 31 3 M’gladbach 16 27 4 Leverkusen 16 27 5 Schalke 16 26 6 Augsburg 16 24 7 Hoffenheim 16 23 8 Hannover 16 23 9 Frankfurt 16 22 10 Köln 16 19 11 Mainz 05 16 18 12 Paderborn 16 18 13 Hertha 16 18 14 Hamburger 16 16 15 Stuttgart 16 16 16 Dortmund 16 15 17 Freiburg 16 14 18 Bremen 16 14

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

PREMIER LEAGUE

TABLES

P PTS 15 36 15 35 15 26 15 26 15 26 15 24 15 24 15 23 15 21 15 21 15 20 15 19 15 17 15 16 15 14 15 14 15 13 15 12 15 8 15 6

Bundesliga

NO TEAM 1 Juventus 2 Roma 3 Lazio 4 Sampdoria 5 Genoa 6 Milan 7 Napoli 8 Fiorentina 9 Udinese 10 Palermo 11 Inter Milan 12 Sassuolo 13 Verona 14 Empoli 15 Torino 16 Atalanta 17 Chievo 18 Cagliari 19 Cesena 20 Parma

Serie A

gers' side drop into the bottom ter form, can they ram home the half of the table as they sit in advantage against Liverpool?

11th, five places and five points worse off than their Sunday's opponents.

They did, however, claim a morale boosting victory in midweek when they beat Bournemouth 3-1 in the Capital One Cup to book their place in the semi-finals.

On the other hand, Arsenal won their fifth game in six in all competitions last weekend after thrashing high-flying Newcastle Rodgers Wenger 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

Serie A Saturday Sassuolo v Cesena Roma v Milan Sunday Verona v Chievo Atalanta v Palermo Fiorentina v Empoli Sampdoria v Udinese Torino v Genoa Inter Milan v Lazio

EPL Saturday

Bundesliga Saturday Leverkusen v Frankfurt Augsburg v M’gladbach Schalke v Hamburger Werder Bremen v Dortmd Stuttgart v SC Paderborn Wolfsburg v 1. FC Köln Sunday Hertha v Hoffenheim Freiburg v Hannover

Man City v Crystal Palace Aston Villa v Man Utd Hull v Swansea QPR v West Brom Southampton v Everton Tottenham v Burnley West Ham v Leicester Sunday Newcastle v Sunderland Liverpool v Arsenal

FIXTURES La Liga Saturday Barcelona v Córdoba Levante v Sociedad Eibar v Valencia Vallecano v Espanyol Sunday Villarreal v Deportivo Granada v Getafe Elche v Málaga Bilbao v Atletico

Ribery

nich travel to Mainz on Friday in the last round before the winter break in Germany.

The league will go on a six-week hiatus before matches resume on January 30, offering players a chance to recharge after a gruelling start to the 2014-15 campaign.

Bayern are 11 points clear of Wolfsburg at the Bundesliga summit, unbeaten after 16 rounds so far.

The season has been particularly strenuous for Bayern, despite taking a stranglehold of the Bundesliga.

Pep Guardiola's men have played a total of 25 games in all competitions following Tuesday's 2-0 Bundesliga win at home to secondbottom Freiburg.

That is without mentioning the World Cup in Brazil, which saw a number of Bayern's players lift the trophy with Germany.

B NEW TELEGRAPH EMBER 2014

Sport

29

30

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

My wife is lucky to 'hook' me – Gbolahan Salami Super Eagles and Warri Wolves striker Gbolahan Salami will be walking down the aisle tomorrow (Sunday) with his fiancee. The striker speaks of his seemingly aggressive style on the pitch, club exploits, dream of moving to Europe in the next transfer window and more in this interview with CHARLES OGUNDIYA. Excerpts…

Wedding bells It is a good thing to have someone very special in your life. I am happy that a thing like this is happening in my life. When someone has a partner it will make things very easy. This is an opportunity for me to say this, I am so happy to be taking a new step in my life.

Marriage is another phase of my life and I am glad I have made this move.

Balotelli is a player I love although I don’t know how the nickname came about. I believe the way I play on the field may have prompted the nickname. I love his style of play and character

The lucky girl Her name is Opeloyeru Lolade, but seriously like you said, I believe she is a lucky girl. Most ladies will give anything to hook up with a star and for her to be the apple of my eyes, I am sure she is very lucky. For her to give me a chance, I am a lucky guy too. My prayer now to God is for the union to open doors for me because I am planning to take my football career to Europe by January.

League top scorer record I was in the camp for most of that period. Of course the players in the league couldn’t be expected to wait for me and I was not ready to leave the national team camp for the league. So it was all about priority, and cementing my position in the national team was my priority.

encouraging the home-based players in the national team and that is why the players have been giving their best in the league to get invitations to the national team.

Regrets I don’t have any regret at all. I am happy with my output this season, since my days in the Nigerian league I have not had it so good; scoring 17 goals in a season was a big record for me, I am happy.

Assessment of the league I can’t say our league is the best in Africa. We need to put in more effort because it is our game. Most of us play here before thinking of playing in Europe, but it’s not easy for the players in the domestic league.

The fact is that if you don’t play well here at home, nobody will invite you to Europe.

Warri Wolves I was able to have my best season in Warri Wolves because of the attitude of the management, the technical crew and my teammates. The encouragement from all of them was awesome. In all the clubs I have played for in the NPFL, Warri Wolves stand out. This is the first club where I will not be sanctioned for quarrelling with anybody and it shows I am enjoying my game. I can say Warri Wolves is my best club ever.

CHAN outing That was the first tournament I played for the Super Eagles and I was so happy that the tournament was hosted by South Africa. I had a contract there that was terminated, so I wanted to prove myself. It was not because I didn’t know how to play football. I was also happy because the club (Sundowns) officials saw my performance and they came to congratulate me. But I felt sad when we lost to Ghana in the semifinals. However, I am happy to still be a part of the national team.

Supposedly aggressive nature My attitude on the pitch sometimes gives me away, but the truth is I am not a difficult person just that people misunderstand me. I don’t just fight unnecessarily, something must have triggered my annoyance. When you promised me something and you didn’t deliver, of course there will be quarrel.

Comparison with Mario Balotelli Balotelli is a player I love although I don’t know how the nickname came about, I believe the way I play on the field may have prompted the nickname.

I love his style of play and character.

AFCON 2015 As a player I am not happy to miss out from participating in Africa’s greatest showpiece and I know all Nigerians are in the same frame of mind as me.

What makes it more painful is the fact that I have never had it so good in the national team. In the past I have been in and out of the team, but since I was invited this year, I have maintained my

Salami and fiancee, Lolade

position and that is a big advantage and a good thing for me as a player.

Prolific season in the league I was surprised with the output of some of the players in the league this season and this has shown that the league has improved more than what we had in the past. I am looking forward to doing more next season; that is if I am still playing in the league.

my major source of encouragement has been God because without Him, I don’t think I will be where I am today.

I wouldn’t say my parents were rich or poor but things were okay in my family as a kid growing up. I enjoyed my family and that is why I am trying to make them happy by working hard to get to the top.

My parents gave me the desired support to play football, because they knew that I was destined to become a footballer.

Growing up It was not easy while growing up. I started my career on Lagos Island and

Chances of home-based players in the Eagles The coach (Stephen Keshi) has been

Mamelodi Sundowns’ misadventure Only God knows what happened.

The irony of it all is that people don’t believe my own version of what happened in South Africa. The belief here was that I had problems with the club’s management, but that is not true. The issue I had in South Africa was that of a work permit. Everything went on well but I couldn’t secure a work permit, which I needed before I could play in the South African league. I took everything in good faith because I believe things will be okay. That was why I came back to play in the domestic league once again, to prove myself as a good player and score goals.

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Serena shows off big derriere in Marathon

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Lifestyle "Life is like a roller coaster. It has its up and downs, But it's your choice to scream or enjoy the ride" – Pinner

S

erena Williams kick-started her training for next year in familiar style as she took part in the the Ultimate Run South Beach on Sunday morning.

The world No 1 was joined by her sister, Venus, in the Miami-based event, and the two stars then took it upon themselves to entertain the crowds with a spot of singing after the race, The race, which includes either a five kilometre or quarter marathon option, is a fun-run benefiting the Serena Williams Fund, which supports victims of violent crime.

Serena Williams took on the 5 kilometer race named after her on Sunday morning in Miami's South Beach.

Neymar hooks Brazil's Miss BumBum

R

umours are flying around suggesting that Miss BumBum 2014, Indianara Carvalho, is dating Barcelona and Brazil star Neymar.

Carvalho was the one who sparked rumours that she is Neymar’s new girlfriend.

The curvy model did so by posting a photo on Instagram.

It shows her in bed with a Barcelona shirt. The picture was accompanied by the message: “I’m going back to Brazil with a sinking heart, you were the first man who made me feel different.

“I hope we can meet again here or anywhere else!”

Irina-Shayk

Ronaldo:

Serena

Man Utd players party after Liverpool win

My girlfriend steals my underwears

M

C

ristiano Ronaldo has revealed that girlfriend Irina Shayk steals his trademark underwear.

The Real Madrid star likes to wear his own brand of CR7 underwear, but, unfortunately, so does Russian WAG Irina.

Cristiano explained: “She steals my boxers all the time.

She wasn’t in the house and I opened her wardrobe and there were many CR7 boxers. It is funny.”

There are no pictures of Irina in Cristiano’s underwear, but there are plenty of her looking fine in her own.

Indianara

Man Utd players

anchester United's stars enjoyed a fantastic weekend, thrashing rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford to extend their winning run to six games, and consolidating their position in the top three of the Premier League in the process.

And after Sunday's win, the players took the chance to have a second Christmas party of the season, heading out to a bar in central Manchester to celebrate.

Wayne Rooney, the club captain and the player charged with organising both parties, led the way, as the United squad arrived at The Neighbourhood Bar in three buses.

Rooney, who scored the first goal in the 3-0 win over Liverpool, took to the stage to sing at the previous event, which saw the players out with their wives and girlfriends two weeks ago.

Stories courtesy Dailymail

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SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Investigations

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C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 4

apply but must agree to a post-dated cheques and direct debit order arrangement with the bank that is granting the loan. Such applicants are also required to meet the minimum risk acceptance criteria of the bank they are dealing with.

This will be done upon receipt of application in line with the loan review and risk assessment of the affected bank.

The banks also assured that change in forex rate would not necessarily affect such deals, if consummated in a naira denominated loan.

Some of the banks involved in this arrangement include First Bank Plc, GTBank, Skye Bank, Access Bank and First City Monument, Bank among others.

However, the Director-General, National Automobile Council (NAC), Aminu Jalal, said that all the 12 auto manufacturing companies were expected to have established their vehicle assembly plants in the country by now. This, according to Jalal, would enable the banks' scheme to run without hitches.

The 12 firms, he said, had long concluded all the preliminary works on the planned assembly plants and were expected to begin the roll-out since November.

He, nonetheless, listed some of the vehicles that would be assembled as, Kia, Renault, Foton, Higer and Joylong, among others.

Dana Motors is said to have facilitated the coming of Kia and Renault brands while Coscharis Motors sealed an assembly plant agreement with a Chinese firm, Cotonou cars

thenews-chronicle.com JiangSu Joylong Automobile, for the production of over 14,000 Joylong and other Chinese vehicles Federal Government’s National creating a pool of funds, but en- set up plants and are engaged in every year. Globe Motors Hold- Automotive Industry Developcouraging banks to buy-in, and we production in the country, auto ings Nigeria Limited is also bring- ment Plan. are working with them to reduce dealers, who have not invested in ing in a Chinese firm to establish This, according to sources close the interest rate and they have backward integration by acquiring a $120million assembly plant that to the bank, would encourage the agreed. Government has brought land, and setting up their plants will produce Higer automobiles. patronage of new vehicles, parthe rate down close to about 10 per for manufacturing would be cent. The pool of funds can be as charged 70 per cent for importing Industry watchers will be ex- ticularly cars built in the country.

The Minister of Industry, Trade big as (the banks) want it, based new vehicles. The used vehicles, cited also that old assembly plants on commercial consideration,” he he explained, would remain at the such as Leyland and Leventis and Investment, Dr. Olusegun added. rate of 35 per cent.

Motors are being revived to give Aganga, said the policy will effecFor a very Aganga said the 14 vehicle asMaking further clarifications, a new lease of life to the nation’s tively put an end to the cash-andauto industry. This is just as Nis- carry mentality, while ensuring Aganga said just as in the sugar sembly plant owners, under the long time, industry, backward integration new policy and to help meet the san, which has commenced the that many enjoy financing support Nigeria has roll-out of the Patrol sport util- in their desire to acquire new cars is ongoing in the automobile in- supply and demand gap in the dustry, following which global car meantime, would continue to imity vehicle in Lagos, would be at cheaper cost. He said that the run on two manufacturing brands like Nissan, port new cars at 35 per cent. joined by three new auto assem- discussions on the issue involved extremes: Peugeot, and Leyland, among oth“They would, however, pay bly plants, including Hyundai, ensuring that Nigerians get such ers, have already started local as- zero duty when importing Comto commence operation soon. All loans at the rate of about 10 per the rich and sembly of their various brands. these are giving the banks the im- cent, thereby reducing the cost sigpletely Knocked Down (CKD) He said, whereas the real duty petus for a promising future in the nificantly, over a four-year term. have not CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 is 35 per cent for those who have “The Federal Government is not auto alliance.

Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited and Diamond Bank Plc had jointly inaugurated a vehicle finance scheme not too long ago aimed at assisting fleet managers and prospective automobile patrons to procure affordable Hyundai vehicles. According to a statement credited to the organisation, the scheme, it was said, will enable its clients to access the opportunity without necessarily paying the conventional bank interest rate.

The statement further explained that the initiative tagged “Hyundai/Diamond centenary offer” was designed to allow beneficiaries to access bank loans to buy select Hyundai cars and offset the credit in 48 equal monthly installments without paying management fee or presenting any collateral. It noted that vehicle credit facility had become a common practice in advanced markets and Innoson motor vehichle plant in Nnewi, Anambra State PHOTO: LOGBABY.COM more relevant now in view of the

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Investigations

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

'Designed to empower upwardly mobile, professional customers'

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

parts; while the first type of Semi-CKD is to attract five per cent duty and the second grade, 10 per cent,” he further said.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers (NAMA) has assured that there will not be a price increase by any of its members involved in the local assembly and manufacture of vehicles in Nigeria. NAMA said that going by the new auto policy of the Federal Government, it is cars assembled overseas and brought into Nigeria that will cost more and not those that are assembled locally.

The association’s executive director, Arthur Madueke, also gave a strong assurance to Nigerians that the prices of locally produced vehicles will gradually come down. He cited the nation’s experience with the aviation and telecommunications sectors as examples.

“We pledge our support to the Nigerian people that there would be no increase in the prices of vehicles as being heralded by harbingers of doom, who wish themselves well at the detriment of the growth of Nigeria for the benefit of all,” Madueke said.

He accused opponents of the automotive policy of using scare tactics against a progressive policy designed to make cars cheaper in Nigeria, domesticate their production, create jobs and bring about transfer of technology.

“It was clear that the country needed to gravitate in a new direction, away from the import mind-set, if it was going to embark on sustainable industrial development. Only a select group of traders benefited from a high end auto market with massive resource drainage in form of foreign exchange outflow and littering of the landscape with a scrap heap in the name of fairly used cars,” Madueke added.

For Ibrahim Boyi, managing director of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), “we have no reason to increase prices of our products and the policy will not lead to price increase.” This sentiment was re-echoed by Yemi Idowu, Boyi’s counterpart at Leyland Nigeria.

Like the banks, PAN, a leading auto manufacturer in Nigeria, has introduced a Peugeot Vehicle Acquisition Finance Scheme (PVAFS), to assist civil servants and middle-class Nigerians own Peugeot cars at a low equity contribution rate.

Boyi said that interested prospective buyers would benefit from “negotiated low financing charges combined with discounted vehicle price; fixed monthly repayment plan for any tenure of between 12 to 48 months; low equity contribution of between 10-20 per cent, subject to status of applicants; tracker, comprehensive insurance costs, including loss of job and no hidden costs or charges.”

According to Boyi, PAN evolved the scheme in partnership with two financial institutions in Nigeria, Enterprise Bank Limited and Jaiz Bank Limited. Buyers of the company’s vehicles have an “option of conventional financing through Enterprise Bank or non-interest or Halal financing through JaizBank.” The scheme, he said embodied certain features that were designed to offer maximum value to customers far above any existing scheme that is offered by competition.

Boyi said these financial partners have wide coverage and presence as well as simple, documentation procedures and efficient processing time. These features, he said were designed to enable custom-

It was clear that the country needed to gravitate in a new direction

Tokunbo cars at Tin Can port in Lagos

PHOTO: AUTHOMOBILEs.COm.NG

Boyi

Akpobome

Akabunma

Nwaghodoh

ers have access to the best financial options that would guarantee ownership of a new Peugeot car.

He said, “Enterprise bank is providing Nigerians with the opportunity of paying for these contemporary Peugeot cars at very flexible and affordable rates.

The scheme is designed to offer the most convenient contributory and repayment plan ever offered to the public. With as little as 10-20 per cent down payment, Ni-

gerians can actually drive home a brand new Peugeot car of their choice and conveniently spread the rest of the payment over a period of 48 months.

“In our desire to ensure that no one is left out, we have carefully thrown the scheme open to small and medium scale enterprises, self-employed persons, business owners as well as employees of well-structured organisations. It is also in support of the decision by the Federal

Government to revitalise car assembly and manufacturing in Nigeria, which we believe will significantly reduce the importation of second hand vehicles.

The acting MD/CEO of Enterprise Bank Limited, Mrs. Mary Akpobome, through the Ag. Executive Director Abuja/North, Lekan Busari, said after series of meetings with the management of PAN Nigeria Limited, that both parties came to agreement that there is a need to move Nigerians away from driving second hand cars popularly known as “tokunbo”.

According to her, “The scheme we offer is one that will positively affect ordinary Nigerians to realise their dream of driving brand new Peugeot cars with financial support from our bank.

"Even in the face of this decision, we are mindful of the economic situation of the country, which makes it difficult for people to afford brand new cars of their choice. This is where we come in as a bank to take the pain of the bulk and immediate payment away from Nigerians that will subscribe to this vehicle ownership scheme.

In like manner, her counterpart at Jaiz Bank Limited, Muhammad Nurul Islam said, “this venture will help the Nigerian economy to a greater extent by replacing used cars with brand new Peugeot cars.”

Islam explained that Jaiz bank does not practice interest banking and that it complies with Islamic ethics to finance all investments. The financing scheme of Jaiz bank, according to him, is opened to all, irrespective of creed or religion.

The scheme requires that a customer of Jaiz bank with 10 per cent deposit or noncustomers with 20 per cent commitment deposit indicate their willingness at any branch of Jaiz bank and will in three to four days get their brand new Peugeot car. The entire process, Islam said, is very simple with no additional collateral, no application processing fee, no Commission On Turnover (COT), no extra charges except the purchase price from PAN and market profit agreed upon.

Incidentally, the new auto policy has been generating mixed reactions from analysts and stake holders in the industry. While some have argued that its implementation is hasty, others described as noble the vision, even as they see it as a significant milestone in the history of the country’s evolving automotive industry.

There are also those, who believe that the policy will engender a drastic reduction in the prices of brand new locally assembled vehicles and make them affordable to Nigerians.

Dear Love Doctor, ‘How can I get over my ex boyfriend?'

p.37

Life Experience 'I passed a friend over to my husband but...' p.36

L ve&Lv ng SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

35

‘I married a Nigerian after I got tired of American men' Confession They say that home is where your heart belongs. Therefore, missing home can be a heartbreaking experience for anybody. In this story, one woman's homesickness leads her into the arms of a man who truly loves her.

M

Michael Uchebuaku

y name is Tricia and my story is quite interesting. I was 35 and had been living in the USA for a while and I was feeling homesick and tired of American men.

Whenever I came across anyone with a Nigerian accent, I would try to hold on to them. I just wanted a piece of home. So I decided to put my profile up on a Nigerian website.

There were many Nigerian men on the site but when I saw Matthew's face I was immediately drawn to him. The way I was attracted to his profile was really strange and I can't explain it.

Just from looking at him I knew I was going to be with him. Maybe I knew from my sixth sense or something. I just knew. In my head I started planning things, planning years ahead of marriage with him.

It was just ridiculous.

After chatting with each other for several months on the Internet, we met in February 2010. He had to go to New York in the USA for work and luckily for me, I was living in New York at that time, so it all seemed so perfect.

Matthew indeed came to the USA and said he'd like to buy me dinner right there in New York. We arranged to meet in a lovely hotel.

I was really nervous before I eventually met him, but when I met him I knew it was meant to be.

Every single thing clicked. It was just so right. I was meant to be in his arms. It wasn't like we are into all the same things. No, we are quite different in several ways. But it was very comfortable being with each other.

However, in spite of everything looking so pretty between us, I still

I've got high heels on so I won't be able to catch you, but I've totally fallen in love with you

had doubts and just couldn't stop worrying and overthinking. In my head I was almost going crazy thinking, "Oh my God, what if he doesn't feel the same way?

What if he says 'Very nice to meet you, I'll call you' – then never does? Then what am I going to do?" I had totally set myself up for a fall which never happened.

Matthew was so sweet towards me. And after meeting face to face for the first time, we arranged to meet again later.

I was on cloud nine, thinking he might not come back.

He came back just as he said he would. The moment I saw him I blurted out, saying: "If you want to run away, there's the door. I've got high heels on so I won't be able to catch you, but I've totally fallen in love with you."

He said, "Wow. It's crazy but I feel the same way too. I love you." Then he started joking about how his single days were finally over now.

Seven months later, we got married in a beautiful church ceremony back home in Nigeria.

My family at home and abroad pleasantly surprised me by coming for my wedding and so did my husband's parents and siblings.

My mother-in-law in particular was very nice to me. I thought she might be like, "What have you done to my poor son?" but she was lovely.

We had a baby girl in July. It was a very welcome development and I am so happy. The birth of our lovely daughter has even drawn my husband closer to me and made him more romantic.

I feel so sweet and happy. I still have butterflies in my tummy when I see him, because I remember how we met. It's the best thing that has ever happened to me. during. It was like a total whirlwind of love sweeping me off my feet. But I don't regret any of it for a moment.

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Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Love News

Love Songs

Mel B walks out on husband

M

el B has reportedly walked out on her husband of seven years, Stephen Belafonte.

According to The Sun, the X Factor judge, 39, packed up and left the home the couple have been sharing in London after their furious arguing became too much to bear.

And now pals are urging the former Spice Girl to formally break away from Stephen, reports the newspaper.

Mel B's husband has slammed speculation that he was responsible for her scratched and bruised appearance on The X Factor judge on Sunday.

On Monday morning a furious Stephen, 39, hit back, saying: "I don't usually respond to Twitter msgs but I will respond to comments of hitting my wife which I think are quite disgusting un true!

"Mel was very ill a bunch of doctors helped her get better if fans can't just relax B4 being negative they r not real fans of @OfficialMelB." When contacted by MailOnline, a representative for Mel B declined to comment.

The claims come as Mel has been unveiled as the new cover star for Grazia's Christmas issue, to whom she admitted that she was three hours late for the shoot because she'd had an argument with Stephen, 39.

The magazine quotes her as saying: "I walked in pi**ed off because I had a big row with my husband about stupid stuff. Sometimes he pi**es me off like no other, but he gets me."

A well-placed source on The X Factor said that Stephen didn't visit his wife of seven years during the three days she spent in hospital, or attend the X Factor final on Sunday.

The source revealed that Belafonte is not liked by other members of The X Factor team.

"None of that means that he has ever

You and I (Nobody in the world)

laid a finger on Mel, but he is not an easy person to be with, that is obvious to see. It was a physical and emotional collapse. There was an emotional element to it, Mel has been under a lot of stress.

"He didn’t come to the show on Sunday as far as I am aware. He wasn't in her dressing room. I don’t believe he visited her in hospital, either."

On Sunday, Belafonte was seen outside the Kensington block of flats where he and Mel, 39, have been renting an apartment since October, overseeing the loading of about 20 suitcases into a minivan.

A source told The Sun that the marriage is on "life support", adding: "Mel hasn't spoken to Stephen once since her admission to hospital last week and as it stands she doesn't want to see him. He didn't come to the hospital at all.

"Everyone around her is encouraging her to stay strong and to leave him for good this time because they don't believe their relationship is healthy.

"Things have been very rocky over the last few weeks...last week everything escalated and there were a number of big rows before Mel ended up in hospital."

The Mirror claim that Mel is convalescing at a secret location, with a pal telling them: "The marriage really is at breaking point and hanging by a thread. Mel is incredibly fragile and in a bad place."

Who knows whether the marriage will survive? At the moment, it's not looking good at all. But Mel and Stephen are so unpredictable they could just as easily survive this.

Mel's aunt, Diane Cook told the paper, "I hope she gets away from him.

We all believe Stephen has got her under his control," while uncle Eric Dixon added, "He is not a very nice bloke."

Courtesy: Daily Mail.

You fix your make up, just so Guess you don't know, that your beautiful Try on every dress that you own You were fine in my eyes, a half hour ago If your mirror won't make it any clearer I'll Be the one to let you know Out of all the girls You my one and only girl Ain't nobody in the world tonight All of the stars, you make them shine like they were ours Ain't nobody in the world but you and I You and I Ain't nobody in the world but you You stop the room when we walk in Spotlights on everybody staring Tell all of these boys, they wasting their time Stop standing in line, cause you're all mine And this evening I, won't let the feeling die I never wanna leave your side Out of all the girls You my one and only girl Ain't nobody in the world tonight All of the stars you make them shine like they were ours Ain't nobody in the world but you and I You and I Ain't nobody in the world You keep wondering if you're what I'm wanting You don't even have to try You don't have to try Don't try Don't try You don't have to try Out of all the girls You my one and only girl Ain't nobody in the world tonight All of the stars, they don't shine brighter than you are Ain't nobody in the world but you and I You and I You and I Nobody in the world tonight Ain't nobody in the world but you and I

Life Experience

'I passed a friend over to my husband but...'

Michael Uchebuaku

I

came to really know my hubby after he had given up pleading with me to be his lover. I had to pass a friend to him and they became friends, but my hubby had to complain repeatedly that this was not what he wanted.

Yet he continued pleading for my love and would not give up till that faithful day, Sunday, 16th Jan 2005 when I said yes. He won me with his humility and care. But my mum thought differently. She vowed not to let me marry a man from Imo state.

Three times my husband's people came to formalize our marriage but my mum stood against them.

However, when my mum found out that the tie was so strong she gave us her blessings.

I told my husband that ours was a natural kind of love because the chemistry between us was simply fantastic.

I remember that the first few weeks with my husband were

some of the most romantic experiences I had ever had in my life. We went out for candlelight dinners on weekends and we enjoyed romantic escapes in some of the best hotels in town.

I was so passionate about my husband and I knew deep down in my heart that I was not going to give him up for anything in the world.

John Legend

He was simply the love of my life and the apple of my eye; and that was that! Nothing was going to change the way I felt about him.

Although he had thick lips, he had the kind of natural handsomeness that could make any woman fall for him.

Every night, I dreamed of him.

And every morning, I thought about him. Thoughts of the man I loved consumed me, and I knew right from the start that I was going to spend the rest of my life with him.

Five years on, I have remained the happiest woman on earth even though we are going through fertility treatment at the moment.

I have not been able to give my heartthrob a child despite our visits to hospitals and other places for solution. They said we have no problem.

My husband would not even give his family any opportunity to harass or intimidate me because of my condition. He tells me repeatedly that I should hope on God who will surely answer our prayers. Our love conquers all.

Love Poem

Jean Gabor

The Child In Him I loved the child in him so innocent and sweet The mischief in his eyes the blush upon his cheek The tender way he spoke that showed me that he cared The touch of his warm hand that gently touched my hair The smiles that we shared that filled my life with glee For when I was with him I found the child in me..

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

Romantic Joke

The Message

A wife sending a short message to her husband: It was just said on the news that they found a hideous corpse with a hollow head, a cigar among ugly rotten teeth and a bottle of liquor in his hand. I'm worried about you!. Please, give me a ring...

20 DECEMBER 2014

Relationships & Love Advice

‘How can I get over my ex boyfriend?'

Dear Love Doctor, My boyfriend broke up with me recently, and ever since I can't stop thinking about him and the things we used to do. I really want to forget him and move on with my life but I can't for some reason.

From Margaret.

Love Doctor’s Advice: In your mind, put him in his place. Remember, he is just a guy, and no one is worth all that fuss.

Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

The first couple of days are normal to feel a lot of different feelings, but in the end, you just have to accept that he doesn't want to be with you anymore.

I've had my heart broken before too, I think everyone has, the fact is that you do eventually get over it, in time. *Send your comments/stories to Love Doctor. E-mail: ireto007@yahoo.com. For free marriage/relationships counseling, call Love Doctor Mike 07031028714, 08131161840.

Visit lovedrmike.blogspot.com

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

A girl via 07031139789, is asking all men:

Odd News

R

"Why do some men prefer to date a married woman even while she is still living with her husband?" *Call Mike: 07031028714 to send questions or issues.

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Blackberry Connection Omolola, 34, single mother, wants a man of 35-45 years, preferably a Yoruba man. BB pin: 2A9E3EAA. 09033643433.

• 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 to link up and for direct hookup.

Being young at heart can help you live longer

esearchers say those who feel younger die later. How old do you feel? Think carefully - the answer might help predict how much longer you'll live.

Researchers have found that people who feel younger than their actual age are more likely to live longer.

They found that it appears having a positive attitude to your age is the key to living a long and healthy life.

Researchers at University College London has found that older people who feel three or more years younger than their chronological age have a lower death rate compared with those who felt their age or who felt more than one year older than their actual age.

Feeling older was a predictor of death even when the researchers accounted for things that could affect death rates, including illnesses, wealth, education, smoking, alcohol intake and physical activity.

Older-feeling adults were about 40 percent more likely to die than younger-feeling adults.

"This relationship has been shown before, but not in such a large scale study in which we were able to look at such a range of possible explanations," said coauthor Andrew Steptoe of the epidemiology and public health department at University College London.

"We still don't understand what the

explanation really is."

Using data from a previous study on aging, Steptoe and his coauthor Isla Rippon analyzed more than 6,000 adults who were at least 52 years old.

In 2004 or 2005, researchers asked the participants how old they felt.

More than two-thirds felt at least three years younger than their real age, while a quarter felt their real age and less than five percent felt more than a year older, according to the research letter in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Following the group through March 2013, the authors found that about 14 percent of those who felt younger had died, compared to about 19 percent of those who felt their age and about a quarter of those who felt older.

"The first thing we thought of is that people who feel older than their chronological age are sicker, and that is why they are at greater risk of dying," Steptoe told Reuters Health by email.

To account for that, the authors measured pre-existing health conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis and other illnesses, which explained some of the link.

"But when we had taken these illnesses into account in our statistical models, the relationship with perceived age remained quite strong," Steptoe said.

"We also measured mobility prob-

lems, lifestyle factors such as smoking, depression, and cognitive function. But none of these explained the relationship we saw."

Self-perceived age was associated with death from heart disease, but not from cancer, the authors found.

In the second half of life, most people feel younger than they are, averaging about nine years younger, Steptoe said.

"But there is a great deal of variation in these feelings," he said.

"The study is important because it provides further evidence that perceptions of aging can have real consequences for the health of older individuals," said Becca R. Levy, associate professor of epidemiology and psychology at the Yale School of Pub-

lic Health in New Haven, Connecticut.

"The findings show the need for society, which often influences these perceptions, to concentrate its efforts on enabling older individuals to view the process of growing old in a more positive light," Levy, who was not part of the new study, told Reuters Health by email.

People who feel older are less likely to go out and about, are lonelier, are less mobile and are less physically active, Steptoe noted.

"People shouldn't worry about how old they feel," he said.

"But it's certainly something that we as medical researchers should try and understand," Steptoe said. "Perhaps the beliefs and feelings that people have tell us something that our other measures of health and wellbeing do not capture."

"Those who feel younger than their real age have 'greater resilience, sense of mastery, and will to live," the researchers said.

"Self-perceived age has the potential to change, so interventions may be possible.

"Individuals who feel older than their actual age could be targeted with health messages promoting positive health behaviours and attitudes toward ageing."

Courtesy: Daily Mail.

38

Love&Living

True Story

M

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

'My husband booked me as an escort'

y husband Don and I had been married for almost 10 years when our relationship and our lives were changed irrevocably.

We married young — I was only 18 and Don was 19 when we tied the knot. We were very much in love — more with the idea of being in love than each other, in hindsight. But the first few years were great.

We both had good jobs that paid well and we weren't in a great rush to have kids so we had a lot of disposable income. We travelled overseas — often spending months at a time in France and Italy as well as South East Asia and other exotic places. We surprised each other with gifts on a regular basis and we enjoyed all the spontaneity that life had to offer us.

That was until our luck started to run out. It began with Don losing his job. He always swore blind to me that it was due to the company falling on hard times, but I was told later that it was linked to a sexual harassment allegation against Don that the company wanted to quash as quickly as possible. Either way, it meant that our comfortable joint income was slashed.

We still managed on my salary but times were a lot tighter. Don didn't seem too eager to get another job and this caused tension between us. The stress got so bad that what started out as a couple of drinks with the girls on a Friday night to 'vent' became a full-blown drinking problem and I also lost my job.

I was at my wits' end. One night, while in a teary mess, I called my best friend Sandra and went over to her place. I stayed the night and awoke to find her kissing a man goodbye at the front door. When I said that I didn't know she was seeing someone, she laughed at me.

"That wasn't a date," she explained. "That was a client. I had him booked before you showed up so I couldn't cancel on him."

I wasn't as shocked as curious.

And my reaction surprised me more than finding out that one of my good friends was an escort girl.

"How much do you make a week?" I asked.

"I can make anything up to $5000 without really working too hard," she replied in an off-handed way.

I soon realised that I envied this independent and fairly wealthy woman that I had hardly known at all over the years we'd been

friends.

Before I knew it, I was swept up in a world of money and prestige that far outweighed anything I'd known before. I had my drinking under control and I felt better than ever.

Sandra was a great guide into the world of the escort and she was good enough to pass on some of her more approachable clients to me until I got used to things and built a client base of my own. I was surprised (after muddling through my first couple of appointments fairly clumsily) how matter-of-fact it all became.

I was earning twice what Don and I had made combined and I felt no real guilt about it. My clients were faithful and respectful gentlemen, not the grimy perverts that I imagined when I'd thought of call girls before I discovered Sandra's secret.

Some of my clients just wanted to cuddle and talk for an hour or more and I really felt as though I was helping people in some small way. I worked out of hotel rooms and, with some of my more trusted clientele, out of their own homes.

I was given expensive jewellery at Christmas or sometimes for no reason at all and I was often taken to the best Sydney

My clients were faithful and respectful gentlemen, not the grimy perverts that I imagined when I'd thought of call girls before I discovered Sandra's secret

restaurants and events that only the very wealthy ever experience.

I told Don that I had landed a business consulting job working mainly with entrepreneurial types which is why I was on call day and night to cater to their every whim. He had no complaints as he no longer needed to even pretend to look for work.

New clients would only become aware of me via word of mouth.

My business card was only to be passed on to trusted colleagues of my existing client base. Even then, my card said "Conveyancer" on it.

The potential client would then email me at an address that I had set up for clients only, using terms such as: "I would like to make an appointment to discuss the sale of my property" and we would go from there.

One night, I received an email from my first new client in some time. I wasn't really looking for any new business but he sounded sweet and polite and I thought, "Why not?" I was to meet him at a well-known hotel overlooking Hyde Park.

He had given me the room number, and I always dress to fit into the places I'm sent to, so I just glided right through the foyer and up to the room.

When I knocked on the door this particular night, I heard the man inside shout, "Won't be a sec". My stomach lurched.

I ran back around to the lifts and carefully peeked around the corner to see the man I'd married 10 years before appear at the door!

He looked this way and that for the escort girl he'd ordered — the one who just happened to be me on this night.

I wondered how many others there'd been and the cynical voice in the back of my head laughed at the fact that I'd funded my husband's infidelity with my own.

Neither of us has confronted the other about that night.

Whether Don ever found out that he had contacted his own wife for a clandestine meeting I don't know. I'm still working, though somewhat less these days. Don has since moved out and, funnily enough, he's working as a conveyancer!

Courtesy: nine.com

Wedding Traditions

Tying the Knot: Ireland

O

ddly enough, the phrase 'tying the knot' comes from an old Irish tradition that symbolises the bond of marraige in the same way that the exchanging of rings does in most cermonies today.

At the point in the ceremony where the bond between husband and wife is signified, the couple clasp their hands together, and a ribbon, cord, or rope - often brightly coloured (or matching the rest of the wedding theme - is wound around their joined hands as a symbol of their agreement to spend their lives together.

This is a Celtic tradition that the Scottish also lay claim to, and there's plenty of evidence to suggest it was widespread throughout Europe at one point. It was even part of the British royal wedding in 2011.

SEXUAL COMMUNICATION

8 ways to make sex more fun 1. Stop Faking It Immediately ou probably wouldn’t say you had a blast on your date if it was actually a bore, so why lie in the bedroom? If you want more exciting sex, don’t pretend to like something that doesn’t actually excite you. “You should never fake an orgasm,” says Walsh. “That thing he was doing wrong—he’s now going to keep doing it.” Instead, let him know when something feels amazing, either by speaking up or engaging in some pretty obvious body language. That way there’s no confusion about what you really like in bed.

Y

2. Ignore Your Instincts That stereotype that men are the only ones who crave something new in bed is so false. In fact, research shows women are even more likely to want sexual novelty, says Walsh. Satisfy the urge by doing something totally outside your sexual script or even heading to a hotel for a distraction-free hookup.

3. Play Up the Fantasy So how do you bring up the fact that you want to try a new position or light bondage? “Put the thing you’d like to do into the context of a sexy fantasy or dream that involves your partner,” says sex therapist Ian Kerner, Ph.D., author of She Comes First. For instance, you can tell him you had a crazy-hot dream about shower sex last night or that you can’t get this Fifty Shades-style fantasy out of your head. He’ll definitely get the hint.

To be continued next week

Love Education

What is family planning?

F

amily planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and management, and infertility management.

Family planning is sometimes used as a synonym or euphemism for the use of birth control, however, it often includes a wide variety of methods, and practices that are not birth control. It is most usually applied to a female-male couple who wish to limit the number of children they have and/or to control the timing of pregnancy (also known as spacing children).

Family planning may encompass sterilization, as well as abortion.

Family planning services are defined as "educational, comprehensive medical or social activities which enable individuals, including minors, to determine freely the number and spacing of their children and to select the means by which this may be achieved".

Travel &Tourism SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

HOSPITALITY BITS

Chef's Corner

The Gambia’s Flourish Wellness Resort names Kanu Nwankwo ambassador

Vanilla cake for the season p.40

Travel Personality Monique Swart: I launched ABTA to give Africa the attention it deserves p.41

Destination

Get your groove back this Christmas p.42

Grandy Suite Hotels: Cutely suburban appeal HOSPITALITY TEMITOPE DADA was at Grandy Suite Hotels in Iju Ishaga, Lagos, and writes on the attractions of the facility.

I

ju Ishaga is one of the sprawling communities in the Agege area of Lagos.

It sure has its characters and colours, as it is home to a large number of residents and businesses of all sorts. Located within the community is Grandy Suite Hotels. A mid-range outfit no doubt, but it is nonetheless a melting pot for the residents and even visitors.

Its 43 rooms are of different categories, ranging from regular rooms, governor’s suites to presidential suites, all fittingly furnished to taste with some of the latest hospitality gadgets and amenities such as comfy bed, LCD flat screen TV, fridge, work desk and chair and Jacuzzi.

It has a restaurant and a bar where African and continental dishes are served while the bar offers different drinks – wine, beverages, champagne and cocktails. The scenery is a cozy and colourful one conducive for allday relaxation. It also offers the

community a good conference and meeting facilities as it plays host to many of the business and social activities which take place on a regular basis.

Its entertainment packages are top notch, as it has become a centre of leisure for the people.

The club, for instance, is a huge hit among the locals who find the artistry of the in-house disc jockey quite compelling. During festive periods, the hotel organises various showbiz events to keep its guests entertained.

Its other facilities and services include a fully equipped gymnasium where both in– house and walk-in guests are taken through a series of fitness programmes. It also provides laundry services and offers

ample parking space, security and regular power supply.

The chairman and managing director, Mr. Lawrence Nwafor, said the hotel is driven by a commitment to guests' satisfaction and that's the reason it strives to offer them excellent and professionalised services.

According to Nwafor, the hotel’s facilities could compete with the best hotels in Lagos with regard to standard and quality.

“My customers are my greatest asset; without them I will not be here,” he said, adding that the hotel's staff are well trained professionals who have imbibed the lesson on the importance of offering guests the best possible services.

NEW TELEGRAPH PARTNER HOTELS

FESTAC, LAGOS

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

39

ABA LAGOS

ABA

Former Super Eagles star, Kanu Nwankwo, has been named the brand ambassador by Flourish Wellness Resort, The Gambia. The choice of the Nigerian football star is to further entrench the resort as a leading brand in Africa, specially the promotion of its wellness aspect.

According to the marketing director of the resort, Fatma Sillah, ‘‘we used Kanu to endorse our product and as our ambassador because we believe he has the power to instigate and inspire, enlighten and encourage, entertain and educate our target audiences. The inherent benefits of using Kanu is that his image can be leveraged across multiple channel experiences, cuts through advertising clutter and creates a brand narrative that speaks directly to the hearts of our target market audience.’’

Given Nwankwo's popularity and integrity as well as business acumen and knowledge of the hospitality sector as a hotelier himself, Sillah, is quite confidence that he is the right choice to boost the image and market penetration of the resort. Nwankwo was in The Gambia recently where he was given a rousing welcome by the people and engaged in some activities related to his name position.

The resort has 40 suites and a private beachfront with spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean as it is located in the exclusive area of Kotu Point in The Gambia. It has a number of well apportioned facilities and offering different services and leisure packages including wedding and honeymoon packages.

Nwankwo with Felix Osuji, CEO of Flourish Hotel

B E N E F I TS There are lots of benefits to derive as one of our partner hotels. For enquiries and details on how to join the programme, please contact Andrew Iro Okungbowa: 08023152195 (sms only), e-mail: iroandy@ymail.com or Chinyere Opara: 08063768131 (sms only) e-mail angela_curtis-2@live.com

40 Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

CHEF’S CORNER

Vanilla cake for the season Mrs. Chika Ani, a qualified accountant, chartered economist and confectioner with specialty in cakemaking and design, is the chief executive officer of Esperanza Cakes, Lagos. She shares with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA the joy of baking cakes this festive season with Esperanza vanilla cake as a sample.

I

t is the season of celebrations again as the world celebrates Christmas and the New Year with great festivities. Cakes are familiar delicacies this season and it's not unusual to see families personally baking theirs.

Cake are either eaten as a dessert or something that you share in between meals while relaxing and frolicking with friends and loved ones. And just to make it more fun, try your hands at home bake cake without having to spend much on shopping for one around the street shop.

In case you are the adventurous type, our subject who is a caterer and the owner of Esperanza Cakes based in Surulere, Lagos, shares with you one of her recipes on making sumptuous vanilla cake for the season.

But to start with, she says the secret to baking a yummy and fabulous cake is having the right ingredients in the desired proportions so as to achieve the best design and taste. She also emphasised the need to have a

clean and healthy environment to work from and with the right baking equipment.

Esperanza Vanilla cake recipe 250g flour 250g butter 150g sugar 1tsp baking powder 1tsp vanilla essence 1tsp grated nutmeg 4large eggs Preparation Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk egg until soft peak forms. Prepare your baking pan and put on your oven.

Sieve flour, baking powder and nutmeg together. Add whisked egg to butter and sugar mixture and continue to cream. Add vanilla essence. Then use your spatula to fold in your sieved flour. Fold it very well till all dry ingredient incorporate well into the liquid mixture. Pour into baking pan and bake at moderate heat till you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.

Happy baking!

Some cakes baked by Esperanza cakes owned by Ani (Inset)

TRAVEL BEATS

South African tourism minister announces INDABA 2015 In South Africa, the tourism minister, Derek Hanekom, has announced May 9 – 11, 2015 as date for INDABA 2015 at its traditional home, Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.

INDABA is the biggest platform for African tourism businesses to meet global buyers of their products and services. The three-day show features Africa’s best tourism and travel trade offerings, which attract the most influential buyers in the world.

“INDABA is the heartbeat of an African industry that’s united in spirit,” said the minister, adding that, ‘‘we share an entrepreneurial spirit across the continent, and this is helping to develop the tourism industry faster than ever before.”

Hanekom said he looked forward to spending time on the tradeshow floor, exchanging information and ideas with exhibitors and buyers from across South Africa and the rest of Africa.

About 1,200 tourism products from 25 African countries were exhibited at INDABA 2014. Over 2,000 buyers from around the world attended the show. “Tourism is a robust and thriving sector of the African economy that is powering job creation and economic growth,” said Hanekom.

Ethiopian Airlines clinchés best airline to Africa award

Swiss International berths in UAE SWISS International Hotels has made its entry into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) market with its first hotel in Fujairah - Swiss International Concorde.

The hotel has entered a management contract with Swiss International in a bid to strengthen its market and benefit from the strength and offerings of the international brand. Swiss International Concorde offers 206 guest rooms, executive rooms and suites, all contemporary and spacious. The hotel is located in the city of Fujairah, 15 minutes away from Fujairah Port and five minutes’ drive from Fujairah International

Airport; it is a perfect departure point to explore the cultural and natural diversity of the Northern Emirates. ‘‘As we expand our footprint in the UAE, we are exceptionally thrilled to contribute towards Fujairah's growing travel and tourism sector, as well as its social and economic progress.

Guided by our Swiss values, we remain committed to enchanting the lives of our partners, guests, team members alike. This addition brings our hotel portfolio to 18 hotels in nine countries with a total number of 2,336 rooms,” said the chairman and chief executive officer of Swiss International, Henri Kennedie.

Ethiopian Airlines has been named the best airline to Africa by Premier Traveller magazine based in the US. The chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines Group, Tewolde Gebremariam, described the award as a confirmation of the airlines leading position in the continent: "We are honoured that Premier Traveler Magazine’s readers in the U.S. have selected us as the best airline for travel to Africa. I wish to thank them for this vote of confidence, which once again reaffirms the quality of the service and product we offer. We currently offer the best connectivity options for the travelling public between Africa and the US, thanks to our daily flights from Washington D.C. using the ultra-modern B777s and B787s, and our extensive African network covering 49

destinations with daily and more flights.’’

According to him, the airline is looking to strengthen its operations and position further in 2015. "In June 2015, we will further cement our position as the airline of choice for travel between Africa and the U.S. by adding Los Angeles as our second point in the U.S. Our flights connecting Addis Ababa, Dublin and Los Angeles will be operated with the B787s, which offers unmatched on-board comfort, and will be the only direct service connecting Africa with Ireland and the West Coast of the United States."

Prior to this award, the airline in August 2014 received the best airline in Africa award by Passenger Choice Awards; the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) also named it the African Airline of the Year at its 46th Annual General Assembly held in Algiers in November 2014.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Travel & Tourism

41

TRAVEL PERSONALITY

Monique Swart: I launched ABTA to give Africa the attention it deserves S

Monique Swart is the founder of African Business Travel Association (ABTA), a travel and tourism body based in South Africa but with spread across the Africa continent. Swart who was in Nigeria recently speaks with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on the journey of ABTA and Africa's travel industry, which she is so passionate about.

outh Africa-born Moniquet Swart like any young lady of her age then wanted to earn good life and a space to contribute her quota to the development of humanity using her God given talent and the benefit of her educational qualifications.

She started out as an account executive in Strategic Market Agency where she berthed the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACUTE) in her country in 1999. This marked the beginning of her career path in the travel industry as she was later employed on a full time capacity by ACTE to manage the organisation in South Africa. In 2006, she launched ACTE into the Nigeria and Middle East markets.

Birthing African Business Travel Association She described signing up for ACTE as accidental as she never had inkling into what she was signing up for. However, her passion for people and education found an anchor in the travel industry and since then she has never faltered in her quest to advance the course of its development.

“My passion is for people and education. Although my career is within the travel industry, my calling is in helping people to have access to the information they need to develop themselves and make their lives easier,” says Swart whose ambition led her into envisioning an Africa travel industry playing at the global level hence the founding of ABTA. “I feel that a lot of global organisations and associations don’t really take Africa seriously or give it as much thought as it deserves. I launched ABTA in order to lead the way in creating travel industry communities across Africa, allowing people with shared goals and challenges to get together regularly and learn from each other.

“I also know that as global organisations do start to wake up to Africa’s potential, they will need plenty of guidance about sending their travellers into this crazy but amazing continent of ours, and ABTA is perfectly positioned to do that.” And this exactly, she says, has been the preoccupation of ABTA since then as she elaborates on its mission and functions.

“ABTA’s key focus is to provide best practice education and networking opportunities to business travel professionals. ABTA’s members benefit from having access to ABTA’s myriad of learning and research platforms in order to stay abreast of current local and global trends within the corporate travel industry; be able to take better advantage of opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, and share challenges with peers in order to identify solutions.

“The business travel industry plays a pivotal role in Africa’s economic success - global corporations want to know that they can safely and easily move their travellers around the continent, and be serviced effectively by travel agents, Travel Management Companies (TMC’s), hotels, airlines and so on,” she says.

Furthermore, she informs that “although the travel industry is growing in leaps and bounds, we still have a long way to go to elevate the level at which we operate in order to make ourselves attractive to more and bigger clients. ABTA’s mission is to help companies to do just this, and to help clients to identify best practices in how they run travel programmes and interact with their travel agents, TMC’s and suppliers in Africa.’’

Swart

The challenge of running ABTA Managing the four years old organisation, which she founded in December 2010, she says has

not been a tea party. However, she has learnt to put into use her over 11 years’ experience with ACTE, among others to keep ABTA afloat.

“Due to my history with ACTE over my 11 years with them, I had built up a lot of contacts and support within the industry, so launching ABTA was fairly easy. Many people still had a ‘wait and see’ attitude though, so the first few years were tough when it came to getting funding, sponsorship support, new members, etc. We are now fully in our groove though and growing from strength to strength at a rapid pace,” Swart adds.

Achievements She also happily recounts some of the landmarks of ABTA within the short span of its existence: “Definitely, each time we launch into a new market. We started events in Nigeria in 2011 and this region is now our second strongest in membership with almost 80 members. We then launched in Ghana in 2012, Angola in 2013 and Kenya in 2014.

“So we went from just operating in South Africa initially to expanding into Africa’s top four emerging markets within the space of three years, which we consider our greatest achievement. Also, reaching our 100 member mark (July 2012), our 200 member mark (September 2013) and our 300 member mark (August 2014) has been fantastic.

“Lastly, our recent completion of the ‘Neema: Understanding business travel in Sub-Saharan Africa’ research paper was a big milestone for us. Being able to provide local, regional and global business travel professionals with a definitive piece of research about our industry in Africa has always been a big goal of ours, which has now been achieved.”

Despite these Champagne-popping achievements, perhaps for her, the greatest of the impact by ABTA has been in bringing together all the players in the travel value chain to seek a better understanding of the industry and how best to service the needs of the industry at the various point of operations.

“Without a doubt, facilitating open communication between clients and the TMC’s/travel agents and suppliers that service them. Too often, companies work in a combative and nonpartnership environment. Suppliers often don’t truly understand what it is that their clients want, and clients often don’t understand what it is they are doing to make their lives and the lives of their travel suppliers a lot harder.

“All sectors have their own unique needs and challenges, which is often not understood by the companies they work with or for. So in creating business travel communities and bringing all sectors together regularly under one roof to share their challenges and work together towards finding solutions, has assisted countless companies tremendously in helping to define and achieve their successes and goals.”

ABTA’s place in Africa's travel industry ABTA has a very strong following. In South Africa, we are the leading business travel association, both in our membership numbers and our activities, and in the rest of Africa, we are the only association of our kind, so our support has been phenomenal.

Travel professionals from every sector who want to enhance their careers and be the best they can be - whether it is in managing a travel policy within a corporate environment, or providing business travel products and services - know that ABTA is the leading source for travel industry guidance and networking opportunities.”

African travel industry has come a long way but…

“We have come a very long way in a very short amount of time! However, in general, our service levels, use of technology and access to data is below what is the norm in more developed regions like Europe and the US. Clients still find service levels and good response time a big challenge, and this is something we need to work on if we are to attract more local, regional and interactional clients.”

42 Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

DESTINATION

Get your groove back this CHRISTMAS With Christmas and New Year celebrations a few days away, ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA serves you a list of events and leisure spots where you can truly sit back and catch your breath after a rather hectic year.

I

t's another festive season as the Christmas and New Year celebrations gather momentum with just few days to the yearly feast. Across the world, different countries are observing a frenzied countdown to the Yuletide.

Nigeria is not left out of the end-ofyear feast as many people are already in the celebration mood and looking forward to a rollicking moment while the different leisure and entertainment spots across the various cities, towns and communities are set to treat their regular patrons and visitors to rich bouquets for the season.

The leisure and entertainment packages for the season are as varied as the cities and the people involved with many of the cities already in carnival mood. Since the introduction of Carnival Calabar and Abuja Carnival, the celebration of carnival has become a major event in the country as many state governments and institutions now organise yearly carnival events.

Some of these cities have already celebrated their carnival event while others are preparing for theirs within the remaining few days of the year. Just in case your city is yet to have its share of the showpiece then look out for the date so as to join in the communal celebration. Besides, a look around your neighourhood or street corner would reveal the feverish preparations as evident at event centres.

The endless list of events to look forward to include musical concerts, theatrical showpieces, family picnics, festivals of arts and culture of both traditional and contemporary nature while different eateries and hospitality homes are also primed to treat guests to simmering delicacies.

Below are some of the leisure spots and events across some Nigerian cities to keep a tab on: BENIN CITY Benin City, the capital of Edo State and otherwise known as the heart beat of the nation, is already in the throes of seasonal celebration with the Ugie Festival topping the list of events ongoing in the city. The festival, which is regarded as the "festivity of peace and joy" celebrated by the Edo people, started since last week with art exhibition holding at the Hexagon Place in Benin City. It is a splendid showpiece where many renowned artists of Benin display their art works covering the different genres of arts.

The art exhibition is scheduled to close on December 31.

Carnival/street parade is schedule to hold on December 23 with

revellers from the different cultural groups from across the city and state expected to parade the street of Benin City in their colourful costumes. The street party is expected to begin from Ramat Park/Western Boys High School and terminate at the Oba of Benin palace ground.

Jazz/Music concert is billed to hold on December 27 at The Hexagon Place while another event to watch out during the festival is the beauty pageant, which holds on December 28 at the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre. Tagged “Ugie Carnival Queen Beauty Pageant,” it is dedicated to the celebration of the virtues of the Edo woman.

There is also theatre and drama shows for lovers of live theatre. Some secondary and tertiary schools from across the city are taking part in drama presentations with the best performing school to be presented with an award by His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N'Edo, Oba Erediauwa, at the palace ground.

PORT HARCOURT For the Garden City, home to the oil wealth of the country, there is celebration in the air as the Port Harcourt Carnival otherwise known as CARNIRIV rounds off. The festival with the theme: One People, One Love, commenced last week with a beauty pageant and other interesting events.

Unfolding as you read this copy is the carnival/street party with official bands involved taking over the streets of Port Harcourt. The street party started from the Garden City Parade through Aba – Ikwere road and terminates at the carnival village on the stadium complex where the people would be treated to a night party and

Revellers at a previous Calabar carnival

Eyo masquerades, Lagos

Benin Cultural troupe in action

20 DECEMBER 2014

Some of the traditional spots to visit include the Polo Club, Michael Okpara Square and the Museum. A trip to Abakpa to explore the offerings of Nike Lake Hotel and Resort is recommend as the resort has on offer rich experience to savour.

Dining at the Tuft Club

La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort

InterContinental Hotel, Lagos

music concert with winners of the various events, which held during the festival honoured and rewarded for their efforts.

The curtains would be drawn on the celebration on Sunday, December 21 with a world peace musical concert billed to hold at the carnival village.

CALABAR Calabar, the Canaan City and capital of Cross River State, is in the throes of the Calabar Festival, a 32-day celebration. It is a yearly feast packed full of different entertaining events, and aimed at promoting the city as a global tourist destination.

It all began with a tree-lighting cere-

Travel & Tourism 43

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

mony on November 30 and ever since the city has continued to play host to different events with people from across the country and foreigners having a fun-filled time.

Some of the events in the long list of bouquets on offer to watch out for include the Carnival Calabar Queen Beauty pageant dinner and grand finale holding on December 23. This will be followed by Christmas Day celebration, which among other events include the King and Queen mass competition while on Boxing Day, the children's carnival and cultural parade take centre stage.

Then comes the major highlight of the 32 days feast on December 27 with the adult carnival. For many, it is the centre of attraction as it has risen to become a must see event within the one decade of its creation.

The carnival train will take off at the Millennium Park, running through the 12-kilometre stretch carnival route and terminates at the U. J. Esuene Stadium.

Leading the street party, which has been tagged the biggest street party in Africa, are the five traditional bands of the carnival: Bayside, Masta Blasta, Freedom, Passion 4 and Seagull.

ENUGU The coal city is also having its fair share of season’s festivities across its belt with the Enugu Art and Culture Festival holding sway in the city. The festival, which is a communal feast, comprises a number of arts and culture related activities holding at different venues within the city. The climax of the celebration is the carnival of masquerades or Mmamwu on display across designated routes in the city.

The parade of masquerades attracts huge following of residents and visitors and this year’s celebration is expected to be richer and more colourful with a number of corporate bodies sponsoring the event.

DELTA In Delta State, there is a rich variety of leisure packages to experience across the state while some of the spots to visit includes Olona Ranch in Onicha Olona, a private resort, which boasts a natural ambience; The Tuft Club in Oria - Abraka is another enclave to feel the pulse of nature.

Explore the array of exotic, plush and enticing amenities of different degrees.

Enjoy nature trail and boat cruise on Ethiope River, horse riding, polo game, card game, table tennis, snooker game.

You can also enrich your knowledge with best sellers and other related subjects from the library, best of foods and drinks from the restaurant and bar as well as rollicking moment at the gazebo.

In Warri, Golden Tulip Airport Hotel offers an exciting experience ranging from its lounge bar, swimming pool to its cinema and entertainment complex. It's no less promising in Asaba, where Grand Hotel and Conference Centre, Swiss Spirit Hotel and Resort, Asaba Recreation Park, Squash Club, Demas Kitchen and Leisure Garden and the Richard Lander Brothers Anchorage are some of the leisure homes to visit for fun.

JOS Solomon Lar Amusement Park, Jos, is a ground for relaxation and picnic; Jos Amusement Park and Zoological Garden is a good spot to reconnect with nature; Mado Tourist Village also provides a piece of natural ambience to explore; just as Kurra International Tourist Centre with its natural elements; Rayfield Resort and Rayfield Polo Club both located within the serene area of Rayfield offer rich season’s breaks, with the resort providing attractive relaxation facilities ranging from water-related leisure to indoor activities.

Healthy Body Clinic Resort located in Vom road is an enchanting resort with a rich blend of natural and contemporary beauty.

It has on the bill this season special offers that are family friendly.

Some of the things to enjoy at the resort include a 50 per cent discount on the rooms from December 23 to January 5, 2015; breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. Other flavours include musical and cultural performances; barbeque and entertainment at the poolside; lakeside and orchid as well as football and volleyball.

OWERRI Owerri, the capital of Imo State, offers some level of vibrancy with its array of entertainment package. Some of the spots to visit include Imo Concorde Hotel; Rockview Hotel; All Seasons Hotel; and Oguta Lake Motel and Golf Resort.

LAGOS The "Centre of Excellence" remains the melting pot of entertainment in the country as it offers residents and visitors to the city rich options of entertainment to explore, ranging from live musical concerts, theatre and dining out. Some of the spots to watch out for include Freedom Park, National Theatre, Muson Centre, Terra Kulture, and National Museum, Onikan.

InterContinental Lagos offers authentic celebration At InterContinental Lagos, it is a combination of the best of the Christmas and New Year season with the warmth, flavours and richness of the hotel’s attractive and colourful ambience. The hotel is offering discounted room rates, all inconclusive with breakfast for two, discounted spa treatment and rich dining with free packages for children below 3.

There is also couple’s package. Be spoilt by full two-and-a-half hours of perfectly designed therapy for couple; a private aromatic sauna and steam bath, his-and-hers silk body scrubs and body masks, facials and body massages.

Dining out has also been made a truly magical dining experience which includes a traditional Christmas Eve buffet in all the hotel’s restaurants while New Year celebration at the hotel comes with its own attractions such as delectable choices of menus and experiences including a New Year countdown under the stars at Ariya Terrace.

Rockview Hotel Festac Town At Rockview Hotel Festac Town the season’s offerings include special Christmas cake with wine at the lobby on Christmas Day; discount room rates for three and four nights; special barbeque at the pool corner; live music, comic show with a lot of gift at the pool bar; African delicacies such as Isiewu and Nkwobi while the children would have different gifts from Santa Claus between December 20 and January 1.

La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Ikegun Village, Ibeju – Lekki, Lagos, be sure to explore the best where nature and man are in perfect harmony. It is a natural affair with delightsome nature, sea, sun and sand for lovebirds to explore at the expansive resort, which has ample leisure and entertainment facilities.

The highpoint of the package is a musical concert featuring Atunda Entertainment’s signature artistes such as Afe Onikoko, Nigerian’s "talking Potter," Anu, the Ekwe percussionist and singer and Olo Omidan Bata.

Eko Hotels & Suites At the Eko Hotels & Suites, expect to be treated to the best of hospitality with the main hotel, Eko Suites and Signature each offering unique leisure packages ranging from its rooms to dining seasoned with attractive flavours for the delight of the guests.

Ayaya Carnival Enugwuabo – Ufuma holds on Dec 29 All is set for this year’s edition of Ayaya Carnival holding in Enuguwuabo – Ufuma in Enugu State, scheduled for Monday, December 29. The carnival, which is the brainchild of a Nigerian based in Germany, Dazaa Dazaa (Dazaa Aniama), was until this year a yearly affair but now a bi–yearly event. It promises a lot of excitements and fun for the people who have had to wait for two years for the event to hold after its last edition in 2012.

According to Dazaa Dazaa, arrangement for the carnival to take the centre stage in his ancestral home, Enugwuabo – Ufuma, has been concluded with elaborate plans put in place to treat the people to a rich taste of his musical art and the carnival culture.

The line up of artistes and performing groups, include D2 (Dazaa’s own group of young dancers and singers); Ifeadigo cultural group; Adamma cultural group; Ishiagu boys (with ogene and masquerade); Abiaike traditional group; Ufuma/Orumba traditional group; Old Aguata traditional group.

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SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

Politics 45

Cover

Running mate: Buhari’s love for pastors p.46

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Junaid: Buhari’ll defeat Jonathan in 2015 p.48

Business Sense Reposition Yourself p.52

2015: Buhari divides the North

The recent endorsement of the All Progressives Congress(APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, by the Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie has been countered by the Kaduna State Chapter of the Forum. Like the disagreement over power shift in 2011, the controversial endorsement will end up polarising the forum and the north instead of lining them behind Buhari. IBRAHEEM MUSA reports

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© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

n theory, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the pan northern organisation, is a non-partisan monolithic pressure group. However, beyond the facade, there are deep divisions within the forum. Politics, personal interests and opposing perspectives tug ACF at different directions. The group, in spite of all these, has remained resilient and relevant in the country’s socio-political milieu.

Specifically, within ACF, there are no permanent divides like the Muslim/Christian dichotomy or the Core north/ Middle Belt cleavage. However, almost always, partisanship drives a wedge within the group, especially in an election year.

In 2003, The Buhari Organisation (TBO), a band of General Muhammadu Buhari supporters, railroaded the late Chief Sunday Awoniyi to ACF’s chairmanship. Witty, articulate and passionate about Nigeria, Awoniyi detested President Olusegun Obasanjo with a passion. Buhari, at that time, had thrown his hat into the presidential race and as ACF chairman, Awoniyi will align with Buhari

by TBO’s reckoning. Consequently, the group pulled at all stops to foist Awoniyi on ACF and the Aro of Mopa, Sardauna Karamiand former perma-

nent secretary did not disappoint his promoters. Under Awoniyi, ACF put Obasanjo on the hot seat and the chairman unilaterally issued bellicose press statements to condemn the president.

Significantly, Awoniyi’s interventions were lucid, poignant and factual and they reflected the mood of the north. Particularly, ACF’s anti-third term stand was in tandem with the generality of Nigerians. However, some PDP elements within ACF, according to reports, took exception to Awoniyi’s positions but they did this in murmurs. ACF, they had argued, was becoming partisan which was at variance with its objectives.

In 2007, the forum was somewhat at a crossroads, when Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua emerged Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) presidential flag bearer. Buhari and Yar’Adua, both northerners, had contested the presidency and ordinarily, ACF should be happy. Heads or tails, a northerner will emerge president of Nigeria but somehow the forum was divided over the duo. Like Buhari, the late Yar’Adua was from Katsina state and a scion of the caliphate. Similarly, his puritanical CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

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Running mate: Buhari’s

F

ormer Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari is a man of many parts.

To some people, he is a disciplinarian and unrepentant apostle of anti-corruption, but to others, he is a Muslim fundamentalist.

But despite the latter’s perception of the Katsina State-born General, he appears to have an inclination for clerics of the Christian faith with the way he has continued to encourage them to participate in the electoral process and possibly governance given the way he has for the second time running picked one of them as his running mate in his bid for the presidency.

The trend started in 2011, when the former military ruler contested the presidential election alongside fiery Lagos preacher and senior pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). In the election, Buhari was defeated by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The defeat, notwithstanding, Buhari proved his electoral worth. He polled about 12 million votes against Jonathan’s 22.4 million with victories in 12, out of the 19 states of the North.

Many had then criticised his choice of Bakare, saying they are two extreme personalities who would find it difficult to blend, but Buhari in his usual unbending nature shunned all entreaties and insisted on his choice. Even when the leadership of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) also insisted that Bakare must sign an undertaking to step down for their candidate as a condition to enter into an alliance with CPC on the presidential poll, Buhari refused.

While the events of 2011 are now history, Buhari, who is contesting the presidential election again in 2015 on the platform of the APC, has equally opted for another Christian cleric, Prof.

Yemi Osibajo, as his running mate.

Osibajo, who hails from Ogun State like Bakare, is a professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He is a pastor at the popular Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). He pastors at Olive Tree House of Prayer for All Nations Parish, Banana Island, Lagos.

Explaining his choice, Buhari said he picked a man of unquestionable character, a professional and an intellectual, whom he believed would discharge the duties expected of him with utmost diligence.

His words: “The challenging process of rescuing our country and changing Nigeria for good has commenced. One of the first decisions that I have to make is the choice of the vice-presidential candidate and my running mate.

“To assist me in this great task of securing Nigeria's future, I have chosen a man of unimpeachable integrity.

He is an excellent professional, a man of faith, a devoted family man and a role model to our fellow countrymen and women.

“He is a professor of law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. An alumnus of the University of Lagos and the London School of Economics, a prodigious author who has to his credit several books on civil procedure in Nigerian superior courts. The vice-presidential candidate is a friend of the less-privileged, compassionate and zealous in service, a man of uncommon humility,

In advanced democracies, religious leaders are no less entitled to political beliefs than politicians. The case is not the same in Nigeria. But former Head of State and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari, has continued to encourage clerics to participate in the electoral process, FELIX NWANERI reports

L-R: APC Presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari; his running mate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, during the latter's formal presentation in Abuja PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALU

a loyal, dependable and selfless patriot.”

Though Buhari claimed the choice was his, credit, however, goes to a former Lagos State governor and a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu had claimed that Buhari offered him the position, but he opted for Osibajo, who has remained his long standing and trusted ally, when it became clear that the odds did not favour him. He is a Muslim like Buhari and there is no doubt that a Muslim/Muslim ticket would be a hard sell to Nigerians by the opposition party.

So far, Buhari’s preference for the cleric, who served as Lagos Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under Tinubu between 1999 and 2007, ahead of more popular personalities like the governors of Rivers and Edo states, Chibuike Amaechi and Adams Oshiomhole, has been described by most analysts as a political masterstroke.

To members of this political school of thought, the erudite scholar and motivational speaker, besides being a brilliant legal practitioner whose expertise has been called to play in many legal battles where he made good showings of himself, he is expected to attract the sympathy of not only members of his church for the opposition party, but that of the Pentecostal movement in Nigeria.

RCCG was started by late Pa Josiah Akindayomi in 1952, but since 1981 when the present General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adoboye took over, the church has witnessed membership explosion. At the last count, there are at least about 2,000 parishes of the church across Nigeria.

One of RCCG’s programmes, Holy Ghost Service, an all night miracle ser-

To assist me in this great task of securing Nigeria's future, I have chosen a man of unimpeachable integrity

vice that holds on first Friday of every month at the Redemption Camp along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, records an average 500,000 worshipers. It is this huge population that the APC is likely to leverage on through Osibajo’s candidacy.

However, despite this perceived political advantage, there is a political school of thought, which took exception to Osibajo’s emergence, saying his position in the church comes with little or no electoral value.

Members of this political school pointed to the Bakare example. According to them, despite Bakare’s popularity among Christians, he was unable to deliver his home state, Ogun and Lagos where his church’s headquarters is, to the CPC in the 2011 presidential election. In Ogun State, the CPC polled a paltry 17,654 votes against PDP’s 309,177.

The result in Lagos showed that PDP polled 1.2 million votes while CPC got 189,983.

To another political school, Osibajo as a religious leader should stay off politics. The argument of this group is that religion and politics are inherently contradictory concepts. According to those who hold this view, while religion teaches love, humility, respect and self-sacrifice, politics on the other hand requires double dealing, backstabbing, surrendering of principles and self-aggrandizement.

They further argued that the greatest threat to freedom of religious practice and the purity of religious expression is the mixing of religion and politics. They premised this position on historical evidence which

had shown that clerics with political power quickly pervert their faiths as they bend the spiritual message to meet their secular objectives.

But the questions against these backdrops are: Should religious leaders refrain from stepping into the political sphere? In a country made up of diverse religions, is it possible to separate religion from politics? If celebrities could enjoy political expression, can such be denied of religious leaders?

The constitution, perhaps, proffers answers to these puzzles. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states: “Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular, he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests.”

It was against this backdrop that those who saw nothing wrong with Buhari’s preference for clergies, are of the opinion that politics is not bigger than religion, and so, if dabbling into affairs of the state is going to make the difference for the people, religious leaders should be encouraged.

“What is the use of religion? It should be for the poor masses and down trodden. Take a case of Mahatma Gandhi of India. He was a true ‘saint’ who fought for the cause of the poor and tried to uplift them.

So, whether any one agrees or not, religion was, and still is the driving force for politics all over the world.

To separate them may be the most difficult task,” argued an analyst.

Findings by New Telegraph on Saturday on the issue, justified the position. The considerable political influence by Muslim clerics in countries like Iran; political dominance of the Hindu Nationalist Party in India despite the fact that the country is a secular state and most recently, the pressure by the Philippines Catholic Church leaders on their government to abolish the death penalty, are typical examples.

It was on these grounds that the APC camp dismissed the perception on Osibajo’s electoral value. To members of this camp, the impact the RCCG pastor will make on the party in the presidential election would not be determined by his personality but the political structure behind him.

Tinubu, who propped him, they said, controls the politics of the SouthWest, and he is expected to ride on the former governor’s structure. They further argued that Osibajo was not chosen to appeal to his church, but due to the value he would add to an APC presidency, should the party win the election.

Besides these, there is the belief that the South-West, where he hails from would be the battleground in the 2015 presidential poll. The zone has over 15 million votes. Buhari is from the North-West and is expected to garner most of the votes in the zone as well as those of the North-East and North Central, while President Jonathan is sure of votes in his native South-South and neighbouring South-East.

This means that the South-West votes would be up for grabs. This perhaps explains why the APC opted for a vice presidential candidate from the zone. To some analysts, it would have amounted to political suicide by the opposition party if it had looked elsewhere taking its strength in the zone into consideration.

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love for pastors It was also argued that though the General Overseer of the RCCG (Pastor Adeboye), unlike some of his colleagues, is not known to have any political leaning, there is no way he would abandon his own. Osibajo is said to be among the top pastors of the church close to Adeboye, whose influence is beyond members of his church.

An indication to this emerged last Friday during the just concluded 2014 edition of the Holy Ghost congress, an annual gathering of the church, when Adeboye directed that all RCCG faithful should come to church on first Sunday of 2015 (January 4) before he and other pastors in the church will release the New Year’s blessings.

The cleric who displayed his voters’ card, said: “Every eligible voter should ensure they get their voter’s card since this is the only ticket that would ensure that they vote in the candidate of their choice. Nigerians must begin to realise that their vote is their power, and it must be the concern of every Christian to decide who rules them as they are under covenant obligations to respect and pray for their leaders.”

While many misconstrued the directive as a tacit endorsement of Osibajo’s candidacy, the church has officially come out to declare that it does not dabble in politics.

“We are a mission and we do not meddle in politics,” RCCG wrote on its Twitter handle, while urging Nigerians to be wary

of fictitious and misleading social media accounts dragging its name into the murky waters of politics.

Chief Ralph Obioha, a chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), in an interview with New Telegraph on Saturday, applauded Buhari’s choice of a clergy as a running mate.

“If we want to be honest, there is a very serious polarisation in today’s Nigeria under religious line and Buhari has shown certain accommodation of such sensibility. So, picking a pastor at least demonstrates that he is on right thinking jacket as far as Nigeria things are concerned. Nigerians are aware that three names were given to him to pick from and he must have evaluated the credentials of those three. And picking a pastor has demonstrated that he is sensitive to some of the accusations that detractors have put on him that he is of religious intolerance mode.

At least, he has dispelled that by the choice he made,” he said Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife is former governor of Anambra State said Buhari is over-emphasising religion with his choice.

He, however, dispelled insinuation that Osibajo does not have electoral value.

Ezeife said: “There is no way we can say a man of God does not have electoral value.

A pastor can have electoral value more than myself because he may be more political. For choosing a pastor as running mate, Buhari

Bakare

has shown that he over- emphasis religion.

Why should an ordinary man go and pick a pastor? He should pick an ordinary Christian. Why should an ordinary Muslim, not an Imam pick a pastor and insist on picking pastor? My prayer is that God’s will be done.”

National Publicity Secretary of Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), Dr Kunle Olajide, said Osibajo is a right choice for Buhari.

According to him, “I think Buhari made a right choice by picking a pastor as his running mate. In the first instance, religion has

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become a very sensitive issue in Nigeria and for Buhari to pick a foremost man of God as his running mate at least cease to debunked the story that fly around that he is a religious bigot. I think it is a wise choice. Prof. Yemi Osibajo is a first class academic and disciplined professional. So, I think Buhari made a right choice.

“Talking about whether pastors have electoral value or not, it depends on what we mean by electoral value. Where we are in Nigeria today, what we used to refer to as electoral value or electoral asset is no longer tenable because all those who had electoral value had been voted in and they had disappointed us woefully. So, I think this is high time for us to change our sense of appreciating people. Now, we need to look at antecedents of whoever is picked, not electoral value."

As the debate on the relevance or otherwise of Buhari’s preference for Christian clerics as running mates rages, an incontrovertible fact is that religion remains a driving force for the masses, as affinity exists between them and their leaders though the real danger is with those who choose to ferment bigotry.

No doubt, Buhari’s preference has been hinged on the perception that he is a Muslim fundamentalist. And picking a devoted Christian running mate is to dissuade the perception of being a religious bigot.

Discordant tunes from the North CONTINUED from PAGE 45

approach to governance, as Governor of Katsina State, approximated Buhari’s credentials as both Head of State and Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). In addition, Buhari and Yar’Adua were virtual brothers as Alhaji Musa Yarádua, the family’s patriarch, was Buhari’s guardian when he attended Katsina Provincial Secondary School. So, both candidates were on the same page of clean record but ACF, according to reports, was in a quandary as to who to support, in spite of its non partisanship. However, most ACF chieftains supported Buhari but the forum never endorsed him publicly.

Ironically, in death Yar’Adua became the basis of ACF’s agitation for power shift. Severally, the forum had argued that a northerner and not President Goodluck Jonathan, should be PDP’s flag bearer in 2011. The ACF, at that time, pointed out that power shift was in PDP’s constitution and on that basis, President Obasanjo had spent eight years in office. Thereafter, power returned to the north but following Yar’Adua’s demise, Jonathan had ascended the presidency to complete the former’s first term. In 2011, a northerner should fly PDP’s presidential flag, especially to complete the region’s second term. ACF, to buttress its argument, wanted all the political parties to zone the presidency to the north.

Significantly, ACF had faced its greatest challenge, according to insiders, over whether or not a northerner should be president in 2011. At a meeting, presided over by General IBM Haruna, the forum’s National Chairman, ACF had kicked against Jonathan’s candidacy in February, arguing that power should shift to the north. However, a few days later, Haruna recanted on this collective stand, accusing the media as he did. The matter, according to him, was never discussed at the meeting, let alone a resolution to support power shift. Ex-

pectedly, reactions came thick and fast as ACF refuted Haruna’s claim. Thereafter, Haruna stuck to his guns, arguing that a cabal had taken over ACF. A week later, Alhaji Aliko Mohammed Misau, the north’s first Chartered Accountant, became ACF National chairman on February 24, 2011 setting tongues wagging.

However, Mr. Anthony Sani, the Publicity Secretary of the forum, later clarified Haruna’s exit. In a press statement, Sani said that Haruna was not given the boot over his position on power shift as widely speculated. According to him, the entire National Working Committee had been dissolved because their tenure had ended on February 6. Haruna was entitled to a second term and his name, according to Sani, was re-presented along with Misau’s. However, the retired General declined to contest and for this reason, Misau had sailed through unopposed. Somehow, the forum weathered that storm in 2011 and it is still soldiering on.

Last September, the forum picked a fight with Jonathan but the Northern Elders’Council (NEC) picked ACF’s gauntlet on behalf of the president. Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, ACF’s chairman, took the president to the cleaners, describing him as “anti-north.”

In addition, Coomassie criticised the war on insurgency, Jonathan’s policies and asked northerners to defend themselves. Similarly, the ACF chairman categorically stated that a northerner should be president in 2015. This position resonated with most northerners but NEC, led by Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, took exception to Coomassie’s position.

In a press conference, Yakassai took on the ACF, defended Jonathan and cautioned Coomassie against being a loose cannon. According to him, “ACF is becoming more and more isolationist even within the region. This has greatly degraded the respectability and non-partisanship of the ACF.” The NEC, Yakassai pointed out, has so much reservation over Coomassie’s verdict on the president.

ACF should summon courage to examine the merits or otherwise of each of the northern candidates contesting for the presidency on the platforms of other political parties According to him, “to say that President Jonathan doesn't like the North is outrageous and uncharitable. And to say that he has failed, is untrue. The comments by the ACF leadership is a confirmation of the allegation of partisanship and the claim that ACF is hob-knobbing with opposition elements and unrepentant critics of the Jonathan administration.”

Yakassai further said that Coomassie’s statement does not “represent the general opinion in the north, nor does it represent the attitude of majority of Northern leadership to the Jonathan administration.” NEC admonished the current ACF leadership to guard against the organisation being hijacked by people who do not mean well for the country, warning that “the ACF must not allow itself to be thrown into the cesspit of partisanship.”

Significantly, the forum neither replied Yakassai nor traded words with the presidency. In the main, ACF allowed sleeping dogs to lie but not for a long time. Last week, Coomassie stirred the hornets’ nest yet again and this time, the impact reverberated within ACF, threatening its unity as it did in 2011. Coomassie, in a congratulatory message, had praised the APC presidential primaries. The election, according to him, was held smoothly without rancour and all the aspirants have accepted the results. “So, we are congratulating Buhari who has been win-

ning primaries all through. Only when it comes to general elections he is rigged out,” Coomassie stated. In addition, the former Inspector General of Police said ACF is “going to support the northern candidate. APC has voted a northern candidate, so we are going to support him 100 per cent. So, Buhari is our candidate for the 2015 election.’’

Coomassie’s unqualified support for Buhari ruffled some feathers at ACF and the next day, December 14, he was countered by the forum’s Kaduna state chapter. Addressing a press conference, Alhaji Salisu Garba, the publicity secretary of Kaduna branch of ACF contradicted Coomassie’s submission. At no time, he pointed out, did the issue of supporting Buhari was ever tabled before ACF’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

Garba, who is also member of NEC, said until the committee meets and resolves to support Buhari, Coomassie’s statement remains his personal opinion.

Furthermore, Garba cautioned ACF to thread softly on the issue because “as a responsible body, ACF should summon courage to examine the merits or otherwise of each of the northern candidates contesting for the presidency on the platforms of other political parties before pronouncing its stand.”

Yet, the forum has neither confirmed nor denied whether or not the matter was discussed at either NEC or the National Working Committee (NWC). However, opinions are divided on ACF’s endorsement, given the fact that it is supposed to be a non-partisan forum. Conversely, some argued that being non-partisan does not mean ACF shouldn’t comment on political issues as they affect the north.

More so, seeing that one of its own is in the race. Like the power shift controversy in 2011, the last has not been heard of this controversial endorsement, especially being an election year. However, ACF’s endorsement may divide not just the forum because it is populated with people of different political parties, but also the north with all its socio-political diversities.

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Junaid: Buhari’ll defeat Jonathan in 2015

The two major candidates for the 2015 presidential election have emerged – President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari. How do you see the two contenders?

Well, in a way, this is a very straight forward fight. It is a fight essentially between people whose track records, personalities, philosophies of governance and several other matters are already been established. Given the context of experience and track record, some of which are deserved and some of which not deserved, it would be fair for Nigerians to expect what to expect in the event of either of them emerging as the president of this country.

One, Buhari was a former Head of State, he was known as an incorruptible person and still maintains that outlook. He is a man with enormous integrity; he is an outstanding administrator. He was the military administrator of one of the biggest states in Nigeria, the North-Eastern State which now comprises of six states.

He was a Minister of Petroleum and Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Nobody should dismiss the fact that these are tangible achievements.

We have seen him at work as the head of government and he worked very harmoniously with his Number Two, Tunde Idiagbon. They gave this country what could have been expected and they really fought against indiscipline. When Buhari led the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), he did remarkably well. Up till today, the positive impact of PTF is felt all over Nigeria. Nobody has been able to establish any charge against him as a tribalist or a religious figure. He is none of that; he has a solid reputation in working with Nigerians for all parts of the country. So as far as I am concerned, that is a choice.

The other choice is that of Jonathan Goodluck. Jonathan has worked under me. In fact, I played a role in recruiting him in Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) in Port Harcourt. He started his career after leaving to be

By the way, Goodluck Jonathan was a founding SecretaryGeneral of MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta)

Dr. Junaid Muhammed is the Convener, Concerned Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Business. To him, in a free and fair election former head of state, Major General Muhammadu, will defeat President Goodluck Jonathan. In this interview with AYODELE OJO, the former member of the House of Representatives speaks on the 2015 election, police invasion of the National Assembly and other salient issues. Excerpts: deputy chairman of local government and then rose to be deputy governor in Bayelsa. Unfortunately, he was handpicked as vice president in 2011.

The president, Umaru Yar’Adua, at that time was invalid; he was sick both mentally and physically. And when he died, this man became acting president until he became the president. And the record from the day he became acting president till date is there for all to see.

First, an insurgency in which he didn’t have a clue is growing. He is the only president that I know of who is open about his religious preferences; he is a real religious bigot.

He is the only president in Nigeria that I know who openly canvasses for the vote and support for his government on the basis of religion. He is the only president in Nigeria who openly says that he is there to serve his own people and their strategic allies, the Ibos. So as far as I am concerned, this is a very straight forward matter.

Now my question to Nigerian voters is simple and straightforward: if the average Nigerian voter is happy

Junaid

with the track record, with the performance of this government, in critical aspects of our national life like economic development, the role of corruption and the way they are being handled, let them go ahead and vote for Jonathan. But if they are not happy and they believe change is due and they say change is their right, they should go and vote for Buhari. They cannot eat their cake and have it; you cannot say you are dissatisfied with this government which has caused so much illegality and then pretend that you can improve on it by giving him another mandate, I have never known this to be the case in any country on earth.

But the Jonathan administration didn’t create Boko Haram insurgency.

Officials of government said they are doing everything possible to address the matter.

What I know is that the insurgency did not start with them. That is a historical fact. But I also know that the insurgency has been mishandled since Jonathan became president. So, you

need to have a background of terrorism for you to be able to do what he has come here to do: that is, to ignore a problem and pretending that you are solving it. Now the Nigerian soldiers in the field are underfunded in terms of equipment, mobility and communication. And most of the soldiers are demoralised.

So, if you do not like what is happening, please go and vote for a change and insist that your vote counts because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no credibility. Its chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega is a disgrace as an administrator and an electoral umpire.

The challenges are enormous, but I can assure you that if Nigerians are determined, they can change their government. No Jupiter can impose a government without legitimacy on Nigerians with a population of 170 million.

What are your expectations on the 2015 general election?

Well, I have no confidence in the electoral umpire. INEC under Jega has failed. If you recall, they failed three times to conduct the elections in 2011. At the end of the day, they connived with the PDP and declared Jonathan the winner.

And when the matter got to the Supreme Court, it was a split decision.

If election is held on February 14, 2015, between Jonathan and Buhari, who do you think will likely emerge?

I can bet my last breath of air on it, Buhari will win and win overwhelmingly.

Why? Because, first, I believe Nigerians are rational people and they know a good thing when they see one. I believe from all that I have said so far; from all that I know about both men, and I know both men, Buhari has a better chance and Nigeria deserves a better leader.

How about the threat from Niger Delta, that in the event Jonathan loses…

Let them burn to ashes and go to hell, nobody can blackmail 170 million people; the Niger Deltans cannot blackmail us. And anyway, the best answer to that blackmail is for Nigerians to go en masse and vote and let’s see what happens in the Niger Delta. All they can do is just shut the oil. What are we using the oil for?

Who benefits from the oil? Are you?

I don’t think I’m benefitting. It is a corrupt government which is giving statutory allocation and then stealing the money and then putting it abroad. Anyway, when you look at what is happening now, the Niger Delta has the Ministry for the Niger Delta put by Yar’Adua. They have the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Look, there are about 11 different charges from which the Niger Delta benefits from. You go to the Niger Delta and tell me what is happening; with the possible exception of Edo and Rivers and their new governors who are in the APC. I don’t see any development. I worked in the

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Niger Delta for four years. You cannot develop those people because it is impossible to develop somebody until you can develop their mind. These are primitive people who believe that they are there to make money. Development will be impossible unless it is done by the Federal Government on behalf of the people.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is divided over the choice of Buhari. How do you see the development?

I don’t like wasting my time on such matters; you are telling me people you think speak for the North. How many of those in the ACF have won elections even in their villages or their wards? I don’t know, I am not aware. Number two, ACF has never been a so-called northern organisation; I am a northerner, I won election, I have credibility in the north. I have never attended a meeting of the ACF and I have no intention to ever do so; yet I have won election and I have a name, I have a clout in Kano. So, can you tell me now that ACF speaks for me? Is it by force? So whatever they decide to do, that is their business; they don’t speak for me and they cannot speak for me.

Number two, in a democracy, you must allow room for differences. The difference between a democracy and dictatorship or totalitarianism is that in a democracy you must allow people to express their dissenting voice.

But I want to assure you that at the end of the day, when the show time comes, the north as I see it, and I am not claiming to speak for the north, will not disappoint, they will deliver their votes handsomely and wholesomely to Buhari; because he is the person with the character profile, with the kind of history, with the kind of personality trait which northerners cherish: he is humble, he is a very straightforward man and he is the kind of person who is perfectly predictable. Northerners like to deal with people they know, with the people they can discern when it comes to electoral box. So, forget about nonentities.

But Tanko Yakasai said that the North will vote for Jonathan.

Well, they have always voted for Jonathan and they have always voted against Buhari. Some of them were jailed when Buhari was in power the last time; some had their properties seized because it was illegally acquired.

And that happened under Buhari and under Murtala Mohammed.

Of course later, when Ibrahim Babangida came, everything was normal. So, you don’t expect all those people who have always been against Buhari to support him.

So, it means the North will be divided?

Please stop that statement, the North is not divided. Look, during the last election, Buhari got about 12 million votes. Out of that 12 million, only 400,000 came out of the South. The 12 million were northern votes. How could the North be divided if they gave him 12 million votes? So, what is the proof that there is division in the North? None. Have you ever joined him in a campaign anywhere in the North?

Jonathan

Buhari

the states in the South-East where salaries are not being paid. So, what are you telling me? Is that what you call transformation?

Transformation to disaster? That is not my idea of transformation.

Millions of dollar were seized in South Africa, to buy arms for the forthcoming election, is that what you call transformation? Twentytwo billion naira was missing, it has not been accounted for.

So, ACF will not have any influence in the North at all?

They have never had any influence. Tell me when they ever had any influence?

With Namadi Sambo as Vice President from the North-West, it is expected that the North will be sympathetic with the administration. Don’t you think so?

Sambo was not the choice of even his own ward in his hometown in Zaria in Kaduna State of the NorthWest. If you want to give power to the people, you must give power to somebody who is representative of those people. Since he became Vice President till date, in every election, he has failed to deliver his local government; he has failed to deliver his ward; and when the election was rigged in Kaduna, there was massive violence that was engineered by the armed forces and the police.

That was how Kaduna was won the last time if you have not forgotten.

Jonathan hinges his re-election on transformation agenda…

Which transformation? Just recently, Political Adviser to the President, Prof. Alkali Rufai and other officials were caught red-handed showing photographs of roads and other construction projects done

by Governor Rabiu kwankwaso in Kano State. They had to apologise.

So, is that what you call transformation, lying about your achievements when there is nothing to show for it? And tell me, what has he transformed? I want to know; because they are the ones making the statements or the people in the presidency; so let them tell us.

Nigeria is now on the verge of recession; as I am talking to you now, I know states where salaries are not being paid. I know for example, Bauchi cannot pay salaries, I know states like Niger and some of

The IG transgressed against the law and he should be dealt with

How do you see the chaos at the National Assembly for which the police has been criticised and the withdrawal of security from Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal?

As far as I am concerned, the Inspector-General of Police is a scoundrel. He was appointed clearly for the sake of the forthcoming elections. And we saw his footprint, what he did together with the army, and Musiliu Obanikoro in Ekiti State. The IG transgressed against the law and he should be dealt with.

In any responsible system, a highranking officer like him shouldn’t have gone before the lawmaking body of the country to say that he does not recognise somebody as a speaker. It is not the business of the IG of Police to decide who he recognises and who doesn’t. As far as the law recognizes that person he has no business making all kinds of irresponsible statements; it is not the business of the IG or anybody else to recognise or not to recognize a functionary.

Besides, even if he doesn’t like Tambuwal because apparently his paymasters don’t like Tambuwal, it is none of the business of a responsible IG of Police to lecture professional politicians how to play politics. Who is he?

The manner in which the IG withdrew the Police details from the Speaker and subsequent utterances portrayed him more as a

politician than a law enforcer.

How do you see the issue of religion as it played out in the APC over the choice of running mate?

Religion has always been manipulated by the Nigerian political elite. As far as I am concerned, religion is a non-issue. You will only get my religion by knowing that I am a Mohammed, otherwise, it is a non-issue, I don’t discuss religion.

It is not that I don’t know or I don’t take my religion seriously but I don’t take it in the realm of politics.

I believe that what happened to Bola Tinubu who was eminently preferred to be the running mate of Buhari was unfortunate because in the end, the better man lost out in the useless campaign of calumny which is initiated by people whose way of life and sense of public service has nothing to do with religion. How everything was being done was like an orchestrated campaign of calumny against Tinubu and I resent that; I find that despicable. The man is good enough; for the purposes of balance, he would have been effectively used to balance the ticket. So what’s the big deal?

Somehow, the game has been played the way it has been played. Buhari has nominated Prof. Yemi Osibajo as the running mate. I have no doubt that my friend, Tinubu, will play this game and campaign for APC and Buhari to win. After all, he was the mastermind of the APC itself as a party for all I care. So, nobody can render Tinubu permanently incapacitated simply because he was denied as the running mate of General Buhari.

He will still be relevant and history will also look favourably to what he has done in sacrificing his own personally ambition for the good of the country.

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Senate is plotting to impeach Jonathan, says Adeyeye What is the true position of the speculated plot to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan by some Senators?

The position of the matter is that truly there are members of both parties in both chambers of the National Assembly, who would like the President to be impeached.

They have argued that there are numerous grounds for impeachment. They are putting together their papers for that purpose.

I can tell you honestly that one of them has allowed me to read a comprehensive write up, arguing for a case for impeachment of Mr President. In any fair society, there must be fair hearing. I believe that if those papers are circulated to members, those who read them may believe that indeed there are enough grounds for impeachment. Some may be acting with ulterior motives. But you must take those allegations on their face value, examine them, investigate them and make up your mind. I know that there will also be some who would say, we are too close to the election of 2015; so, why should anyone rock the boat so late in the calendar and for that reason may say, let's just not go that direction. There are also those who would say that regardless of what the President has done right or wrong, that perhaps because of the strong majority that the PDP enjoys at least in the Senate, that it may be difficult to find the numerical strength to go the whole way to remove Mr President. For that reason they may say let's not go through this. Of course others will reply them that, leave the verdict of the process to the verdict; let the process run its normal course. As for me, I am waiting. When the formal documents are tabled, I will read them deligently and act in good conscience, and I will do that which I believe to in the best interest of the country. If it means removing the President, so be it; if it means not rocking the boat, so be it. I am still waiting for the final papers.

Senator (Prof.) Olusola Adeyeye represents Osun Central Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, (APC). In this interview with CHUKWU DAVID in Abuja, he spoke on the alleged impeachment plot against President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that Senators were still studying the claimed impeachable offences leveled against him, and would make a decision based on the merits of issues raised in the document when presented to the Senate for consideration.

The fact that you have a fat CV in Nigeria does not mean that you have a worthwhile CV because of the process of appointment in this country

APC people allow themselves to be used by the PDP members to fight the PDP people, these are the same PDP members, who on numerous occasions, have abandoned the APC members on critical matters. For example, when we were trying to confirm the nomination of ministers, there was a particular nominee which many of us in the APC felt was not qualified to even be a state commissioner, regardless of what his credentials were. The fact that you have a fat CV in Nigeria does not mean that you have a worthwhile CV because of the process of appointment in this country.

But in any case, the crucial thing is on that occasion, PDP members of the Senate allowed the rules and the conventions of the Senate to be disrespected, and left the APC members on dry skin. So, I will not be the one that will allow myself to be used to fight the internal battles of PDP. But there are times where there is convergence of interests; and when that happens, all over the world, a good politician takes advantage of it. Maybe, this is what is happening at this instance, instead of saying that one party is using the other party because if you say that, you are saying that one party is manipulative and the other one is stupid to allow itself to be manipulated.

Does it mean that you are not among those who have signed the purported impeachment notice against the President?

I will be betraying confidence if I tell you who or who not, has signed already. All I am saying is that I have read the allegations and we are still going through what needs to be gone through.

Some people believe that it was the PDP members who lost in the last ward congresses and have seen that they won't return to the Senate that were instigating some other aggrieved Senators to start the impeachment campaign. Do you believe this?

I think, when we give vent to such speculation, we actually insult the members of the Senate because many of these are people who have distinguished themselves in other spheres of life. Of course, human beings, being who we are, some times, there may be a streak of vengeance in us but I don't think the Senators will go to that extent. It may be easier to get a Senator who felt that the party has betrayed him to be less loyal to the party. And I think that it is not correct to insinuate, as some newspapers have done, that the PDP people are instigating the APC people because if the

Adeyeye

Senators agitated for automatic tickets. As a democrat, is this not an anti-democratic proposal?

Those who are talking about automatic ticket are from the PDP because we have not talked about that in the APC. Of course, in any democracy, there are advantages (accruable) to incumbency; you are correct but I believe that the process should be kept fair, and each party has to define its own process. What some senators in the PDP are saying is that the governors have hijacked the party. And in doing so, have turned their parties into their own 'thiefdoms'; that is the complaint and that is quite an anathema in democracy.

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FaceOff | Politics

Every hurdle facing Jonathan is man-made, says Mbadinuju Do you think that the clamour by some members of the National Assembly to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan is worthwhile at this time?

All who love Nigeria and would do everything necessary and possible to keep the country united will know that the call to impeach the President at a time like this is just unfortunate.

When someone’s house is on fire he does not pursue rats. If National Assembly finds anything worthwhile to impeach Mr. President, it shouldn’t have been a time they will be playing into the hands of our opponents and countries which do not wish us well.

Every country has ups and downs but most of them rally round their leaders to first get out of the doldrums before apportioning blame. We must not throw away our baby with the bath water. In many of my press interviews, I have always pointed it out that President Jonathan is a man God uplifted to serve Nigeria and to lead her people into the promised land.

But from the time the President took office, it has been one problem or the other; and all those problems were man-made. The problems were not from God but from enemies of God himself. I’m one of them who warned that fighting Jonathan is like fighting God who put him in this office he occupies. The office of President is not forever, it is like a stage; you play your role and quit, and someone else takes over. This is the concept of those who framed our constitution and gives such an office holder to serve a number of years, and step down, then another person takes over. By hounding Jonathan out of office, which he has done just half of the time he should, by our constitution, which gives him option to do his 2nd term and he goes, is condemnable. Therefore, the National Assembly clamour to impeach the President in the middle of the two terms the constitution grants him is also impeachable for not allowing the President complete his tenure of eight years. Rather than impeaching Jonathan for doing the right thing under our law, the National Assembly should face their duties assigned them by the same Constitution. If our Constitution is wrong in any way, then it is amended.

But haunting the President, and on everyday sitting at the National Assembly we hear of threats of impeachment does not portray us a serious nation. Whenever members of our National Assembly run out of what to say, they fall back on clamour to start the requisite number of Senators and Hon. Members. The country should outgrow this obsession.

So, to answer your question, I hereby plead with the National Assembly to leave Mr. President alone to do the job for which Nigerians voted him.

I’m aware that democracy works with opposition, nobody can wish away opposition party in our system. I seem to perceive some kind of vendetta by some members of the National Assembly against Mr. President. Jonathan couldn’t have been President without the overwhelming votes cast for him. Rather than impeach the President, I advise members of the National Assembly to concentrate on their oversight functions and allow Jonathan to do his job

Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, governor of Anambra State from 1999 to 2003 under the Peoples Democratic Party, tells CHUKWU DAVID in Abuja, that those plotting to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan should desist from such venture, saying that anybody fighting the President is fighting God who put him in power.

Mbadinuju

of governing this somewhat complicated country in every aspect of it.

Since you are not in support of the call for his removal, what are your reasons why Jonathan should remain in office as President, in other words, do you think that Jonathan has done and is doing enough not to be impeached?

I definitely do not support the minority call for President’s removal.

There are too many reasons Jonathan should stay in office as President.

Compared with other world leaders and Presidents and Prime Ministers, President Jonathan ranks high in the comity of nations where he is very much respected both in speech and in demeanor. Many countries wish they could have a leader like Jonathan while we are here arguing how we can impeach the same President when many think he has done “what Napoleon could not do”. The main reason Jonathan should remain in office is because the Constitution guarantees him two terms of eight years. Most Nigerians have not seen any impeachable offence the President has committed. In terms of infrastructure, Jonathan has exceeded most of our former leaders but who were not impeached.

The only reason some members of National Assembly clamour for President’s impeachment is for them to carry out orders of their Party leaders. The APC is hell bent to remove Jonathan from office but that is not the process. The process is not by im-

The main reason Jonathan should remain in office is because the Constitution guarantees him two terms of eight years

peachment but by wanting to show the public what the party APC can do better than Jonathan. And of course, everything should depend on the popularity of the APC. If they are not popular, and if they don’t have better program to endear the people to their party, there is nothing PDP can do to help them (APC).

The ECOWAS region and Africa as a whole, respect Jonathan for his contributions to nationhood both of Nigeria and other nations. All in all, I don’t see what Jonathan has not done to endear him to Nigerians and this will be shown on the coming election 2015. I see no basis for Senate and the House of Representatives to leave more important issues of security and others and begin to debate an unnecessary issue of impeachment.

Well-meaning Nigerians don’t have anything to do with impeachment. It is just a few people who ganged themselves up to cause confusion in this country, and because they can’t win in a free and fair election they have resorted to a kind of utterances not common to Nigerians, and thereby running foul of the Law and the constitution they swore to uphold.

There were rumours that some of the Senators calling for his removal are those who lost out in the ward congress of the PDP and are angry that Jonathan did not protect them.

What is you view on this?

I believe in crossing the bridge when I get there. The PDP senators are well grounded under the able

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leadership of the Senate President.

He is a very good mobilizer and easily brings together all Senators, whether of PDP or APC. So, it is good you said your question was a rumour, and I think is still a long way before the 2015 election. Before then the PDP as a party, that does not lose election, will do their magic and members will be accommodated one way or the other. So don’t cry more than the bereaved. PDP will know what to do about their members when the time comes.

There is yet another speculation that some Senators want Jonathan to facilitate their automatic ticket back to the Senate in 2015; and this forms part of their grouse for wanting to impeach Mr. President as their request appears not to be honoured.

What is your take on this, in view of the fact that there ought to be a level playing field for all political aspirants to participate in elections in a democracy?

Your question sounds like a fairytell and newspaper talks. PDP has National Chairman, and leader plus all arrays and categories of members from ward level to local government and to State, and then national level.

As a none member, you may not grasp the inside or outside nuances of a big party like PDP. I can’t get involved in discussions between President and National Chairman and Senate members and leaders to know the details of what they said or not said. As a good newspaper man, when you do investigative journalism; you may scoop something which has made your paper virtually a leader in the country despite its newness.

You see, there are newspapers which I read every morning and New Telegraph is one of them. Because of that I won’t speculate on a story either as a reader or as a writer.

What is your perception of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria in view of the tension generated by the serious northern opposition to Jonathan’s ambition to return to power next year, and then the insurgency in the North East, which have thrown most Nigerians into fear that there might be war or break up of the country?

Have you ever witnessed any general election in Nigeria from Zik, to Awolowo, to Ahmadu Bello, to Dr Michael Okpara and so on?

Still elections were held. In 1966 the general election was boycotted but they came back and held what they called a “small election” and life kept going. So, election of 2015 may likely be held- I say “may” because I’m not a prophet of political science. But surely between the North and the South there has always been problems but elections still were held as between North and South. 2015 may or may not be any exception but Nigeria must keep moving; those left behind will soon meet up with those ahead. You see, I believe in Nigeria, it is a very interesting country. We fight together, eat together, "jaw-jaw" together, even “war-war” together.

We believe in brinkmanship – no one even jumps into a moving train, they get close to it and turn back. We like to live, even if it is not together.

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T

his is the time of the year when I tacitly make an appeal to clients, individuals, companies and even countries to look both inwards and outwards and reposition themselves. Some of them would be comfortable with what they have achieved and therefore sit back laissez faire style and wonder why they should be bothered. The refrain is normally quite pugnacious: “why do we have to bother?

We met and surpassed our targets already, and it’s not the end of the financial year yet!” The brunt of key sector leaders in any economy is the tendency to feel too comfortable when they are leading. It’s much like

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20 DECEMBER 2014

Reposition yourself a long distance race; when the leader last looked back, he saw an incredible gap between him and the next runner and so like the hare in the tortoise story I use to explain strategy, he looks for the shady tree and takes a rest from the race. Complacence sets in, research and development intelligentsia are on vacation and before you know it number two in the race moves up a rung. The leader is trounced and the underdog has taken over.

These sudden changes in fortunes are not always

BUSINESS SENSE Alex Ogundadegbe

alexogundadegbe@gmail.com the Daily Times of Nigeria titles) was printing 450.000 copies, covering the whole of Nigeria, taking the lead to be Nigeria’s number one newspaper with crusading humorist Professor Ndaeyo Uko at the editorial helm. A

couple of years later, the figure and prospects of the paper began to slip, a troupeline of writers and managers left for greener pastures and it was just a matter of time for the flag ship to yield its leading position to another

done in a twinkle of an eye.

There are usually red herrings in the form of strategy leaks, performance defects, mounting displeasures on the clients’ part, complaints ignored and sometimes rapid changes in clients taste. The list that characterizes change goes on, victims don’t know what goes wrong until it hits home, and there is a scramble to recalibrate what has gone wrong with the hope that too much damage has not been done.

Let’s take a succinct example: In 1991 Sunday Times (a paper published under

paper.

There is no room for comfort in competition. Fortunes can change over night in the corporate world and while we cannot prepare for all eventualities, its good to have change agent training or awareness in our kitty to ensure we are ready for the sudden challenges that the race for prominence might bring. Falling out of favor or contention in the corporate world is something every chief executive officer fears the most; ironically, very few do anything about such fears. The common posture is to wait for the fire to break before we put it out, contrary to the corporate dictum that says:”If its not broken, break it.”

Pushing our strategies and stretching our products to the limits of their elasticity to cover as many clients as possible with the same product is postulating what marketers call brand recognition and acceptance. Key questions therefore arise: Where are we now? Where are we going? What do we need to get there? Futuristic or strategic thinking takes us from the comfort of the here and now to the nebulous future of possibilities and horizons. I would like to see in Nigeria, a company that would demystify computers and make this ICT gadget available to every secondary school student in the country; we should stop playing lip service to educating our youth when half of them cannot research the internet and understand how computers can benefit them. We are celebrating the return of railways when the half the developed world now have high speed rail linking their cities, both overhead and underground.

We in Nigeria have barely completed the old rail lines.

It takes four days to travel by rail from Lagos to Kano.

Wouldn’t you rather go by road? It only takes one day!

If you have had some years of good business that does not mean you should relax and be recalcitrant!

There are more horizons to conquer! More things to achieve! In looking forward the question you should be asking is what new things can we do? How can we expand or improve upon what we have been doing in the period we had it so good?

The managers of our economy in Nigeria clearly went to sleep even though they new the United States of America were doing a lot of research on alternatives to fossil fuels and the lead rich petroleum products that we produce in Nigeria.

Now the US has stopped importing our petroleum and we are preparing for harder times. This is a scenario that we faced in the 1980s! President Goodluck Jonathan and his colleagues who run the country had four years to reposition our economy and indeed the country Nigeria.

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20 DECEMBER 2014

n November 11, 2014, after travelling some six billion kilometres and 10 years into its journey the comet-chasing Rosetta space craft closed in on its mission target, Comet-67P. Subsequently, the European Space Agency’s £1bn probe ejected a lander named Philae which successfully touched down on the comet’s surface.

Philae has commenced scientific investigations that should shed more light on the origin of our planet and the Solar System. Within the past five weeks, the United States, China and Japan have launched different spacecraft targeting the exploration of Planet Mars.

Africa - and Nigeria particularly - appear strangely aloof to the to the import of these scientific projects.

While this celebration of science, technology and vision is unfolding, on earth in Nigeria, the Boko Haram Islamic insurgents busy themselves turning the bloody screws on the Nigerian state.

On November 21, several honourable members of the national parliament were seen scaling the gate of the National Assembly Abuja to provide legislative inputs into nation-building.

Meanwhile in the NigerDelta region of the country, oil thieves unimpressed with the falling oil price continue with their audacious, brisk stealing of Nigeria’s flagship export product, slyly aided by top state actors.

Against the background of the central governance mantra of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration – the ‘Transformation Agenda’ – it is the contention of this writer that to give real teeth to its conceptual assumptions, the transformation agenda must pivot on science and technology to transform Nigeria. Here is why.

It took the United Kingdom, the world’s first industrial nation, 58 years (17801838) to double her per capita income. In contrast, with vast improvement in technology it took some Asian countries much less time. For example, it took Japan 34 years (1885-1919); Indonesia - 17 years (19681985); South Korea - 11years (1966-1977) and China -10 years (1977-1987).

Whereas it took the West three generations to demystify and domesticate the technology of coal and iron, the so-called 'Asian Tigers took less than one generation to master microchips technology and achieve international prosperity and prestige.

Several studies validate the unquestionable relevance of science and its cousins to genuine socioeconomic transformation.

It was the 1987 Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics, Professor Robert Solow, whose award winning work sought to analytically quantify the contribution of technology,

Transform with science, technology a derivative of science, to economic growth.

By examining the relationship between output and technology, Solow attempted to measure the contribution of technological change to economic growth in the United States over a 40-year period (1909-1949).

Solow's analysis revealed that while output per man doubled within this period, only 12.5 percent of this increase was due to the use of more capital. The remaining 87.5 percent was attributable to technological advancement.

Unquestionably, the

The Nation-State With Louis Achi

achilouis35@gmail.com gulf between genuine sovereignty and prosperity on one hand and insecurity, dependency and mass poverty on the other, is to be found in the level of a country's science, engineering and technology (SET).

In this connection, bountiful endowments in human and material resources are meaningless unless ad-

vances in SET are demystified domesticated and applied to solve the country's industrial, socio-economic and infrastructural problems.

This is the core message to President Jonathan who incidentally is a scientist.

Let’s track to the most immediate challenge to the Nigerian state today – in-

security chiefly encapsulated in the Boko Haram depredations. A quick look at a map of the North-East geopolitical zone would show that Borno State alone constitutes almost 90 per cent of the combined landmass of the South-East and South-South geo-political zones.

Deploying half a million soldiers to the territory to fight Boko Haram, with their current level of equipment and morale, will be highly inefficient. But imagine if just two modern surveillance drone aircraft are deployed on 24-hour

over flight of the same territory they will generate a massive amount of specific intelligence data that can guide a special forces’ squad to clinically decapitate the insurgents.

There is more. Deploying relevant technology can also facilitate the speedy smoking out or destruction of fifth columnists that are currently allegedly handing intelligence edge to the insurgents. The edge Europe, North America and Asia have over the rest of us is simply powered their glaring edge in science and technology.

54 Sport Extra

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

Ref beaten up in rescheduled league tie

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Charles Ogundiya he rescheduled Nigeria National League week 30 encounter between Ranchers Bees and Kwara United was on Fridayabandoned after the match referee, Charles Ozigbo, was alledgedly attacked by Bees players.

The original match played in Kaduna was abandoned with 28 minutes left to be played after Ranchers drew level at 2-2.

But with Ranchers in dire need of a draw to secure promotion to the Premier League, while Kwara United were in need of a win to do likewise, the Nigeria Football Federation ordered for the final 28 minutes of the abandoned match to be replayed in Abuja.

The replay, which was held at the FIFA Goal Project Technical Centre, however recorded scenes of violence after Bees players and fans took matters into their own hands after the referee awarded a penalty to Kwara United when a player of the Ilorin side was brought down inside the box 10 minutes from the end of the game.

Sources at the stadium informed New Telegraph that the referee was beaten up by players, officials and fans of the Kaduna side before being rescued by

security personnel present at the venue.

The Anambra-based referee was thereafter rushed to a nearby hospital even as the NNL insisted it would only issue an official statement after receiving the match commissioner’s report.

“We are waiting for the match commissioner’s report before taking any action regarding the match, but the referee is in hospital receiving treatment,” said Lawrence Katken, secretary of the NNL, in an interview with New Telegraph.

President's Cup victory thrills Ajetunmobi Ajibade Olusesan

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ortugal-based Seun Ajetunmobi has described his victory at the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation organised President’s Cup as a precursor to a greater achievement for him next year.

The former national champion came from behind to beat Kazeem Makanjuola 6-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-5 in the final of the tournament on Thursday.

Ajetunmobi admitted that Makanjuola of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps made life difficult for him and that he had to rely on his experience to beat his less illustrious opponent.

The Gunca Sports Club of Portugal player said that he was shocked by the improvement in Makanjuola’s game which was an indication of the good work the new NTTF board is doing.

“I am happy for this victory because it was a tough match for me. Kazeem is my boy; I used to advise him on his game and I am very surprised about what I saw here today (Thursday) ,” he said.

Janet Effiom beat Atinuke Olaide in the women’s category.

Ajetunmobi and Effiom went home with N250,000 each, while the other competitors got N50,000 for their participation.

Super Falcons celebrating after a goal

FIFA rankings: Super Falcons end year in 32nd spot Ifeanyi Ibeh

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by Equatorial Guinea (54th), South Africa (60th), Cote d’Ivoire (65th), Algeria (77th), Morocco (78th), Tunisia (79th) and Egypt (87th).

It is the Super Falcons’ highest ranking since attaining the same spot back in 2012, but it does not even come close to their best ever year-ending ranking of 24th which they have achieved on four occasions – 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.

There was however a change of leadership as the United States are no longer the world’s top team after being overtaken by Germany, no thanks to their recent losses to China and Brazil, who are now ranked 13th and 8th respectively.

The next FIFA Women’s World Ranking will be published on March 27, 2015.

igeria’s Super Falcons have ended the year as the 32nd ranked national team in the world following Friday’s release of the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings.

The reigning African champions were previously ranked 35th in the world but have now climbed three spots in the rankings and remain as the highest ranked team in Africa, well above their closest rivals Ghana who remained in the 50th position, but below Thailand, who are ranked one spot above Coach Edwin Okon’s side.

Cameroon are now ranked third in Africa and 52nd in the world, followed

FIFA agrees to publish corruption report

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IFA executives have unanimously agreed to publish a "legally appropriate version" of a report into allegations of World Cup bidding corruption.

However, world football's governing body insisted Russia and Qatar will stay as hosts of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments respectively.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he asked the executive committee to vote in favour of publishing the

Blatter

report.

"We have always been determined the truth should be known," he said.

"That is, after all, why we set up an independent ethics committee with an investigatory chamber that has all necessary means to undertake investigations on its own initiative."

Only a disputed summary of Michael Garcia's 430-page report into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has been published.

GAMES/CROSS WORD PUZZLE Countries in the World-2

KEY WORDS

NORWAY BELGIUM LUXEMBOURG NETHERLANDS GERMANY AUSTRIA

E G W A I N O D E C A

CROATIA MALI MACEDONIA ZAIRE SLOVENIA GABON GREECE NIGER LIBYA LIBERIA TOGO GUINEA

A I R T S U A C R W R

R D E U K A E N I U G

U F G F O E F N O B A

O I I B R B H H G F I

M A

F

G

A

B M N S N D G N E A R L M R A E N H Y T R E

I

N

E B G O T E G L X G B

E

X U T T A G F W C E Z V R W A Y O H I D A T R I T F E L I B Y A A U R M U A M E I L G R V O L S

1

2

8

3

4 7

5

6

9 10

11

12

13

14 16 18 19 21 24 25

1 5 7 8 9 10 11 12

Relating to rivers, (7).

Before the present time, (3).

Pub, (3).

Away from, (3).

Amusing, (3).

A special festive celebration, (4).

Snake-like fish, (4).

Reference to, (2).

17

DOWN 1 Coloured parts of plant, (7).

2 Open out, (6).

23

3 Information, abbr., (4).

4 Delay leaving, (6).

5 Of the anus, (4).

26

16 17 18 22 23 24 25 26

Human blood type, (2).

Animal-hair fabric, (4).

Expressing sorrow, (4).

Deadlock, (3).

Town in Osun state, (3).

Perceive with the eyes, (3).

Items in auction, (3).

Withdraw statement, (7).

15 20

22

ACROSS

14 Christian festival, (6).

15 A state in the USA, (6).

19 Most recent, (4).

20 Better than all others, (4).

21 Zero, (3).

6 'Master' in pidgin, (3).

13 Movement back, (7).

See solution on page 23

Sport Slaming Adekunle Salami adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only)

Still on other sports

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received many calls last week after dedicating the column to table tennis sensation, Aruna Quadri. There are many other promising athletes out there but I singled out Quadri because of the incredible feat of moving from 237th to 30th on the world table tennis rankings and he is also in the gunning for the Athlete of the Year in the sport. Also in table tennis, there is Ojo Onaolapo who is based in Italy and doing very well. He can do better if the ministry of sports moves fast to help now that it is germane.

In tennis, a coach, Godwin Kienka, came out to state that the game was on the rise. He said there was need to develop the youth system to boost the game. Kienka said: “I am happy we are getting there because the young ones are doing very well now. I was at the Dala Hard Court tournament and the standard I saw was very high. Again, Moses Micheal who won the Governor’s Cup this year just graduated from the junior cadre a year ago while the number two female player in the country, Sarah Adegoke was also a junior player as at early last year.” These talents need exposure now because over the years in tennis, many of such have emerged but they ended up wasting away due to the poor administrative system. Years ago, Clara Udofa came up strong at 13 years to win national meets beating all the senior players yet she did not eventually make the Grand Slam. Too bad.

Blessing Okagbare was in blistering form at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. She went to the African Championships to also clinch the gold for Nigeria. The Olympic Games is a different ball game and it is important to plan with Okagbare now in concrete terms.

The Athletic Federation of Nigeria should identify medal prospects for the ministry to give them grants. But the grants should go beyond just athletics it must cut across other sports.

There is also the case of Jonathan Akinyemi, who is the African Champion in Kayaking, a Rowing event. He recently resigned from paid employment in the United Kingdom to enable him to prepare well for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for Nigeria. He also needs assistance to realise his objective of recording a glorious outing in Rio. Wrestling and boxing are traditional sports and today we hear little or nothing about these disciplines. It is absurd.

I advise that the ministry should work towards getting age grade national team athletes in all the sports disciplines.

Why not? We have U-13, U-17, U-20 and U- 23 in men and women football. This should be taken to other sports to help in grassroots development and provide a ready pool for national coaches.

Much ado about Keshi

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former coach of the Super Eagles and the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Shaibu Amodu, during the week broke his silence on the contract renewal saga of the Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi.

Amodu advised Keshi to honourably walk away since he was not on contract yet. He hit the nail on the head by stating that Keshi should go since he committed the same offence that led to the sacking of Samson Siasia. When I received the story I had to call the coach to be sure he was quoted correctly. Former internationals like Austin Okocha, Victor Ikpeba, Etim Esin and Jonathan Akpoborie have openly urged the coach to move on in the interest of the game. I have also made my position known on this issue because Nigeria cannot raise a new team with new attitude with Keshi in charge. We need a departure from the current leadership in the team. There has been so much noise on whether Keshi should stay or go.

No doubt, he is banking on some politicians to remain on the job. By dragging the issue this far, the NFF has shown the world that the body does not want Keshi, however, it goes beyond that. The NFF must act now and decisively too. Good riddance…

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 DECEMBER 2014

55

DESTINATION

SATURDAY

Sanctity of Truth

Get your groove back this Christmas

SPORT

Uphold Amodu’s stand on Keshi, Akpoborie tells NFF

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014.

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P.25

Under-fire Rodgers dares Gunners’ bullets

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Adekunle Salami

ne of the biggest matches of the weekend in Europe will take place in Anfield as Liverpool welcome Arsenal in a crunch match that promises so much excitement.

However, the implication of that match to Liverpool coach, Brendan Rodgers, is enormous because the Reds have been having a poor run in the past weeks in the English Premier League.

Only last weekend at the Old Trafford, Liverpool lost 3-0 to Manchester United in a match the players showed poor marksmanship. Raheem Sterling and Mario Ballotelli had three clear chances each but failed to hit the target. Man United goalie, David De Gea, was brilliant but well-tutored strikers could have converted at least one of the chances each.

Rodgers was under pressure to beat United but that did not happen and on Sunday, he is faced with an Arsenal team that has four dreadful strikers upfront-Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

It is therefore a tough call for the Reds coach who is desperate for a win as the team is on the other end of the league table with 21 points from 16 matches. Liverpool have only six wins so far this season and have recorded three draws and seven defeats. They also have a deficit of minus three since they have conceded more goals than the number scored.

A defeat in this match, which is likely, could spell doom for Rodgers. How he intends to tame the deadly four in the line-up of the visitors with his weak defence is yet to be seen.

Giroud

With 18 points behind league leaders and 10 points behind Manchester United who are in the third position, a defeat could mean the EPL season is over this early for the Reds.

On Wednesday, Liverpool defeated Bournemouth 3-1 to qualify for the semifinals of the Capital One Cup and the coach believes the result could help boost the team’s confidence in the EPL. “We are going all out for a win. The match is important and with the victory on Wednesday, we are going to push for the three points,” Rodgers said.

Liverpool has only won two of their last five games and four of their last 10. In the last five matches at Anfield, Arsenal have won three times drew one and lost one. That confidence could help the Arsene Wenger boys to compound the woes of Liverpool on Sunday.

In the last 10 games between the two, Liverpool have only managed two wins, three draws and lost five times.

This season, Liverpool have lost 3-1 to Manchester City, crumbled 2-1 to Chelsea at Anfield and was walloped 3-0 by Man United. They were also held to a 1-1 draw by local rivals Everton.

The ‘bullets’ of the rampaging Gunners might just send Rodgers to the labour market this weekend except his boys double their efforts to get a good result and save their manager from getting the sack.

Sanchez

Rodgers

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