27 dec

SATURDAY SATURDAY

Saturday, December 27, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 311

Sanctity of Truth

/newtelegraph

N150

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

2015: It’s Buhari or we’re } 45 stuck, says Rotimi Amaechi }5

lPeter Obi: No, you’re wrong on Jonathan

}8

chibok girls

sad, lonely christmas lInside the grim world of displaced persons’ camp

Timaya: }22 Not again! I won’t sing any politician’s praise Celebrity scandals and controversies of 2014 }23

}47 - 49

mutiny: army sentences four soldiers to death

l Moves 100 to Abuja for court-martial Emmanuel Onani

A

Abuja with agency reports

General Court Martial (GCM) sitting at the Army Headquarters (AHQ) Garrison, is said to have sentenced

another set of four soldiers to death by firing squad.

This is coming few days after the GCM headed by Brig. Gen. Musa Yusuf, convicted 54 soldiers of mutiny, and consequently, sentenced them to death by

firing squad.

A report by online publisher, Premium Times, said the GCM delivered its judgment on Wednesday night, with the soldiers allegedly found guilty of asking “inciting questions”.

}5

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

We’ll protest nude if Emmanuel’s candidacy is overturned — A’ Ibom women’s group }6

}25

okagbare’s father

Friends thought I was silly investing in Blessing

2

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Contents | 27.12.14 FEATURE

Size Zero Blues On the runway, the glitz is what the audience sees as models strut their stuff. They hardly see is the usually perilous road to attaining that “wonderful shape” favoured by designers

}10

CONVERSATION

An Artiste’s Reminiscences Adewole Ojo, winner of the fourth edition of the Amstel Malta Box Office recounts his experience starring in Tunde Kelani’s Maami

}15

INSTYLE

Stylish and Functional Sunglasses are must haves both as fashion accessory and the functional use to which they could be put especially at this harmattan season

}16

SHOWBIZ

From Comedy to Big Screen Comedian Ayo Makun (AY) gushes about his hugely successful movie, 30 Days in Atlanta, and reflects on the partnership he once had with Bovi Ugboma

}19

SPORT

Unmasking the Sprint Queen Saturday New Telegraph visits Sapele, Delta State, for a riveting story on Blessing Okagbare’s growing up years

}25

DESTINATION

Squabble over Waterfall Locals in Erin Ijesha, the host community of a waterfall in Osun State, protest against the unpleasant state of the tourist site

}42

Comment

Need to protect the Naira

I

n the last few months, there have been reports about the national currency, the Naira, losing value. The loss in value has been attributed to rapid fall in oil revenue in the last five months and declining external reserves.

As of December 8, Nigeria’s foreign reserve stood at $35.95 billion, down nearly 20 per cent from a year ago; while price of oil was below $70, a fall by more than 40 per cent since June, when it was $115 a barrel.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), led by the new Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has been taking steps to protect the Naira from sliding to a free-fall loss of value.

On Tuesday, November 25, the CBN, at its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, hiked the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) on private sector deposits to 20 per cent from 15 per cent but left that of the public sector unchanged at 75 per cent. It also raised interest rate by 100 basis points, the first change in two years, as well as devalued the Naira by 8 per cent or N13, from N155 to $1 to N168.

The next day, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) withdrew a total of N568 billion from banks’ accounts domiciled with it to meet the 500 basis-point hike in CRR on private sector deposits.

The move, which was specifically to prevent banks from speculating at the official foreign exchange market, caught banks off guard as they were not given enough time to prepare for the debits.

At the interbank market the same day, the naira exchange rate initially rose to N177.25 to $1 in the morning before dropping to N170.67 after the CBN intervened. But the naira exchange rate rose to N182 to $1 at the parallel market.

The same day, CBN Deputy Governor, Adebayo Adelabu, during the House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency’s oversight visit in Lagos, said the devaluation of the Naira was the best option to ensure that the economy sustains it activities and maintains stability.

Two other measures were introduced by the CBN last month to stabilise the Naira. These are: a requirement for dealers to fund their Naira account with the apex bank two days in advance to be able to participate at the twice-weekly foreign exchange auction; and a ban on the sale of dollars to importers of telecom equipment, power generators and finished products at the auction.

On December 18, in a bid to end speculative pressure on the naira, the CBN barred banks from holding their funds in dollars. Emefiele later told an international news agency he believed the current Naira band, set last month, was “appropriately priced at this time”.

“We do not want speculators in this market any longer,” Emefiele told the news agency. “The banks are not supposed to hold any funds of their own. They are supposed to buy and sell currency on behalf of customers.”

This comment by the CBN Governor was commended by analysts who considered it as signalling a will to defend the Naira.

We commend the measures taken so far by the CBN Governor and his team to defend the Naira against losing more value than it should, and also in preventing speculators from participating in the foreign exchange auction. We urge them and the managers of the nation’s economy in general, to continue to apply necessary measures to ensure that our national currency exchanges at an optimal rate.

Plus: Voices 12 | Love&Living 35 | Faceoff 50

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

Felix Oguejiofor Abugu

Managing Editor n Suleiman Uba Gaya

Editor, Daily n Yemi Ajayi

Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani

Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

Deputy Editor, Saturday n Waheed Bakare

Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins

Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam

Ag. Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi

News Editor n Ndubuisi Ugah

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed

Sales/Circulation Manager n Oyebanji Abiodun

Head, Graphics n Timothy Akinleye

Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

Telegraph Adam&Eve

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

3

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER, 2014

Okwudili

Roseline Height: 6ft Weight: 75

Occupation: Acting

Mobile: 0818 861 3166

Bust: 36 Waist: 38 Hips: 40 Height: 5.7ft Mobile: 0818 552 3726

Telegraph Adam&Eve is a page for the young, lively, sexy, cute and daring male and female.

If you fit the bill, send your profile, snazziest high resolution image, phone number and email to: julietbumah@gmail.com; editor.body-soul@newtelegraphonline.com, Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322, by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or our corporate head office, No 1A, Ajumobi Close, Off ACME Road, Ikeja. Enquiries: +234 (0)811-675-9770.

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SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

5

Christmas: Pray for Nigeria, Fashola, Kalu, Northern governors tell Christians Dan Atori and Muritala Ayinla

l Bauchi contingent in Israel pray for security, peace

MINNA and Lagos

G

overnors under the auspices of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) have described Christmas as a significant celebration for Christians, adding that it’s a period for exchange of gifts, celebrations but most importantly a time to offer prayers for Nigeria.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Israel A. Ebije, said the festive period should be dedicated to peace, love toward achieving collective developmental aspiration which he maintained is sacrosanct if Nigeria must remain united and prosperous.

Aliyu, while expressing optimism that Nigeria would come out of its present social, political and economic challenges stronger and more united said Nigerians must go back to analyse the origin of the present challenges and sincerely address them.

He said the worst that could happen to a country like Nigeria was a situation where competing interests, fragmented views and volatile religious cleavages blind perspectives on national issues.

The governor said: “I am optimistic that one day we will all sit together first as Nigerians regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation to deliberate without sentiment on how to move our dear country to its deserved social, political and economic height.

“I am indeed optimistic that one day we will not judge ourselves based on

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Primate of Anglican Church, Most. Rev. Nicholas Okoh; First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan and Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Olajumoke Akinjide, after the Christmas Church Service, at St. Mathew's Church (Anglican Communion), Abuja…Thursday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

the value we owe to religious cleavages but by the content of our ability to manage issues, situations and positions. When that day comes and believe me very soon it will come, then those fanning embers of religion demarcation would have utterly failed and Nigeria totally emancipated from religious slavery.”

Equally, eminent businessman and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has said Nigeria has a bright future despite the security challenges facing the nation.

He noted that irrespective of ethnic, political and religious differences, all hands must be on deck to ensure the unity of the country is not jeopardised.

Kalu in his end-of-year message signed by his Special Adviser, Oyekunle Oyewumi, said: “As we begin the end-of-year cel-

ebrations, I congratulate Nigerians on yet another Yuletide season. It is a period of sober reflection as individuals and as a nation in order to prepare us for greater challenges in the years ahead. It is my prayer that God Almighty will grant our heart's desires in the New Year.

Again, happy celebrations!

“As we approach the 2015 general elections, politicians should desist from playing on the intelligence of the electorate and govern in good faith. The future of Nigeria lies in our hands as our votes remain our power to elect genuine leaders.

We must elect credible individuals into leadership positions in 2015. Don't let us mortgage our children's future because of cups of rice, money and other consumable.”

He wished Nigerians joyous and hitch-free holi-

days and called for special prayers for the nation.

In the same vein, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), and the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, have advocated peaceful co-existence and imbibing of the enduring lessons of sacrifice which the season represents.

In their Christmas messages to Lagosians, the duo said the promise of the country’s greatness could not be realised without sacrifice on the part of all concerned.

Fashola, while reiterating the determination of his administration to keep the wheel of progress turning with people-focused policies and far reaching infrastructural development projects, said the state was safe.

On his part, Ashafa urged all Christians to emulate the life of Christ

Identical twins threaten to boycott 2015 elections Tunde Oyesina and Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

T

wins under the United Twins and Multiple Births Transformation in Nigeria have threatened to boycott the 2015 general elections over alleged disenfranchisement of its members.

The association through its joint President, Anthony and Andrew Mamuzee Dixon on behalf of many other identical twins had earlier threatened to sue the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, over the alleged issue.

The twins through their

l They won’t be disenfranchised – INEC counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), had in a letter alleged that INEC refused to issue a Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to one of them on the ground that Data Capturing Machine only captured one person.

Consequently, they instituted a N1 billion suit against INEC for the alleged inability of the commission's biometric machine to distinguish them.

Meanwhile, INEC has assured Nigerians that no eligible voter would be denied his or her right to vote during the 2015 general elections.

Speaking against the

backdrop of problems encountered by some identical twins in collecting their PVCs, INEC’s Director in charge of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said it was their right to be issued with their PVC if they have their names in the INEC register.

“It is their right and nobody will deny them that.

Even if their faces are identical their biometrics will not be the same. We attend even to leprosy patients, people without fingers but the only difference is that they will only be captured physically not technically,” he added.

The twins, Akpos Mamuzee-Dixon and Andos Mamuzee-Dixon, who claimed to be joint presidents of United Twins and Multiple Births for Transformation in Nigeria, also alleged that about 1,000 sets of identical twins in the country have been denied the PVCs for the same reason.

But Osaze-Uzzi, who said he was no aware of such problem, explained that what INEC officer ought to have done was to issue incidental forms for them to fill.

He, however, said he did not know how long it would take for the problem to be rectified.

just as His birth is being remembered this season.

However, Bauchi State contingent on pilgrimage in Israel on Friday reiterated their resolve to consistently pray for peace, unity and peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria.

The leader of the contingent, Mr. Abdon Gin, said in Jerusalem in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that Nigeria needed concerted prayers from Christians and Muslims for the sustenance of the nation’s peaceful co-existence and economic development.

He said this was why the pilgrims from the state decided that security,

peace, unity and peaceful general elections would remain their focal prayer points throughout their days in the Holy Land.

Gin, who is also the state’s Head of Service, described pilgrimage as a tool for spiritual rebirth and a channel for supplication to God. “Once we commit all the challenges currently dragging Nigeria backward in prayers, God almighty will intervene and all Nigeria’s problems will become history, particularly insecurity," he said.

Also, Rev. Solomon Jalo, a pilgrim, described the development as very unfortunate.

Another pilgrim, Mr. Daniel Shawulu, said: “It pained me to my bone when we learnt that we will not make it to Bethlehem due to protocol issues. All the same, it was a great experience for me to celebrate Christmas in the holy land.’’

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the state’s Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Shuabu Byel, said the state contingent could not celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem because of some protocol issues.

He, however, disclosed that the visit to Bethlehem was scheduled for December 30 and not December 25 as some pilgrims had hoped for.

When contacted, the team’s Tour Guide, Mrs Smadar Ben-Beruch of Tailor Made Tours Limited, expressed regrets for the company’s inability to take the team to Bethlehem for the Christmas celebration.

Mutiny: Army sentences four soldiers to death continu e d from pag e 1

It further quoted a source as noting that: “The questions pertained to the corpses of some of their colleagues brought to the camp after they were killed by the Boko Haram terrorists due to lack of weapons.”

Efforts to get confirmation from the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Brig. Gen Olajide Laleye, proved abortive as his phone line did not go through.

Meanwhile, it was gathered yesterday that over 100 soldiers from the Division 7 of the Nigerian Army based in Maiduguri, Borno State, have been moved to Abuja for court martial over various offences.

An online news mortal, The Blueprint, reported that the soldiers, who have been in detention since last

month, were allegedly accused of various offences, including going on AWOL (Away Without Official Leave), mainly in connection with the war against Boko Haram insurgents.

According to a military source, other offences levelled against the arrested soldiers include desertion and loss of weapons belonging to the Army in their possession, which were released to them for duty.

In the theatres, where the war against the Boko Haram insurgents have been fought, there was reported negligence on the side of the soldiers, whereby many expensive weapons of the Army were seized by the insurgents.

This is the third set of soldiers that would be tried for various offences related to the insurgency in the North-East.

6

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

PORT HARCOURT We’ll field female running mate for Rivers -Wike

N EWS I N BRIEF

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said the party has decided to make a woman the deputy governor for 2015.

Wike, who said this at Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area on Christmas Day, where he celebrated the Christian festival with the people of the area, added that the female deputy governorship candidate would be unveiled by the party December 30.

He said: “We are getting women involved in decision making of the state. The campaign is now for women to take to the next level. We have gone beyond the stage of just sharing wrapper to women as empowerment."

ADO-EKITI Fayose issues ultimatum to Ekiti landlords

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Friday issued a two-month ultimatum to landlords whose houses are without toilets in any part of the state to make amends or be prosecuted.

Fayose declared this while featuring on his monthly Radio and Television programme tagged ‘meet your governor’ in Ado-Ekiti, that landlords must provide toilets in their houses before the end of February 2015.

He warned that at the expiration of the ultimatum, landlords that failed to provide toilets in their houses would face prosecution.

“If by the end of February 2015, we still have landlords who built or live in houses without toilet facilities, such landlords will be apprehended and be made to face prosecution under the state’s environmental law," he said.

25,000

The estimated number of Americans above 65 years with Alzheimer’s in Hawaii State in 2014.

Source: Alz.org

KANO Hafiz Abubakar named as Ganduje’s running mate

The Elders’ Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has chosen the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, as the running mate of the state APC governorship candidate, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Abubakar’s emergence followed a series of wide consultation between the party members.

Following his selection, it was gathered that Abubakar’s emergence had put to rest the suspense of who emerges as the running mate to Ganduje.

Abubakar, a loyalist of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was a Special Adviser and later Commissioner for Finance during the governor's first tenure as governor of the state from 1999 to 2003.

18%

2.97m

The crude birth rate of Latin America and Caribbean in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

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

Source: Who.int

I’II redeem Abia, says Udensi

A

bia State governorship candidate on the platform of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), Chief Chikwe Udensi, has pledged to redeem the state if voted into office next year.

He made the commitment yesterday, while exchanging ideas with the Council of Elders and some eminent citizens shortly after his arrival from a foreign trip on consultations with Abians in the Diaspora.

“I am the best candidate for the redemption of Abia State which is a complete mess due to seven years of misrule by Governor T. A. Orji. It will be disappointing for Abians to allow him impose his stooge on them as the next governor.

By common logic, as Orji has performed abysmally, it naturally follows that his lackey will be even worse!”

Udensi said.

The PPA standard bearer declared that he had the capacity and competency to

rebuild Aba, the economic hub of the state and zone, particularly and Abia generally if given the mandate by the electorate.

“During rainy seasons, Aba becomes an eyesore because there is no drainage or channelisation with refuse heaps dotting the entire city. The same thing applies to most other areas of the state. We need to reengineer the state and draw up a fresh infrastructural roadmap for the restoration of our state which had been adrift for almost eight years.

“Abia must be restored to its prosperous reputation with healthy competition among the component towns and communities.

Such lost entrepreneurial rivalry that enhanced economic flourish must be brought back for the holistic development of the once enviable state.

Cottage industries and medium-cum-large scale enterprises need to be revived,” Udensi said.

Buhari to abolish First Lady’s office if elected l APC members defect to PDP in Lagos Temitope Ogunbanke with agency reports

T L-R: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife, Bola, at this year's Ibogun Day celebration at Ibogun, Ifo...yesterday

A'Ibom 2015: Group threatens to protest nude if...

PROTEST

Women group registered their displeasure for turning the table against the winner of the PDP governorship primaries.

T

he festering controversy in Akwa Ibom State over the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party’s primaries took another turn during the week with a women group, Nka Ufon Iban, threatening a nude protest march, if Udom Emmanuel’s victory is reversed.

The leader of the group, Obongawan Arit Inyang, who said this at an emergency meeting of the

group in Uyo, The group which claims to have over 300,000 members across the state, said that extreme step would become necessary should Emmanuel suffer any injustice. “Half nude protests are a taboo and represent rejection,” said Obongawan Akpan, adding that they would ensure the people reject the PDP if the mandate of the former secretary to the state government is not upheld.

According to the group, recent moves by some aggrieved aspirants collectively known as G22 is ‘misguided’. Leaders of the group have appealed to them to “join hands with Emmanuel to move the party forward in the state.”

There are indications, however, that a division

has emerged among the group of aggrieved 22 aspirants from the state that lost the PDP governorship primaries.

This, sources say, stems from suspicion arising from the perceived ‘strange agenda’ of a few vocal members of the group.

A leading member of the group who is said to have the ears of the Presidency is reportedly urging other members to accept the result of the primary election and work with the winner on the ground that it was conducted in a transparent manner.

“The interest of the party could be jeopardised if the fight continues,” a source quoted him as saying.

That plea may have

proved fruitful as “all members except one from Eket has agreed to approach the winner of the contest, Emmanuel, for discussion,” added the source, who also pointed out: “Those who are still adamant on moving to the opposition APC include two former deputy governors, two former attorneys-general and an Abuja-based contractor.”

It has emerged also that the initial opposition expressed by Chief Don Etiebet, member of the PDP's Board of Trustees (BoT) and former Governor, Victor Attah, may have thawed significantly, shaped largely by the two chieftains' realisation that, "the state cannot afford to lose to the opposition party.”

he presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), retired General Muhammadu Buhari, says he will not have an office for first lady if elected in next year’s election.

In an exclusive interview with Weekly Trust in Kaduna, Buhari said his decision was premised on the fact there is no office of first lady in the Nigerian Constitution, just as there is no official role for presidents’ wives.

Rather, he said ministries which were constitutional should be allowed to play their roles.

“There is the Ministry of Women Affairs, and so on. I was raised by my mother, as I lost my father when I was under six years, so I know what a woman can do if given the chance,” he said, adding that he sees them as his

"cornerstone.”

The APC standard bearer also said women would however play very important roles in his administration.

On the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by the Boko Haram sect, Buhari said: "Imagine a mother with a teenage daughter there and for seven months and has no clue where she is.

“Roughly one year in their tummy and from the time they are born until they clock six, children tend to assume they know everything, but it is women, their mothers, who are responsible for them.

I have the greatest respect for women.”

Meanwhile, members of the Justice Forum (JF) caucus in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos West Senatorial District have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to boost the PDP’s chances of winning Lagos in the 2015 elections.

Wada hails introduction of pneumonia vaccine Chiazor Udu

T

he Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada, has described the introduction of the new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine as an essential response to reducing pneumonia in Nigeria.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, said the introduction of the vaccine was a laudable initiative

that was capable of protecting young children against pneumonia and other diseases, stating that it was another strategy aimed at reaching every child at risk of pneumonia.

Pneumonia, is an infection of the lungs,which affects millions of people worldwide each year. Pneumonia infections can often be prevented and can usually be treated.

27 DECEMBER 2014

Christmas tragedy: 23-year-old man drown at swimming pool Muritala Ayinla

T

ragedy struck in Lagos yesterday as a 23-yearold man, Sodik Ojomo, got drowned at a swimming pool on Victoria Island.

The incident occurred on a day about 22 families were rendered homeless in series of fire incidents recorded on Christmas and Boxing Days across Lagos metropolis.

It was gathered that Ojomo got drowned at 3/5 Durotimi Etti Street, Victoria Island, where he was said to have gone to serve as cleaner and caterer to the residents and guests in the building.

It was also learnt that the eight-storey building, where the tragedy occurred serves as residential as well as Guest House.

Confirming the incident, the Director Fire

Service, Rasak Fadipe, said Ojomo’s body was found in the swimming pool on Friday morning.

Also speaking, SouthWest spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said the victim and other colleagues who had visited the building as caterers and cleaners had been warned not to swim in the pool.

Farinloye also said 18 families were affected by the fire incidents in the state within Christmas and Boxing Day period.

According to him, “The guy was to be a caterer and cleaner on a visit to the building. They were warned not to swim but eventually pulled his clothes and dipped into the pool. The fire incidents didn't cause any injury on anybody but affected 18 families.”

Afenifere scribe pleads for SouthSouth to complete its two term Babatope Okeowo, Akure

S

ecretary General of pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa, yesterday advised the North to allow the Presidency be retained in the southern part of the country for the next four years in order to ensure continued existence of the Nigeria as a nation.

Arogbofa in an exclusive interview with Saturday New Telegraph said four years in the life of a country was insignificant and as such the South-South geo-political zone which

produces the bulk of the nation’s wealth should be allowed to complete their two terms like other zones of the country.

The septuagenarian author also warned the Yoruba against being used to achieve ambition of few individuals which may lead to the bifurcation of the country along ethnic lines.

“The Yoruba people have to be very careful. I am one of the few, few in the sense of the people I interacted with, but I know millions of people in that group who feel that for now the presidency should still stay in the south.

Yuguda donates five-trailer load of cement to bomb blast victims Yuzarsif Alhassan Bauchi

B

auchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, yesterday donated five trailers of cement to the victims of the Central Market bomb blast.

The governor, who was at the market as part of his second visit to sympathise with the victims, said the donation would go a long way in the reconstruction of the market razed downed by fire as a result of the recent bomb explosion.

According to him, the government will intensify effort towards the demolition of two car parks allocated to Bauchi Central Market and Wunti Market with a view to decongesting the spaces at both areas of the state.

Yuguda also said other donations by the government would be presented to the victims through state Emergency Management Agency soon and, therefore,

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

called on the traders to report any suspicious movement to security agents with a view to addressing the problem.

He also appealed to the people of the state to ensure discipline among the youth in order to ensuring sustainable peace and stability in the state.

In his response, the Chairman of the market’s association, Alhaji Adamu Noma, commended the effort of Yuguda led-administration in the area of providing soft loans and humanitarian development.

He said the state PDP governorship candidate, Alhaji Auwal Muhammad Jatau, had donated the sum of N30million, while N5million was donated by his group.

He added that Alhaji Farouk Mustapha, a candidate contesting for Katagum senatorial district, also donated N1million during his visit to the bomb blast scene yesterday.

KALTUNGO FG replaces 48 damaged FRSC mobile court convicts steel columns on Eko Bridge 26 drivers in Gombe IDUMOTA

NEWS IN BRIEF

Julius Berger Construction Company have replaced all the 48 steel columns of the Eko Bridge damaged by fire in 2008 to prevent collapse of the bridge, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Godwin Eke, has said.

Eke told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the columns were installed on a span damaged by fire in 2008 to make the bridge stable pending complete rehabilitation of the bridge.

He said that the repairs of the abutment of the Third Mainland Bridge as well as that of the Marine Beach Bridge, which was also damaged by fire, were ongoing.

13%

The percentage of the population of women above 60 years in Mauritius in 2012.

Source: Un.org

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) mobile court in Kaltungo, Gombe State, has convicted 26 drivers for committing various traffic offences.

The Sector Commander, Mr Abayomi Omiyale, who announced this while briefing journalists during a special patrol

by FRSC officials in the state, said: “The court sat today in Kaltungo, tried 29 offenders; 26 were convicted and three were discharged and acquitted.”

He said 13 were convicted for not putting on seat belts, three for not wearing helmet, three for driving vehicle without number plate, two for over loading, five for driving without driving licence and two for dangerous driving.

N3.42bn

The total capital importation value of the Shares sector in 2008.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

7

BENIN CITY Police arrest three robbery suspects

Edo State Police Command yesterday said it had arrested three persons suspected to be members of a robbery gang on Uwa Street, in Oredo Local Government Area.

The suspects identified as Samson Obi, Terry Ekokota and Esther James, were arrested by operatives of the command at a hideout, following a tip-off by the public.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Joseph Edoigiawerie, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said: “A search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of two locally made guns, two live cartridges and some charms.”

The statement said the suspects had confessed to the crime, stressing that they had planned to carry out an operation before they were arrested.

803

The number of deaths from probable cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Liberia as at October 19, 2014.

Source: Who.int

Rivers, Princewill bicker over alleged sale of state’s assets CROSSFIRE

Rivers State tasked by the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate to be transparent with the use of public funds Emmanuel Masha

T

Port Harcourt

he Rivers State Ministry of Finance and the state’s Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2015 governorship election, Mr. Tonye Princewill, have embarked on a war of words over the alleged sale of assets belonging to the state.

Princewill had alleged that Governor Rotimi Amaechi-led government was selling off properties to fund the All Progressives

Congress (APC), an allegation which was dismissed by the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Chamberlain Peterside.

Peterside accused Princewill of delving into an area he had no knowledge of as well as misleading the public.

He said: “This news is totally misleading and a fabrication that is so far from the truth. It is unconscionable that the source of such utter nonsense is a so-called gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the Labour Party – Mr. Tonye Princewill.

“It simply beats my imagination that someone like him who has been on the corridors of power in this state that should know better, will peddle such falsehood and derogatory information relating to the public

expenditure of the state.

“There is no gainsaying that Rivers State is a frontline state and potential battleground in the emerging political scenario in Nigeria, but that is not reason for careless tales that is devoid of facts. It should be reasoned that mere suspicions or insinuations on public expenditure pattern is not sufficient grounds for such malicious accusations by any individual like the calibre of Mr. Princewill has done.”

But, Princewill while reacting to Peterside’s comments through Mr. D.M. Emmanuel, the spokesperson, Finance and Budget Planning, Prince Tonye Princewill Campaign Team, called for a commission of enquiry into the allegation.

He also described the commissioner’s comments as “laughable, unnecessar-

ily rude and full of grammatical illusions,” noting that he failed to provide key details to dismiss the allegation.

“This is the arrogance we hope to avoid. Any citizen should be able to ask basic questions on the state of our public finances. The money belongs to us. If there was indeed full disclosure as he claims, there would be no need to ask the obvious.

But in order to give him the benefit of the doubt, we will ask again. Please Hon Commissioner.

“I want to call on the state government to launch a full and independent inquiry into the sale of all these assets with immediate effect or give credence to the concerns raised by the candidate for the Labour party. This is not to be swept under the carpet.”

L-R: President, Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo; President, Merit Club, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Chief Adekunle Oyinloye; Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Charles Ibitoye and Chairman, Irepodun Local Government Area, Alhaji Luqman Owolewa, at the inauguration of a hostel facility donated to Omu-Aran High School by the club…yesterday

8

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

KATSINA Cleric blames politicians for nation’s insecurity state

N EWS I N BRIEF

Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Katsina State chapter, Rev. Nelson Onyekachukwu, has blamed disgruntled politicians for the country’s insecurity.

Onyekachukwu, who stated this in his sermon at the Church of Resurrection in Nigeria in Katsina, said the security challenge threatening the country is not a religious affair as it affects both Muslims and Christians.

“It is not the issue of a Muslim or Christian that is behind the inhuman act. The insecurity is caused by some people who are aggrieved and have not satisfied their selfish interests. We believe in the power of prayers to solve problems and we believe that anything that has a beginning will have an end,” he said.

OSOGBO Ex-VC canvasses more Islamic varsities

The former Vice-Chancellor, Fountain University, Osogbo in Osun State, Prof.

Hussein Oloyede, has called for the establishment of more Islamic universities by the Muslim communities in Nigeria.

Oloyede, who made the appeal while declaring open 1436 Conference of the Companion in llorin, Kwara State, said apart from the university that was established by Nasrul-LahiFatih Society (NASFAT), some 20 years ago, there had not been any concrete efforts by Islamic societies to establish new ones.

“We have serious challenges of Islamic university, we are yet to see the result,” he said.

CALABAR 2015: Obong of Calabar decries ‘do-or-die’ politics

The Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V, has warned that the do-or-die approach to 2015 polls by politicians constituted a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

The Efik monarch made the observation in Adiabo in Odukpani Local Government Area, while interacting with some journalists.

The monarch chided the political class over what he described as a door-die approach to 2015 polls.

He said he was yet to be convinced that some politicians had the interest of the country and that of ordinary Nigerians in mind from what he saw at the just concluded political party primaries.

NBA harps on peace, tasks INEC on 2015 polls Tunde Oyesina Abuja

T

he Nigerian Bar Association NBA yesterday called on Nigerians to pray for an end to all forms of violence and insurgency.

Similarly, it has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make adequate preparations to ensure the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections.

In a statement signed by its President, Augusten Alegeh (SAN), in Abuja, the NBA said: “As Christians celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ who brought love, peace and joy and salvation to the world.

Let us pray for peace and

joy in Nigeria. We should all share the love and joy of Christmas with our families and all those around.

“Our nation has in recent past witnessed incidents of violence. Our prayers at Christmas should be for there to be an end to all forms of violence and insurgency and for lasting peace and harmony in our country.”

Meanwhile, Chairman, NBA, Ikeja branch, Mr. Yinka Farounbi, who gave the advice in Lagos on Friday, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said early preparations by the electoral body would help to reduce the hitches witnessed in the recently concluded distribution of permanent voter cards in some states.

Umuode community agog as Idenyi gets staff of office Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

I L-R: General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye; Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and his wife, Olukemi, at RCCG ‘Let's Go A Fishing’ programme, in Akure… Thursday

APC not keen on national development, says Obi INSURGENCY

Former Anambra State governor says the APC is not keen on ending insurgency in the country but is only desperate for power.

Ndubuisi Ugah and Adesina Wahab

T

lagos/Ado-Ekiti

he Deputy National Director General of Jonathan’s Campaign Council (South), Mr. Peter Obi, has described the comments made by the Director General of Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, as not showing enough evidence of genuine concern about the future of the nation.

He also bemoaned many statements allegedly credited to Amaechi and some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that they were misleading and capable of inciting the people to disturb public peace.

Reacting to statements allegedly credited to

l Mimiko challenges APC on ‘change slogan’ l Party urges Jonathan to lead by example Amaechi that the Federal Government was treating the menace of insurgency in the North as northern problem, Obi said Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who is also an elder statesman with full access to the President, should have stepped forward with ideas on security, or if possible work with other retired soldiers if he had any.

The former governor of Anambra State in a statement made available to journalists, disagreed with Amaechi that Buhari had the magic wand to end insurgency, claiming that the former head of state was not moved by anything except the desire to get into office and be seen as a messiah.

Obi, who recounted the efforts of Mr. President towards solving the Boko Haram menace, said: “Who in this country is not aware of many bilateral meetings Jonathan has been holding with neighbouring countries to work together to stop insurgency? Who is

not aware of the invitation to even foreigners in search of solution to the menace?”

On the loss of value of the naira, which Amaechi commented on, Obi attributed his response to ignorance of the global macroeconomic realities.

He said the world was experiencing recession and that the currency of many countries, especially those that export oil, were falling in response to global oil prices.

Instead, he said Jonathan should be commended for saving the country through the establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).

In another development, Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to convince Nigerians on its change slogan, saying its top shots, by their actions, are anti-democratic elements.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, when he visited his Ekiti counterpart, Mr. Ayo Fayose, the governor won-

dered whether APC wanted Nigeria to change from democracy to dictatorship.

He said: “We want APC leaders to explain to Nigerians the change they shout all over. Are they saying the country should change from democracy to dictatorship? This is necessary because their leaders, by their actions, have not shown that they are democratic elements."

Meanwhile, the APC has urged President Jonathan to show leadership by example instead of engaging in mere rhetorics.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said: “Everything that the President's political associates, supporters and spokespersons have done has been geared toward creating division among Nigerians and sowing the seeds of discord and hatred, and the President is not on record as having ever called them to order.”

t was a gathering of notable politicians yesterday at the Umuode country home of the former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, as the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Moses Idenyi, was formally coronated and given the staff of office by Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State.

The last monarch of the community was assassinated recently, a development which worsened the intercommunal crisis between Umuode and Oruku communities in Nkanu East Local Government Area.

Also, many campaign apparatuses of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state was conspicuously placed at strategic

locations at the venue of the event.

Ugwuanyi, who was represented by a member of the state House of Assembly, Ikechukwu Ezugwu, had urged the people to support the new monarch.

Also present were the former deputy governor of the state, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi and former Chief of Staff to the state governor, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo; Senator Fidelis Okoro, former Inspector General of Police (IG), Ogbonna Onovo; former National President of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Ozor Nwabueze Okafor, among others.

Speaking at the event, Nnaji thanked dignitaries that graced the occasion, urging politicians jostling for various elective positions to play by the rules of the game.

Monarch’s palace, houses torched in Ijoko Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

T

he palace of a monarch, Oba Lasisi Ogunseye and six vehicles have been set ablaze by suspected thugs, following renewed violence in Ijoko town in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

It was learnt that the incident was not unconnected with the protracted chieftaincy tussle rocking the town, which had pitted Ogunseye against the Onijoko of Ijoko town, Oba Abdulfatai Matanmi.

Also, two houses belonging to traditional heads (Baales) in the area as well as some private property worth millions of Naira were vandalised in the fracas on Wednesday night.

According to sources,

Ijoko town has been throes of chieftaincy crisis over the years as a result of the rivalry over who should rule the community between Matanmi and Ogunseye.

Speaking with Saturday New Telegraph, one of Ogunseye’s children, Mr. Mohammed Ogunseye, said hoodlums invaded the palace and destroyed everything in sight.

He said: “Documents, clothes, vehicles, including those of Baales that are loyal to Oba Ogunseye were destroyed. The hoodlums also went to those Baales' houses, destroyed their properties, including a car that was parked in the compound."

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, said the command was investigating the matter and would bring those found wanting to justice.

Photo News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

9

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

L-R: Registrar, Diocese of Lagos, West (Anglican Communion), Bimbo Adesanya; Bishop of Lagos West, Bishop James Odedeji; his wife, Lydia and Chancellor, Justice Babalola Ogunade (rtd.), at the Christmas Service, at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church, Ikeja, Lagos

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

L-R: Deputy Chancellor, Lagos Diocese, Cathedral Church of Christ, Hon. Justice Adedayo Oyebanji; Bishop of Lagos Diocese, The Most Revd. Ephraim Ademowo; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and Chancellor, Hon. Justice George Oguntade, at the Christmas service in Lagos

L-R: Presbyter, Methodist Church of Nigeria, Very Revd. Stephen Adegbite; Bishop of Tinubu, Rt. Revd.

Oladapo Babalola; Prelate, His Eminence Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu-Uche and Bishop of Evangelism and Discipleship, Rt. Revd. Edoka Amuta, at the Christmas Day service in Lagos.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI Children at the Wonderland Amusement park in Abuja

Children with Father Christmas, at Oghodi Heritage Park, Lagos

A scene from the Trans Amusement Park in Ibadan, Oyo State

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

PHOTO: NAN

Nasarawa State Cultural troupe performing at the Calabar Carnival in Cross River State

...At Water Parks, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos

PHOTO: NAN

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

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Feature

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Runway queens and the

Many models go to the extreme to keep their jobs by taking pills and starving themselves in other to remain skinny despite the health implication of this risky venture.

ANGELA DAVIES writes on the importance of being skinny in runway business.

M

odels are present in every part of the world in commercials, high fashion print magazine and on the runway. They are frequently portrayed as images for the “ideal” body frame for young girls, thus, giving them a false impression of what they “should” look like and that is being ‘skinny.’ Weight is a sensitive but real issue in the business of modelling. For those concerned, there is nothing wrong with being skinny, but being underweight or extremely skinny, as a model has raised dust in different countries around the world.

Many of these models have an unrealistic body frame. They take pills and also starve themselves just to hold jobs so that they will not be labelled, ‘too fat’.

And most times, these models are typically 23 per cent below their expected body weight.

Health experts have warned that the use of diet pills, which is very common for the size zero models, results in bowel and bladder disorders. Eventually, the heart may stop functioning because there is no more fuel to burn. Unfortunately in 2006, two size zero models faced untimely deaths due to complications with anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterised by immoderate food restriction, inappropriate eating habits, obsession with having a thin figure, and an irrational fear of weight gain which is accompanied by a distorted body self-perception, and typically involves excessive weight loss.

This eating disorder is prevalent among many female models as they compete to keep up with the industry’s pressures to be thin and hold jobs.

Former Brazilian supermodel, Ana Carolina Reston, died in November 2006, after being told she was “too fat” at a size six. As such, she lived off a diet consisting of tomatoes and fruit juice.

Uruguayan model, Luisel Ramos, also suffered from anorexia nervosa, which at a size 00 was the cause of her tragic death in August 2006.

Their shocking deaths forced the fashion industry to take a reality check. Madrid was the first fashion capital to try to combat this universal issue on the runways. On September 13, 2006, Madrid Fashion Week set a ban for underweight models. It was recommended that healthy weight of models that should be on the runway at the Madrid Fashion Week shows should have a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) number of 18 or above. Any models that held a BMI under 18 would be deemed “unhealthy.”

Madrid’s action against unhealthily skinny models soon snowballed, as it inspired the cities of Milan, Edinburgh and India to adopt the same 18+ BMI policies for their fashion weeks. Also, in January 2007, the action towards healthier models reached the United States as the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) met to discuss healthier guidelines for models within the fashion industry.

Oluchi Onweagba-Olandi

Although in Nigeria, skinny models are seen on the runway showcasing beautiful designs of the varied designers. However, with the inclusion of plus size models on the runway, the question is, is it still the norm for models to be skinny? Do Nigerian models also starve themselves just to hold jobs and stay in shape? Also, should designers be the ones to determine what the ideal size of models should be in the industry?

Joan Okorodudu, fashion designer and brain behind Isis modelling agency

and organiser of Nigeria’s Next Super Model competition said, “Well in this day and age with the kind of jobs that are available, it is the skinny models that do the regular modelling jobs. We also have the plus size models but of course for you to be a plus size model; you have to be looking at America and even South Africa. But it will not pay you in Nigeria because there are no too many plus size jobs on the runway. In terms of models starving themselves, I don’t think they should starve themselves. Remember

that there are models that naturally have a skinny look. There are models that no matter what they eat, they will never be fat and I have got a lot of those types of models. A model should be skinny but healthy."

Speaking on the ideal model size in Nigeria, Okorodudu stated that, “Well if the model will be part of international fashion week shows, then, the right model size is size six. I will not use a model who is more than a size six in my fashion shows and this also applies

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

perilous road to size zero to the Nigeria’s Next Super Model competition.”

On why some designers have preference for size eight models because of their curvy shape, Okorodudu said, “Well if you are a size eight model, you have to maintain Nigeria. I do a lot of international shows and to make waves outside Nigeria as a model, you have to be a size six because that is the norm. I didn’t create it.”

Model groomer, Chike Osigwe, stated that runway models should be skinny and healthy but not extremely skinny.

“Runway models should not be too skinny. To be a runway model you should be a size six or eight so that you will not lose your shape. Whether you are a professional or a starter, you need the right shape to work with. To stay in shape, I take models through numerous exercises so that they will be flexible.

Also, I advise them to stay away from fatty and oily foods.

“Also, you don’t have to starve yourself just to hold jobs. All you need is to eat right and by eating right, I mean you have to watch what you eat so that you don’t grow too big for fashion. These days, we also have the plus size models but being a plus size does not mean you should be too fat or have a big stomach.

You also need to work on yourself to stay in shape. As a model whether skinny or plus size, charisma matters a lot on the runway,” he said.

Meg Alabi, ex-model and fashion designer, said that, “Today we have both skinny and plus size models, however, the skinny models are more used on the runway internationally and locally as well. The reason is because of the features they possess which are the shoulders, neck and build. Also, skinny models look better in modelling clothes. But models should not be extremely skinny thus looking unhealthy. As we know, there is even a ban on models that are extremely skinny in recent times.”

She added that, “The ideal size in the industry is six and eight. We have mostly size eight models than any other size in Nigeria. For me, models do not have to starve themselves to hold jobs. There are some models that eat so much, but, they do not gain weight. Yet, some models eat just a little and they gain some weight.

It all boils down to understanding your body so that you don’t go out of shape.

When I was modelling, there were many of us that use to take drugs and things that would make us add a little weight because we were really skinny. But at the end, you just have to accept and appreciate how God has created you.”

She said that as a designer, she works with both healthy skinny and plus size models for her fashion shows because what matters to her is their carriage.

“My choice of models depends on their carriage because my label caters for all sizes of women. So, usually when I am doing a fashion show, I use both skinny and plus size models but most importantly, I am more particular about how the models carry my clothes. Sometimes a plus size model even has more carriage than a slim model. So, for me, it’s about carriage because the carriage of the outfit, sells the outfit. Also, the carriage of the outfit could kill the outfit.”

Also, Samuel Elendu, ex-model and fashion designer based in the East, stated that the ideal size of models in Nigeria is six and eight, however, his preference are the size eight models. “The ideal size of models in Nigeria is six and eight.

But don’t forget that in recent times, we also have the plus size models. Nevertheless, I don’t support models that are

Feature

11

Favour Lucky

Naomi Campbell

extremely skinny because, they look sick and hungry. My perfect model size is eight. Most designers will go for size six models but I prefer size eight models because they have curves to flaunt your designs. Recently, I had to drop a model from showcasing my clothes at a fashion show because she looks too skinny and I knew the dresses would not look good on her and the fitting will also not be there. She felt bad but that is how it works sometimes. As a designer, you need models with good carriage to showcase your outfits.”

Speaking on his criteria when choosing models for his fashion shows, Elendu said, “I do more of couture dresses so I choose models with the statistics between bust 34 and 36, waist 26 and 29 then hip 37 and 42 because when a model who is curvy wears a couture dress, it looks beautiful. You don’t need anybody

I don’t support models that are extremely skinny because, they look sick and hungry. My perfect model size is eight

Bunmi Ademokoya

to tell you that the dress is beautiful on her. I don’t like size zero models, they look too skinny and they don’t look good in dresses.”

Reminiscing on his modelling days on how he stays in shape, he said that, “When I was still modelling, I use to eat a lot of fruits in the morning and at night. I also drink plenty of water. But I eat very heavy food in the afternoon. I don’t exercise because I am a naturally slim person and I did not starve myself.

I won’t even encourage models to starve themselves to hold jobs. They should just understand their body type and work on it. I think we designers in Africa should start encouraging size eight models.

Look at Noami Campbell she is a size eight and anything she wears is perfect on her. Size eight models are wonderful.

I hate it when models are so skinny.”

For model, Ibikunle Atinuke, “I neither starve myself to hold jobs nor take drugs to make me loose or add weight.

I drink water a lot, eat lots of fruits and sleep a lot to maintain my shape. The ideal model size in the industry is size eight but sometimes designers prefer size six or 10 models. Some jobs are height restricted while some is for everybody as long as you have the charisma.”

Princess Obi, a student and model, said, “As a model, there are specific requirements. You can’t be overly big although these days, they have inculcated plus size models. When you are fit, you have a chance; there is no necessity about size. However, skinny models get more call ups and runway

jobs than the plus size models. To stay in shape, personally, I exercise morning and night but I won’t say I do some serious exercise. I am naturally skinny but healthy. I do not starve myself neither do I take drugs that will make me gain some weight. However, I don’t eat late at night so that my stomach will not begin to bulge.”

She added that, she has not been dropped by any designer because of her size. “There are designers that make clothes not for the runway because they want to sell them. So, those designers might have problem with the skinny models. That is because if they make clothes for this size of models, they might not find customers that would buy those particular outfits. I have not been dropped because most of the jobs I have done, you go for fittings first so that they will make clothes strictly for you for the fashion show. Then if they have to sell the dresses, they use the one made for you as a sample for other works they have to do.”

Ayinde Tomisola, who is also a model, said that models should not be too skinny nor starve themselves. “I actually do not starve myself to look fit to get a job and I am a size six. For me, I don’t drink too much of sugar based drinks, I exercise and don’t eat too late. I don’t believe a model must be extremely skinny or even starve herself, I think it is unhealthy. Designers all across the world prefer skinny models because of their carriage.”

Voices

SATURDAY 27 DECEMBER 2014

12

Would you go on a dinner date with your ex?

No stoking of old flames

It's dangerous I will never do such a thing, because doing such, is just like trying to reconcile with him.

And that might lead to other things.

– Uzozie Sandra, student

There's nothing wrong in that

Going on a date with my ex? Waoh! Why not? That will be something I will do without a second thought. I will definitely go because I see nothing wrong in that.

– Adewara Michael, student

With the consent of my girlfriend I can only do that if my current girlfriend permits me because it will make no sense going without her consent.

– Ishola Azeez, student

It will affect your present relationship Going with my ex will not be proper. Going on a date with your ex is just like trying to jeorpadise your current relationship.

– Abdullahi Damilola, student

I look forward to it I must confess going on a date with my ex is something am relishing. I will accept the offer without hesitation.

– Alayemi Adewale, student

Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

O

ne person was feared dead on Wednesday night and another seriously injured when suspected rival cult group clashed at the popular New Benin Market in Benin City, Edo State.

Besides, about 45 security patrol vans with hordes of riot policemen were deployed by the state police command in strategic points to forestall violence as Christians and residents

Sure I can

I can go on a date with my ex-girlfriend because we did not separate in a bad way. We had a good understanding for going our separate ways. I still like her.

– Deekay Ebubedike,

It depends, as long as it’s platonic and she doesn’t raise her hopes to rekindle any old flames or relationship, then I would. Other than that I am afraid I can’t give it a trial.

– Ibitoye Olaoluwa, entrepreneur

musician/gym instructor

That's a big risk

Yes, I will but...

I can't go on a dinner with my ex, because we are no more together and it's a big risk. If my husband hears or sees us together it would be a different story entirely. So no going back with my ex.

Yes I will go on a date with my ex-boyfriend but I will not give him 100 percent attention despite the fact that he took me out so that he would know he lost out when we broke up.

– Kalejaiye Omowunmi, caterer

–Okunboyejo Funsho, businesswoman

We can still be friends

It may lead to the breakup of my marriage

Why won't I? Being my ex doesn't make her my enemy and I can't wish her to disappear from the face of the earth. So we can still be friends and nothing attached.

– Emiko Desmond, businessman

No, I won’t because it is not the best for my current relationship as it can make one of them get jealous and might result to breaking up my marriage.

– Mrs. Angel Ogunlana, businesswoman

Except if my husband approves

It's fine by me

I won’t, but even if I will at all, my husband's consent has to been sought first to get his approval. If he says I should then I will listen to what my ex has to say.

– Rita Samuel, businesswoman

I can go on a dinner with my ex. If my ex was my friend when we were together it would be easier to have a meal or share common hobby with her. I do not have any problem with sharing a platonic outing with an ex.

– Victor James, civil servant

compiled by

ANGELA DAVIES, AYILARA DAYO AND JOHN EDU

Cult clash claims one, injure another in Edo of Benin celebrated this year’s Christmas amid funfair in the state.

There has been renewed onslaught by two cult groups on reprisal attacks which resulted in the death of a member of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and a commercial bus driver within the state capital last week.

However, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, confirmed yes-

l Police deploy 45 security vans, personnel terday the arrest of some suspects in connection with the killings.

It was also gathered that one of the victims was shot few metres away from the traffic light at the Upper Mission/Holy Cross Road junction near the busy market, while the other who sustained wounds was hit by a stray

bullet.

The incident occurred when suspected gunmen stormed the Upper Mission/Holy Cross Road end of the crowded market which serves as street trading outlet and shot their victim at a close range.

They were said to have zoomed off immediately after the attack while a

bullet strayed hit another person at the scene.

Traders, crowd of customers who were making purchases ahead of Christmas festivities and vehicle owners took to their heels in the pandemonium that followed the gun boom and subsequent death of the victim.

The identities of the

victims are yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, plain cloth and regular operatives of the state police command and those of the Department of Security Services (DSS) have been deployed in flashpoints to stem any attempt by individuals and groups to foment trouble in parts of the town and adjoining areas.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014

WeekendDelight 13

C o n v e r s at i o n

Instyle

ADEWOLE

2014 and the fashion trends that rocked p.15

Showbiz

Ruth Kadiri: Writing scripts aided my Nollywood career p.21

Love&Living ‘My husband won’t let me work’ p.37

Destination Erin Ijesha: A neglected goldmine p.42

OJO

The recognition I got from Maami has been phenomenal Adewole Ojo got his first acting role as a nine-year-old. The winner of the fourth edition of the Amstel Malta Box Office played a huge role in Tunde Kelani’s Maami and had featured in a number of movies. The University of Lagos graduate of creative arts speaks with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS How has it been with you?

We are basically working. I have done a number of jobs for television, but I am presently trying to transfer my success from television series to films.

Some of the series I had featured in are Tales of Eve, Everyday People, The Maze, One Love, This Life, Dear Mother, Havilla and Haven. For movies, I think the most popular one I featured in was Tunde Kelani’s Maami. I did The Child as part of my take home prizes as the winner of the reality show, Amstel Malta Box Office, and it got me my first recognized nomination as the most promising actor at The Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) in 2011. I had done Lust, Façade, Brave, and Aging Gracefully that came out about two months ago. The thing about cinema movies is that they are not particular with dates. Lust was not a huge success in the cinema as we had expected. You should be looking out for the Seven Inch Curve, it would be in the market first quarter of next year and it is an acting debut for Victoria Kimani, the Chocolate City artiste from Kenya. The making was quite huge and we are looking forward to it.

You started acting as a nine-year-old; what was the experience like?

I started acting at a very tender age where I featured in children’s series, Kidivision 101, and One Big Family on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

Some of us have grown up and are still in the industry. Denrele Edun was in the series too. I would appreciate my parents for making sure I was not carried away with the hype and publicity that come with acting. I was raised by a strict Yoruba father and a Benin mother. I also thanked God for the wisdom he gave me to listen to their teachings.

Considering the fact that you’ve been acting for a while, don’t you think you are moving at a slow pace?

The truth is that man proposes and God disposes.

I am just doing what I have to do to be the next big thing in the world. It is not by my actions alone; it also depends on so many things.

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Was there a time you considered quitting acting?

I delved into other businesses at some point CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

OJO

14

Weekend Delight

| Conversation

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

‘Winning Amstel Malta Box Office award was a bitter-sweet experience’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 3

because acting was not paying me and I needed to make more money, but I didn’t intend to stop acting. Acting is my first love and I don’t think I can do without it.

What would you say has been your most taxing role in a movie?

With all fairness and sincerity, I still look forward to playing that role because as a trained theatre artist I like to push myself to the extreme. Though I had played some taxing roles like the role I played in The Child and even Brave, I don’t think there is any role I can’t play or interpret.

How was it like winning the Amstel Malta Box Office in 2010?

It was sort of a bitter and sweet experience. It was sweet in the sense that at that point in my life I needed a push because I was not really doing anything for like a year. So I put in a couple of time for the Amstel Malta reality show and I didn’t make it through. I tried at the fourth edition and I got on the show. Winning was fulfilling to me. I love every bit of the memory; I represented the brand for a year and went to places. The bitter part of it was that it came with a certain challenge or problem, if you like. Producers and directors suddenly started acting funny and other winners could testify to it. Some people also feel that my price will become too high being the winner of the show and they avoided me. Rather than having a smooth ride after winning the show, it was challenging.

There is also another side I would like to keep to myself.

Of course it could be challenging for producers to sort artistes to feature on movies; how does it work?

It is relative. Some producers are comfortable with the funding, while some might not be able to foot the expenses but have good ideas. So, they will talk to us to buy into the idea, which is also good. But some are just impossible and that is sad.

Some producers will tell you that they’ve spent like 80 to 90 per cent of our budgets on production, equipment and they don’t really have money again. That is insulting because they need artistes to use the facilities they’ve spent money on and they didn’t consider that. What that means to me is that you made plans on things you saw as priority; you are only telling me that I am not a priority. So, what applies for a particular situation does not necessarily apply in another.

Can you recall your first pay as an actor?

That should be while I was on the NTA’s programme years back. I played some minor roles before the big ones came. I am not sure, but I think it was about N350 and that was in 1995.

Were you disappointed you didn’t win AMAA? I was not because I am open to everyone and anything in life. It is safe that way, because when you start placing yourself high you would end up disappointing yourself and people too. So, it is better to play it simple. When I was going for AMAA, I was open to anything that came out of it.

I had seen the other nominees’ jobs, so I know they were also good. I think the first satisfaction was being recognised on that platform. It would have been wonderful winning; I would agree to that.

“You should remember that Avatar got mixed reactions and it is so far the highest grossing movie in the history of mankind.

So, no matter what you do some people will still not be satisfied”

Adewole on the set of one of the movies he’s starred in

The release of Maami came with a lot of mixed feelings; some people felt the movie didn’t live up to expectation. What would you say about that?

The people who produced the film did the best they could do to make the movie a pleasure for the viewers. Tunde Kelani did his part, I did mine, Funke Akindele did her own and others too did their best to make it a success. At the end of the day, the consumers still have the final verdict.

While some people felt it was a brilliant movie, others believed we could have done better. But you should remember that Avatar got mixed reactions and it is so far the highest grossing movie in the history of mankind. So, no matter what you do some people will still not be satisfied. What you should look out for is the majority. And from the survey I gathered, I am satisfied with how the public accepted Maami. The making of the film was also great. TK is a very good director; he spends time on the technical part and gives the actor the freedom to present what he or she has.

Could we say Maami is your biggest movie so far?

I would say it is my biggest lengthy movie so far. Brave is a 32 minutes movie, but the certain recognition I got from it has been phenomenon as well. I did Brave

after Maami.

How did you get the role for Maami?

He has always wanted me to act that role. He told about the movie in 2009 during the AMAA awards. But for a long time I didn’t hear from him. He later called me and we talked about the movie.

What do you look like at when accepting roles for movies?

Money is a factor; I am not one of those actors that will deny that fact. The money is important because apart from the passion this is a source of livelihood for us too. Though money is not the foundational reason, I want to be convinced an average Nigerian will be moved and touched by the movie. I also think of the visibility of the success in the market.

Do you plan to produce a movie anytime soon?

Yes, because it is a full time job for me. I could be acting and producing at the same time. Though I am yet to start thinking of that, it is something I would certainly do.

Should we expect you to tie the knot soon?

I don’t believe in setting a particular date for anything. It would happen at the right time.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Instyle

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2014 and the fashion trends that rocked This year, we saw quite a number of alluring, stunning and sexy trends rocked by celebrities at different events depicting their individual fashion taste. So, to round off the year, we present some trends that made waves this year. Well, you should not be surprised if some of these trends also reappear on the fashion scene in 2015 because fashion keeps evolving, writes ANGELA DAVIES. Monochrome

Crop top

The timeless combination of black and white will never lose its alluring appeal. Black and white made waves in different outfit styles ranging from chic dresses to trouser and top down to jumpsuit.

Audacious fashionistas rocked these midriff showing tops which come in different fashionable and sexy styles paired with skirts, pants and shorts in different ways depending on their style.

Jumpsuit Skater skirt

Bandage dress

This short, flirty and flattering skirt with fitting at the waist flares out and gives the appearance of a small waist hence flaunting a stylish feel and edge. Skater skirts made its mark this year in different colours, fabric and shorter lengths.

Show-stopping bandage dress made popular by designer, Hervé Léger was seen in different flattering styles, colour and lengths. The splendor about these dresses is that they accentuate a woman’s figure by hugging her body.

Velvet

Ripped jeans

The good old velvet wrapper was an elegant trend this year as women rocked it in different colours and designs with complementing lace blouses especially as aso ebi for weddings. It came in different unique sequined and embellished designs.

This trend was hotter than ever as ladies were seen rocking this trend at informal events stylishly. They were a hot choice for ladies who want to inject a little bit of sexy rock and roll edge to their style.

Oleku twist dress/ oleku twist wrapper Lace Dress Elegant laces dresses in different texture and styles added some oomph to the wardrobe of many women that suit their personal style.

This year, jumpsuits became one of the favourites of fashionistas because of their versatility. They rocked this stylish one-piece ensemble which come in varied flattering styles and fabric at most events either dressed up or down.

The oleku style which was worn by the South Western women evolved into the oleku twist dress and oleku twist wrapper. Different class of women wore both styles, which give a more accentuated waistline when twisted and wrapped in different preferred lengths.

Tail dress and asymmetric styles The ability to easily transition from day to night or from casual to dressy outfits are what made tail dresses hot on the fashion scene this year. It is simple yet elegant and proved to be timeless. Also, asymmetric style dresses and skirts were rocked in different styles.

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Instyle

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Accessories to live for

Protect your eyes from dust with stylish sunglasses A pair of sunglasses is a must have as a fashion accessory and for its functional use in protecting the eyes from dust especially during this harmattan period, ANGELA DAVIES writes.

W

ith the dryness and dust associated with the harmattan, the eyes are directly exposed to dust particles carried by the wind, which could be harmful to the eyes. So, to reduce your eyes exposure to dust, it is suitable to wear a pair of sunglasses when leaving home.

Sunglasses is a must fashion accessory to protect your eyes from the scorching dust as well as the scorching sun especially this period. There are many designer sunglasses as well as imitations in different styles, shape sizes, material and colours that you could select from Nevertheless, the aviator sunglasses seem to be trending.

Aviator sunglasses are famous

for their triangular oval shape.

They are characterized by dark, often reflective lenses with very thin metal frames with double or triple bridge, which can be worn by both fashionable men and women. This sunglass design attempts to cover the entire range of the eye and prevent as much light and dust as possible from entering the eye from any angle.

Whether you prefer to wear a pair of aviator or any other type of sunglasses, ensure you choose a pair that will perfectly flatter your face shape by drawing attention to your favorite features while minimizing any imperfections.

Remember to choose a pair of sunglasses that depicts your persona and style.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Instyle

MY STYLE

Simple and classy

Facts

On a normal day, presenter and singer Imaobong Cletus popularly known as Sabi Gurl is comfortable in a pair of jeans. However, she doesn't mind an occassional touch of elegance. Interviewed by ANGELA DAVIES. Define your style My style is simple and classy.

you will notice that something is just different about me.

What determines the kind of outfits you wear?

It depends on the event. I will just say I always represent the occasion I am going for.

What fashion rule do you live by?

Be unique however you decide to dress.

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

I think you will see more of jackets and jeans because I am very comfortable in them.

Clothing item you will never be caught wearing I think that will be boxers outside my house. You can never catch me with that.

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

Best designer Internationally, it is definitely Jessica Ordway. In Nigeria, my best designer is Vox Couture, she is the best. She sleeps, sees the kind of dress that will suit your style and silhouette and then creates exactly that style for you and it just fits perfectly.

Signature perfume Normally, I like Gucci by Gucci but my best perfume is Tom Ford.

The fragrance is simply divine.

Fashion accessory you cannot do without My contact lens, I am just so used to it because it brings me out. Once you look at my face,

Beauty

T

Fashion designer, Wana Sambo set up the Wana Sambo Clothing Company in her teenage years while in the university where she sought a particular style which wasn’t sold and decided to create such brand that she and her friends could relate to. However, the brand was officially launched in Nigeria December 2010.

Fashion role model I don’t have any. I just admire everybody that looks good. And I try to pick one or two things from them.

How do you like your make-up?

I like it simple at anytime or day.

The world’s longest wedding dress has a train that is 1.85 miles long. It required approximately three miles of taffeta and 18 feet of lace to produce.

If you were to be a fashion accessory, what will you want to be?

That will be earrings because women cannot do without it.

Do you love shoes?

Normally I love flat shoes and shoes that make me very comfortable. But when attending events, I just have to wear high heel shoes to complement my outfit and overall look.

The first shopping mall to sell clothes was built in ancient Rome.

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

My breast, because they are my selling point.

How do you love your hair?

I love it simple with side parting in whatever style I choose to carry be it fixing, braids or even dreads. And sometimes I carry my natural hair.

Best colour Red because it is a bright colour and it also signifies danger.

The founder of Maybelline named the company after his sister Maybel who inspired him to create make-up products.

Sabi Gurl

Maintain glowing skin during the harmattan period

he harmattan period, which is usually associated with dryness, dust, whitish and unattractive look is gradually setting in. This harsh weather has its numerous effects which include dryness of the skin, cracking of the lips, sole of the feet and hair breakage. Although it affects everybody but people with dry skin are those it affects the most.

During the harmattan period, it's expedient for women to take extra care to constantly look glowing, absolutely stunning and avoid their hair from breaking.

So, here are tips to make you look absolutely stunning during the harmattan period.

Hair • You should try to oil your hair at least three to four times a week. It is advisable to mix your hair cream with olive oil, coconut oil or shea butter to help make your hair look healthier.

• Do not leave your braids or weave-on for too long to avoid hair breakage.

• If your weave-on or braids is long, then, style loosely to freely rest on your shoulder. Styling in a ponytail or constantly using headbands will add stress to the hair follicle, thus, resulting in hair breakage.

Skin • Drink a lot of water daily. This is the first step in achieving a glowing skin. Drink-

ing a lot of water will help keep your skin hydrated and beautiful. Also eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

• Bath with mild moisturising soap as harsh soaps will strip your skin of its natural oil.

• You should not totally dry your body after taking your bath. About 10 per cent of moisture is retained if you apply cream on damp skin.

• Avoid using alcohol-based facial cleansers and toners as they will strip your skin of the much needed moisture. And do not forget to moisturize after cleansing.

• Use hydrating creams and lotion during the day and even at night before going to bed.

• Do not forget to apply lip gloss, lip balm or lipstick to help prevent your lips from cracking. Men too should invest in lip balm for a non-glossy moisturized look.

• It is compulsory to always moisturise your skin. It nourishes, makes your skin supple and retains its elasticity. However, choose a moisturiser that will deeply moisturise your skin without being greasy. And pay attention to spots like the back of the hands, feet, knees, elbows and neck.

• It is advisable to use foundation in moderation and preferably one that includes sun protection.

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SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Biggest showbiz scandals of 2014

p.20

ShowBiz

Lola Alao On marital squabbles

p.22

SATURDAY 27 DECEMBER 2014

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‘I'm pleased with the impact 30 days in Atlanta has made' Comedian Ayo Makun a.k.a AY scored big with his 30 Days in Atlanta which reputedly broke box office earnings in Nigeria. On this feat, marriage, relationship with colleague, Bovi Ugboma, he speaks to LANRE ODUKOYA. Breaking the Nigerian box office record having made over N76m in weeks and the awards it clinched; what does it say of your movie, 30 Days in Atlanta?

Well, for anybody it will be a good feeling most definitely. I feel happy that it was something I set out to do and it turned out great. I was just sitting one day and my wife said, “You’ve been doing your stand-up comedy but you are a theatre arts graduate and you majored in directing.

Why don’t you think of something in line with that discipline and do your movie?” That was what actually gave birth to 30 Days in Atlanta. I feel good that it’s one movie that a lot of people in Nigeria are so much in love with. I feel elated knowing that it’s a movie doing pretty well at the cinemas and being rated as number one at the moment. It’s still the most watched movie ever at the Nigerian cinemas.

How were you able to get Richard Mofe Damijo to the US despite his busy schedule as a commissioner in his home state?

RMD has always been a big brother, a fatherfigure and what exist between us is like a father to son relationship. A lot of people are wondering, ‘how did you take RMD out of his office to Atlanta not even to Lagos for a movie?’ Yea, I’ve always wanted to be like RMD and he’s aware of that fact that this is somebody who looks up to him.

And the opportunity came, he’s like my father now and we just share that bond that anything I want to do, he’s fully involved.

How easy was it to get Vivica Fox to be on that movie?

When we set out to do the movie, we said we wanted to achieve a melange of two industries, Hollywood and Nollywood and that was it. For me, it’s not just about going to America and you want to take a known actor here to play a role an American actor should play. Then the story wouldn’t have been p ro p e r l y told. It’s a question of negotiation,

relationship and some other stuffs that are part of the movie.

Many people have said the movie gulped as much as N100m, how true is this?

Well, it’s okay for people to make insinuations but all I can tell you is that it cost a lot of money to put 30 Days in Atlanta together. It’s actually not up to N100m and it’s nothing close to N150m. Fair enough, we were able to enjoy the support of Lekki Gardens who came in as one of our sponsors. If you notice, in the film, we devised a splendid way of spotlighting the company which differs from the mundane manner you give a company visibility.

You’ve often been called Nigeria’s most enterprising comedian, how well do you accept the honour and where did you imbibe the spirit of enterprise?

I hear that all the time. And I appreciate those who think I should be seen in that light. I’m first of all a trained theatre artiste and not the typical businessman. But then anybody calling me one makes me feel good. It’s just that it usually starts with the passion I have for whatever I decide to do. When your passion starts bringing you money, who are you to stop flowing with the tide?

You were having a comedy show on TV with Bovi Ugboma a while back, suddenly you drifted apart and he would pitch tent with Bight Okpocha instead. Was the separation rancorous?

There’s no such word as misunderstanding. This is an industry where we all grow up to become individual brands and when that happens, you need to sell your own self as well. As a matter of fact, people can start together and later pursue individual goals. It even happens in churches. But in this case, nobody is a general overseer of any faith-based establishment. We were schoolmates; we are theatre artistes who strive to better our lives by coming to Lagos. And then the time came for us to do it separately and we are doing well, that’s what’s important. Being seen together doesn’t count. What counts is that we’re in the industry and we’re both doing well. We give God the glory.

It’s been six years in marriage for you; how has it been?

It’s been blissful and as a matter of fact, I look at myself and I look at my wife and remember how we met like 10 years ago. And we’re six years together now, it feels good and calls for some degree of celebration for us to be together as husband and wife doing our best to keep the marriage going.

What have you done differently to remain together in an industry that records high rate of break-ups?

As a matter of fact, it’s not perfect anywhere or everywhere but it’s just that basic understanding to discern when and how to settle misunderstandings and make the best use of the intimacy. If you have this going for you, you will enjoy almost a hitch-free marriage.

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Showbiz

SHOWBIZ TODAY

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Olamide, Basketmouth others dazzle at Rhythm Unplugged

T

IK Osakioduwa and Basketmouth

Olamide and Lil Kesh

he highly publicised Pepsi Rhythm Unplugged held two Fridays ago retains its pride as one of the biggest entertainment events to hold in Nigeria. The commemorative event marked the 10th edition of the music-comedy gig.

An assemblage of some of the finest entertainers in this clime, the event took place in Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, and was anchored by the hilarious duo of Basket Mouth and IK of the Big Brother fame. They were perfect match and succeeded in throwing the audience into frequency fits of laughter. The duo held the audience spellbound throughout the nocturnal show.

DJ Humility’s dexterity on the wheel of steel was a reason to relish the evening as he intermittently dished out pulsating tunes no feet could resist. The well thought out show by no small measure beat several others in management of logistics, sequencing of the artistes to mount the stage, acoustic appeal and the ambiance the venue consequently assumed. Some of the new acts with outstanding performance set the tempo for the A-list entertainers to flow with. Among them are Mr. 2K, El-Prince, Ruby Gyang and some others.

P-Square, the talented twin amid the tale of rancour stormed the stage and charmed the audience with hit

songs like ‘E No Easy’, ‘Shekini’, ‘Collabo’ among other hit singles.

The galaxy of stars with riveting performance at the Pepsi Rhythm Unplugged show include, MI, Presh, Waje, Davido, Sound Sultan, Kaffy, Ruggedman and Don Jazzy with the Marvin all stars.

Sharing his excitement about the nearly flawless soiree, the Head of Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Norden Thurston, said, “The array of stars at Pepsi Rhythm Unplugged goes to show the huge talent base in this country. This creative gifts lie with the youth and who could better project and support the youth more than a youth brand like Pepsi that has over the years been involved with youths and talent.”

The audience, almost entirely spent from dancing all night and felt nothing else could separate them from the comfort of their seats rose in ecstasy when Olamide and Phyno mounted the stage to deliver hits like, ‘Awon Goons Mi’ and ‘Man of the Year.’

But the best was yet to come especially with the mention of Wizkid, the fans at the auditorium went wild with excitement.

Wizkid’s performance was soulstirring and it was greeted with a rare ovation. The Pepsi ambassador’s performance had many female fans standing on their chairs in a bid to catch a glimpse of the talented artiste.

E-BRIEFS

08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

PSquare

The Mavin crew

Funke Akindele with wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola

Empress Njamah, Mama G cause stir at Ibinabo Fiberesima’s wedding

What’s with Lola Alao’s marriage?

T

he President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ibinabo Fiberesima tied the knot in two star-studded ceremonies on December 18 and 19. But that isn’t the news. What many found exciting was seeing Empress Njamah and Patience Ozokwor do what they’d probably never done in the open before. They could have attended the wedding like every other guest; the duo lent a helping hand behind the scenes as well.

They were part of those cooking

I

ndications are rife that Nollywood may be recording yet another marriage break up. Sadly so, this unpleasant tale is filtering from the home of beautiful actress, Lola Alao, who reportedly got married to her US-based husband, Wale Ajibola, in 2013. This is particularly galling given that recently, the marriage of Ini Edo came under public scrutiny when she announced she was walking away from the union was consummated in November 2008. This trend is what Genevieve Nnaji cited as the reason she remains single at 35.

We learnt from an inside source that Lola Alao’s best friend identified as Becky has allegedly snatched her husband in the US. Becky is said to be domiciled in Canada, she seems to have Ajibola’s ears more than anyone else and this allegedly accounts for why the man left his matrimonial home abruptly.

Alao is currently in the US and couldn’t be reached for her reaction to this developing story. We hope to bring you her reactions as soon as we are able to reach her.

LANRE ODUKOYA

Patience Ozokwor and Empress Njamah cooking

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various delicacies to cater for the guests who thronged the venue from far and near. Of course, Fiberisima did make provision for catering service, these actresses opted to do the unusual, at least in Nollywood. Considering their celebrity status, the two actresses have shown true friendship by willing to get dirty for their pal on her D-day.

Ibinabo, who has four children, got married to her "long time friend," Uche Egbuka.

Iyabo Ojo celebrates 37th birthday

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oruba actress, Iyabo Ojo, who made the headlines recently for expanding her business to include butt-enlarging services, turned 37 on December 21 in Lagos. The divorced mother of two had a star-studded birthday gig which had in attendance colleagues like Ronke OshodiOke, Mercy Aigbe Gentry, Murphy Afolabi, Funsho Adeolu, Desmond Elliot, 9ice, among others.

Showbiz

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

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'Writing scripts paved the way for me in Nollywood' Edo State born actress and producer, Ruth Kadiri, speaks about how her scriptwriting skills launched her onto stardom and plans for 2015 in this interview with ANGELA DAVIES. What is the title of your latest movie and what is it about?

My latest movie is titled, Somebody Lied. It is a romantic comedy featuring Alex Ekubo and we just finished shooting. The movie was produced by me.

How many movies have you produced?

I have produced three movies. The first was Matters Arising with Majid Michel, the second is Over the Edge and my latest work is Somebody Lied.

too was quite challenging because I had to make my role believable by acting the way Lagos conductors behave. It was quite challenging but I was able to pull it off.

How do you get into character?

A good script actually puts you in character. Most times, the script writer must have already done some research to help you explain your role and also put you in character.

That is why I said a good script already puts you character.

What do you look out for before accepting a script?

I look out for the story, my connection to the story and the director of the movie.

How do you get inspiration for your stories?

I get inspiration from a number of things. Nonetheless, I like noisy environment, it inspires me.

When did your acting career start and which was your first movie?

My acting career started six years ago but I started off as a script writer. My first movie was Boys Cut where I acted alongside Jim Iyke, Mike Ezuronye and Nonso Diobi.

Have you ever rejected a male colleague you are paired with for a romantic role?

No, that is very unprofessional. I am not the one who will decide who I am going to act with. I am a professional but there is a point where I draw the line.

What are the other movies you wrote?

I have written over 20 movies. Some are Matters Arising, Mad Sex, Wild and Dirty, Queen of the Jungle, Sincerity, Burning Tears, Rain Drop, Ladies Men, among others.

Who are your role models in the industry?

My role models are people that have been able to stay and evolve with time and are still very relevant. So anybody who has been able to do this is a role model to me.

Did your parents support your acting career from the beginning?

Yes my mum supported me from the beginning but my dad did not. But later, he gave me his support because I gave him reasons to. He realised that I am very good at what I do and hardworking as well.

Did you experience sexual harassment at the beginning of your career?

Sincerely speaking, I did not experience such thing. Like I said I came into Nollywood as a script writer and the first script I wrote was Heart of a Fighter. The movie featured stars like Mercy Johnson, Ramsey Nouah, Chika Ike, me and others which was a hit. I would say I had the writing ability that a lot of girls didn’t have at that time and that paved way for me. So getting into Nollywood wasn’t so difficult. When people are impressed with the storyline after watching a movie, they want to know the brain behind the script and they ask the producer who tells them it is Ruth Kadiri. So my works speak for me.

You have featured in many movies; which would you say has been the most challenging?

Every movie comes with its own challenges. There was a time I found it difficult to cry and I got a role where I had to cry. At that point it was really challenging for me. But right now I don’t find it difficult to cry in movies anymore because I have overcome that. And there was a movie where I played the role of a bus conductor. That

I get inspiration from a number of things.

Nonetheless, I like noisy environment, it inspires me

Do you see anybody as a competition in the industry?

No, I don’t. The truth is that there are competitions in every field but it is if you see others as competition that they actually become one.

Right

now, all I do is to be focused because I know what I want, where I want to be and I am heading straight there.

Will you call yourself an upcoming actress?

I don’t care what anybody addresses me as, it doesn’t matter to me.

Any regrets in life?

My regret in life will be caring too much about what other people think, would say or do. I cared so much about other people for so long and it held me down. I grew to realise that at the end of the day, it is just you and you alone.

What should your fans look forward to from you in 2015?

We just finished two projects and they will be released in 2015 obviously. Also, there is a movie that will be screened and put out from the stable of Ruth Kadiri Production.

How would you describe yourself?

I think I am very independent minded and restless.

How do you relax?

My relaxation is sleep. But my hobbies are reading and writing. When I am not writing, I watch television in the comfort of my home or hang out with close friends.

Turn offs I don’t like lies and I hate people who are not straightforward.

Philosophy of life It only gets better.

Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?

I know that Ruth Kadiri will be a household name, a brand to be associated with.

Background I am from Edo State, Ehor to be precise. We are just two girls, I and my younger sister from a strong Christian background. I come from a really comfortable family. So growing up was really good and fun. I can’t really complain because my parents were there for us. I went to Word of Faith nursery and Primary school, Benin. Then I attended First Foundation College and then Yaba College of Technology where I got an Ordinary National Diploma in business administration before studying mass communication at the University of Lagos.

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Showbiz

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Timaya: Not again!

I won’t sing any politician's praise Enetimi Alfred Odom otherwise known as Timaya has remained one of the constantly visible musicians in the last decade. Timaya, 36, has remarkably rebranded his look and music in order not to be "left behind". He speaks with LANRE ODUKOYA about his towering career, marriage and other controversies.

Congrats on your new album Epiphany. What informed that choice of name?

Epiphany is a re-invention of me. I have been in the industry for some years now and know what sells. It is a consolidation of my previous works and a re-direction of what Timaya is now up to.

The name Epiphany is being used by another artiste, an American, for an album of his. Are you aware of this?

Yes, it was after I pushed my work out and named my album Epiphany that I found out that T-Pain also used it. It's like, you come by new car and you come see sey other people get the kind car wey you buy. I guess it's a coincidence. My own Epiphany redefines a new Timaya, bigger and better.

People have this notion that Timaya is arrogant?

Thank you, but that is old news. As you can see, I'm not one. It's just like you journalists coming to ask me about my relationship with Empress Njamah in this 2014? That is crap and I expect more from you journalists.

We are now in a political era, will you return to the South-South to sing at the campaign of some of your kinsmen vying for political offices?

No, I don't sing praises to men again; I sing praises to God. If they invite me to come perform in an event, I'll go and do my thing, but not to go and sing the praises of a politician. Our politics leaves much to be desired and I'm not planning to vote in the first place. Maybe if things change, I'll change my mind.

Your song, Sankho, is becoming an instant hit.

How did you pull it through?

Yea, I give thanks to God for the success.

Sankho is a dance hall song and it shows that

Timaya is still very much relevant and my spirit is hungry. I'm still an upcoming artiste. I've so much energy to give and fans should watch out for the rebranded Timaya.

is a lie and we just put a front to show that we are rich. Marriage is not it for me now. I mean, I'm still young and have a big career and tasks to accomplish before me.

Is it by sheer coincidence that you now have a new hairstyle and your kind of song has changed?

It was deliberate. The face of music is changing and you must change with the times or you'll be left behind. I used to do dreadlocks because I wanted to be known and different. So I made myself look crazy at a point in my life by wearing dreads. The controversial things I did then were deliberate for the media to report because I was just an unknown artiste from Bayelsa. Now with my new look, folks say I look different. Well that is what they call rebranding.

Your music has changed, what's the secret?

It's all about hard work. No Nigerian musician has ever rebranded hundred percent and changed his music. I have done that. I realised that what brought us this far in music industry is the old music that impacts the society and enhances our cultural value not the kind of music and noise that we hear today. I also did some bad music, but I have turned it low and I'm now tuned to do more good music.

So what should we expect from Timaya in 2015?

I'm praying to God for a better life. I went to Shiloh (an annual end-of-year prayer retreat organised by Winners Chapel) to pray and dedicate my life and career to Him. Let the wind blow me into the right direction. I have committed my 2015 into God's hands. I don't want to struggle for things anymore. When God blesses your work, a little labour brings much reward.

Does your plan for 2015 include getting married?

I don't know about that. You people want me to marry in 2015 and I'm not ready for that. So, no Timaya junior yet. The reason why I post my daughter's picture on Instagram is because I love her a lot. She means a lot to me.

But you have the wherewithal to marry the girl’s mother?

Marriage is not all about money. You think we artistes have all the money in the world. It

I don't sing praises to men again; I sing praises to God

But your video like Shake Your Bum Bum has a lot of vulgarity in it?

That is what the people want to hear as at that time. And it was what put food on our table and generated megabucks. I have other songs like Bow Down and people like that too. Shake Up your Bum Bum remix with Sean Paul generated 13 million views and it was loved by everybody. That is the kind of song that people love, club songs with women in their fleshy nature and it's no one's fault.

That is part of the pop culture that we find ourselves.

What’s your assessment of the music industry currently?

The industry is getting better and busier. At this level of my stay in the industry, I don't want to struggle for what is mine. I'll do my stuff, perform my gigs and count the mega bucks. The other time, I was urged to get more people to follow me on twitter. But for what? If I don't deserve it, why should I pay to be verified? I don't need that kind of push. Whatever is mine will be mine. My true fans will support me and rally round my cause not the other way round. I'm still Timaya, the Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa.

Showbiz

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

23

Biggest showbiz scandals of 2014

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The Nigerian entertainment industry has been highly eventful this year and from all indication, it has enjoyed an appreciable boost. But a few messy happenstances sour the record. LANRE ODUKOYA takes a cursory look at the biggest showbiz scandals that rocked 2014.

DBANJ IN MULTIPLE DEBT MESS B Records boss, Dapo Oyebanji a.k.a D’Banj, has multiple debt cases he’s yet to resolve according to a report published by The NETng. One of those who may drag D’Banj who now calls himself Bangalee, to court is an oil and gas sector player, Henry Ojogho, vice chairman of Broron Group.

Ojogho. The vice chairman of MindHub Tehnologies, an integrated rice farming and milling production company, alleges that D’banj, through his company, DKM Media Limited, obtained a loan of over N60m from him in January 2013 and has not paid back the said sum despite signing an undertaking to do so. The man further claimed that the entertainer has issued two cheques already; one on December 20, 2013 and another on January 20, 2014, both of which had to be returned unpaid after presentation because the pop star’s accounts were not funded enough. He also allegedly owes Walter Wagbatsoma 200,000 pounds and Prince D. Okonkwo $200,000.

Knowing his many strides and endorsements, it baffles many how the Koko Master's financial affairs got so embarrassing.

INI EDO’S WEDDING Ini Edo’s six-year marriage to Phillip Ehiagwina crashed in September due to allegations and counter-allegations of infidelity. The news broke when Ini Edo was on a movie location in Makurdi and upon return, she acknowledged the squabbles in her marriage. The marriage produced no child and other camps insist that childlessness contributed to rage that ruined the union.

Knowing his many strides and endorsements, it baffles many how the Koko Master's financial affairs got so embarrassing

choice to walk out of the marriage at such a sensitive period. Not long after it became public knowledge that Ogbodo designed what transpired, we found out that Ubby was under intensive care for treatment of a terminal ailment. Pastor Ato, Ubby’s father later revealed that Ogbodo broke the relationship for fear of managing her husband whose health was fast becoming a liability. It later made the rounds that Ubby once challenged the paternity of the child Ogbodo was carrying and the families were forced to resort to the option of DNA test to prove the veracity or otherwise of Ogbodo’s claim.

Fiberesima

Chukwura

D'Banj Tchidi and Nuella

TIWA AND TEE BILLZ Ini Edo and husband When we least expected, celebrated showbiz couple Tiwa Savage and Tunji Balogun a.k.a Tee Billz began to manifest some rancorous signs. It was first with Savage announcing Meka Millions, her new manager and it was followed by a story that the songstress has moved out of her matrimonial home. Why it became the most shocking news is that the marriage hasn’t even endured a year and days before the drama crept into public domain, Savage had written a romantic message on Twitter persuading Balogun never to return her to her Uche parents. Balogun was alleged to have short-changed Savage who reposed absolute trust in him first as a manager and as husband.

We’re uncertain what the state director, Tchidi Chikere, were bitten by of things is between this couple and the the love bug and they strolled into marlast time they stepped out together after riage earlier in the the year. Chikere’s the cruel tale was about two and a half former wife, Sophia, with whom he has months ago when they were spotted at three kids cried foul while accusing Njuthe House on The Rock Church, Lekki, bigbo of wrecking her marriage. Sophia Lagos. swore to the high heavens that Njubigbo began to date her husband before NUELLA NJUBIGBO AND TCHIDI he walked out of the marriage. However, CHIKERE she described her ex-husband as a good Actress Nuella Njubigbo and movie man and a good father to their three boys,

Tiwa and Tee Billz

PSquare

the reason she cited for keeping mum until much later into the scandal.

UCHE OGBODO AND ATO UBBY Ten months into the traditional marriage with Ato Ubby, actress Uche Ogbodo called it quit. What made it more devastating to pundit was the fact that Ogbodo was heavily pregnant. Understandably, emotions swayed in favour of the actress until it was later realised that it was her

P-SQUARE SPLIT Arguably the biggest showbiz scandal of 2014, the P-Square brothers, Paul and Peter Okoye, had a fierce fracas that almost ended their career together. And in fact, they’re yet to recover fully from the hurt of that messy fight.

With Paul pitching his tent in favour of their elder brother, Jude, Peter alleged prefers his nuclear family, Omotayo and his two sons, above any other dalliance. So tough was the fight that ThisDay columnist and publisher of Ovation International, Dele Momodu, dedicated his back page Saturday column to placating these brothers who are the biggest singing group in Africa. Peter went ahead to float a record label and signed endorsement deal as a solo artiste, though they still perform together, the crack in the empire is yet to be mended.

CLARION CHUKWURA VS IBINABO FIBERESIMA Seasoned actress, Clarion Chukwura, was furious sometime in March and she vented the anger on the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria president, Ibinabo Fiberesima. She condemned Fiberesima’s decision to lead a team to President Goodluck Jonathan. She insisted that the visit was not in the interest of the industry and while stressing that the AGN is not the guild that represents the English movie actors, but the Association of Nigerian Theartre Arts Practitioners ANTAP, and Kannywood. For several days, Fiberesima refused to react to the verbal altercation that went viral, some of her cabinet members took on the fight instead and in no time, Chukwura was silenced.

Investigations SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH 27 DECEMBER 2014

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L-R: Taiwo, Balogun, Abiodun, Nwogu and Chinedu Ogunka

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t age seven, a class teacher, who did not want a visiting School Inspector to see her, suddenly dashed into her classroom, picked her and locked her up in the toilet near the classroom. For nearly nine hours, Christiana Abiodun, was in the toilet until the school gateman, who wanted to use the convenience, opened the door to behold a tired human, gasping for breath. The teacher had forgotten Abiodun in the toilet, even after the school had closed.

Abiodun recounted the ugly experience she was put through, which, according to her, “I will never forget in a hurry.” She had to undergo such inhuman treatment at a tender age not because she committed any offence but for just being a different kind of human being among other pupils in the class. Her pint size nature gave her out.

But, she is not an isolated case. Udochukwu Nwaogu, 35, and graduate of the University of Ibadan, hails from Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. He graduated with second class honours.

Isioma madike

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

Dwarfs: Little but tall in confidence They were born free, yet in chains. Dwarfs, the vertically-challenged or little people as they prefer to be called, are some of the most reviled people in the world. Everywhere, they are scorned and discriminated against as freaks of nature. They told Muritala Ayinla, who encountered many of them on the streets of Lagos how they are exposed at tender age to intimidation and humiliation from their homes, and often subjected to ridicule by society, who mock and despise them Having emerged best in the written tests organised by a production firm where he had applied for a job, Nwaogu was invited for an oral interview like many other applicant colleagues, who performed well in the screening. That was where his problems started. The panel of assessors refused to conduct an interview for him. This was, in spite of Nwaogu’s brilliant performance during the written test. He was bluntly told that “little people” are not needed in the firm.

The case of Ms. Yetunde Taiwo, 39, was no different. She had dreamt of marriage

and to bring forth children like any other human. That dream is yet to be materialised, at least for now. Narrating her experience to this reporter, Taiwo, who is about 60 inches tall, said her joy gave way to grief the very first day she set eyes on her would-be mother-in-law.

“Prior to the period, we were okay; we loved each other until my fiancé wanted to demonstrate his seriousness about our relationship by introducing me to his mother as his wife to be. The moment the old woman saw me, she exclaimed, what is this? Who is this? Wife or what? Where

did you bring this from? For about 15 minutes, I was speechless. I later burst into tears and immediately developed cold feet. If not because I was already pregnant for him, I would have gone back to my house in annoyance. I had to endure all the insults and embarrassments because of the pregnancy.”

However, that was just the beginning of Taiwo’s woes in her supposed husband’s house. The man suddenly changed his attitude towards her and began to bring other women to their matrimonial home.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

SATURDAY 27 DECEMBER 2014

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Sport Splash 25

Interview

My wife is my inspiration — FIBA-badged referee, Ojeaburu p.26

News

I am ready to play for Denmark if… - Igboun p.30

Feature

How unscrupulous agents dupe aspiring footballers p.30

Lifestyle

Emenike tattoos parents' faces on arm p.31

The Team

Vincent EboigbelAssistant Editor Ajibade Olusesan l Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing

Okagbare’s father

friends scoffed at my belief in blessing's ability

Story of Nigeria's sprint queen's rise from Sapele to super stardom

A

Emmanuel Tobi visit to Sapele Township brings back memories of a community noted as a trading village, occasionally visited by Europeans.

Today, the city has one of Nigeria's major ports, and its industries include timber processing, rubber, and palm oil, as well as furniture, tamarind balm and footwear manufacturing.

The ever-bubbly city has produced sports stars down the years, one of which is David Defiagbon, who won boxing gold for Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in 1990 and a silver medal for Canada at the 1996 Olympics. Sapele, which also produced African sprints champion, Olusoji Fasuba, is the home of reigning Nigeria and Commonwealth Games 100m and 200m champion, Blessing Okagbare.

Traits of a star Her father, Mr Francis Okagbare, a teacher later worked with the Ministry of Works before going into trading. His late wife, Margaret, was a trader. They are both from Orhoakpo, Agbon clan in Ethiope East Local Government of Delta State.

Blessing grew up like any other normal child but showed the traits of a star in the making at a very tender age in Okotie-Eboh Primary School.

“I taught Blessing Okagbare from Primary One to five before I was transferred to Crowther Primary School. She was a very small and beautiful girl who I took so much interest in because her late mum was my friend and we all stayed in the same neighbourhood,” recalled Mrs. Patricia Tonwe, the former headmistress of Okotie-Eboh Primary School, Sapele.

“Blessing had a good physique, but what stood her out was her intelligence. She was very courageous and neat.”

In her third year of primary school, she outclassed her seniors to emerge champion at the school’s annual inter-house sports competition.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

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Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

My wife is my inspiration — FIBA-badged referee, Ojeaburu

In August, 36-year-old Kingsley Ojeaburu made history by becoming the first Nigerian referee to appear at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, in Spain. Ojeaburu, who has been an international referee for nine years, recalls that highpoint, the absence of Nigeria at the competition, the hard work he had put in and more in this interview with IFEANYI IBEH. Excerpts: What did it feel like officiating at the World Cup? It felt great. It was a pleasant experience and the organisers made the job easy for me and the other referees to do.

They told us what they expected from us and how to go about the job.

They took care of aspects that would ordinarily have been difficult for the officials such as the attitude and countenance of players and fans, the atmosphere around the venue, the temperament of coaches, and so many other things. It was a great experience and one I would like to experience again.

Did you see it as a reward for all the years of hard work you had put into developing yourself as a referee?

Yes, but there was also that element of luck in it as well because I was not the first referee to go out there in the African scene and got nominated. I still don’t actually know the criteria FIBA used in reaching their decision but I think they saw something in me.

been one of my dreams to officiate at the World Cup or the Olympics before retiring as a referee. So when I got the nomination I was really elated.

Can you recall where you were when you heard the news of your selection for the World Cup? I was in Abuja, during the stakeholders meeting. I went to check my mail and I saw a mail from FIBA-Africa, and when I opened it I saw ‘nominations for the World Cup’ as the message’s title and at that point I asked myself, ‘could this be real?’ When I went through the mail’s content, I saw that three referees and one technical commissioner had been selected for the World Cup, and I was really happy.

Are you saying your selection came as a big surprise to you?

Not totally, because during the last Afrobasket (the African Nations Cup) in Cote d’Ivoire, in 2013, there were instructions given to me, and when I enquired about such instructions from some of my senior colleagues that had officiated at big tournaments they told me that a nomination was on the way.

This was obviously the biggest competition you have been to in your refereeing career. Prior to this, what had been the biggest for you?

The biggest I had been to before now was the African Nations Cup, which we call the Afrobasket. I had been nominated for the World Junior Championships before; that was five years back, but I could not attend because of the nature of my job. I am a flight attendant, so the tournament fell at a period when I was scheduled to have a training session in Saudi Arabia, so there was no way I could attend that tournament. But I was glad I got the opportunity to go to the World Cup.

What did it feel like getting picked as one of the three African referees that officiated at this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup? I felt highly honoured. It had always

Do you think the World Cup would have been more enjoyable had Nigeria qualified?

Yes, I would have really felt at home having our guys playing at the World

I saw the World Cup as another opportunity for Nigeria because I went there as a representative of my country

Ojeaburu and (inset) his wife, Foluke and daughter, Jasmine

Cup. Unfortunately, that was not the case but, not minding the disappointment, I saw the World Cup as another opportunity for Nigeria because I went there as a representative of my country.

You took charge of a number of games; which of these, in your opinion, was the biggest for you?

In a tournament like the World Cup no game is less than the other especially as you are assessed with each game. So I just took it in my stride, game after game.

Did you feel star-struck at any point during the World Cup especially as you were able to see some of the world’s biggest stars up close?

No. To me, it was just like any other game I had previously officiated. First, I am the superstar on the floor. You know, in a tournament such as the World Cup you don’t want to mess up so you give your best at all times. It was just business as usual. All your instincts come alive and the rest is just fun.

How many windows of opportunity do you think going to the World Cup would create for other Nigerian referees?

Hopefully a lot, but for now, a team led by a technical head comes for every tournament. They observe referees during these tournaments and look at what they can use for a particular tournament, then they pick. It might be different for other guys, but this was just my time.

Why do you think it took us so long for a Nigerian referee to make it to that level?

Before now it was a different person that was in charge of selecting referees, but that section has now been opened up. We now have up to three people in charge of that section. So they take time to observe everybody. And by virtue of what we observed from the last training session before the final list of referees was made, they cut down on the number of referees at these sessions.

So it appears they are looking at a clique they want to work with, and take them to the next level.

Recently three Nigerian referees out of the seven that attended the FIBA refereeing clinic in Benin Republic received their international badges, bringing to six the number of international referees in the country. What is your take on this development?

It is good for us as a country as there has to be continuity especially as it takes a lot of time and training to get to the level where you are given big games to handle. So I am happy it has happened.

As one of Africa’s most experienced referees, despite being one of the youngest at this top level, what advice do you have for these three gentlemen on how to make it as international referees?

Before they went for the clinic in Cotonou, Tunde Popoola (another FIBA badged referee) and I had a session with the seven of them where we told them of what to expect and what was expected of them. We spoke to them about their conduct, attitude and comportment, and how to answer any questions thrown at them.

They all tried their best but, unfortunately, we couldn’t have more than three.

It’s a good development though. But they cannot afford to relent as they have to show a lot of consistency and remember that it takes time and training to get to the level where you are given big games.

How do you cope with the challenges and demands of officiating at this level considering your regular day job in the aviation industry?

Both are my passion and that is why it has been easy for me to adapt.

But during the World Cup, my other job with Medview Airline was the one that had to suffer.

Your wife has been quite supportive.

Just how important has her support been to your career?

It is very important, and makes it easy for me. And it didn’t just start recently because even while in school, at the University of Lagos, she knew all about my passion for basketball and volleyball. So I carried her along and she, in return, has adjusted to my lifestyle.

You need to see my fan base while I am officiating, that is, my wife, our daughter and our son. They are often at my games and it brings out the best in me.

My wife’s presence at games is also a form of check and balance as she would let me know any area I may have erred during games. She is also my ear in the crowd and lets me know what they think about how good or bad I may have handled a game. She is very important to me.

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

JESUS: Man City will shock Barca

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anchester City will go all out to attack Barcelona when the sides clash in the Champions League last-16 next year, according to Blues winger Jesus Navas.

City did not do themselves justice in last season's clash with Barca, losing 2-0 at home and 2-1 away to crash out of the competition.

But having scraped through their group thanks to two wins against Bayern Munich and Roma, Navas is confident City will make the most of their encounter against the Spanish giants this time around.

He said: "I think it's going to be extremely evenly matched. We're two very strong sides and honestly, my only hope is that it'll be a great spectacle.

"It will be very different;

R

eports in Italy claim Arsenal and Chelsea are scouting Mattia Destro, with AS Roma open to selling the Italy international to fund an offer for Aston Villa forward Christian Benteke.

Destro, valued by Roma at £20m, has been in and out of the team under Rudi Garcia in Roma and Arsenal and Chelsea are tracking him closely.

According to the Daily Express, Roma want to sign Benteke from Aston Villa, but will need to raise transfer funds first to be able to afford the highly rated Belgian international.

That means Destro, who has not been integral under Garcia, could be expendable in the January transfer window.

Liverpool, along with Chelsea and Arsenal, have been linked with Destro.

B Jesus

Hull city star blasts Aluko, others

Woods targets return to form in 2015

T

Arsenal, Chelsea fight over Destro

Bordeaux eye Bayern duo

A

iger Woods says it is an "incredible relief" to be over his injury problems and is now concentrating on adding to his 14 major titles next year.

Woods, who turns 39 on December 30, failed to make the cut at the U.S. PGA in August after struggling to retain full fitness following surgery on a pinched nerve in his back earlier in the year.

The U.S. star made a return to action earlier in December at the Hero World Challenge, the tournament he hosts every year at his home course of Isleworth in Florida.

"Even though I won five times two years ago, it was hit or miss some weeks and got progressively worse. Now that it feels healthy, strong and stable, it's fun to be able to play with my kids again, to play soccer and run around with them, shoot hoops ... things

TRANSFERS

every match is different. It's important we keep our eyes on the ball at every single moment if we want to come out on top.

"Last year's tie was decided by one-off moments.

Like I said before, I think we have to remain very focused at all times, not giving them any respite and going all out in attack."

Navas has enjoyed a strong run in the City team this season, making 25 appearances and scoring one goal.

He added in Marca on his hopes for 2015: "To keep enjoying my football as it's my favourite thing in the world.

We're going to try to repeat our success from this year and to go far in the Champions League.

"I also want to keep enjoying spending time with my family."

Woods

that I used to do and took for granted.

"For anybody who has ever had a bad back with nerve damage, it's downright debilitating. To not feel that is finally just incredible relief."

Woods, who won the last of his major titles in 2008, will spend the holiday season with his children and partner, Lindsey Vonn.

lex Bruce says he and his Hull City team-mates including Nigerian-born winger, Sone Aluko must accept responsibility for the club's current slump as they bid to produce a rousing finale to 2014.

A deflating run of 10 games without a win has plunged the Tigers into the Premier League's relegation zone this Christmas and demanded a reaction in what has become a pivotal doubleheader against Sunderland and Leicester City.

He said: "We are going to sit down and put a few of those truths on the table and say what has to be done. As players, sometimes you can say

this and that has gone against you. We should play this formation or that formation.

"But, as players, sometimes we have to look at ourselves in the mirror and dig deep.

We have the quality in this squad to go and do well. We got into the Premier League, have had continuous success with getting to the cup final and so on.

EPL SUNDAY

Tottenham - Man Utd Southampton - Chelsea Aston Villa - Sunderland Hull - Leicester Man City - Burnley QPR - Crystal Palace Stoke - West Brom West Ham - Arsenal Newcastle – Everton

Tarver calls out Haye F

ormer five-time world champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver says he wants a signed contract for Christmas to fight David Haye next year.

American Tarver had been sending direct tweets for the past six months to Haye, who hasn’t fought in more than two years, without receiving a response. Coming off last

27

week’s impressive seventhround knockout of veteran Johnathan Banks (29-3-1, 19 KOs), Tarver has taken off the proverbial gloves and he is now publicly calling out Brit on Haye, who insists, once again, that he is coming out of retirement.

“In a perfect world I will be fighting Haye early next year,” Tarver said.

Tarver

ordeaux manager Willy Sagnol is reportedly keen on securing loan deals for two of Bayern Munich's fringe players during the January transfer market.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 19, and 24-year-old Sebastian Rode are believed to be on the coach's wishlist as the Ligue 1 side looks to prepare for the loss of key players to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

Ludovic Sane (Senegal), Abdou Traore (Mali) and Andre Poko (Gabon) will all be taking part in Africa's showpiece tournament next year, leaving Sagnol needing to fill the voids.

There has also been talk that Bordeaux could lose Cheick Diabate, with the forward attracting attention from Asia, leaving Sagnol facing a busy January transfer period.

Agent denies Vidic Turkey offers

I

nter defender Nemanja Vidic has not received offers from Turkey according to his agent Silvano Martina.

“We have not been in talks with Fenerbahçe or any other Turkish club,” Martina said.

“Therefore there is nothing really to comment on, this is just a rumour, it is just speculation.

“Nemanja is an Inter player, he still plays for the club.”

Vidic has been placed on the transfer list by Inter manager Roberto Mancini according to the Italian press.

Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Manchester United have all been closely linked with the Serbian international.

Italian newspaper La Stampa has also reported that Vidic could leave the Giuseppe Meazza to join Italian champions Juventus in January.

The 33-year-old defender joined Inter on a free transfer at the start on the season.

The former Manchester United defender has made 13 appearances for Inter this season.

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Sport

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

“She was born a star because from Primary Three right up till Primary Six, the three House Masters all wanted her to compete for their respective Houses during the school’s inter-house sports competition. It was always a fierce contest amongst those housemasters to get her,” continued Mrs Tonwe.

“Blessing was a very simple and quiet girl who we all admired when she put on her P.E. (Physical Education) attire because of her lovely physique.”

Growing up The challenge of growing up in the countryside and from a working class household did not affect Blessing, who had to surmount a lot of obstacles to achieve her dream. Her elder brother, Felix, felt his sister’s affection for sports was a distraction in her academic pursuits. He later agreed that was a misconception.

“We grew up like other children in Sapele, learning a lot of things on the streets. Things were not so rosy for our parents but despite the odds Blessing was still determined to succeed.

“There were times when I scolded her about not being too committed to her education. But she really proved me wrong.

Sometimes, I got worried that she was drifting away from her goal of getting a good education as we were raised to believe that you couldn’t make it in life without education.

“My dad was very supportive, being a sports teacher then, and my mum was a great pillar because she was a very strongwilled woman. I think Blessing got her strong-will from her because she always got whatever she wanted,” said Felix.

“Our community here in Adidi Road, in Sapele, had a positive effect on her as well because we were engaged in a lot of sporting activities back then.”

Education plus athletics Blessing was brilliant but her passion for sports competed for attention with her academics. And it was a trend that was to continue for the youngster when she left Okotie-Eboh Primary School for Zik Secondary School, also in Sapele.

“Blessing was noted for her academic excellence as well as being a sport star.

She was active in the relays,” said Mr. Williams Ajueyitsi, her Economics Teacher at Zik Secondary School.

The current Principal of Zik Secondary School, Mrs. Roseline Mordi, who never got to see the future Olympian in action, added: “From the records, Blessing was a diligent student when she was here and excelled both in academics and sporting activities. We are proud of her achievements and we have been using her as a role model to others. With the success of Blessing, a lot of parents have changed their perception about sports,” she said.

First step to stardom Victor Anighoro, a teacher to Blessing’s elder sister, Beauty, spotted the talent in the youngster and gave her a push in the right direction.

“Blessing used to come with her elder sister to my house which gave me an opportunity to monitor her,” he recalled.

“But her moment of glory came when she shone brightly at her school’s interhouse sports day.

“I was convinced within me that she was going to be a star, so I encouraged her by taking her to the Sapele Stadium and handed her over to Coach Daniel Etsebiminor. I monitored her and continued to encourage her within my capacity and I’m very happy to be part of her success story,” Anighoro revealed.

But the real journey to stardom began with its own difficulties considering the fact that the young talent was still quite raw and needed to be nurtured and prepared for the challenges ahead of her.

SATURDAY N 27 DECE

Okagbare hates training And as the saying goes, the road to success is always narrow. And Blessing’s was not an exception as nurturing her into a star was the most difficult task ever embarked upon by Coach Esetimobino, who refined the young Blessing into a unique athlete.

“Blessing was brought to us at the Sapele Township Stadium in 2001, although we had taken interest in her after watching her run at her secondary school’s inter-house sports,” recalled Esetimobino.

“She began intensive training the same day she joined us and within a few weeks, she emerged champion in the 100m, 200m and 400m in a competition we used to organise in Sapale called Dynamic Athletics Competitions,” revealed the coach.

“The same year, she went for the Delta State U-18 trials and made the team but was later dropped. The same scenario repeated itself in 2002 but we continued to intensify our training despite the setbacks. She later made the team in 2003, representing Delta State at the National School Sports Festival in Kano, which was also her first major competition but she was dropped again at the U-20 trials for a particular girl.”

Turning Point As it turned out, the injustice meted out to Blessing at the Delta State School Sports Festival was a blessing in disguise that helped in bringing out the best in her in 2004.

“There was this particular lady who for some reasons did not like me and she insisted that I should be dropped from the team because she was actually pushing for her girl who was picked to replace me,” recalled Blessing. “I felt so bad about the injustice and wept for many days as I was devastated. After the event, I told my coach that none of these athletes will beat me again, and so I intensified my training.

“There was also this man who told me that I can’t run saying I was too fragile but I took up the challenge, and ever since then I have been unstoppable,” Blessing said.

In 2004, she made the team for the school sports competition where she won two gold medals in the long jump and the triple jump and a silver medal in the high jump.

The same year, she also attended her first National Sports Festival in Abuja tagged ‘Abuja 2004’ and came second in the long jump. But that would not have been the case but for the intervention of the current boss of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, Solomon Ogba.

“While we were in camp, some coaches and officials said that I was too

Mrs Patricia Tonwe, former headmistress

Her dad, Pa Francis Okagbare

Coach Daniel Etsebiminor

Her manager, Paul Doyle

End of the year Series

Blessing's alma mater

young to compete at the 2004 festival,” she recalled. “Chief Ogba who was then the Delta State Sports Commissioner, instructed the coaches to train me for the U-18 team.

“Chief Ogba’s singular move gave me the inspiration to prove all those who never believed in my ability wrong because, while I was in the team, I was taught the rudiments of competing in the triple jump which I later mastered and went on to break the national record at the 2004 festival.

“That was my first turning point because it was then that I believed I could

make it through athletics,” she stated.

Self-belief After surmounting the early setbacks, Blessing never allowed failure rear its ugly head with her foundation being rooted in self-belief and a determination to succeed.

“It's really good to know a lot of people say I am so much like my mother in terms of beauty and hard work. The truth is that I was closer to my dad. I love being independent and there is no room for failure in whatever I intend to do,” she stressed.

Entrance to Zik Secondary School, Sapele, another alma ma

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g but loves competing – Coach End of the year Series

that they wanted to support her and to also take her to Calabar for a school sports competition,” recalled Pa Okagbare.

“She really did well in Calabar and I was happy despite the fact that my friends mocked me whenever I told them that I saw a star in my daughter, Blessing. I invested so much time and the little money I had on her love for athletics.

Today, I thank God for everything.

“As a former athlete, I saw sports as part of physical training and a very lucrative tool too. I encouraged her to balance her sports with her education. And I am glad she listened to me,” he added.

I tried to stop her -Sister To Blessing’s elder sister, Beauty, the trauma of losing her only sister made her more resolved to put a halt to her athletics pursuits, considering the fact that her mum got separated from her dad in 1992 when she was less than four years.

“The most challenging period was when I had to stop her from training because she was always complaining of aches and pains after each training session. I even tried to warn Coach Etsebiminor to exclude her from his training,” she recalled.

“There were times I had to lock her in the room at night but before we would wake up, she would have gone and returned from her training session. She was so determined to succeed through athletics, so it’s a great lesson to parents to allow their kids do what they enjoy doing best,” she said.

“Blessing is a very respectful, hardworking, intelligent and obedient person. She puts God first in all things.

Sometimes, I do wonder if it is the same small Blessing who we call “Smally” back then,” Beauty added.

Blessing with husband Igho Otegheri

Blessing got married in 2014 to former Super Eagles player, Igho Otegheri, who revealed a part of his wife that is quite different from the fierce competitor the world has come to adore.

“She is a loving, caring, friendly, smart, and down to earth woman. She is also very hard working, and above all, she is God fearing. Outside of sports, she is calm, fun to be with though she is more of the indoor type who enjoys cooking because she is a great cook.”

Grooming a superstar Managing a top star such as Blessing is

ater of hers

Okagbare's house on Adidi road, Sapele

an enormous task with a higher responsibility but her manager, Paul Doyle, said there was no such difficulty with Blessing.

“She is one of the most impressive athletes in the world. The most important thing to focus on with Blessing is minimising distractions so that she can concentrate only on her performance. Everything else that has to be taken care of falls on our management team.

“Blessing is a fierce but friendly competitor. She is not rude to her competitors at all, she is very respectful. She always wants to win. Off the tracks she is very fun-loving and light-hearted. She is all business when she needs to be but she certainly likes a good laugh when the time is right,” Doyle stressed.

Blessing got the balance -Dad Pa Okagbare is very proud his daughter took to sports at a very tender age just like he did while growing up in Ijebu Ode in Nigeria’s southwest.

“Blessing has always broken records since she was in primary school. It was during that time that the Delta State Ministry of Education wrote a letter to me

She is all business when she needs to be but she certainly likes a good laugh when the time is right

Blessing's elder brother, Felix

“I almost quit athletics” The road to stardom was very tough for Blessing as she translated her dream of becoming a world-class athlete into reality.

“When I first started out, about 12 years ago, in 2002, I was training for a junior competition in Asaba.

“The competition was organised to pick the Delta State team ahead of a national competition and after finishing in third place in the 100m, I was so sure I made the team as only the top-three were to be picked.

“But I was dropped for another athlete and I felt so bad about the injustice and wept for many days as I was devastated. I told my coach I was done with athletics and I wanted to channel all my energy towards my education,” she recalled.

Etsebiminor, Okagbare’s coach at the time, was however able to convince the teenager not to quit.

And the result was outstanding as she finally got her chance to show the stuff she was made of.

“I returned to training and made a vow to my coach that none of those picked ahead of me would ever beat me again, ”she said.

“The following year, I made the team to the school sports competition where I won two gold and one silver medals.”

After dominating at the schools sports, she made the Delta State team to the 2004 National Sports Festival in Abuja; a championship that placed the future world star in the spotlight she had always craved.

“It was my first National Sports Festival, I competed against more experienced athletes, some of who were in the senior national team at the time, and I came second in the long jump. I also won a bronze medal in the triple jump.

“Before then, I was everywhere, running, jumping and doing all kinds of field events, but after the incident, I took to the long jump as my specialty,” she recalled.

Four years later, the African 100m champion won an Olympic bronze medal in the long jump at Beijing 2008 Games.

In 2010, she won gold in the 100m, the long jump and the relays at the African Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, to announce her arrival as Africa’s best all-round athlete.

Three years on, she grabbed a silver medal in the long jump and a bronze medal in the 200m to finish as Nigeria’s best athlete at the 2013 World Athletics Championships, in Moscow, Russia.

A year later, she won a Commonwealth Games sprints double, as well as a silver medal in the sprint relays to emerge as one of the stars of the Glasgow Games.

But if anyone asks her if any of the above mentioned achievements was the turning point in her sprints career, considering her established background as a jumper, the 5-foot11 star would point to her collegiate days at the University of Texas, in El Paso, USA, when she decided to add the sprint events to her training programme.

“My turning point in the sprints came when my coach at UTEP told me that a girl in training said that there was no way I could beat her,” she said.

“Similarly, my coach also told me that I am not going to stick to the jumps alone but also run but I questioned him that I don’t even know how to come off the block.

“But he said he would teach me for two days, which he did, and in my first 100m race, I ran 11.20 seconds and ever since then I have been sprinting.”

And she believes there is a lesson to be learnt from her experience. “If people try to put you down, try and show them that you can do it.”

She hates training, but loves competition -Coach Her coach, Etsebiminor, dropped a shocker about the African queen: “What I noticed about Blessing was that she loved to compete but she didn’t like training. But I was able to encourage her to devote more time to her training.

“There were several times I sent her packing for not following her training schedule. She was quite lazy when it came to training but she was always ready to learn. And because of that I was always willing to take her in whenever she came back pleading for forgiveness.

“I also noticed that she was able to combine her academics with sports so I had no choice but to encourage her.

But all credit must go to Chief Ogba, who later became the saving grace, for investing and nurturing her to greater heights.

For most teenagers engaged in CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

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‘Okagbare hates training but loves competing' C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 9

sports, distractions have always been a major challenge. And Blessing was not an exception.

“In 2005, we went through a lot of challenges because she was being lazy at some point. She even wanted to quit athletics but we were able to overcome it after some rules were laid down,” recalled Etsebiminor.

“With the help and encouragement of

Chief Ogba, Blessing was not carried away or relaxed when she got to America; she was still committed and doing extra training,” said Etsebiminor.

Ogba saw it coming “People were underrating Blessing because of her small stature in her early days but I saw the talent in her and also knew that she was intelligent to carry out instructions. I was sure she would make it. I am vindicated and happy for her,” Ogba said.

POSTSCRIPT

Tenancious pursuit of the Okagbare story

Igboun

I am ready to play for Denmark if… - Igboun

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Charles Ogundiya enmark-based Nigeria-born striker, Sylvester Igboun, has said he will not hesitate to change his nationality and feature for Denmark if Nigerian national team selectors continue to ignore him.

Igboun, known for his pace in the Danish Superliga where he currently plays for FC Midtjylland is yet to get a call up to feature for Nigeria despite his outstanding performance for the club.

After spending eight years in the Scandinavian country, the former FC Ebiede star is eligible for Danish citizenship.

Speaking to New Telegraph in Lagos during the week, Igboun said he had been pressured in recent times to get the Danish passport and that he was considering it.

“There was a time they came to talk to me (Danish national team officials) asking if I could play for the Denmark. There is pressure to get the Danish passport but I would love to play for my country.

“But if one day I get the Danish passport and the Nigerian National team offer does not come, I will have no choice than to take the offer,” he said.

He said he felt bad being consistently ignored by his country despite his performance for his club in the past eight years.

He said: “Actually I feel bad, but that does not stop me from doing what I have to do. I have to keep fighting. The most important thing is I am playing for my team. I really don't know why I've not had the chance to play for the Super Eagles because everything is going fine. ''I have been scoring goals and creating assists, but I'm hoping to get a chance with the Super Eagles soon.''

He added that the chance of playing all the time for his club and also doing very well counted more for him now.

“Of course I want to play for Nigerian national team; if it is going to come I will take it. Otherwise, I have to keep fighting the way I am fighting now,” he said.

Leaving Lagos for Sapele, Delta State, on December 8, filled me with feelings of nostalgia considering the fact that the last time I visited the town was 14 years earlier.

After catching a flight from Lagos to Benin, the journey by road to Sapele brought back memories of the great Ramat Park in Benin, where I once used to board a bus to Auchi during my higher institution days at Auchi Polytechnic. Getting to Sapele was easy though, as my tour guide, Blessing’s elder brother, Felix, was already waiting for me, having arrived a day earlier.

Under the scorching sun, the first port of call was Zik Secondary School, where we initially met some measure of resistance. That I was a journalist made them all the more uncomfortable.

But all that changed when I brought out a copy of the New Telegraph I had picked up from a newsstand in Benin.

Okocha Chukwunedum, an SS3 student of the school, acknowledged he had seen the advert of the New Telegraph on CNN, and Ipen Clementina, another SS3 student, corroborated his view.

And that did the magic as we were allowed into the school.

We were able to get a teacher who taught Blessing during her time in the school.

But getting pictures of the school’s playing field, where Blessing once dazzled during

inter-house sports events, proved another uphill task.

But after much explanation on our true business to the school, everything was sorted out.

Our next trip took us to Okotie-Eboh Primary School, Blessing’s first school, which was locked up. But after combing the entire town in search of any of her primary school teachers, with majority of them having left active service or transferred elsewhere, I was able to book an appointment for the next day with her former headmistress.

Though tired and exhausted and hungry, I quickly dashed to the Sapele Stadium to take some photographs before travelling to Warri to meet Victor Anighoro, the man who handed Blessing over to Coach Daniel Etsebiminor.

The next day, a Tuesday, I woke up very early to meet up with our appointment with Mrs Patricia Tonwe, the retired headmistress, at Adidi, before hooking up with Coach Etsebiminor at his home. Etsebiminor later took us back to the Sapele Stadium where he showed us various places where she trained when she started out.

Later in the day, I was able to speak, via the telephone, with Blessing, her husband, Otegheri, and manager, Paul Doyle in the US. On Wednesday, I was back in Lagos, but the memories of Sapele continue to linger.

FEATURE

How unscrupulous agents dupe aspiring footballers Ayilara Micheal

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any aspiring footballers, desirous to make it big in the game, have pushed themselves hard in terms of training, but have found themselves at the receiving end of the trickery of unscrupulous agents who lure these unsuspecting boys with promises they can’t keep or never intend to keep in the first place.

Some of these boys have traveled to neighbouring countries like Benin Republic believing they will get lucrative deals from clubs and finally fulfill their dream, but in most cases, the reverse has been the case.

Shola James is one of the many players who travelled out of the country with the hope of getting a club after an agent had convinced him to make the trip. The young defender relating his experience said: "I have been opportune to travel to some countries for trials with different clubs. I had hopes that I will surely make it, but after making the trip things didn’t go as I discussed with the agent. He told us he would get us a club, but what we were doing was just train everyday and that was not what he told us before we left home.”

“After several months of hardship, my parents sent me some money that I used for my trip back to Nigeria. I was lucky I was able to come back because

Opeyemi Ayinla (r) with another player

there are many Nigerians wandering the streets of Seme-Podji in Benin Republic.”

Another player caught in this web, Opeyemi Ayinla, is among several young Nigerian footballers stranded in Ghana after moving there with the hope of getting a contract with a club.

Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone from his base in Akachi, Ghana, where he has been staying with

other teammates, Ayinla said they have been surviving by the grace of God. "We had high hopes leaving Nigeria for Ghana to seek better careers in football compared to the one we had in Nigeria. We were asked to pay some amount of money, that we would go for trial. I cannot say we were not duped, we got to our destination actually, but getting a deal at clubs in Ghana has been extremely difficult,” Ayinla said.

“About four to five of my teammates have been lucky to get clubs, but the kind of life the rest of us lead in camp is nothing to write home about. Sometimes we go hungry for two days, we even get involved in doing some awkward jobs just to get by. Although some players have gone back home, I want to stay a little longer to see if the story will change. The suffering in camp is much, no doubt, but my parents still send money. I believe I will still find better footballing opportunity here in Ghana than in Nigeria."

Jerry Joseph’s case’s is no different.

Joseph was told by an agent his services was needed in Russia, but that he would have to pay the sum of N350, 000 for the necessary documents which he duly paid, but the agent absconded after ferrying him to some village in Togo.

“After paying, the agent told me we would have to go to Togo first and spend about three weeks in camp before I would travel to Russia. We got to Togo and we camped at a place called Zowla, Joseph recounted.

“We were all scared the first day we got there wondering where we were because the place was a village full of old people and a cemetery was opposite our camp. To cut the story short the agent fled and abandoned us; till date we have not set our eyes on him," lamented Joseph.

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Lifestyle

"No one is going to hand me success. I must go out & get it myself.

That’s why I’m here. To dominate.

To conquer. Both the world, and myself.”

– Unknown

31

Sinclair's WAG announces pregnancy

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cott Sinclair is once again the envy of every man in England, with Man City WAG Helen Flanagan announcing that she is expecting his baby.

The 24-year-old ex-Coronation Street actress took to Twitter to announce the news, with the baby due some time next summer according to the gorgeous star. "Me and Scott are expecting our first baby in the summer. We are both so happy and so excited," she wrote.

Carver

Join Bayern and I will give it to you, model tells Reus

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arco Reus has been handed an extremely interesting offer from German glamour model Jordan Carver, but he has to reject a move to Manchester United in order to accept, reports the Daily Mail.

The Borussia Dortmund star has recently been banned from driving as well as being fined nearly half a million pounds for driving without a licence.

Emenike tattoos parents' faces on arm

scar looked to be in relaxed spirits as he posed for an Instagram photo with his sister and wife before Chelsea's clash with Stoke last Monday.

The Brazilian's sister posted the picture to her account on Friday as the Blues' midfielder produced a big grin for the camera as he received two pecks on the cheek.

The 23-year-old had been exercising with his childhood sweetheart wife Ludmila and sibling Gabriele before the game at the Britannia Stadium.

Oscar was part of Jose Mourinho's squad which travelled to Stoke on Monday night.

The midfielder has been a consistent starter in the Blues' line up but was rested by his Portuguese manager for the League Cup win Oscar with sister and girlfriend against Derby.

Messi, Mascherano and Suarez send YouTube Christmas message

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ionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Javier Mascherano have become the latest Barcelona stars to appear in the club's countdown to Christmas YouTube video series.

The Catalan giants decided to call on the services of the first team

N

igeria international, Emmanuel Emenike, has unveiled his latest body designs. The Fenerbahce striker tattooed his parents' faces on his right arm.

The 27-year-old who already has a tattoo of a cross on his body said the new tattoos are a surprise gift for them this Christmas season.

Carver contacted Reus with a solution to his problem however, and offered her services 24/7 to the German international.

“Marco, my beloved. I am not only willing to be your chaffeur 24/7, but I can help you get your driver’s licence back,” she wrote.

“Just agree to the following conditions: either love me or you have to move from Dortmund to Bayern. I’m slightly greedy, but both options are awesome!”

Oscar poses with sister, girlfriend O

players for Christmas celebrations.

The South American trio Messi, Suarez and Mascherano got into the festive spirit by donning Barcelona Santa hats while standing in front of Christmas trees.

Stories courtesy Dailymail

The tatoo

Messi, Mascherano and Suarez

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C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 4

“I couldn’t complain because I knew I had already been disqualified by his mother. I later gave birth, which I eventually lost because there was inadequate care for me and the baby.

None of his relatives was interested in a dwarf wife and her baby,” she sobbed.

Dwarf accepted only as odd of the society Taiwo, who hails from Imoro-Ejirin in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, also complained of the attitude of most people in the society towards a dwarf nursing mother. According to her, it is more of mockery than caring and rejoicing with you. “Most people would only come to see the kind of baby you have, whether the baby is also a dwarf or not. They would also be interested to see how you will feed the baby and what kind of food you have for the child,” she said.

For Bashiru Balogun, a native of Omu-Aran in Kwara State, it is sad that dwarf people are only accepted as the odd of the society. They are usually the cynosure of all eyes wherever they go. The 29-year-old says, “in life, there are moments one goes through trying times. To the dwarf, our trying times are perpetual; it is a normal thing for people to throw words at us. It happens to every little person in every society. It depends on how you are able to manage it that will define what you will eventually become in that society.

“If I have to look at the fact that people are staring at me, saying things about me, I might have probably committed suicide or think life is of no essence. I might have decided not to further my education after my secondary school. It is unfortunate that we live in the world where people suddenly develop hatred because of your size. It is a psychological battle that we dwarf have to fight. The good thing is, we get used to it as we trudge on in life,” he said.

Like many of his tribe, Collins Okeibuno, had a challenging childhood too. A Deltan, the 30-year-old was born and bred in Lagos. As a young lad, he found it tough at first reconciling himself to life as a dwarf, especially the only one in a family of nine. He was not helped by people, Children particularly, who made it a habit to taunt him. “They always laughed at me because of my height,” he says.

That, notwithstanding, Okeibuno’s day begins at 7 a.m. It begins with his two knees planted on the floor, praying. His morning devotion consists more of praising the Lord than asking for favours. He expresses gratitude for life, good health, his job and, usually, a blissful night rest.

Then he does the same thing, again.

This time on behalf of his family and friends; nothing is peculiar about this, except that Okeibuno is a dwarf, who one would think should have a thousand and two reasons to brood.

No, not Okeibuno! He is a happy man, who wears a gay attitude like a band on the head.

Unlike most of his likes, Okeibuno had a pillar of support in his father. The elder Okeibuno explained to his son that he was not a freak, but wonderfully made by God. “My dad told me not to worry, that I did not create myself,” Okeibuno disclosed.

Thank God for that advice. Okeibuno is now comfortable with himself and deals with mockery with an indifferent shrug of his shoulders.

He says such criticisms do not bother

him anymore. No wonder the first thing he does on waking up is “to thank God for everything.” Just like him, many dwarfs now sing praises having learnt that their condition is not a burden from God, but a challenge of life.

Today, Okeibuno walks with a swagger, one determined step after the other. These are attributes ladies cherish, he says. Though, they would also have some height to go with it.

And when you add the fact that he has an Android phone, wears three earrings on the left ear, and speaks in that sultry voice of a casanova, you have a skillful playboy in Okeibuno.

In spite of all his bravado, however, Okeibuno admits that there are challenges that test his limit every day. One of these is the house

where he shares a room with four other dwarfs at Mushin in Lagos. His neighbours, he says, hate the sight of them so much that they often swear at them. “The other tenants hate us.

They are not happy that we live in the same house as they. So, they treat us as if we are from another planet,” he confides in this reporter.

And since dwarfs are not from other planets, they, like other people have to survive in the current harsh economic climate. Many of them beg. But, there are others, who are into acting. They have released some home movies, and everyday sell their films themselves on the streets.

So far, many of them have achieved fame through the entertainment industry, just like the late king Pago, who was a famous dancer for Sir Vic-

My dad told me not to worry, that I’m not a freak, but wonderfully made by God

Elder Isreal Akiode

Members of the Association of Dwarfs

Dwarf artists selling their movie compact discs

Taiwo

Investigations

33

tor Uwaifo and later, Majek Fashek.

Dwarfism is a general term, which covers a wide range of medical conditions-522 of them has been identified, resulting in short stature.

In America, people of adult height of 4.10ft or less are regarded as dwarfs, not midget, which is an inappropriate term. This is because that term was used in reference to little people displayed for public amusement in circus or shows. Today, many of them are professionals, not objects of entertainment.

Most of the conditions resulting in dwarfism are related to a primary bone disorder, known as skeletal dysplasia. There are more than 500 specific cases of skeletal dysplasia in the world, but the most common in Nigeria, as elsewhere, is achondroplasia. There are more than 200, 000 little people in the world and they are not exclusive to any race, nationality or sex.

The genetic condition resulting in dwarfism, according to research, affects one in 40, 000 births of equal frequency in male and female. Although, any couple can give birth to a dwarf, study has shown that most children with dwarfism are from average stature parents.

Yet, experts believe that dwarfism can result from innumerable medical conditions, each with its own different symptoms and causes. According to them, extreme shortness in humans with proportional body parts usually has a hormonal cause, such as growth-hormone deficiency, called pituitary dwarfism. This, they say, could also result from nutritional deficiency.

Chief Medical Director of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Professor Wale Oke, confirmed that genetic disorder, known as achondroplasia is responsible for why some people are extremely short. “There are several causes of dwarfism but the commonnest cause is when somebody has a genetic problem where the genes would make the limb short and impede the CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

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'Any couple can give birth to dwarf' C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

ability of the person to attain his potential height.

“Little people are born with genes that give them that genotype. This genetic disorder is also responsible for why they usually have large head and very stumpy limbs.

Other causes of dwarfism are infections such as kidney problem at the infant stage and malnutrition, which could hinder the growth of the infected person. There are instances where someone, who could have been normal size but because of nutritional deficiency at the childhood, such a person may not attain their potential height,” he said.

Oke, however, noted that possibility of giving birth to a dwarf person is not determined by the height of the parent but the gene disorder over which the parent have no control. “An average size person that has a gene abnormality, which we called a recessive gene, who marries another woman that has recessive gene, can have a dwarf.

Both of them may be tall, but because the two recessive genes are expressed in the reproduction, they will have dwarf. This explains why average size couple may be giving birth to a dwarf,” he further explained.

The fact that they are short in sizes, according to the CMD, does not necessarily affect their mental capability or connote health challenges for the affected person. “It is worthy of note that dwarfism does not inescapably impact any psychology or reduction in their intelligent quotient. They can still be as intelligent as average size person,” Oke said.

For dwarfs, it is advisable that they marry people of normal height. If two little people marry, there is a chance that one out of two of their children would be a dwarf. The ratio is reduced to one in four if a dwarf marries from the “tall population.”

Dwarfs tend to have a problem wooing ladies of normal height. Though, some have the boldness. For instance, Lawrence, who lives at Ogba, a suburb of Lagos, told this reporter that he never had such complex. He disclosed that he fell in love with his tall wife the first day he set his eyes on her. “I told her so, and the next day she came to visit me.”

That visit, Lawrence said, was the onset of a relationship that is 10 years old and has produced two lovely children and a happy home.

Little people are some of the most reviled people in the world. Everywhere, they are scorned and discriminated against as freaks of nature.

Special and demeaning labels are invented for them: gnome, imp, zips, veggey, hogmen, goblin, urchins and more.

In Nigeria, they are no less derided. They are openly mocked even by relatives. Rather than be addressed like other beings, they are called names, negative sobriquets such as Danku, Randu, Orebe, Ikeregbe, Kukute, Arara, smally and shorty among others.

Myths about dwarfs Several myths surround the dwarf, all negative. One of them is that if a heavily pregnant woman sees a dwarf, she will give birth to one. Another is that anyone who sees a little person in the night will be met with ill-luck. Although, these tales are untrue, most people believe them. Consequently, the vertically-challenged are treated as a harbinger of doom, something not to be touched even with a 10 foot pole.

This may be why the Araba of Oshogbo Land, Chief Yemi Elebuibon, disagreed

The moment the old woman saw me, she exclaimed, where did you bring this from? For about 15 minutes, I was speechless Nwogu

Elebuibon

with Oke, when he said that there is more to giving birth to a dwarf than mere scientific view or genetic disorder. He said that the Yoruba mythology about origin of the dwarf is far from the mere scientific discovery and explanations.

In the words of the renowned Ifa Priest, dwarfism is a creature of Obatala or Orisa Nla

of Social Science, Yaba College of Technology, there is need for the society to change their attitude towards the little people.

“It is unfortunate that the society treats them as if they have nothing to offer because of their sizes. People see them as someone, who can’t measure up to the standard that they are looking for. The mere fact that they are dwarfs does not really mean that they are useless in the society, in most cases they do better than the average size person.

“Although, some of them have problem of what we called self-defeat in Psychology; the feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness and this is affecting majority of them,” Ajiboye said.

Also speaking on their non-inclusion in recruitment process of the Police Force, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP), Ken Nwosu, debunked the ruAyinla in the midst mour that the Force hates little of his dwarf friends people.

“It’s just that the Force places premium on the height of anyone seeking for police job,” he said.

This explanation appears to have found support in the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Fola ArthurWorrey.

According to him, “there is this psychology in security parlance that you don’t look down at a law enforcement officer; you should, most times, look up. What this means is that a security personnel must be taller and heftier than everyone, he is supposed to dominate the space, because policing, for instance, has moved from just force to presence.”

To a professor of Mass Communication Akinfeleye at the University of Lagos, Ralph Akinfeleye, “it is sad that the media and society (the creator of humans, according to Yoruba discriminate against dwarfs. They see them myth). He said that dwarf persons were er- as second-class citizens and that shouldn’t roneously created like other special people be. They are human beings like any of us; such as those with hunchback, albinos, therefore, they should be given the courtesy crippled and persons born with deformity. they deserve. In other words, they should He added that they were all created when be given the recognition in the society and Obatala was drunk. making them know that they can make conFor Dr. Remi Ajiboye of the Department tributions.”

Dear Love Doctor, ‘My husband won't let me work'

p.37

L ve&Lv ng

Life Experience 'My dad caught us having sex in his car' p.36

SATURDAY 27 DECEMBER 2014

35

‘He changed after we got married' Confession Change is something we all need at least at one point in our lives.

In this story, a woman marries a 'bad boy' against the wishes of her mother. However, she soon finds that her husband too is capable of turning a new leaf.

I

Michael Uchebuaku had just graduated and got out of a really bad relationship and was ready to conquer the world. My best friend and I were going to another University to do our master’s together and we were ready to conquer the world.

During that time, I met one of my brother's friends. The first time I saw him, my stomach turned and I knew deep down that I was going to marry him.

At that time he was kind of a bad boy and not someone that my family would approve of. I would joke with my mother and say I was going to marry him and she would always reply over my dead body.

That was because he was always drinking and smoking.

I didn't really have the courage to tell him about my feelings before going back to school. It was fun being away but all I could think about was JB, my brother's friend who I knew I was going to marry.

After my first semester at the post graduate school, my best friend and I decided to go back home for a small holiday because she had gotten back together with her ex and we were kind of home sick.

One night I was sitting alone at my house and decided to text JB. The invention of texting was wonderful for I didn't have to talk to him and maybe the rejection wouldn't be so bad!

I sent a text to him telling him who I was and asked what he was doing. And guess what, he replied me and asked if I wanted to go to dinner.

I was so excited I almost forgot to text back yes because I wanted to pick out what I was going to wear.

We went to dinner and it was awesome and we really connected, but after that he played a lot of games with me and said he was scared that he liked me too much and all that mumbo jumbo.

He even said that he was scared

of dating me because of my mum.

So after a while of trying to make him chase me, I gave up and later found someone else. JB and I didn't speak for a year, then one night my phone rang and it was him.

I didn't answer but he kept calling the rest of the week. Finally I did answer and all those feelings came back.

I told the guy I was dating at that time that it wasn't fair to him that my heart was somewhere else and that was the beginning of my relationship with JB. We dated for three years and I got pregnant. My mum swore that we would marry over her dead body even though I was pregnant.

My mum never wanted me to marry him, because, according to her, she didn't like my man's life-

I told the guy I was dating at that time that it wasn't fair to him that my heart was somewhere else

style.

It was only after much pleading that my mum said that it would only be possible for JB to marry me if he agreed to change his lifestyle and stop drinking and smoking.

Our little boy is amazing and the most surprising thing is that my husband changed after marriage.

JB is such a different man now. He has stopped drinking and smoking and now acts very responsibly.

They say that the pressure of marriage life makes love fade away and makes two partners change from angels to Devils towards each other. That's because many a time, people change for the worse after marriage.

But in my case, I consider myself very lucky because my husband changed for the better after

we got married and all those fears that my mum and sibling were nursing about my man ending up as a criminal behind bars have now disappeared.

I believe that nothing is impossible with God and any individual can change if he/she is determined to change. Marriage is not a bed of roses because it’s not easy to take care of a family. But I thank God, because things could have been a lot worse.

Every day, I ask God to take control. All I can say is that we finally made it despite all the obstacles in life.

God put us together for a reason and I know we can make it through together, though it won't be easy.

But we have the faith to make it through.

36

Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Love News

Love Songs

Elton John weds Furnish

Is This Love I should have known better Than to let you go alone, It's times like these I can't make it on my own Wasted days, and sleepless nights And I can't wait to see you again

L

ast Sunday morning Sir Elton John and David Furnish were officially married, exactly nine years after they entered into a civil partnership.

They tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in front of family, friends, numerous celebrities and of course, their sons Zachary, three and Elijah, 23 months.

And the couple were so eager for the whole world to share in their happiness they posted pictures to their Instagram pages throughout the ceremony alongside the hashtag sharethelove.

Nothing was held back, with pictures beginning in the morning of the pair making the union official as they signed their legal documents, right up to the sweet moment they said their vows.

And the couple's sons and ring-bearers got in on the action, with Zachary even taking a picture of Elijah during the ceremony, which was promptly uploaded.

They entered a civil partnership on December 21, 2005 and and picked the poignant date to officially get wed on their ninth anniversary.

Same sex marriages became legal in England in March and to celebrate, Elton and David set about planning the lavish bash.

I find I spend my time Waiting on your call, How can I tell you, baby My back's against the wall I need you by my side To tell me it's alright, 'Cos I don't think I can take anymore Is this love that I'm feeling, Is this the love, that I've been searching for Is this love or am I dreaming, This must be love, 'Cos it's really got a hold on me, A hold on me...

I can't stop the feeling I've been this way before But, with you I've found the key To open any door I can feel my love for you Growing stronger day by day, An' I can't wait to see you again So I can hold you in my arms

Courtesy: Daily Mail.

Life Experience

'My dad caught us having sex in his car'

M

Michael Uchebuaku

y name is Philip and I live in Lagos. This thing happened to me while I was an undergraduate many years ago.

There was this girl called Gloria that I really admired. We lived in the same compound and she was very beautiful and 19 years old at the time. I told her that I had a crush on her and she agreed to be my girlfriend.

We had dated for three weeks without making love and I decided that I had to do it with her on this particular night.

I could not take her into the house to sleep with her because my parents had seriously warned

Whitesnake

me that I should concentrate on my studies and not bring girls into the house to have sex with them.

My parents were born again and they didn’t tolerate any nonsense or promiscuous way of life from any of their children. And to make matters worse for me, I didn’t have any money to take her to a hotel.

A hotel would have been the ideal place to go to have fun for a short time. But since I could not afford it, I came up with the idea of doing it in the car.

It was seven-thirty in the night and quite dark, so I figured that no one would see us inside the car in the dark. So I confidently told Gloria to wait for me while I go in and bring the keys to my father’s car.

I went straight into the house and

We were both carried away in love making when I suddenly heard someone shouting and banging on the door

took my father’s car keys from his room. Then I quickly left the house and found Gloria waiting anxiously for me outside.

I took her hand and we headed for the parking lot. I opened my father’s Mercedes Benz Car and we both got inside covered by the darkness. We sat at the back seat of the car and started kissing and romancing.

In no time I had undressed her and asked her to lie across the seat.

We started making love in the car and Gloria was moaning loudly.

We were both carried away in love making when I suddenly heard someone shouting and banging on the door of the right side of the car and ordering me to open the door immediately.

I looked up and saw my father’s angry face through the glass. For some seconds I was paralyzed by fear and couldn’t move.

When I recovered my senses, I opened the door on the other side (left side) of the car instead of opening the door from the right side where my father was standing.

I and my girlfriend ran out of the car from the left side and I didn’t sleep at home that night out of fear of my father’s wrath.

I ran to our pastor’s house that night. It took the intervention of our pastor to make my father forgive me and accept me back into his house three days later.

I don’t know how my father knew that we were in the car. I suspect that a neighbor saw us and reported to my father. The embarrassment was so much for us that Gloria’s parents had to move out of the compound a month later.

Is this love that I'm feeling, Is this the love, that I've been searching for Is this love or am I dreaming, This must be love, 'Cos it's really got a hold on me, A hold on me...

Is this love that I'm feeling, Is this the love, that I've been searching for...

Is this love or am I dreaming, Is this the love, that I've been searching for...

Love Poem

Abby

Who You Are When you wear those faded blue jeans, Or that varsity jacket, All the girls stare.

But inside I know, They do not love you for who you are, But what you are.

For I love you all the time, Not just in your jeans, Or your varsity jacket.

And you love who I am too.

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

Romantic Joke

The Curse

A man goes to see a wizard and says "Can you lift a curse that was put on me years ago ?" "Maybe," says the wizard, "if you can remember the exact words of the curse?"

The man replies without hesitation "I pronounce you man and wife ..."

27 DECEMBER 2014

Relationships & Love Advice

‘My husband won't let me work' Dear Love Doctor, Why won't my husband let me work?

Before me and my husband were married I used to work. I made a substantial amount of money. But since I got married, my husband is the only one working. He works a lot and I can tell he's tired. I really want to help by getting back to work but every time I ask him or bring it up he refuses. When I ask him why, he says it's because he doesn't want me to interact with men. What do I do?

From Emmanuella.

Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Emmanuella, He doesn't want you to work because of your interaction with other men while working. What is he implying, that you have sex with them or that he doesn't

Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

trust you? It is clear that your husband feels insecure and as a result, he finds it impossible to trust you with a job.

Have you two actually sat down and discussed this? You need to sit down and discuss this matter with him as calmly as possible.

Tell him that you insist on being an equal contributor. That you want a savings account for the future, like having children.

That a woman needs a skill, a talent, a way to make a living, just like a man does. *Send your comments/stories to Love Doctor. E-mail: ireto007@yahoo.com. For free marriage/relationships counseling, call Love Doctor Mike 07031028714, 08131161840.

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Odd News

Cancer breakthrough could spell the end of chemotherapy

C

ancer treatment could be transformed by a landmark project to read the DNA of thousands of men, women and children.

Scientists believe that unlocking secrets deep in patients' genetic code will lead to faster and more accurate diagnosis, speed the development of 'wonder' drugs and mean better use is made of existing medicines.

It is even predicted that the genetic revolution will make chemotherapy obsolete within 20 years.

The treatment of rare genetic diseases is also set to benefit from the 100,000 Genomes Project, which will combine genetic data with information from health records to give Britain 'the greatest healthcare system in the world'.

Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS's medical director, said the £300million initiative puts the UK in a position to 'unlock a series of secrets about devastating diseases which have remained hidden for centuries and to unlock those on behalf of the whole of humankind'.

Professor Mark Caulfield, the proj-

ect's chief scientist, said: 'If there was just one medicine that came out of this programme that would be well worth the investment.'

But there are fears that drug companies and insurers will take advantage of research material – and that confidential medical information could be made public. Some campaigners fear it is the first step towards a national DNA database.

The project aims to read the genetic blueprint, or genome, of around 75,000 volunteers.

This includes patients with breast, bowel, ovarian and lung cancers and leukaemia, and people with rare genetic diseases and their relatives.

With genetic diseases usually striking early in life, many of those taking part will be children. Cancer patients will have two samples read – one from the tumour and one from healthy tissue – taking the total number of genomes read to 100,000.

After the DNA is decoded, the information will be combined with data

Angelina Jolie... the actress had a preventive double mastectomy to curb possible breast cancer

from the person's medical records, creating a 'lifecourse picture' of the disease.

Patients will be given any information that will help treat their illness.

For instance, the data might show that a certain cancer drug is likely to work particularly well or that a child with a rare disease could be given a diagnosis for the first time.

Those who choose to will also receive information about a small number of illnesses that can be seen in their DNA and for which treatments are available.

But they will not be given other information, such as whether they have

37

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a gene that puts them at high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

The value of genetic testing is demonstrated by Angelina Jolie's experience.

Testing revealed that the Hollywood actress carries a mutation of the BRCA1 gene, meaning she had an 87 per cent risk of developing breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer.

The data led Miss Jolie, 39, to have a preventative double mastectomy. Her mother, actress and producer Marcheline Bertrand, died from ovarian cancer at the age of 56.

The NHS, which is ploughing £20million into the 100,000 Genomes Project, will keep one set of data. A second set will be anonymised and put on a separate database.

Universities and drug companies will be able to access this database and use the information to develop new diagnostic tests and drugs.

Those behind the project say investment from industry is vital if progress is to be made.

Patients with a disease that is of interest will have to consent to their information being shared with industry and can withdraw from the project at any time.

The first to benefit are likely to be children with hard-to-diagnose genetic diseases. Reading their DNA could lead to their condition being named – and treated for the first time.

Courtesy: Daily Mail.

38

Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

SEXUAL COMMUNICATION

True Story

8 ways to make sex more fun

'I destroyed her relationship with a pregnancy test!'

M

y colleague, Janet, was always moving from one "perfect" relationship to the next. It was all she seemed to talk about — the next great love in her life — and two weeks later it was over.

It probably wouldn't have grated quite so much if she didn't also like to point out, constantly, that one day she hoped we would be as "lucky" as she was. We just had to "put more effort in", apparently.

As one who was constantly trying — going out every weekend, spending all my money trying to look my best, and usually coming away with nothing — her constant suggestions that I wasn't trying very hard to meet Mr Right were extremely irritating.

And so was the fact that Janet seemed to be dating every single man in the city — there was no one left! And every single one was the love of her life... until she dumped him!

When Sean came to work at the firm, every single one of us was in love with him, and for once, Janet didn't even seem interested.

"You can have him!" she announced to all of us at lunch one day — a clear sign that he wasn't good enough for her. I myself thought he was perfect — dreamy blue eyes and a beautiful smile.

When the other girls saw the way I looked at him, they backed off instantly. But the moment Janet heard I had a date with him, suddenly the game was on.

Sean and I only ever had one date — being naturally shy, I guess I just wasn't any match for the aggressive style of flirting that was Janet's trademark. She was always around, wearing lower and

lower cut tops with increasingly shorter mini skirts, smiling suggestively and tossing her long blonde hair. What hope did I have?

I never bore Sean any real ill will for starting up a relationship with Janet — we'd only had one date — but my feelings for my man-eating colleague were much less friendly. It was war, and she was going to pay!

I had no idea how to get to her. I suppose my original idea was to wait until Janet dumped Sean and then be the one to console him. But the oddest thing happened: Janet didn't break up with him. Not for two weeks, not even after two months. It was only when I heard them arguing in the tea-room one day that I realised how hard she'd actually fallen for him: Janet was talking to Sean about having children!

Clearly thinking they were alone, Sean was firmly telling Janet that he didn't want to have kids — not under any circumstances. Hiding behind the kitchen door, I could hear how devastated Janet was at this news. But, far from feeling sorry for her, I now knew how I was going to get her back!

A few weeks later, slipping into work early, I went via Janet's cubicle and threw into her rubbish bin the remainders of a pregnancy test kit — box conspicuously piled on the top. I placed the bin in the doorway and walked back past Sean' office, leaving on his desk a

continued FROM LAST week

4. Match Your Position to Your Mood Just like your dates range from romantic to passionate, your hookups should, too. Depending on the mood you’re in, get creative with your sex style, says Kerner. Craving emotional intimacy and eye contact? Go with Missionary. Feel like ripping each other’s clothes off the second you get home? Opt for Upstanding Citizen against a wall. Ready to take control? Hop on top for Reverse Cowgirl. You get the idea.

He didn't even give her time to get a word in, but instantly started screaming about how it wasn't what he wanted

rushed note reading: "Sean. I really need to see you.

Please come to my office as soon as you get here. It's urgent. I hope I'm going to make you the happiest man alive! Love Janet."

Sean always got to work earlier than Janet, and I waited in my office for my plan to be put into action. Sure enough, within the hour, Sean walked past my cubicle door, and didn't walk back. He must have waited for Janet to get to work because, as soon as she did, the whole office knew about it!

He didn't even give her time to get a word in, but instantly started screaming about how it wasn't what he wanted — that he'd told her he didn't want a baby. By the time he finished yelling, I don't think Janet wanted anything to do with him anyway — she didn't even try to explain. It was only then that I started to feel a little sorry for her. Sean was actually a real jerk.

I didn't feel too badly for long though. It only took a few short weeks for things at the office to return to normal. Janet started seeing someone else, and then someone else, and we all had to hear about how tragic our own lives were by comparison. But I often caught her looking regretfully in Sean' direction, and wondered if she ever lay awake at night trying to work out who'd wrecked her relationship with a carefullyplaced pregnancy test!

Courtesy: nine.com

Wedding Traditions

The Claddagh Ring: Ireland.

T

he Claddagh Ring is one of the old traditions that's widely known. The traditional ring is widely given by young Irish men to their girlfriends as a gift, and sometimes it's inherited from a family member. But the ring has a part in wedding ceremonies, too.

Single women traditionally wear the ring on the right hand, with the ring facing outward.

When in a relationship, it's turned inwards, indicating that the lady isn't 'available.'

But the ring is moved to the left hand when the wearer becomes engaged (point outward), and turned inward on that hand once married.

The symbolism attached makes the Claddagh a popular engagement or unusual wedding ring.

Courtesy: Irish Central.

5. Little rituals Whether it’s wearing hot new lingerie all day, getting a wax, or texting your partner something you’re dying to do later, these little rituals can act as extended foreplay, says Walsh.

6. Dress the Part Putting on a totally different persona (whether it’s with a blonde wig and thigh highs or a sexy nurse’s outfit) will give you both a chance to play out a fantasy with lowered inhibitions.

7. Take Turns Make foreplay more fun by turning it into a giver-and-receiver game, says Kerner. Decide how much time to spend on each person, and take turns doing whatever you or your partner wants. Then switch. Bonus: Pleasing your partner can turn you on even more.

8. Just Go For It When in doubt, take the reins. “If you’re a woman wanting more novelty, it’s great to be a little bold and assertive,” says Kerner.

Just slow down and kiss your partner before changing positions so it doesn’t seem like you’re dissing their moves.

Love Education

What is Safe Sex?

S

afe sex is sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV/AIDS. It is also referred to as safer sex or protected sex, while unsafe or unprotected sex is sexual activity engaged in without precautions. Some sources prefer the term safer sexto more precisely reflect the fact that these practices reduce, but do not always completely eliminate, the risk of disease transmission. The term sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has gradually become preferred over sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among medical sources, as it has a broader range of meaning; a person may be infected, and may potentially infect others, without showing signs of disease.

Safe sex practices became more prominent in the late 1980s as a result of the AIDS epidemic. Promoting safe sex is now one of the aims of sex education. Safe sex is regarded as a harm reduction strategy aimed at reducing risks. The risk reduction of safe sex is not absolute; for example the reduced risk to the receptive partner of acquiring HIV from HIV seropositive partners not wearing condoms compared to when they wear them is estimated to be about a four- to fivefold.

Although some safe sex practices can be used as contraception, most forms of contraception do not protect against all or any STIs; likewise, some safe sex practices, like partner selection and low risk sex behaviour, are not effective forms of contraception.

Source: Wikipedia.

Travel &Tourism SATURDAY 27 DECEMBER 2014

Chef's Corner Home-cooking recipes for the season (1) p.40

Travelogue

Inside South Africa's whites-only town of Orania p.41

39

Matobo Hills Lodge: Basking in nature’s playground

Destination

ERIN IJESA A neglected goldmine stirs community’s wrath p.42 The swimming pool etched against a beautiful backdrop.

Inset: One of the lodges

HOSPITALITY

M

atobo Hills Lodge shares affinity with The Matobo National Park, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) Natural World Heritage Site, covering an area of 424 square kilometres. It is part of the Matobo (Matopos) Hills, an area of granite kopjes, rocky formations and wooded valleys, located 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo, southern Zimbabwe.

The park established in 1953 offers a prestine aesthetics with its expansive natural elements, affording a delightsome experience of its vast wildlife and flora.

After an enthralling experience with nature, Matobo Hills Lodge is a favourite haunt to visit to further enjoy the natural interaction however on a different plain.

Accommodation The lodge is located within a private wildlife reserve bordering the national park and enjoys a scenic beauty with its accommodation facility etched out of a granite outcrop thus making a perfect blend with its natural environment.

It has 34 beds in 17 luxurious hilltop lodges made of 13 twin and four twin beds. All lodges are fitted with shower, bath, toilet and basin and wall-to-wall carpet.

Leisure The swimming pool, just like the lodges, is built into the granite dome thus presenting a picturesque scenery of a natural rocky pool. As you bask in the natural pool enjoying a cool swim.

Wining/dining The lodge also provides exciting and memorable dining experience with its lounge and bar rich stock of drinks of different variety while it also present a commanding 360 decrees enchanting views of such locations as Mount Ififi and the Maleme Valley.

Meals are served at its lushly crafted restaurant, which offers table d'hôte meals with a wide selection of international dishes.

You have the option of having your meal served in an African style thatched or open air gazebo.

Safari activities Visit the famous painted caves, game drives into the national park, scenic drives and walks, visit the tribal villages, visit the grave of Cecil John Rhodes at "a view of the world" and take early morning walk within the lodge reserve.

Other packages of the Africanthemed lodge, according to Diana Walters who is the bookings, sales and marketing manager of the lodge, include a wholesome wedding and honeymoon packages, as well as Valentine's Day

Other amenities The lodge also offers laundry services, gift shop, free Wi-Fi, and conference facilities for different business and social events.

NEW TELEGRAPH PARTNER HOTELS

FESTAC, LAGOS

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

ABA LAGOS

ABA

special.

For Walters, the lodge, which she say offers new experiences caters for the family with children between ages five and 16 enjoying 50 percent discounted rate while children above 16 pay full rate.

The corporate travellers and organisations are not also left out of the bargain as uniquely branded business and conference packages are in the offing.

Walters who led another staff to market the lodge during the Sanganai/Hlanganani travel trade exhibition held in Harare recently by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), said Matobo Hills Lodge should rank high in the minds of the travelling public because of its unique and enchanting nature.

Summer time extending to December is the peak period to explore and experience the numerous offerings of the lodge. That is because at this time of the year the environment is in bloom. Wilderness and safari, she says get better and best.

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

27 DECEMBER 2014

CHEF'S CORNER

L

ooking forward to having a sumptuous meal dining out with loved ones, friends and dates this season? An experience like that promises to be exciting, but why don’t you think of something dramatic and a bit experimental?

If you are the type that have never done some cooking in the last couple of months, you would at least find it funny and exciting by just gathering the family or your date round the kitchen and making something delicious and fantastic.

The end result could be unimaginable stoking the fire of romance and bond in the family. It could help get your groove back and place you on high for the celebration.

Once you enjoy the experimental delicacies you may never give up on it again.

Here are some options to work with: Spiced fish and shrimp This is in the category of Asian meals and goes as main course.

Ingredients: • Small onion, roughly chopped • 2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled • 1oz (30g) dried shrimp • 2 fresh hot red chillis, seeded and roughly chopped • 1 tsp shrimp paste • 1/2 cup plus 5 tbsp peanut oil • 1 red onion, peeled and thinly-sliced • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped • 1 cup canned baby corn • 12oz (350g) firm white fish fillets, such as monkfish, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces • 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined • (Served with hot cooked rice noodles) Preparation: • Purée the onion, garlic, dried shrimp, chillis, and shrimp paste in a blender.

Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until smooth.

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over mediumlow heat. Add the onion mixture and cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes, or until relatively dry. Transfer to a bowl.

• Wipe out the wok. Add 2 tbsp oil and

Spiced fish and shrimp

Braised lamb

Crunchy vegetable stir-fry

Home-cooking recipes for the season (1) Trying out some home-cooking is indeed part of the thrill of the Yuletide season, writes ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA who presents a few recipe. heat over high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the red and green peppers and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the baby corn and stir-fry for 1 minute more, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Transfer to a plate.

• Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the wok and heat. Add the fish and shrimp and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until opaque. Return the onion mixture and vegetables to the wok and stir-fry about 1 minute.

(It takes about 30 minutes to prepare and is served hot) Braised lamb Served as main course, this is very healthy and belongs to the family of braise.

Ingredients: • 2lbs (900g) lamb leg steaks • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1 large onion, peeled • 2 garlic cloves, peeled • 1 fresh hot red chilli or 1/2 tsp hot red

• • • • •

pepper flakes 1/4 cup hearty red wine one 14.5oz (411g) can chopped tomatoes 2/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives 1 1/2 tsp chopped thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme Thyme leaves and parsley leaves to garnish.

Preparation: • Season the lamb steaks with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat. In batches, brown the meat on both sides.

Transfer to a plate.

• Meanwhile, pulse the onion, garlic, and chilli in a food processor until it forms a coarse paste. Add to the casserole and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, then the tomatoes and thyme. Bring to a simmer over high heat.

• Return the lamb to the casserole. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the lamb is very tender,

about 45 minutes. During the last few minutes, stir in the olives. Season with salt and pepper.

(Takes 20 minutes to prepare and served hot, sprinkled with thyme and parsley.)

Crunchy vegetable stir-fry Main course, healthy, Asian and stir fry categories.

Ingredients: • 1/2 cup basmati rice, uncooked • 1 onion • 1 garlic clove • 4 stalks bok choy • 2 bell peppers, one red, one yellow • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms Preparation: • Steam the rice until the grains are tender.

• Slice the onion, crush the garlic, and shred the bok choy. De-seed the bell peppers and cut them into strips that are 1/2in (1cm) wide.

• Heat a little oil in a wok over high heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the peppers, mushrooms, and bok choy, and stir-fry for a further 4 minutes.

(Serve the stir-fried vegetables with rice.

If you like, accompany with ginger sauce).

TRAVEL BEATS

Transcorp Hilton Abuja entices with Festive Cheer

Las Vegas records over 40 million visitors

At Transcorp Hilton Abuja, the groove is on as the high brow hospitality home pandering to the needs of the high profile guests, entices with a package tagged, Festive Cheer Hilton Style. According to the hotel’s general manager, Etienne Gailliez, is conceived to provide perfect holiday break for the hotel’s esteemed guests and others. ‘'This festive season offers us a unique opportunity to delight our guests with special rates, leisure and culinary offerings. We have put everything in place to ensure our guests experience a pleasant Christmas and New Year holidays in our hotel,’’ said Gailliez.

On the bill is a heavily discounted room rate, which includes buffet breakfast and taxes. The rates are for two adults and two children sharing a room and valid from now till January 4, 2015. While for culinary treats, Zuma Grill, Oriental and Bukka restaurants offer special festive delicacies.

For families, children have dedicated kids zone where handicraft classes, painting classes, computer games and other indoor games are offered daily. The swimming pool offers a perfect ambiance for family relaxation. The fitness conscious guests are also not left out of the gig as the ultramodern 24-hour Hilton Fitness by Precor Gym offers daily aerobics classes, among others.

LAS Vegas city has sets a record as it has exceeded the over 40 million visitors mark, as the tourism industry in the Southern Nevada is said to experience continued expansion, achieving 10 consecutive months of visitors volume increase.

The city regarded as the entertainment capital of the world is projected to get to the 41 million visitors mark by the end of this year. In 2012 the city recorded over 39, 272, 000 tourists, the highest ever then.

"Las Vegas couldn't have reached this milestone without the continued investments of our resort partners, and the more than 40 million people who came to experience all the destination has to offer," said the president/CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), Rossi Ralenkotter.

"Ongoing developments in the destination, including new, renovated and rebranded resort properties, exciting new attractions, world-class entertainment, incredible culinary offerings and more are what keep first-time visitors and loyalists returning to Las Vegas time and time again," he added.

Las Vegas has seen an increase in direct international air service in 2014 with Canada and Mexico proving to be instrumental to visitation growth.

Tourism plays a vital role in the economy of Southern Nevada and the Las Vegas Valley generating more than $45 billion annually and supporting 376,000 local jobs.

Officials of Wavecrest College and InterContinental Hotel Group during the MoU signing ceremony in Lagos...recently

Wavecrest College of Hospitality now InterContinental's academy partner WAVECREST College of Hospitality, Lagos, has been named a partner by InterContinental Hotel Group academy as part of the group's programme of collaborating with educational institutions across the world in a bid to provide the much needed skills and capacity building as well opening employment opportunities for people in the hospitality sector.

With this development, Wavecrest has joined the few elite academy partners of IHG in Africa. They are located in Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and Egypt.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this new deal was signed on December 16 at InterContinental Hotel, Lagos by the provost of Wavecrest College, Rosana Forsuelo and IHG regional general manager for Africa, Karl Haga.

Wavecrest College of Hospitality is the premier Monotechnic in Nigeria offering education and training in the field of hospitality and tourism.

A project of Women's Board, Educational Cooperation Society, and the spiritual direction of the college is entrusted to the Prelature of Opus Dei of the Catholic Church.

Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Inside South Africa's whites-only town of Orania

41

TRAVELOGUE

I

N the sparsely populated Karoo desert in the heart of South Africa's Northern Cape, the spirit of apartheid lives on.

I spent a few days in Orania, a town established in 1991 where no black people live.

I was part of a BBC crew, including Zimbabwean journalist, Stanley Kwenda, who were accredited to visit.

And during that time, I did not see any other black people in the town of 1,000 an unusual experience in modern South Africa.

It is an Afrikaner-only town, where only Afrikaans is spoken, because of fears about "diluting culture."

"We do not fit in easily in the new South Africa. It [Orania] was an answer to not dominating others and not being dominated by others," says Carel Boshoff Jr, the community leader.

Boshoff is one of the leaders of the town founded by his father Carel Boshoff Snr, an Afrikaner intellectual and son-in-law of apartheid architect, Hendrik Verwoerd.

The town was founded by Boshoff Snr as a registered company shortly before whiteminority rule ended in the rest of the country.

Verwoerd's grandson tells me that his people were faced with a tough question about their future when the black government was elected in 1994.

"In terms of Afrikaners who had been standing very close to the state, when the policies such as black economic empowerment and affirmative action came into place, Afrikaners needed to seriously think about their future. It wouldn't make sense not to," he said.

Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) was introduced to encourage more black participation in business.

Orania has also proved to be the answer for those Afrikaners who felt displaced in the land their people had ruled for many decades.

"I see nothing wrong with apartheid," says Martin Kemp, one of the older residents.

"Of course you get the petty apartheid: 'You use this toilet I use that toilet', I don't think that was necessary but the real apartheid as Verwoerd saw it, there was nothing wrong with it," he said.

We were taken on a guided tour of the town's facilities by John Strydom, a retired doctor.

The town's leaders insist that Orania is

misunderstood. "We are not against black people. We are for ourselves," is their message.

However, black people cannot live here.

Prospective residents are screened by the town council using a strict criterion, which includes first and foremost being an ethnic Afrikaner.

It is not enough to simply speak Afrikaans, as is the case with many black and mixed-race South Africans.

Eerie place As we sat down with Boshoff for a cup of what the cafe described as "proper Boere [Afrikaner] tea… strong", I took in some of the surroundings.

Near the entrance of the gated community was a statue of Verwoerd, one of a few of the apartheid-era prime ministers, and the Orania flag - with similar colours to the old republic's orange, white and blue stripes - which hung proudly.

The town was quiet; the sound of birds and rustling leaves interrupted by a few cars passing by. It is an eerie place for an outsider.

many decades and introduced the apartheid system which was based on racial segregation; *Orania was established in 1991, by Afrikaner intellectual, Carel Boshoff Snr; *The town is built on 8,000 hectares of farmland along the Orange River The town boasts amenities such as shops, hair salons, a library, a post office, a hotel, a couple of schools - and churches, a lot of churches.

But beneath the surface of this solitude lurks a fear that leads people to abandon high-paying jobs in the city for lowly jobs in this arid land.

"The levels of crime and violent crimes in South Africa are definitely pushing powers that bring people to Orania. Many of them have been victims of crimes," says Boshoff.

South Africa is considered to be one of the most violent societies in the world, with one of the highest murder rates.

Official statistics suggest that most crimes actually happen in poor communities between people known to each other, but this has not stopped the fear of crime in other communities.

Afrikaners in South Africa: *Afrikaners are descendants of Dutch, German and French settlers who arrived in the 17th Century; *The Dutch, who arrived in 1652, took over the land from local people and put them to work as farm workers; *Afrikaners dominated South Africa for

Little giant As a result, Orania officials say the town has had an annual growth rate of nearly 10 per cent since its inception.

The Afrikaner community's totem is "the little giant," a man with rolled-up sleeves who features in the flag and the local money, the Ora, which is pegged to

the South African rand.

The people do their own work from gardening to plumbing, bricklaying and waste-collection - jobs usually done by black labourers in the rest of the country. ‘‘We sleep with the doors unlocked. You can walk in the street at 3am without any fear,” Quinton Diedrichs Bar owner.

"It takes some adjusting to. It is more difficult for some people because they are used to how things were done in South Africa, they are not used to manual labour," says Strydom.

The locals explain that one of the goals in Orania is to help create a generation of pure Afrikaners untouched by the "outside world."

Bizarrely, the town's existence is protected by South Africa's constitution through a clause that ensures the right to self-determination - introduced to reassure those worried about the transition to democracy.

With its old Cape-Dutch styled houses it is like stepping back in time, but some families fear this place could eventually be too small for their children.

Respect Theunie Kruger moved from Johannesburg recently after he was offered a job in Orania.

Kruger says his two children are enjoying life in the countryside but he and his wife are preparing them for a world where there is not just one race or culture.

"There is no tertiary institution here for example. They need to be equipped to handle the outside world," he says.

Another couple, George and Tisha van Staden, say they are still adjusting to Orania's rules, which include getting permission from the town council before receiving visitors.

"We understand it but it's a bit frustrating at times," Van Staden says.

Defend with our lives At the local bar, framed newspaper articles hang on the wall and Afrikaner memorabilia adorns the place.

The owner, Quintin Diedericks, is welltravelled but became disillusioned with South Africa and moved to Orania with his wife, a beauty therapist, about four years ago.

Carel Boshoff with the bronze busts of Paul Kruger, JBM Herzog, DF Malan, JG Strydom and Hendrik Verwoerd, five leaders of South Africa, which are proudly displayed in Orania

Photo: Eva-Lotta Jansson

Culled from BBC World Service programme

The town has been built completely from scratch, with no government funding. Source: Supplied

It’s billed as “Afrikaner only”.

Orania is a remote town in a desert landscape.

Source: Supplied

Source: Supplied

42 Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

DESTINATION

The people of Erin Ijesha, a community where the famous waterfall is, are angry about the state of the tourists’ cite in Osun State owing to neglect by the state government.

Our correspondent, CHARLES OGUNDIYA, who was in the

ERIN IJESA A neglected goldmine stirs community’s wrath The people of Erin Ijesa, host community of the famous Olumirin waterfall, are angry about the state of the tourist site in Osun State owing to neglect by the state government. Our correspondent, CHARLES OGUNDIYA, who was in the community during the protest, reports.

A statue at the entrance of the waterfall depicting the source of the water

First layer of the waterfall

E

Background rin Ijesa (Olumirin) Waterfall is one of the waterfalls populating Osun State’s landscape. It has a rich history, beauty and appeal, which makes it an attractive and delightsome destination for many adventure seekers, particularly mountaineers and conservationists.

Located in the rustic and laidback community of Erin Ijesa, which still proudly retains many of its pristine characteristics, such as its natural pleasantness and serenity. It is situated few kilometres from east of Ilesa town, about 30 minutes’ drive on the Ilesa-Akure Road.

The waterfall which enjoys a soothing and inviting natural vegetation, forested enclave, tradition says, is imbued with therapeutic powers and highly regarded by the people for its sacredness. Besides, it defines the historical journey of the people.

Its existence is attributed to a woman called Akinla, a granddaughter of Oduduwa, in 1140AD during the migration of the Ife people to Erin Ijesa.

With a majestic height, the waterfall is believed to have seven steep steps. Water cascades in a ferocious manner down the base meandering through the grassy rocks and ranges with such a fearsome noise most times of the day and the rushing or gushing sound could be heard from a distance away.

The cascading water forms a very large pool of water at the base thus turning into a cool and soothing natural pool beckoning swimmers with tourists and love birds most times enjoying good swim and smooching in the natural pool.

Besides, the breezy, fascinating scenery offers picnickers good ground to harvest fun as many of the visitors are known to have turned the beautiful scenery into party grounds with the festive and holiday seasons the best time to witness the lively and frenzied nature of the waterfall.

It has quite a vast and rich potential to be developed into a truly haven for tourists, especially as it offers an idyllic location for mountaineers to explore its richness.

Locating a resort within its precinct is a welcome idea, in fact building a hotel within the place has been in the pipeline for years but not much is heard or seen of this plan.

The local people see the presence of the

waterfall as a blessing and what defines their community and gives it the little visibility and public attention that it has attracted over the years. However they are not too pleased with the sorry sight and neglect visited on the waterfall and even the community as both beg for development and attention from both the government and the private investors to transform their present rustic community into a modern one and a tourist destination of note in the country.

To drive home their point and show their disappointment with the state government over the poor state of the waterfall and their community, a protest march was organised by some of the community members where they outlined their grievances and called on the state government to pay attention to the tourists’ spot.

For days, the community people took over the entrance to the waterfall preventing visitors from accessing it, leading to uproar of sort as many of the visitors have to returned home disappointed while a number of event promoters who have planned one activity or the other were forced to cancel the event as the community would not budge, insisting that the government heed to their calls.

But after pleadings, talks and promises of a new deal for the waterfall and the community, the people finally sheathed their swords and allowed activities to resume at the place. At the end of the day, all the sides, including some of the tourists and promoters, recount their losses and experiences.

‘The waterfall is in a bad state but generates money for us’ Olumirin was generating less than N1m in a year for a long time, only under my chairmanship, following a master plan that we put in place and a private revenue agent we engaged, we were able to gross revenue of N14m between January and the end of November. If you are the governor and you were asked to bring in N100m to develop a project that has not been bringing in any fund, of course it is not logical.

But we can now make a case because for the first time, we were able to verify the actual number of people coming into the place and the amount of money coming in

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

Travel & Tourism 43 We emphathise with the locals –Osun Tourism Board

The people that were protesting since few days ago have told us that they were aggrieved because there has not been development, I really empathise with them, but they are yet to see the entire picture of what we are planning to achieve here. I can say it boldly that when we get all the facilities here, this place will be self-sustaining and the community will be better for it. It is our hope that development will kick off within the space of six months. Don’t also forget we will be having federal elections; all these also influence how investors behave. Insecurity, instability and community protest tend to drive investors away and that was what we have been telling the protesters that they should manage their grievances very well and correctly so that we can all get sustainable results.

I can tell you that some investors have already started coming in, but they must be led by the locals first so that we can have what we call local acceptability. When they are involved, they will be committed. lBimbo Daniyan, outgoing chairman, Osun Tourism Board

'Developing the waterfall is a task that must be achieved'

Staircase leading up to the waterfall in need of repairs

Another staircase under construction

Abandoned huts inside the falls

Funseekers at the waterfall

through gate taking alone because there is no other service that we are providing. Now with that we know that in a single month we have between 7, 000 and 7, 800 people coming into the place without facility, marketing or anything.

So, if we put in the services and facilities they want and they are willing to pay, I can tell you categorically now that what we are making from gate taking now will be equivalent to 10 per cent of what we will be making then.

But without good road into the state and the government is pumping money into a place like this, won’t the citizens complained? When you pass along the street and you see dilapidated school buildings, won’t you call the governor insensitive?

There is a logical order and the governor following this is using the correct approach.

We need to bring in private investors because clearly there is limit to what government can bring into every project. Government is the father of many children, and he will attend to the one that embarrasses him the most. Tourism must involve the community because without them you cannot succeed.

There are acceptable means of behaviour, welcoming attitude, and also providing services that they alone can provide competently like the local delicacies in order for the visitors to have the taste of the community where you have the

tourist centre.

Level of execution of the master plan The essence of getting a master plan for the tourist centre in the state was to lure investors here. The master plan was for development and the only way to carry it out was through investors because you need funds to develop.

We have published what we call an investment prospectus, investors guide to investing into tourism in the State of Osun. We call it ‘The Discovery,’ meaning; discover better opportunity to make more money. A well-packaged and well-written document that when you see it as an investor, you will love it.

It is factual because we have factual data, number of attendees so far, the potential and profile of the visitors which is very important in designing something that you need in a particular tourist site.

Developing the waterfall The majority of our visitors are young people, students and young couples and we have to know their needs. Many of them would like to stay here overnight and one of the things we are looking for investors for is to build a reasonable capacity hostel facility. I can confirm to you that we have found one.

When people come here, they usually stand in the sun with some of the facilities pro-

vided they will be under a roof so that we can have a proper reception hall where people can be shown how this place is in 3D, videos and so on.

Tour guides will talk to them and other things like that. Since water, hills and the forest are the predominant gifts of nature here, we have designed in the master plan how you can get those values here.

The time frame for the developmental plan was between 2014 and 2018. In the first phase, we are looking forward to providing electricity, chalets, improvement around the waterfall for safety, security and environmental issues, providing routes for people to walk safely and also to provide facilities that people can enjoy on a scale that is commensurable to the level of traffic.

As the traffic grows which we are already envisaging in 2015, we will need more facilities to take the numbers. We need some of the surrounding hotels for weekend visitors and people on holidays. We are looking at making use of hotel facilities around Erin Ijesa, which will help the growth of the community.

Based on our plan and discussions with incoming core investors, I believe we will have a noticeable and impactful change here in 2015. The development I can assure you will be commensurate to the traffic and the demands of the categories of visitors that we have here.

Governance is continuous and we don’t just deal with personalities, we deal with issues and policies. It is the policy of the current Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, that tourism should develop in the state, whether the chairman is there or not, those policies are meant to be implemented and that is why civil service is a good place because politicians will come and go but civil servants remain intact.

For whosoever that comes on board again, he has no choice but to follow the chart or the map already drawn out. The plan for this place (Olumirin Waterfall) and other tourists’ centre in the state is intact.

On promoting the waterfall As this place is now, I can tell you that it is one of the most visited tourists’ centres in Nigeria. 80 per cent of those that have visited the place in recent time are youths which tells you that the youth have already keyed into the development of the place.

You can also find us on internet, facebook; twitter, Instagram and these are what the youth are interested in now. The percentage of people here are youths and they are from places like Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Benin and some other places even outside the State of Osun. This is to tell you that we have already marketed Olumirin enough to attract people within and outside Osun State. l Abiodun Balogun, general manager, Osun Tourism Board

'The community and waterfall need attention' It was through the intervention of God that I was able to stage my event at the Olumirin Waterfalls on December 6, after spending huge sum of money and with the anticipated audience I couldn’t afford to fail which necessitated my coming down to the town to appeal to the indigenes.

For days, nobody was allowed to enter the arena. After meeting with some of the youth, I was allowed to stage the event after parting with huge sums of money. Seriously, I can understand their grievances, but why would they be suffering despite the presence of such natural arena in the town? I will just appeal to the state government to hasten up development in the town because failure to do so might result in losing the little revenue coming from the waterfall. l Adetunji Adebowale, CEO, Godfather Entertainment

'What's government doing with earnings from the waterfall?'

You are lucky to be here today because for days now the youth have been protesting, blocking the road while turning back visitors coming to the waterfall. Although they were not exhibiting any form of violence to the visitors, they stood their ground and I am really in support of their action. Do you know how much government makes from the waterfall? And yet they can’t afford to repair the road leading to it, the entrance to the town is nothing to write home about, where are they taking the money that they make from here to? l Tayo Bankole, bus driver

'It needs proper management'

All I can say about this place is if managed properly it will surely generate more revenue for the state government. A little improvement here and there will do the magic, if they can provide good roads leading to the waterfall, provide accommodation and some other facilities, then the state will be better for it. l Abel Rufus, a tourist

44

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

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SATURDAY 27 DECEMBER 2014

Politics 45

Cover

Bleak Christmas for Chibok schoolgirls p.47

Cover

No Merry Christmas for over 2,000 IDPs p.48

Face-Off

Conflicting claims over FG's take-over of Lagos-Badagry expressway's reconstruction p.50

How Buhari will defeat Jonathan in 2015 – Amaechi Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi is the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign. In this interview with journalists, including TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he speaks on why President Goodluck Jonathan will lose the February 14, 2015 election to Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the APC presidential candidate and the Boko Haram insurgency among other issues.

What is your take on the speculation in that you are funding the Muhammadu Buhari presidential campaign?

There are speculations that I funded Buhari’s campaign. I did not. The Buhari’s campaign for primaries did not spend money. Anybody who said they spent money should come forward and bring evidence. We have maintained consistently that Nigerians would fund us and that is why we have launched our campaign and we are hoping that people will contribute. It is there on our website; you will just look at the account and go and pay. And we are making sure that we will convince General Buhari that he will be the only sole signatory to that account. That is the way we would raise our money. We would not depend on the rich men.

You can’t fight the president on fund. See how much he, President Goodluck Jonathan, raised from people among whom were those who collected the N2.3trillion on oil subsidy and they have to pay back. If he is not prosecuting them for oil subsidy, why shouldn’t they pay for his election? N500 billion for power when we don’t have power. The President is trying to raise over N200 billion for power and then those people he is helping to raise money for are giving him billions.

We want to know those people who raised the money. We can’t fight the president with money, we will fight the president with people.

Who will fight the president by telling Nigerians that they have to vote for change and the symbol of change for us is APC and General Buhari. I will like to reiterate again that General Buhari did not pay anybody any money for primaries and he won the primaries because Nigerians want change.

As the Director-General of APC presidential campaign, how do you intend to combine your position as DG with your duties as governor?

We will try. That is why there is a deputy governor. I have a deputy governor who is also efficient and I will also from time to time be jumping back to the state to govern. But we need to deliver and we are all making the sacrifice to deliver this change. I don’t know how people feel; the president and the Federal Government have not denied the fact that N2.3 trillion was taken for oil subsidy and that was six months in 2011. Oil subsidy before that time was N300 billion, so how did it rise to N2.3 trillion and the people were not afraid; the Federal Government and all the agents were not afraid that N2.3 trillion was taken. So, basically, I don't mind what I can do legally to make sure that there is that change for a better Nigeria.

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

What about the controversy that you have not paid eight months salaries?

Anybody who said I have not paid him

salaries should come forward. We have paid up till December; you can call Rivers State to confirm. I got a Blackberry message on Tuesday, saying: “Thank God, we are going home with our salary before Christmas.” What we agreed in the cabinet was that we should make sure that everybody goes home with their salary before Christmas because as a Christian, I know that December 23 and 24 are two days that Christians will want to go for shopping.

I am not owing any salaries in Rivers State. I am proud to say that I will pay salaries until I leave the office of the governor and I will continue to pursue development projects in the state.

I was even surprised that president’s spokesman even put it as one of his statement.

When he was responding to the accusation that the people who contributed to the N21 billion are those who are plundering our economy and he said after all, Governor Amaechi funded the election of Buhari while he owes teachers eight months’ salaries. And I asked the question, for you to be a presidential spokesman, facts and statistics

must be on your palm; you shouldn’t joke with that. But the man was just reacting to gossip; he listened to the Saturday interview on Channels and just took it from there ‘Amaechi is owing eight months salaries’ without verification.

Don’t worry, when Buhari wins, whoever would be his spokesman will talk with fact just like in the United States and United Kingdom.

In the United States and United Kingdom, a Speaker cannot even utter a stateCONTINUED ON PAGE 46

46

Politics

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

‘We need Buhari to end insurgency' CONTINUED from PAGE 45

ment; he has a research assistant and that is why every state or National Assembly would have a wonderful library for research assistant to make sure that the President or Speaker would not make any comment that he is not sure of. You won’t believe it that in all my trips as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, before I arrived to meet the Speaker of where I am heading to, he had all the data he need to know about me.

He will say: “Your father is dead, what about your mother? How about your mother and your siblings? How about your wife and your three children? Where are the children? Which one is Chikamba among them?”

How did he know that my father was dead if there wasn’t a research?

But here a Speaker will just enter his plane, land there without even knowing the person he is going to meet. So, the earlier we began to read and do research before we issue statement, the better for us. And that is one thing I have told my Commissioner for Information and Chief Press Secretary: don’t make a statement when you don’t have facts.

When I told people that N2.3 trillion was stolen as oil subsidy, it is because I was in a meeting with President Jonathan. I was in a meeting with the president when they took the first N1.7 trillion and the governors went on what I called strike.

Governors said they will not collect their monthly allocation unless they returned the money and the president gave an assurance that he will return the money. We forced them to return the money and they didn’t return it. But when he promised us we went to collect our monthly allocation; the next month the thing increased to N1.9 trillion. Then we refused to collect our allocation again.

The president assured us again that this time not only will he recover the money, he will prosecute them, but he did not prosecute anybody. But when the National Assembly commenced investigation, we discovered that it wasn’t just N1.9 trillion, it was N2.3 trillion. I was at the meeting, so I was speaking with fact. I was there as chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in the meeting where this was discovered.

The next one was that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said that $20 billion was missing. President Jonathan sacked the CBN Governor for saying $20 billion was missing but the Minister of Finance said that they can’t account for $10.2 billion or $10.8 billion. Whether it is $10.8 billion or $20 billion, something was missing; somebody should resign. But in Nigeria, nobody cares about that. The public would not bother; the presidency will not bother, they will just continue and we will go back as if God created prayers for only Nigerians. They will say we are praying and God will change 2015 for us. God, like he did to the Americans and Europeans, created us with brains and with our own hands just like they have their own hands. Why do we go to God all the time instead of helping to find solution to our problems after praying?

But here we pray and after praying we do nothing; we just sit down and ask God to come physically to cause miracles to happen.

What are Buhari’s programmes for

Nigeria if he wins 2015 elections?

I believe that we would commence campaign in the early part of next year and we would try and go round the entire of 36 states by God’s grace and we hope that Nigerians will hear the message. The message is simple: Buhari chased away the Maitatsine while he was Head of State. Many Nigerians will remember that Maitatsine was like Boko Haram and they were killing people in Borno and Kano and Buhari chase them away. And that is because he is a strong leader. We need a strong leader now to chase away Boko Haram or Boko Haram will chase us away. Buhari will deal with insurgency because he has done that before. Many Nigerians would remember that Borno was attacked by Chadian rebels and Buhari as an officer of the Nigerian Army chased them away. He had crossed the Chad Lake when President Shehu Shagari called him back. If he didn’t do that, Borno would have been overrun

by Chadian rebels. And since he did that till today Chad has never crossed to Nigeria to fight us. It takes a strong leader to do that.

There are reports that 32 person were killed in Bauchi and Gombe states. So, you need a Buhari to be able to fight insurgency. We can all see clearly that the Federal Government has not been able to do well in the area of insurgency. It is not because we have a bad military; our military is well-trained but it is because they are not well-funded. And even if they were well-funded, maybe in-between the period the money gets to the military and the period it is released some amount of money disappeared.

I think corruption is the main issue because if they are properly equipped then they can fight insurgency. The military is planning to kill over 50 military officers just because they say: “Please equip me properly. I can’t be going to fight a man who has RPG or GPMG and you give very old AK47 that cannot even shoot, then you will be risking my life.” They have a right to protest on that and you don't kill them for that.

Amaechi

Many Nigerians would remember that Borno was attacked by Chadian rebels and Buhari, as an officer of the Nigerian Army, chased them away

We will deal with issues of insurgency and I think Buhari will deal with that. The country may be broke now because of two factors. The first factor, which is very critical and important is the factor of the diversion of funds at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). That is the greatest factor for me. The level of diversion in the NNPC has affected everybody including me. Nigerians should care about that because the way it is now, the dollar is about N180 or N190 and people don’t care because this is an import-based economy. Because it is an import-based economy, people would generally be importing goods and as they are importing goods, the prices of goods are rising because the cost of dollar has risen. So, inflation is on the rise and the president can’t deny that; the Federal Government cannot also deny that.

We will deal with that and the way to deal with that is to fight corruption.

Once, you fight corruption, you save money. That money we save from corruption will be put back to the economy and that would be another way to create employment.

We will deal with power because if you don’t deal with power, you cannot certainly deal with employment.

The essential factor for industrialisation from elementary economists is power. In 2012, the president said he is the most abused President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but that in 2013 all of us will be on the street dancing for him because he would have found a solution to power. How many Nigerians are dancing for President Jonathan today? Because for you to dance for the president, according to what he said, then there must be power. I have power because I am governor, but believe me the power I have in Port Harcourt is generatorbased. So, when you hear that people in power sector is contributing N500 million, where did they get it? First, you must pay your bill every month

whether you like it or not; whether you have power or not. People are now being forced to pay N750 every month whether they use power or not. So, people are being punished for not having power. We will deal with the issue of unemployment; it is essential to deal with the issue of unemployment.

The PDP has described Buhari as a 'semi-illiterate jackboot'. How do you intend to engage them?

For us, it is APC first because Buhari's campaign cannot be devoid of APC. For us in APC and Buhari’s campaign, the only thing they are accusing us of not going to school is because they have no other issues to deal with. So, our campaign will be issue-based. The President has PhD in Zoology, how many farms do we have and how many people has he employed? If you say President has PhD in Zoology and Buhari does not have PhD, let him show us his thesis, you are bringing yourself to the level of those who are making those allegations. Don’t bring yourself to that level, remain focused on the issues and let the President meet you there.

I am from Rivers State and the first degree, second degree and PhD of President Jonathan is from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Show me one thing that he did for the University of Port Harcourt? Secondly, he grew up in Port Harcourt; he should show one project that he did for Rivers State. Somebody says Buhari is 70 years old and another person says: “Will he go and carry cement there?” Will Buhari lift cement in the Villa? It is about performance. We have seen Buhari as Head of State two years and we have seen Jonathan as President for six years.

So, the question is which one does Nigerians want to choose? You want to choose a man who has brought tears and poverty to more Nigerians or a man who can change the current situation. You want to choose a man who chased away Maitatsine and chased away Chadian rebels or a man that on Monday we lost 32 persons in Bauchi and Gombe. Nigerians should be left to determine who they want to choose. Our campaign will be issuebased.

With the state of insurgency in some parts of North-East and declaration of state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, there are fears that elections may not hold in the three states. What is your take on this?

If we had power to stop insurgency, wouldn’t we do that so that we can get our three states? We don’t have the power and the governors cannot do anything other than assisting if the army would ask for funds. Beyond that what else can we do? The control of the military lies in the hands of the President and only the president can give order as Commander-in-Chief but most importantly only the president can fund the military in such a manner that they can fight Boko Haram. If we conduct next year elections without the three states, won’t we be going to constitutional crisis? How would the governors continue in office if there is no election in those states?

What about the House and National Assembly members? Will the presidential election complete without the three states? I hope we don’t enter into constitutional crisis in 2015.

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SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

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C

Waheed Bakare hristmas Day remains one of the most popular festivals and it is celebrated on December 25 all over the world. Apart from its cultural and religious importance in Christendom, Christian families across the globe are usually in celebratory ecstasy to mark the occasion associated with the birth of Jesus Christ. Although the event is an annual ritual, the convivial atmosphere where families, friends and neighbours come together to wine and dine could make every Christmas a unique celebration.

But such elated bliss was beyond the families of the Chibok girls, who were kidnapped by members of terror group, Boko Haram, over eight months ago. This is one Christmas they wished should never have existed.

So, when Samuel Yaga and his wife, Rebecca, parents of one of the Chibok girls tagged this year’s celebration as “a bad Christmas,” their frustration was well understood because their family remains “incomplete.”

They lamented the absence of their studious daughter, Sarah, at a time when all the family come together to share in the joy that heralded the birth of Christ.

“She is brilliant. She likes reading.

Always, she liked to go to school,” her father told the CNN, adding that the joy with which the family celebrate Christmas had been shattered by Boko Haram.

“One of us is not here, how can it be the same? There is nothing I can say; it has happened. It is a bad Christmas, but there is nothing we can do,” Samuel said.

Rebecca recalled how determined her daughter was in her quest to have education, adding, “She used to tell me one day she would finish school and become somebody. She loved studies; she used to assist the younger ones with their homework.

She used to fall asleep with her books in her arms.

“Her siblings know that she is not here. They themselves know what is happening, having come out of war.

“They keep asking me, ‘when is she coming back?’ But I keep telling them to keep trusting God, maybe He will hear us. I always feel pain inside of me, but I am trusting God that one day, she will come back.”

For a family that believes in the efficacy of prayers, all hope is on God that one day Sarah will walk up to the warm embrace of the family.

“I tell the children that she will come back, they should keep praying and hoping that she is still alive and that she will come back.

“They will come back. They will come back. If they are still alive on the face of the earth, they will come back,” Samuel said.

On Christmas Day, which marked 255 days the girls had been kidnapped, a group, #BringBackOurGirls, organised a street protest in Abuja, to show solidarity with the parents of the girls who lives have been in bleak since their daughters were kidnapped.

As the event was going on some social media activists such as former minister, Oby Ezekwesili, took to social media platforms to vent their pentup emotion and feeling of inertia that government is not doing enough to rescue the girls.

“How can we celebrate Christmas when the daughter of my uncle is still in captivity -Chibok Comm Leader,” a man using the twitter handle @seunokin says.

“Shu'aibu had his sister Saratu

The abducted Chibok girls

Bleak Christmas for Chibok schoolgirls among the missing Chibok girls. #BringBackOurGirls @omojuwa, which was retweeted by @obyezeks “Remember the #ChibokGirls and those in captivity, displaced, lost loved ones, merry Christmas” #BringBackOurGirlsNOW-@nikeAdeyemi, wife of DayStar Pastor, Sam, also adds her voice.

“Remembering that the #ChibokGirls remain missing and many other children and women have been abducted dulled the Christmas for me” says @ayourb “While my heart goes out to the #ChibokGirls and their families; I also pray for our troops who are unable to spend Christmas with their families,”-@bukkyshonibare also twits.

Ezekwesili through her twitter handle @obyezeks, “15-year-old brother of one of our 219 #ChibokGirls cried all through our march today 4 his sister.

His tears cut the heart like a knife.:( Where are our #ChibokGirls?

“I'm ASHAMED on behalf of ALL OUR LEADERS in FG (+NASS) COMFORTABLY ENJOYING Christmas with their OWN DAUGHTERS. “When a contingent of policemen alongside their vehicles formed a BLOCKADE to prevent us from our march, I REMINDED THEM OF THE GERMAN WALL. “Today our SPECIAL STAND for OUR #ChibokGirls was to SYMBOLICALLY pass through the gates of NASS & Villa to REMIND our LEADERS. NO MOVING ON!” “Today is Christmas, the Chibok girls are still in captivity. #BringBackOurGirls-@tilevbare “Nothing could have prepared me, eight months ago, for today's reality that OUR #ChibokGirls will spend Christmas with the enemy. Nothing.

“While you merry, just remember that 200 girls are out there& will be missing Christmas & their families. All

We shall not allow any to peaceably forget our 219 Daughters.

WE shall ALWAYS REMIND them-OUR GIRLS ARE NOT BACK

is not well in Nigeria,”@OgbeniDipo “So... like joke like joke the #chibokgirls will spend christmas in boko haram camps. Mehn... this is incompetence of government at its peak,”-@ifeAdebayo “#Chibok girl Abduction made Top 10 @CNN International stories of #2014, it's in #6. #bringbackourgirls,” @obyezeks-@vicwale @obyezeks “can you imagine a Xmas without our girls? They were home last year, this year we still hope and know that it is well with them.On Boxing Day, the campaign continued unabated with an unnamed person using the hashtag #DAY256 of OUR ChibokGirls twitting: “WE shall not allow any to peaceably forget our 219 Daughters. WE shall ALWAYS REMIND them-OUR GIRLS ARE NOT BACK.” Another twit reads, “Another Boxing Day…A day that boxes are opened to retrieve Christmas Gifts.

Imagine if Parents got GIFT of OUR GIRLS TODAY!! DAY256 of OUR #ChibokGirls #BringBackOurGirlsNowAndAlive!!! #HUMANITY! The BringBackOurGirls community on its facebook wall yesterday say, “Today is the 256th day since 273 Nigerian school girls were kidnapped. We ask that all of you, from whatever city/country you live, to continue to march and hold rallies.

Continue to call your government leaders and tell your friends. We will not be silenced. Everyday, the family at the Bring Back Our Girls headquarters in Abuja march and rally in huge numbers.”

On April 15, 2014, the nation woke up to a rude shock that about 300 girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, had been kidnapped by terror group, Boko Haram, the previous night. The girls, who are mostly teenagers, had converged on

the premises preparatory to their final secondary school examinations before the predators struck and took them to one of their fortified camps believe to be Sambisa forest.

The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, which had hitherto been criticised for its lethargic approach and lack of political will to tackle headlong insurgency, dismissed the kidnap saga as puerile and another attempt to denigrate the administration.

There was little report about the sad event in the media until May 2, when the police said they were still unclear about the exact figure of the students kidnapped and asked parents to divulge necessary information since the school records had been damaged by the insurgents when they invaded the school.

On May 4, the President spoke on the issue for the first time assuring the nation that the government would do everything possible to find the missing schoolgirls.

Although the modus operandi of the attack on the school pointed in the direction of Boko Haram, the leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, via a video on May 5, claimed responsibility for the crime. In the video, which went viral on the internet within minutes after it was released, Shekau claimed that "Allah instructed me to sell them...I will carry out his instructions,” adding, "slavery is allowed in my religion and I shall capture people and make them slaves.”

He said it was a taboo for the girls to be in school. Rather, he said they should have been married since girls as young as nine are suitable for marriage.

But his claim has been faulted by Islamic scholars who stressed the importance Islam attached to education as well as the place of parental consent before marriage is valid.

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Displaced persons at Waru village

Y

uletide is a season of joy and merriment across the world as Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Many residents of Abuja, Nigeria' s capital city had a swell time in the comfort of their homes. Others combined the lavish food and drinks with hanging out at some of the leisure spots.

But it was a different ball game for some 2000 Internally Displaced Persons( IDPs) who fled their homes in the troubled north -east region of the country.

After a tortuous journey through different bush paths and mountain routes, they took refuge at Waru, a sleepy, dusty, village on the outskirts of Abuja.

It is not a conventional refugee camp and for a first time visitor, you are not likely to notice their presence in the community. They live among the natives and have bonded so well with them that you will hardly know who is the stranger in their midst. The truth will however reveal itself when you encounter them at a close range and they unburden their grief - stricken hearts with tears rolling down their cheeks Elisha Ezekiel Elisha, a tall, dark-skinned young an in his late thirties is a native of Gwoza, Borno state. He was our first contact at Waru village and within a short while he had contacted a handful of other IDPs in the community. Elisha, an NCE graduate had taken to farming after completing his tertiary education in Borno State and was unable to pick up a white collar job. From the proceeds of his farm, he had gotten married and was living a quiet life in his community when the insurgents stormed the community.

He narrated to Saturday New Telegraph how the Boko Haram terrorists sacked several communities including his own village in February this year.

"The day they attacked our village they killed about seven people. When they were coming they passed by my residence. My wife greeted them because she thought they were soldiers since they were wearing uniforms like soldiers. They came down from the hills and passed by the narrow road near my house but when my wife greeted them, they didn't respond Some of my brothers who were paying

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

No Merry Christmas for over 2,000 IDPs Since the crisis of terrorism and insurgency hit Nigeria's north east-region, millions of Nigerians from the troubled states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have continued to flee their homes to seek refuge in other parts of the country. On Christmas eve, Onwuka Nzeshi and Yekeen Nurudeen visited Waru, a village hosting over 2000 internally displaced persons and report that these refugees in their own country were not in the mood for celebration. The report: ludo with me in front of my compound were blaming my wife for greeting these strangers. She explained that it was because some of the soldiers were my friends and she thought that they were people coming to see me. It was later that we got to know that they were not soldiers but Boko Haram militants.

"About 15 minutes after they passed

by my compound, they got to t he nearby school premises, then we heard gunshots.

We thought it was the soldiers that were shooting the gun. But later on, we started hearing shouts of Allah u Ak bar! Allah u Akbar ! God is great! Allah is great! Allah is great! It was then we knew that they were not soldiers but Boko Haram terrorists.

The moment we discovered that, every-

body found his way into the bush. Majority of our people did not leave their homes with anything. Some were wearing only singlet and boxers. We fled to Cameron and burst out in Mubi because at that time Mubi was still peaceful.

When we got to Mubi, we contacted some of our brothers living in Borno and Abuja bad solicited for their help so that we can transport ourselves from Mubi to Yola.

We couldn't stay in Cameron because we don't have any means of livelihood there.

It was from Yola that we later found our way to Abuja."

He lamented the loss of one of his uncles to the attack on Gwoza but disclosed that two of the Boko Haram fighters were equally gunned down in the cross fire.

"When the soldiers over powered them, they went back to the hill. But as they were retreating, they saw some of our people sitting under a tree; it was around 7 pm , they opened fire on them killing seven of them and injuring three.

Nigerian soldiers also killed some of the Boko Haram fighters but they (Boko Haram) did not leave the corpse of their men. They quickly carried them away. But there were two of them killed by soldiers which they could not carry away. One was trying to drive away the armored tank belonging to the Nigeria Army but soldiers shot him inside the armored tank. The second one was shot by solders inside a Hilux van so they could not take him away. The solders later brought him out and burnt him,"he said.

Elisha now lives with his wife and some of his siblings. They are eight in number and they depend mainly on the goodwill of their hosts. Like many rural communities outside the city centre, Waru is devoid of the well paved roads, street lights and flower gardens common in the highbrow districts of Maitama, Asokoro and Wuse. But these folks are consoled by the fact that they have escaped from the danger zone and at least have a roof over their head.

He has been at the Waru as an IDP since February. He was a farmer before the crisis but he now survives as a commercial motor cyclist. He misses the steady income he used to earn from his guinea corn farms back in his ancestral home.

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SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

has one major regret, his family life and means of livelihood have been shattered into pieces.

I left about 72 bags of guinea corn inside my store in Pulka but it is only this shirt that I am wearing that I have now.

I couldn't sell my guinea corn before the criss broke out. One of my neighbors who escaped from Pulka last month said that he saw some people who brought a trailer to my store and packed away everything.

I have an uncle in Pulka but I don't know if he is still alive or not. I don't have any information about him now," he said.

Mary Paul Mrs Mary Paul hails from Michika Local Government of Adamawa State but was forced to flee the area because of the terror unleashed on the people by the Boko Haram. The terrorists overran her village on a Sunday morning just as the residents were settling down in the churches to worship their creator.

Majority of them were inside the church when somebody came and knocked on the gate of the church and ordered the pastor to stop the prayers and sermons "because the children of Mallam are here".

The congregation started running out of the church but the pastor directed that everybody should be calm and should avoid running because some people could be injured or killed if we allow a stampede.

"So we started going out one by one with our Bibles in our hand.

But because of the initial panic and confusion, many of us lost our children and before we could find them, we walked for more than five kilometers.

As at that very day, we thought that the thing will end like that but before we knew it, these people have surrounded our community. It is only God that helped us that this thing started in tbe rainy season and there is guinea corn in the farms, all those things in the bush helped us as many of us escaped into the bush.

"But before we knew it, these people had even gone ahead of us and burnt down the village we were moving to and the villagers had ran away. Our people were scattered all over the place. We later recovered some of our relatives but where we went again, these people still entered there to attack us. They came with their motor cycles shouting : God is great. Allah ak bar! They started shooting guns. We lost about six people that day.

After that incident, we relocated to Mubi and from there some people assisted us and we took transport to Yola . When we entered Yola, I dropped my dad there because he is old and cannot continue to run. But I still entered motor again, went back to my village after collecting money from my younger brother living in Yola. I searched for my mother and my other relatives. In every community that I went, you will see a lot of dead bodies on the ground. The people who survived were also in danger, many of them were sick and there was no hospital to take care of them. There was nobody to give them food. Even those people who were wounded and could not work, there was nobody to help them. It was from Yola that I came down to Abuja."

Life in the camp Like the other displaced persons, Mary was taken to the community leaders who received her and her children and gave them accommodation in the village. According to Mary, the community leaders have been very hospitable and have helped the displaced persons to settle down, life in Waru is a far cry from what they were used to in the North East before the crisis. She spoke to our crew amidst tears and emotions of someone who is home- sick.

"I lost my husband during this Boko Haram crises in Yobe State. He was killed on January 6, 2014. So I am here with my children and some of my brothers. It is not easy for us here. Majority of our children cannot go to school. No money to sponsor them for school. Sometimes to eat is a problem. Until we go out to find our daily bread, majority of us go hungry.

Currently, I am not employed. I only help people to weed in their farms. While I was in Michika, I used to sell food and sometimes I buy and sell shoes and clothes on Saturdays, the market day in the community. Like one of my aunties , she lost her husband and her senior son and she has nothing doing," Mary said.

Saturday New Telegraph gathered that apart from the churches, voluntary organisations and charity institution these IDPs have not felt the presence of the govern-

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Elisha

District Head of Waru, Ibrahim Sarki

Isuwa, the Chief of Waru Village

Thomas James

ment their home states.

"It's only church people that are helping us here. But we need government to assist us. We need our homes back. We still need our home because there is no place like home. We are not happy staying here because sometimes Army will just enter here and they will think that all tgese our boys here who have no wrk doing could be armed robbers or Boko Haram. They will carry them away to punish them. We are not happy about what is happening. We need help. Many of us have gone to school, let the government assist us with jobs to earn our living. We also need education for our own children and some of our brothers who are still of school age," she said.

Thomas James (34) Thomas, one of the IDPs in Waru Camp is an orphan and the eldest child among his siblings. He parents died before he could complete his secondary school education. He managed to complete that level of education but had to take to farming immediately to fend for the family. Thomas who also hails from Gwoza narrated his ordeal to New Telegraph on Saturday detailing the gruesome experience that has become the lot of millions of citizens who once lived peacefully in the north eastern region of Nigeria. The day the terrorists struck in his neighbourhood, Thomas said, they kidnapped nine people from the farm. Those kidnapped were close relatives and friends including the eldest person in his mother's family and the father of his younger brother's wife.

"These nine people have been missing since February this year. They were captured from Pulka Town in Gwoza LGA and up till now we don't know if they are still alive or not," he said.

According to Thomas, initially when the Boko Haram fighters started raiding villages, they were not after the women

They will carry them away to punish them. We are not happy about what is happening

and the aged but only the able bodied men.

The men therefore fled to the mountains and came home occasionally to monitor the situation. However, when the insurgents began to prey on the women, kidnapping them, forcefully converting them to Islam and giving them out in marriage, it was clear that things would never be the same again.

"It is happening every day. Once they kidnap these girls and women, they turn them to their wives even if they were already married before. Once they capture them, they will convert them to their religion and give them to other men to marry.

That is why I believe that it wont be easy to find those Chibok girls again. Even if you see them, they won't be better people again unless government will take them to a nice place to rehabilitate them," he said.

While living in Waru as an IDP, Thomas

The Hosts District Head of Waru, Ibrahim Sarki who spoke to New Telegraph said he received the IDPs from the North East with open arms because the African culture of hospitality does not allow one to ignore the plight of others who are in distress.

He disclosed that he and his Council of Chiefs decided not to camp them in the primary school or town hall as sone communities do because that system would not help the IDPs recover from the trauma they passed through in the hands of the terrorists.

"I know how much they have been suffering. I have been reading newspapers, watching television. Since they have come to my domain, I have to accommodate them. Whatever I am eating they will eat.

For instance, this house is just like their house? If you are talking about protection, I have different compounds. Where I accommodate them you can't just come and enter my compound like that because you cannot differentiate them from people that are renting house before. I merge them together and they are living peacefully. There is no difference and there is no how a policeman will enter there to embarrass them because they are my tenants. The way I hold my children, that is the way I am holding them," he said.

He disclosed that so far the only government assistance they have received came from the the Victims Support Fund ( VSF) set up by the Federal Government to take care of the needs of persons displaced from the conflict zone. The VSF led by a former Minister of Defence, General TY Danjuma, he said, recently visited Waru village where the met with the IDPs and distributed some relief items to them.

"We have not seen any body from the government of the affected states coming to know where these people are or how they are doing. It is only friends, but nobody from their state or local governments have ever been here to ask for them," he said.

The village head of Waru, Mr Kura Isuawa, who also spoke to New Telegraph on Saturday disclosed that the community had had some difficulties accommodating these IDPs because of limited vacant rooms.

Well, I don't have problems with them but accommodation for them is critical.

There are up to ten people living in one room; some are sleeping inside people's cars in the garage which is not good enough. We have been trying our best to see what we can do to make a little pace for them to live. We didn't take them to a central place like the primary school because there are not even enough rooms in the school. But we are helping them to see that their children go to school," the village head said.

Isuawa acknowledged the efforts of the Victims Support Fund, the churches and the NGOs in reaching out to the IDPs but was not pleased with some the relief items donated by some private individuals and groups. According to him, persons who wish to donate relief materials should ensure that such items were not in bad shape but should be items the donors would like to use if they were in the shoes of these displaced persons. He urged the federal government to continue to assist the victims of the insurgency wherever they may be found to save them from being homeless and stranded for too long.

FaceOff SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH 27 DECEMBER 2014

‘FG wants to hijack Lagos-Badagry road for political gains’ What is your reaction to the taking over of re-construction of the Lagos-Badagry road by federal government?

This Federal Federal Government action is an after-thought.

Lagos State, under the leadership of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola started the re-construction of Lagos-Badagry express road and federal government decided to hijack the project and want to take glory. How are we even sure that the federal government will demonstrate similar passion as that project as Fashola.

How are we sure it is not going to be an abandoned project at the end of the day, if federal government takes over the project? The question is, will they carry it out to the standard? We know that in Nigeria federal government doesn’t do anything well. Check out the standard of the road that Governor Fashola has been constructing. All the roads are up to world class standard. Federal government is known for numerous abandoned projects. My advice to federal government is to support Lagos State government with moral and financial support so that the project can be concluded as scheduled. Federal government should support Lagos State government with everything needed and allow the state government to execute it. If federal government insists on executing the project, are they not going to politicise it? Fashola is not a politician, he believes in doing things up to the standard. Just imagine after eight years federal government now want to hijack the project from him. Actually, it is federal government road but federal government saw the state of that road for many years and they did not do anything about it. After Fashola had developed passion for this road for the benefit of people of Lagos and other West Africans, federal government suddenly woke up to hijack it. What is the blue print of the federal government? The federal government should let Nigerians know the blue print. The federal government should come out with their own blue print for the proper execution of that project.

The only place the federal government do anything up to standard is in Abuja because it is the federal capital territory.

Are you saying that federal government take over of the reconstruction of Lagos-Badagry road is politically motivated?

Yes, the federal government decision is politically-motivated; they want to bring politics into it. Why are they hijacking the project now? They want to use

Olukayode Salako is the founder and National coordinator of Fasholamania, a socio political group that has been rallying support for Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola. In this interview with WALE ABIODUN, he expresses fear that the federal government may abandon the Lagos-Badagry road. ity. Some Lagosians will not appreciate Fashola now until he has gone. I call him the Obama of Nigeria. Nigerians are looking for him at the centre.

What is your view on the recently concluded national conference in Abuja?

The recently concluded national conference was a child of necessity, no doubt. The Nigeria of today needs the platform where efforts can be made to talk about the problems of the country and see whether there can be possible solutions and see whether we can redesign the issue of Nigeria. And see whether there can be a rebirth of a new Nigeria. I am always an advocate of the convocation of sovereign national conference. It can still be believed that the resolutions of national conference as it is today can be good enough to help in the creation of a new Nigeria. The only areas where I am expressing my fears is how the resolutions of the national conference are going to be implemented.

Will the implementation of resolutions of this national conference go the way of other national conferences we have had in Nigeria?

Nigeria of today is a sinking ship that needs urgent Intervention, which I think the national conference might have addressed and Nigerians are waiting for implementation in the interest of the people.

Salako

it to campaign for 2015 elections.

There are many federal roads that federal government can construct for Lagos. Fashola doesn’t abandon projects. He is a super governor; he will not abandon that project. He does not have record of any abandoned project in the state. People of Lagos will not appreciate governor Fashola until he has gone. They want to make politics of that project and federal government is going to make a mess of that project, go and write it down.

What is the state of affairs with the Fasholamania project?

The Fasholamania project was a platform I founded in 2007 to continue to give support for the exceptional government of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.

A good leader should take a decision and stand by it. President Jonathan is not a firm leader

Since I have been born the only leader that impressed me about governance is Babatunde Raji Fashola. So Fasholamania will always exist to give Governor Babatunde Fashola either in government or his private life every support and encouragement he deserves. He has run one of the best governments in Nigeria.

His government is a pacesetter government. It is when Governor Fashola came and started governing well that every state in Nigeria started governing well. Even the federal government now came out with the transformation agenda. His governance is focused and hardworking. I will continue to be proud to associate with such government.

The best Governor Fashola has given to Lagos State is san-

What is your assessment of President Goodluck Jonathan administration?

President Jonathan has been running the country to please everybody, may be because of his second term ambition. The only people he has not given what they are asking for is the Association of Armed Robbers in the country. The association of the corrupt people has found the favour of the president. Many of the condemned people have been released in the present administration. A good leader does not govern to please the good, the bad and the ugly in the society. A good leader should take a decision and stand by it because before he would have taken that decision, he would have consulted widely. President Jonathan is not a firm leader. The Nigeria of today is not working because Nigerians are not united; everyone is running after sectional interest. There is confusion and frustration in Nigeria.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

FaceOff | Politics

‘FG’s take over of road is in the people's interest’

Mixed reactions have trailed the take-over of re-construction of Lagos-Badagry Express Road by the Federal Government. What is your opinion?

It was and remain a good development that federal government is taking over the re- construction of Lagos- Badagry express road. It is an integral aspect of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. Which is also self-evidently for the good of the people of Lagos State. It would be recalled that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government at the federal level over the years has been working in the interest of the people and all the states including Lagos has been enjoying dividends of democracy. Taking over Lagos-Badagry expressway by federal government is another dividend of democracy for the people of Lagos. We should encourage federal government to handle and conclude the project; in the first place the road is a federal government road. The Federal Government has the capacity to do it better.

Some critics ask why the PDP-led Federal Government waited since 1999 to consider re-construction of the road?

Lagos State government working on it is not making progress.

When you say since 1999, that was a different administration, now we are having dynamic administration of President Goodluck Jonathan with a vision of transformation and he is determined to do what he was able to do at south- east corridor and south- south corridor in southwest corridor, we should give him credit for that.

Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, who was a governorship aspirant in Lagos on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), tells WALE ABIODUN that the take-over of the re-construction of Lagos-Badagry Express Road the Federal Government, is dividend of democracy for Lagosians. body concerned. We are using the party structure for our campaigns.

What are the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 gubernatorial elections in the state?

Lagos state PDP is very prepared for 2015 elections. You can see that we now have presence in Lagos State. We are very much concern about how development is going on in Lagos State. You can see that the various projects that the current administration in Lagos State is carrying out are for their cronies and not meant for the masses. For instance their housing policy, no civil servant can afford, they are not the projects for the people. APC policies in Lagos that are anti-people are now making PDP attractive to the people. Lagosians are now yearning for change. The major leaders of the party are working together now in the interest of the party. The party may have differences of opinion within the

But the allegation is that taking over the road now is pregnant with political insinuations. Do you agree?

Whether it has political motive or not, it is for the good of the people. What kind of motive is that?

Let’s hope that it turns good and it becomes beneficial for us. It does not have any political motives but for the good of the people.

You are one of the governorship aspirants in Lagos State, how far with your aspiration?

The aspiration is on, we are now focused on talking to potential delegates and we hope to have a free and fair election. By that I will emerge as the candidate of the party. By the grace of God my chances are excellent and that is because in PDP there is merit. By merit I mean your qualification, your background, and your activities and based on all of that I can say with all of those facts that.

I will be the Party’s candidate for 2015 elections. Campaign is already on. We are doing visitation, we are talking to people. We are now talking to the stakeholders across the state. We have been meeting with the central working committee of the party. We have been meeting with youths, women and every-

Pearse

party; it is not enough to destroy the party unity. The unity is waxing stronger and we are ready. People of Lagos will support PDP in the next election and we are going to win.

In Lagos, there is no affordable housing for the people of Lagos.

The current administration is embarking on housing to make money

Unfold your developmental agenda for Lagosians?

In Lagos, there is no affordable housing for the people of Lagos.

The current administration is embarking on housing to make money, that is not what we will do. We are going to do welfarist government in the state. We are going to do affordable low income housing. In education sector there is a lot to be done. I learnt that the fund donated to Lagos government by foreign donors was diverted and I learnt there is a suit in court now on that matter. That is the kind of thing that will not happen in our administration. There will be good infrastructure in all the public schools; there should be good toilets, good buildings and so on. We

51

are going to have true mass transit.

We are talking about mega city; Lagos State is not yet a mega city.

We are going to make Lagos a real mega city because we are going to connect cities with the hinterland like Badagry, Epe, Alimoso and all other areas that have been less developed. These are the areas that have been totally neglected like Badagry and Epe, we will build them up to vibrant towns that they are. By this we will decongest the central Lagos. Everybody is now moving to the central Lagos. People spend long hours on the road and we are losing working hours and people get tired before they get home. There is a lot to be done and by the grace of God we will do these things. We will improve on our health care services to international standard. Nobody will be siphoning money from Lagos to develop other south west states in our administration. Lagos appears to be developed but when you go out of central Lagos that is not to say that the whole of Lagos central is developed. There are some places in central Lagos that look like rural places in Ekiti state. If you go to Makoko, Lagos mainland, Shomolu, Bariga, Alimosho, Iyana Ipaja and Ayobo there are still a lot of work to be done. There is a lot to be done in transportation. Every day before people get to work they are already tired. There is a shortage of housing in Lagos State, government has not built houses for people in the last 14 years, and I am glad to contribute to the development of the state.

Assess the political development in Nigeria so far?

Nigeria is evolving, before the civil war we had regional political parties, Action Group in the west and NCNC in the east; NPC mainly in the north. After that we had evolution of NPN, UPN and NPP, UPN was not doing much as national party’ the same thing applied to NPP basically in the east but NPN won election across the country. So, with that from NPN, the NRC and PDP are national parties. We have one largest party in the country. Now we are having APC, so that we have some competition for PDP. We have a democracy; two major parties are contesting against one another. You notice that in 2011 elections, the president was credited with promoting free and fair election. He received worldwide acclaim that the election was fair. If we are able to do the same in 2015, Nigeria will continue to grow. The just concluded national confab is another example of development of democracy. We talked about what we can do to improve the quality of lives of our people. Better governance in the country, so Nigeria is moving on.

People who have predicted the hell of Nigeria in 2015 don’t realize that the two main interests that bind us together are that we cannot separate, we cannot break up. What we can do is to restructure the country and the structure of government.

52 Perspectives

D

emocracy would lose its defining egalitarianism if it foreclosed the free expression of viewpoints by its adherents - including often unreasoned perspectives and even outright threats by forces that seek to diminish and divide. This scenario raises some posers. Beyond certain quirky viewpoints which are being freely bandied currently, should democracy permit its adherents to use crude threats against perceived opponents to attempt to access democratic power?

Does the operative Nigerian constitution recognize crude threats of injury and damnation against perceived political opponents of some candidates viewed as the best brands by some citizens? Should personalities on whose behalf the threats under reference are being peddled not be held accountable in the case of proven cases of injury, loss of property or even death?

There is a need to separate the legitimate expression of viewpoints and political positions indicating a citizen’s leaning from spawning specific threats directed at people felt to have opposite sentiments.

While the first can leverage our politics the latter can only diminish and endanger the polity.

After General Muhammadu Buhari’s recently clinched the the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) presidential ticket to challenge President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 poll, certain pro-Buhari forces have suddenly discovered the beauty of threatening folks, especially northerners, who support President Jonathan. This should not be so.

Just last week, a prominent Nigerian Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi revealed he has been threatened for not supporting General Buhari. The Kaduna-based cleric raised the alarm in a Facebook post titled, “PDP v APC: It’s Not about Religion.”

According to Gumi, his children have also been receiving calls from persons who use unknown telephone numbers to threaten them. His words:“People like me who had all along been critical about the government can longer speak or express personal opinion if it is not in support of Gen. Buhari.

“Just this morning around 2.30a.m., my three male children individually got threatening phone calls from a private number.

People can vote for whoever they choose whether a Christian or a Muslim” Sheikh Gumi had in a separate Facebook post in October called on Mr. Buhari not to contest the 2015 presidential election for fear of crisis. Similarly, he had also advised President

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

2015: Threats As New Marketing Tool (1) Goodluck Jonathan not to stand in next year’s presidential election.

Reacting to Sheikh Gumi’s alarm, a Zaria-based cleric, Ahmed Ali, advised the preacher to stay off politics so that he will not derail from what he has been known for. Ali’s words: “Politics is for politicians while religious teachings are in the hands of clerics.

"Gumi should have remained on that and not start joining issues with politicians,” Mr. Ali said. “You can see that he is being labeled as an enemy by supporters of the candidates he claimed to

The Nation-State With Louis Achi

achilouis35@gmail.com have given advice.”

Besides the threats issued to Sheik Gumi there have been others that speak to the same extremism that if not addressed may willynilly morph into full blown bloody outcome. The media has been awash with reports of threats by some radical elements in the Northern part of the country to pro-

Jonathan governors and other supporters of President Jonathan’s re-election bid in the North, saying it was an invitation to anarchy.

Some Northern governors have even confided that they have received specific threats should they continue supporting President Jonathan.

The unfolding scenario

clearly is indicative of what could play out should Gen. Buhari be declared loser.

The reported destruction of Jonathan posters in the North and actual beating up of folks identifying with Jonathan are clear warning of significant and dangerous drift. It is the contention of this writer that this is the best way to de-market the stern Fulani Prince.

It would serve his interest more if he were to react openly to this development and rein-in his followers.

More importantly, a comparable reverse scenario could equally play out

scripted by pro-Jonathan forces should the Ijaw biologist be perceived to have been unfairly forced out of power. Therein is the danger to the Fourth Republic.

Perhaps not unexpectedly, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) reacted to these developments last week. In a statement in Yenagoa by its spokesman Comrade Eric Omare, the IYC stated that all Nigerians irrespective of their place of origin have the right to contest for the nation’s presidency and also have the right to support any candidate of their choice without molestation.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

News

53

54 Sport Extra

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

African Footballer of the Year:

Sport Slaming

Pinnick backs Enyeama for award

Adekunle Salami adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only)

T

Adekunle Salami

Federer

A real pro-league and the new Eagles

he President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, has thrown his weight behind Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, to clinch the African Footballer of the Year award.

Enyeama of Lille FC, France, is one of the three players on the final shortlist released by the Confederation of Africa Football on Thursday.

Three-time African Player of the year, Yaya Toure of Manchester City and Cote d’Ivoire, and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund, Germany, also made the top three of the 2014 Glo-CAF African Player of the Year Award.

The winner will be announced at the Awards Night holding at the Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos on January 8, 2015.

Pinnick told our correspondent that Enyeama deserved the award based on his consistency for club and country in the year under review.

“He has been very key for his team all through the year. The number of clean sheets he kept is a record by any African keeper in Africa. He has also been outstanding for the Super Eagles.

“Enyeama has my personal support and that of the NFF because this is an individual award. I am so happy for him to be in the final shortlist and I pray he wins it.

In the Women's Player of the Year category, Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala and Desire Oparanozie were shortlisted long with Annette Ngo Ndom of Cameroon while Asisat Oshoala also made the top three of Youth Player of the Year alongside her Nigerian teammate Uchechi Sunday and Fabrice Ondoa of Cameroon.

Globacom Limited has partnered with CAF for the award in the past nine years.

Federer won’t force kids to play tennis

R

oger Federer's drive to succeed has landed him seven Wimbledon singles titles and a legion of fans.

But when it comes to his children taking up sport, he is determined not to be a pushy parent.

"I don't know if the kids are ever going to play tennis at a high level like that," says Federer, whose wife Mirka gave birth to their second set of twins this May. "Honestly, I think it all depends on how things are going to be when we settle in Switzerland, and what sport they are going to take up.”

And after a difficult year in 2013, when he struggled with a back injury, Federer returned in impressive form this season to win more matches - 73 - than any other player on the men's tour.

Dikko takes over at LMC Ajibade Olusesan

O

ne of the presidential aspirants at the last Nigeria Football Federation elections, Shehu Dikko, has been confirmed as the new chairman of the League Management Company.

The secretary of the Club Owners Association, Alloy Chukwuemeka, who confirmed this said, noted that in line with the NFF league governance structure, the body has sent a list of six members to form the new board.

However, the current chairman of the LMC, Nduka Irabor, will remain a board member. Others are Dr. Ayo Ayodele, Dominic Iorfa, Hon. Akin Akinbobola, Mallam Salihu Abubakar and Prince Okey Ibeh.

T

Enyeama

Chelsea down West Ham

C

helsea asserted their Premier League dominance with a comfortable victory over West Ham on Boxing Day. When the opening goal came, the only surprise was that Chelsea needed a set-piece to break the deadlock, with John Terry poking home a Diego Costa flick on from close range in the 31st minute.

But Costa made it 2-0 with 62 minutes gone to all-but-end any chance of the Hammers mounting a fightback.

Allardyce's side mounted a late rally but Chelsea's clean

sheet remained in tact when Morgan Amalfitano hit the post with four minutes remaining.

The result sees Chelsea consolidate their place at the top of the Premier League, while West Ham could drop out of the top four.

EPL RESULTS Chelsea 2 - 0 West Ham Burnley 0 - 1 Liverpool Palace 1 - 3 Southampton Everton 0 - 1 Stoke City Leicester 1 - 2 Tottenham Man Utd 3 - 1 Newcastle Sun'land 1 - 3 Hull City Swansea 1 - 0 Aston Villa West Brom 1 - 3 Man City

Costa

GAMES/CROSS WORD PUZZLE Nigerian State Capitals-1

KEY WORDS

BAUCHI JOS SOKOTO BIRNIN-KEBBI KADUNA UMUAHIA DAMATURU KANO UYO DUTSE KATSINA YENAGOA ENUGU LAFIA YOLA GOMBE LOKOJA ASABA T A K I S A N O N A I I B R S U R T C E A H W K B O S E T U O O I

A K I U I K I L A K A

D T R R O J O S T I B

G U C A O N A K C H A

A D U D R E O G N I L

T A N

B A N

L M I B A D Y O L A M O U G U M U A

A J H

K O S

N I E

U I O U B A U A T E B

N A R U L I T A G O G A B K I N K A O Y A W

O G H M S E I D R U K

N

1

2

8

3

4 7

5

6

9 10

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I

A

M

A

B

I

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E

K

F

O

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A

K

J

L

U

A

P

T

J

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A

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K

N

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A I

K A

N D

11

12

13

14 16 18 19 21 24 25

1 5 7 8 9 10 11 12

Movement of vehicles, (7).

Rubbish container, (3).

Feel regret for, (3).

'God' in Latin, (3).

Korean car, (3).

Shout loudly, (4).

Wicked monster, (4).

Very, (2).

15 17

DOWN 1 Boring, (7).

20 22

ACROSS

2 Ex. Kebbi State Governor, (6).

23

3 Something not genuine, (4).

4 Coloured drawing stick, (6).

5 Object with ringing sound, (4).

26

16 17 18 22 23 24 25 26

Royal Engineers, abbr., (2).

Talcum powder, (4).

United group of countries, (4).

Extremely, (3).

Relative, abbr., (3).

Greek's 22nd letter, (3).

Unit of Albanian currency, (3).

List of goods for sale, (7).

14 Very cold region, (6).

15 Large cask, (6).

19 Fastening mechanism, (4).

20 Bar for fastening door, (4).

21 Zero, (3).

6 Light meshwork fabric, (3).

13 Things still to be done, (7).

See solution on page 20

he running of the domestic league is very crucial in any good footballing nation. Nigeria is one of such and it is important to take the league seriously. I see no reason why any good coach cannot pick the back four of the Super Eagles from the league. With due respect, Azubuike Egwuekwe is not the best defender in the domestic league but the laziness of the handlers or personal ‘expectation’ made the player a regular Eagles call-up. During the World Cup in Brazil, injury affected the team and instead of coach Stephen Keshi to pick Egwuekwe, he went for Joseph Yobo who performed well above expectations. I made bold to say that the Nigerian league is good but the packaging is what is yet to be at the expected level.

A former international, Sunday Oliseh, in his reaction to the ouster of Nigeria from the 2015 African Nations Cup wondered why the domestic league was no longer producing key players for the team. He argued that most of the players in the golden generation of Nigerian football (himself inclusive) were products of the Nigerian league.

The packaging is one area the League Management Company has to work on in the New Year. The body should be strict on the all-round standard. Some of the top clubs in the country are yet to meet 50 per cent of the conditions of a professional side. That is why many people argue that the country is running a glorified amateur league.

There should be no compromise on the playing pitch. It should be good enough and if not, let such team forfeit its place in the league. If we have only 10 or 12 teams ready to take the right steps including regular payment of the players’ salaries and allowances, the LMC should roll with that.

Good system breeds good product. If the LMC does not get it right administratively, down the line, the league will have issues in various dimensions.

I am happy some of the matches are live on digital satellite television but the body must take a further step by involving the terrestrial television to show the games live. The league should be taken to the homes of the average Nigerian. It is sad that many football fans cannot even name five players in the Nigerian league.

There must be concerted efforts to make the league attractive to players and fans alike. I recall that players came from countries like Ghana, Togo, Cameroun, Benin Republic to feature in the Nigerian league. That was when the league was very strong with huge followership. Efforts could also be made to bring back some Nigerian players who have made it in the national team as a way of promoting the league. Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi, Mobi Oparaku, Sani Kaita etc. are examples of players that came back to the domestic scene after their years in Europe. But these experienced players can only say yes if the environment is conducive for them.

Officiating is a big issue. It is impressive that the new board of the NFF recently sent some referees abroad for training. The Amaju Pinnick board is also working on using some former internationals as match readers at various levels in football including the domestic league. Those involved in this arrangement are also going abroad for training. There should also be adequate security at match venues to give referees the confidence to officiate fairly at all times.

It was so disturbing a week ago when referee Charles Ozigbo was beaten up during a rescheduled national league match between Ranchers Bees and Kwara United. Scores stood at two apice when Ozigbo awarded a penalty kick to Kwara. Security operatives could not help him. Such incidents should be avoided both in the NNL and the elite league.

It was great to note that the bulk of the players to play Cote d’Ivoire and Mali friendlies next year are from the league. I expect these players to seize the opportunity to excel. Nigeria started 2014 with the home Eagles winning bronze in South Africa but those players, for no reason, are no longer in the reckoning. The NFF should also ensure that the Transfer Certificate is not something players can obtain easily. There should be strict measures on foreign transfer.

I salute Mfon Udoh who scored 23 goals and Emem Eduok who scored 20 goals in the last league season. I expect these players to be part of the new look Super Eagles as we await the NFF to roll out its plans for the senior national team in concrete terms.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

27 DECEMBER 2014

55

DESTINATION

SATURDAY

Erin Ijesa: A neglected goldmine stirs community's wrath

P.42

Sanctity of Truth

SPORT

Pinnick backs Enyeama for African player of the year

N150

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014.

P.54

Kane, Soldado threaten

De Gea M

Ajibade Olusesan

anchester United goalkeeper, David De Gea, has been one of the best performers in the English Premier League this season but he will come against the most promising strike partnership in England at the moment when the Red Devils face Tottenham at the White Hart Lane on Sunday.

After a disastrous start to the season, Coach Van Gaal seems to have steadied the ship in recent weeks with United winning six EPL games on the trot.

Victories over Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Hull, Stoke City, Southampton and Liverpool before a 1-1 stalemate at Aston Villa propelled United up to third in the table and the Spaniard was clearly the star of the show.

Although the run coincided with midfielder Michael Carrick’s return to the first team, De Gea has been their best player by far this season.

He has made a whopping 47 saves before their last match against Newcastle, one of the best statistics in the land and those saves were crucial to United’s resurgence. His spring reflexes, impressive organisational skills, sharp awareness and compelling composure have marked him out as one of the best in the world at the moment.

His teammate, Phil Jones, believes the secret behind the goalkeeper’s recent performances is his work ethic, strength of character and determina-

tion to take his game to the next level.

“He is terrific to work with," Phil explained. "Off the field, he is a great lad; he is very humble and quiet. On the pitch, we are lucky to have him."

However, and once again, the Red Devils will rely on the goalie as Spurs unleash Harry Kane and Roberto Soldado on their opponents. These two players have subtly developed a partnership that is working and they could test Man United sternly if Coach Mauricio Pochettino pairs the two of them in the attack.

Their partnership has been one of the reasons Tottenham have regained the momentum in recent weeks. Tottenham never lost in any match two of them played together. They have played six of those matches and the Spurs won five and drew one.

Kane has been more prolific of the two. The England U-21 international has scored 11 goals in his last 15 games in all competitions, making him one of the Premier League’s form strikers.

“He could go on to become a great goalscorer for Tottenham and possibly England as well,” England legend Gary Lineker said of the player. “I like him a lot. I like his movement, his work rate, his desire to score goals and his confidence to take people on.”

Whatever the course the match eventually takes, De Gea and the two Tottenham strikers could play huge roles in it.

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by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Advert Hotline: 01-8541248, Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: Laurence ani.