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

Saturday, September 20, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 214

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N150

Time ticks for Speaker Tambuwal ABUJA

lSet to dump PDP end of September lRuling party still bent on ousting him

arring any last minute twists, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the All Pro-

gressives Congress (APC) before the end of the month. Saturday New Telegraph learnt that all arrangements have been concluded for him to take the final plunge having waited in the

Onwuka Nzeshi

wings of the opposition camp for almost three years. The move was said to be informed by both legal and constitutional limitations as well as political exigencies. The APC re-

cently released guidelines for the conduct of its presidential primary election upon which it would pick its presidential candidate for the 2015 general election. According to the guideline, the

collection of the expression of interest forms for the presidential primary election will commence on September 24 while the sale CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Sport Splash SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMB

ER 2014

ELOHOR EISIEN

ZACK ORJI’S SON

GIFT AGBO

SPORT

60 minutes with the red carpet queen }13

Having a legend as father may be distracting }23

Sad tale of a 10-year-old disfigured by Leukemia }10

Conversation

SHOWBIZ

Your free 8-page thriller }25

STREET DIARY

Inside the

FREE

AWC: It’s the trophy or nothing, says Oshoala p.27

Musa ready for Moscow derby p.28

Man City, Chelse ignite Etihad a p.28

Club owners to blame for dearth of talents - Niekete n p.31

� ‘It will be

difficult quali

fying for Moro

Vincent Eboigbe Lawal. He added: for a particular “The national team ormer Super is not set of players, Eagles midfielde deserves to Lawal, has everybody r, Garba be invited; laid case at the but poor showing the blame for the moment and that is not the team’s in the AFCON fiers solely 2015 quali- stand why it is like that; we don’t underat the feet Keshi. In his “I can tell of coach Stephen will be very invitation of you it match selections players, rocco now. difficult to qualify for In fact it will Mochoices, Keshi and tactical and you can’t be a miracle has taken fold lot of flak. Nigeria a expect miracles.your arms and lost 3-2 to Congo in the opening ready saying People are alround of the the team can qualifying feat Sudan decampaign, home earning It is not that and away. dubious distinctiothe the Sudaneseeasy. Would n of being the just roll over and let us gerian team first Niride over them? to fall at Football is home in AFCON no longer qualthat simple, all ifiers in 33 the teams years. They want to be at the then followed champion that with ship. So, it is going a goalless draw against ”Lawal, who to be tough. South Africa, general manageris also the with only leaving them one point of Kaduna United, was from a possible six, also scornful using the Lawal of round of nailunleashing another the football excuse of the crisis in permutations, biting and hand wringing house since World Cup after the to absolve ing a norm.Andsomething which is rapidly for the forgettab Keshi of blame Lawal, who technical committe is a member becom- matches.“People le outings in the of NFF’s two e, is unsparing are talking ment of Keshi’s problems in about the in the NFF “He is the coach.performance in the his assess- a part as having in the two matches. played He is to if the Super with that. poor results, I don’t Eagles fail to blame; he is responsib Whateve agree le and not defend qualify for Nations Cup Glass House should r happened in the this route beforetheir trophy. We’ve been through on what happens not have a bearing and it keeps on the will recurring,” fumes not always be problems pitch; there but be used as excuse,“ he that cannoted.

Ogenyi Onazi (l) attempting

AFCON

Blame Ke i for poor Sh un – GarBa larw al

to close down Bafana’s Dean Furman

cco’

Keshi

Synagogue The man, the myth and the bloody Friday

}48-50 Prophet T.B. Joshua

Tinubu: No grudge against those who wished me dead Wale Elegbede

ormer Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday refuted reports that suggested he was ill and had been flown out of the country for medical attention. The politician who is also the national leader of the All Progressives Congress said he had no grudge against those

lVisits Dimgba Igwe’s widow who he said wished him dead. Speaking with journalists shortly after a condolence visit to the widow of the late Sun Newspapers’ vice chairman, Dimgba Igwe, the former governor said he only travelled to get some rest from work.

Reports emerged a fortnight ago that the APC strongman was down with stroke and could hardly recognise his family members. Accompanied by his wife, Remi, and ex-chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, Tinubu said

the report was the handiwork of some “rats who just go to ise-ewu centres and concoct stories”. While affirming that he was hale and hearty, he said he had left the country to get a few days rest after a rigorous period of planning the Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial elections. “My appearance puts paid to that rumour. Wait a minute,

since 1994, after MKO Abiola election in SDP days, we have been in trenches. Whether you are in exile or anywhere, it’s a day-in-day-out working machine. It’s either one person is in one direction here, and the other man is elsewhere. You saw when late Anthony Enahoro CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Contents | 20.09.14 INSTYLE

Pedalling Away

Nigerians may have rebuffed a campaign to internalise the bicycle culture. But today they are pedalling away without prodding from anyone especially on Lagos streets.

}17

LOVE & LIVING

Staying Put Many women would be outraged if their husbands ever told them they were gay. However, one woman shares her experience of living with a husband who makes her feel fulfilled despite that.

}19

SPORT

No Excuses

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Garba Lawal, insists that no excuses would absolve Stephen Keshi from blame for the national team’s poor run in the African Nations Cup qualifiers.

}25

SHOWBIZ

Big Dreams on the Runway Since winning the Miss Charismatic pageant, Stephanie Ifunanya Ezeani has seen her modelling career soar. It has emboldened her to dream big and to take a plunge in entrepreneurship

}33

THE ARTS

DESTINATION

Deep Insight

Installation artist, Jelili Atiku, never fails to enthral his audience. His genius was once again very evident in his exhibition in some cities in South Africa and the United States.

}37

Aguleri Hugs Limelight

As contestants in the Gulder Ultimate Search 11 swarm the thick forests of Aguleri, in Anambra State, this pastoral community is making headlines again - but not like it did about a decade ago for less than salutary reasons

}42 Plus: Business 9

| Street Diary 10

Faceoff 46

Comment

Time to fix the railway lines

“E

very cloud,” declares the age-long English idiom, “has a silver lining.” Even in these times of national distemper, hope could arise from the most unexpected, even unlikely, of quarters. After years of seeming endless search for long-term solution to the rail transport conundrum, the Federal Government appears finally set to squarely address the challenges facing this all-important means of mass transportation in Nigeria: last month, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transport Mr. Nebolisa Emodi announced that no fewer than four major rail lines criss-crossing the country would be completed this year. Specifically, he disclosed that the branch line from Kafanchan to Kaduna and the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge rail line, which is vital to the country’s long-term iron and steel development programme, would be completed by the end of this year. The Permanent Secretary asserted that the government had succeeded in completing many rail lines nationwide and restated the Administration’s commitment to concluding the rehabilitation and construction of various others before the end of the year. Said he: “The 1,124km Lagos-Kano line is completed and functional, while work on the 1,657km Eastern line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is progressing steadily with the Port Harcourt-Jos station, including the branch line from Kafanchan to Kaduna, expected to be completed by August 2014. Completion of the construction and rehabilitation of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge rail line is 77 per cent completed, with the entire track laid. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2014. Also, construction of the Abuja (Idu)-Kaduna standard gauge rail line is 85 per cent done, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.” Seventy-four stations and branch lines running from Lagos to Kano, the 300-metre link between the Apapa Port Complex and the national line, the commencement of the spur line to the Kaduna power plant complex, which is programmed for completion by the end of the year, as well as rehabilitation of the loop lines along the Western routes with the connection to key industrial locations within Apapa, are among the other major achievements of the Ministry of Transport in the rail transport segment as recently presented to a peer review team of permanent secretaries from federal ministries. While such positive news are music to

the ear, we must remind the government of the need to assiduously step up action and pragmatically work the talk if the set targets and objectives must be realised and the country’s railway system convincingly pulled back from the brink. We are concerned about the endless years and the chunk of our hard-earned national resources that are continuously deployed to rehabilitation of a rail transport system that does not conform to contemporary global standards. The national railway rehabilitation programme, which has continually been going on since the military era, has no doubt constituted a drain on the national resources, with little or no result to show for it. And we ask: does it take the years of Methuselah to fix the country’s railways? If the situation report by Ministry of Transport is anything to go by, a lot, to be sure, has already been achieved. By the end of this year, much more would have been achieved. That being the case, we urge the government to take immediate steps to bring greater vibrancy, in terms of operational activities, passenger use and haulage of bulk goods, to the railways, to take pressure off our roads, reduce accidents, deaths and loss of valuable property. For, it is not enough to rehabilitate the lines; Nigerians want to see good and modern rail lines and decent coaches operated by well-mannered officers that should make transport by rail very attractive and loaded with fun, even if they cannot have the speed of electric, bullet and magnetic trains that operate elsewhere. Besides, we believe that as part of the overall policy objective of developing efficient, all-encompassing railway transportation in Nigeria, deliberate effort must be made to give priority to intra-city connections such as the light rail lines by the Lagos State Government aimed at decongesting the cities. We consider some of the activities of some heavy investors in road haulage as counter-productive and believe that much more would be achieved for the interest of the majority when they partner with government in some aspects of their operational modalities. Locations need to be explicitly mapped, super-highways developed and the entire railway system strategically linked to mass employment industries. Nigerian cities would be cleaner and decongested with a successful rail transport system, and this underpins our position that all must be mobilised and motivated to make it work. It is possible. Intervention mechanisms must not stop abruptly.

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

News Editor n Ndubuisi Ugah

Advert Manager n Taiwo Ahmed

Ag. Sales/Marketing Manager n Uchey Okezie

Head, Graphics n Timothy Akinleye

Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

OpeningShot SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER, 2014

'I feel embarrassed when people show me sympathy’ Born with stumps as arms, Simeon Djagbo is charging hell with a bucket of water. Apart from the fact that he plays the guitar, piano, drums and sings, he is also a graduate of information science and currently pursues a master’s programme. OLUSHOLA RICKETTS met with him recently after he performed at a concert in Lagos. Are you an only child? No, we are three boys, including my father and mother. My elder brother studied engineering at Enugu State University, while my younger brother is studying medicine in Ukraine. I did my National Youth Service Corps in Port Harcourt, Okrika precisely. I am based in Port Harcourt. Do you have problems relating with women? I don’t have problems relating with ladies. I see myself like any other person and I feel I have the grace of God. When you have His grace in your life every other thing is secondary. Majority of my friends are even women, as they see me as a source of inspiration. Are you in a relationship? Yes, I am but it is complicated. Are there times you feel angry over your situation? I don’t have any regrets because anything God does is perfect. Since God created me like this I believe there is a reason and I have to follow that trend. I was advised to consider artificial arms or a sort of adjustment, but I told people I don’t need it because I am blessed.

Djagbo, strumming his guitar

did, they adjusted and things got better. They saw that I was not limited. I went to Saint Luke Nursery and Primary School and Demonstration Secondary School, in Warri. I tell people that the ways of God are not the ways of man. He created us and our hearts belong to him.

What are you doing at present? I am into music and my area of specialisation is gospel music. I am also doing my master’s programme in information science at the Delta State University, the same university I had my first degree. How far have you gone in music? I started music professionally in 2000 and I am in a band called iCAN, which means it is possible with God no matter the circumstances. Other members of the band are Enifome Samuel Peters and Brume Egborge. I basically do gospel music because I am a living testimony that there is God. My situation and what I do should make people to know that God exits. I also do gospel music because it elevates people and brings people alive when they are down. It is not that I cannot do other genres of music, but I feel God created me for this purpose - to be a blessing to humanity, bless His name and praise Him. I didn’t go to any school do learn how to play instruments, though I learnt the basics from people. If I say I can play the sax people would be shocked, but I can do that too. Is your condition congenital? Yes, I was born like this. According to my mother it seemed there were some challenges surrounding my birth. You know the devil makes things hard, but God saw us through. Sometimes when I look at my life, I make references to the Bible when Jesus was killed. The devil was like he wouldn’t have done it if he knew that the killing of Jesus would bring redemption to the world. So, my situation only gives me more edge to praise God and glorify His name. How was growing up? When I was growing up I really wanted to go to school and my parents wanted it

too. But how would I write or cope? They did all they could. They put pen in my mouth, my legs and did other things, but none worked out. They even considered surgery for me so I could hold a pen. I also tried everything myself, but when you are making plans God is also making his own plans. It was when my parents gave up, believing I was destined to live that way that God showed His mercy. I picked up the pen, clasping the pen with the stumps of my arms and I started writing. My mother was so happy. I cannot really remember, but It seemed I was like six or seven years old. They gave thanks to God and I was able to go to school. The fact is that there is nothing I cannot do now. People always ask me if I have challenges, but I see any challenge as a stepping stone. I drive, I wash and I cook. I do virtually everything myself. How were your early days in school? I was so happy to go to school, but people around me then were always scared of me. But when they noticed I was just like them and I could do even better what they

Did you get special treatment then? I didn’t really get any special treatment and the reason was that I didn’t relax despite my apparent challenge. I am a fast writer. They saw that I didn't need any special treatment and they treated me like others. During examinations we were given the same hours and I even finished most times ahead of my classmates. Based on human feelings though, they pardoned me when they decided to punish the class for one thing or the other. Most times I laughed because I was very stubborn when I was younger. It varied; sometimes I got privileges. Sometimes they gave me more punishment and sometimes it was equal. How do you react when people show you sympathy? I feel embarrassed. Why do you have to pity me? I know that when you see someone without fingers, you would feel bad. But I don’t really need that because God has bigger plans for me. For you to be my friend or get close to me the first thing I tell people is that they have to kill that spirit of sympathy and they should treat me as an equal. When you pity me it drags me down. It is true that most things in life are done with fingers, but we forget that what makes the physical being to work is the mind. Once your mind is positive the whole part of you becomes positive too and vice versa.

Do you think the society is shaped in a way that reflects consideration for people with physical challenges? The truth is when you are physicallyimpaired people feel you are useless or no good thing could come out of you. I think it all depends on the people who are living with the challenges because their situations should not push them to the street. They should take the bull by the horns. I still maintain that every man has a gift; you just need to discover and pay attention to it. Nevertheless the government needs to pay more attention to people who are living with such challenges because many of them are dying every day. My background makes things easy for me, as my parents have been there for me since the day they gave birth to me. They believe in me and in my future. Who are your mentors? My role models are Stevie Wonder, Cobhams and Pastor Nick Vujucic. Nick does not have arms and legs. Cobhams is blind but I was told he does everything himself. Stevie is one of the most famous musicians in the world and he is blind also. And once you are blind it is just like you are a dead being. You don’t know who is mocking you or anything. So, I used to say that since God truly helped these people to be great, I would be great too. Things might not be as I wanted now, but I know I am on the right track. What is the greatest lesson life has taught you? Do not depend on your physical strength or people because I did at a time. When I left school I tried to get a job and I put my trust in a man, but he failed me bitterly. I went to submit my CV at a company in Port Harcourt and met with the managing director who promised to help me. But I was told he started doubting my story immediately I left. He said it was possible I was involved in the vandalisation of pipelines or a crime and something happened to me along the way. But this man was there when I wrote and did everything myself with no help. We are all humans; there is no need to look down on anybody regardless of his condition.

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Jonathan has surpassed his predecessors, ‘No grudge against those who wished me dead’ including Yar’ Adua - Aondoakaa Clem Khena-Ogbena Abuja

ormer Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, has said that no Nigerian president, dead or living, has done more than President Goodluck Jonathan, especially in agriculture and commerce. He added that Jonathan had not only continued with and sustained the policies and programmes of his predecessor, the late president Umaru Yar’ Adua, but also surpassed him. The former justice minister who served in the Presi-

dent Yar’ Adua administration made the remark during an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, in Abuja. He said that going into farming was not strange to him, adding he was only following his father’s footsteps. “Of course, my father had been a farmer even though he was a traditional ruler; his main income came from farming. That has been the reason I felt that going into agriculture was one factor,” he said. “The present government of President Jonathan has taken care of these. It is trying to put this 60 percent farming for subsistence

into wealth creation. Wealth creation entails that there should be higher yield per hectre. “I don’t think any president has done more than President Jonathan, including the late President Yar’ Adua. No president has done agriculture more than President Jonathan. I am being realistic. Yes, the President Yar’ Adua started agriculture, created awareness in agriculture, but the person that really brought agriculture to the level and expanded it is President Jonathan, and no other person has done that.” According to the Senior

Advocate of Nigeria, who intends to run for the Benue State governorship election on the platform of the PDP, those responsible for the importation of foreign rice into the country were local businessmen who lacked the spirit of patriotism required to protect the country’s economy. “My dream is to make Benue State Agriculture Free Trade Zone, make the people trade basically in agriculture, wake up Benue and make it the hub of agricultural training in Nigeria. Benue State used to be the food basket of the nation in the 60s and early 70s.”

L-R: National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu; widow of late Dimgba Igwe, Mrs. Obioma Igwe; former Interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, during a condolence visit to Igwe’s family, in Okota, Lagos…yesterday PHOTO: Godwin Irekhe

CONTINUED FROM PAG E 1

of nomination forms will start on September 25 and end on October 2. Similarly, the APC has fixed October 25 for its Special National Convention when the party will choose its presidential candidate. In addition, the constitution of the APC stipulates that anyone contesting any elective office on its platform must have been a bona fide member of the party at least thirty days to the primary election. However, Tambuwal may have dropped his presidential ambition after his consultations with some prominent politicians. Sources in the party said Tambuwal found out that his chances on the political turf in terms of the presidential ticket, were very slim. “One thing I like about him is that he is a realist and knows how to cut his coat according to his cloth. The moment he sensed that it would be difficult for him to challenge political heavy weights such as General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the race for the APC presidential ticket, he changed his mind,” a source said. Tambuwal, it was learnt, would on joining the APC, seek an instant waiver from the party’s leadership to contest the governorship election in Sokoto State. The speaker who have been standing astride both parties for a long time, appears to have become weary of sitting on the fence and playing the double

CONT INU E D FROM PAGE 1

came back, he came back with a walking stick. It is a gruesome period that no one could sleep and take adequate rest. “Then came 1999, and ever since then, we have been on a political horse race, bare-footed, fighting a war, while some people are on the horse. The person must rest. “A whole lot of you might not know; sometimes I don’t go to bed until 4:30am and by 8am, I am already up answering questions and planning elections. I promised myself and my family that one day I will escape, go rest, nobody will be able to reach me and that is what I did. I did my general medical check in April, it’s not yet time for another round. “I went to my doctor friend and asked him that with all these rumours going on, does he have to examine me, but he said ‘no’. Now, tomorrow if you like, I would bring my exercise bicycle out and ride for you. That’s just the truth, I didn’t even have a need for panadol or paracetamol since I was away. That is the gospel truth.” Tinubu also denounced reports that the Lagos

State government was footing his medical bills. “If you go to some places, they say Lagos State is paying my medical bills. Go to the Ministry of Health, go and find out. I am so shocked. As a matter of fact, I feel I am a member and a leader in this profession of journalism and some of you must be challenged to question some of these rats who are just going to ise-ewu centres and concoct stories. You see, it’s a stain on your profession, integrity and honesty. “If you start to cry wolf where there is none, the day wolf comes, nobody will be there. “As far as I am concerned, if there is anybody there who has planted poison in my body, expecting it to incubate, germinate and kill me by now or hospitalise me by now, they are getting my family members worried and raising questions. Why is this? If it’s a question of death, we would all die one day. And to their lies, I say God will forgive them, guide them right. If they just want to make money, they should do the right thing and they would get their daily bread,” he said.

Time ticks for Speaker Tambuwal

game, particularly as the primary elections of the two major political parties draw near and every politician desirous of seeking elective position needs to pursue his ambition on the platform of one political party. The Speaker who was elected to the House on the platform of the PDP in 2011, incurred the wrath of his party when he defied the party’s directive on zoning of offices in the parliament and practically “forced his way” to the position of speaker. The PDP had zoned the position to the South West and presented Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola as its speaker-nominee, banking on its numerical strength as the majority party in parliament. But Tambuwal, a lawmaker from the North-West zone, backed by some PDP renegades and other legislators of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the forerunner of the APC, the main opposition party in the House of Representatives defeated the candidate of the ruling party in a landslide victory. This development was seen by the PDP not only as an affront and betrayal, but a deliberate attempt by the opposition to humiliate the ruling party. There were initial attempts at reconciling Tambuwal and the PDP but it soon became clear that his loyalty was with the opposition party on

whose back he came to power. In an attempt to keep his seat, Tambuwal became somewhat pliant in the hands of the opposition and openly challenged the policies and programmes of his party. This triggered speculations that he was preparing to dump the PDP and defect to the opposition party. Although he never left the PDP, Tambuwal has consistently stayed away from the activities of the party but was, curiously, always found in the company of the opposition. He came close to defecting when 37 members of the House elected on the platform of the PDP defected to APC alongside the governors of their states. Tambuwal had to defer the plan when the ruling party instituted a legal battle against the defectors and almost threw them out of the parliament. In recent weeks, Saturday New Telegraph learnt that the Speaker has been under immense pressure to defect to the APC if he is to fulfil his ambition of running for a higher office in 2015. Tambuwal has, for several months been torn between remaining in the PDP and losing political relevance and defecting to the APC where he believes he stands a chance of advancing his political career. A member of his kitchen cabinet who spoke to the paper

in confidence said that months ago it was the APC leadership that was mounting pressure on Tambuwal to join them but now it is the other way round. “He is the one mounting pressure on the party now to admit him because it is almost getting too late for him if he must actualise his aspirations in the party. I can tell you that Tambuwal was dithering before because of the position he currently occupies. But with the way things are going and the short time left before party primaries, he is the one now doing everything possible to get on board before the door is shut against him.” According to our source Tambuwal is in a precarious situation and needs to act fast. If he dumps PDP and joins APC, he can only be eligible to contest in the presidential or governorship primary elections if he is granted a waiver by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party by virtue of Schedule II (2) of the APC constitution. Schedule II (1) (i) of the APC Constitution provides thus: “No person shall be eligible to contest for any party position or be nominated by the Party to be its candidate at any election if the person is not a Member of the party. Of course he knows that remaining in the PDP to pursue his political future is not an option.” Meanwhile, the PDP is watch-

ing the moves of Tambuwal’s moves and would come for him as soon as he announces his defection. By parliamentary convention and precedents, the top position in the two chambers of the National Assembly is occupied by the majority party and has remained so since 1999. But the APC as a party appears poised to change that tradition and is currently plotting to appropriate both Tambuwal and the seat he is occupying. An opposition lawmaker said that they expected the PDP to have suspended Tambuwal long ago but that did not happen because of “the popularity of Tambuwal in the green chamber”. He said the opposition was aware of a plot by the PDP to instigate an impeachment move over his imminent defection, but maintained that the ruling party would lose. “As for his current office we are working hard to see how he can defect without losing his seat. After all, there is nothing in the constitution that says only a member of the majority party can be Speaker of the House. The presiding officers of the parliament can be from any party as long as they are acceptable to the majority of the members. I can confirm to you that Tambuwal still has the numbers in the House of Representatives,” the source said.

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Bayelsa govt orders Agip to shut down oil facility over spills Chris Ejim Yenagoa

l 15-vessels laden with petroleum products stranded on the high sea l Group unveils monitoring gadget for Niger Delta

he Bayelsa State Government yesterday ordered the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to shut down its facilities in Ayarabele and Kalaba communities in the Orkordia Clan of Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state over rising cases of oil spills in the areas. Also yesterday, it was gathered that about 15 vessels laden with petroleum products are currently stranded on the high sea, according to an investigation conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Explaining the motive behind the directive in Yenagoa, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Inuro Wills, said government gave the directive based on the need to allow a special investigative team to tackle spill-related cases in the state. He said the closure and subsequent investigation were triggered by the intolerable frequency of oil and gas spillages in the state, adding: “The grave consequences it portends for the people and communities have necessitated the setting up of the team.”

Wills said: “Following the recent gas spillages, which occurred on September 4, 2014, at a facility operated by the NAOC in the two communities, the ministry has asked the company to temporarily shut down operations.” In another development, the state government has said a meeting between the leadership of the impacted communities, the government and NAOC has been fixed to discuss the incidence of spillage. However, NAN in its investigation on the 15-vessels laden with petroleum products reported that the non berthing of the vessels was occasioned by the indefinite strike embarked upon by members of the petroleum industry workers five days ago over the N85 billion unfunded pension fund. Sources close to Motor Transport Division (MTD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) made this known to NAN yesterday in Lagos. NAN recalls that mem-

News

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

bers of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), had on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike. The strike followed unresolved pension issues between the unions and NNPC. The pension issues was also further compounded by the revocation of the licence of the NNPC pension scheme because of alleged inability of the corporation to bridge the N85 billion gap in their scheme. NAN also reports that the unions’ strike had led to the shutdown of NNPC depots and its subsidiary operations nationwide. A senior official of the MTD, who wants to remain anonymous, said no vessel could berth at the Apapa or Atlas Cove sea port due to the union’s strike. “Once all the current vessels at the Apapa port leave the shore, no vessels can come to berth or discharge, because most of

the NNPC MTD workers, who are saddled with the schedule of allocation and distribution of products are on strike. “Over 15 vessels had been stranded on the high seas due to the strike because nobody can schedule them for discharge, this has also depleted the country’s product reserves which is sending wrong signals,” the source said. Meanwhile, a United Kingdom-based environmental group, Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), yesterday unveiled a state-of-the-art mapping and tracking website tool to monitor and gather data on oil spills in the Niger Delta region. The website tool, according to SDN, is already being used daily by the Federal Government’s National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) environmental scientists’ members of staff in its six zonal offices of the country and had replaced their previous database of oil spill data.

The Week Ahead Gowon chairs forum on corruption today Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, will today chair a symposium to be organised by Covenant Keepers’ Network (CKN), an offshoot of the Congress on Christian Ethics in Nigeria (COCEN). The event, which has as its theme: ‘Beyond Knowledge: Unto Obedience’, is organised by CKN as its contribution towards fighting the menace of corruption in the country. It will hold at the World Mission Centre, Yaba, Lagos.

NFF extra-ordinary congress holds today The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), will hold its Extraordinary General Assembly Congress today in Warri, Delta State. A statement issued by the Assistant Director, Communications of the NFF, Ademola Olajire, quoted the NFF General Secretary, Musa Amadu, as confirming the date and venue. Amadu stated that the event is the first of two such congresses advised by world football governing body, FIFA, to usher in a new NFF Executive Committee.

Obiano, Ngige know fate Sept 22 The Supreme Court will on September 22 deliver judgment in an appeal seeking the removal of Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, from office. Obiano contested the November 16, 2013 governorship election under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and defeated both Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election. Miffed by the outcome of the poll, Ngige and Nwoye headed for the Tribunal, where they lost. Consequently, Ngige filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal Enugu Division, where he equally lost as his appeal was dismissed by the five-man panel of Appeal Court Justices.

Shekarau opens Education Forum Sept 22 The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, will on September 22 declare open this year’s National Higher Education Forum at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja. The forum, with the theme: ‘Innovate and Lead’, is a private sectordriven initiative designed to seek long term, sustainable solutions to the various challenges facing the education sector. It was also gathered that Shekarau would deliver the opening speech and the keynote address at the closing dinner.

EU-Nigeria Business Forum comes up Sept 22 The 3rd European Union-Nigeria Business Forum (EUNBF 2014) will hold at Landmark Centre in Lagos from September 22 to 24. The EUNBF, a joint venture between EU and its member states present in Nigeria, provides a platform for private sector participants to gather essential market information, identify business opportunities and connect with key players. This year’s event, with the theme: ‘Time for Private Sector’, aims to consolidate on the gains of the 2012 and 2013 editions, and will focus on the specific economic agenda of EU, Nigeria and ECOWAS and the role the private sector can play in supporting it.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad (111) and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai, during the president’s meeting with traditional rulers in Abuja…Thursday night. PHOTO: NAN

Jonathan commends NAF for graduating 42 new pilots Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday expressed satisfaction with the successes recorded so far by the Nigerian Air Force, especially with the graduation of 42 new helicopter pilots from its International Helicopter Flying School, Enugu. The president, who was represented at the occasion by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, said: “The Nigerian

Air Force has achieved an important milestone in its history with the success of the international Helicopter Flying School Enugu.” He said the achievement of the school, which is the first the institution to produce such, had not only helped to boost the capacity and capability of the Air Force but that of the Nigerian Armed Forces as a whole. Expressing delight in the prospects offered the Nigerian Armed Forces by the pilot school, President Jonathan

said: “The success of the project was a clear demonstration that the Air Force was heading in the right direction in its quest to reposition itself among its contemporaries in other countries.” The president also urged the graduands to demonstrate excellence and professionalism in their duties in order to help take Air Force and the nation to higher levels. In their separate speeches, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu and the Rector of the School,

Group Captain I.A Yahaya, commended the Federal Government for providing the necessary resources for the development of the school and promised to ensure that it met all the expectations of the government. Dignitaries at the event included Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State and his Deputy, Rev. Raphael Nwoye; former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo; business mogul, Mr. Arthur Eze, among others.

CIBN’s annual conference holds Sept 23 The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) will on September 23-24 hold its 8th annual banking and finance conference with the theme: ‘Positioning Nigeria’s Payments System for Global Competitiveness’, at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. A statement issued by the CIBN stated that President Goodluck Jonathan will be the guest of honour, while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will be the keynote address speaker and special guest of honour respectively.

European Film Festival holds Sept 24 This year’s European Film Festival is scheduled to take place from September 24-28 at the Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island Lagos. A statement issued by the organisers said this year’s event, which had already taken place in Abuja, during Europe Week in May, offers cinema-goers the opportunity to take another look at Europe and its people through films which explore different facets of life.

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20 SEPTEMBER 2014

GOMBE Dankwambo appoints new VC for Gombe varsity

N EWS I N BRIEF

Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State has appointed Prof. Ibrahim Umar as Vice-Chancellor of Gombe State University (GSU). Notice of the appointment was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the university, Malam Abubakar Sammani, in Gombe. The statement quoted Sammani as saying the appointment letter was signed by the Secretary to Gombe State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Bage. Umar succeeds Prof. Abdullahi Mahdi, who had been the Vice-Chancellor of the university since its inception in 2005.

FCT Big Brother Africa show hosts 13 African contestants

“Contestants from over 13 African countries will participate in the 2014 Big Brother Africa (BBA) reality show tagged, “All Stars season nine.” A statement on BBA website obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja, said the names of the contestants would be released in series before the commencement of the show. The statement said the show, which was expected to commence on September 7, was shifted to October 5 due an unexpected fire that razed the venue of the event. Some of the house mates whose names had been released included 33-year-old Melvin Alusa from Kenya, Stella Nantumbe, popularly called Ella from Uganda and Butterphy from Zimbabwe.

IKEJA LASWA condemns night journeys on the waterways

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) yesterday kicked against night travel on the waterways because of the risk involved usually caused by high tidal waves. The Managing Director of LASWA, Mr. Olayinka Marinho, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that most recent boat mishaps had occurred at night. “We have educated and enlightened boat operators on the dangers of night journey on the waterways, we are now using this medium to call on commuters to desist from patronising night boat operators.

L-R: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Vice-President Namadi Sambo (representing President Goodluck Jonathan); Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime and Prince Arthur Eze, during the inauguration and graduation ceremony of the first integrated helicopter pilot course, at the International Helicopter Flying School, Enugu…yesterday

NUT directs Kwara teachers not to resume on Monday RESUMPTION Uncertainty continues to trail the resumption of schools across the country Biodun Oyeleye and Uwakwe Abugu

Ilorin/Enugu

he controversy trailing the September 22 resumption date announced by the Federal Government assumed another dimension yesterday with a directive by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kwara State branch, directing teachers in public schools in the state not to resume on Monday over the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Apparently irked by the development, Enugu State Government, alongside the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said it had taken a measure to check the spread of the disease in the state by training teachers on strategies for control and prevention of the dreaded disease.

l Enugu, UNICEF train personnel l Ondo distributes preventive materials to schools l Oyo announces October 6 resumption date Equally, Ondo State Government also announced the take-off of an infectious disease hospital in Akure, even as it commenced the distribution of the EVD prevention materials to public and private schools to allay the fears of parents ahead of Monday’s resumption date. However, the NUT directive, which was contained in a statement issued in Ilorin, warned that no teacher should venture into any school until all provisions to prevent EVD were made by government. This development contradicts the directive of the state government, which had said both public and private schools in the state should resume on Monday. However, a statement signed by the NUT chairman, Musa Abubakar; secretary, Ola Idris and the publicity secretary, W. A. Jogbojogbo, and made available to journalists in Ilorin yesterday, argued that the measures taken

by the government so far in schools were inadequate and was of the opinion that schools could not resume on Monday. Part of the demands by the union, include the provision of hand sanitisers and infra-red thermometers in schools, as it noted the need for proactive measures in schools to safeguard health of teachers and pupils and students. In another development, Enugu State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Christopher Okoro, while declaring open a workshop, said the essence of the workshop was to sensitise the teachers, who would go back to schools and sensitise the other teachers and the pupils aimed at addressing issues relating to EVD in colleges and primary schools. Okoro said: “As the schools are getting ready to resume studies after the long vacation, it has become necessary to equip you teachers with the knowl-

edge of how to help government make the schools safe for these returning students and pupils.” On his part, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. George Eze, said: “You can see me here and my director of public health, health educator because we are going to teach these people to teach the children the basic to handle them and, of course, all the precautionary measures so that they will not be living on rumours.” Speaking also, Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, while fielding questions from journalists, said the materials being distributed among others include auto–dispense sanitiser and inferred thermometer. Meanwhile, Oyo State Government has announced that schools will resume on October 6. According to a statement issued by the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Olalekan Alli, the resumption date affects all public and private schools in the state.

Do more to safeguard lives, Catholic Bishops tell FG Gabriel Choba Ughelli

he Catholic Bishops of Nigeria (CBCN) has condemned the killing and destruction of lives and property in Nigeria's North-East, and urged the Federal Government to put in more effort and curb the carnage. In a communiqué issued at the end of its conference, entitled; “While Nigeria Bleeds and Burns”, read out by Most Rev Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, President of Catholic Bishops of Nigeria (CBCN) and Archbishop of Jos, at a press conference held at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Warri, Delta State, the clerics tasked the Federal Government to do more to safeguard the lives of Nigerians and the nation The statement signed by the President of CBCN, Most Rev Kaigama and Secretary, Most Rev William Avenya, averred that their meeting was daily strained by first-hand and horrifying reports from Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Kano and Kaduna States about the mass slaughter-

ing of fellow Nigerians; the burning and sacking of villages, churches and rectories. The clerics stated that families and individuals were forced to seek places of refuge outside their invaded homes and lands. “Unfortunately, the situation right now, in the NorthEast, Nigeria only confirms further killings, burnings and fleeing of defenceless Nigerians creating a heightened sense of unrest and siege for the whole nation. “As Nigeria tragically bleeds and burns, we Bishops are really alarmed at the scale of human, material destruction, and the disruption of village and community life with increased levels of hatred and potential for more conflicts in the nation. “While Muslims are sometimes targets of these destructive attacks, Christians, churches and nonMuslims in general are the principal targets for extermination, expropriation and expulsion by the Boko Haram insurgents, the perpetrators of all these destructions."

Four feared killed in cult clash Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

t least four persons were feared killed in Ilorin, Kwara State in a two-day clash involving suspected cult members in the north central city. The incident was said to have led to panic among residents of the affected areas including Post- Office, Opo Malu and Agbo Oba and Taiwo Isale. Sources claimed that the first victim was matcheted to death at a spot behind a popular bank in the Post Office area, where his attackers had laid ambush for him. He was said to have been dragged along the railway line and was also shot before his assailants ran away. It was believed that his col-

leagues decided to retaliate his demise as they mobilised themselves and launched an attack on those they believed were behind the first attack. They were said to have disrupted activities around Agbo Oba area during the counter attack. About three people were feared to have died in the process. Spokesman for the police in the state, Ajayi Okasanmi, who confirmed the clashes, however, said there was no official report of death although, he admitted that the police too had been inundated with such claims. “I can confirm one person suffered serious injury and is being treated at the hospital but I am not yet in a position to confirm deaths although we have heard such stories,” he said.

Alao-Akala picks Expression-of- Interest form Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

ommittee of friends to former Oyo State governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, yesterday picked the Expression-ofInterest (EOI) form for him to contest the governorship seat of the state in 2015. Led by former Deputy Chief of Staff in the state, Alhaji Rasaq Gbadegesin, the committee members who were at the party’s secretariat located at Dandaru, Ibadan, yesterday received the receipt of payment for the form from the Financial Secretary of the party, Mrs.

Kehinde Eboda and Alhaji Kehinde Salawu, Publicity Secretary. Other members of the committee included former Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Dr. Kola Balogun, Mrs. Kemi Jayeoba-Olorunsogo, Alhaji Laide Busari, Alhaji Tunde Olayiwola, among others. Speaking on behalf of the committee, Gbadegesin said: “We are here to comply with the directive of our political party that anybody that aspires for governorship seat must obtain Expression-of-Interest form. This is what we have come to do on behalf of our principal, Adebayo Alao-Akala."

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

FG pledges to tackle insurgency in North-East Ndubuisi Ugah

with agency reports

he Federal Government has reaffirmed its determination to end insurgency in the country and reverse the attendant economic depression, especially in the North-East. The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, who stated this quoted President Goodluck Jonathan as giving the assurance when a delegation of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council visited him in Abuja. At the meeting which ended at 11.40 p.m. on Thursday, Jonathan, according to Maku, explained to the visitors, led by the Chairman of the council and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, measures already put in place to achieve government

intentions. A total of 13 traditional rulers were at the meeting, also attended by Vice-President Namadi Sambo and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Ayim Pius Ayim. Maku said: “Their visit followed the meeting of northern traditional rulers in Kaduna yesterday (Wednesday) where it was resolved that they should brief the president and also make suggestions on what could be done to achieve results. “They suggested to government things they believe should be done to enhance security operations in the North-East. Mr. President, in his explanation, gave them a blow-by-blow account of measures being taken by the Federal Government to deal with the insurgency."

Al-Makura removes eight commissioners Cheke Emmanuel LAFIA

asarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, yesterday sacked eight commissioners from his cabinet, including the Director of Press, Liyasu Ali Yakubu, with immediate effect. The sacked commissioners included: Innocent Lagi (Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice), Mr. Angama A. Weibey (Rural and Community Development), Mr. Muhammad Sani YakubunHauwa (Education, Science and Technology), and DanladiMadaki (Agriculture and Water Resources) and Adamu Mu’azu Alu Adogi (Environment and Natural Resources). Others are: Mr. Godwin Tyowua Mbatsav (Sports and Youth Development), Mr. Samuel Nkene Meshi, (Culture and Tourism) and

Mr. Amos Bala Akawu (Commissioner for Planning and Deputy Chairman, Nasarawa State Planning Commission). A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Hajiya Zainab Abdullmuni, and made available to journalists in Lafia, however, did not give reasons for their sacking. Similarly, Al-Makura has sacked the Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Scholarship Board, Suleiman Abdul Wahab and the Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency, idris Abdullahi and the Managing Director, Nasarawa Investment and Property Development Company, Mr. Daniel Ajegene and Murtala Adogi Muhammad, Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Empowerment.

Eulogies as Ade-Ajayi is buried Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

he Archbishop of Ondo and Ekiti Diocese of the Anglican Church, Most Reverend Latunji Olaosebikan, yesterday advised public office holders to stem the high level of corruption in the country, saying they should think about leaving worthy legacies for the coming generations. He said this in IkoleEkiti, in his sermon at the funeral service for the late Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Jacob Ade-Ajayi, at the Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Ikole-Ekiti. The cleric said the late Ade-Ajayi, who died on August 9, at the age of 85, left a legacy worthy of emulation,

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saying his contributions to academia would remain evergreen and indelible in the minds of Nigerians. Olaosebikan said: “The late Ade-Ajayi had written his name in gold. He did not only do brilliantly well in developing humanity, but he lived a selfless life. He did not accumulate wealth and this is how our leaders should behave in order not to send a wrong signal to the coming generations. The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who described the late academia as a patriot, who had done the country and Africa proud in his field, added that what the state needed to do was to give him a deserving honour that would spur the coming generations to strive for greatness.

OSOGBO 2015: Kumuyi urges Nigerians to vote wisely

NEWS IN BRIEF

The General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, on Thursday night urged Nigerians to cast their votes intelligently during next year’s general elections. Kumuyi, who gave the advice during a press briefing held at the Deeper Life Church Camp Ground at Agunbelewo, Osogbo,Osun State, urged Nigerians to vote for only politicians who could deliver the dividends of democracy. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Kumuyi as saying: “As a pastor, I am not expected to be a party man, but I pray that whoever will get us to where all of us as a nation dream of, God will give us the wisdom to appoint such an individual.”

750,000 The total population of Bhutan in 2012. Source: Un.org

MAKURDI Jonathan for Suswam’s book launch Sept 23

President Goodluck Jonathan will be the guest of honour at the public presentation of a new book titled: “Suswam: Politics and Governance in Benue-An Insider’s Account”, which is written by the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Benue State Governor, Dr. Cletus Akwaya. The foreword of the book, which is written by the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo, will be presented on September 23 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja by 10a.m. A statement issued by James Uloko, on behalf of the Coordinating Committee, said Sambo alongside the Senate President, David Mark and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, would be the special guests of honour.

71%

The percentage of food emergencies as a result of natural disasters in 1997. Source: Unesco.org

KEFFI LG speakers’ forum advises Nigerians against corruption

The Forum of Deputy Speakers at the Local Government Legislative Council in Nasarawa State has urged Nigerians to be united in the fight against corruption in the country. Chairman of the forum, Mr. Abdullahi Masallachi, who made the call during the association’s meeting yesterday in Keffi Local Government Area of the state, said the call became imperative because of the rising cases of corruption and injustice across the federation that were negatively affecting the nation’s socio-economic development. He said: “I want to call on all of us to shun corruption and I also want to call on Nigerians to synergise with the government at all levels in order to tackle issues of corruption and injustice in the country.”

248

The number of air travel passengers of the international wing of Calabar airport in 2012. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

CBN indicts banks for shunning lending to real sector INJUSTICE The apex bank has criticised banks for their refusal to lend to the private sector operators

Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has expressed concern that Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) are currently keeping large liquidity reserves in excess of over N300 billion, which they denied the productive sector as lending facility. The revelation came as the apex bank yesterday chose to retain all the key fundamentals holding Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), the prime lending rate retained at 12 per cent with a corridor of +/- 200

…Retains MPR, CRR index points basis points around the midpoint; public sector Cash Reserve Requirement at 75.0 per cent; and private sector Cash Reserve requirement at 15.0 per cent. The culture of hoarding excess liquidity currently trending in banking circle only to place such on CBN treasury bills and other CBN's interest yielding widows, apex bank said stifled the growth of the real sector seen as the engine room of the economy. CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, expressed the concern yesterday in Abuja, while briefing questions from journalists on the outcome of 97 sessions of Monetary policy Committee Meeting (MPC). He said: “The Committee was, however, concerned that banks were holding large excess reserves av-

eraging over N300 billion even when there were ample opportunities for productive and profitable lending to the real sector of the economy. The concern was further strengthened by the reality of injecting an additional N866 billion into the system through the redemption of maturing AMCON bonds in October. “Given the apathy to lending, banks may be inclined more to placing these new funds in the SDF or use it to increase pressure on the exchange rate. The committee advised the banks to explore ways of encouraging banks to lend such excess reserves to the real sector.” Emefiele, alongside 11 members of MPC, who participated in MPC decision, said the natural way of responding to the high liquidity in banking sector

was to go for further tightening measure. On domestic economic and financial developments, the MPC yesterday noted the continued resilience of the economy as real GDP grew by 6.54 per cent in Q2, 2014 compared with 5.40 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2013. The observed growth rate, it noted, also surpassed the 6.21 per cent recorded in the Q1 of 2014. “The non-oil sector remained the main driver of growth recording 6.71 per cent in Q2, 2014; although lower than the 8.21 and 8.88 per cent recorded in Q1, 2014 and the corresponding quarter of 2013, respectively. The decline in growth of non-oil GDP was traced to the decline in agricultural output, construction, trade and services relative to the levels recorded in Q1, 2014."

The Chief Medical Director (CMD), First Consultant Hospital, Obalende, Lagos, Dr. Benjamin Ohiaeri (left), and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, during the governor’s visit to the hospital…yesterday PHOTO: NAN

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20 SEPTEMBER 2014

KABBA Kogi awards Murtala Mohammed Way contract

N EWS I N BRIEF

Kogi State Government yesterday said it had awarded contract for the overhaul and expansion of the Murtala Mohammed Way from Kabba Junction to the International Market Lokoja, to address its deplorable condition. The Commissioner for Works, Dr Godwin Onamah, who announced this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, said: “I am urging motorists and other road users to exercise patience and support the government because very soon potholes on our roads will become a thing of the past.” Onamah, who said this against the backdrop of complaints by motorists on the dilapidated condition of the road, added that the contract was awarded to CGC Company and had been mobilised.

OGBA Ebola: China donates $2m to AU

The Chinese Government on Friday donated $2 million to African Union Commission's (AUC) fight against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which is currently ravaging some parts of West Africa. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that China also announced additional donation of another $2 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the same purpose. The $4million donation brings to $10 million the amount that China had so far provided to help contain EVD outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

-3.86%

The growth rate of air travel passengers Lagos airport (domestic wing) (2012-2013). Source: National Bureau of Statistics

IKOYI Nigerian Army to give Adekunle full military burial

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, yesterday said the late civil war hero and commander of the 3rd Marine Command, Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle, would be given full military burial. Minimah, who stated this through the General Officer Commanding (GOC ), 81 Division, Major General Tamunomiebi Dibi, explained that Adekunle as a general deserved full military burial. He said Adekunle was the arrow head that kept Nigeria as a united entity and, therefore, deserve the honour. He said: “He fought gallantly to ensure that Nigeria did not break, we are all aware of this, the Nigerian Army will miss him greatly, we do hope that his legacies will continue to live on.”

114,200

100

The ratio of women to 100 men in Albania in 2012. Source: Un.org

The total number of internet users in The Gambia in 2010. Source: Blatantworld.com

Fashola: Why I visited First Consultant Hospital where Patrick Sawyer died

Muritala Ayinla

l Pledges assistance to the hospital

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said his visit to the First Consultant Medical Centre, Obalende, Lagos where the late LiberiaAmerican, Patrick Sawyer, died of Ebola Virus Diseases (EVD), was to mitigate the negative impact of the disease on the hospital. The governor, who said his visit was to allay the fear of residents, added that this was part of the process to fix post-Ebola damage and

make things that had been affected by the crisis begin to run back. There had been fear from residents about the centre since the outbreak of the EVD where most of the health experts who had contact with the index case were infected by the virus. Some survived the EVD while others lost their lives. Fashola said: "This was part of the process of getting on with our lives. First, this has to be dealt with in stages. Human lives were at risk

and all that was needed to do then save as many lives as we could. Tragically, we lost some lives and but we saved some. After dealing with human lives, the next stage is to get the business back, making the school to run, dealing with the challenges of daily living. This is because a new virus last week broke out in Colorado, USA and they are getting on with their lives. We must not live in fear of what we do not know. “Fear is the opposite of recklessness. We have de-

Commercial motorcyclists queuing for fuel at a filling station in Suleja, Niger State…yesterday

Anule Emmanuel

he Federal Government has approved the sum of N213 billion as an intervention fund for electricity Generation and Distribution companies. Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, disclosed this yesterday, while brief-

contaminated the hospital. It is ready for business and that was why I have visited this place (hospital). In his response, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Mr Benjamin Ohaeri, thanked the governor for the visit, saying it had helped enliven the atmosphere at the hospital and boost morale of personnel. Meanwhile, the state government yesterday said it had cleared the last suspect of the EVD after tested negative to the virus, saying the pupils in all public and private schools are safe to resume on Monday.

PHOTO: NAN

New PUs: INEC writes political parties l Group flays Jega on 2015 elections Johnchuks Onuanyim and Gabriel Choba Abuja Ughelli

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written to political parties on the creation of new polling units (PUs) and its subsequent distribution across the country. INEC had recently created 30,000 new polling units, which has stirred controversies because of its alleged lopsided distribution. Following this, some Nigerians had called for the resignation of INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega. However, while reacting to the creation of new PUs, a group, Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-corruption Crusade (FHRAC), yesterday accused Jega of allegedly nursing an ambition to rig the 2015 elections in favour of some candidates. Saturday New Telegraph gathered that out of the 30,000 polling units, 22, 000 units were allotted to the North, while 8,000 units were allotted to South. It was also gathered that the new PUs have brought the total number of units to 150,000 from the original

World tourism mid –year report records 517m travellers Andrew Iro Okungbowa

lobal tourism has continued to record impressive performance with destinations garnering 517 million international tourists for the period between January and June this year. According to the latest World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Barometre’s half year report, this translates to 4.6 per cent (5 per cent) growth rate and 22 million more than 2013 record for the same period with South Asia and Northern Europe (both +8%) with the best performing record while Africa only recorded 3 per cent. UNWTO secretary general, Taleb Rifai, described this development as a positive one for the industry, which he said had continued to provide platform for economic development globally. “These results show that tourism is consolidating the positive performance of recent years, providing de-

FG approves N213bn bailout for GENCOS, DISCOS ing state House Correspondent in Abuja, on government’s efforts towards improving gas to power and electricity supply in the country. Alison-Madueke, who was joined by the minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Governor of the Cen-

tral Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, and the Chairman of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi, said the amount which will be released by the apex bank would be used to settle legacy gas debts and shortfall in rev-

enue in the sector. The minister said there had been a rising debt portfolio in the sector of about N36 since government handed over the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) companies in November 2013 to private investors.

119,973. INEC’s letter informing political parties of the creation of the polling units was signed by the secretary of the commission and attached with Jega's statement on the details of the creation. Former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in an interview recently had charged political parties to checkmate the activities of INEC. Meanwhile, FHRAC in a statement signed by its National President, Alaowei Cleric and Secretary, Mr. Jerry Otuaro, claimed that INEC’s chairman had breached his oath of office and, therefore, cannot serve in any capacity as an impartial umpire. The statement read: “The 30,000 additional polling units (PU) created by INEC is nothing but a ploy to polarise the country along North and South dichotomy, where the North will be given an edge over the South. Prof. Attahiru Jega is desperately pursuing Northern agenda to continue the Northern domination over the South. This cannot be and must not be allowed to stay."

She explained that in order to give confidence to gas suppliers and investors in the sector for guaranteed and improved electricity supply to consumers, government has also directed the NERC to publish a reset tariff order (MYTO 2.1). “The tariff order is

velopment and economic opportunities worldwide.’’ Rifai said this was a plus for the industry, which despite the challenges faced by the world, international tourists arrival had grown consistently recording five per cent growth in the last four years. “Indeed, despite geopolitical and economic challenges, the number of international tourist arrivals has grown by five per cent a year on average since 2010, a trend that has translated into more economic growth, more exports and more jobs,” he said. The UNWTO scribe also said disclosed that the results were so far in tune with its projections for this year. He also added that the prediction was that for the year, international tourist arrivals were expected to increase by four per cent to 4.5 per cent worldwide, above UNWTO’s long-term forecast of 3.8 per cent per year for the period 2010 to 2020. expected to take into account the facility provided by the CBN. It would also take into account current levels of energy output, the new baseline gas price and other variables that more closely reflect the true cost of running electricity businesses. see News extra on page 53

Companies & Stock SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER, 2014

Northern Nigeria Flour Mills: Can cost-saving lift profit?

orthern Nigeria Flour Mills Plc is looking to achieve a new peak in profit in its current financial year ending March 2015. Though it is still facing revenue growth constraint, which has been the case over the past five years, but major cost-saving is expected to make a big difference in the company’s operating story this financial year. The flour milling company is converting an increased share of its revenue into profit, which has lifted its profit capacity for the current year. Mr. Gert Kriek, led management of the company, is leading the company through a slowpaced recovery that may speed up this year. First quarter outing shows he is on a mission to grow profit from declining sales revenue. The company has seen two years of revenue losses and has entered the third year with a further decline in sales revenue. A jump of 181 per cent in after tax profit in the first quarter however compensates for the revenue losses. Sales revenue went down by 9 per cent to N3.13 billion year-onyear at the end of the company’s first quarter in June. Based on the growth pattern of the preceding year, sales revenue is projected at N10.26 billion for NNFM at the end of the current financial year. This will be a continuing decline in turnover for the third year running. Sales revenue has continued to decline from the peak of N12.67 billion the company earned in the 2011/12 financial year.

Chairman NNFM, Alhaji Rabiu Gwarzo and managing director, Mr. Gert Kriek

NNFM 2013 Audited Results 2013

2012

Change

Revenue

N11.70 billion

N12.67 billion

-7.7%

Gross profit

N783.40 million

N613.76 million

27.6%

Profit before tax

N330.37 million

N30.82 million

971%

Profit/(loss) for the year N225.14 million

N(21.77)million

1133.9%

Earnings per share

(12)

1283.3%

142 kobo

Revenue disappointment is over shadowed by cost cutting success that has lifted profit performance. After tax profit amounted to N132 million at the end of the first quarter. This is a high rise of 181 per cent over the corresponding figure last year. It is already more than 56 per cent

of the full year profit figure in the preceding year. Based on the growth rate in the first quarter, full year net profit is projected at N588 million for NNFM in the 2014/15 financial year. This will be a major advance of 152 per cent over the full year figure in the preceding

financial year. The company recorded a marginal improvement in profit in 2014 with which it sustained recovery for the second year from a loss of about N22 million in 2012. Its peak profit record is the N455million it posted in 2012. The company has built the significantly improved profit capacity all from cost saving. Cost of goods sold declined ahead of sales revenue at 12.1 per cent compared to 9 per cent fall in turnover. That lifted gross profit by over 46 per cent to a little below N206 million. Gross profit margin rose from 4.1 per cent to 6.6 per cent over the review period. The biggest cost-saving came from administrative expenses, which dropped by 22.2 per cent to N69.2 million during the review period. Selling/distribution cost was flat and finance cost was insignificant, as the company maintained a net interest income position. Other operating income grew by 175.7 per cent to N36.4 million to reinforce the favourable cost behaviour. Net profit margin has improved from 1.3 per cent in the corresponding period last year to 4.2 per cent at the end of June. This is a major improvement also from the net profit margin of 2.0 per cent at the end of the preceding financial year. Over the same period, Flour Mills of Nigeria lost profit margin from 4.1 per cent to 3.4 per cent. NNFM’s strength to grow profit lies in its debt free balance sheet and therefore the absence of interest burden on the income statement.

Nigeria’s 2014 GDP growth will exceed 6%, says Okonjo-Iweala Segun Edwards and Ndubuisi Ugah with agency reports

he Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, yesterday said she was confident that the growth rate this year would be around the Federal Government’s latest forecast of 6.5 per cent, after discounting the economic impact of the insurgency waged by the Islamist group Boko Haram. “We are confident it will be better than 6 per cent and about 6.5,” Nigeria’s finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, told Reuters. The minister spoke in Singapore, where she was attending a conference jointly organised by Singapore state investor, Temasek, Goldman Sachs and the National University of Singapore, to discuss issues relating to sustainable growth. She said: “The Federal Government’s latest forecast set in the past few days, puts this year’s growth at 6.5 per cent,” while also adding that the forecast already discounted the impact from the Boko Haram insurgency. Okonjo-Iweala said the economic impact on Nigeria from the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa was not yet significant. Meanwhile, the minister is billed to address to the African Heads of State and Government Investment Working Lunch at the New York Stock Exchange in New York in the United States on Monday, the Minister of Finance and coordinator of the economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has assured that Nigeria remains a safe investment destination despite all the security issue plaguing the country.

Flour Mills’ profit decline enters the fourth year

lour Mills of Nigeria Plc had closed its 2014 first quarter operations with a drop in profit, signalling the extension of the company’s three-year falling profit trend to a likely fourth year. The flour milling company’s profit has been dropping rapidly since its 2010/11 financial year. Growing revenue and declining profit has been the company’s earnings trends since 2011. This year, a drop in revenue has worsened the situation, giving an unimpressive earnings outlook for 2014/15. Both revenue and profit went down in the first quarter operations of the company at the end of June. That leaves the possibilities of a continuing fall in profit and a turnaround open to the company this year. Loss of sales revenue seen in the first quarter could undercut profit capacity further while the current profit level can lead to a major improvement this year if maintained. Shareholders certainly will ask the Paul Gbededo led management the critical question whether the company will lose profit for the

fourth year running or will it succeed in turning around the threeyear falling trend?The outlook doesn’t seem reassuring in the light of huge debts on his hands that are gulping the company’s revenue by way of interest expenses. First quarter results of the company’s operations leaves the full year profit prospects dicey. The company’s profit capacity has been undermined by rising cost-income ratio and the inability to grow sales revenue this year has added further constraints. Rising cost is driven by rising interest expenses on the company’s large borrowings. The balance sheet is still swelling with new debts, which are needed anyway to meet serious cash flow constraints. Interest expenses are consequently claiming a growing proportion of sales revenue and this has kept slashing profit margin. First quarter operations ended with a decline of 5.6 per cent in sales revenue to N83.95 billion against the corresponding figure last year. Revenue growth is however expected to improve in the course of the fi-

FMN 2013 Audited Results 2013/14

2012/13

Revenue

N332.14 billion

N301.94 billion 10%

Gross profit

N4365 billion

N37.89 billion

15.2%

Profit before tax

N8.22 billion

N10.87billion

-24.4%

Profit after tax

N5.36 billion

N7.53billion

-28.8%

nancial year. Turnover is projected at N340 billion for company at the end of its current financial year in March 2015. This will be a marginal increase of 2.4 per cent in sales revenue over the preceding year’s turnover of N332.14 billion. It will also be a continuing slow down in the revenue growth rate from 59.6 per cent in 2013 and 28.6 per cent in the 2014 financial years respectively. The company finished first quarter trading with an after tax profit of N2.82 billion, representing a drop of 22.3 per cent over the corresponding period last year. The drop however obscures a possible turnaround for the company this year. The profit figure in the first quarter is already

Change

Gbadebo...Flour Mills’ CEO

more than one-half of the preceding year’s full year profit. Will the company be able to maintain that level of profit in each of the remaining three quarters or will the yearon-year fall follow it to full year are the questions that presently define

the uncertain earnings outlook for Flour Mills this year. If the company maintains the current level of profit in each of the remaining three quarters, it is expected to close the year with an after tax profit in the region of N12 billion. This will be a big turnaround in profit performance for a company that has lost profit every year for the past three years. The company’s peak profit performance happened in the 2010/11 financial year – when it posted a net profit of N13.37 billion. A sustained drop brought it down to N5.37 billion at the end of the 2014 financial year in March. Over the same period that profit dropped, sales revenue grew every year. The explanation is a sustained loss of profit margin, which has continued in the current financial year. The company’s operating cost structure has altered to the detriment of profit. Rising interest expenses is responsible. It rose by 75.5 per cent in the first quarter year-on-year to N5.54 billion, claiming 6.6 per cent of sales revenue compared with 3.5 per cent in the corresponding period last year.

Street Diary

Voices Should spouses take a bath together? p.12

SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Face of Agony: 10-year-old girl disfigured by Leukemia

‘My daughter needs N4 million to battle sickness’

Michael Uchebuaku he manages to smile at you even though her face has been disfigured by a horrible swelling in her right eye. Although she is experiencing unbearable agony on her hospital bed, she manages to put up a brave face because she is determined to survive. You’re welcome to the world of Gift Agbo, a 10-year-old battling with Leukemia. Gift was born into the family of Gabriel and Patience Agbo on March 22, 2004. Her parents who are indigenes of Idoma, in Benue State, merely struggle to make ends meet, and are therefore very saddened at the fate which has now befallen their pretty daughter. At the tender age of 10, it is expected that Gift should be in school. But in place of school, she is been confined to a hospital bed at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) as a result of a horrible swelling in her right eye, a symptom of a greater problem -leukemia. Leukemia is cancer of the blood cells. It starts in the bone marrow, the soft tissue inside most bones. Bone marrow is where blood cells are made. Early symptoms of leukemia may include fatigue, fever, and pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs. According to a medical report from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), signed by Dr Akinwumi, a Consultant Paediatrician of the Haemotology/Oncology Unit, Gift was presented to the unit on August 29, 2014, with a swelling in her right eye, paleness of the body and fever. Further investigation revealed she has acute Myeloid Leukamia. The medical report also says she has undergone blood transfusion several times and is now awaiting chemotherapy. A picture of Gift before the swelling in her right eye started, shows a very pretty, chubby, lively and happy little girl. However it is a completely different picture you get when you look at her now. The horrible swelling in her right eyes could very well repel you, because it has disfigured her face very badly. Initially, when her eye started swelling, it was learnt that it

Pastor Gabriel Agbo, Gift’s father, in this interview tells Michael Uchebuaku the genesis of his daughter’s illness. What do you do for a living? I am a caterer, and I work with Whssen Nigeria Limited, a private company. So when did you first notice this problem? I first noticed it in June this year when she was admitted. How did it start? It all started when she complained of fever and when I touched her I noticed that her temperature was very high. So, we rushed her to the hospital. For how long had she been complaining before you took her to the hospital? She had been complaining of fever for some time and she was being treated. We brought her home but when her condition became terrible she was admitted. Gift on her sick bed and (below) before the illness

swelled to a point that she could no longer open her eye. The swelling later became so serious that pus started oozing out of the little girl’s eye. In order to save the little girl’s life and protect her eye from suffering permanent damage, doctors battled to reopen her right eye and make her illness more manageable. However, further treatment of the little girl appears to have been stalled at the LASUTH because of lack of money. Gift’s father, Pastor Gabriel

Agbo, says he has tried his best to raise funds to continue his daughter’s treatment, but he can no longer cope with the financial strain. He says: “I have spent over N300, 000 on my daughter’s treatment but it is not enough. I still need about N4million for my daughter to recover between now and the next two years.” However, Gabriel adds that he has been informed by doctors that his daughter’s treatment for leukemia may last well into adulthood. Gabriel, who resides with his family at No.10, Michael Ajanaku street, Dominion Estate, Ayobo, is appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to come to his aid financially so that his daughter can be well again. He says: “I can’t afford to pay the money required for my daughter to be well again, because of my meagre salary. Therefore, I am appealing to all Nigerians to please help me with money to pay for my daughter’s hospital bills and treatment so that we can find a permanent cure to my daughter’s illness.”

So you first noticed it in June? Yes. What did you do when you noticed it? I took her to the hospital where she was admitted. She was admitted at Mobonike Medical Centre, a private hospital at Dopemu, Lagos. The doctor admitted her and said that her blood had reduced to 20 per cent, and that she needed additional blood urgently. What did doctor say was wrong with her? The doctor at that private hospital didn’t tell me what was wrong with my daughter. He just said her blood had dried up. We gave her blood and she was okay, so we brought her home. At what point did the swelling in her right eye start? The eye started swelling gradually but when I and my wife complained to the doctor, he said he couldn’t see anything, and that if it develops more than that, we should let him know. Three days after, the swelling became obvious and we took her back to the private hospital. They were treating her and recommending eye drops to us which

we were buying and applying on our daughter’s eye, but there was no improvement. So, later I decided to take her to the General Hospital at Ilepo and from that General Hospital, we were referred to LASUTH. Did you take her back to the private hospital? No we didn’t since they had no cure for her. When did you get to LASUTH? I got there on June 30. We were referred for CT scan for the swollen eye, but the result of the scan could not be taken back to them because of the doctors’ strike, so we had to wait till the strike had been called off before anything could be done. After the doctors’ strike had been called off, we went back to LASUTH with the result of the test on August 29. When we got there, my daughter was immediately admitted and a series of tests were carried out on her. Afterward, the doctor called me and my wife to his office and said my child was diagnosed of Leukamia. He said the cost of treating it is very expensive and that my daughter would be in the hospital for a period of six weeks after which she would be discharged. The doctor said that my daughter would then go for another round of treatment that would take another two years. How much have you spent so far on your daughter’s treatment? I have spent over N300, 000 on my daughter’s treatment through money I borrowed from people in addition to what my family struggled to raise, but it is not enough. I still need about N4 million for my daughter to recover between now and the next two years. So what do you want Nigerians to do for you? I am appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid because I can’t afford the cost of treating the child and I don’t want to lose my daughter. Anyone who wants to help contribute financially to the treatment of Gift Agbo should pay to: Acct. Name: Agbo Gabriel Bank: GTB Account No: 0008537789. Or call 0803 828 0440 or 08131161840.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Street Diary

Mother of four abandons kids, husband for robbery M Juliana Francis

rs. Victoria Amodu, wife of a mobile policeman, knows that robbery is a crime. Yet when she abandoned her matrimonial home, including her four kids at Osogbo, Osun State, and ran to Lagos, she embraced robbery and prostitution. Crying profusely after the bubble had burst, Amodu regretted that her life had never turned out the way she wanted it. According to her, circumstances had pushed her into embarrassing situations. Although she used the euphemism ‘hustle’ to describe her job at a brothel along Seme/Badagry Road, she was actually a prostitute charging between N500 and N1, 000 from clients. Amodu is now a guest at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State Command where she is being detained for robbery. The police said Amodu belonged to a gang of notorious robbers whose modus operandi was to pick unsuspecting passengers in commercial buses and rob them at gunpoint. Narrating how she became a robber, Amodu claimed she was tricked into robbery by one of her male clients. The client, Okanlawon, allegedly invited her to a night club one day after he discovered Amodu was deeply unhappy. The cause of her sadness was that she belonged to a group of prostitutes who contributed certain sum of money every month, with each contributor taking turn to collect the lump sum of money at the end of the month. But when it was Amodu’s turn to collect hers, the lady in charge disappeared with her N100, 000. Dejected Amodu was consoled by Okanlawon who subsequently invited her to a club. She said: “Okanlawon has been unusually nice to me. He used to call me most times. We went to the night club together. I didn’t go back to the brothel that day. We lodged in a hotel. I was surprised when he woke me very early in the morning. He took me to his bus. There were two other men in the bus. They started picking passengers along the road. I didn’t know they were robbers.” It was learnt that some members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who had been suspecting that that the bus was being used for robbery, sighted the gang and chased them but they escaped. Amodu recalled: “I didn’t know what was happening. The men quickly dropped the passengers. Okanlawon then told me that they were robbers. He said if I reveal his secret, he would kill me. I told him I wasn’t interested in the job and he promised to find a safe haven for me. I was terrified. He told me that I wasn’t the only lady the gang uses for robbery operations. He said that some of the ladies they use for operations have become rich.”

But the police said as a female member in the gang, part of Amodu’s job was to dress nicely and sit beside the driver, a ploy, which law enforcement agents said was meant to lure unsuspecting commuters. The gang’s routes are Iyana Iba, Agbara, Oko Afo and Seme/Badagry Road. Amodu said the gang’s modus operandi was to use one bus to pick passengers, while two other buses served back up. She said: “Our driver would receive a signal from other vehicles behind and we would stop at a lonely area and rob our victims. From each of the operations, they gave me between N10, 000 and N15, 000. The highest they’ve given me was N20, 000.” The police said that Amodu was arrested after some victims recognised the bus and pounced on the driver. The driver, who was later identified as Ahmed Isiaka, was with a woman. They were taken to Ojo Police Station. When the news filtered that members of the gang had been arrested, many victims trooped to the station. The suspects were later transferred to SARS where an Assistant Inspector Police, Mr. Aminu, was asked to head the investigation team. Investigation revealed that the woman who was arrested with Isiaka was his wife. During interrogation, the woman claimed she did not know her husband was an armed robber. She was absolved of any complicity and was subsequently released. But Isiaka confessed that the gang had a female member and after the third attempts, police arrested Amodu in Seme, Benin Republic. The police said: “The gang once picked and robbed a woman inspector of police. They dispossessed her of all her belongings and stripped her naked. Even when she begged them to allow her to keep her bra and panties, the gang refused. They left her stark naked in the bush. The woman ran to the highway. She was naked and continuously waved to motorists to help her but none responded. Someone who knew her saw her and eventually helped the woman. When members of the gang were arrested, the policewoman identified Amodu as one of those who robbed her.” Amodu said she left her kids and husband because her husband was always beating her. The woman, who said her first kid is 10 and the last, two, added that she ran away from her matrimonial home this year. Wiping tears from her eyes, Amodu said: “Since my arrest, I’ve learnt something. One should be patient in life. In life, problem can be temporary. I blame myself because I was not patient. All I wanted was quick success. I would be lying if I said my husband was not taking care of me. “Although I dropped out in primary school, I wanted to get a job

Amodu

and assist my younger siblings. I’m the oldest child of our parents. My husband however wouldn’t allow me to work. He wants me to be a full-time housewife. The perennial argument that I wanted to work increased the beating at home. “I decided to come to Lagos to hustle. When I embarked on the journey to Lagos, I had nowhere in mind to go or stay. I was in the bus crying. A lady asked why I was crying and I narrated my ordeal to her. She asked if I wouldn’t mind coming to stay with her at a brothel in Seme to work as a prostitute. That was how I went into prostitution.” She said she knew she had bitten more than she could chew after she started going on robbery operations with the gang.

Even when she begged them to allow her to keep her bra and panties, the gang refused She explained: “Last month, before all these problems of police started, my husband called me. He apologised and begged me to come home. I had already made up my mind to go back. I used to call and speak with my kids. I was missing them. When my husband called, I also asked him to forgive me. I told him that I had offended him.

“I attend Foursquare Church. I went to my pastor and told him that I was a prostitute and was forced into robbery. I confessed my sins because I wanted a fresh start in life. I would have left Lagos since, but I could not raise enough money to cover my transport fare to Osogbo. The pastor said I should leave the brothel immediately. My husband promised to send me money once he received his salary. If I had stayed with my husband, perhaps God would have touched him to stop beating me. Instead I ran away and found myself in this problem.” According to Amodu, she was just a young girl when her mother abandoned her and her kid brother to their father and disappeared.

Jos crisis: 25 orphans get scholarships Buhari Bello Jos

wenty-five orphans in Plateau State whose parents died in the recent Jos crisis have been awarded scholarship from primary school to tertiary level. The former Gombe State Independent National Electoral Commission official and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant in the forthcoming 2015 governorship election in Plateau State, Mr Godfrey Miri, said the gesture was to ensure

that the children had education and become responsible citizens. “I feel highly touched by their plight. So, I decided to offer them scholarships. At present, I have over 25 orphans studying at the Bethel International School, Jos,” Miri said at the N5 million foundation laying of a community hall organised by Bogghom Development Association, Jos branch. “Asking Bogghom community to give me orphans to train is part of my passion and benevolence it is not only made for the community alone but the gesture

cuts across all the 17 local government areas of the state. “So, the scholarship scheme is not made for only Tarok’s or Bogghom’s or for only a particular ethnic group but is for all the citizens of the state,” he added. Miri expressed his displeasure at the way and manner some elders on the Plateau handled education issues and appealed to well to do indigenes in the state to key into education by offering scholarship to orphans and the less privileged, saying government alone could not give education to all her citizens.

Voices

SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Should spouses take a bath together? Yes, they should… Yes, they should, if and when they are chanced. Definitely, it will not be an everyday thing. (Yetunde Bisiriyu Oladeinde, school officer, Covenant University) It's romantic Personally, I think it is a good idea for spouse to bath together although it doesn't have to be all the time. Bathing with your spouse is just another level of connection between the spouse and it's really romantic and fun. (Fela Jordan Aina, businessman) It's very necessary Yes, it is very necessary although not always. It gives you the privilege to access her whole body and not like when you are tensed on bed. (Edwin Mojekwu, dancer and marketer) If they can sleep together why not! That is very funny. Why not, since they are married. They can sleep and bath together until death do them part. (Adeosun Anthony, works at ESLG) It should be encouraged To me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with such act as long as it is not with another man. (Wale Caro, Teacher) It will make her disrespect me Never, if I start bathing with my wife, she will disrespect me and I won’t like such. Even when we are copulating, I don’t allow her to see my manhood. (Wale Ajiboye, banker)

It's a good practice Ah! That will be very nice. In fact, I will consider that with my girlfriend, if she will like it. (Love Holaitan, Student) It's spiritually wrong It seems spiritually wrong, but I can’t categorically say the particular verse in the Bible. But I think Christianity kicks against it. (Morayo Adeosun, lecturer, Ekiti State University) Good if it's convenient to do so They should, if they find it convenient. I have no problem with that. (Olusola Olutobi, Student at Ambrose Alli University) It's abnormal It looks abnormal. Can’t they bath in turn? I mean, save us the drama. (Tolulope Adeyinka, health officer) It sounds unusual Honestly, there is nothing wrong with that. It only sounds a bit unusual. (Juwon Oladeji, student at University of Ilorin) It may lead to incessant sex Of course, I think they should bath together. But you know it might lead to incessant sex. (A fe e z Ariyo, student at Lagos State University) It will be fun I don’t know if I can do such because I haven’t tried it before. But I think it will be fun to do so. (Onitiju Jamiewill, businessman)

Is not wrong I can always bath with my spouse because we are one body in Christ, and there is nothing wrong with bathing with one’s spouse. After all I do see her nakedness. (Ajibola Suleiman, Lawyer) I enjoy it I love to bath with my wife because it is always interesting whenever we do it. There is nothing wrong in bathing with one’s spouse because I will still see her nakedness when we want to copulate. So, there is no point in hiding anything. (Akeem Kehinde, photographer)

I can’t do it I have not taken a bath together with my spouse before so I wouldn’t know how it will look like bathing with her. But then, I have seen her nakedness times without number so it won’t be enticing to do such with her. (Yussuf Olajunji, computer engineer) It strengthens the marriage Why not, it is one of the things that make relationship interesting and make it last longer. So, I can bath together with my spouse in the bathroom. It’s no big deal. (Foladara Odukoya, student) Too shy to do it I am a very shy person. Even when we are copulating I usually switch off the light not to talk of bathing together. I don’t think I can do such. (Makinde Mariam, trader) compiled by

ANGELA DAVIES, DUROJAIYE AYORINDE SHADRACK YUSUF, INIOLUWA EKEOLERE AND BOLA KAREEM

SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

WeekendDelight FREE

C o n v e r s at i o n

Instyle

Short Story

Life Of The Red Carpet Queen

Hospitality

With looks and panache that seem made for the red carpet, Elohor Eisien is the president of Beth Models, organisers of one of Nigeria’s most glamorous pageants, Elite Model Look, which rounded off on a climactic note at the Eko Hotel and Suites a few weeks back. The young fashion connoisseur and entrepreneur shares her success story with LANRE ODUKOYA.

Styles for men’s suit lapel p.15

Me in America; a dream p.18

Excellence Hotel: Doing what it says in its name p.39

Love & Living

‘My husband is gay; but I feel no less a woman’ p.19

THE INSPIRATION I wanted to take the Nigerian modelling industry internationally and also work with a brand that’s well recognised, so I got the franchise for Elite Model Look in 2007. We did our first show in 2008. For us, Elite Model Look is recognised around the world as one of the most glamorous events ever. And it’s also an opportunity for me to discover our own super models which we didn’t have. But today, Elite produces all the super models in Nigeria currently. ON STAGING NIGERIA’S REPUTEDly FIRST EVER MALE AND FEMALE PAGEANTS We did the first one two years ago just to see how it would feel and we realised that it was really nice. From the year when we started our campaign, we got the men always asking: ‘what are you going to do for the guys?’ And my agency works with both male and female models, so, this year, when we concluded that the guys can go for the finals, we were really excited. And we honestly found out that guys here are awesome and I actually didn’t know that we had these good looking guys in Nigeria that would fit into the international pageants. Already we’ve been getting phone calls and emails that the guys on the show are marvellous and they would like to see them more on the international scene. SOURCING SPONSORSHIP AMID RECESSION Since I started Elite Model Look, it’s been very difficult to get sponsorship and brands that actually believe in us. Well, we’ve actually had brands that have been with us since 2008 till now, but it was just a miracle that we got some more this year. And this is because people look at modelling as something really different; they don’t really know what it is about. We have a brand, Aquafina which came on board and we herald as purity in water and encouraged all our models to drink. They came on board and we did our first mixed pageant and this is the second year we’re working together. So, hopefully, we would be working together in the next few years. THE MOET&CHANDON DEAL Yes, Moet & Chandon has been our partner since 2007. We all know that everybody loves Moet & Chandon, so it speaks so much for the show itself because obviously some of our contestants are under-aged, so we really keep this brand for the responsible adult that are part of the show. QUITTING MISS NIGERIA PAGEANT Quitting Miss Nigeria pageant which I headed at a point hasn’t actually set me back as a matter of fact. It was something I did for a year when I just wanted to know what it feels working in the beauty industry. But it’s totally different from what you find in allied industries. I realised that it wasn’t really my calling, that was the reason I did for one year and I’m more than happy that I did. It was an experience I will never forget but I decided concentrate more on my own. And I was also launching my own luxury events company as well.

BETWEEN NIKE OSINOWO AND I No, I never had any issue with Nike Osinowo who was the director of Miss Nigeria before I got the job. As a matter fact, we’re still friends as we speak. We’ve never had any issue whatsoever with her.

Weekend Delight

| Conversation

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

‘I’d rather push my brand than my face’ C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

well. When we have project like the Elite, we all put heads together, my whole team comes together and we deliver something exquisite. This is the 10th year I founded my agency, Berth and we’re changing and rebranding. We’ve learnt from our mistakes in the last decade and we’re trying to make it bigger with more international visibility. For my events company, at the end of the day, it’s going to be like a one-stop shop where you approach us and we do everything for you.

HOW I STARTED MODELLING It’s funny because it wasn’t something I wanted to go into when I was much younger. But my mom loves fashion; you go to her house and get her always watching fashion TV and she still does till now. It was something I grew up to know and she would always tell me, ‘I want you to be like Naomi Campbell’. So, sometimes when I went out, people would complement me with statements like; ‘Oh, you look like Naomi Campbell’ and I remembered that was what mom wanted me to be and she encouraged me. I found that very strange because with a lot of parents, it’s the opposite. I did a few modelling jobs when I was in school. And that was also when I enrolled for Miss Nigeria in London and I won. And I realised that it wasn’t really what I wanted to do and most of the agencies on the international scene would tell me that I didn’t have the look they were looking for. So, I said, okay, when I move back home I would start my own modelling agency.

STANDING OUT FROM THE PACK What I’m bringing new to the table in wedding and events planning are luxury and simplicity. And this is because I realise that not everyone wants the colourful weddings and events. I’m British and keeping things very simple and unique is the way I think and I’ve had events where I had to tell people that you really don’t need to have all the flowers to stage a good wedding. There are times so much flowers at an event makes it look like a floral centre. I love flowers; you can work with flowers but at the minimal degree. See what we did with the just concluded Elite show, how many people will believe that we actually build that in five days? The plan we had previously was totally different, we changed everything in the last minute.

MY FIRST CAREER FANTASY Actually, I wanted to be a wedding planner. I remember that I had bought so many books in 1999, I even bought so much wedding videos and I said to myself, ‘this is what I want to be’. But when I went to the university everything changed and I said I was going to go into computer science. When I graduated, I’ve already forgotten about the ‘wedding planner’ obsession. But in 2013, I decided to be a wedding planner which I’d always wanted to be. I’m actually a wedding and event planner.

THE MAGAZINE COVER GIRL I’ve truly lost count of how many newspaper or magazine covers I’ve graced. But, I’m truly opposite what people think I am. They think I love the covers; that’s not who I am. I just realise that it’s my job and career so I have nowhere to hide. I’d rather push my brand than my face. Even for this interview, I’d said my models need it more. So, it was tough for me to finally agree to have it.

JOGGLING ROLES PLANNING WEDDING AND MODELLING It’s very easy. I have a good team on our modelling shows and for my wedding and event planning; I have a separate team as

PASSING THE BATON I have a child and I’ve started seeing

most of my traits in her. She’s understands nearly everything that I do. It shocks me sometimes to see that this girl would really protect my legacy more than I would do. I have a feeling that she would be a wedding planner because she loves everything that has to do with weddings. She’s being a little bride for about six different weddings in one year and she’s always wearing all her little bride’s dresses at home. And she’s also in love with flowers. I asked her what she wanted for her birthday last year and she said, ‘mummy, I want flowers. I want a pink rose’. The greatest moment of my life will be when I see my daughter taking charge of my business. Immediately after finishing her course in the university, if it’s what she wants to do, I’ll like to see her take over my business. She’s the reason I’m doing everything after all. MY WALK INTO MARRIAGE I’ve known my husband for eight years and we’ve been married for four year. And the good thing about him is that he believes in what I’m doing and he supports me all the way. He understands and also helps me to get sponsorship for my shows. But he’s not the same man I met 8 years ago and I’m not the same woman either. The most important thing is to understand your spouse. I say this a lot of times, people never change. The way you meet them is the way they’d always be. It’s either you cope with them or you leave. MY STYLE I’m a simple person, but I’m becoming boring nowadays. I love fashion a lot and for me style is everything, style is the way you dress, the way you carry yourself, the way you speak to people and the way people see you. It has a million and one definitions.

For elite model winners, it’s a launchpad to bigger dreams How did you get to know about the Elite Model Look Nigeria? Ndigwe: I heard about it through my sister who is also a model. She told me about it two years ago and since then I’d been waiting for the show. Nicholas: I heard about it last year when I was scouted by some model scouts who handed me the flyer. But I wasn’t ready then, I decided to start this year. I saw it on facebook, blogs and radio stations this year and that was how I came on board.

18-year-old Victor Ndigwe, an undergraduate of music from the University of Benin and 16-year-old Mayowa Nicholas who currently studies accounting at the Crawford University won the recent Elite Model Look contest. The happy duo echoed their joy in this chat with LANRE ODUKOYA.

What’s your earliest influence? Ndigwe: My sister was my earliest influence because she started modelling two years ago and I watched her and loved what she was doing. But then, because of my height two years ago, I couldn’t start modelling as much as I wanted to. Who was your toughest contender during the contest? Nicholas: Everybody was my contender because they all have one outstanding feature. When you look at A, oh, she has a great cheek bone, and when you see contestant B, her eyes are just perfect and you’d find another girl who looks like the best when she walks. How did your parents feel about it having their male child going into modelling? Ndigwe: At first, they were sceptical about me joining the competition and I had to make them see reasons that this is what I love to do. They got supportive and on the day of the casting, they dropped me off and waited till the casting ended. In the right now, I know they’re very proud of

Muyiwa and Victor

I just felt that getting to top two was good enough for me. You wept on the runway when your name was announced. What was going through you at that point? Nicholas: Yes, I cried because it looked like my dream was coming true too soon. It’s still like a dream to me and I was speechless.

Shock as Muyiwa (second right) wins

themselves and proud of me too. Did you ever think you’d win? Nicholas: Before I got to the camp, I was just praying that God should give me victory. But the second I got here and saw different talents, I began to doubt the possibility of winning. I continued to pray to get to top five, but I didn’t believe that I would come this far. You shed tears the minute you were announced the winner. Was the victory

a shocker? Ndigwe: When you work hard enough, put your best into something and you’re sure you need that thing desperately enough, you would feel the way I felt that night. And tears will stream down your face not because you want it. Elite is best platform in Nigeria, and arguably in Africa for a model to actualise his or her dream. I prayed, but I didn’t expect to win as a matter of fact, but I desired to win. I was standing with Bolu who was the audience’s favourite that evening. So

What was your first career choice before modelling? Ndigwe: I was in school before modelling and I’m still studying music. I love music and I have a few tracks already. Did you get your parents’ consent to do modelling? Nicholas: My mom encouraged me but my dad is late, maybe he would have done the same thing. She didn’t even know anything about elite but I was the one telling her everything about it.

Instyle

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

The hat of the matter Comedian and compere, Iruvwe Okeremute Don, better known as the De-Don lives up to the name when it comes to his style. For him, his hat must complement any outfit he adorns, he tells ANGELA DAVIES.

Peak lapel

How would you define your style? My style is simple but I wear anything that fits me. It can be T-shirt, jeans and boot or sneakers. It can be a shirt and jacket as long as it fits me, I am good to go. What kinds of clothes occupy a larger part of your wardrobe? It is definitely corporate outfits because I anchor more of serious events like wedding, annual general meeting and end of year party as well as comedy events. Are there attires you're unlikely to be seen wearing? The only outfit I find difficult to wear is agbada. I don’t see myself going to buy one just to have in my wardrobe. The only time I will wear agbada is when I have an event to compere and the client insists that I must dress in agbada.

Shawl lapel

Fashion accessory you cannot leave home without? That will be my wristwatch and wedding ring. If I am without my wristwatch, I feel very empty.

Joseph Benjamin in notch lapel suit

Notch lapel

Alex Ekubo in shawl lapel suit

Styles for men’s suit lapel N Angela Davies

o doubt, most men look suave in well tailored suits. A good number of men’s suits are captivating with distinct lapels suitable for different occasions. These lapel styles are basically notch, peak and shawl which every man should know. It should be noted that each lapel works with the suit, occasion and your body to provide the proper look. Lapels are the folded flaps of cloth on the front of a jacket or suit jackets. Usually they are formed by folding over the front edges of the jacket and sewing them to the collar, an extra piece of fabric around the back of the neck. So, what exactly is the difference between the notch, peak and shawl lapels? Notch lapel: Also called the ‘stepped lapel’ is the opening where the bottom of the collar meets the top of the lapel, usually at a 75 to 90 degree angle. The notch lapel is the most common in men’s suit. Suits with this lapel are worn every day to the office and other events. Notched lapels look great on single breasted, two button and three but-

ton suits. However, bear in mind that this lapel style should not be too wide or skinny. It is advisable to stick to a medium to narrow lapel, a width that is classic and timeless. Peak lapel: Also known as ‘pointed lapel’, this lapel style is traditionally the most formal of the lapels and commonly found on double breasted suit or two button suits. A peak lapel is defined by edges pointing upwards to your shoulders. A peaked lapel adds width to the shoulders, so it should be worn by men who want to accentuate their shoulders. Peaked lapel on a single breasted suit is more formal than a notched lapel, because it has the same lines as a tuxedo. If you don’t want to wear a tuxedo, you can opt for a suit with peak lapel style for an evening event. It can also be worn to semi-formal business meetings. Shawl lapel: This lapel style is characterized by a rounded edge and most common on dinner jackets and tuxedos. It is always used on one, two or three button tuxedos. This suit style is usually worn with a bow tie for an evening or red carpet event. Know that the greatest fashion blunder you can commit is wearing a shawl lapel suit to a business meeting.

Style signature That is my hat because it depicts the name, De-Don. I must wear my hat especially when I have a performance. No matter the kind of outfit I wear whether it is a suit, texudo and bow tie or jeans and shirt or T-shirt, I must wear my hat. Most expensive fashion item ever bought A pair of Diesel shoe Best designer That will be Mudi. He is creative and designs are just cool and matured. Best perfume I like Salvatore Ferragamo because the fragrance stays long on me. Best colour I like blue. It is a cool colour. Do you have favourite shoes? I like black coloured shoes. But when it is raining and cold, I wear boots.

Segun Arinze in peak lapel suit

De-Don

Instyle

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Accessories to live for

Fashionable cufflinks

Facts

Cufflinks may be small and seemingly insignificant accessories, but they nonetheless add some class and glamour to your dress shirt and overall look, writes ANGELA DAVIES.

s men's accessories, cufflinks are both fashionable and functional. These small accessories have a big impact in the look of a suit or dress shirt. Cufflinks are used to secure French cuffs and add to the glamour and style quotient if worn with a suit jacket and tie. You should wear appropriate cufflinks for each occasion that complement your personal style. Wearing cufflinks is pretty straightforward. You could pinch the sleeve ends together flat so that they extend out from your wrist. Another alternative is to fold the cuffends together as you normally do with cuff buttons. Close the swivel bar of your cufflink and insert it through the aligned holes from the outside, then re-open the swivel bar to secure the cuff.

Bayo Adegbe is the brain behind the famous label, Modela Couture. Modela Couture which was established in 2001 as hobby became a business in 2004 when he won the Designer of the year award at the Nigerian Fashion Show (NFS). Adegbe is regarded as the King of haute.

Cufflinks come in a variety of styles, materials, colours and themes to select from; however, the bottom line is that your choice of cufflinks should be consistent with your dress and the occasion. Some cufflinks are ideal for daily wear, but many occasions require dressy ones. For instance, diamond cufflinks are perfect for weddings and black-tie events. Silver cufflinks is ideal for the office. Choose gemstone cufflinks in many colours to make sure you always have something interesting to wear to formal events. With so many new styles now, it can also be a way to support your favourite team or simply complete a look. Remember that, cufflinks are worn only on French-cuff shirts.

The famous Ralph Lauren began his career as a tie designer.

High heels were initially worn by both men and women. It was worn by men so that it would help them when they rode their horses. However, it faded by 1740.

Bobbed hairstyle prompted the invention of the bobbie pin because it keeps the hairstyle tidy.

FASHION ETIQUETTE

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

When to leave your buttoned-down shirt un-tucked

Contemporary African attire

hese days, men are increasingly seen wearing their buttoned-down shirts with tail un-tucked. It may look right but not smart. Dress shirt tails are naturally longer so they should not be left un-tucked in a work environment. If your shirt bottom is curved, it is designed to be tucked. If a buttoned-down shirt hangs below your hips, tucking the shirt in is a must whether you are wearing it with a dress pants, jeans or corduroy. If you are wearing dress pants, make sure to use a belt and tuck the shirt in nicely. The only shirts that are intended to be worn un-tucked have a flat or squared bottom. It is acceptable to wear casual button-down shirts un-tucked for an informal event with a pair of jean or dress pants. But if you choose to do so, it should not be shorter than your hip length and not longer than the bottom of your jeans pocket. And take care to avoid pants that are too roomy.

Elliot

Igwe

his week, the fashion face-off is between Nollywood actor and movie director, Desmond Elliot, and blogger, Noble Igwe. The attire in contention is the contemporary African wear. Igwe wore a blue contemporary African outfit to the fifth anniversary of the fashion retail store, Le Petit Marche (LPM) and debut of African designers at the first LPM Africa in association with HauTeFashionAfrica. com event which held at Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;espace on August 31 in Lagos. The outfit consists of a long sleeve top with round neck with simple design which he paired with a trouser in the same fabric. Bearded Igwe styles his look with a light blue wristwatch and silver bracelet and black leather criss-cross slippers. On his part, Elliot also wore a blue contemporary African outfit to the premiere of the movie, Jump and Pass, which took place at the African hub/ lounge Afriville, Surulere, Lagos recently. The outfit also consists of a long sleeve top with high neck paired with a matching trouser. The top had simple but lovely red embroidery design on the right hand side and false pocket on the left. He harmonized his African look with a deep blue wristwatch and black strappy leather sandal. Who do you think wore this blue long sleeve contemporary African attire better? Blogger, Igwe or actor and movie director, Elliot?

Trends

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Making sense of the new bicycle frenzy A campaign launched over a decade ago to instil the bicycle culture among Nigerians got a lukewarm reception. But today, Nigerians especially on Lagos streets are pedalling away without being prodded by anyone, writes ANGELA DAVIES.

s little kids, many of us rode bicycles known as the twowheeler in our neighbourhood with friends and family members. Sometimes, we even held competitions on who gets to a particular spot first. Well, growing up, riding bicycle was all about fun. For many decades in many parts of rural Nigeria, especially in the South-East, the bicycle is still being used and almost every household owns one. Families ride bicycle to the farm to carry goods and even to the market to sell their farm produce. Everywhere you look today people are jumping on the bicycle bandwagon. These days more young people ride bicycles across Lagos metropolis in a trend that is indicative of embrace of that culture. Young men ride their bicycles to different destinations and Lagosians are waking up to this reality especially with the hectic traffic which characterise Lagos. Alas, it's emerged as a response to the ban on commercial bikes on major Lagos roads. It has, invariably, become a creative way to beat the city's horrendous traffic. That is despite the risks inherent in riding bicycles in a city notorious for reckless driving. In 2001, former minister of transport, Ojo Maduekwe, campaigned for the use of

bicycles in major cities, but the campaign failed due to concerns over the safety of cyclists on Nigerian roads in face reckless driving by some drivers. As a matter of fact, Maduekwe had himself experienced the downside of this passion when he sustained some bruises after a collision. Maduekwe told Nigerians to embrace cycling as a partial solution to the crippling traffic. But years after, young men are trying to keep that memory alive as bicycles are now seen daily on the roads which have fast become a trend. Across Lagos State, without being nudged by anyone, there is a growing trend in the use of bicycles by residents either as a form of recreation to improve well being and physical fitness for the health conscious or as a means of transportation. The bottom line is that riding bicycle is a trend no matter what the reasons are. As a means of recreation, young men ride bicycles for the fun of it within their neighbourhood which covers a limited distance. For sports purpose, cycling gives your heart, blood vessels and lungs a good workout. However, as a means of transportation, it is cheap, fun and the distance is unlimited. Young guys excitedly ride their bicycles with their backpacks or cross

body bags on major roads especially to beat the hectic traffic given that they are easy to manoeuvre. These young men dress in outfits they are comfortable in, away from proper cycling outfits. So, they still adorn their fitted jeans, pants or short with shirt or T-shirts complemented with loafers, leather sandal or slippers and their back pack or sling bag depending on their style. Usually, for those who carry back pack, they have items like laptop, shoes, or supply and other necessary items they will need for the day. To add fun to their bicycle ride, quite a number of them listen to music on their phones using earpieces. This, however, presents another risk as the riders are barely able to discern there is danger behind them. These bicycles come in different brands and designs. In western countries and some parts of Asia, bicycles are the fastest growing means of transportation with dedicated lanes. Aside the fact that bicycles are inexpensive, they are also environment-friendly, do not cause pollution and needs no fuel. Although, it may be convenient to ride bicycles where the roads are not too busy, however, there are inherent dangers in cycling on the busy and chaotic Lagos roads

without dedicated bicycle lanes. But, this does not stop these young bicycle riders who must get to their destination despite the bad roads which is not even ideal for cars. Before you decide to follow the bicycle trend, you should know that: •You have to be extra careful especially if it is used as a means of transportation. •Avoid wearing roomy trousers. Keep fitted trousers to enable you cycle freely. •There are no dedicated lanes for bicycles to shield riders from cars. • You still have to obey traffic light. • Ride in the direction of traffic. • Watch out for doors of cars opening unexpectedly. • If you are caught in the rain, there is no roof to cover you and this may stop your journey except if you decide to continue your journey in the rain. • For safety purpose, it is advisable to cycle in your estate or neighbourhood. • Many roads are still bad and always busy therefore posing a risk for the cyclist. •Watch out for pedestrians’ crossings the road because they will be looking out for cars and not bikes. If anything happens, both you and the pedestrian will get hurt. If you decide to join the bicycle trend, it is proper to embrace it wisely.

Short Story SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Writer in focus:

Ahaoma Kanu

Me in America; a dream

t is called the land of dreams, the place of opportunities, capital of the world; God’s own country and the place to be, but I know it as the United States of America: U.S.A. The country I started dreaming to visit ever since I was three years old wearing my Oshkosh dungarees while watching Sesame Street, a kiddies TV program that got me infected with the American bug. My grandfather never failed to tell me about America, “Obodo Oyibo,” he usually calls it whenever he sits down with to tell us tales by moonlight while smoking his tobacco filled pipe. I used to wonder how he knew much about this country himself and my father failed to visit when there was opportunities for them because I was made to know that our Naira was stronger than the Dollar at some point. I remember me, seven years old and still dreaming, writing my first letter to America; the recipient, a Christian tract society. I still feel my young heart filled with joy when the postmaster handed me my first mail from America filled with lovely tracts that talked about Jesus. From then onwards, I started writing to everybody and everything America; I wrote to the Voice of America and they sent me This Is America; I wrote to DC Comics and they mailed me Batman Comics and I wrote to Ernest Angley, he replied with a copy of Rapture. All Americans, all America. I remember listening to the angelic voice of Dolly Parton singing Coat of Many Colours while Michael Jackson moon walked me to mars and back again on disco shows. Then came the era of Musical Youths; the boys thank came with the track 007 and made many kids in my peer group start losing interest in school I dreamt America, I slept America. How can I forget 1989 when KC and Tolu, two of my best friends, came knocking on the window in the night. “Our Daddy is taking us to America,” they announced. I asked my Papa why he wouldn’t take me to America like my friends. “When you grow up, I’ll take you to America,” he assured me. I wait for growth to occur never losing sight of the dream while my buddies left for this land I had so much imagined. I watched TV and said a prayer for Reagan; I watched Rambo and longed to be a marine. I longed for America, I lived for America. In 1991, while still at junior high, specifically on January 15th, Bush led a war of liberation for Kuwait from the grips of Saddam. I prayed for America, I supported America and started the 11th commandment for America, a new gospel about this super power nation;

”If a man lives all his days on earth without visiting America, if he dies, he would surely go to hell.” And I believed it; I still had doubts if my grandfather would go there but I sure did want heaven. “ America oh America, in my lifetime, I must visit thee,” became my creed, my prayers during the morning and at noon day. Aged 17 and grown, I reminded my Papa about his promise, my America. “Son, if you read your books well, you will go to America,” he advised; from an American promise to an American advice. I knew I had to salvage my soul from going down the pit; my father wasn’t as wise. Then came the great gamble, a chance to live the dream; the American visa lottery it was called. Five times did I gamble, five times did I lose my chance to make heaven on earth. I called on to my ancestors, my lineage that transcends of old, to free me of whatever curse they may have laid on me; for if they weren’t too stubborn to have resisted the colonialists, I may as well have been a Kunta Kinte somewhere in Michigan. Watching a youngster called Valentine a year after, the bug still very much alive, talking about an exam that can lead him to America; I watched and kept faith because where I was coming was very far. Val passed the SAT and got an admission in America, only then did I come nearer him. “I will go to the embassy tomorrow,” he informed and off he went, on a night journey to Lagos. “Valentine got passed,” I was told, “his visa was granted.” I learnt.

I called on to my ancestors... for if they weren’t too stubborn to have resisted the colonialists, I may as well have been a Kunta Kinte somewhere in Michigan Oh foolish me, lousy me, how near America was to me only that I didn’t seek. The next year, trust me; I did apply to write the exam to America. Pass I did, an admission, I did get, to Oklahoma Panhandle State University to study Computer Information Systems. I became too happy that at last I was going to America like Akeem. Meticulously I gathered my documents; my uncle’s contract papers, my father’s palm oil farm papers and my results, all for America. Early in the morning I set out for the American embassy. I trekked under the rain and got soaked on my grandfather’s coats but I never did mind; to me it was showers of blessing, blessings of going to America. Arriving at Victoria Island, I asked for the embassy. “It's on Eleke Crescent,” one person said. “No, Abacha changed it to Louis Farrakhan Crescent,” another argued. “They now call it Walter Carrington Crescent,” a young lady informed me.

I trekked on, wearing my grandpa’s coat and carrying my bulging documents to the crescent called Carrington. On getting there I saw the flag, the most beautiful of all nations; blue stripes on red stars. Quickly like Arnold Schwazzeneger, I threw a salute hoping to fly that flag in a matter of minutes. Waiting all over the river bank were dreamers like me; old and young, tall and short; beautiful and ugly, black and white including Chinese and Indians. All wanted America. I enquired about the requirements, for the commandments of the consulate that I might abide therein. You get your Valucard for your visa fee and then you wait for your turn.” A fellow dreamer said with his lips moving in prayers apparently for a breakthrough. “How much?” I enquired. “$100.” $100! My visa fee was not complete. The enemies were at it again but I was not the type to give in to my fears. “When will it reach my turn,?” I kept on. “It depends on the visa you are applying for.” “I-20, student visa.” I announced. “You have to come back in a month,” my informer said. “Why such a delay?” I had come from afar. “To give you time to pray and fast.” The Youngman said and it made sense to me. Immediately I went to the cathedral and did all the penance, I confessed all my sins and became born again. All for America. I started fasting and praying for success until I believed or deceived myself into believing that

I heard a voice telling me that all was well. Finally, a divine confirmation that I was going to America. A few days later and it was DDay. I left for the embassy before first light and met people that slept there and woke up there. I was advised to come so early so as to greet the consular when they arrived on speed boats. I did, I almost bowed down to them when they came. None of them responded to my greeting but I was confident. We all filed out like slaves about to board another slave ship only that we were struggling to get in. Even the whips that the guards used in flogging us to keep calm weren’t painful. I strived to get in and I did. I was nearer America. Inside the embassy I saw all kinds of Nigerians like me, some more desperate; there were very old men and women still hustling to get into America. I didn’t blame them; they never wanted to go to hell. I started praying, refusing to talk to anyone before they infect me with their bad luck. There were many of them around; people denied visa crying about the place. I didn’t want to dwell on them before I catch their bug, their bad luck. As I loaded my card and gave all my money away to America, I wondered how much revenue they generate each day because it was a market inside there. But I needed to keep praying. I saw people with accents being denied; I saw doctors told they weren’t doctors; I saw Chieftains in their regalia being told to leave; I aw grandmothers denied their visa because their claim that their daughter was abroad was seen to be a lie. I saw many broken dreams and people addicted to trying again. All for America. Then my turn came; I was called by a very young girl that may as well be my junior. I had my confidence and my documents reading millions of naira contract my uncle was making but nobody looked at my documents. I was asked an inaudible question by the American and her hand was already holding one stamp. I kept rattling why I wanted to go to America but the girl, the very young girl had made her mind or somebody had made it up for her to stamp those denials. I was not an exception. I lost my application, my chance to go to America. My only avenue to make a dream a reality. It was destroyed by a small girl without any conscience what a man went through, that I had to wait to grow up, that I had to fast and pray and …oh…my America is gone. I am still around but maybe still dreaming about America but then I ask myself why can’t I love Nigeria like I do America. That would be a topic for another day. Right now, I still see America.

Dear Love Doctor, 'My husband abandoned me'

p.21

Life Experience: 'My first wife’s witchcraft made me marry a second wife!' p.20

'My husband is gay, but still, he makes me feel like a real woman' Love Confession Most women would feel outraged if their husbands ever told them they were gay. However, in this story, one woman shares her experience of living with a husband who makes her feel fulfilled despite his gay orientation. My love, if only you could listen to my heart, you’ll hear it saying: “I love you more than yesterday.”

very woman wants a man who would treat her like an egg. One who would respect her and not disregard her feelings. That’s why I’m happy I met a man like Hilary. I met Hilary in a wonderful way several years ago. I had just closed from work at Victoria Island. I was stressed out and decided to sleep at a nearby friend’s place. But before, then, I had to cool off by spending some time at the Bar beach. As I walked towards the waves, I noticed a man sitting on the shore silently, oblivious of my presence. He was very handsome and seemed to be enjoying the soothing music of the waves and the cool beach breeze. I bent slightly and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder and asked what he was doing on the beach all alone. He removed his hands from his pockets and placed them on the sand. Then he glanced up at me and gave me a most romantic wink. We talked and danced together on the Bar beach seashore. And as we danced, he shuffled his legs in such a hilarious way, making me scream with laughter. The first time we slept together was also funny, yet wonderful. I ran my hands up and down his back as if I was playing a musical instrument,

pushing him into me. We moved our heads closer at the same time, and when our lips met, we laughed and kissed, and laughed and kissed again. We found great fun and humour in romance. Hilary brought love, joy and laughter into my life. Falling in love with Hilary was comedy, lying in his arms was wonderful. I had never had a sweeter experience. When we were together, we always kept our eyes focused on each other. And whenever Hilary took me in his arms, I saw something glint in his eyes. It was like a twinkling star of love. A star had fallen into the pools of his big brown beautiful eyes, and that gave me the assurance that he was forever mine. I married Hilary without knowing much about his past. I didn’t care about knowing about his past, anyway. I had two boys and two girls for him in quick succession and he was glad because he had always said he wanted a family where both sexes were in equal measure. However, since we installed a family computer in our home, I noticed that my husband liked browsing gay web sites. Sometimes he would call me to come and look, saying: “Queen, see how those two men are embracing each other.” One day, my husband called me to see a photo on the internet of two European men who had just wedded each other. We both laughed at the photo of two gay men posing as husband and wife. It was funny but I wondered why my husband took special interest in such things. I decided to observe him closely especially in his relationships with his male friends, and it didn’t take long for me to find out that my husband and majority of his male friends were gay. I haven’t yet confronted my husband over my discovery and I don’t think I’m going to ever ask him why he’s gay. That’s because he treats me so well that I feel there’s simply no need for me to bother about his homosexual pastime. My elder sister advised me to let sleeping dogs lie. She said that as long as he acted responsibly towards me and the children, I had nothing to worry. She said I shouldn’t destroy my marriage just because my husband is gay. I think she’s right. My husband may be gay, but still, he makes me feel like a real woman.

Romantic Quotes

“I never loved you any more than I do, right this second. And I’ll never love you any less than I do, right this second.”

––Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

“Sometimes I can’t see myself when I’m with you. I can only just see you.” ––Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

L ve&Lv ng SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

MODEL OF THE WEEK ELIZABETH +234 9093174930

Love&Living

Love Songs

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

All of Me [Verse 1:] What would I do without your smart mouth? Drawing me in, and you kicking me out You've got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down What's going on in that beautiful mind I'm on your magical mystery ride And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright [Pre-Chorus:] My head's under water But I'm breathing fine You're crazy and I'm out of my mind [Chorus:] 'Cause all of me Loves all of you Love your curves and all your edges All your perfect imperfections Give your all to me I'll give my all to you You're my end and my beginning Even when I lose I'm winning 'Cause I give you all of me And you give me all of you, ohoh [Verse 2:] How many times do I have to tell you Even when you're crying you're beautiful too The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood You're my downfall, you're my muse My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues

Love Poem

I can't stop singing, it's ringing, in my head for you [Pre-Chorus:] My head's under water But I'm breathing fine You're crazy and I'm out of my mind [Chorus:] 'Cause all of me Loves all of you Love your curves and all your edges All your perfect imperfections Give your all to me I'll give my all to you You're my end and my beginning Even when I lose I'm winning 'Cause I give you all of me And you give me all of you, ohoh [Bridge:] Give me all of you Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts Risking it all, though it's hard [Chorus:] 'Cause all of me Loves all of you Love your curves and all your edges All your perfect imperfections Give your all to me I'll give my all to you You're my end and my beginning Even when I lose I'm winning 'Cause I give you all of me And you give me all of you I give you all of me And you give me all of you, ohoh.

Michaela Tatualla

I Want To... I want to kiss your reddish lips I want to touch your rosy cheeks I want to hear your lovely voice Although it can make a loud noise I will forget all my sorrow Just to be with you tomorrow Thinking you're always beside me Hoping that you'll never leave me.

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

Romantic Jokes

Love News

JOHN LEGEND

Divorced Barbie doll

Ralph is driving home one evening, when he suddenly realizes that it's his daughter's birthday and he hasn't bought her a present. He drives to the mall, runs to the toy store, and says to the shop assistant, "How much is that Barbie in the window?" In a condescending manner, she says, "Which Barbie?" She continues, "We have Barbie Goes to the Gym for $19.95, Barbie Goes to the Ball for $19.95, Barbie Goes Shopping for $19.95, Barbie Goes to the Beach for $19.95, Barbie Goes Nightclubbing for $19.95, and Divorced Barbie for $265.00." Ralph asks, "Why is the Divorced Barbie $265.00 when all the others are only $19.95?" "That's obvious," the saleslady says. "Divorced Barbie comes with Ken's house, Ken's car, Ken's boat, Ken's furniture..."

A programme for Singles and Married takes place at Holy Family Catholic Church, Festac Town, Lagos, every Monday by 7.00pm. Hosted by Rev. Fr. Sebastine Ukwandu.

Billionaire Richard Lugner, 81, marries Playboy model, 24

ell-wishers lined the streets in the Austrian capital Vienna to catch a glimpse of the spectacle

on Saturday. This was the aging businessman's fifth marriage and he didn't seem entirely convinced about the union. 'Hopefully, this time it's the right thing,' he said as he left with his new wife. No expense was spared for his fairytale bride whose big day at the stunning Schonbrunn Palace included a horse drawn carriage led by four Lipizzan horses. There were court ushers in traditional costumes, endless bottles of champagne in crystal flutes and... two white pigeons which the couple released into the air. As for buxom Cathy, she appeared to be straight out of an animated Disney movie. The German national's gown comprised of a heavily jeweled strapless bustier with a floor length purple chiffon skirt. The model's cascading platinum blonde curls were partially covered with a white veil. 'We did not intend to fall in love,' she said earlier this year in an interview with German news agency DPA. 'It just happened. Love knows no age.' Certainly, Kim was never going to make the huge guest list after their disastrous date earlier this year. Richard paid Kardashian's sister $500,000 to join him at the country's historic ball. But the Keeping Up With The Kar-

Life Experience You mean so much to me.

“M

ama, I’ve made my choice. Precious is the one I want to marry and nothing will make me change my mind.” That was how I forced my mother to agree to my marriage to Precious eight years ago. My mother gave her blessing to the marriage, though she observed that Precious acted strangely. My mother said that she couldn’t wait till the next nine months for Precious to give birth to her grandchild. But to our disappointment, years passed, and still we remained childless. After five years without a child, my relatives began to question my manhood. “Ben,” my eldest sister said, “if you can’t impregnate your wife, why not see a fertility specialist?” I went to see a fertility specialist. But the doctor said there was nothing wrong with me and my wife and that maybe our problem is spiritual. After waiting for two more years to have a child in vain, my eldest sister advised me to marry a second wife. My mother supported the idea, and it was left for me to inform my wife about it. However, to my greatest surprise, Precious totally rejected the idea of my marrying a new wife. I reminded her that we were Africans and that an African man was incomplete until he had a child, especially a male child. But she swore that any woman who married me would have herself to blame. I went ahead and married a sec-

dashians reality TV star was not on her best behaviour, according to the octogenarian. He told the press: 'Kim is annoying me. Because she’s not sticking to the program. 'She’s filming and so she doesn’t want to have me around. The guest should be with me and not anywhere else that is not agreed upon.' The 33-year-old beauty also turned down his offer to dance. Kim, who was accompanied by her mother Kris, eventually stormed out of

the annual event after she took offense at a guest who had painted his face black. The Lugner family are well known in Viennese high society having made his fortune in the construction industry. But he drew global attention when he began inviting celebrities from around the world to escort him to the annual Vienna Opera Ball. His guests over the years have included Raquel Welch, Farrah Fawcett, Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton.

'My first wife’s witchcraft made me marry a second wife!'

have been happening to my second wife. I told the pastor that I had to marry a second wife because I suspected that my first wife is a witch. I told him how it had been revealed to me in the former church I was attending that my first wife’s witchcraft is the cause of our childlessness, because she had sacrificed her unborn children at the witches’ coven. With prayers, the attacks stopped for some time. Three months later, my second wife became pregnant and I thought we had finally overcome. But six months into her pregnancy, the spiritual attacks started again and she had a miscarriage one night and lost so much blood in the process that I feared for her life. Her relatives accused my first wife of masterminding the attack. They came and took my second wife away from my house, claiming that I couldn’t guarantee her safety.

Courtesy: Dailymail.

The child that refuses to let its mother sleep will also not sleep. ond wife. But to my horror, from the very night my second wife moved in, she started suffering spiritual attacks. She said that in the middle of the night, evil forces would press her down and try to suffocate her. There was this particular night that my second wife almost died in her sleep and I had to take her to church. At the church, the pastor saw a vision that my first wife is a witch and is responsible for the bad things that

Precious, my first wife is still acting strangely. I know she is out to ruin me. But I’ll make sure she doesn’t succeed in preventing me from having a child by my second wife. The witch can’t bear me a child, yet she won’t let someone else do it. She keeps fighting me all the time and wants to wipe out my name from the face of the earth when I die. But I won’t let her succeed. I’ve told her to move out of my house before the end of this month or else...

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Rita, There is more to life than money, and family is more important than mere riches. Family is family, and therefore should not be traded for anything in the world. I think your husband needs counseling to make him come back to his senses, because his actions could probably be caused by depression and loss of his self-esteem as a result of the loss of his job. Consult your priest, spiritual

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Sugar could be worse for your blood pressure than salt, shock new research reveals

Relationships & Love Advice Dear Love Doctor, My name is Rita and I am heartbroken. I have been married for the past six years and living with my husband and two children. Unfortunately, my husband lost his job last year and started acting funny six months after losing his job. He met a single lady who is rich and has a good job. The lady lured my husband with money to marry her and now he has abandoned me and gone to live with the lady in her house, although they haven't yet got married. What do I do in this kind of situation? From Rita.

Love&Living

'My husband abandoned me' director or marriage counselor or psychologist or anybody who he listens to such as members of his family, to have a serious talk with him with the aim of making him return to his family. He can still get another job or do a business, without having to abandon his family to date another woman for her money. Best wishes! If you want daily love tips or advice, download The Color of Love

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

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ROMANTIC TEXT OF THE WEEK

Every time I think of you, I smile, because you make me happy

Odd News

ugar - not salt - is to blame for high blood pressure, US researchers claim. They argue that high sugar levels affect a key area of the brain which causes the heart rate to quicken and blood pressure to rise. The scientists from New York and Kansas also highlight a recent study of 8,670 French adults which found no link between salt and high blood pressure. For years the public have been urged to slash their salt intake and guidelines state it should be restricted to a teaspoon a day. Experts say it increases the risk of strokes by a quarter and it has been blamed on 3 million deaths worldwide annually. But in an article in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers led by Dr James DiNicolantonio state ‘It is sugar not the salt that may be the actual causative factor for high blood pressure. ‘This notion is supported by meta analyses of randomised control trials (large-scale studies) suggesting that sugar is more strongly related to blood pressure in humans than sodium. ‘Encouraging consumers to hold the sugar, not the salt, may be the better dietary strategy to achieve blood pressure control.’ Around a quarter of adults in the UK have high blood pressure and it greatly increases the risk of strokes and heart disease. This research is further evidence of the health risks posed by eating too much sugar. In June, officials issued new guidelines urging the public to limit themselves to between five and seven teaspoons a day over concerns it is causing obesity and type 2 diabetes. The American researchers believe that high sugar levels affect a key area of the brain called the hypothalamus which causes the heart rate to quicken and blood pressure to rise. They also think it may cause our bodies to produce more insulin, a hormone, which may also speed up the heart rate. Dr DiNicolantonio, a heart

disease research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City also contradicts experts who claim reducing salt consumptions will lower levels of obesity and heart disease. He adds: ‘We argue the opposite, a reduction in salt intake may lead to an increased intake in processed foods (and added sugars) and, thereby, increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.’ The reasons are complicated but it is thought that low salt levels increase the amount of certain fats in the blood. Dr Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist and science director of Action on Sugar, a campaign group, said the public health risk posed by sugar had been underestimated. He added: ‘We know that sugar does not provide any nutrients and there is growing evidence it is an independent risk factor for many diseases. But Professor Graham McGregor, an expert in cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary, the University of London, said the evidence blaming sugar rather than salt for high blood pressure was ‘incredibly weak.’ He said that research spanning several decades had shown a strong link between salt and high blood pressure. Guidelines from Public Health England, the agency responsible for tackling obesity, in June stated that women should have no more than five to six teaspoons of sugar a day and men seven to eight. But the average adult consumes 15 teaspoons largely due to the high levels of hidden sugar in fruit juice, muesli, yoghurts, sandwiches and ready meals. Some experts want the Government to impose a sugar tax on fizzy drinks although ministers have so far rejected these calls. The Government's chief advisor on obesity, Professor Susan Jebb, has also urged parents to ban fruit juice and fizzy drinks from the dinner table and stick to water. Experts are also worried that sugar is behind an increase in tooth decay in children and could affect their ability to learn. Courtesy: Dailymail

Love&Living

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

SEXUAL COMMUNICATION

True Confession From Overseas

'I stole to support my shopping addiction'

am addicted to shopping. I will go to extreme lengths to get the latest fashion trend. But nothing compares to what I did for my latest fashion fix. I was at lunch with friends in the city and we decided to stop in at the local boutiques for some retail therapy. We entered a very expensive store that always had something fabulous and that day was no exception. I was instantly drawn to a beautiful coat in the window. My friends also started hustling for the coat and asking for sizes from the shop assistant. They only had one in stock but it was my size. I tried it on and fell in love with it. It was gorgeous! I was very nervous to look at the price tag. The lovely coat cost $1500. I couldn't believe it. There was no way I could afford it. But I just had to have it. That night I went home and tried to think of ways to get the money for the coat. Like I said, I was addicted and convinced myself I needed the coat. I wanted to buy it before anyone else could. If I had the coat, I knew I would be the envy of all my friends. The problem was, it was so out of my reach. A couple of days later my friends and I met up for coffee and as we walked past the boutique I noticed a 'staff wanted' sign. I suddenly had a thought. Once my friends and I parted ways, I went to the store and enquired about the job. It was a casual position, mainly weekends. I turned on my sales persona and told the manager I was interested in finding a second, casual job and had a lot of sales experience. I apologised for not having a resume on me as I had only noticed the sign as I was walking by, but the manager was quite eager to give me a trial anyway. I wasn't really sure what I was doing. Well, I was in a way, but I couldn't believe I was actually contemplating it. So I went for my trial, fake resume in hand. The manager gave me a few tasks and then gave me a set target to try and reach before the end of the day. It was really busy and funnily enough

Sexual Stamina: 10 Ways to last longer in bed 1: Free your mind If you want to last long in bed then free your mind from all sexual expectations. Expectations put unnecessary pressure on your performance.

I quickly picked it up, folded it and stuffed it into a large bag I had ready the only thing I was nervous about was if one of my friends happened to walk by. That would surely thwart my plan. Thankfully, no familiar faces showed up. My next challenge was to figure out my plan of attack. Lunchtime showed that opportunity. The manager told me she would be leaving for lunch but would only be 20 minutes or so. She took some large bills from the register and said that she was going to get change from the bank. I watched her walk into the bank as I could see it from the boutique. The rush had died down and there was no one left browsing the racks. I knew this was my chance. The coat had been removed from the window dummy earlier as someone was trying it on and it now remained on a centre couch. I quickly picked it up, folded it and stuffed it into a large bag I had ready. I peeped at the bank to see if the manager had left. She was still in there. I had parked my car just around the corner. I grabbed the bag and ran to my car, leaving the store unattended. I didn't care at this point. All I knew was that I needed to get the bag out of the shop. I was in and out in less than a minute. I took a quick glance around the shop and everything seemed in place. I composed myself and waited for the manager to return. At this point I was getting very nervous. I had a fair idea of what I was going to say but wasn't sure it would work. By the time the manager walked in I had put on my frantic face and even managed some tears. I was carrying on in a hysterical panic and she told me to calm down and explain why I was panicking. I told her that a customer had come in and asked for another size in a

particular top. I'd gone out the back and when I'd returned the girl was gone and so was the coat. All the manager could do was scream out a huge "What?" I explained that I had only been out the back for one minute but the manager said that I should never have left the front in the first place. I was very afraid she was going to make me pay for the coat, so I said I was only trying to reach budget and that I didn't want to lose out on a sale. The manager looked distraught. She called the police and told me that I would have to give a full statement of what the thief looked like. I already knew they didn't have cameras installed. The police asked me to give a description of the girl and I gave the best description I could of my imaginary thief. I kept picturing a girl who I despised so my description would be consistent. After the police left, the manager told me that under the circumstances the trial had not worked out. I put on a devastated face and once again said how sorry I was. I walked to my car and couldn't believe what I had just pulled off or what I'd done for a coat. I never told anyone what I did. I still have the coat tucked away secretly in my closet. I haven't even worn it because I am scared the manager might see me in it. Being a small city, it's quite possible I could bump into her on one of my nights out with the girls. I am waiting until next season to wear my beautiful coat but I have now become quite paranoid that I will get caught. I feel guilty for what I did and of course ashamed that I was so desperate. If I eventually wear the coat and my friends ask where I got it, I am going to say it's from eBay. Since then I have stopped shopping so much and am considering talking to someone about my compulsive shopping behaviour. When I was younger I used to joke about how much I liked to shop and being a typical shop-o-holic. But after what I stooped to, somehow it doesn't seem so funny anymore. Courtesy: ninems.com

Wedding Traditions

Love Education

Marrying A Tree (India)

What is Marital Rape? M

n India women born as Mangliks (an astrological combination when Mars and Saturn are both under the 7th house) are thought to be cursed and likely to cause their husband an early death. In order to ward of this curse they must be married firstâ&#x20AC;Śto a tree. The tree is then destroyed and the curse is broken. Poor tree. Courtesy: list.com

arital rape (also known as spousal rape and rape in marriage) is non-consensual sex (i.e. rape) in which the perpetrator is the victim's spouse or domestic partner. It is a form of partner rape, of domestic violence and of sexual abuse. Once widely condoned or ignored by law and society, marital rape is now not tolerated by many societies around the world, repudiated by international conventions and increasingly criminalized. Still, in many countries, marital rape either remains outside the law, or is illegal but widely tolerated, with the laws against it being rarely enforced. The phenomenon of marital rape has been attributed to the traditional view of marriage, and of male and female sexuality, which postulates that women have no or minimal inter-

2: Lubricate well According to a study conducted by The Journal of Sexual Medicine, men who used lubrication in conjunction with condoms lasted longer in bed than men who did not. 3: Start with foreplay Instead of jumping into intercourse and then getting bored, start with foreplay, oral sex and passionate kissing. Start slowly and you'll end up lasting longer. 4: Have sex more often If you want to great at sex, just keep practising. This will not only make you an expert but will also help build your sexual stamina in the long run. 5: Activate your pelvis muscles One of the most important muscles during sexual intercourse is your pelvic muscles. So, strengthen your pelvic muscles to increase your sexual endurance and to last longer in the bed. 6: Kegel exercise Kegel exercise is the best and easiest way to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and last longer in bed. Having control over your pelvic muscles, will help you have a stronger erection. You can start by doing this simple exercise. When visiting the bathroom, try to start and stop the flow of urine. 7: Stay active. To last longer on the bed you need energy and effort. High energy can be achieved only by exercising daily. Exercise is a great way to increase your stamina and boost your blood circulation. 8: Avoid alcohol Avoid drinking alcohol if you want to woo your partner and enjoy sexual pleasure. 9: Stretch Regularly stretch your legs and hand muscles to avoid cramps. Stretching is the simplest method to keep your muscles free of muscular pain. 10: Have enough protein Make sure you eat good quality proteins, as they contain essential amino acids that our bodies need in order to function. Include protein rich foods

est in sex compared to men, that a husband has a right to demand sex with his wife and that a wife must be sexually submissive to her husband in all respects, a view which continues to be common in many parts of the world. These views of marriage and sexuality started to be challenged in most Western countries from the 1960s and 70s especially by second-wave feminism, leading to an acknowledgment of the woman's right to self-determination (ie, control) of all matters relating to her body, and the criminalization of marital rape. Several countries in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia criminalized marital rape before 1970, but other Western countries acted later, mostly in the 1980s and 1990s. Most developing countries acted in the 1990s and 2000s. In many countries it remains unclear whether marital rape is covered by ordinary rape laws, but in some it may be covered by common assault laws. Courtesy: Wikipedia

Desmond Elliot throws down the gauntlet p.24

Jimmie, Beat FM Mum changed my school when a girl wrote me a love letter p.34

Having a legend as father may be distracting – Zack Orji’s son, Leonel

How do you feel being the son of Zach Orji? It feels good. He is my dad. I see him like every other person sees his or her dad every day. Your father sometimes accompanies you to events where you perform. How does that make you feel? It doesn’t make me feel any less. I enjoy having my dad with me but at the same time, I am trying to create a niche for myself. Sometimes, it might distract me because obviously he is already a legend, he’s made his name. I need to find and follow my path and make my own name. Who are your role models in the music industry? There are so many of them. However, I respect our superstar, Tuface Idibia, Wande Coal and Flavour. I chose these three musicians because I enjoy their music. Flavour has this way of singing that just gets to you. Wande Coal has a nice voice and he sings well. Tuface is versatile and unique. He is very good at what he does, there is no contesting that. Who are those musicians you listened to while growing up? I listened to Chris Brown, late Michael Jackson, Tuface, Wande Coal and Flavour as well.

How would you describe your genre of music? I sing afro pop and RnB. I have a single and video titled The Rock Star. I am currently working on my new singles, titled Oju. Aside being a musician, I am also a producer. I produce for myself now.

How do you get your inspiration? I can get it from anywhere and anything. I could be taking my bath or even doing something else and a beat or even lyrics may just drop. It can even come from observation or even personal experiences.

When did you nurture the ambition to sing? It’s been long. I have been singing since I was nine. But I made the decision that I wanted to sing while in secondary school, precisely in JSS 2 and that was when I wrote my first song. I used to rap back then. However, there came a time when I switched to singing because I found out that I could sing very well. So, that was where it started. In 2007, I recorded my first song in the studio and since then, I have been working hard towards achieving my dream and also making good music.

Has anyone told you that you are riding on your father’s name or fame? Yes, people say it. That is why I cannot dispute it, he is my father and he will always be my father. I cannot remove my surname from my name because it is my name. I just have to create my own path so that people can see me for me.

How was growing up for you? My growing up was actually normal. There was nothing spectacular, nothing too out of the ordinary. I followed my parents to movie location a couple of times to see what’s going on. I even made appearances in like three movies when I was little.

Will you say your father’s name open doors for you? Of course, I will not lie the name has opened doors for me because he is a respected man. Once people hear his name and know that I am Zach Orji’s son, they want to grant me audience or give me special treatment, this has happened a couple of times. But at the same time, people need to see me for who I am and not see me as riding on my father’s fame or name. No doubt, I will say I am lucky to have a father like Zach Orji but there will also come a time when I have to drop this ‘Zack Orji’s son’s’ tag because I will have to be my own man by working hard, thus, creating a niche for myself which is Leo’nel.

Was your father disappointed you chose music as career? My father was not disappointed that I decided to do music. He respected my choice of music and he has been very supportive. I am always grateful to my dad. I will say that my family supports my music career 100 percent. They are always there for me, giving me their support since I told them I wanted to do music.

Is there any musical instrument you play aside singing? I am still learning the keyboard. I am not yet perfect but I know how to play some chords.

It's a surprise you didn't follow your parents into acting? Who says I can’t still act? But personally, I love music. Music is what I want to do, acting can also be included, and after all, it’s all entertainment. So we are all in the same line. Music is my life. I had to wait till after my university education before delving into music fully. I know I will act someday but I am more into music for now.

How fulfilling has it been as a musician? For me like I said, I personally love music and I enjoy

SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

music so I listen to music almost every day and make music almost every time. Being a musician has given me the opportunity to perform at different notable events in the United Kingdom and here in Nigeria. I have performed at events from the Basketmouth’s Lord of the Ribs in Manchester to MI’s album launch party in Huddersfield to different places down to the ZAFAA award nominations in Lagos, the Global News Awards and so many other events.

Leonel Chukwuemeka Orji, known simply by his showbiz moniker, Leo'nel, is a singer and son of Nollywood actor, Zack Orji. The University of Bradford graduate reveals why he chose music over acting, a career that gave his father fame with ANGELA DAVIES.

What does music mean to you? Music is inspiration. I cannot stay a day without listening to music. I think music does a lot in our environment. There is nowhere you go to that music is not involved. Even in our movies; music is needed to give it a type of feel. Music is life on its own.

ShowBiz

If there is one thing you have to change about yourself, what will that be? My voice; people keep telling me that my voice is so light. I would want to have a deeper voice. Apart from that I thank God for how I am.

The son also rises...Leonel with his father, Zack Orji

What do you find off-putting in people? When people are proud and fake, they turn me off. I love people who no matter where they are or what they have attained in life, people can still relate with them with ease. I like people who are down to earth and humble.

Showbiz

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20 SEPTEMBER 2014

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Desmond Elliot throws down the gauntlet N ollywood actor and director, Desmond Olushola Elliot, has declared his intention to run for an elective post. He’s in fact eyeing the Lagos State House of Assembly on the platform of All Progressives’ Congress (APC) in the 2015 elections. The economics graduate of the Lagos State University hails from Olowogbowo area of Lagos Island. His late father, Emmanuel Bamidele Elliot, was a popular civil engineer who worked with the then Unipetrol for over 30 years before settling in Gbaja, Surulere, after his retirement. They have since lived in Surulere where Desmond spent his formative years. The actor has long felt the need to leave an enduring impact as evident in his decision to establish the Desmond Elliot Foundation, a non-profit charity which

has worked with the international organization, WaterAid, in various capacities to provide clean and safe water in some communities. He is as well a member of the Sickle Cell Foundation which he helps to raise funds to facilitate the work of the foundation in educating the society on sickle cell anaemia. “The most important priority of any society and its leaders is to eradicate human suffering. I believe no average Nigerian should suffer because we’re blessed with enough that should make us comfortable if right leaders are given a chance to manage the resources. It’s high time we considered the need to empower professionals of repute to take charge of the administration of affairs in our country. The youths should wake up from slumber and stand up to their responsibilities. This is the time for the change we’ve all been clamouring,” he remarked. He hopes to foster youth empowerment and employment and create sports development initiatives, widows’ aid programme, health care for the elderly, health care for nursing mothers and children. His vision also includes holding periodic town hall meetings and having an open door and feedback policy which, he says, will afford everyone in the constituency to have oneon-one with him to discuss various individual challenges.

Humility, Kenny St. Best for honour as Stephanie's hosts MGN 5 T he proposed fifth anniversary celebration of the high flying bar and lounge, Stephanie's, owned by Stephanie Geddes promises to be a potpourri of activities. The grand event will have Miss Global Nigeria winner’s party infused into it as well as other interesting packages. It's unusual for contestants of a beauty pageant to converge after the show to step out with the queen as a way of showing solidarity for the successful hosting of the show. Scheduled to hold on September 27 at the bar’s Calcutta Crescent, Apapa, Lagos, base, the event has been designed as an evening of unending fun, contemporary music, chops and ample supply of drinks with the peak being the birthday celebration of the publicist, Cornel Udofia. Also, some top celebrities will be honoured for their impressive track records in various fields. According to Stephanie, “this is an anniversary celebration like never before; it is collaboration with the organizers of Miss Global Nigeria and we’re sure going to give funlovers loads of entertainment package that will last long in their memory”. Among the celebrities cited for honour are gospel artiste, Kenny St. Brown, CEO of Aeroland Travels, Hon. Segun Adewale, Desmond Elliot, and a few others.

Project Fame gets final eight

TN Project Fame West Africa season 7 ends next week and the tension seems to be giving way for some soothing calmness in the house. This is because there’s no evictions as we are left with the final eight contestant. The previous editions saw six finalists but this season has an altered template allowing eight to make it to the final. Daniella, Shola, Christian and Geoffrey were announced as the ones who would have to fight their way back into the academy last week. Christian was the first to have the microphone singing Tuface’s African Queen. And his mesmerising performance turned out to be his saving grace. Geoffrey’s second shot at Tuface’s Only Me was so astounding that it left the Judges dumbfounded. Next was Daniella, she also gave her best as she again did True Love by Tuface. And that was the

performance the Faculty described as ‘passionate and believable’. Lastly, Shola also impressed everyone with his performance of For Instance by Tuface. He daringly threw himself into the audience, blowing everybody away as he delivered an energetic rendition. Just before the fate of these four fighters were determined by the judges, the Faculty and the contestants who are not on probation, Monica Ogah, Season 4 winner serenaded the elated audience. The judges saved Christian from elimination, Geoffrey got his second chance from the Faculty while the contestants not on probation saved Daniella thereby giving Shola up for eviction. So Shola a.k.a Sholly Fresh became the last evicted contestant, but the bundle of talent gave us one last stellar performance. He wowed all with D’Banj’s Fall in Love which drew the curtains on the show.

Ink Edwards releases video for Baddest B

rian Toritseju Edwards popularly called Ink Edwards has finally released the video of his single titled, Baddest. It features Chocolate City rapper, Mr. Incredible, Jude Abaga. The video was shot by Mex. Ink is a Nigerian recording artiste, rapper, singer and songwriter who first got recognition for his rap verse in Essence’s 2012 single, Orin. He later rose to prominence as a singer, releasing several songs in late 2012 like Feeling Your P and You’re The Best, soon after officially signing to A.N.I. Entertainment led by Mr. Harry Ojuyah. Ink had more buzz than ever before when he was nominated for the finals of the 2013 Headies Rookie of the Year Award alongside Kola Soul, Axterix, Lil miss and Pucado. On December 25, 2013, Ink was announced the winner of the award,

Busola OkeEleyele out with Emi Mimo

dwarfing his opposition by amassing over half of the total votes. He won the 2013 Headies "Rookie of the Year" for his effort in the song titled, My Medley, a smooth mash up rendition of some popular songs.

oruba singer, Busola Oke, otherwise known as Eleyele is planning big for her new album, Emi Mimo, which literally means Holy Spirit. Eleyele featured LKT, Artquake and another budding artiste, G.O. in some of the tracks. The singer also told the story of her auto crash in one of the tracks. Eleyele said she was directed by God to entitle the album, Holy Spirit. She also explained that she decided to feature secular singers because music has a universal language. The album will be launched on September 21.

SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

FREE

Sport Splash

AWC: It’s the trophy or nothing, says Oshoala p.27

Musa ready for Moscow derby p.28

Man City, Chelsea ignite Etihad p.28

AFCON

Blame Keshi for poor run – Garba Lawal

� ‘It will be difficult qualifying for Morocco’

Vincent Eboigbe

Club owners to blame for dearth of talents - Nieketen p.31

ormer Super Eagles midfielder, Garba Lawal, has laid the blame for the team’s poor showing in the AFCON 2015 qualifiers solely at the feet of coach Stephen Keshi. In his invitation of players, match selections and tactical choices, Keshi has taken a lot of flak. Nigeria lost 3-2 to Congo in the opening round of the qualifying campaign, earning the dubious distinction of being the first Nigerian team to fall at home in AFCON qualifiers in 33 years. They then followed that with a goalless draw against South Africa, leaving them with only one point from a Lawal possible six, unleashing another round of nail biting and hand wringing permutations, something which is rapidly becoming a norm.And Lawal, who is a member of NFF’s technical committee, is unsparing in his assessment of Keshi’s performance in the two matches. “He is the coach. He is to blame; he is responsible if the Super Eagles fail to qualify for Nations Cup and not defend their trophy. We’ve been through this route before and it keeps recurring,” fumes

Lawal. He added: “The national team is not for a particular set of players, everybody deserves to be invited; but that is not the case at the moment and we don’t understand why it is like that; “I can tell you it will be very difficult to qualify for Morocco now. In fact it will be a miracle and you can’t fold your arms and expect miracles. People are already saying the team can defeat Sudan home and away. It is not that easy. Would the Sudanese just roll over and let us ride over them? Football is no longer that simple, all the teams want to be at the championship. So, it is going to be tough. ”Lawal, who is also the general manager of Kaduna United, was also scornful of using the excuse of the crisis in the football house since after the World Cup to absolve Keshi of blame for the forgettable outings in the two matches.“People are talking about the problems in the NFF as having played a part in the poor results, I don’t agree with that. Whatever happened in the Glass House should not have a bearing on what happens on the pitch; there will always be problems but that cannot be used as excuse,“ he noted.

Keshi

Ogenyi Onazi (l) attempting to close down Bafana’s Dean Furman

Sport

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20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Nigerian League Rendezvous with charles Ogundiya

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

08098042287

Who are the real club owners?

he controversy surrounding the rightful ownership of the clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League continues to generate reactions. Investigations by League Rendezvous show that 80 percent of the individuals calling themselves “Club Owners” are mere pretenders. The issue of the club owners hiphas been belaboured in recent time with the group having running battle with the League Management Company. A member of the LMC, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the real club owners were the two club owned by individual proprietor. “Most of these people calling themselves club owners are mere civil servants contracted to oversee some of these clubs with governments making funds available to run the clubs. “Has any of them invested their personal money in any club to deserve being called a club owner?

Personally, the two club owners are the duo of Nembe City owner, Rumson Baribote and Giwa FC proprietor, Chris Giwa,” the official said. In a quick reaction, the acting secretary of the Club Owners, Alloy Chukwuemeka, said those claiming that the various state governors should be called club owners are only displaying their low knowledge of delegated powers. According to him: “The Association of Club Chairmen and Managers (Club Owners) was formed many years ago and it is a legal entity (Club Proprietors LTD) for the interest of member clubs and for the development of the League and football. “For the purposes of clarification, the Club Owners is neither the organisers of the league nor the constituted league board, rather a pressure group whose aim

is to advance the interest of its member clubs. “As a certified FIFA football administrator and having attended both local and international FIFA organised courses, the origin of association football can be traced to clubs, this is because without the clubs there is no organised football or football administration. “Therefore the Club Owners is the original owners and bedrock of any organised associ-

ation football, without clubs there won’t be a federation, it is the clubs that play the league, produce champions to play on the continent and also produce players for national teams. So the clubs and club owners remain the heartbeat of any football system.” He further stated that because of the peculiarity of the Nigerian situation where over 90 percent of the clubs are owned by state governments and their agencies, there is need to appoint representatives who act as owners and take day to day decisions as they affect the clubs.

Pillars getting close to third title

... as 3SC seek return to the elite division

Super Eagles stars show class

he duo of Gbolahan Salami and Osaguona Ighodaro, continued their rich goal scoring form in the league after impressive performances for the Super Eagles in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers. During the game on Wednesday, Salami was the hero for Warri Wolves as his goal against his former team, Sunshine Stars, was good enough to secure the three points for the Seasiders. Also, Osaguona set the tone for Rangers’ victory after scoring his 14th goal of the season as early as the 10th minute of the game against Dolphins. The game ended 2-1 in favour of the Antelopes. Speaking with League Rendezvous, the players said they wanted to continue working hard in other to make it difficult for the national team selectors to ignore them. “We are targeting the league trophy and the only way to achieve this is to contribute my goals to the success of the team. “I also need to continue to work hard now that Enyimba striker Bashir Abdulrahman (right) in action against Kano Pillars in a I am part of the national team, I love it and I don’t recent league game want to be left out again,” Salami said. For Osaguona, the most important thing for him is the success of his team. Glo league table He said: “There is no doubt that I want to end No Team MATCH DAY 27 FIXTURES P W D L SF SA Pts GD the season as the top scorer of the league, but what 1 Kano Pillars SUNSHINE VS ABIA WARRIORS 26 12 8 6 39 29 44 10 is paramount however is the success of the team.” 2 Nasarawa Utd 26 12 5 9 27 22 41 5 KANO PILLARSVS AKWA UTD

Osaguona in action for Super Eagles (inset) Salami

Alloy Chukwuemeka

EL-KANEMI VS GIWA VS RANGERS VS NEMBE VS KADUNA UTD VS NASARAWA VS DOLPHINS VS ENYIMBA VS

HEARTLAND FC TARABA WARRI WOLVES LOBI STARS CROWN SHARKS GOMBE UTD BAYELSA UTD

Enyimba

Abia Warriors

Warri Wolves

Dolphins FC

Akwa Utd

Sharks FC

Lobi Stars FC

-3

Heartland FC

Sunshine Stars

El-Kanemi

Giwa FC

-1

Top scorers

Rangers

Osaguona Ighodaro (Rangers)

14 GOALS

Peter Ebimobowei (Bayelsa Utd)

13 GOALS

Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars)

11 GOALS

Mfon Udoh (Enyimba)

11 GOALS

Gbolahan Salami (Wolves)

11 GOALS

Adamu Hassan (Kano Pillars)

10 GOALS

Bayelsa Utd

-6

Taraba FC

-10

Gombe Utd

Crown FC

-9

Kaduna Utd

-12

Nembe City

-23

igeria Professional Football League defending champion, Kano Pillars, will hope to maintain their three points difference ahead of the chasing pack with another home victory. The 2013/2014 league leaders picked a point away from home in their last fixture against Taraba FC and will be looking for the full points against Akwa United at home where they are yet to taste defeat. Despite a demoralising 3-0 defeat away to Crown in midweek, title contenders, Nasarawa United, will attempt to quickly get their acts together as the team battles Sharks in Lafia

this weekend. At the bottom of the table, Kaduna United and Crown FC will slug it out in Kaduna as both sides continue their battle against the dreaded drop to the lower division. Meanwhile in the Nigeria National League, Shooting Stars of Ibadan, will be away to Ekiti United with the maximum three points as target. Speaking with our correspondent, the team manager of the side, Dimeji Lawal, said with four matches to go they are not leaving any stone unturned until they achieve promotion. “We belong in the premier league, so there is need to quickly return there and compete for honours. “We are targeting the maximum three points so that we can increase the gap between us and the other challengers,” he said.

Nasarawa players bemoan lost points in Ibadan

layers of Nigeria Professional Football League side, Nasarawa United, were not happy with the 3-0 they conceded in Ibadan against Crown in one of the midweek matches. The loss was the worst result recorded by the title hopeful so far this season with many followers of the league accusing the players of underrating their opponent. While reacting to the allegation, some of the players who spoke with League Rendezvous said there was no way they would have travelled for a game with the aim of losing, saying that football is not mathematics. While speaking to our correspondent, striker Musa

Kabiru, said: “We came with a purpose, the target was to get our first three points away from home against Crown but I can say it was our off day. “We are playing to win the league, Kano Pillars are only three points above us and we still have so many games to play till the end of the season. It is not over until it is over.” Youngster, Ugochukwu Leonard, said they never expected the result but have to forge ahead and prepare for the next game. Both players however agreed that the coaching crew, led by former Kano Pillars coach Baba Ganaru, has been doing a wonderful job in the team.

Sport

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

AWC: It’s the trophy or nothing, says Oshoala

anada 2014 FIFA women’s U20 World Cup most valuable player, Asisat Oshoala, says the target for Nigeria is to reclaim the Africa Women’s championship which is due to hold in Namibia in October. Oshoala, top scorer at the last FIFA U20 women’s World Cup in Canada with seven goals, has joined up with the senior women’s national team, the Falcons as they prepare for the next Africa Women’s Championship. The Falcons have opened camp in Abuja, the Nigerian capital after weeks of delay due to the crisis in Nigerian football The team also failed to win

Archbishop Martins Cup draws for September 23

he draws for the archdiocesan stage of the Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins football tournament for parishes in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos will hold on Tuesday, September 23. The ceremony is scheduled for the conference centre of Saint Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos, from 12 in the afternoon. Sixteen teams that qualified from the deaneries’ playoff will be drawn into four groups of four to play in the archdiocesan round robin format to produce the quarter finalists. The parishes that qualified from the deaneries include St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, Agboju (Festac Deanery), St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Kirikiri Town (Apapa Deanery), St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Epe (Epe Deanery) and St Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland (Maryland Deanery). Others are St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Owode-Ibeshe (Ikorodu Deanery), St Gabriel’s Catholic Church, Ladilak-Bariga (Yaba Deanery), St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Gowon Estate (Ipaja Deanery) and Church of the Assumption, Falomo (Island Deanery). Also on the list are St Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikoga-Zebbe (Badagry Deanery), St Thomas Catholic Church, Onilekere (Agege Deanery), Christ the King Catholic Church, Ilasamaja (Surulere Deanery), Ss Peter & Paul Catholic Church, OkeAfa (Isolo Deanery) and Our Lady of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Ogba (Ikeja Deanery). The archdiocesan group stage will kick off on Saturday, October 4, in two venues namely the Nigerian Armed Forces Settlement Centre, Oshodi and Saint Finbarrs College, Akoka Lagos. All the matches will be played on Saturdays at the two venues while the final match and closing ceremony are billed for Saturday, November 8, in Lagos.

the last edition of the competition for only the second time since inception, after they fell short in Equatorial Guinea. But Oshoala says they are working very hard and hoping that the title returns to Nigeria. “The target obviously is to go to Namibia and win the tournament, that is what we are working for at the moment,” she says. “After the failure of 2012, we cannot afford not to win the competition again this time.” The Nigerians are grouped alongside hosts Namibia, Ivory Coast, and Zambia in Group A, and play their opening game against the Ivoirians at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek on October 11. Nigeria have won the tournament a record eight times.

Cricket team promises gold in South Africa Ajibade Olusesan

igerian cricket team has promised to win gold medal at the 2014 Pepsi ICC Africa Division-Two T-20 International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament starting in South Africa this weekend. The team manager of the Nigerian squad, Sanmi Ajayi, told our correspondent that the players were determined to win the tournament and were also in good shape. He said they have selected the best players in the country to do Nigeria proud in South Africa and have also had solid preparation ahead of the tournament. Ajayi said that although qualifying for the T20 Division 1 was the first thing they must do, winning the title will improve the morale of the players. “We have selected the best 14 players in the country as at today for this tournament and Nigerians should not worry because we are going to South Africa to win gold medal. We invited more than 20 players to camp and we reduced them to 18 but we further prune the list to 14 so that we can have the best. “The reaction from the players is sharp, they are in good shape. We moved to South Africa early so that we could play some friendly matches with professional clubs in that country. I can assure you that we are coming back not only with promotion ticket but gold medal,” he said. Nigeria will compete with Ghana, Swaziland, Mozambique, Seychelles and Zambia for qualification into Division 1 of the Regional T20 qualifiers.

Asisat Oshoala and Chinwendu Ihezuo celebrate at the U-20 Womens World Cup in Canada

I’m ready for Sports Festival – Durogbade Charles Ogundiya

Durogbade

yo State cycling sensation, Adejoke Durogbade, said she is getting ready for the coming National Sports Festival in Calabar. According to the Lead City of Ibadan undergraduate, she has been training hard and preparing for the challenges ahead in Calabar. All eyes will be on Durogbade, who won two gold medals and one silver medal at the last Sports Festival in Lagos after picking a bronze medal in the previous competition in Port Harcourt four years ago. “I have been training hard for the competition especially now that

some professionals will be coming for the festival. “I don’t want to drop any of my medals this year, I will rather add another to it especially the two medals I lost in Lagos,” she said. Durogbade started her career as a footballer before crossing over to cycling. She represented Oyo State at the Garden City Games in PortHarcourt where she made her debut as a cyclist, winning a silver medal. She however won the first gold medal at the last National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012 in Lagos, before adding another gold and silver medal to end the competition with two gold medals and a silver.

Musa

hmed Musa and his CSKA Moscow teammates will have to put behind them their disappointing 5-1 loss to Roma in the Champions League midweek and focus on their league fixture against city rival Lokomotiv Moscow on Sunday. Musa scored a consolatory goal in the rout but he may have to build on that performance when Lokomotiv come calling. He has two goals already in the league, the efforts came in their 6-0 win over Rostov about three weeks ago and the former VVV Venlo hit man will be keen to add to that tally. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Emenike will be looking forward to adding to his one goal in the Turkish league when his Fernabahce hosts Gaziantepspor on Sunday. The Nigerian scored in the season opening win over Karabükspor but fired blank in goalless draw with Trabzonspor last week. If he has to hit target in this one he will have to get past his compatriot, Gbenga Arokoyo, who is expected to be in the defence line for the visitors. The former Golden Eaglets player has vowed to stop his more illustrious compatriot.

Musa ready for Moscow derby

EAGLES FOCUS

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NEW TELEGRAPH

he two favourite for the title go head to head on Sunday as Chelsea make the trip to the Etihad stadium to play against Manchester City. It was disappointment for Man City and, to a lesser extent, Chelsea on Wednesday night when the Premier League powerhouses failed to win their opening matches of the Champions’ League Group Stage. Conceding late to Bayern Munich denied City a point while Jose Mourinho’s side had to

all 16 points possible from their first four matches but last year’s champions, City, are sure to provide strong competition despite their 5th place status. They’ll come to Etihad with confidence after the 1-0 win they masterminded last season. On top of that, City have already lost to Stoke at home this season, and they’ve not had the best of starts. They opened the season with a 2-0 win at Newcastle, a result which has looked less impressive as the weeks

erpool at home before that defeat to Stoke, then they went to the Emirates last week and drew 2-2. While it’s not an awful start, the champions have looked rusty so far this season, with boss Manuel Pellegrini saying early on that his player weren’t fully fit. While City are still a very good side, if they are rusty and unable to compete for the full 90 minutes, then they’ll play right into Jose Mourinho’s hands. He came with a game plan to stifle and counter last season, and he’s likely to do that

onaco will be hoping Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League win can help kick-start their Ligue 1 campaign when they host Guingamp on Sunday. Last season’s runnersup lost key figures James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao in the transfer window and have picked up just four points from their first five matches in Ligue 1. However, Leonardo Jardim’s side followed up last week’s 2-1 loss at Lyon with a confidenceboosting 1-0 Monaco have only

Monaco to build on Champions League win

Falcao

anchester United Radamel Falcao is on stand-by to make his full Manchester United debut against Leicester City on Sunday. The Colombian striker came on for the last 25 minutes of the Red Devils’ 4-0 rout of Queens Park Rangers last Sunday. Falcao, 28, has been playing catchup with his fitness ever since arriving on transfer deadline day on a

rsenal fans may still be upset with Tuesday’s Group D Champions League defeat against Borussia Dortmund. However, this Saturday’s league tie against Aston Villa offers the Gunners a great chance to get their title credentials back on track.

Arsenal set for Villa date

Sanchez

12-month loan agreement from Monaco. Old Trafford boss Louis van Gaal is prepared to throw him in at the deep end against the Foxes, with Robin van Persie dropping down to the bench for a rest. The former Atletico Madrid forward has looked sharp in training throughout the week and United’s coaches are satisfied he is ready to lead the line

Falcao lined up for Man Utd start

Sport

Bundesliga strugglers, Schalke. Both sides must regain their focus for this weekend when they meet in what promises to be a blockbuster clash at the Etihad Stadium. Chelsea who occupy the top spot will enter the match

Venue: Etihad Stadium Head-to-head Man City Chelsea Played: 135 135 Won: 45 54 Lost: 54 45 Drawn: 36 36

Man City, Chelsea ignite etihad

earthquake

Sunday Time 4pm

Global Football Special 28 SATURDAY N 20 SEPTE

UEFA Champions League title last term. Defeat at newly promoted Deportivo on Saturday would be a third successive Liga reverse - a run Real have not experienced since losing their last five games of the 2008-09 season. Real’s arch-rivals Barcelona have enjoyed a far more impressive start to their season as they look to wrestle the championship back from Atletico. Luis Enrique’s side has won all four of their games so far - three in La Liga and one in the Champions League - without

Amir Khan Amir Khan would be a more dangerous fight for Floyd Mayweather than the “easy” option of taking on Manny Pacquiao, according to Paulie Malignaggi. Mayweather and Khan’s recent trash talk enhanced speculation that the pair could fight each other next year, with Khan saying he would be too quick for the American. However, having won his rematch with Marcos Maidana, Mayweather hinted a fight with Pacquiao is more likely, although Malignaggi feels Khan would pose a greater threat to Mayweather’s unbeaten record.

Pique

Daniel Ricciardo says it is “game on” for the F1 world title but that he needs a podium finish in Singapore this weekend to keep his hopes alive. The Red Bull driver is 72 points behind the championship leader, Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, with a maximum of 175 still available in the remaining six races. “The mentality hasn’t changed since the start of the year,” said Ricciardo. “The approach is to attack and get as much as we can. That’s what we need to do to get close to Mercedes.”

conceding, and they will expect to extend that sequence when they visit winless Levante on Sunday. Champions Atletico, meanwhile, go into the weekend on the back of a disappointing 3-2 Champions League loss at Olympiakos. Diego Simeone will again be in the stands due to his touchline ban when Celta Vigo travel to the Vicente Calderon, with the Argentinian hoping for a repeat of his side’s performance at the Santiago Bernabeu last week.

Former world No 1 Carlos Moya said on Thursday he will not renew his captaincy of Spain’s Davis Cup team next year after the five-time champions lost their World Group elite status. “I do not know what the tennis federation has planned, but my head is telling me not to continue,” Moya was quoted as saying in an interview published by newspaper El Pais. He said he had signed up as captain just for 2014 and would not renew for 2015.

SPORT BRIEFLY

eal Madrid are aiming to avoid a third straight La Liga loss for the first time since 2009 when they face Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday. Carlo Ancelotti’s men began the season in routine fashion by beating topflight newcomers Cordoba 2-0, only for things to turn sour in their two following fixtures. Consecutive losses to Real Sociedad and bitter rivals Atletico Madrid have seen Ancelotti come under a little pressure, despite leading the club to their 10th

Real aims to end poor form, Barca visit Levante

Siro. Milan have started very strongly and have bought really well. AC Milan have also started strongly under coach Filippo Inzaghi, playing entertaining football and opening the season with victories against Lazio and Parma. The Rossoneri hadn’t won their two opening matches in eight years — when they also played Lazio and Parma.

Saturday Time 7:45pm

are unlikely to get any easier against the champions. Zinnbauer will aim to get the best out of Captain Rafael van der Vaart and fellow playmaker Lewis Holtby, while Bayern coach Pep Guardiola could hand a start to Arjen Robben after he returned from injury as a substitute in their 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over Manchester City on Wednesday. Fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund will look to build on an impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal in Europe in midweek at Mainz on Saturday, where Japan team-mates and close friends Shinji Okazaki and Shinji Kagawa will be under the spotlight .

Ricciardo

LA Liga Saturday Deportivo v Madrid Bilbao v Granada Atletico v Celta Vigo Espanyol v Málaga Sunday Sociedad v Almería Villarreal v Rayo Córdoba v Sevilla Levante v Barcelona

Bundesliga Augsburg v Bremen Schalke v Frankfurt Hamburger v Bayern Paderborn v Hannover Stuttgart v Hoffenheim Mainz v Dortmund Sunday Wolfsburg v Leverkusen Köln v M’gladbach

competitive match since April. The only other side to have won both its opening matches are Roma, which host Cagliari on Sunday. However, Juventus have won both their opening league matches as well as beating Malmo 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday. “It was important to beat Malmo,” Allegri said. “Now we can focus on the match at San

Tevez

uventus coach Massimiliano Allegri will make his return to AC Milan on Saturday, and the reception he receives from his former fans could be as interesting as the match. Allegri will return to San Siro for the first time in a competitive match since he was fired by AC Milan in January. Neither team has dropped points this season, and Juventus hasn’t conceded a goal in a

El-Shaarawy

osef Zinnbauer faces a baptism of fire as Hamburg coach against Bayern Munich as the Bundesliga’s top five all prepare to play away. Zinnbauer was promoted from his role as Hamburg’s Under-23 coach on Tuesday, after Mirko Slomka became their fifth managerial casualty in just over three years. The little-known 44-year-old has been charged with the sizeable task of preserving the club’s unique record of having appeared in every Bundesliga campaign. Hamburg have picked up just one point from a possible nine – and failed to score – so far this season, and Zinnbauer knows that things

again.

Bayern provide Zinnbauer´s first test

have passed. They then beat Liv-

Carlos Moya

Serie A Saturday Cesena v Empoli Milan v Juventus Sunday Chievo v Parma Genoa v Lazio Roma v Cagliari

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

FIXTURES

genyi Onazi could play for the first time this season for Lazio this weekend when they travel to Genoa on Sunday. Onazi has missed Lazio’s first two games this season. The first one due to injury and he missed last week’s show after he returned from the national duty late. But he has been selected for the tie in Genoa and it remains to be seen if he will be given a place in the starting line-up. In England, under-pressure Brown Ideye chases his first goal for West Brom to White Hart Lane where they will face Tottenham. Victor Moses and his Stoke City mates will travel to QPR and the Nigerian should be able to register his first goal in this match considering the level of opposition.

Onazi set for season debut O

Onazi

as slight favorites, having taken

Juventus, AC Milan cross swords

settle for a 1-1 home draw with

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

P 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

P 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

PTS 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

PTS 12 10 9 7 7 7 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2

PREMIER LEAGUE

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

netted once in each Ligue 1 match so far, with Falcao and Dimitar Berbatov bagging four of the five goals scored, but will seek to expose a Guingamp defence that conceded four times at Lorient on their last road trip. By their own high standards, champions Paris Saint-Germain have also been sluggish in domestic action, picking up three draws and two wins so far, but have beaten Bastia and St Etienne at home and are expected to see off Lyon at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.

P 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

PTS 7 7 7 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1

Bundesliga NO TEAM 1 Leverkusen 2 Bayern 3 Hannover 4 Dortmund 5 Paderborn 5 M’gladbach 7 Mainz 05 8 Hoffenheim 9 Köln 10 Frankfurt 11 Bremen 12 Augsburg 13 Wolfsburg 14 Freiburg 15 Hertha 16 Schalke 17 Stuttgart 18 Hamburger

P PTS 3 9 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 5 3 5 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 1 3 1

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

While not viewed as a contender in the EPL, Aston Villa have proven time and time again to be a pesky side. In recent seasons, they have taken top clubs down to the wire on several occasions, particularly early in the season. Thus far in the 201415 EPL campaign, Aston Villa is up to the same old tricks. The club has won three games and drew one in its opening four games—good for 10 points and second place in the league table behind Chelsea. NEW TELEGRAPH EMBER 2014

Sport

Vincent Eboigbe he crisis that held down the Nigeria Football Federation in recent time and threatened to send the game into the abyss has loosened its vice-like grip. The extra-ordinary congress scheduled for today in Warri is expected to provide a roadmap for elections into the federation. After the initial ‘congresses’-one even held under a tree on Shagari Way in Abujamatters quickly went down hill. The other congress at Chida Hotel went ahead to conduct an election that threw up Chris Giwa as president of the NFF against the express directive of FIFA that the congress of August 26 should not be an elective one. With Giwa adamantly parading himself as president and FIFA insisting that he (Giwa) vacated office something had to give. Eventually reason triumphed. Giwa apparently was prevailed upon to quit the NFF secretariat, although the man seemed not to be completely pacified as yet. Howbeit, with some semblance of peace the General Secretary, Musa Amadu, was able to return to office to carry out his functions. The immediate outcome of this is the extra-ordinary congress of today. Candidates have emerged for the various positions into the executive committee, even those that were hitherto barred from collecting forms to contest due to the sinister plot to foist Giwa on the federation. Today’s congress is expected to announce new electoral committee and appeals committee and also fix a date for the elective congress that will finally lead to the emergence of new officers into the board of the federation for the next four years. “At the extra-ordinary congress, the general assembly will elect persons into a fresh NFF electoral committee and a new NFF electoral appeals committee. “The General Assembly will also, at the same event, decide on a date and venue for the Elective Congress, which we hope will take place before the end of the month,” Amadu explained. A candidate for the vice presidency position, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, is not only hopeful that the congress will chart a fresh course for Nigerian football, he equally notes that the crisis in the Glass House in the past weeks was a needless distraction. “As far as I’m concerned there was no problem at all. It was just distractions, but now that normalcy has been restored the hope is that those people that instigated the crisis will stay away so that the game can move forward,” said Akinwunmi. “The extra-ordinary congress is to work out modalities for the election that will hopefully usher into office people of integrity that will have the interest of football uppermost in their agenda. The mistake that many people make is to believe or act as if they are bigger than the federation once they get into office. That is wrong.” Akinwunmi, who is also the chairman of Lagos State Football Association, said he decided to run for office because he believes he would bring a track record of performance acquired over the years both in private and public endeavours to bear on the top NFF job.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

NFF congress: The task before the delegates “What we are bringing is integrity, a record of performance in Lagos over the years. A lot of people underrate having the requisite knowledge about how things work. I have deliberately gone out in the last four years to acquire knowledge of the statutes, I have attended seminars all over the world, met people that matter in football just to prepare myself. I’ve also been involved with the League Management Company since its inception; all this coupled with my private sector experience will come in handy for the NFF position,” Akinwunmi said. Chairman of Stationery Stores of Lagos, Mr. Tilewa Adebajo, noted that although the congress was in order to get the matter of the election out of the way so that the game can run smoothly, he however argued that proper structures must be put in place and that government also must seriously consider the option of privatisation. “My own concern is that the

whole matter of the election is quickly resolved so that so that we can move forward. Football is big business and we must see it as such,” said Adebajo. “What we need to do is put proper structures in place. We are not happy that they disrupted the league; that was wrong any way you look at it. It is not good for business.” “We are supposed to finish the league around July yet in September we are nowhere near concluding it. These are institutional properties so crisis in the federation should not affect the running of the league. Can you imagine the English premier league bei n g

put on hold because of problem in the football association? “Government gives N200m to the NFF every month what does that tell you? It means the body is a mere parastatal, so they should not complain of interference.” Adebajo added that the periodic upheavals in football would only further make it difficult for private clubs to survive. “We the private clubs are already endangered species and the current situation will only serve to accelerate our extinction,” he said. “A situation where the “Challenge Cup” the oldest cup competition in Nigeria is not held and all league matches are put on hold does not speak well for the development and commercial aspects of the game. “Our football league has seen some resurgence with the advent of the LMC, a very positive development that is now attracting significant commercial interest. This has also encouraged private club owners and sponsors to get involved. I will like to appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to begin the process of privatising the NFF as he had successfully done with NEPA.” Chairman of Rangers International, Mr. Chidi Ofor, is also confident that the extra-ordinary congress in Warri can provide a roadmap out of the woods for Nigerian football. “I am really not too particular about who the president of NFF is. What is important for me is how to move the game forward; we don’t need all the distractions that have affected the game in the country in the last few weeks,” said Offor. “Our national team, the leagues and the women game have all been affected. My hope is that the congress can sort out the issue of the election so that everybody can focus on developing the game”.

NFF general secretary, Musa Amadu

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Club owners to blame for dearth of talents - Nieketen

Former national team star, Peter Nieketen, highlights some of the issues bedeviling football in the country. He also proffers solutions in this interview with TOBI EMMANUEL and Charles Ogundiya As an ex-international, to what can you attribute the dearth of talents in the Nigerian league? Majority of our good players have been frustrated out of football because of the attitude of our administrators. For example, you give a player contract for two years, and after three months he gets injured, then you give him another three months for rehabilitation and at the expiration of that time the player has not fully recovered, the next thing is they will sack him without paying off his contract. After a year or two, he struggles to get fit again and you are now asking him to get clearance from the club that sacked him before he can start playing again. A majority of players were frustrated out of football because of things like this. This rule should have been jettisoned long ago. Why should I be attached to a club that sacked me? We must adhere to ethics of professionalism to end the suffering of the players. Can you compare the players in the league now to when you were playing? The difference is very clear. In our generation we had so many talented players unlike now that most of the players are average. Most of the players now are struggling because they are not naturally gifted; they are even more privileged now with several academies and trained coaches all over the place. In our days it was just about talent, we only had elders as role models who brought us together and supervised us. However, despite the abundance of opportunities, current players are still struggling. The way forward is for us to go back to the grassroots. What of the option of engaging ex-internationals as coaches and administrators? The fact that you are an ex-player does not automatically make you a coach; you have to be trained as a coach. You cannot say because you are an ex-international, you can be an administrator. You need the training to become one. A lot of the ex-stars are the architect of their own problems. Some of them don’t want to empower themselves, they are not ready to undergo training for a job; they just want it on a platter of gold. The federation also has its own issue, a majority of the people in the office currently played politics to get to where they are now. What is the way out of the dilemma? We need to put our house in other and do the right thing; only then will our football return to what it used to be. I can also tell you that football will get back to the hands of the rightful owners because many of us have gone out to em-

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In our generation we had so many talented players unlike now that most of the players are average

If we are saying we are running professional football, let us go back to the ethics of professionalism, there is no other way to go about it; we must also make sure that all our academies are affiliated to clubs in the country. What obtains now is that you have experienced players in academies because of the lure of traveling abroad, but if the academies are affiliated to the clubs the players will gain exposure and the standard of the clubs will improve.

power ourselves, we have gone for courses in football management, some have UEFA coaching license. We are coming back into the country and hopefully we will get into the system so that we can give back to the society. It will also rub off on the technical department of the federation. In the past, any state team that is representing the country in continental competitions usually had a senior coach from the federation as part of the coaching crew but that is no longer the case. Many of those claiming to be grassroots coaches were not well trained. Are you saying it is only those trained abroad that are good enough? I am not saying we don’t have well-trained coaches or that the National Institute for Sports is not a good place to train coaches. The NIS is doing well but at the end of the day those who attend the institute only train as coaches. Where is the managerial aspect of the function? In Europe and America, your specialisation takes about 80 percent while the managerial aspect takes 20 percent. It automatically takes you into coaching while also preparing you for management; that is the difference. Here you have to take the managerial courses separately. The point I am making is that some of us that have taken time and resources to go abroad should be given the opportunity to use our skills to develop talents in the country. We need people that have the knowledge so that we can get the right results. The problem we are still facing is that some people think that having played the game is enough reason they should become administrators or coaches. My advice to my colleagues is to empower themselves and come back to contribute their bit.

Are you comfortable with the introduction of technology into football? Technology is a welcome idea in football especially the goal line technology, but it should not be 100 percent. What we need to do is to improve on it by adding element of time to it; referees are also human and the technology was introduced to minimise the errors. Don’t you think it has reduced the glamour? I don’t think it has. On the contrary it will make it more interesting. It is not in football alone that there is technology, even in tennis we now have Hawk-Eye that detect if a ball is in or out and players challenge some decisions of the umpire. I think the introduction of technology is just a way of assisting referees to make better decisions.

Future of Nigeria football We need to go back to the basics.

profile • He was born 46 years ago in Port Harcourt • He played as a midfielder for various clubs in Nigeria and outside the country • Featured for the Nigeria national under-20 football team in the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship in Chile and played in three matches in the tournament • He played his last two seasons in Germany for SG Bad Soden • Retired from professional football in the summer of 1997

Nieketen

What do you make of the introduction of home-based players in the national team and how would you rate them? It is a welcome development. In the past when players were invited to the national team 85 percent of them would be playing in the country but the reverse is the case now. Hardly can you see three homebased players starting a game for the national team these days. The performances of Gbolahan Salami and Osaguona Ighodaro in the qualifiers have shown that the home-based players are as good as the foreign- based stars. I will also advise the home-based players to take up the challenge and justify their inclusion anytime they are invited to the team.

Sport

Lifestyle

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

“I have so many things going on in my life and I really love them. Of course I want someone to be by my side to enjoy them... Tennis star, Maria Sharapova, on split from boyfriend

Serena dazzles in Miami beach

he same week Serena Williams told the world that she has learned to love her ‘curves,’ the tennis ace has made sure everyone can see exactly what she is talking about. The 32-year-old put her muscular but shapely physique on full display in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday. The sports star splish splashed her way through a fun day at the beach with friends. Looking like she was having a blast, the player and a girlfriend alternated between soaking up the sun on beach chairs and sipping on drinks in the small waves. For her fun day in the sun, the Olympian was definitely not hiding away her shapely derriere. Instead Serena donned a black and patterned bikini, which she pulled up over her hips, drawing attention to her rear end

Mystery Nigerian lady claims to be Mikel Obi’s girlfriend

helsea midfielder Mikel Obi has confirmed that he’s dating sexy Russian girl Olga Diyachenko. And when there was a Jennifer report recently that he had proposed, Mikel was quick to debunk it saying, “Yes, she is my girlfriend, but I have not proposed to her. If that happens, it will not be hidden and everyone will know”. On Instagram, Mikel and Olga have their pictures splashed on each other’s walls; and some of these photos show that the lovebirds are madly in love. In spite of this, a lady is after Mikel Obi with claims that she’s his real woman. Her name is Jennifer. On the social media, some of her friends call her ‘Doro Mikel Jenny’. Even on his birthday months ago (in April), she tattooed on her back, “Nchekubem. Happy Birthday My Ever Diamond”. Though it is not clear if Jennifer is one of Mikel Obi’s female admirers, her friends have taken it as an e-war to attack anyone especially at the time it blew emerged that Mikel was dating Olga. When a friend to Olga took them on recently that Mikel is Olga’s man, one of Jennifer’s friend was quick to say, “U can go to hell and chuckle mikel loves jenny thats why, so tell ur gf @olga”.

that would even give reality TV star, Kim Kardashian a run for her money. Purposely clashing with her bottoms, the tennis ace wore a metallic blue underwire halter top that valiantly fought to contain her more than ample chest. While happy to frolic in the shallows, Serena obviously had no plans to actually go for a full swim as she left her long auburn locks out but with a black scarf tied around them like a large headband.

Sharapova splits with boyfriend

umours doing the rounds in tennis circles is that Russian sensation Maria Sharapova has broken up with boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov. According to unconfirmed reports, the two removed each other on Twitter and were even absent in the stands when either of them played in the US Open recently. Previously reported to be engaged, Sharapova (27) and Bulgarian Dimitrov (23) have been dating each other since late 2012. According to reports though, the romance may have seen its end with both choosing to focus more on their professional careers. While Sharapova and Dimitrov both have their professions in common, the tennis star said last year their relationship is based on more than just their love for the sport. “It’s about finding that person where you can be yourself all the time, where you’re comfortable with being [the] young girl, the older girl, the mature girl, and the person that understands you and looks at you and says, ‘You’re completely off you rocker!’” Sharapova had said.

Sharapova and boyfriend Dimitrov

Manchester United stars enjoy dinner

Coming or going, Serena Williams looks smashing

ith Manchester United not inNew signings Radamel Falcao, Angel di volved in European football this Maria and Luke Shaw were also pictured season, Louis van Gaal’s players have enjoying themselves. plenty of mid-week down-time to fill this season. United’s stars were pictured enjoying a night out in Manchester as their rivals Liverpool and Arsenal played in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Club captain Wayne Rooney attended the event at the Neighborhood Bar and Restaurant with wife Coleen, while Candy-Rae Fleur - girlfriend of new boy Daley Blind - and Misse Beqiri - wife of - were also present. Manchester United’s Dutch midfielder Daley Blind was seen leaving with girlfriend Candy-Rae Fleur But here’s how United’s rivals saw their Angel Di Maria, Rafeal and Anthonio Valencia evening unfolding in the absence of ChamStories courtesy Dailymail pions League football

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Showbiz

Stephanie Ezeani: Modeling is an after-thought, I want to be like Dangote Stephanie Ifunanya Ezeani, a 19-year-old beauty queen from Anambra State is also 300 level student of Redeemer’s University currently studying history and international relations. In this interview with LYDIA FAMOUS, the budding model speaks on her dreams and winning the Miss Charismatic pageant. What memories do you still hold of Miss Charismatic which you won last month? Well, all I can say is that I contested in the recent Miss Charismatic pageant and was crowned the queen. The pageant seeks to promote young talents, showcase inherent beauty in the Nigerian woman. The pageant is not just about being beautiful, it goes beyond that. It is basically about possessing outstanding characteristics such as, grace, intelligence, poise, strength and above all, charisma. What inspired your decision to contest for the Miss Charismatic pageant 2014? I took part in the contest because I felt I was good enough for it and I also wanted it to be my starting point as I have never engaged in a pageant neither have I done any form of modeling before now coupled with the fact that my mum had always wanted me to walk this path. There are sometimes unsavoury tales about pageants; did you have such experience? To my surprise, I never had nasty encounter of any such. You said to your surprise, does that mean you were expecting such encounter? I heard it’s common with pageants, so before I participated in this pageant I made enquires. The truth is that I would not have taken part in the competition. At what point did it dawn on you that you could be successful in the pageant? If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail, I came to the competition with the hope of being the winner. So in camp, I always saw myself as the winner because I gave it all I could by putting extra effort. How would you have taken it if you didn’t win the crown? I would definitely feel sad but I would

here will be lots of fun, excitement and humour this weekend, Saturday, September 20 at Ajegunle, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area, Lagos State, as the Face of Ajegunle, a beauty pageant takes centre stage. Billed for the occasion are comedians like Seyi Law, Elenu, Mc Shakara, Acapella, and Pencil, veteran Nollywood actress Grace Amah and music artistes and icons in the Nigeria entertainment industry who have their roots in Ajegunle. According to the organisers of the beauty pageant fronted by Akaedu Lucy, the crux of the competition is to showcase and develop the youths in Ajegunle for self-worth, self-confidence and exposure to the world of beauty pageant. “The Face of Ajegunle

not see it as a loss. Everybody that participates in any contest for any kind of pageant has a platform set for her, an agency might see what they want in another contestant not necessarily the contestant that emerged the winner. So even if I did not win the pageant, I would be happy I took part in it as it would be an avenue for people or companies to see me. I could then get modeling contracts. Since winning the grand prize, what has changed about you? Practically everything has changed about me. Since my inception as the queen, opportunities have been opening and I am very much recognized. It has also improved the way I do things now, because there are so many ladies out there who would look up to me as a mentor now. What was your earliest career ambition and will you still like to pursue it? I would still pursue my initial career ambition which is to become a business mogul. I am walking that path already as I currently run a social enterprise. Later on, I would start my travel agency and some other things that relates to business would follow suit. Who are the people you hope to model your career after? Dangote does inspire me. As he said in one of his interviews: “To build a successful business, you must start small and dream big. In the journey of entrepreneurship, tenacity of purpose is supreme.” I know tomorrow holds a big promise for me. How would you combine your studies and reign as the beauty queen? That wouldn’t be a problem. I so much believe in the saying that “there’s time for everything”, so when I’m in school, I would focus on my studies. I wouldn’t allow my status affect my studies. It’s all about balancing.

Seyi Law, Elenu others set for Face of Ajegunle

Seyi Law

Beauty Pageant is a beauty competition that is aim at projecting the image of Ajegunle to other

MC Shakara

parts of the country and the entire world. This is the first-of-its-kind beauty pageant in the history of

Ajegunle. The competition will be an intermingling of beauty and intelligence as the contestants, IQ will be tested in different areas of human endeavour. “Ajegunle is blessed with talents and the city (Ajegunle) is known for success especially in the area of sports and entertainment. The city has unearthed many superstars. It is of the essence we want to show Nigerians another gift God blessed us with (beauty and intelligence). The event is not just one that will offer entertainment alone, but will promote unity, integration and address social vices like violence, rape, trafficking, HIV/AIDS among others,” she enthused.

The winner of the competition will be rewarded with a cash prize of N200,000, a year modelling contract, and a ticket to compete in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) beauty pageant. While the first and second runners-up will be rewarded with a cash prize of N100,000 and N50,000 respectively and a ticket to compete in the next edition of MBGN. Interestingly, Seyi Law, a product of the environment, will be the host of Face of Ajegunle Beauty Pageant and will be employing the medium to address youths in the area on how they can make the most of their diverse talents. He also promised to make the event one not to forget in a hurry.

Showbiz

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Mum changed my school when a girl wrote me a love letter –Jimmie, Beat FM presenter

Who is Jimmie? I am the third of three children from my father and I was born in Surulere, Lagos. The nickname Jimmie is coined out of James and Folaji. I am from a broken home and I spent most of my formative years with my mother. My father is from Ogun State, while my mother is from Imo State. My mum is currently based in the United Kingdom. I started working at the age of 16 when I finished my secondary school at Igbobi College in Lagos. I got my first job with Godwin Dudu-Orumen as an associate producer for the programme, ‘The Best of Football.’ Igbobi College used to be very tough those days. Could you tell us how you cope as a student? I was very lucky that I had an elder brother who always looked after me. He played a huge role in my life. Initially, I went to Community Grammar School in Surulere where I did my JS 1. It was a co-education school. When a girl wrote me a love letter I became so excited about it and I was 11-year-old then. I ran back home and told my mum that someone wrote me love letter. She responded positively, not knowing she would stop me from going to the school a week later. She told me that I was resuming with my brother in Igbobi College. It was later in my life I actually knew what she tried to do. Though the school used to be hard and you must be smart to survive or not to get carried away, I had the cover of my brother. His name is Bode Akinsola and he is happily married and has kids now. What do you do basically? In a nutshell I will say I am an entertainer. I have hands in sport and music. My passion has always been sports but I am grateful what entertainment has done to me. Entertainment is more like a sport to me anyway. If you listen to my shows on radio I present it in an entertaining way and the only reason I do that is to get peoples’ attention. Why broadcasting? The reason I joined Dudu-Orumen was to actually step up what the industry looked like then. It is actually difficult to change it from the normal norm to the level that it will be internationally attractive to people. But that has been my drive since the day I joined the industry; I want to be able to influence it to a certain playing field. I am doing my own part at the presentation level and I hope I will get to the level where decisions are being made. So Dudu-orume gave you the breakthrough in your career? He is the bedrock of everything I do in broadcasting. I owe in a lot and our relationship is still intact. I can’t really put a number into the experience I gathered, but

Beat FM Sports Extra presenter, Folaji James Akinsola, popularly known as Jimmie, is becoming more relevant in the entertainment industry. The host of Industry Nite, Hennessey Artistry, among others, tells OLUSHOLA RICKETTS how it all started.

I was with him for over seven years. And during those years he was like a father and uncle to me. If I rise today it was because he corrected me then. I would always say thank you to him and my mother for the great impact they played in my life. In the realm of music what do you do exactly? I am the host of the ‘Industry Nite,’ which is the platform where we expose up and coming artistes and give people an opportunity to meet with established names in the entertainment industry. We also create a business atmosphere and networking. I have been a friend of Matthew Ohio since when he started the concept, but I got involved directly three years ago. I host events and entertainment shows as well, including Hennessey Artistry. But all this is made possible because I worked at the Beat FM. I am employed primarily there as a sports presenter and to God be the glory I have won a couple of awards. Do you think Industry Nite has been able to live up to expectation? I think it has developed from just being a club event to a culture. From the outset nobody ever does a late night event on a Wednesday, but we say every Wednesday we are going against the normal norm of Friday to celebrate music. In terms of brining exposure and businesses into music, we have been able to breach the gap between artistes and the corporate world because we have created a meeting point that is familiar with everybody. I also appreciate the fact that the artistes always come to perform and entertain people free of charge. What’s the specific role you play in the Hennessey Artistry? Over time I have developed the ability or I discovered that I have a lot of energy, which I used to make people stay keen or attracted to an event. They took notice of it while I was working with DJ Caise at some events. They observed that my influence in the party was actually very strong, so they decided to have me on their event. So for the past two years I have been the official ‘hypeman’ for Hennessey. I am not just a host, I generate energy from the DJ, make people to relate with the show and get the message of the brand across to the audience. What is your sincere opinion about the entertainment industry? It is amassing how quickly Nigerian music is now recognised internationally. D’banj and few others used to be the only acts in Nigeria recognised internationally, but we now have Davido, Wizkid, Banky W, Ice Prince, etc. I think our industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Nollywood used to lead the spot-

light in the Nigerian entertainment industry, but music is standing side-by-side with it now. This is also reflected in the amount of awards that come to Nigeria and the rising numbers of international artistes who are willing to do collaborations with Nigerian acts. Also, look at how many musicians who are now brands’ ambassadors. Since you are so attached to music do we see you becoming a singer someday? I will never sing because I cannot sing. Though I can shout and everyone will hear me, singing is not my thing. I might act as a ‘hypeman’ on a song or a DJ’s mix-tape. How far did you go with your studies? When I left Igbobi College I put in for a diploma programme at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), but I became distracted with all the glamour as a TV presenter at a tender age. This happened in 2004 and I had even done a diploma at the Olabisi Onabanji University (OOU) before I came to UNILAG. It didn’t go well too and I had to withdraw at that time. When my mum relocated to the UK, I needed to work and go to school at the same time. I took up a job as a presenter in Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and put in for a part-time study at the Lagos State University. I am done now; I graduated two years ago. Why did you go back to school since you’ve already had everything working well? It is always important to have education because at the end of the day nothing is guaranteed in life. You should always give yourself options. I would not conclude today that because I am doing well in entertainment it would always be so. Going to school does not only give you a backup plan; it also enhances your knowledge on what you are doing. It exposes me to the do and don’t and how to manage the talent to the best of my ability. Would you call yourself a success so far? If success is marked with awards, then I would say I am successful. In terms of impact or legacy I am not near what I want to achieve. As a presenter, yes I thank God for what He has done, but I still need to do more generally. It is just a stepping stone; it is not what I wish to say I lived my life for. What was your aspiration as a little boy? I have always wanted to be on television. I was always waiting for the TV to be on. And I liked how lawyers carried themselves through what I saw on TV. I have a lot of lawyers as friends now and I think I would have been a great lawyer. My mother would have loved me to be a lawyer too.

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

How do you feel with Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s endorsement of your multibillion naira film village project? Augustus Ajawara: I feel good. I am glad, especially with his public acceptance to our proposed film village project. He summed it up when he said, ‘I will have you sort out details with my commissioner for culture and tourism, go work with him…; this is my uncle, Chief Eddie Ugbomah, OON, please go and work with him…’, and that has made it important for us to be in Delta State. It is not often that a governor takes your project and says ‘I want to work with it.’ And the governor goes further to make landmark pronouncements, such as ‘work with this and work with that.’ You send proposals to certain high places of authority and make presentations, but it never see the light of the day. But the instant reception and assertiveness of his instructions to his commissioners are the reassurance that makes us feel comfortable to work with Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. That is the kind of governor I want to work with. Could you take us through what exactly is this project, and why the interest in Delta State in particular? Thelma Ajawara: I will start by expressing my gratitude to the government and people of Delta State for resolving to bring this project to the state. To my uncle, Chief Eddie Ugbomah, I will remain eternally grateful for helping us to begin a concise prospect of actualising this dream. With the benefit of hindsight, and having spent the best part of my life in the movie industry in the United States, we are well aware of the need to bring our wealth of experience to help in making the Nigerian movie industry attain its potential. I will also say kudos to the Nollywood practitioners who have done well with very meagre resources at their disposals. We have been following their efforts, a reason that has encouraged us to come in and to invest heavily so that it can meet with the needed world standard. That precisely is only an area that Nollywood needs now. Some of us AfricanAmericans out there are well aware of the immense efforts of practitioners here. We are also aware that Nollywood produces about 50 movies per week - that is only second to Bollywood, and far more than Hollywood. We equally know that Nollywood generates an impressive $590 million annually; though its revenue is not at par with that of Bollywood and Hollywood. And from experts’ view, if Nollywood is properly managed a million more jobs could be created in the sector. Interestingly, the World Bank is at present assisting the Nigerian government to create a growth and employment project to support the entertainment industry. Apart from being aware of the industry, what pedigree are your bringing to the desk, as the MD of the new consortium? TA: I am a 1987 B.A degree holder on Radio/TV/Film Production from California State University, Northridge. I own Ayese Studios that has been providing non classifiable establishments to California since 2011. And with a dynamic media professional of over 17 years in advertising and marketing, I am well experienced in media that includes radio, Sports TV, cable, and direct response, for both general and multi-cultural markets. I worked as a broadcast media supervisor for Conill Advertising in the States, and it is one of the best Hispanic advertising agencies in the world. I am an avid team player who is quite dependable and extremely dedicated to her work. My specialties are on media placement for network and local television, cable and radio, product and brand integration, maintain vendor relationships, identify, analyse and solve broadcast issues with added value negotiations. I also provided strategic contribution and help to translate the client’s vision into brand strategies, supervise work flow and daily projects; develop and maintain a working relationship with the vendors. I worked with media partners to provide the best out of the box ideas for the client,

Showbiz

'Why we're building a film village in Delta State' The endorsement of about N81 billion film village by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to be cited in Delta State has been hailed by many film enthusiasts. The initiators of the project, Augustus Ajawara, an engineer and African-American and his American wife, Iyeshatu Thelma, tell SONY NEME why the film village will be producers’ delight. and liaise with the account executives and creative team on special media projects. Our professional photographers have covered hundreds of events across New York City, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and the Hamptons. From fashion shows, charities, galas, openings, nightlife and lifestyle events, our coverage is renowned for getting noticed by the largest media outlets in the world and shared virally across the web. Could you share with us your vision, goals and your identified challenges in doing business here? AA: Our main vision, which God has answered us today, is partnering with His Excellency, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Delta State to develop an entertainment district at the Ogwashi-Uku and Asaba axis that will provide state-of-the-art facilities for the entertainment industry. I mean movies, television, recording and theatre, and a television network that will air Pan African inspired content for Africa and the global market. Our objectives, apart from transforming Ogwashi-Uku into an entertainment destination, is to provide facilities for the production of world standard block buster movies, as well as development of hotels, retail and residential areas that will house entertainers while they are producing. It will have facilities to host screenings, exhibitions, lectures, meetings, special events and receptions for the entertainment community. On the problem statement, we have since identified lack of professional studio equipment, lack of funding for films and other entertainment projects; and lack of

investments for the development of professional skills required across all entertainment sectors. Other problem areas are lack of funding for infrastructure necessary for creative groups to function effectively, and worst still is lack of copyright protection for intellectual properties. With this worrisome picture you have just painted, why have you chosen Delta State, or was it a case of trying out which ever state in Nigeria that is available? AA: The answers to your questions are yes and no. Yes, to the quest of identifying with a state that shares in our dream. We were attracted to Delta State, because of the governor’s drive in building a state beyond oil. As part of its effort to cut over dependence on oil, the government is boasting sizeable investment in culture, tourism and entertainment generally. This presents a deliberate effort that has encouraged us with a platform that tallies with our plans of building on a people with diverse cultural heritage. The film village will be strategically located as the state capital territory is a gateway to the entire south and north central part of Nigeria. Delta State, as you may know, has a wide coastal belt that is interlaced with rivulets and streams. With this gesture from the state government, our purpose of forming a partnership between the government of Delta State and Pan African Global Media Limited consortium to build a cultural entertainment district in Ogwashi-Uku and Asaba axis, has started in earnest. We are happier because

we will be helping to bring in our wealth of experience to help in a non-oil sector in an almost oil dependent Niger Delta state. Outside what you have analysed, what are the specific benefits that the village has to offer to Nigerians? AA: We will be developing a 10 megawatts of power for the district. That will make it a self-sustaining micro grid that guarantees uninterruptable power for the entertainment district. This will on its own provide employment for local engineers for power generation, operations, maintenance and distribution system, as well as training. The subvention centre will seat 1,000 people, there will be sophisticated studios, and 18 holes PGAS international standard golf course. There will also be shopping malls and restaurants; a sport village including the National Sports Academy and we are coming with unique recreational centres as you can find in Hollywood. There will be a star 226 rooms resort hotel, 200 holiday apartments with 800 beds around the golf course that will be linked to a water park. There will be a country club with facilities for squash, gymnasium and lap pool with personal trainers, as well as the art health hydro. It is going to be a place with residential development, luxury villas and residential units. The whole idea is to improve tourism in the state, develop significant source of internally generated revenue, and contribute to the growth of the local economy. Other benefits from this kind of project is to attract funds in the area of direct foreign investment, infusion of new technology in the Nigerian movie industry, as well as enhancing the development of video, television, and theatre and music as it should be. Because of its size, the project will create lots of employment opportunities for local residents, support local projects, and develop new infrastructure as well as capital construction.

Showbiz

CONFLUENCE

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

... a finger on the city’s pulse

LANRE ODUKOYA

Monalisa Chinda and the Slum2School Initiative

Ikuforiji pampers self as new child arrives

n September 13, actress Monalisa Chinda got hundreds of celebs to hold a walk towards sending less-privileged children to school in commemoration of her 40th birthday. The well-attended walk saw over 550 celebrities, volunteers and children participate in Slum2School Africa's Charity fundraising walk held in Lekki, Lagos, to support the education of 1000 children living in slums and remote communities in Nigeria and build mentorship hubs to facilitate community development. The walk attracted AY, Alibaba, Julius Agwu, Ufuoma Ejenobor, Timi Dakolo, Ibinabo Fiberesima, Tonye Cole, Segun Arinze and so many others. Slum2School Africa prides itself as one of Africa's most vibrant volunteer-driven charity organizations that help disadvantaged children and youths in slums and remote communities gain access to education, medical support and empowerment.

Strength in numbers...Chinda (2nd left) and some celebrities who joined in her charity walk

Alaafin of Oyo and his wives fly private jet to visit Bauchi State governor T

he Alaafin of Oyo, HRM Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi and his wives certainly enjoy the attention that comes with hugging the headlines. After a whirlwind trip to the United Kingdom, the Alaafin and his wives are in the news again. This time around, the Oyo monarch and his harem were in Bauchi State, at the behest of Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi and his first wife, Hajia Abiodun Yuguda, who hails from Oyo State. A private jet was made available for the Alaafin and his wives for the trip. This conveyed them from Ibadan to Bauchi and back to Ibadan. While some are busy insinuating that Alaafin’s new found hobby demeans the stool he inherited from his ancestors, the revered monThe good life...The arch shrugs off such condemnations as a badly monarch and his wife concocted tale of hate.

Kashamu, OGD drain Osoba's supporters T

he political intrigues surrounding the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ogun State is becoming more interesting by the day. There is a disturbing twist that centres on the ousting of the state's leader of All Progressives Congress, Aremo Segun Osoba from the same platform he belongs with the incumbent, Governor Ibikunle Amosun. Indications had emerged that Osoba wanted to form a party of his own and the former governor's supporters are now exposed to pressures from other political camp. Insiders confirmed that the line usually cited in wooing Osoba's supporters is: "why risk your fortune on something new and uncertain?" Those in the know insist that once Osoba pulls out of APC, the man and his supporters will form an alliance with other camps to have relevance. Sources confirmed pressures on Osoba's followers are from two major camps - that of influential political figure and immediate past governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and political figure of many colouration, Kashamu Buruji. Buruji is the face of Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State while Daniel remains the power behind the increasing following of Labour Party. Ironically, OGD served as a two term Governor of Ogun State on the platform

peaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has just sired another child. But don’t ask why you never saw the wife, Mayowa, with a baby bump. It was learnt that a beautiful young lady in the Hon. Speaker’s life, Folakemi Birch, is the happy mother. The delivery of the child took place in Dubai a few days ago. And it might also interest you to know that the bundle of joy is not the only new arrival in the man’s life. The politician has allegedly taken delivery of the 2014 edition of gasp-inducing wonder-on-wheels, Rolls Royce Wraith. He was said to have shelled out $400,000 for the car. Folakemi also got a dream ride of her own from Mr. Speaker. The resident of Alausa, the bustling neighbourhood that houses the Lagos State government establishments got a Range Rover Evoque valued at about N25 million.

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of PDP. Both Kashamu and OGD have a common goal - to frustrate the re-election of Governor Amosun. While there are claims that the two camps are exploring means to work together to unseat the incumbent, sources say they are wooing Osoba's supporters away with the aim of swelling ranks and the possible option of going it alone when it finally works for either of them. Aremo Osoba wants to achieve same objective, but wants a candidate of his choice on the platform of APC as successor. There are also strong indications

Kashamu

that the defection of ardent supporter and State House of Assembly member, Adijat Adeleye from APC to PDP is a pointer to what more to expect. Sources equally claimed that Osoba is very much aware that his followers are being wooed and is said to be considering a marriage of convenience of sort with the man that unseated him - Gbenga Daniel. It was revealed also that the man everybody is striving to send packing, Governor Amosun, is equally striving to lure some of his estranged political leader's supporters with "juicy" pledges if re-elected.

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The Arts SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Deep insight on the world stage from Atiku Installation artist, Jelili Atiku, stages a riveting exhibition across some cities that once again affirms his genius, writes MOSES KADIRI

POETRY (For Stella Ameyo Adadevoh) Even if the road to the cemetery is closed, We will bury our heroine in the earth of songs. What would Sawyer tell her If they happen to meet at the other end? When he was rushed in from the brinks of death She spread her arms and heart to save his life Not knowing that in his clouded mind An untouchable virus was feigning claim. Even if the road to the cemetery is closed, We will bury our heroine in the earth of songs. We do not want to sing ill of the dead But the confusion bequeathed to the air is smelling death. So the sages are always right?

Adejuwon takes charge at National Troupe of Nigeria Tony Okuyeme

elili Atiku has unconventional ways of engaging his audience with his performances and art installation. He creates the performance to open up a discursive dialogue among the audience. Hence, interpretations and understanding of his shows depend on the consciousness of the individual mood. His recent project at the University of Texas, USA, Stockholm, Sweden, and Ritchie Building, UCT Hiddingh Campus, University of Cape Town, South Africa, titled Oginrinringinrin (deep insight) portrays Atiku as an artist with an eye for the global perspective. "In the field of psychology, it has been explained that humans translate visual experiences into symbolic contents. It is in this regards l chose Egungun methods in my performances; l want the audience to think along," the Artistic Director of Afiriperfoma – a collective of performance artists in Africa said. According to Atiku, Oginrinringinrin is conceived and designed as artistic project and social intervention that allow the creation of dialogue with space and audience with the aim of projecting the state of human values and security, leadership crisis; and raise concern for protecting and expanding human’s vital core aspiration for freedoms, fulfillment and security. He adopts the technique of dance, theatric - actions, text, photography and mixed media as the medium of expression. In the piece titled, Egungun-Alabala Mandela, Atiku did a processional performance premised on the context of a second burial for former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. The artist who is the "chief coordinator" of Advocate for Human Rights Through Art (AHRA) refers to Mandela as orisha (deity) and the ritual of alignment with Irunmole (spiritual energies and beings). It was performed at University of Texas at Austin, USA with 11 performers, who were art students of the university. The performance consist of kanaga (mask), cross, water (omi), cola-nut (obi), bitter cola (orogbo), salt (iyo), 200 Ifa divisional tray (OponIfa), cups, and cloth (ankara (Dutchwax), among others. The objects were used for commemoration and symbols of dignity. "Egungun-Alabala Mandela was incorporated as metaphorical statements of the essence of good leadership," Atiku said.

Atiku stages a symbolic second burial for Mandela in Cape Town, South Africa

His other presentation, Ologbere (Oginrinringinrin II), was performed during the International Performance Art Festival PALS (Performance Art Links) at Slussen / Södermalmstorg and Fylkingen Stockholm, Sweden. During the presentation, he assembled and made use of the flags of United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France and China; skeleton of a woman, milk, anchorrope, and wooden-carriage. The performance involved processional walk – where Atiku pulled along the skeleton of a woman, which he laid on a wooden-carriage and dragged along in the streets with the aid of the anchor-rope. The performer occasionally feeds the skeleton with milk.

The show ended in Fylkingen Gallery space, where other objects used during the performance were installed and text incorporated. Eleegba (Oginrinringinrin III), was Atiku's final performance, it was staged at Gordon Institute of Performing and Creative Arts (GIPCA) Live Art Festival, Ritchie Building, UCT Hiddingh Campus, University of Cape Town, South Africa. The title of the show, Elégbà is a spirit of good character in Yoruba tradition. Over the years Atiku has called attention to some issues in the country and beyond through drawing, installation sculpture, photography, video and live performances.

he newly appointed artistic director and chief executive officer of the National Troupe of Nigeria Mr. Akinsola Mendra Adejuwon has formally resumed office as head of the National Troupe, a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation. Adejuwon from Ekiti State takes over from Mr. Martin Adaji. He becomes the fourth chief executive officer of the National Troupe of Nigeria since the Troupe’s formal establishment in 1991. Foremost theatre director, Mr. Bayo Oduneye and the Dean of the College of Humanities of Redeemers University Professor Ahmed Yerima have at various times led the Troupe as artistic director. A theory and practice-oriented artist, Adejuwon was until his appointment as artistic director on Thursday September 11, a museum curator of the Institute of Cultural Studies of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Osun State. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in industrial design of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a master of arts degree in African arts studies of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Currently the chairman of the Osun State Chapter of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) and member of the Nigerian Field Society, the new chief executive officer of the National Troupe has designed, organised and attended several conferences, seminars and workshops and has curated, coordinated and executed a number of local and internationally acclaimed exhibitions. A widely travelled artist whose current research activities include a study on festivals of Yoruba land, Adejuwon has since been meeting with management, staff and stakeholders of the National Troupe. His immediate plans, as Artistic Director is to reposition the National Troupe and to make the Troupe a truly national and international performing arts company. At a brief handover ceremony held at the National Theatre on Thursday, the former artistic director, Mr. Martin Adaji, congratulated Adejuwon on his appointment and thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for giving him the opportunity to Adejuwon serve.

Even if the Road to the Cemetery is Closed ‘The death that will kill a hunter lives in his quiver The one that kills the farmer is hiding in a ridge No matter how smart a swimmer is His death may be hiding in a swimming pool.’ But even if the road to the cemetery is closed, We will bury our heroine in the earth of songs. In fulfilment of her Hippocratic oath, Our heroine had stemmed the tide of many deaths. Healing husbands, She delivered their wives of bouncing joys She had nurtured their children with gentle drugs. But this tricky night, The water is spilled The gourd is split

Even if the road to the cemetery is closed, We will bury our heroine with a hail of songs. But what manner of a plague is this That kills the herbalist to spite the sick? Even in the days of small pox We offered sacrifices to the dreaded god But all of a sudden, A virus gets so bloated It snatches bush meat from our frozen mouths. For the first time in many moons, The world is scared of its own sweat Friendly hands refuse to shake Loving hearts decline to hug Even my neighbouring brethren

By Akeem Lasisi

Are serving communion from a catholic distance. Ebola warned us long enough But we were fast asleep on our usual bed. So that when it finally came It met our Solomons bereft of sense. Adadevoh, Humanity is paled by your gallant death! Facebook mourns, and Twitter sobs. We know your corpse deserves a kiss But we are held at bay by the killer scourge Your casket should be decked with a million blooms But we are forbidden from gathering for a national rite. Even if the road to the cemetery is closed, We will bury our heroine in the earth of songs.

StartUps SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER, 2014

Adeyemi: People are scared of marketing... but it’s rewarding

The managing consultant and executive officer of Lorache Limited, Ayo Adeyemi, is passionate in his desire to help organisations solve problems. In this interview with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, the director of National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) shares his journey into entrepreneurship. What did you aim to achieve with the establishment of Lorache? Firstly, Lorache is a human resource and management consulting firm. I am a senior partner there and the CEO. I coordinate all activities and ensure we achieve the running objectives of the organisation. While working as an employee, I worked with different management teams. Having worked in a number of organisations and acquired the needed experience, there was a desire to go extra miles to get result and solve problems. And right from my university days I knew that I would set up a company to help organisations in solving whatever problems they might face. I started my company shortly after my last employment with the Capital Market as the head of marketing and operations. Lorache has been registered and we have been involved in one or two things even before I left the company. But the moment I left the organisation I moved fully into practice. Were you not worried that leaving your job could be a wrong step? When I finished my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with the then Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), they offered me a job and people encouraged me to stay and rise to become a manager there. They said there were prospects and other benefits, but I had said to myself that I don’t want to work more than 10 years. I left for United African Company (UAC) and then Capital Market. But before I walked out of employment market I had started something that was already paying my bills. When I looked at what I was getting as a commission from a part-time job it became more than my salary for a whole year. So, I thought that if the little time I spent on this could be rewarding, I should put more energy there. But what really facilitated my leaving was the fact that Capital Market itself was experiencing challenges at that point. I was left with no other option but to focus on my business. We learnt that you won the presidential award as the first candidate that actually passed through NIMN. Could you tell us more on it? It was an interesting story. I wanted to be a chartered marketer before I conclude my studies while I was in school as an undergraduate at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State. I first enrolled with International Institute of Marketing in London, an online platform. But someone advised me to try the institute in Nigeria as it would give me more leverage in the labour market. As an undergraduate, I started from the scratch, which was the foundation. But up to the last stage amazingly I neither repeat any stage nor had reference. So I was already a chartered marketer before I even rounded off my HND. It was a notable record in the institute of marketing in Nigeria then, but I am sure that people would have equalled it now. It was around 1999-2000. What made mine special was that I was still an undergraduate. The institute was moved and they gave

me the presidential award that year. What is your role as a director in the institute? My first and second degrees are in marketing, though I have other professional institutes’ experience. My role here is to reposition the activities of the institute and ensure that all services and products benefit the members and the public. Marketing is more than selling, so I deal with everything that has to do with marketing in the institution. I am into branding, management and ensure that we give the best to members and prospective members. Why do most Nigerian graduates shun marketing jobs? I think it is the lack of understanding and knowledge that create problems most times. Marketing is very elaborate and dynamic. An offshoot of marketing is where you have sales and advertising, but marketing is usually mistaken to be that you must go out to sale services or products. Marketing is much more! The aspect you are referring to is when people would have to go out to sell things and they are mostly placed on commission. Most people get scared of it. If you are involved in marketing you will find out that it is very dynamic and required a high degree of professionalism and strategy. Also, graduates at times do not know the next steps to take. Ev- Adeyemi ery professional requires marketing that background and surviving it, I wish to functions. For an individual, I feel it is even a great opportunity when you are help the younger ones because I see them offered a marketing job. It makes you to net- missing their ways every day. Once I have a work, gives you more money, and enlarges story to share with them I felt I should menyour scope of knowledge, relationship and tor some of these people to find their paths business. Marketing is actually building you in life. If you want to become a lawyer we to get exposed, covered more grounds and simply make you a successful one and that know more people than even your bosses applies to other disciplines too. We also do donations. Since I was also an orphan, I like who are just in their offices. to donate. This year we did donations to What are the other things you do? about five orphanage homes and two disI am into so many things. I also have an abled homes. NGO, Ayo Adeyemi (AA) Mentor Foundation. It is a platform I am using to give You are an author too. Could you tell us the back to the society and it was established focus of the book you recently launched? As a consultant, I engaged in re-engineerin 2004. This year we marked our 10th anniversary and did some donations. The idea ing and strategising for so many organisacame up shortly after my NYSC and it was tions. I did my research and discovered that basically to support or sanitise the youth in our society. We want to give information that could help them to achieve what they When I looked at desire in life. I am doing this based on my own experience as an orphan. I know my fawhat I was getting as ther before he died but I didn’t spend much a commission from a time with my mother. I grew up without my biological parents, though I had people that part-time job it became took me in. Without the love of my parents I went to school and survived. So he dawned more than my salary for a on me that if God had helped me through whole year. So, I thought the period of my life and I am who I am today, people should understand that their that if the little time I situations are no limitation. I also went to spent on this could be a public secondary that was situated in a place one could easily get carried away. It rewarding, I should put was at Iyana Isolo, very close to the market place and a bridge. An average student more energy there there was perceived to be notorious. Having

businesses do not stand the test of time in the country. The first reason is that successor plan is a problem to initiate. People build businesses to feed themselves; they do not build to power the economy. I had experienced and saw the way Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) manage their businesses. So I saw a need for a book that could tell people 10 things they need to do to make their businesses to grow. I did my research and I came up with 10Ms any business needs to grow either as a new establishment or old. It is about those things essential to the survival of a business like the mission, marketing, materials, measurement, money, etc. This is my second book; I did my first as an undergraduate. When I was writing my professional examination, I looked for a book that will help me to explain some terms I came across and couldn’t find any. I was looking out for a book like a dictionary that could help me to break the marketing terms so that I could easy remember in the hall. I searched online and I made attempt to ask abroad, but I didn’t find any one. Though I made do with what I had, I later challenged myself to come up with something. I worked on it and called it Compendium of Marketing Terminology. I sold the book mostly to my course mates in school, but people still use it now. Since I don’t have a name to sell the book I asked my Head of Department (HOD) to partner with me. I still have a book I am doing on personal development and two others on mentoring. I would put them out early next year.

SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Travel &Tourism 39

Chef's Corner

HOSPITALITY

The kitchen is not a woman’s world p.40

Travel Personality OLUSOJI AMUSAN: Nigeria don’t need more than three airlines p.41

The entrance to the hotel

Destination

Aguleri claims the limelight with Gulder Ultimate Search p.42

Excellence Hotel: Doing what it says in its name INIOLUWA EKEOLERE visited Excellence Hotel and Conference Centre recently and writes that the hotel does what it says in its name.

he bustling scene that surrounds the hotel is a huge contrast to the interior of Excellence Hotel. The first thing that strikes you as you walk through the gate is the beautiful and expansive nature of the facility. The lush garden–like scenery dotted with trees and well–pruned flowers also help accentuate the idyllic look. Located in the Ijaiye/Isheri road via Ogba Aguda, Lagos State, the middle range hospitality home prides itself as offering guests an array of modern and somewhat sophisticated facilities and a service culture that are notches high. The director of sales and marketing, Mr. Ekundayo Hassan, said the hotel focuses on both business and leisure travellers with discerning taste. The manager says the hotel's central location offers easy access to any part of the city. He describes this as an added advantage, especially given that it typically takes about 30 minutes to access both the local and international wings of the Lagos airports. Another strong point is its proximity to a number of shopping and entertainment outlets as well as businesses within the city's busy business district.

Rooms It has 71 rooms of different categories, all lavishly furnished and fitted to taste. Each has a private balcony that affords a guest a good view of the surroundings

and time–out. The room types consist of standard, double, executive suite and VIP. Guests are treated to complimentary continental breakfast, daily newspapers and bottled water alongside other amenities and dedicated services. There is also the promise of personalized care by the staff. Conference The hotel, according to Hassan, thrives well as a conference hotel with various dedicated facilities for different events. He said the hotel’s conference facilities are the best and most coveted by the corporate world and event planners. It has a large banqueting hall with five meeting rooms complementing its services. It also has a full service busi-

ness centre offering some of the following – secretarial services, email services and browsing, phone calls, fax and courier services. Dining/wining The hotel also rates high in this regard with its inviting restaurant offering a la carte and buffet services in both local and international dishes. The lobby bar serves exotic drinks and delicious choice of snacks. Walk–in guests and residents can also enjoy meals here especially the Sunday brunch, which is a delightsome and almost a party affair for the people. Wellness/leisure It has its sights on helping the guests maintain a healthy regime

and treat themselves to the finest of leisure and entertainment through its basic fitness facilities and leisure packages. Some of these are basketball court, tennis court and table tennis, Olympic size swimming pool, fitness centre. A leisure walk round the spacious hotel is encouraged while at weekend you are serenaded by a live band and other forms of entertainment on the bill. Other services The hotel also features a gift shop, car hire services, travel advisory and ticketing and 24 hourroom service. Established in November 1996, the hotel is owned by West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) which also shares borders with the hotel.

One of the rooms

NEW TELEGRAPH PARTNER HOTELS BENEFITS FESTAC, LAGOS

ABA LAGOS

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

Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

CHEF’S CORNER For Sodiya Babatunde Aramide, there's no trading his chef career for anything else. He recounts the story of his first love with BOLA KAREEM and shares a few tips on his signature soup.

odiya Babatunde Aramide’s passion for cooking was stoked when at age five one of his cousins, even though not a chef, would speak glowingly about the profession. He has ever since looked forward to earning his stripe in that field. And when it was time to decide his career path, Aramide, 31, and the only male child of a family of four, naturally settled for catering. However one of the reasons he says he took to catering was actually to prove the point that cooking is by no means a woman’s world. In fact, he believes that the men are even better suited for it. Ever since pitching his tent with the world of cooking he has never faltered for a day. ‘‘Many people believe that it is only the female that should do the cooking at home and everywhere; but today you will mostly see men doing the work of a chef. Initially, I wanted to be an accountant but my cousin who have been with me since I was five made me fall in love with the job. I also wanted to prove the women wrong that what they thought they could do, that men can do it better." His first tentative step when he started out in 2003 was fraught with difficulties. ‘‘Seriously, I have been through a lot since 2003 that I have been in this job. I started with my cousin before I later went to Dof Catering School where my interest and skill in the profession actually blossomed," he said. If young Aramide thought his newly acquired skill and academic qualification would make him simply walk into a waiting job, he was wrong as he has like other unemployed trawled the streets and knocked on several doors. ‘‘After my training, there was no job. He had to be realistic and accept what was available then, which meant teaming up with others to be service boys during parties. This eventually paid off for him. ‘‘All glory to God. I am now doing very well. Although I started as a steward at events and also worked in many eateries where they pay peanuts, I am on my own now. In fact, I cook for churches whenever

The kitchen is not a woman’s world they have their youth camps and many other events," he said. To broaden his knowledge, Aramide obtained a diploma certificate in financial accounting from the Lagos State Polytechnic. Looking ahead, he still plans to earn a higher national diploma in the field someday. ‘‘I am a man of ambition. After I left catering school, I went to Lagos State Polytechnic to further my education where I studied financial accounting. That is where I had my OND. I am still proposing to further my education but this job has not been allowing me to do so for now." But that dream has not taken his eyes off the kitchen. "As a professional I can prepare all kinds of dishes, but strictly African and some other continental dishes. Although people love English dishes, African dishes are good for the body because they are healthy and most of them are herbal. Some of the dishes I prepare are porridge, plantain pepper soup,

bitter leaf, Banga soup and lots more." When it comes to signature or special chef’s creation, Aramide says there is really nothing new. To him, it all depends on the chef's creativity. ‘‘I can’t say this is my special creation because there is no new food on the earth anymore." However, he says he loves vegetable soups, particularly ewedu, which he does in a very special way. ‘‘The kind of food I love people to serve is vegetables, like okro soup, ewedu soup, bitter leaf, soko leaf and tete leaf. Ewedu soup is very medicinal especially for the pregnant women. It helps for easy digestion." Aramide who operates from Alagbado, a sprawling suburban community in Lagos State shares his recipe for ewedu soup: Ingredients 10 stems of Ewedu leaves Season to taste (two cubes) Two pinch of salt

Aramide

Beef, chicken, periwinkle A small cup of water Locust beans Pepper Palm oil Preparation Step 1 Wash the leaf in clean water, chop the leaf, preferably blend it, then pour a little water in a clean pot and put in the pepper. After two minutes apply the locust beans and two pinch of salt along with palm oil. Step 2 Leave it to steam for about three minutes and add your seasoning, beef, periwinkle, and chicken. After three minutes, put the ewedu leaf and close for about 10 minutes. Step 3 After 10 minutes stir the soup and taste. Bring down the soup. After which the soup can be served with garri, pounded yam, semovita, amala, yam flour and plantain flour, among others.

TRAVEL BEATS

Egyptian hotels rated best in Africa With two of its top rated hotels making the list of Africa’s best top 10 hotels, Egypt tourism has every reason to glow and celebrate this feat which saw the Sofitel Legend Old cataract Aswan and Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor making the list released by Jenue Africa, a French magazine. Sofitel Legend Old Cataract, Aswan, which tops the list was built in 1899 by Thomas Cook and has since then become a legendary facility and undergone series of transformations. In 1962 a new cataract was constructed making the former known as the old cataract. Located on the banks of the Nile at Aswan, the hotel offers fascinating and enchanting views of the river and Elephantine Island. It is a 5-star hotel with 138 rooms and 82 suites and it was here in 1978 that the film adaptation of the famous book by Agatha Christie, Death on the Nile, was filmed. A logical choice, since it is there that the English novelist would have found inspiration. The Old Cataract

is cast in a Victorian palace of the 19th century design and played host regularly to such greats as François Mitterrand, Winston Churchill and many other heads of state and government. It was short down for three years (2009 – 2011) for renovation and re-opened in 2011. Sofitel Winter Palace, Luxor, which claimed the second place of honour, is also a 5 - star hotel with 92 rooms and six suites and was built by the British in 1886. It is creatively left hanging on the banks of the Nile in Luxor, just a few metres from the main temples of ancient Egypt. Surrounded by lush tropical gardens, the building in Victorian architecture was the winter residence of the Egyptian royal family. Agatha Christie is recorded to have written her classic novel, Death on the Nile in 1937 at the hotel, which over the years has served as the hideout of many world figures, including Anwar -Sadate, Georges Clemenceau, Winston Churchill, Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Margaret Thatcher.

Taste of Africa Food Festival gets SMEDAN's nod the festival, it has been rebranded as Taste of Africa Food Festival (TAFF). The event is targeted at creating a level playing ground for small and medium scale businesses in food, agricultural and hospitality sectors to showcase as well as empower youths and create L-R: Godwin Nwezi of TAFF, Bature Umar Masari, DG SMEDAN, Anne more job opportunities. Adinkwuye, TAFF organiser Participants expected at the exhibition With the Taste of Africa Food Festival said the decision by his organization to includes confectioners, producers of (TAFF) which was earlier scheduled collaborate with the organizers stems dairy products and other farm produce, farm produce, wine manufacturers and for this month in Abuja now billed to from the many benefits to organimarketers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, hold in October, organizers of the event zations in the food sector. He also have announced the coming of board of pledged that SMEDAN will continue to pastries, Food Associations and regulamore sponsors. The latest is the Small work towards youth empowerment and tory bodies among others. and Medium Enterprises Development creation of more platforms for SMES to Some of the events slated for the festival are road show/festival count Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). expand their businesses in Nigeria. down on major streets in Abuja, preIn his endorsement of the food Taste of Africa is a five-day food and exhibition cocktail, food and culture festival, which is now to hold between drinks festival organised annually by exhibition, cooking competition for October 7- 11 at the Arts and Crafts Ver-Annies Concepts. In 2012 it was states, seminars, raffle draw and Village,Abuja, the director-general of known as “Flavour of Abuja”. In a bid banquet and award night. SMEDAN, Mr. Bature Umar Masari, to enlarge the scope and content of

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20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Travel & Tourism

TRAVEL PERSONALITY

OLUSOJI AMUSAN: Nigeria don’t need more than three airlines With over 30 years’ experience in the aviation sector, Olusoji Amusan is no doubt one guru whose opinion cannot be jettisoned. In this interview with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA, Amusan bears his minds on the avalanche of problems in the sector and like an expert that he is, he proffers solutions to the quagmire.

The beginning lusoji Amusan, a thoroughbred aviation and tourism personnel, earned over 21 years working stint with Lufthansa Airline where he first started out as a trainee in commercial airline business. He bowed out as sales manager for West Africa before pitching his tent with the defunct EAS Cargo Airline where he served as general manager for three years. He was at a point the coordinator for International Air Transport Association training programmes in Nigeria; former president of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) and owner -Amusan and Associates (a consultancy firm), Riteway Travels and Alpha First Travel and Tourism Academy where he now dispenses training in aviation. On this fateful Wednesday morning, Amusan casually dressed in red coloured short sleeves shirt and a pair of trousers was having a lively banter with his lady secretary at the reception of his school. The entrance of the reporter put a pay to that and altered his rhythm for the day. After exchanging pleasantries, he ushered one to his office. Although it is neither exotic nor sophisticated, it is surely Amusan’s sanctuary from where he gets all the inspiration and push to administer his training school, which he has ran now for three years. For a moment, we tried to do some catching up on old time because it was my first visit to the school and the first meeting after so many years except of course for the occasional phone calls and exchange of emails. By the time we finally settled for the scheduled interview, Amusan who is known for his deep thought and fearless expression of thoughts, especially when it comes to aviation, which is his passion, never disappointed. He was still his old-self with loud and rankling voice and sometimes subdued to drive home his point. Like the teacher that he is, he took one on a real journey recalling the past, his love for the industry, his days at Lufthansa, EAS, NANTA, many other engagements and his modest contributions to the development of manpower through his training school. On his training school The school started three years ago as DInternational Travel and Tourism Academy but we changed our name last year to Alpha First Travel and Tourism Academy. The experience is good but we don’t have too many students. The training is not cheap because you have to pay for your IATA kits. Our purpose is not only to train but we also get people into employment. We admit university graduates, train them on the computer and manual aspects and arrange industrial attachment for them with the aviation industry and travel agencies. The other aspect of the training that we offer is for those who want to start their

own travel agencies and don’t know how to go about it. We train them and help them establish their own travel agencies. What actually makes us happy here is that we are not just running this school as a business but we are adding value to the people and the industry. Nigerian university education is not geared towards employment The main problem we have in the economy is that our education is not geared towards employment. What people get in Nigerian university is academic skill but working skill is different from academic qualification and that is why our universities should add more of industrial training to their portfolio. So, when they (Nigerian graduates) come here we believe that they have the academic qualification and we now give them the working skill for the job. There is acute shortage of manpower in aviation In the industry we are short of trained manpower. I told you how I entered this industry. Lufthansa had a system of employing trainees then, which was the standard practice those days. It is going on elsewhere but in Nigeria it is not. That type of training is no more and that is even why IATA started its training, distance learning. There is shortage of manpower and I am talking of the commercial aspect and if you go to the technical aspect too, the problem is even worse. The government is not even paying attention to the technical aspect On the whole the training is no more there and the people are not even interested in it, they are all after the money. Of course, all the appointments in this industry are that of ‘man knows man’ while the professionals who can do the job are not appointed. Government needs to encourage the private institutions The only way to rectify this is for the private training institutions that are serious to be encouraged. For instance, in Lagos, we are over 30 aviation schools but only five of us are IATA accredited. So government should look into this and the problem is once they are registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) they say they are government approved. So the government should look into what is really this government approved. The minister of aviation should be in-

terested in what is going. How many people are they training? They are not training people and those who are training people should be encouraged. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is there and how many training can NCAA itself do? They should associate with these training schools because they will gain and the schools too will gain from the association. So the government should do what it ought to do, for instance NCAT should be properly organised and appointment should be by qualification and not by somebody sending note. That is our problem, once we do things as it is done all over the world, things would move well. When there is order and fairness people are encouraged to stay and work. We need to put a system in place. Nigerians like when there is fairness but when there is disorder Nigerians will equally adapt to it, which is where we are today in this country. Our aviation industry has gone to the dogs When I look at the aviation industry now one would cry if crying can do anything. It is very, very unfortunate what has happened to the aviation industry in Nigeria. Initially, Nigeria Airways was one of the best airlines and we can compete with any airline. Our pilots are among the best, they were respected because they are highly qualified, they are educated and they know their job. The liquidation of Nigeria Airways was

What people get in Nigerian university is academic skill but working skill is different from academic qualification and that is why our universities should add more of industrial training to their portfolio

wrong and we are now suffering its consequences The management of the airline was not what it should be because there is a difference in running an airline and other businesses, so it collapsed. Those of us in the industry knew then that it can’t last. When it was obvious that Nigeria Airways can’t survive there were two options: liquidation or privatisation. The best option then was to privatise because the assets it had then were enough to revive it and there would had been investors. The role of the national carrier in aviation policy is very, very important. For example, there are some questions that the minister should not answer until he gets inputs from the national carrier...The minister now takes decisions on his whims and caprices. Our local airlines are poorly managed What is the standard of the local airlines, can they stand? They can’t stand. That is why we are saying that government should support having one or two airlines that can operate properly as an airline. Government is now saying we need to sanitise the operation and how can we sanitise when the airlines can’t stand the test of time. People are also talking of merger, it is good but it is not possible in the Nigerian system. Why do I say so? Because if two companies want to merge you have to know what is the standard of companies A and B and what is their financial stand and the advantages that each have and disadvantages as well. You can’t differential a local Nigerian company from the owner, you can’t get proper documentation. They are two strange bed fellows because with our level of business operations it is not easy to do. How are they going to merge? We don’t need all the airlines that we have now but just two or three and how do we control them? Government should set a standard for setting up airlines What the government should do is that there should be a standard before somebody should start an airline. The standard should start from the numbers of aircraft that you have. If that standard is there that might make them to come together to merge because they know that if they don’t merge they are out of business because we don’t need all these airlines.

Travel & Tourism

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20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Aguleri claims the limelight As 14 contenders for ‘The Mission’ in Gulder Ultimate Search Season 11 swarm Dabawo forest in Aguleri, ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA writes on this pastoral community which made headlines about a decade ago for less than salutary reasons.

A Prologue

guleri, the host community for this year’s TV reality show, Gulder Ultimate Search, which since its inception a decade ago has held the imagination of Nigerians and the world, is familiar to many people as its antecedents precede it. For many, the name Aguleri easily conjures controversies as its recent history has been no less fraught. Its litany of controversies include the age–long debate by researchers, political scientists and palace historians as to the authenticity of the claim that Aguleri is the ancestral home of the Igbo. Just in the same manner as its legendary standoff with its neighbour, Umuleri, and likewise its neighour from the other divide – Kogi State. Also is the recent drama and war of attrition that greeted the commencement of drilling operations by Orient Petroleum Resources Plc. What otherwise should be a source of celebration and economic boost to the community became embroiled in controversy with communities from Enugu and Kogi states claiming ownership of the portion of where the oil deposit is located. But with Nigeria Breweries' Gulder Ultimate Search coming to Aguleri, there's hope that a refreshing side of the community would become evident.

Brief on Aguleri Aguleri is one of the communities in Anambra East local government area. The community is located on the banks of the Omambala River, a distinction it shares with the people of Igala in Kogi State, which borders it on the north. On the south, it's bordered by Awkuzu and Nteje towns, Umuleri and Nsugbe communities on the west and Nando and Omor towns on the east. The community, whose history locals claim dates back to 30 BC, has four quarters – Igboezunu, Ivite, Eziagulu and Enugu (Enugu-Aguleri), which is also known as Aguleri-Otu. It is the riverine area of the expansive community with landmass covering about 380 square kilometres. Stretching to Aguleri Otu and Otuocha. The people of Aguleri are of the Igbo ethnic extraction and local legend claims that Aguleri is the ancestral home of Eri, the progenitor of the Igbo race. According to a version of this oral tradition, Eri had many children with his first son, Agulu said to have inherited Aguleri on his demise with his descendants later known as the people of Aguleri, which in the local parlance means – Agulu –nwa-Eri (Agulu, son of Eri), while other children migrated afield, away from Aguleri, their ancestral home to such places as Nri, Umuleri, Nneyi, Nsugbe, Nteje, Igbarianm, Ogurugu and Amanuke.

Traditional beliefs Over time, the people developed a number of time-tested belief system and values. These include nobility of spirit, generous disposition, courteous spirit, a celebration of the human spirit in terms of birth and death and a thankful spirit. All of these and many more combined are said to generally define an Igbo man. They were mostly farmers, fishermen and hunters as well as traders, but with the incursion of western civilization, the tempo and rhythm of life changed with quite a number of them embracing western education and

DESTINATION

Others are Ofala, Uta Oba and Alo mmo festivals. Sons and daughters Aguleri has over the years produced noted people both living and dead with late Rev. Father Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi born in 1903, as one of the most prominent indigenes. The incumbent governor, Mr. Willie Obiano, is also from the town from Igboezunu. Institutions Joseph Memorial High School; Justice Chinwuba Memorial Girls High School; Enugwu-Otu High Secondary School; EziaguluOtu High School; Encristo Grammar School; Eddynumbers International School; Obiadada International School Ama Eze Aguleri; Icon international School; Daba-awu Grammar School Aguleri and the St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church, Aguleri founded in 1888. It is the second oldest Catholic Church in South-east Nigeria. The present church building was erected in 1937 by Fr. Joseph Delaney.

Igwe of Aguleri

other advancements that come with it. Although it has a huge Catholic population, it is still very much a traditional society where the established socio-cultural norms of the people are deep seated, with a traditional form of government that commands the allegiance and respect of the people. At the head of its administrative hierarchy is the Ndi Ichie (elders in council) and cabinet chiefs followed by Ndi Ojiana and other lower age grades. The current ruler of Aguleri is Eze Christopher Nwabunwanne Idigo, the Ogalagidi and Igwe of Aguleri. Festivals Just like any other communal society, it has cherished cultural festivals, which the people still observe. The list include the Ovala Festival, which is regarded as a form of royal feasting held on Eke market day, attracting the attention of the people of the community who attend in their numbers to pay homage to their traditional ruler.

Gov Obiano in Aguleri

GUS – The journey to Aguleri When Nigerian Breweries first came up with the Gulder Ultimate Search over a decade ago as a promotional tool for its Gulder brand with the first edition held at the Snake Island, Lagos, few would have imagined it would endure. But 11 years on, the reality show has become a huge hit. From the young to the old, the programme is a primetime showpiece during the period it airs Beyond those, it has also opened up the country's tourism flanks. About eight different states in the country have played host to the show and this year, all eyes are on Aguleri, in Anambra State, host of the eleventh edition. More than anything else, this has been an opportunity for the tourism attractions of the different states to be exposed to audiences across the country and beyond. This point was underscored by Gulder's senior brand manager, Onyeka Okoli: “we needed a place with limited human interference. We also consider a location that is

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20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Travel & Tourism

with Gulder Ultimate Search close to facilities and city centre. “This year is going to be very different from all the things we have done with Gulder Ultimate Search in the last years. The viewers will see what a blockbuster kind of reality TV show is,” marketing manager of Gulder, Legend and Life, Emmanuel Agu, said. The mission to Aguleri Just like in previous years where the contestants explore a given theme, the search in Aguleri has been tagged, "The Mission." The winner is expected to recover the "cube" and bring it home to the "council of elders". Interestingly, the storyline for the mission is a throwback to the history of the people of Aguleri, which would also make it easier for them to identify with. It is all about an army general who never lost a battle. This army general, legend says, is one of the sons of Agulu, the first son of Eri, a great Igbo warrior and the founder of Aguleri. This army general outlived the kingdom and served the prince who took over faithfully without upsetting the applecart as envisaged by many people. Therefore, to honour his bravery and loyalty, the young king commissioned a blacksmith to forge a war helmet fit for a general’s status. This became a symbol for the general and a motivating force for his troops on the battlefields. Having grown old and feeble, getting a successor who would not betray the throne became an issue. The king put in place a system to select a general who would be faithful, but none fitted the bill. And while the search was on, legend has it that one day the old and now frail general wore the war helmet and rode out into Aguleri forest, never to return. He left a note for the king: “The war helmet lies in the belly of the Aguleri forest. He who returns with it is worthy of thy army”. Thus begins the Gulder Ultimate Search … the Mission The contenders The 14 contenders who will go in search

Aguleri old River bank

of the mission at Dabawo forest, Aguleri from October 3 when the TV show hits the screen are: Iwuoha Ikenna, Nwagboso Joshua, Emedike Ikenna, Nne Cosy Joe, Ubachukwu Chinedu, Otto Canon Chimenem, Afolabi Emmanuel Olusegun, Iroh Noela, Appi Samantha, Erijakpor Loretta, Robinson Sharon, Eriata Blessing Ese, Addoh Evi and Nwagbagiro Sandra. The prize The ultimate prize for the ultimate hero this is year is a cash prize of N10 million and a sports utility vehicle to the bargain. That is not all what is at stake for the 28day duel. There is also N3 million for the first runner up, N2.5 million for the second runner up, and N1.5 million for the third runner up. There are also cash rewards for all the 14 contestants while the "last girl standing" will cart home N1 million and a brand new car. The people of Aguleri welcome GUS 11 The news of the selection of Aguleri among the three other contending hosts in Anambra State was welcomed by the

people and their monarch who saw this development as a new dawn for the community and its people. Eze Christopher Nwabunwanne Idigo, the Ogalagidi and Igwe Aguleri, described it as a moment to showcase the best of Aguleri to the world. Besides, he thanked the GUS team for offering the Nigerian youths an opportunity to be meaningfully engaged: “In every society, youths are the catalysts for advancement and I really commend the Nigerian Breweries for coming up with such a youth empowerment initiative and for considering our community suitable enough to host it this year. ‘‘God has promised us this year that Aguleri will rise to its rightful place in Anambra.’’ To drive home this point, he cited the choice of one of the sons of Aguleri, the current governor of the state, Willie Obiano, as the height of the fulfilment of the prophesy. ‘‘It may also interest you to know that the new Governor of Anambra State, Willy Obiano, who was sworn in this year, is our son.’’ He also gave assurances of warm reception and protection for the GUS team

GUS 2014 team

in the course of the programme, noting that the community is a peaceful one and his people are hospitable. Of course, he is hopeful a youth from his domain would emerge the ultimate hero while also wishing to see more people visit his community as a result of the programme. Looking back In the last one decade of the existence of the search it has been hosted and won by the following: GUS 1 – Snake Island, Lagos with Ezeugo Egwuagwu, as winner; GUS 2 - Obudu Hills, Cross River with Lucan Chambliss as the winner; GUS 3- NIFOR, Benin, Edo State with Hector Joberteh as the winner; GUS 4 - Shere Hills, Jos with Dominic Mudabai as the winner; GUS 5 Awgu hills, Enugu with Michael Nwachukwu as the winner; GUS 6 - Omodo forest of Ada, Osun State with Uche Nwaezeapu as the winner; celebrity showdown held in 2010 at La Campagne Tropicana Beach with Emeka Ike as the winner; GUS 7 Omo Forest, J4, Ogun State with Oyekunle Oluwaremi as the winner; GUS 8 - Kukuruku Hills, Egbetua Quarters, Akoko-Edo, Edo State with Christopher Okagbue as the winner; GUS 9 - Usaka, Obot Akara, Akwa Ibom with Pascal Eronmose as the winner and GUS 10 - Usaka, Akwa Ibom with Dennis Okike as the winner. End note From the tourism perspective, the exposure given to these various locations across the country is a welcome development because not many people actually know about their existence and the many attractions they hold. But the crux of the matter is what happens to these sites after the 28-day show? How many people still remember them or even visit to explore them in real terms? Here is where the challenge is for our tourism administrators, the various stakeholders and in particular the host states to further develop and promote these sites to symbolic brands and must visit locations.

Aguleri New church

Forest land of Aguleri

Women of Aguleri

GUS contenders

Aguleri masquerade

My Weekend SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER, 2014

I feel most relaxed when abroad with my family – Ike

n every sense, Magnus Ike appears a success story among his peers. He exudes a lot of humility and confidence as he tells his success story; story about his life and about his background. Narrating his growing up days, he says, “I have a very long history, filled with lots of simple and humble background. I have always been very interested in education. I attended the local primary school in my village. My parents later moved to Cameroun. In the course of growing up, my older brothers moved to the north, which made me visit that part of the country frequently during holiday as an undergraduate. I was a beneficiary of scholarship. I wanted to join the Nigeria military but that dream was not achieved. I had my secondary school, got admitted to University of Lagos. After graduation, I stated working for myself. The idea of working for himself rather than be under any employer’s payroll afforded him the advantage of acquiring lots of international exposure and to a great extent also exposed him to quality life in terms of getting the best of relaxation. He does not hide the fact, that his international business engagements have provided the opportunity for him and his immediate family to enjoy the best of good life. He says, “My international travel is hitting my life in two ways. One, when I am there, I learn a lot and I’m a lot happier. Two, when I’m back I see the sickness in the people ruling us. It is disheartening that most of them travel a lot. It gives me so much joy to see how foreigners prepare for the unseen. It is good to see some countries, giving so much to their citizens. What do they live on? Tax. So many of them have little or no natural resources. They also have natural disasters to battle with. “The developed countries are always prepared for all situations. If it is snow time they prepare the sand bags. So nothing catches them unawares. Just like the Ebola virus, when that happens there won’t be course for anyone to die as a hero. We live in a country that is blessed with so much human resources, natural resources and zero natural disaster.” Ike, who has passion for playing tennis as a way of exercising confesses that though he is not a member of any social club, he is on the verge of joining the prestigious Ikoyi Club “because of my love for tennis.” The man who has seen it all in the way people in the developed world attach a lot of importance to getting the best of relaxation speaks passionately about how important his relaxation is. This, he adds, explains why he does not joke with his relaxation on weekends. “For instance as a Catholic, my weekend starts properly on Saturday and usually, I play tennis from early morning after morning mass till 12 noon when the kids will join me from there and we go for swimming at Golden Tulip Hotel. We are usually there till lunch. After lunch I watch football because I have always had an interest when I was young,” he says of his Saturdays. Although he is no longer emotionally attached to football, he recalled his passion for Arsenal Football Club when Nigeria’s ex-international star, Kanu Nwankwo, still laced his boots for the London club. “I used to be a fan of Arsenal some years back when Kanu Nwankwo was there, but these days I follow coaches like Jose Morinho of Chelsea Football also of England. My

Magnus Ike, the CEO of Magnus Merchandise Ltd., is a successful businessman by all standards. He tells SEGUN EDWARDS and BLESSING IROCHE in this interview that he cherishes life-enhancing engagements like exercise and relaxation. main focus in sports is actually tennis which I have also travel abroad to watch live. I have been to the OTU arena twice to watch the ATP final and the US open. In fact I came back from watching the 2014 US Open,” he says. His love for tennis has seen him pitched his support with Raphael Nadal, who he says is his favourite star of the game. “My favourite tennis star is Rafeal Nadel. I love him because he is good and he is a child born on Sunday,” he enthuses. He relishes the experience of travelling abroad specifically to watch some tennis tournaments, saying he always plans ahead to specifically watch some major tennis tournaments abroad. “I targeted my ticket to watch Rafael Nada, it is unfortunate

Ike

he did not make it to this year’s US Open tournament, but I was also happy because somebody from his own side won the tournament. I was very happy and impressed,” he reveals. Speaking on his Sundays, he says, “On Sundays, we go to church, but I always prefer the early morning church, so I can play football after that at a local pitch in Aguda Surulere.” The basic idea behind his emotional attachment to his passive sport life he says “is just to keep fit. For me the best medicine you can give to your self is exercise and that is why I get engaged with these physical exercises.” Besides keeping fit through regular routine exercises, his consciousness on keeping

For me the best medicine you can give to yourself is exercise and that is why I get engaged with these physical exercises

fit is not limited to only exercises, he relishes his menu on weekends. On his choice of menu, he says “I love vegetable a lot, tomatoes, cucumbers, spicing up food with lots of side attractions I like to get the full nutrients in a meal. It is disheartening the way we eat in Nigeria. I don’t like boring food, a situation whereby you have only one type of food on the table. I love foods that are nourishment to the body.” The University of Lagos graduate, says he shares a bond with his immediate family and as such he often finds time to explore the opportunity of regular outdoor treat that sees him takes the family out for some sort of buffet outside the home. And on such occasions, he says their regular port of call is the Marccopolo Restuarant, somewhere in Akoka. “Yes, occasionally we visit Macopolo Restaurant, because of the Chine’s food and some other restaurants,” he says. Much as he attaches some importance to his eating patter, he does not have preference for a particular kind of drink. “I drink anything though sometimes I do take Heineken, but I won’t say it is my favourite drink. I feel at home drinking the type of drink that appeals to my appetite at a given period that is who I’m.” For obvious reasons, Ike relishes those moments he travels with members of his family abroad as the times he is most relaxed. “I feel most relaxed during trips abroad with my family because when we are outside the country, my life is influenced externally, things are done accordingly. It looks as if there is timetable for everything but back home relaxation is not complete because someone can call by 11:30 pm to come hang out.” On how he likes to dress at weekend, he expresses preference for smartness in his dressing either formally or casually. He however prefers to dress down on weekends. “I dress down during weekend. Am not so particular about natives, but all my cloths must be body-fitted if not it will looks as if am wasting materials that is why I buy my clothes from Express in the US, and Topman in UK. They make good body-fitted cloths but I like dressing according to what am attending,” he enthuses. In apparent refusal to be portrayed as conservative, Ike says he does not attach importance to socialisation in the atmosphere that is not comfortable because to him socialisation stretches beyond the bounds of partying and catching fun. He obviously attaches importance to colours as it helps to depict what he likes from what would turn him off saying, “My favourite colour is Navy blue.” He reveals that he enjoys the habit of dissecting for himself the ways he will like to spend his valuable time during each of his overseas trips with members of his family. “For instance, If am travelling to Las Vegas, I usually google Las Vegas and attractions. If am going to Disney I do the same. These steps are carefully taken along the booking of tickets for the trips.” With the humanitarian gesture that dwells in him, he says he is fascinated by giving back to the society, the situation, which has seen him floating an NGO that carries the society along. This informed his decision to float a foundation -Magnum Foundation. “I started it on the July 21, 2014. It is still a young project. The inspiration behind it was when my flight from Shangai to London almost crashed during one of my business trips,” he says.

SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Politics 45

FaceOff

Helmsmen of both the APC and PDP debate the outcome of the governorship election in Osun p.46 & 47

Features

TB Joshua: The man, the myth and the tragedy p.48

Tribute

Dimgba Igwe: A tear for Nigeria p.51

Business Sense

Not all lawyers are liars! p.52

‘So what if I aspire to be governor’ Senator Adegbenga Kaka, former deputy governor of Ogun State who currently represents Ogun East Senatorial District at the senate, tells KUNLE OLAYENI, about the crisis rocking the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC)and sundry political issues. Five months to the general elections, the peace which took flight from the Ogun State chapter of APC is yet to return. Why has the crisis endured? Well, you know for sure that the crisis we are seeing is a symptom and if the causative agent is not removed, there is no way you can effectively treat the symptom. So, what we are having, if you translate it socially, you discover that the injustice that has been perpetrated in the last three and half years is being sustained vociferously, thus making solution impossible. If, for whatever reason, you know you have made a mistake, the first thing is to, first of all, admit that mistake and find a solution; not piling mistakes upon mistakes. So, like the lawyer would say, you cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand. If assumptions of foundation were based on falsehood, there is no way you can build any truth on it and it will stand. So, what we have right now is the unwillingness to do the needful, to rectify the bad foundation. You alluded to injustice in the party. Who specifically is perpetrating this injustice? Is it the governor or the APC leadership at the national level? For God’s sake, the situation here is localized in Ogun State. At the national level, other states have their peculiarities, though the willingness at the national level to surrender the party structure to the governors may be a bit of the predisposing factor. I say predisposing in the sense that there could be some governors who are humane and who are ready to do what is right. So, even when the power is absolutely given to them, they use it with discretion. But what we have in Ogun State is totally different in which case we have a governor who from day zero became pregnant with vendetta that has got no basis, that ought not to surface at all. So, by the time somebody is out to fight everybody in sight unjustifiably, you know he has created crisis for himself. So far so good, that thing was sustained till the present moment and to worsen the whole situation, salt is being rubbed onto the injury by attempting to blackmail, hypocritically, those that are being injured. I’m sure you are aware that recently Aremo Olusegun Osoba’s house was smeared with all manners of insulting graffiti on the wall. The source is known; not a single word from the person we are talking about condemning that act. Rather he’s bragging in the press, saying ‘let everybody in Ogun State help me beg Aremo.’ Beg Aremo for what? What did you do to warrant the begging? Are you seriously, genuinely repentant? If you are repentant, the house that you are cohabiting with your wife, sleeping on the same bed with your wife, and you are now going to the marketplace to say ‘please, come and help me beg my wife.’ You know that is a serious matter and so out of the ordinary. A lot of people have alluded to various reasons as being responsible for the crisis. As a party member, what is the genesis of this crisis? It started from the coming together of the

Kaka

three political parties that eventually formed the plank of ACN in Ogun State. It turned out that AC had to be the parent party. And some of us came from other parties. The hospitality was abused. After getting the prized position, the next thing was that the whole house was already bequeathed to someone and the next thing was that all the inhabitants of other rooms had to be replaced by the conquerors that came with him, to the extent that this thing was documented in a nine-page letter duly-signed by him. Notwithstanding, the election came and went. Those tagged as being of no electoral value won their election. Those perceived as of electoral value coming with the generalissimo could not deliver 50 percent of even the slots given to them. Then, there were a lot of other underlining things, to the extent of instigating the challenge of the party in the law court even before the election proper. As I speak to you, the challenge by Bisi Adegbuyi against my candidature is still in the court, up to the Supreme Court as I’m talking to you. The same Bisi Adegbuyi is in the employment of Mr. Governor. So, it shows that the man at the helm of affairs is the one that is desirous of bringing down the whole house he came in to cohabit in. As if that was not enough, immediately after elections before the inauguration of the House

of Assembly, ACN had 17 members. But in his wisdom, he divided them into two, taking half of them to be his favourites and embracing the opposition that we had just done battle with – nine of the opposition lawmakers. The question is: who is the dividing the house? You can see from the interview of Mr. Governor, he talked about 71 percent of his own faction of the executive being former aides of Chief Olusegun Osoba. If the crop of betrayers are those he is referring to as former lieutenants of Chief Osoba, it is better we call them what they are because we are out to build an institution, not to build an individual. So, if those people have destroyed the institution they were supposed to protect and serve a single interest, then something must be fundamentally wrong. So, the issue at stake is not that of Aremo Olusegun Osoba or issue of Gbenga Kaka or issue of the National Assembly members; it is the issue of the stakeholders of the party, genuine members of the party, being sidelined. Some people alleged that you are interested in the governorship, resulting in your grouse against Amosun. How true is it? For God sake, what is bad in my having interest even in the presidency? What is wrong with it? I have no apology to anybody whatsoever because I know I’m over-qualified for CONTINUED ON PAGE 51

FaceOff SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH 20 SEPTEMBER 2014

How would you describe the just concluded governorship election in the State? The election we had in Osun State was a kangaroo one, marred with electoral fraud. I can beat my chest that the All Progressives Congress did not only rig but also collaborated with INEC officials to insult the voting rights of the people of this state. We were able to notice some irregularities and these are being gathered in our attempt to go to the tribunal. To us in the PDP, INEC had only succeeded in conducting the worst election in the history of this country. For the first time, we saw the APC using young girls who are innocent students of Osun secondary schools to cook figures. The exercise was so fraudulent that the OYES personnel were also coerced into perpetrating electoral mess. Some INEC officials were bought. Imagine National Youth Service Corps personnel being bribed to sell out. We saw it all. The police did not in any way help matters at all. Look at the way our members were placed under house arrest and were not allowed to vote. APC hoodlums, armed to the teeth were at polling centres, chasing away our people and snatching ballot boxes. We have concrete evidence to really substantiate our claims when we get to the tribunal. Look at what happened to a whole deputy governor who was arrested in ward 1 with cash and arms. What was she doing in ward 1 when she did not belong to that ward? What was her mission there? What was the purpose of the money found with her? We have all our evidences with impeccable facts and figures to challenge the outcome of this result. We cannot just fold our arms while our future is being stolen. We know what always happen to stolen mandates. When you lord figures on the people, some people somewhere will have to fight back. We will follow the due process of the law and we will ask questions. Why were the police bribed? Why were INEC officials bribed? Who chased away our agents with guns at polling booths? What kept the Resident Electoral Commissioner so late to announce the results? Why the delay? Why the hesitation in the announcement hours after collation had been completed? What roles did the socalled ‘state boys’ play before, during and after the elections? Who did they humiliate? All these will be tendered at the Tribunal. The electoral injustice shall be contested. In all, I make bold to say that all my life, ours was the worst election in the political history of Osun State and we completely dissociate ourselves i.e. the entire PDP family in Osun from the so-called fraudulent outcome.

Tribunal will restore our stolen mandate – Osun PDP chair

Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, in this interview with ADEOLU ADEYEMO, insisted that the just concluded election in the state was marred fraud. marred with various lapses and hitches and observers can testify to this. In the PDP, we believe in the laws and constitution of the land. We cannot override the constitution. We are respecters of the law and to this end, we are challenging the fraudulent result in the court of law. Whatever interpretation the court gives to our evidence will be welcomed. But definitely we cannot keep quiet in the face of 21st Century tyranny. This is our state and we cannot condone daylight electoral robbery. We shall pursue the fraud to logical end. We have contacted our lawyers and preparations are on-going. We will definitely be ably represented at the tribunal. We have our facts and figures. Just like it is said in Julius Caesar, “we shall meet at Phillipi.” It was alleged that the APC gave money to the Department of State Security and was rejected. What is your comment on this? Thank God the DSS is still alive and those who were present at the time the money was taken there are still alive and they are ready to defend their professional ethics, integrity and dignity to the very end. Let us wait until when hearing begins. We should not cry more than the bereaved. We have all our related evidences. The APC should own up and accept they actually offered the DSS gratifications. Why on earth must the DSS be offered anything at all? All what the APC did before, during and after the election were indeed questionable. Money was rolled out, I mean tax payers money. Thanks to the DSS that they rejected the money.

We have some INEC officials who were openly seduced with money. The worst set of people easily lured with money is the youth corps members. The APC capitalised on their low income and gave them good money to perpetrate monumental electoral fraud. That was too bad. Let’s just wait. We are coming with facts and figures. We shall meet at the tribunal. What effects do former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Isiaka Adeleke’s defection have on the election? You cannot force adults to act against their will. Both Adeleke and Oyinlola are seasoned politicians who know their onions in the world of politics very well. What they did was not a thing of surprise to me

at all. The PDP in Osun was not affected by their departure at all. If you study our political terrain now, it is a season of cross-carpeting. (Nuhu) Ribadu initially went away and came back. Our brother, (Femi) Fani-Kayode was there, he saw them, their excesses. Now, he is back with us. Senator Adeseun in Oyo is back after leaving. The implication of this is that the PDP is the most accommodating of all the parties in Nigeria today. I want to assure you that many of those who went to the APC have begun coming back to us and many more will still come. Our doors are widely open. As the biggest and largest party in Africa, we are not in the habit of begging. To Oyinlola, it is good riddance to bad rubbish. Did he deliver his zone? He was unable to deliver his ward. So, how is he politically relevant? How on earth will a political heavy weight lose in the front of his house? Does this really affirm his popularity? And perhaps Oyinlola has quickly forgotten that the slot he made use of years ago to become the governor was Omisore’s slot. Can you imagine that? Like I said earlier, their defection had no effect on the election results at all. We did not miss them an inch. What are your chances in 2015 general elections? We are strategising and we are regrouping. The loss at the poll has never deterred us from planning towards 2015. We are planning towards 2015. We are never discouraged. Our plan is to reaffirm to the whole world that we are in charge. By the time the tribunal restore our stolen mandate, the true PDP will emerge.

What is your party’s next line of action? When injustice wants to displace justice, the next thing is not to resolve to violence but to ensure that the law takes its course. We cannot pretend that all is well in Osun State with the announcement of the results. We know the election was

He (Oyinlola) was unable to deliver his ward. So, how is he politically relevant? How on earth will a political heavy weight lose in the front of his house? Olaoluwa

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Elder Adebiyi Adelowo, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, tells ADEOLU ADEYEMO that the outcome of the state governorship election will reflect in 2015 poll. How would you describe the just concluded governorship election in the State? We need to thank God for His love for this state regarding the last election we had. It was one of the most challenging periods in the history of the state. It was a tough battle. Despite the humiliations and persecutions, which were directly centred on our members, we still carried the day. In spite of the heavy militarisation, and Federal Government backing, our God still walked through the land. The election was marred with clear and obvious irregularities and electoral absurdities but God did not want the people of Osun State to experience another era of political slavery. I cannot but salute the resoluteness and doggedness of our people who used their voting power to choose the best of all the candidates. I am happy with the outcome of the election but I am not too comfortable with the sentimental role of the Federal Government. Our people’s psyche was haunted. They were made to decide with fear and anxiety. They were psychologically molested by the soldiers. But I thank God they acted in line with their conscience. They voted the Moses and Joshua of our time. They reasoned and gave their mandate to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. It was a beautiful decision that will indeed transform the state to further heights. I am indeed glad the election favoured us. You see our victory was like when David confronted Goliath. Nobody knew God would give victory to the small boy, David, who had no military experience over the highly-experienced Goliath who was a full General. The PDP stalwarts came. Even the President was brought down. There was tension everywhere but the will of God prevailed. He shut down the mouths of those who wielded worldly powers. He made the powerful less powerful. He neutralised the power of the kings of this earth. He made light where darkness wanted to rule. To us in the APC, we are celebrating the greatest victory we have ever experienced. The PDP had everything. They had the army, the police and the President. They had all the ministers. They had the ambassadors. They had all weapons. They controlled the borders. In fact, they had

Going to the tribunal is like going to another school where one will be taught a lot of things and where one will further accept his fate

Adelowo

FaceOff | Politics

It will make them further accept their fate, says APC everything but what did we have? We had God Almighty-that same God who stayed with the Israelites and made Pharaoh to perish. We had the people who refused to be bought and hounded, people who exercised their franchise in an attempt to get to the Promised Land. Once again, I am satisfied with the outcome of the election in this state. What is your party’s next line of action? Actually, we are still celebrating because in spite of all humiliations and intimidations, we still checkmated the excesses of the PDP through the voting power of Osun people. That aside, our governor has never rested for a second. He is concerned with more transformation of the state. We have a lot of challenges before us and our next line of action is to further make sure that our people see more dividends of democracy. We are now concerned with how to take our people along as usual and further put smiles on their faces. We are thinking of creating more jobs and providing more infrastructural ingredients. We have put the election behind us and we are forging ahead. We appeal to our brothers in the PDP to a c -

cept their fate and pray along with us as we take the state to greater heights. Like (Gen. Yakubu) Gowon rightly said after the Civil War ended, “No victor, No vanquished.” We say this because of the love we have for this state. But I want them to know that no leader emerges without God’s knowledge. He chooses, appoints, elects, directs and does all things. Remember that in spite of all oppositions, Joseph became the Prime Minister, even while in prison. When God moves, who are we to oppose Him? However, that does not mean those who wish to challenge the election outcome should not do so in the court of law. We encourage them to do so as they are only exercising their fundamental human rights. It is constitutional to challenge anything in the court. You can even go to court to allege that your wife laughs too much. Going to the tribunal is like going to another school where one will be taught a lot of things and where one will further accept his fate. Summarily, we go on with the good works and in the next four years, a visit to the state will be outstandingly amazing and Ogbeni Rauf’s name will go into the annals as the best governor the state ever produced It was alleged that the APC gave money to the DSS and was rejected. What is your take on this? To the very best of my knowledge, you don’t give money to win elections. If the people do not want you and you go ahead to spend billions, they will still vote in line with their conscience. It is not in our character to give money out. When we do, it is definitely for one project or the other that will be beneficial to all and sundry. It is indeed a concept that we were alleged of giving money to the DSS and the police. Why should we do that? You see when one is seriously beaten and defeated in a contest, one becomes paranoid, such that cohesion will be lacking in the loser’s utterances. The DSS should come out with evidences to show the following: (a) Who offered them the money? (b) Where was the bribe offered? (c) Who were the receivers? (d) When was the bribe offered? (e) Who and who were present

when it was being offered? (f) Was the scene recorded with a phone? (g) Did the DSS report at once? (h) Why were the givers not immediately arrested? You see all the questions above need to be concretised and proved. This is an age where if you are not careful, technology will record your sexual deeds with your wife. It can even reveal when you are bathing. So, thanks to technological advancement. Let the DSS prove it. We should remember God when we make false allegations. We should remember God when we choose to be slanderous. God is above watching every deed and we should beware of His vengeance. As far as I know, APC is such a principled party that does not have the word ‘bribery’ in its dictionary. Our founding fathers never taught us that. What effects do Oyinlola and Adeleke’s defection have on the election? Actually, the two of them embraced progressivism at the end of the day and this is good for democracy in the state and Nigeria in general. They have at last re-discovered themselves and I thank God for their lives. Come and let us reason together – why did two former governors have to leave a party at the same time? Why for God’s sake? It means something is fundamentally wrong with that party. Sincerely speaking, there must have been some fundamental imbalances for two heavyweights to dump their party. It is like saying Senator Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande are leaving the APC. Having said that, our constitution gives room for freedom of association. The two have only exercised their rights. They have not done anything criminal and I see no reason why the PDP is trying to crucify them. Let us think of this -I love my wife, yet I allowed her to pack out of my house. Do we call that love? We are happy that the APC is becoming larger and it is a thing of joy to note that these two giants are not new to the family of the progressives. The Adelekes had always been Awoists. So also the Oyinlolas in Okuku. They have not done anything unexpected. They only came back home and we welcomed them. We are happy they are back. And you can see that they both delivered especially Adeleke in Ede zone. We are grateful to them. Do you think the outcome will give your party a positive step in 2015? With the victory of Aregbesola, the chances of APC are brighter in the state come 2015. We have no doubt that the people have actually accepted us. We have no fears again and we are sure of having our party dominating the state House of Assembly and the House of Representatives as well as the senate. In the just concluded election, we are now sure of having grips on all the senatorial seats and zones. The ground has now been prepared for soft landing. We are fully in charge and there is no cause for alarm. We have a good relationship with the electorate in the and we are confident we will sweep the polls in 2015. We are not aware of any opposition. It is going to be a smooth sail. The fact is that people have tasted us and have seen the difference. We have convinced them and 2015 is crystal clear. You see when a government is performing, there is no cause for alarm. We are firmly rooted in all the nook and cranny of the state.

Features

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

TB Joshua:

The man, the myth and the tragedy The building collapse at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, which claimed many lives on September 12, has brought the church’s leader, T.B. Joshua, to the news again. Our correspondent, WAHEED BAKARE, chronicles past incidents that put the pastor in the eye of the storm.

emitope Balogun Joshua, popular Nigerian televangelist and the General Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun, Lagos, means different thing to different people. This is why some dubbed him as the most controversial Nigerian pastor and preacher. To others, T.B. Joshua as he is popular known is an enigma that lives in hermetic world. This, perhaps, explains why his “miracles, predictions and prophetic messages,” which his congregation tenaciously enjoys whenever he mounts the podium, are so enigmatic that their authenticity has been disputed for years. TB, Chris Okotie and Chris Oyakhilome Joshua is one of the few pastors that do not enjoy the camaraderie that exists among his brother-pastors. He hardly features in major Christian events and programmes conducted in the country. A few of the men in cassocks and clerical collars have called him heretic and will not touch him even with a long pole. One of them, Rev. Chris Okotie, even accused another pastor, flamboyant Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy, of being a member of a cult group masquerading as a faith-based group under the leadership of Joshua. In 2001, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), an integral part of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the parent body of Nigerian Christians, openly denied Joshua. But Oyakhilome rose stoutly in his defence. The Christ Embassy helmsman told an online news portal, The Nigerian Voice (TNV), in 2009 that, “I remember in 2001, a lot of ministers including Pastor Chris Okotie, Bishop Mike Okonkwo and Pastor Tunde Bakare did say things along that line (that Joshua runs a cult group). The truth is that they were all wrong. They were getting information from the wrong sources, and it is unfortunate that they believed their wrong sources; incidentally none of them asked me intelligent questions. I hope to write a book on the episode someday. “I have so much to say about all that transpired, maybe for the future. It was an interesting period, but the truth is that what they said was not true. I was surprised when the fact that I related with Prophet T.B Joshua, sparked off controversies. I was very surprised. You wonder why? Because I related with a lot of folks and nobody said anything, so I wondered why they got so mad about this one. “This was no ordinary person. This was Prophet T.B. Joshua; a man whom most ministers believe is involved in occultic practices. I was surprised that they all said that. Remember that Jesus visited non-followers, non-believers and he was criticised by the religious folks of his day. They said this man eateth and drinketh with sinners. They said Jesus could not be a prophet of God because he ate and drank with sinners. I thought if I related with anybody, it shouldn’t be a problem, even if he was a sinner. There was no reason for that. After all, everybody needs

the gospel. So from that stand point I was surprised at their response. It was the wrong response anyway. “I remember that I made a tape then, called ‘Truth on Trial’ and there I said, ‘Just because you hate somebody does not mean I have to hate with you.’ When Jesus related with sinners, they did not change him. So, no matter what they thought T.B. Joshua was, my relating with him shouldn’t have been expected to change me. So, it was very wrong for anyone to have interfered.” When asked by the news portal whether there was any moment he thought he was wrong to have associated with Joshua and other pastors were right to have dissociated themselves from the SCION’s leader, Oyakhilome said, “I knew they were wrong all the time. Maybe I should define something, because the issue was not T.B. Joshua. They tried to make him the issue. He was not the issue. And I can prove that. The reason I said they tried to make him the issue is this; the president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, became the Vice President of CAN, of which the Synagogue Church headed by T.B. Joshua is a part, Cherubim and Seraphim is a part, Celestial Church of Christ is a part and many other groups. In fact, he became the de facto Vice President of the Synagogue! And nobody said anything about it. “There could be no better endorsement of T.B. Joshua from the PFN than that. If you could fraternise with all these groups as their Vice President, doesn’t that say something, if indeed any of them was really of the devil? Imagine Paul the Apostle as the Vice President of an occultic group? The point is T.B. Joshua was not the problem. They used him as the reason for their actions which were based on their wrong spiritual perceptions.” But in 2013, Okotie, the Senior Pastor of Household of God Church, Oregun, Lagos, renewed his brickbat against Joshua describing him as a son of the devil during a Sunday service at his church. The pop singer turned pastor equally had harsh words for Joshua’s followers, saying, “They will all land straight in hell because Joshua is of the devil and he is leading his congregation to his master.” Accusation by ex-church member While some may want to argue that some pastors were only beefing Joshua because of his rising profile, the Arigidi Akoko-born cleric was again in the eye of the storm when one of his inner devotees, Bisola Johnson, in a video release titled, ‘Deception of the age,’ accused her erstwhile spiritual leader and mentor of using diabolical means to manipulate his followers. In the video, which sold like a hot cake in many churches around the country, Johnson, the voice over girl in many Synagogue’s video and television programmes for many years, accused Joshua of luring her into heresy and later became the man in the Synagogue sex mate. According to her, Joshua used manipu-

Joshua

lative tendencies to deceive the public and gave them the impression that his miracles were real. But Johnson was not alone in what many followers and sympathisers of TB considered as a conspiratorial gang-up against their leader. A former top pastor of the church, Paul Agomoh, two ex-members of the church, Nosa Idumumonyi and Francis Egharevha, were on the same page with Johnson. Agomoh at that time told newsmen how members of Joshua’s inner caucus would go to the church’s gate around 4am to interview and screen people waiting to see the G.O. He said whatever the people say would be related to Joshua and formed the basis of his prophesies when the pastor eventually meet them. He also recalled how the church bought wheelchairs and people were brainwashed to sit on them only to give testimonies that they had been healed.

I knew they were wrong all the time. Maybe I should define something, because the issue was not T.B. Joshua. They tried to make him the issue. He was not the issue. And I can prove that

Church’s defence But such encumbrance has not deterred members of SCOAN from trooping to the Synagogue. To the devotees, Johnson and her co-travellers are blasphemers making uncouth noise and spiteful remarks meant to drown the heavenly-inspired messages and sermons that TB Joshua gives to his exuberant congregation. The church also went to its archive and brought out a video tape in which TB Joshua predicted in 2004 that like Jesus experienced, there would a Judas among his disciplines. This became an alibi for Joshua and his followers. In the video, which is available on Youtube, the chubby cheeks preacher said, “I am a man of vision and mission. Write it-there will be betrayal among my workers. But greater is He that is in me. God has shown me the name and step and everything. The betrayal may stop from now because the prophesy has come. My time has not yet come. There will be betrayal but pray for the betrayal.” The said video also contained a part in which Johnson as a new devotee confessed her “sins” including how she and her boyfriend used Marijuana and her involvement in questionable relationship with different men before she found a safe haven in the Synagogue. Johnson, some of the church members argued, was psychopathy and not worthy of attention from the congregation. TB, a tale foretold? Born as Fatai Balogun on June 12, 1963

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Inside The Synagogue S

Oyakhilome

The collapsed building and (top) the entrance to church the church

in the small village of Arigidi in Akoko, Ondo State, TB Joshua was reportedly in her mother’s womb for 15 months before he was born. According to his biography, there was a prediction almost 100 years prior to his birth, “that a young man would emerge from the poor Oosin quarters and that God would use him mightily.” “Another remarkable event occurred when he was three days old, as a large boulder crashed through the roof of his house, missing the baby by mere inches. This incident led to his mother naming him, ‘Temitope,’ meaning, ‘What You (God) have done for me is worthy of thanks.’ “During his elementary education at St. Stephen’s Anglican primary school, Arigidi, he was the leader of the Student Christian fellowship. He was the smallest in the class but led the prayer during the school devotions and was known as ‘small pastor.’ He was unable to complete his secondary education due to poverty,” the biography reads. Reflecting on his early life, he said; “I found myself in a family background that irritated me. My natural circumstance of birth was poverty. I come from a very humble background. Poverty loomed large in the family. The little education I had was through self-effort. I know many people with a similar circumstance of birth who did otherwise. They allowed their circumstance to influence their will. Their dreams crashed on the rocks of disappointment, failure and setback …In those early years of my life, we knew we would be blamed for what we gave our attention to.”

I heard a voice saying, ‘I am your God; I am giving you a divine commission to go and carry out the work of the Heavenly Father.’ At the same time, the same hand of the tall man gave me a small cross and a big Bible How the church started According to the church’s website, the church stated with only eight members many years ago. But today, it receives at least 15,000 people on Sundays during its service. It is also regarded as one the churches that receive foreigners in droves on a weekly basis. Many of Joshua’s devotees believe his call was divine. Giving credence to his divine call and how his clerical work began, Joshua reportedly said; “I was in a trance for three consecutive days, then I saw a hand that pointed a Bible to my heart and the Bible entered my heart and my former heart seemed to immerse with the Bible immediately. Then the awareness came and I saw the apostles and prophets of old with someone whose head I could not see because He was tall to the heaven and suspended, which I believe was our Lord Jesus Christ sitting in their midst. I also saw myself in their midst. “After a while, I saw a hand of the same tall man, I could not behold His face, which

Okotie

was glittering with an unimaginable light, tall to the high heavens and suspended in the air. But other apostles I could see their faces, particularly Apostles Peter and Paul, Prophets Moses, Elijah and others. Their names were boldly written on their chests. “I heard a voice saying, ‘I am your God; I am giving you a divine commission to go and carry out the work of the Heavenly Father.’ At the same time, the same hand of the tall man gave me a small cross and a big Bible, bigger than the one that entered my heart with a promise that as I keep pressing in His time and name, I would be given a bigger cross but if I fail, the opposite would occur. I also heard a voice of the same tall man, I could not see His head, saying, I am the Lord your God who was and who is – Jesus Christ, giving orders to all the apostles and prophets. The same voice said to me; ‘I would show you the wonderful ways I would reveal myself through you, in teaching, preaching, miracles, signs and wonders for the salvation of souls.’ “Since then, I have been receiving in my vision, every year according to my faithfulness to God, a bigger cross that means to me more responsibilities. The Bible that entered my heart symbolised Spirit and life (The Holy Spirit). God’s Word is Spirit and life. He does nothing without His Word.” The church has branches in Ghana and the United Kingdom. Synagogue, VIPs and celebrities If there is any church in Nigeria that has received notable personalities and celebrities, CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

ervices at the SCOAN are well planned ahead and all the logistics taken care of because every aspects of the service are broadcast all over the world through Emmanuel TV, a television station owned by the church. As early as 5am, worshippers start coming for the first service which commences around 7:30am till 2pm. Every worshipper is required to go through a security check where a metal detector is used to scan the body for any weapon of any sort. But, as a first comer, you have to get a pass and this constitutes a long queue of people who comes from all over the world. Foreign visitors make appointments from their country of residence via the SCOAN website, www.scoan.org, and are given the necessary documents to procure their visa. Some of the visitors make accommodation arrangements themselves while many opt to lodge in the guest houses on the church premises for proximity. Before a pass is issued, church workers will determine if there are first-time worshippers and lead them to a designated area meant for such people. Most times, foreigners are given preference to sit in the front row but such preference is enjoyed if such foreigners lodged in the church’s guest house. The others, out of sentiment on the part of the workers, are taken to seats next to those in the front row. But even at that, worshippers who arrived early enough to sit on the front row are allowed to enjoy the privilege of moving close to the podium. While the members of the media unit make a final test run of their equipment before the commencement of the service, firsttime worshippers are called out to be given a brief rules and regulations as well as advice that would help their visit to the church. Such rules include switching off of their phones while the service is on, not to sleep during service and, more importantly, photographing TB Joshua is prohibited. They are further encouraged to be praying constantly and to be in the spirit in order to for the Man of God to be led to them. Service commences with worship songs. The choir, made up of both local and foreign choristers, deliver melodious tunes from western songs to local gospel tunes while the congregation sings along. Lyrics of songs being rendered are flashed on massive screens strategically positioned around the church. The next programme is praises which takes like an hour or two. This continues until the Man of God comes into the congregation. Before the anointing of the Wise men who now act as his deputies, he used to be the only person doing the preaching and deliverances as well as giving sermons. But since the Wise men came to the scene, they make take charge of a service. Prophet TB Joshua starts his preaching by telling a story and normally, if any of prophesy he gave in the past occurs, the congregation is shown a recorded version of the prophesy. After his sermon, Prophet TB Joshua would start moving around the congregation and be telling worshippers the problems that brought them to the church. If he is led to a worshipper and gives the said worshipper a reason for his seeking the face of God, such person is led out to the altar. He continues this while moving around the church, both in the overflow and upstairs until he starts deliverances. TB also questions any person called up for deliverance. This continues until he attends to the last case of deliverance. Offerings are then taken and announcements made. After the recognition of important personalities that may be present in church, he makes prophesy and asks the people to pray. The service closes around 2pm and after an hour, the second service begins.

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Structural failure caused Synagogue building collapse – Expert Mr. Chucks Omeife, a fellow and immediate past president of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) berates governments’ agencies across the country over their seemingly lukewarm attitude towards ensuring compliance with building procurement processes. He speaks with DAYO ADEYEMI. What are the procedures for building construction including approval stages? There are basically two distinct stages in building procurement process. The first is the design stage and the second is the construction stage. The procedure for design stage of the building procurement process is clearly stated in requirements for building approval documentation. The professional angle is the requirement that

prospective applicants submit architectural and structural designs duly signed by registered architect and engineer with other administrative documents for processing. It is expected that this designs are vetted by in-house professionals for adequacy. Once this has been done and the fulfilment of other regulatory requirements like tax clearance, survey plan and others, the approving body issues building plan approvals accordingly. So why do buildings collapse despite these procedures? However, it is sad to mention that the construction stage is not properly regulated as to bring the desired result and nip in the bud the prevalent problem of building collapse. What exists at the moment is a situation where once an approval is granted, the applicant is given a compliance form - FORM C -for the construction with a building permit. This is where the problem of collapse starts. Unlike in design stage where there is a regulatory requirement for the engagement of professionals which is evidenced by their stamp on the submitted drawings, the construction stage does not involve any mandatory engagement of a builder who is trained in the science, material and technology of building. What types of foundations are suitable for two to three storey buildings? It is very naive and suicidal to decide on any type of foundation to be used without carrying out the neces-

Omeife

sary soil test and load computation. This is the professional responsibility of a structural engineer. The idea of using rule of thumb is criminal and an accident waiting to happen. Soil strength and texture are highly unpredictable even within the same plot of land. What are the procedures to follow if you intend to increase the floor of your house from three or six to 10 floors? Increasing the number of floors of an existing building is very possible. But this must be done by a registered structural engineer who would consider a lot of things to arrive at design options to accommodate the additional floors, starting from the foundation to the new proposed floor. Any attempt to do this without the design and assurances of a structural engineer is like someone who wants to commit suicide. What did you observe after visiting the site of the collapsed building in the Synagogue? The way and manner the building collapsed which was instant is an indication of structural failure due to excessive loading. The details of the reasons for the collapse have to be scientifically investigated to get a true picture of why the building came down. It will be very necessary to look at approved building plan, the various designs especially the structural design and then to confirm the involvement of any professional in the management of execution of the project. All this if well aggregated can give an insight into the true reason why the building collapsed.

Survivor uses urinary bag, loses ribs Tai Anyanwu, Taiwo Jimoh and Elijah Samuel

hen he left his home to work at the construction site located within the sprawling premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, he had no inkling of the tragedy that was to befall him. As he advanced in his work on the ill-fated day, suddenly there came a loud bang and the six-storey hostel building came tumbling down. When he gained consciousness three days later at the General Hospital where he had been taken for treatment, he queried his presence on the hospital bed. It was a bitter miracle that Waheed Atanda, a 47-year-old carpenter came out alive from the building collapse that killed at least 67 people and injured about 200. Writhing in pains, Atanda, in a brief conversation with Saturday New Telegraph, recalled how he got into the web of the calamity that is now threatening his life. “It wasn’t long that I came and joined them at the construction site. It was just at the beginning of this month that I started with them. “On that day, I went to the site with my apprentice boy. We were on the fourth floor working when there was an explosion. That was the last thing I knew,” he said By the time Atanda came to his consciuosness, he engaged the medical personnel around him in barrage of questions: he demanded to know what happened, how he got to the hospital bed. Apparently, as he has great difficult in sitting, he was supported with pillows on his sides. On closer observation and further prodding, it was discovered that an artificial urinary bag has been fixed on him as he now finds it impossible to urinate. Besides, his pains are more aggravated as he could not lie down to sleep. This is because he has broken ribs on the left side of his chest.

TB Joshua: The man, the myth...

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the Synagogue will rank high. This, many believe, has also contributed to the high profile of the controversial preacher. Such notable visitors include late Ghanaian President Atta Mills, South Africa’s Winnie Mandela, EFF leader Julius Malema, the Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu and the late former Zambian President Frederick Chiluba who once stated that he watched “Emmanuel TV” (the church’s private television station that airs Synagogue’s programmes) daily. Others were notable Ghanaian human rights lawyer, Kwabla Senanu, Ghanaian musician, Denise Williams, Veteran Nigerian Nollywood actress, Camilla Mberekpe, Popular Nollywood actor, Jim Iyke, Tonto Dikeh among many others. They had at different times claimed they received divine healings and had their problems solved at the Synagogue. TB, sports and predictions In 2009, Joshua started a football club, My People FC, as part of efforts to engage the youth. Two prominent members of the team, Sani Emmanuel and Ogenyi Onazi played for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Emmanuel, who now plies his trade as a professional footballer abroad, resided in the Synagogue for several years. Onazi, who plays for SS Lazio, is currently a key member of the Nigerian senior team, the Super Eagles. He was at the World Cup in Brazil. Other notable football stars that had visited the Synagogue included Nwankwo Kanu, Daniel Amokachi, Peter Rufai among others.

According to Wikipedia, the wife of Ghanaian goalkeeper Richard Kingson was allegedly delivered of an evil spirit which was behind her husband’s inability to procure a contract with a team since 2011. He has since secured a contract with Turkish club Balıkesirspor. In 2010, qualifications hope of Nigeria taking part in the Mundial was almost lost due to the lacklustre performance of the Super Eagles. But Joshua assured a dejected nation that Nigeria would qualify and this came to pass. The coach of the Super Eagles then, Mr. Shaibu Amodu, whose job was on the line sang praises of the man in the Synagogue to high heavens and eventually capped it with a thanksgiving at the church. Alleged healings and miracles Joshua and his “Wise men” had claimed to have healed many diseases such as HIV/ AIDS and even those that had defied medical solutions through prayers. This explains why people with different ailments from different parts of the world converge on the church to seek healing power. But the efficacy of the said healing power was disputed when the church was accused of claiming to have healed some HIV/AIDS patients who reportedly died after they were advised to stop taking anti-retroviral drugs. When the Ebola Virus Disease broke out in Nigeria, government delegation visited the church to seek TB’s cooperation and preempt a situation whereby a deluge of infected EVD patients could besiege the Synagogue under the pretext of coming to receive healing. Humanitarian work The church has a humanitarian arm,

which has reportedly touched the lives of many individuals. Wikipedia says, “A Forbes blogger estimated that Joshua has spent $20 million on humanitarian activities over a period of three years. T.B. Joshua also brokered a peace meeting between the family of the late president of Liberia, Samuel Doe, and the former warlord Prince Yormie Johnson who was responsible for Doe’s death. During this meeting the family publicly forgave Johnson. Collapse of Synagogue’s guesthouse On September 12, 2014, a guesthouse on the church premises collapsed killing at least 67 South Africans and unspecified numbers of artisan, while many more were injured. Three extra storeys were being built on the existing three-storey building when it caved in. Although investigation is still ongoing, experts have attributed the cause of the collapse to structural defects. The state government has also expressed doubt if the church had approv-

Joshua

al to erect more storeys on the existing building. Quite a number of stakeholders had also urged the government to confiscate the building in line with the existing practice. They also condemned the church members for allegedly preventing rescue workers from rescuing those trapped in the rubble. It was learnt that the church members later allowed the rescue workers after they were persuaded. However Joshua claimed a small plane had circled over the building four times before it collapsed and it may have been an attempt to kill him. But TB Joshua went biblical posting a message on the Facebook titled, ‘HARD TIMES MAY TEST ME, THEY CANNOT DESTROY ME #TBJoshua.’ It reads, “To withstand hard times, stand with Christ. When you face trials, hard times, you can ‘count it all joy’ if you add faith (James 1:2-3). It is through hard times that you gain the necessary experience and maturity to handle whatever responsibility given you. We are most likely to go astray from God and forget Him when things are easy with us in the world because we often become proud and stupid with wealth and pleasure. God visits His people with hard times that they may learn His way. His ways, though hard to the ungodly men, are desirable and profitable because they lead us to safety unto eternal life.” Known for his many controversies, Joshua often came out unscratched but the building collapse tragedy appears to be a tough one as death toll continues to rise on a daily basis after the tragedy struck last week Friday. Stakeholders are waiting to see how the pastor, whose middle name -Balogun- means warrior will come out successful of this human tragedy or whether it will be another bird of passage.

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Dimgba Igwe: A tear for Nigeria I Michael Ovienmhada

never met Dimgba Igwe, but in many ways, I met him through his work. His patriotism shone through his writings with an undiminishing love for country. Tributes have been pouring in from all over the world extolling his virtues and his contribution to nation building. However, the real matter we should be addressing by his death ought to be matters of weightier importance, the state of security and the state of healthcare in our country. After 54 years of independence, our country should not be like this. Accounts have it that Dimgba was knocked down by a vehicle while he was jogging in his neighborhood. Thereafter, the good Samaritans who tried to help took him round several hospitals seeking help for four agonizing hours until he succumbed to the cold hands of death. Nigeria is not working for anyone right now. It is not working for the newborn child. His chances of survival before he gets to the age of 5 are some of the lowest in the world at 15% infant mortality rate. Nigeria is not working for women at child birth at another 15% maternal mortality rate. Nigeria is not working for young men and women who want to enter higher institutions. 1.6 million students write JAMB every year but only about 400,000 can be admitted into schools. Nigeria is not working for young men and women who graduate from the NYSC programme every year seeking employment at over 95% unemployment rate. Nigeria is not working for the old as their lifespan is truncated at age 48 which is currently the life expectancy of the average Nigerian. Nigeria is not working for businesses as electricity has not improved in 15 years of democratic history and one party in government. Nigeria is not working for Teachers, Doctors, the Policemen and women and our Army which used to be the pride of Africa. Nigeria stopped working a long time ago. Every man and woman in Nigeria has taken their destiny in their own hands, hence the common expression----You are on your own. Dimgba was on his own on the day of his accident. You and I will be on our own on the day of our own emergencies which will come however it will come and whenever and wherever it chooses to come. For Chief Sunday Awoniyi, it was on a highway. For General Adisa, it was on a highway. For

Igwe

Agbazika Innih, it was on a highway. For my great cousin, George Enenmoh, it was on a plane crash. For my niece Moji and her unborn baby, it was in a hospital in Ikeja where a doctor did not show up for six hours and her mother watched her die as she sat there helplessly. For my father in 1983, it was 3 hours away from the accident scene in far away Anambra. My father had been involved in an accident on his way to Benin at Ugbogui, 45 km from Benin. All the victims who were still alive had been rushed to a hospital in Benin but Doctors were on strike. The victims were then taken three hours away to Anambra by which time they were all dead. Interestingly, Nigeria was not always like this. It used to work. In 1967, I had a domestic accident at about midnight when I hit my head against the edge of an iron bed. There was blood everywhere. My father took me to the General Hospital in Benin where I received prompt attention. I was stitched up and I went back to

school the next day. I have the scar to show for it. In today’s Nigeria, how much chance does that child have? His parents would be asked to first drop a huge deposit, three times their minimum wage, go out to buy needles and bandages and probably be asked to go and train the doctor that would attend to that child. This is why I weep for Nigeria and I weep for the family of Dimbga Igwe. The bell has tolled for him. For whom will the bell toll next? Do we have to continue like this? Just a few weeks ago, we read in the papers how our President went to Germany for medical check-up. A few years ago, our President died in a Saudi Hospital where he had gone to seek treatment. A few years earlier, a sitting President’s wife died in a Spanish hospital while an ex military President’s wife, a most beautiful and most beloved woman died in an American hospital. Our dear Dora Akunyili died in an Indian hospital. Over 5,000 Nigerian doctors practice in the UK and about 8,000 in the US. Many of

Tribute

them do not like to live abroad. Given the opportunity, they would come home but to what? Horrible road networks, no railways, poor skies, terrible schools for their children, abuse by men and women in uniform, corruption, etc? We need to fix our country and we can fix it. We are too rich and too smart to be so poor and so mismanaged. Leadership must change its ways or we must find a way to change leadership. The chance comes up every four years. Do you plan to exercise that power in 2015? I encourage you to do so!!. The INEC chairman is doing a lot of work to plug the holes to rigging. Voting in 2015 will be semi-electronic. Ballot cards and ballot boxes will be serialized. The voters register has been cleaned up and ghost names have been removed. Over 20 million ghost names have been cleaned out. Now, you have the chance to elect a new leader if you are not happy with the way things are. Can we get a leader who is a leader of all Nigerians irrespective of religion and geography? Can we get a leader who understands the issues happening around the world and in Nigeria? Can we get a leader who has zero tolerance for corruption and is willing to lay down his life to fight the evil monster? Can we get a leader who has the guts to fix electricity and the petroleum industry by total deregulation of both industries? Can we get a leader who will make us proud again and secure our people internally and secure our borders? Can we elect a leader of whom we can all be proud? These are the choices that confront us as 2015 is upon us. They will bring quarter bags of rice and cash to you---please take it but vote for your future. Speak to yourself and speak to the future of your children and then you will summon the words to say to them---Our fathers served your fathers. We are serving you. Our children will not serve your children. Register to vote and take your friends with you. That is how we will win the ground game-----this time. Dimgba Igwe and many unknown people like him die needlessly every day in Nigeria for lack of prompt help. The key word here is lack of quick or prompt help. What will it cost our nation to have a nationwide emergency 911 system that works for everyone? God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. - Michael Ovienmhada is a Presidential Aspirant of the Citizens Popular Party (CPP).

‘So what if I aspire to be governor’ C O N T I N U E D f r o m PA G E 4 5

any position in this land called Nigeria. So, if you are interested in a position, what stops another person from being interested in the same position? Then, if that is the case, how can someone having a four-year term, and without getting to first year, you started talking of second term? You are the same person who said whoever is not loyal to you will not be given ticket for a second term. Today, I have never told anybody I have ambition to return or to even do any other thing beyond what I’m doing right now. So, it’s like somebody running away from his own shadow and if you are running away from your own shadow, then you should not be blaming others, you should blame yourself. So, sincerely speaking, the issue of ambition is not the issue.

Kaka

We understand that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a high-powered delegation from APC met with the Osoba camp and the governor. What was the outcome? I don’t know whether they met with Mr. Governor because they have not given us feedback; they met with us for nearly two months now and we have not heard anything from them. So, who is to blame? And for sure, nobody can use delay tactics to hold us down.

You sometime called for the reorganization of the Ogun State executive of APC. Do you think this is still feasible given the time lag between now and the elections? What I’ve said is, many people are aggrieved because of injustice. Once you remove the cause of that injustice, the problem is solved. A problem well identified is more than 50 percent solved.

So, all I’m trying to say and do is to help the party not to go into disintegration by proffering on behalf of my colleagues and other people what will make them happy and what will make peace to reign supreme. I talked about 20 local governments in Ogun State, 20 commissioners in Ogun State and I know that in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we have provision for Federal Character principle. It is expected that at least, one local government should have one commissioner in the executive. And we have some local governments with three or four commissioners. That is against the spirit of the constitution and in actual fact, it’s an impeachable offence. Up till now, three and half years into his tenure, he did not deem it fit to reshuffle. And people have been complaining of lopsided development and distribution of amenities, no effort is being made to correct. Beyond that one, there is need for prioritization. But the governor seems to be drawing accolades from people going by his investment in infrastructure, roads, bridges and model schools? At the end of the day, it is the aggregate of opinions that matters. You may draw accolades from the vocal few but, again, the reasonable majority have something to the

contrary. Recently, people have been defecting from your party and it seems the euphoria and excitement that greeted the formation of APC as a mega opposition has waned. Do you think Nigeria can still consummate a viable opposition to the ruling party? When you say defection, I’m sure you will not be fair to the party because it is outflow and inflow and it is not peculiar to APC. It’s also happening in other parties, even the lesser parties. So, the confusion that is in the system, whereby we are losing fast our value system, nobody is acting ideologically. What everybody is after is how do I grab power? Which platform offers me the best opportunity? So, we are still evolving and nobody can deny the fact that we are moving towards a twoparty system. So, if we are gravitating towards a two-part system, it takes time. As far back as 1983, the dialectical principle of thesis and antithesis proposed by Obafemi Awolowo – look at 1983 to now, that’s about 31 years ago – so if it is still evolving over 31 years, then you expect that the influx and out flux will continue and at the end of the day, we have settlement. So, we are now at the chaotic stage; it will stabilize and if the environment is conducive, we’ll have stability.

52 Perspectives

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Not all lawyers are liars!

wisting liberties in order to provide ones self with a meal ticket is one of the hanky-panky activities we see gentlemen and ladies of our legal profession engage in these days! It’s a shame that a lot of observers are beginning to believe the pejorative: All lawyers are liars (and when they die they lie still!”) The ambivalence of this statement has followed me from classes in English semantics right through post graduate education into communication and performance seminars in several environments. It seems that our law courts are beginning to encumber the course of justice with the most trivial of technicalities presented by lawyers which result in legal gymnastics. It often seems that an accused person who is as guilty as hell can get away with anything as long as he can pay a good lawyer. Note that the term “good lawyer” here refers to a lawyer who can twist the matter to favor his client, even when the client is guilty. You ask, is this not what lawyers are hired to do? Not particularly! I recognize the age long prerogative of the law which states that a person is innocent until proven guilty, but I frown at the tapestry of justice in cases where judgments should be declared are delayed because of a lawyers ability to deflect, delay and therefore deny an applicant justice. In order to avoid controversy which this piece might court, I will not refer to any case in particular, but would make a sweeping reference to 419 advance fee fraud cases and embezzlement of government funds that are making a snails pace progress in our courts and are wearing out the applicants because of the costs and sheer effort of coming to court to stand as witnesses. Ghana has the fast track court in which nuances and strands to cases which could cause delays are avoided. Nigeria ought

BUSINESS SENSE ALEX OGUNDADEGBE alexogundadegbe@gmail.com

It often seems that an accused person who is as guilty as hell can get away with anything as long as he can pay a good lawyer to have the same. The other reference is the election tribunals in which lawyers are engaged to prove cases. Evidence is requested and often produced with the dexterity of a tortoise. Appeals, delays and denials take it to another court. Eventually an incumbent is removed from office and walks the road of freedom sparkling clean. Are there no such laws under which a person who assumed office through outright rigging of an election can be punished? Can a governor, a representative or a local government chairman who attained office when he should not have done so be labeled a thief, imposter or at least a perjurer? Could he be ordered to return salaries, expenses and benefits he accrued or incurred during his falsified time in office? Jean Girandoux, French novelist, es-

sayist, diplomat and playwright wrote: “you’re an attorney. It’s your duty to lie, conceal and distort every thing and slander everybody and no poet ever interpreted nature as freely as a lawyer interprets truth.” Today in Nigeria, we have spokesmen of the two major political parties who both have legal training, causing unlimited confusion on the political landscape with double speak, ambiguity and ambivalence unlimited. The training of a lawyer, I hope, teaches to defend liberties not to twist them. Litigation ought to broaden our respect for the law not belittle it! Beware of a lawyer who doubles as a spin doctor. He will hail you good morning and you might have to check the time to be sure he is telling the truth! In order to make our objective clear here, let’s look at a brief definition of who a lawyer is, or at least who he ought to be. The Webster ’s Dictionary gives the description as “a person who has been trained in the law, especially one whose profession is advising others in matters of law or representing them in law suits”. Sometimes, however, the role the lawyer plays might make the meaning change: section 23 of the legal practitioners Act No 15 of 1975 says a legal practitioner is “a person entitled in accordance with this decree

to practice as a barrister or as a barrister and solicitor, either generally or for the purpose of any particular office or proceedings.” J.P Morgan, financier, banker, philanthropist and art collector said concerning lawyers: “I don’t want a lawyer to tell me what I cannot do; I hire him to tell me how to do what I want to do!” Jonathan Swift, novelist and poet, gave the description that we are all too familiar with this present day. He described lawyers as “a society of men bred up from their youth in the art of proving, by words multiplied for the purpose that white is black and black is white, according as they are paid”. (Now doesn’t that read like today’s politician in Nigeria?) Both within and outside of our law courts we see Swift’s description being played out on a daily basis. It is disgusting to keep witnessing a torrid twisting of facts for the result of confusion and delay. Every society needs the law and law enforcement agencies, but do we really need lawyers who cause injustice to thrive? Dr. Martin Luther King Junior said “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!” When the law is not obeyed by the very people who should defend it, society is in jeopardy. We all know what the law is. If a society is to develop and achieve its various goals, objectives and visions, it has to be ruled by the law. Is Nigeria ruled by the law? Granted that certain top government officials have immunity in some respects, but does that mean they are above the law? I am confident that not all lawyers are liars. There are a few honest ones who are ready to earn a living that will not trouble their conscience. I am not looking for angels to redeem our judiciary. There are no such beings. But let the lawyers stop touting the law court as the last resort for the common man. Its not. God is.

... And he wants to be governor

y friend Niyi lives in London and has lived there for a while. He has not forgotten about his country since he comes in very regularly. One day he calls and says his friend wants to be Governor of Lagos State and he feels I should listen to him that he has a message. So I give my consent and wait for the call. The call finally comes and he politely asks me if it was a good time to talk, I gave my consent and was taken on a journey of national discovery. He zeroed all Nigeria’s problems on our “mindset” as a people. Corruption, tribalism, terrorism, infrastructural decay and all was solely put on the door step of the “mindset”. His position was that the terrible mindset has led us to Golgotha and that there must be a conscious effort as a people to change this mindset and agree to be a different people. He averred that once the mindset has changed through a deep and penetrative excursion into aculturisation, the spirit of meritocracy would now pervade and we will begin to see real development. He believes that pure love and true patriotism will take us out of the present woods. He has joined a group of Nigerians in the UK to set up an organization which would help drive this revolution. He draws his inspiration

EDGAR’S WORLD JOSEPH EDGAR

josephsamsponedgar@gmail.com

from the action of Rosa Parks, who sparked the civil rights revolution that has delivered for the United States a minority president. He does not see why this cannot happen here in Nigeria. From his little organization in far way London, the seeds for comprehensive change has been planted and would germinate into a big tree with branches spread across the vast length and breadth of our nation, touching willing souls, compelling obedience and turning us all into true and strong democrats. All these sounded quite elitist to me. The words hit me as ambiguous and began to look like a class in a philosophy lecture in my university days in Ibadan. But his conviction which I could tell in his voice touched me. If there was meritocracy why would we have some funny people manning some strategic positions; people whose

When you put a party man at the defence ministry in the era of Boko Haram, what you get is mutiny only qualification for the job was either their ethnic coloration or the street they lived. How on earth will they now perform? Today’s world is a world of high technology, fast-paced decision taking aim at combating life-threatening issues that jumps at the policy maker at the speed of light. When you put a party man at the defence ministry in the era of Boko Haram, what you get is mutiny, when you get a 56-year-old to be the youth leader of the largest

party in Africa what you get is comedic policy thrusts. As I write, a private jet owned by a pastor and carrying $9.3m in raw cash reportedly meant to procure arms on behalf of the federal government has been seized in South Africa. This has raised a lot of questions in my mind - questions I am afraid to ask even in a democratic setting. This has also put my conversation with this caller in a proper context. Where is the unity, the single-minded and purpose-built development, when we can bypass constitutionally permitted institutions and processes to smuggle cash into another country on a clergy man’s jet? We really have to work on our collective mindset. Will he make governor? Will he be able to change the status quo? I doubt but I damn well think he should put in his very best. My two pence is on the fact that the establishment will ignore him just like they ignored those before him. However, his conviction, passion and energy will most likely lead to a rude awakening to those of us who still have youth and slowly, maybe not in our life time, but surely the truth like the Arab Spring will find its true bearing in our souls. Kai, I just wrote my most serious article in decades and I have a headache, need to sleep.

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Kaduna must be saved from deterioration, says el-Rufai

ormer Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Malam Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday said Kaduna State, which used to be reference point in peaceful coexistence, must be saved from further deterioration. In the statement he issued in Kaduna, el-Rufai, who intends to contest the governorship seat during the next election, said: “Our state, Kaduna, is now fragmented across ethnic and religious lines. Without federal allocations, the state cannot survive. Our renowned educational institutions are decaying, while unemployment and youth restiveness are visible. “Trust in government is low and the essentials

News Extra

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

needed to stimulate socioeconomic development are most lacking. The Kaduna State that was once a point of reference in peaceful coexistence, progress and fairness in the Northern region in particular and Nigeria as a whole is now lagging behind most states created recently.” He added: “The situation should not and must not be allowed to deteriorate further; otherwise the cohesive fabric of our community may be completely destroyed. Bearing these in mind and after deep reflection and wide consultations with stakeholders who cherish the importance of providing good leadership, I have resolved to contest for the office of the Governor of Kaduna State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 elections.”

LOKOJA

ENUGU

IGBOSERE

Kogi approves N1.6bn leave Eight family members Don't overheat the polity, remanded in prison over murder politicians urged bonus for workers NEWS IN BRIE F

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State has approved the payment of N1.6 billion as leave allowance for 21,131 civil servants and political office holders in the state. A circular issued to that affect by the office of the Head of Service and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lokoja, stated that the amount was for the outstanding 2013 leave allowance of the workers. The circular, which was dated September 16 and signed by the Head of Service, Dr. Moses Atakpa, stated that the workers would receive the leave bonus arrears in instalment over a period of 10 months, beginning from the end of September.

An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has remanded in prison nine people including eight family members over alleged murder of a man on land dispute. The accused are Latifu Olarinde, 67; Sanni Olarinde, 32; Yusuf Olarinde, 31; Idris Olarinde, 26; Jide Olarinde, 27; Shola Olarinde, 24; Temitope Olarinde, 31; Usman Olarinde, 24; and Samuel Adebisi, 22. They are facing charges of conspiracy and murder. The Magistrate, Miss Olanike Olagbende, who gave the ruling, said the accused should be remanded at Ikoyi Prisons for 30 days pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

A group, Union for Social Resistance (USR), has warned elder politicians against making violent outburst and inflammatory comments capable of setting the nation on fire ahead of 2015 general elections. Addressing a press conference in Enugu, the National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Benedict Okoro and the National Secretary, Emeka Nwani, expressed dismay over what they described as unfortunate comments by some leaders of opposition political parties. They faulted the national chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, for allegedly saying: “We would make sure Nigeria doesn’t survive another four years should Jonathan win next year’s election,” made recently in Owerri, Imo State.

Enterprise: Heritage Bank signs SPA with AMCON Ayodele Aminu

he Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and Heritage Bank Limited yesterday in Lagos, signed the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) - paving the way for the latter to acquire Enterprise Bank Limited. Heritage Bank was last Friday announced as the preferred bidder for the lender, which is wholly owned by AMCON. In line with the terms of the agreement, Heritage Bank was supposed to pay the 20 per cent of the bid price for Enterprise Bank 48 hours after signing the SPA. AMCON’s Head of Corporate Communication, Kayode Lambo, confirmed the signing of

the SPA yesterday, but declined to confirm the 20 per cent payment for Enterprise Bank’s bid Enterprise. Sources had put the bid for Enterprise Bank at N56 billion. The Chairman of Heritage Bank, Mr. Akinsola Akinfemiwa and the bank’s CEO, Mr. Ifie Sekibo were said to have led the team from Heritage Bank. A transaction implementation team was also constituted. The source said the transition of Enterprise to Heritage will take place 15 days after the final per cent payment next month (80 per cent). The source put the bid submitted by Heritage Bank for the acquisition of Enterprise Bank at N56 billion.

Synagogue: Lagos declares zero tolerance on building collapse Bola Kareem

orried by the spate of incessant collapse of buildings in the state, the Lagos State Government has read the riot act to culprits. It declared zero tolerance for any violation of the building codes and the unwarranted loss of human lives usually associated with such incidences. Speaking at a media interactive session yesterday, the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, (LASBCA), Dr. Abimbola Animashaun, said the target of the agency was to achieve zero incident of building collapse in the state every month, through strict monitoring and enforcement of the appropriate building codes.

In apparent reference to the rising death toll that followed the collapse of a six-storey building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Ikotun, where over 80 persons have been confirmed dead and several others injured, she vowed that government would be stricter in ensuring that property owners and developers adhere to global best practices. She said: “We’ll seal any construction site where the work is not being done properly. We’ll seal any defaulting structure where the builder has no approval. We will seal any site whenever we see a dangerous structure being constructed, and we can seal for a lot of reasons."

L-R: Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Suraj Ishola Adekunbi; Governor Ibikunle Amosun; Chairman, Remo North Local Government Area, Chief Abayomi Shoyemi and Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, at Isara, Remo North Local Government Area, when the governor visited Isara in continuation of his assessment tour of local government areas in the state…yesterday

Police probe alleged rigging during Scotland’s referendum Dapo Sotuminu and Onyekachi Eze

with agency reports

olice at the Emirates Stadium in the Scottish city yesterday said they were investigating possible cases of double vote impersonation where people pretended to be someone else, cast a vote and then the real person later turns up to vote again. The referendum was won by those against Scotland’s independence from Britain, thus keeping the 307-year union intact. Victory was secured by a margin of around 55 per cent against 45 per cent for the No campaign in a bruising battle which will still have repercussions for decades to come. Commenting on the alleged rigging incidents, spokesman for the Counting Officer, Colin Edgar, said: “What appears to have happened is somebody had arrived at the polling station and given their name and asked to vote. “The polling clerk has gone to cross off their name and it appears that they have already voted, so what we did was to contact the police straight away.

l Nigerian community: Our votes were pragmatic l Exercise, a big lesson for Nigeria –PDP “The police asked us if we could recover the ballot papers which we can because we know which box they are in and we know the number of the ballot paper silver.” Police instructed counters to wear special gloves while handling the suspected ballot papers so as not to contaminate the evidence. SNP Treasury spokesman at Westminster, Stewart Hosie, also said it was “very sad that people feel the need to engage in any kind of impersonation.” He told Sky News: “I think that’s a daft thing to do. The ballot papers have been identified, they will be taken away and fingerprinted, the police will do their job and I’m sure whoever has done it will be caught and sentenced.” Equally, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the referendum is a big lesson for Nigeria to learn from the decision of the people of Scotland to preserve their union. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement yesterday, said the decision by the Scots had shown that “citizens can indeed push through

their resolve to live together and peacefully as one people with a common destiny despite their differences, perceived or real.” Meanwhile, Nigerians living in Scotland were guided by pragmatism over idealism in casting their ballot in the recent independence referendum conducted in the country, it has emerged. That mindset was a clever ploy to protect their various interests in the United Kingdom. Mr. Tebe Ojukonsin, a Nigerian resident in Scotland told Saturday New Telegraph in an interview from his base in Glasgow, that Nigerians in Scotland cast their ballots either way. “Most Nigerians with UK residency passports still wanted the union feeling that they have been integrated into the United Kingdom and their dreams have come true. This group voted ‘No’ massively, while those without the UK passport especially people in my category leaned towards the ‘Yes’ side believing that there would be the opportunity to get a Scottish passport more so when we are

residents in the country on a platter as a gesture from the government. “It was also believed that there would be a large influx of people from across the world should Scotland get its independence as the borders would be thrown open for some years with the country’s population just a little over five million.” The fear of going into the European Union, forfeiting the strongest currency in the world and one of the biggest oil wells in the United Kingdom to Scotland were some of the issues that largely influenced the ‘No’ voters to reject independence and decided to stay as a part of the United Kingdom. There were also the fears of the pensioners who believe they would not be paid in a new Scotland after they worked for years in the United Kingdom under the Commonwealth of Nations where they are being paid from monies accruing from tax. That is why pensioners leaned towards the ‘No’ side. The results which were declared early Friday gave victory to the 'No' campaign, stalling the Scottish independence bid for now.

54 Sport Extra

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20 SEPTEMBER 2014

Keshi ranked Africa’s best coach

Chinese tennis star Li Na retires at 32

Charles Ogundiya

uper Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has been ranked the best national team coach in Africa in a latest ranking released by coaching rating agency, Football Coach World Ranking. Keshi ranked 14th in the world to top the poll for coaches on the continent while sacked Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah leads the pack of other coaches who are chasing the Nigerian coach as the best in Africa. The ranking of the top 50 coaches is dominated by coaches who coached at the World Cup with the top 15 almost exclusively for coaches who excelled at the World Cup. World Cup winner Joachim Low of Germany tops the ranking and he is followed by Spain’s Vicente Del Bosque in 2nd place while Oscar Tabarez of Uruguay placed 3rd. Former Germany coach and current USA coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, placed 5th followed by former Netherland coach, Luis Van Gaal in 6th position.

Keshi

Ikechukwu Uche in action for Villarreal

Uche injury not serious – Villarreal coach

illarreal manager Marcelino Garcia has stated that the injury sustained by Ikechukwu Uche in the build-up to the equaliser against Borussia Mönchengladbach in their Europa League tie was not serious. With the Yellow Submarine trailing their German opponents 1-0, the Nigeria international, who just returned from injury, was introduced in the 67th minute.

Uche needed a minute to score his first goal in Europe after receiving a pass from Manu Trigueros. He however clashed with Mönchengladbach goalkeeper Sommer, and had to be replaced five minutes after he came on to the pitch. It was thought the Super Eagles forward sustained a knee injury, but coach Marcelino has calmed the nerves of the Villarreal faithful, saying he only suffered a

dead leg. ‘’After getting the equaliser, the injury for Uche hurt our chances, but he’s suffered nothing serious,’’ Marcelino told reporters at a press conference. Thursday night’s tie at the Stadion im Borussia-Park was Ikechukwu Uche’s first game for club and country in more than three weeks, after spending time on the sidelines as a result of a sore muscle.

sia’s first grand slam singles champion Li Na has called time on her 15-year tennis career due to “chronic” knee injuries. The current world No. 6 won the French Open in 2011 and the Australian Open in 2014 as well as helping popularise the sport in Asia. “It took me several agonising months to finally come to the decision that my chronic injuries will never again let me be the tennis player that I can be,” said Li on her Facebook page. “Walking away from the sport, effective immediately, is the right decision for me and my family.” Paying tribute to Li’s successful career, WTA chairman and chief executive officer Stacey Allaster highlighted the Chinese star’s help in raising tennis’ profile in Asia. “She is a pioneer who opened doors to tennis for hundreds of millions of people throughout China and Asia,” said Allaster in a statement. “It’s hard to be a household name in a nation with 1.4 billion people, but that’s what Li Na is,” added Allaster. “Her legacy is immense and I have no doubt that her contributions to the WTA will be seen for decades to come in China, throughout Asia and the rest of the world.” As well as her two grand slam triumphs, the 32-year-old Li reached the Australian Open final in 2011 and 2013. After her 2014 win in Melbourne, she became world No. 2 in February -- the highest ranking ever attained by an Asian player.

Moses wants Super Eagles return Charles Ogundiya

A Wembley to host Euro 2020 semi finals and final

ngland will finally get another chance to host a final of a major football tournament in 2020 after it was announced that Wembley Stadium would be hosting both semi-finals and the final of the European Championship. UEFA president Michel Platini confirmed that Wembley had been awarded the “finals package” after the German FA, their only rivals, said they were more interested in hosting Euro 2024 in its entirety. After Turkey pulled out of the running to host the whole tournament, UEFA will move the tournament around 13 European countries as a special one off cel-

ebration for the organisation’s 60th year. The Aviva Stadium in Ireland and the Stadio Olimpico in Roma have also been selected as venues to hold the quarter-finals, whilst the rest of the games will be sent to Munich, Baku, Saint Petersburg, Copenhagen, Bucharest, Amsterdam, Bilbao, Budapest, Brussels and Glasgow. The rebuilt Wembley, which has hosted the Champions League final twice in recent years, was favoured not only for its history and size but because of the commercial opportunities it provides, though it has courted some controversy as many believe the venues are too heavily based around the UK.

fter his impressive performance in Stoke City colour in recent time, Nigeria international, Victor Moses, is seeking a return to the national team. Moses featured prominently during Nigeria’s World Cup campaign in Brazil but hasn’t been a part of Coach Stephen Keshi’s plans since then. However, the 23-year-old Moses insists that he will soon return to the national team. Since the beginning of the AFCON qualifiers, Nigerian strikers have been finding it difficult to score goals and some believe that Moses’ return could boost the Eagles’ attack. “I always love playing for my country. It is a thing of pride and that was why I chose to play for Nigeria over England,” Moses told the Stoke Senti-

Victor Moses in action for the Super Eagles against Greece in a friendly match

nel this week. “I will always jump at the opportunity to play for Nigeria if invited by the manager and hope that I will get the chance to play again and hopefully put a smile on the faces of my fans. I am

ready for the battle into the national team,” he added. Super Eagles will play Sudan in the next qualifiers with the first leg away while the second leg will be played in Abuja.

GAMES/CROSS WORD PUZZLE Some Areas in Lagos-3

KEY WORDS

TATALA ILASAMAJA MUSHIN SURULERE IDI ORO IJESATEDO

APAPA IDDO AJEGUNLE IJORA FESTAC IGANMU SATELLITE OBALENDE OKE IRA MAROKO OTO EBUTE METTA

4 7

9 10

I D I E R E L U R U S

R A J A M A S A L I R

T A T A L A E R Y O S

O S U T R U A P A P A

R E A J E G U N L E T

O K O R A M E T T A E

I N O B A L E N D E L

D I D O E Y T T E P L

I H D I G A N M U O I

E S I J O R A O P B T

B U E I T E C A T S E

F J

T M

E O K E I R

18 19 21

1 Causing hate 5 Obtain 7 Nigerian staple food 8 Decay 9 Young boy 10 Organize for something 11 Be worried 12 Cerium’s symbol

16 Indicating position 17 ‘Nine’ in Hausa 18 Letter 22 Deliberate falsehood 23 Bring 24 Food & Agric. Organization (abbr.) 25 Beverage drink 26 Time-wasting fuss

15 17

DOWN

A D

14 16

ACROSS

1 Dangerous

14 Progress rapidly

2 Move unsteadily

15 Former Indian ruler

3 Abundant in supply

19 Islamic cleric

4 Accounting record book

20 Collapsed

5 Nyloned sausage roll

21 Latitude (abbr.)

6 Highest rank 13 Disperse

See solution on page 36

SATURDAY NEW TELEGRAPH

20 SEPTEMBER 2014

HOSPITALITY

Excellence Hotel: Doing what it says in its name

P.39

SPORT

w ww. n ew te l e g r ap h on l i n e . c om

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2014

N150

Blame Keshi for poor run – Garba Lawal

P.25

2015: Jonathan and the poetry of ambition

he cinematic masterpiece is called The Grey. The synopsis is as simple as the story is chilling. After their plane crashes in an Alaskan wilderness, six oil workers are led by a skilled huntsman to survival, but a pack of menacing wolves haunts their every step. They are forced to survive the mercilessly cold weather, deploying little more than their wits. The wolves pick off the survivors one after the other, devouring them. In the end, the hunter is the last man standing. As the alpha wolf crouches to launch into the final attack and last kill, the hunter utters the poem that comes from the courage of his forebears: “Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I’ll ever know. Live and die on this day. Live and die on this day.” The hunter draws his dagger. The alpha male leaps. As metal pierces hide and canine sinks into flesh, the movie ends. Who won? “Live and die” is different from “live OR die”, and nor has this phrase got anything to do with “do-or-die” (which is an adjective). I shall return to discuss the nuances of this poetic masterpiece presently. Naturally, the elements that animate politics are disputations and arguments. The place of classical ideology in Nigerian politics is open to question, and this discourse will not embrace that inquiry. There are some narrow minded and selfish arguments against President Goodluck Jonathan’s potential candidature in the 2015 presidential election, ranging from undertakings he may or may not have made to the paucity of tangible achievements; but this sophisticated one compels my attention the most: “President Jonathan is the last man standing from the Class of 1999. An already extraordinary personal history might be eclipsed by the one that beckons, but which might be ominous for the future prospects of the Nigerian people. By 2015, Jonathan will have been Deputy Governor for 6½ years, Governor for 1½ years, Vice President for 3 years and President for 5 years. He will have exercised executive power at both the state and federal levels for a consecutive period of 16 years - a record of individual domination of power without a historical parallel since independent Nigeria was proclaimed in 1960. If he prevails in the impending political hotwire of 2015, he will, by 2019, have done so for 20 years. He will have passed, by some distance, the stage at which, by historical evidence, the absolute corruptive influence of power amongst African leaders begins to manifest, followed by the onset of the demigod impulse and paralysis in the arena of policy delivery. His power and influence over the events of 2015 will be nearly determinative because he will draw on an unprecedented wealth of iterative experience of the PDP-type politics.” Amazing stuff. I guess experience can be a bad thing. True enough, the experi-

BROADSIDE EMMANUEL ONWE agubata@aol.com

Jonathan

ences paraded by the likes of Mugabe and Museveni have their downsides. But that is not what is at stake here. Hounding a minority out of power by means other than democratic in an ostensibly democratic dispensation will further smear the already blotted history of power manipulation in this country. Thinking people should not put up with it. Regional and/or tribal impulse has been the primary propeller of central power contestation in Nigeria even decades before independence was attained. To pretend otherwise is grossly delusional. The dubious attempt to cure Nigerians of this near-genetic impulse at this time simply because a minority is at the helm smacks of hypocrisy, arrogance and only comparable to school playground bullying. With this in mind, therefore, a number of questions are posed: With what logic would Jonathan make the Ijaw people see the wisdom in walking away from the presidency - an office they attained through the tragic misfortune of others and to which they may never have another opportunity to lay a claim for at least another century? Because he has not performed? Who has, historically, performed better and since when has underperformance become a basis for abdication? On legal grounds? I will write the legal opinion that upholds his right to vie for a second term for free. An agreement he reached with fellow politicians – under circumstances akin to a torture chamber where he was politically waterboarded by those with inordinate and clashing ambitions? As

the Roman philosopher, Markus Cicero, wisely observed, an obligation to do the impossible is no obligation at all. A lesson from history? The only lesson he could glean from history is a sobering and dissuasive one - the last man to voluntarily relinquish the top office in Nigeria ended up flirting with poverty and ultimately wound up in jail. When he was rehabilitated and restored to the presidency, he squandered a fortune stolen from public coffers in a failed bid to make himself a life president. It is my contention that Jonathan is fully entitled to contest in 2015 and ought to declare now. Every true democrat should respect his decision in that connection. Now he has a record and a case file against which the Nigerian people will judge him. On that day, it shall be the duty of every enfranchised Nigerian to engage and to either lift him to victory or defeat him and make history. Mr President, they rigged the system in a most wicked and selfish manner since 1966. God mercifully unrigged it in 1998 and sealed the deal in 2010. Who are you to go against God’s storm? You are only the arrow not the archer. You must only travel and bend according to the dictates of Almighty’s terrific justice. Your trumpeted achievements in office are doubted and your character traduced. But there is a truth that lies in there, explicit and immutable – and you know what that truth is. Remind yourself of Julia Ward Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic: “Mine eyes have seen the coming of the Glory of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.... His truth is marching on.” When you think of the incredible momentum in 2010, leading up to your final ascension to full presidential power, when even the irreverent Sahara Reporters carried that classic cartoon entitled “I am Goodluck, I have Patience” – with you cradling the First Lady by your side, when the entire nation heaved in sympathy and solidarity with you – when you think of all that and how such historical goodwill could have been squandered, recall and strengthen your spirit with Tennyson’s classic: “Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’/ We are not now that strength which in old days/ Moved earth and heaven, that which we are,

we are,/ One equal temper of heroic hearts,/ Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will/ To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” “Live and die on this day”. Rational thinkers may find this rather counterintuitive. We would naturally expect, in such a clash where only one outcome is possible, “live OR die on this day”. The conjunction “and” takes the meaning in a completely different direction than the conjunction “or”. This is my own take: Whatever the outcome, you will have lived. And you will have died. It is the very nature of politics that promises made are often broken. Honour is frequently staked and lost. Character built and unravelled. Other people’s sons and daughters are sent into battle, into harm’s way, and never return. A piece of every commander-in-chief dies. The burden of a commander-in-chief is an awesome one. However, it is equally the extraordinary privilege of that high office that allows for broken lives to be touched and made whole; for small candles to be lit in very dark places. Set goals may never be attained but the shaky and uncertain steps taken today will be made firm by the commanders that will come long after you are gone. In the immense bowels of history, the Chief lives forever. Once more, then, good Doctor, into the fray. Into the last good fight you will ever know. After 2015, you will never contest another presidential election until you go to heaven or hell – it’s strictly between you and your God. This is not the time to sing Rock of Ages with a cleft in which you will hide yourself. This is precisely the moment to sing Stand up! Stand up! Let courage rise with danger and strength to strength oppose. In the end, win or lose, Horatio Spafford has great words of encouragement for you: “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,/ When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,/ It is well, it is well with my soul.” Postscript: This piece was penned for this column on February 22, 2014. It was inspired by the political heat at that time, when it appeared as though the only valid political opinion or action was one aimed at hounding the president out of office and out of town. How times have changed. A couple of days ago, the principal organs of the PDP, in a seamless and objectively rancour-free resolutions, adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party for the presidential primary election scheduled to take place on December 6, 2014. Many had predicted that the internal contradictions embedded in the heart of the PDP would guarantee a catastrophic implosion that would put paid to the aspirations of the president. However, with the National Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees of the party acting in concert with its Governors Forum, a feat never achieved in the history of the party was attained with apparent ease. And the seamlessness of it all appeared magnificently poetic.

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