Binder1 aug 2, 2014

Saturday Edition

Sanctity of Truth Saturday, AUGUST 2, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 165

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Ebola: Dead victim’s contacts now 70, says govt officials Muritala Ayinla; Tony Okafor Awka/Ibadan

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agos State Government yesterday said it had discovered 11 fresh persons who had contact

l‘Two contacts developed fever’ lObiano restricts corpses from other states with the late Liberian, Mr Patrick Sawyer, who died of Ebola Virus Diseases in Lagos, saying two of

the contact had developed fever.

The revelation came as the state’s governor, Babatunde

Fashola, urged the federal government to consider shutting the country’s borders.

The state government had earlier disclosed that 59 people had contact with the victims, urging the residents to remain calm as

government was doing everything possible to track the contacts to avert the spread of the endemic.

Briefing journalists at a joint press conference of the Lagos CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

CHIKA CHUKWUMERIJE My goal is to produce more worldbeaters P.31

Sport

MICHAEL CHIMOBI Begging not an option for me

P.10 Acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, with his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, during the handover ceremony in Abuja... yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI.

APC alleges intimidation as Jonathan visits Osun today

Street Diary

BEAUTY AGHEDO Winning l Claims FG terrorising residents ahead of governorship poll Star Quest APC said information at its dis- was a l INEC recruits 10,432 ad hoc staff posal shows that about 5,000 more DSS men were being dispatched to stepping Ndubuisi Ugah and August 9 governorship election, Osogbo and other parts of Osun the state before the election, on the Adeolu Adeyemo which the Independent National State on Wednesday blaring siren basis of an orchestrated petition al- stone Lagos/Osogbo Electoral Commission (INEC) has and shooting sporadically in the leging that certain APC leaders are

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s President Goodluck Jonathan leads other National Working Committee (NWC) members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Osun State today, the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused the PDP-led federal government of “terrorising and intimidating” the people of the state ahead of the election.

The visit is meant to drum up support for Senator Iyiola Omisore, the PDP candidate in the

promised would be free and fair.

The APC in a statement in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, wondered why the federal government would send agents of the Department of State Services (DSS), some of them allegedly masked and clad in black, to the state to “harass innocent citizens in an unprovoked and primitive show of power”.

The statement stated: “As widely reported, DSS agents, armed to the teeth and riding in over 50 trucks, drove around

air, thus disrupting the normally peaceful life in the state.

“Residents, who were visibly traumatised by the shameful display of state power ran helter-skelter and wondered why their government has sent masked men, or ninjas, to terrorise them. They now understand that the masked thugs who have been following the PDP candidate around on his campaign trail were actually government sanctioned. This is a power show taken too far, even with the wellknown impunity tendencies of the Jonathan administration.”

planning to foment trouble during the election.

“The real purpose of this fake petition and the consequent deployment of thousands of secret police in Osun is to harass, intimidate and arrest the leaders of the APC in the state, in a repeat of what transpired in Ekiti.

“Flooding Osun with irresponsible DSS officials to terrorise the residents is another low for a government that is notorious for abuse of power and federal institutions.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

You can’t declare my seat vacant, says Edo lawmaker P.2

P.19

Showbiz

LEKE PITAN: I WILL RUN FOR LAGOS GOVERNOR P.49

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NEWS

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

Content 02.08.14 INSTYLE

Rocking the Oleku

The Oleku twist outfits are in vogue and women who love and follow fashion are seriously embracing the style and getting inventive with it. page.

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SHOWBIZ

From Basketball to Music

Since debuting with the song, Party Like it’s 1980, Runtown’s (real name Douglas Agu) has soared impressively. The Enugu State born singer talks about his new single that featured Davido and quitting basketball for music.

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CHEF’S CORNER

State Government and the federal ministry of health, the state’s commissioner for health, Dr Jide Idris, said to avert the spread of the diseases, the state government had created an alert management system to receive alerts call and rumour from communities. He added that website had also been created on suspected Ebola cases in the state.

He explained that government embarked on contact tracing to ensure that all contacts exposed to an Ebola patient who developed fever receive care immediately and are separated from others to stop the spread of the diseases.

He said the contact tracing team is following 70 contacts of the EVD case linking them to clinical support

‘Two contacts developed fever’ when needed, adding that the two persons who had contact with the Liberian victim and who developed fever had tested negative to Ebola virus infection.

The commissioner stressed that the state government had stepped up measures to screen incoming passengers to Nigeria to identify any travellers with symptoms through airports, seaports and border crossing.

Also, the director of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi, said the suspected Ebola victim’s corpse brought to Anambra would be subjected to rigorous screening to ascertain whether the corpse was truly an Ebola infected corpse.

Nasidi said in addition to that, all handlers of the corpse in Nigeria would be tracked to ascertain whether they had been infected so as not to spread the diseases in the country.

He said: All the handlers of the corpse brought into the country from Liberia will be registered and tracked. And those who accompanied the corpse to Anambra and the mortuary handlers are under quarantine in Anambra State. Our team in Anambra State will tomorrow give us the statistics of those who came in contact with the corpse.

“If the corpse in Anambra State tested positive, we have been given two options by the World Health Organisation, WHO. We

can either cremate or buried.

For corpses that would be buried, they will be placed in the bag and disinfect the bag. And the grave must be 2 meters deep”.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, has barred corpses being brought in from other states whose relations failed to produce a certificate of death to the police.

This followed the alert raised by his commissioner for health, Josephant Akabuike, recently that a corpse of a native of the state, which was brought in from Liberia was deposited in a morgue of a private hospital in Nkwelle Ezuruka in Oyi local government area (near Onitsha).

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

‘FG terrorising residents ahead of governorship poll’

Food photography

From running a restaurant in India, Philips Akwari discovered food photography after his visitor’s visa was not renewed. Now he says with pride that he is Nigeria’s first food photographer.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

It is no longer news that the military, the police and other security agencies are working for the Jonathan administration, rather than for all of Nigeria. What is new is that the security agencies have now been unleashed on the citizenry.

“What rankles even more is the constant assurances by President Jonathan that the election will be free and fair. How can we have a credible election in an atmosphere of stateled gangsterism? How can we have a credible election when the federal government that is supposed to protect the people and ensure violence-free polls is the same one that purveys violence? Where else in the world do secret police announce themselves by firing to scare away harmless citizens? When did masks become part of the uniform of the State Security Service agents?” the party queried.

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TRAVEL

Osun in the Groove As Osun State preps for Osun Osogbo, the annual culture and tourism feast scheduled for August 22, a few tips to help visitors explore the promises of the “living spring”.

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MY WEEKEND The Casual Publicist

Calixthus Okoruwa, has since 2004 been the helmsman of XLR8, a public relations firm he set up after leaving MTN. Okoruwa talks about why a CEO should be smart enough to hire people smarter than he is.

}44 GABRIEL AKINADEWO Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Deputy Managing Director/DEIC YEMI AJAYI Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday WAHEED BAKARE Deputy Editor, Saturday LEO CENDROWICZ Bureau Chief, Brussels MARSHALL COMINS Bureau Chief, Washington DC SAM AMSTERDAM Editorial Coordinator, Europe EMMAN SHEHU (PhD) Chairman, Editorial Board NDUBUISI UGAH News Editor TAIWO AHMED Advert Manager UCHEY OKEZIE Ag. Sales/Marketing Manager TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

It reminded the DSS officials that the guns they were using to terrorise the people of Osun State were given to them by taxpayers, and that they were indeed trained at the expense of taxpayers. The statement added that it is “irresponsible and unacceptable for them to turn their guns on the taxpayers”.

APC called on local and international election observers to take note of the pre-election intimidation tactics of the ruling party, noting that the actions were designed to scare people away from the polling booths and provide the necessary atmosphere for electoral malfeasance.

The party said the “hearno-evil, see-no-evil disposition of President Jonathan” as well as his assurances to the international community with regard to credible elections are inconsistent with his actions when his “cabinet ministers, other appointees

and the security agencies under his control break the law with impunity and become agents of terror”.

“Mr. President, you are responsible for the actions of the men and women you appoint into your cabinet.

You are the Commander-inChief of the armed forces.

You bear the ultimate responsibility for the acts of omission or commission of this category of public officials, as well as the security agencies. You must call them to order if indeed they are not acting under your orders,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the PDP in the state has said all arrangements had been concluded to receive President Jonathan in Osogbo today.

The state Secretary of PDP, Mr. Bola Ajao, who made this known when he addressed journalists in Osogbo, said the president was coming to “throw his weight” behind Sen. Iyiola Omisore, the party’s gover-

norship candidate.

He said Jonathan would also use the visit to intimate the residents of his transformation agenda.

“The president’s passion for overall development is not hidden. Few days from now, residents will be at the poll to elect a governor to steer the ship of the state for another four years. The import of the president’s visit is not only to boost the candidature of the party’s governorship candidate but to further explain his transformation agenda to the people.”

Also, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, yesterday revealed that the commission has recruited 10, 432 ad hoc staff that will work as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, supervisory presiding officers, registration area collation officers and returning officers during the election.

You can’t declare my seat vacant, says Edo lawmaker Waheed Bakare and Cajetan Mmuta Lagos/Benin

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member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing Etsako West 1 Constituency, Hon. Abdulrazaq Momoh, has said his seat cannot be declared vacant because the exercise was not carried out on the floor of the House.

The Speaker of the House, Mr. Uyi Igbe, had on Wednesday declared Momoh’s seat vacant on the ground that the lawmaker who was elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which metamorphosed into All Progressives Congress (APC) did not follow due process before defecting to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

But Momoh, who described the House as “an institution,” said going by the pronouncement of the Supreme Court on a similar case in the past,

such exercise was a nullity because the speaker declared his seat vacant at the government house and not on the floor of the House.

The lawmaker, who spoke with our correspondent in Benin yesterday, said, “You said Uyi Igbe is the speaker but a speaker sits in the House of Assembly not in a corner of the government house. And in this document before me in the case between Lakoju and Adeleke and more specifically it is said, according to that judgment, the House of Assembly is an institution, it must sit in the place so provided for it and nowhere else.

“This was the Supreme Court judgment in that case of Lakoju when the Oyo State House of Assembly went to sit at D’ Rovans Hotel and the Supreme Court said that whatever they did at D’ Rovans was null and void because that is not the designated place for sitting of the state House

of Assembly.

“So, Uyi Igbe only spoke as Mr. Uyi Igbe and not as the speaker of Edo State House of Assembly because he was not sitting in the House of Assembly.”

Referring to a newspaper advertisement, which was purportedly signed by the speaker, he said Igbe had admitted that no disciplinary action would be taken against him (Momoh) following an Auchi High Court subsisting order asking the lawmakers not to discipline Momoh.

“The House took this action in light of the issues raised therein which are yet to be pronounced upon by the court in order not to be seen or perceived as acting in contempt of the said order. This was on July 10 and on July 17 or thereabout the courts went on strike. The strike is still on till now and the court has not sat on this matter. What has changed since then till now that Igbe will take such action?

“I would want to let you know that Igbe’s action is prompted by the fact that they forged my signature for the process of the purported impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, and the law enforcement agencies are taking appropriate steps to bring them to book,” he added.

Momoh accused the lawmakers of trying to lure him out of the Assembly complex so that he could be killed by assassins and prevented from giving evidence “when it is time for their prosecution for allegedly forging my signature.”

The lawmaker, who observed that his purported suspension was carried out on the last day of sitting, expressed shock at such move.

Momoh accused the state government of instigating the crisis because he called on law enforcement agents to probe the alleged diversion of N22 billion allocated to the state local governments.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

New Police IG assumes duty, vows to defeat crimes AT LAST Abba finally assumes office with a pledge to reposition the police force Emmanuel Onani and Cephas Iorhemen

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Abuja /Makurdi

he acting InspectorGeneral of Police (IG), Mr. Suleiman Abba, yesterday assumed office at the Force Headquarters, after receiving instruments of authority from his immediate predecessor, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.

The solemn handover and takeover ceremony, which lasted barely an hour, was witnessed by senior police officers as well as families of the out-gone and incumbent IG. Until his appointment, Abba, who is the 17th indigenous IG, was the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), in charge of Zone 7.

And to lend a word of advice to the new IG, a former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has urged Abba to fight corruption, injustice and highhandedness within the force to a standstill in order to leave

l Tsav urges new IG to fight corruption, injustice enduring legacies that would stand the test of time.

But in his maiden speech, Abba vowed to fight crime and criminality to a standstill, using new crime fighting techniques and strategies, which would soon be unfolded.

While noting that modern policing had gone beyond arrest, investigation and prosecution, Abba declared that the new police force, would be intelligence-driven.

To reposition the force for efficient service-delivery, the acting IG enumerated hardwork, honesty and humility, as the core values upon which officers and men would be assessed.

The core values, which he tagged ‘Triple H’ ‘will be attached to the five objectives of the police force.”

Meanwhile, the new IG yesterday, lamented that the much-cherished vision and mission of the force, were “personalised” and literally centred on the out gone IG. “It has never been my intention to touch the vision and mission we have in place now, but unfortunately, those responsible for the mission and vision, including the values; they have been personalised to

my immediate predecessor", he lamented.

He counselled that vision and mission are permanent foundations upon which the police force is founded.

According to him, the vision of the force, henceforth, “shall be a leading national, professional and efficient law enforcement organisation.”

This is even as he gave his mission statement as providing security and safety to the nation, protect and respect human rights, and above all, promote community partnership, with a view to preventing social disorders.

He vowed to ensure attitudinal change among officers and men, noting that no amount of reforms could achieve desired results, without the personnel being reformed.

To this end, he announced that “we will have an ethical code of conduct... and we will ensure that officers conform with the values and standards.”

Also, professional crime fighting strategy would be advanced, while efforts are made to implement community policing.

Earlier, Abubakar urged officers and men, to extend the same support and co-

operation he enjoyed, to his successor.

The former IG, who revealed that he never thought he will rise to the exalted position, said "we came at the most critical time in the history of the country."

The new IG, who hails from Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State, holds degrees in History and Law, and has attended several management and security courses within and outside Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Tsav, who called on the new IG to endeavour to keep his door open for useful advice and to resist temptation from colleagues, said remains the only way he (Abba) could succeed.

Speaking in an interview in Makurdi, Tsav said the process that led to his appointment was faulty, as according to him, President Jonathan should have appointed another officer from the out-gone IG team to succeed him.

“We had expected that President Jonathan would allow continuity by appointing a Deputy Inspector of General (DIG) among the MD Abubakar's management team as the new IG. As it is now, there will be no continuity,” Tsav said.

NEWS

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NEWS EDITOR, SATURDAY:

NDUBUISI UGAH

ndubuisi.ugah@newtelegraphonline.com; nduby001@yahoo.com; 08033617741

The Week Ahead

Jonathan visits Osun today The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has said all arrangements have been concluded to receive President Goodluck Jonathan in Osogbo today.

The state Secretary of PDP, Mr. Bola Ajao, said in Osogbo, that the president was coming to throw his weight behind Sen. Iyiola Omisore, the party's governorship candidate.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the state governorship election on August 9. He said President Jonathan would also use the visit to intimate the residents with his transformation agenda.

MASSOB suit against IG fixed for Aug 5 Justice J.I. Nweze of an Ihiala High Court in Anambra State has adjourned hearing till August 5 in the N5million suit filed by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) against the Inspector-General of Police (IG), the state Commissioner of Police and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Otuocha Division, Mr. Emmanuel Sunday, a Superintendent.

MASSOB had sued the police claiming the amount as exemplary, aggravated, punitive and general damages for alleged incessant harassment, arrest, detention and torture of its members.

NAHCON hears appeals on seats allocation Aug 6 The national Hajj Commission (NAHCON) has fixed August 6 to 13 to hear all the complaints concerning the sale of hajj seats allocated to Enugu State. A statement issued by the commission said the move became imperative following series of complaints and allegations received on hajj seats distribution, which is currently under investigation by the relevant government agencies. The venue for the hearing is the Enugu State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (ESMPB) Office, CCB Building, Okpara Avenue, Enugu at 10a.m.

Anglican Bible College graduation holds The Lagos Anglican Bible College (LABICO) will hold its 16th graduation ceremony on August 7 at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral (AVMCC), GRA, Ikeja where it will produce new set of Bible graduates.

Osun governorship poll holds Aug 9 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the Osun State governorship election on August 9.

The election will be narrowed to the incumbent state Governor, Rauf Aregbesola of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi.

National Conference resumes Aug 11 L-R: Managing Director Dangote Group, Mr. Joseph Makoju; Agriculture Consultant, Abdul Oroh; Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; President Goodluck Jonathan; Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Minister of Agriculture, State, Hajia Amina Ahmed, after the signing of $1 billion investment of rice production in Nigeria by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, in Abuja…yesterday

PHOTO:TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

INEC focusing on sundry pre-election activities for 2015 – Director

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said in Abuja, that it was focusing on processes that would impact positively on the 2015 general election.

It’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the processes had to do with issues such as campaigning against the use of thugs and violence during elections,

the distribution of voter cards, and continuous voter registration.

He said: “Our concentration now is not so much on 2015. We have that in view, but the immediate concentration now is on things like the distribution of permanent voter cards (PVCs) and things that will impact on 2015.

“We are talking on continuous voter registration; we are talking about election in some states. So, the major focus presently is on all those immediate activities, and

then we go to primaries and 2015 general election.

“We do not regard 2015 or election procedure as the most urgent thing. The focus is on whole process and not just polling day activities. For example, the campaign against the use of thugs, violence and malpractice.”

Speaking further, he added: “Again malpractice is not done only on election days; it starts with the registration process. So, with the fixed registration, a lot

of voter education has been taken to the states that have done or are just about commencing the distribution of permanent voter cards.

“And we tell them about the importance of voter cards because, in subsequent elections, unless you have your permanent voter card, you will not vote.

“There is no point telling people about the voting procedure now when we have not told them that without their voter cards they cannot vote."

Delegates to the National Conference are now to reconvene on August 11 for the certification of the final report of the conference instead of August 4 as previously announced by the secretariat of the conference.

The change in schedule was announced in a note sent to delegates by the Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications of the National Conference, Mr. Akpandem James.

The secretariat in a statement said the two-day public holiday declared by the Federal Government affected work on the compilation and production of 500 copies of the draft report to be presented to delegates, hence the decision to postpone resumption till August 11.

Alvan Ikoku College fixes Post UMTE Aug 11 Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (AIFCE), Owerri, Imo State has fixed August 11 and 12 as new dates for all candidates, who applied to sit for the Post Unified Tertiary matriculation Examination (PUTME) screening exercise. A statement signed by the institution’s Registrar, Mrs. Ada N. Aguta, said candidates are to take note of the new dates, while expressing regrets over any inconveniences, which the new dates may cause all the candidates.

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NEWS

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

KADUNA MSSN urges politicians to unite in confronting terrorism

N EWS I N BRIEF

LG procures veterinary VON chairman decries insurgents’ drugs for pest control attacks

The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has urged politicians to stop the blame game and unite in finding solution to the security challenges facing the country.

President of the society, Malam Yusuf Arrigasiyyu, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday in Kaduna.

He said bickering based on political lines would only embolden terrorists to launch more attacks on innocent citizens.

“It is not only a Northern Nigeria problem but a Nigerian problem because the attacks affect people from the North, South, East and West, and does not discriminate about one's religious belief,” he said.

Yankwashi Local Government Area of Jigawa State yesterday said it had procured veterinary drugs worth N250,000 to eradicate pests in the area.

The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Ado Karkarna, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

He said an outbreak of pest was reported in Gurjiya and Yankwashi wards and veterinary officers had been deployed to the areas to vaccinate animals.

Karkana said the pest had killed many animals in the affected area.

91,400

N345.6m

The total number of internet users in Fiji in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

FCT

UMUAHIA

The Chairman, Board of Director of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Chief Andy Aghaji, yesterday decried the continued attack on innocent citizens by insurgents.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Director News, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Ahaziah Suleiman, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja.

The statement quoted Aghaji as expressing concern over the most recent killing of innocent people in Potiskum, Yobe and the bombing in Garkida and Hong, Adamawa.

It also condemned the bombing in Kano and Kaduna states, and the attack on former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and a renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi.

The IGR realized from other revenue sources of Akwa Ibom State in 2011.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

84.21%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Bermuda in 2010.

Source: Itu.int

New Telegraph MD bags IPMD Fellowship award Amadi Nnamdi and Kenneth Tyohemba Abuja

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he Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of New Telegraph, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo, alongside 20 other eminent Nigerians have been conferred with the Fellowship of Institute of Policy Management Development (FIPMD).

Speaking at the induction ceremony, the Executive Vice-President of the Institute Mr. Alicho K. Emmanuel, lauded the sterling managerial qualities of the awardees.

He added that “the institute’s core value is to create a world class forum for sustainable best policy management practices that would ensure consistency, efficiency and proper policy implementation management by policy executors.”

He pointing out that the awardees met the standards maxim set by the

institute.

On the criteria for the nomination of the awardees, he said: “We nominated these personalities on the account of excellence of their stewardship in their respective areas of endeavours.”

Akinadewo was represented at the ceremony

by Deputy Editor of New Telegraph newspaper, Mr. Louis Achi.

In his induction lecture titled: “Challenges of Public Policy Implementation in Nigeria: The way forward", Chief Johnson Ebokpo, explained that policy implementation was the process of turning policies into practices.

He attributed the failure of Policies implementation in Nigeria to the following factors: inadequacy of committed and skilful officials, tribal sentiments, changes in socio-economic conditions, acceptability, awareness, constant management changes and media challenges.

Commercial activities crippled as banks join NLC strike in Benue

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Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano (left), and his wife, Ebelechukwu, during the Mothers' Day Summit, in Awka…yesterday

Nigeria to reduce taxes for phone firms CONSOLATION Reprieve comes the way of phone companies as Federal Government tax rebate for operators Ndubuisi Ugah

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with agency reports

inister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson, yesterday said Nigeria plans to reduce taxes on telecommunications infrastructure to encourage companies to spend more on networks in Africa’s most populous country.

Speaking in an interview with the Bloomberg news portal in her office in Abuja, Johnson said: “For every naira that is spent on infrastructure, about 70 per cent of it is spent on taxes. We’re going to bring that down to a much more reasonable level at 30 to 40 per cent.”

She explained that mobile-phone companies,

including Johannesburgbased MTN Group Limited (MTN) and Bharti Airtel Limited (BHARTI) of India have examined ways to offload networks to reduce exposure to costly African infrastructure.

Apart from taxes, she stated that Nigeria’s operators also faced the challenges of unreliable power supply and the threat of bomb attacks from Islamist militants.

MTN, the Nigerian market leader, and Airtel were both fined earlier this year for poor service standards in the West African country, according to the Bloomberg report.

While Nigerian laws allow only the federal government to tax mobilephone companies, states and local authorities have found other ways to raise cash by heavily levying operators’ infrastructure, including towers and base stations,” Johnson said.

Regional governments shouldn’t charge a retail store N10 million ($60,808) and phone companies 100

million naira for the samesized space, she said.

MTN, Africa’s largest phone operator, is planning to sell a stake in its Nigerian mobile tower network, which it values at more than $1 billion.

The billionaire chairman of India’s largest mobile-phone operator Airtel, Sunil Mittal, had said in an interview in May this year that operators were unfairly taxed in Nigeria because the industry sup-

ports other areas of the economy.

Nigeria is a target for international phone companies eager to tap into demand from the country’s 170 million people.

The total number of connected mobile-phones increased to 177 million as of the end of April, compared with 170 million at the start of the year, according to the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).

ommercial banks in Benue State yesterday joined the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the ongoing strike, which commenced on July 30.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the strike was to protest the deductions of staff salaries and non-payment of three years’ transport allowances owed them.

They were also protesting against the non-implementation of the full minimum wage by the state government.

NAN also reports that part of the workers grievances were the non-implementation of 15 per cent and two and half per cent increment for pensioners in the state.

Customers were stranded at the various banks in Makurdi, following the picketing of the banks by union officials.

A customer, Mr. Joseph Nyitar, told NAN that he

travelled from Gbajimba to withdraw his deposits and was stranded over the closure of the banks.

“I came all the way from Guma Local Government to withdraw money only to discover that the banks were all closed.

“You know the whole of Guma does not have any bank, now I am stranded and confused, I don't even know what to do now,” Nyitar said.

Another customer, who spoke under condition of anonymity, described the government decision to deduct staff salaries which led to the strike as “mere wickedness”.

NAN reports that some of the bank officials, who spoke under conditions of anonymity, sympathised with their customers while insisting that they were handicapped.

“There is nothing we can do; the NLC and TUC have stationed their staff in all the banks across board to ensure that we do not open.

Amosun inaugurates TASUED governing council Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

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overnor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State yesterday inaugurated the governing council of the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun with a charge on all members to see their appointment as a call to serve.

Inaugurating the 18-member council chaired by a former Vice-Chancellor of the University

of Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, the governor said the appointment was a demonstration of the state government's resolve to restore the institution to its glorious past.

Amosun urged the council members to justify the confidence reposed in them by bringing their rich pedigree to bear on the institution.

He said: “I want to congratulate you on this appointment but you have to realise the enormity of the

assignment. I expect you to be innovative and adaptive, making bricks without straw, if need be. You must abide by the oath of office and justify the confidence reposed in you by the state government and the good people of the state.

“I have no doubt in my mind that this team will perform creditably well because you all have towering credentials and individual merits which qualify each of you to be

members of this council.

Thus, I want to enjoin you to see this responsibility as a call to service.”

The governor said the contributions of the council members will to a large extent determine the future of the university.

Amosun noted that the state hosts the highest number of higher schools of learning in the country with 10 states, three federal and nine private-owned institutions.

Igbo community lauds Akpabio

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he leadership crisis that has rocked the Igbo community in Akwa Ibom State for more than 15 years has finally been resolved.

Details of the resolution were contained in a document presented to the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, during a courtesy visit to her by the group at Government House, Uyo, yesterday.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Hon. Chief Godian Uzoma, informed the governor’s wife that the Igbos had come a long way in the present Akwa Ibom State, having settled in the area long before the civil war.

He further noted that the civil war had led to the destruction of several assets belonging to the Igbo people, but that because of the peaceful and prosperous climate of the area, Igbo’s came back after the war in 1972 and organised

themselves into an umbrella body to foster peace and progress. Uzoma expressed regret that sometime in 1999, the leadership of the group succumbed to forces of disharmony which led to a protracted crisis within the Igbo Community in the state.

He commended the governor’s wife for allowing God to use her as a pillar of support to the governor in his uncommon transformation of the state, especially the free and compulsory education policy that does not discriminate against non indigenes.

Also speaking, Chief C. Y. C. Ezeumeakuka and Chief Barnabas Nwannewuihe, the former factional leaders of the Igbo Community and the Igbo Union Federated respectively, both praised the governor’s wife for her timely and harmonious role in brokering peace which had eluded the association for so long.

Jang hails traditional institutions Musa Pam Jos

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overnor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has said his administration will continue to accord relevance to traditional institutions in the state.

Jang, who stated this yesterday in Jos, at the installation and presentation of staff of office to the Sum Pyem of Pyem Chiefdom, Chief Da charles Mato Dakat, with a second class honour in Gindiri Mangu Local Government of the state.

The governor said traditional rulers played a significant role in the efforts of government aimed at building a virile society and peace to the state Jang, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Ignatius Longjan, said

traditional rulers were the custodian of traditions and cultures, which made them strong pillars in the moral structure of the society.

Jang, while congratulating the new Sum Pyem on his enthronement, charged him to see himself as the embodiment of unity and peace which were necessary for progress and development.

“You must as the Sum Pyem mobilised your people irrespective of ethnic, religious or political differnce toward building our state and the nation at large,” he said.

The new Sum Pyem appreciated Jang and the Pyem chiefdom for giving him the opportunity to serve and promised to sustain the peace and unity of the chiefdom.

'Don’t lose confidence in Nigeria over Boko Haram onslaught' Cajetan Mmuta

T Benin

he Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Youth and Students Affairs, Mr. Jude Imagwe, yesterday urged Nigerians to rise up against the onslaught of members of the Boko Haram sect out to destabilise the nation.

Imagwe stated this at the Conference of South-South Youths rally organised in support of 2015 presidential ambition of President Jonathan held in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.

He said the challenges of restoring the country to the path of nationhood is daunting but expressed hope and confidence that positive steps have been

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achieved in the key sectors of the economy especially in the aviation, education, agriculture and transportation sectors under the leadership of Goodluck Jonathan.

He urged youths in the country to join in the crusade for the mobilization of support for the government transformation agenda towards the consolidation of the various achievements of the preent administration.

“What the Boko Haram is doing is not targeted at the north or south nor a fight against Muslims or Christians. It is targeted at our identity and citizenship, it is a target against the federal republic of Nigeria, and every one of us must stand up and hold our country with strong faith. We must tell ourselves that enough is enough, because there is no country like Nigeria," he said.

ILORIN Kwara embargoes use of schools for social events

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Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State yesterday announced restriction on the use of public schools in the state for social events.

The governor, who announced the restriction in Ilorin, at a meeting of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPPS), said the measure was part of efforts to beef up security within schools’ premises.

Ahmed, who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Saka Onimago, said: “Anybody who wants to use our schools for any occasion such as parties, marriages or any event must seek and be given government approval.”

26.46

The average age of Netherlands team in the just concluded Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Telegraph.co.uk

5

ETSAKO WEST ENUGU Gully erosion: Community Symposium tasks varsities on capacity building sends SOS to Edo Govt Residents of Afowa-Uzairue in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State have appealed to the Edo State Government to help tackle gully erosion threatening the community.

The President of Afowa Community Development Association, Mr. Jude Hebalumhe, made the appeal in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.

The gully, which is about 10 meters deep, over 50 metres long and about 30 metres wide, has worsened since the beginning of the rainy season.

Participants in the just concluded symposium on climate change research at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), have urged universities to take the lead in building the needed capacity by embarking on education relevant for the changing times.

The call is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the two-day symposium organised by the African Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ACCAI-UNN) and signed by the Director of ACCI-UNN, Prof.

Anthonia Achike.

The participants suggested the inclusion of climate change initiatives in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions curricula so as to build up knowledge required for climate change adaptation.

36.45

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Estonia in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

84.5%

The urban percentage population of Bahamas in 2012.

Source: Un.org

Elumelu commits N2.5bn for distressed Nigerian communities REPRIEVE

A Foundation donates financial assistance to distressed Nigerian communities affected by insurgents.

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ounder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu, has donated N2.5 billion towards revitalising distressed Nigerian communities.

The announcement was made on Thursday at the Presidential fundraising dinner for the Victims Support Fund, an initiative championed by President Goodluck Jonathan, who officially inaugurated the Fund and served as chief fundraiser.

The Victims Support Fund has been set up as

an independent corporate entity under a governing board chaired by General T.Y. Danjuma (rtd.), and Mr. Fola Adeola.

The Fund's primary purpose is to provide assistance to Nigerian communities affected by terrorist activities.

In his remarks, President Jonathan said: “Do not forget the victims of terror and donate generously with cheques, cash, online with credit cards, or via your mobile phone. Every widow's mite will be appreciated.

We cannot deviate from the spirit of good neighbourliness that defines us as Nigerians. The terrorists have succeeded in uniting us as they are enemies of all.”

Elumelu thanked the President for taking the initiative to bring the public and private sectors together to address the problem.

Speaking on the importance of the Victim Support

Fund for Nigeria, Elumelu stated: “It is important that we all do what we can to provide immediate succour and relief to the victims of this senseless terror that has been unleashed on our country. But these tragedies can – and should - provide an opportunity to change the narrative for the good of the victims and our entire Nigerian family.”

Nigerian public and private sector leaders in attendance made a combined N80 billion in donations, further emphasising the unity amongst public and private sector leaders in Nigeria in their objective of providing relief to those who have been victims of terrorism in the country.

Of the N2.5 billion that was committed by Elumelu, N1billion had been contributed immediately to the Victims Relief Fund.

The additional N1.5 bil-

lion that was committed will go towards establishing and endowing a Nigeria Opportunity and Empowerment Fund over the next four years.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation will manage the endowment fund to global and professional standards. These funds will be used to make investments and grants that create opportunities and empower the people in communities around Nigeria that have been ravaged by conflict or where fundamental issues of inclusion have to be addressed such as in the Niger Delta Region.

“We want to show that a dynamic and long-term use of capital can create an enabling environment – supporting a generation of entrepreneurs, who themselves can lift a region and a people onward and upward,” Elumelu said.

L-R: Special Adviser on Media to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Hakeem Bello; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba and Governor Babatunde Fashola, speaking to journalists on the Ebola Virus after his arrival from lesser hajj in Lagos…yesterday

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Hajj: Katsina okays N97m for accommodation N EWS I N BRIEF

The Katsina State Government has approved an additional N97 million for securing befitting accommodation for its pilgrims participating in this year’s hajj.

The state’s Deputy Governor, Alhaji Andullahi Faskari, said this yesterday at Matazu, Matazu Local Government Area of the state.

He spoke at the opening of an enlightenment workshop for this year’s intending pilgrims.

Faskari said the state government had earmarked N15 million for the workshop which would be conducted in the 34 local government areas of the state.

$16,615.9m The capital importation of Nigeria in 2012.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

YENAGOA

UMUAHIA

MATAZU

Deeper Life to hold Abia crusade Aug 12

All is now set for the three-day crusade of the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry worldwide, Pastor William Kumuyi, in Aba, Abia State, in August. The programme is billed for August 12 to 14.

Specifically, special attention is given to security of participants according to the State Overseer of the Church, Pastor Damian Umeh, in addition to God’s presence and security.

The provision of adequate security is part of the measures taken to ensure a hitch-free programme.

1.1%

The population growth rate of Botswana in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

Bayelsa warns contractors against building collapse The Bayelsa State Government yesterday warned contractors handling various building projects in the state against substandard jobs to avert the collapse of such projects.

The state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development, Mr. Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo, issued the warning, while fielding questions from journalists in Yenagoa, on execution of high quality jobs.

He said poor quality projects most often led to the collapse of buildings after their completion.

5,941

The number of pending asylum seekers of Sudan at the beginning of 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Dickson, IYC mourn death of Ijaw musician in auto crash Chris Ejim Yenagoa

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he Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson and the umbrella body of Ijaw youths worldwide, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), were yesterday thrown into mourning following the death of foremost Ijaw music icon, King Robert Ebizimor, in a ghastly road accident along the WarriSapele Road in Delta State.

Ebizimor, according to report, died while returning from Abuja to Bayelsa State to plan a thanksgiving party today in his hometown, Angalabiri in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.

While some claimed that the vehicle he was travelling in rammed into a stationary truck on the side of the road, others claimed he was travelling in his Lexus car and got thrown off balance by a water along the Ori bridge situated along the Warri-Sapele Road.

But his driver was re-

ported to have died along the musician before rescue could reach them.

The music maestro had been bed ridden for months following his lost of a limb to diabetes earlier in the year and had recently returned from hospital in India.

Dickson and the leadership of the Ijaw Youths Council through its spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, while expressing shock over the death of the late Ijaw music icon, said a state burial would be accorded him by the state government.

The governor said Ebizimor’s death came to him with deep shock, sadness and total disbelief, stating that: “King Ebizimor’s untimely death as a calamity and a monumental loss to Bayelsa State, the Ijaw nation and the people of the Niger Delta.”

The governor recalled his personal relationship with the singer, who gave his all to the growth and advancement of culture through his songs and the Ijaw nation.

NANS chides FG over deployment of security operatives in Osun Mojeed Alabi

T L-R: Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufa'i; Managing Director/CEO, Elite Jets, Alhaji Ibrahim Wali and Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, during a condolence visit to el-Rufai over the death of his son, Hamza, in Abuja…yesterday

Ogoni group seeks UN intervention on UNEP’s report ULTIMATUM The Ogoni urge action on the UNEP's report on oil spillage in their communities.

Emmanuel Masha

T

Port Harcourt

he Ogoni Civil Society Platform (OCSP), has pleaded with the United Nations (UN) to prevail on the Federal Government to urgently address the critical human health crisis across the Niger Delta, caused by hydrocarbon/ crude oil pollution The group, which made the call yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State through its convener, Mike Karikpo, accused the Federal Government of not wanting to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) report.

It urged the Federal Government to immediately contract UNEP, set clear for the rigorous

implementation of the recommendations, especially the clean-up of Ogoniland.

OCSP said: “We wish to express our disappointment with President Goodluck Jonathan, over his failure to ensure the immediate implementation of the unambiguous recommendations in the UNEP report on the environmental assessment of Ogoniland.

“Federal Government willingly commissioned UNEP in 2007 for the environmental assessment.

The report was submitted to President Jonathan in August 2011. It is alarming that the committee set up by the President and headed by Petroleum Minister, is yet to hold single meeting.”

The group urged President Goodluck Jonathan to bear in mind that the Ogoni, other communities in the Niger Delta and posterity would hold him responsible for not doing nothing to stop the avoidable deaths in Ogoniland arising from environmental degradation..

It stressed the need for

a site by site assessment of Ogoni’s contaminated groundwater and remediation, and the need to provide clean and healthy drinking water and food for the residents of the heavily-contaminated.

OCSP also called for the setting up of cancer screening centres in Ogoniland.

It added: “The UNEP report states that people of communities in Ogoni

are drinking water from wells that are contaminated with Benzene (which causes cancer), at the levels that are 900 times above the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) guideline. The Nigerian state, Shell and the President have all evinced an intention to ensure that the UNEP report gathers dust and does not see the light of day.

he South West chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D, has flayed the Federal Government over what it described as the deployment of troops in the major cities and towns in Osun State ahead of the state governorship election.

A statement jointly signed by the union’s Assistant General Secretary and the Deputy Coordinators, Oloja Olarewaju and Afolabi Mutiu respectively, advised the Federal Government to stay neutral in the forthcoming poll, saying that attempt to militarise the election posed a big threat to the survival of democracy in Nigeria.

The association also alleges the security operatives of targeting some of the members of its leadership for condemning what it described as excesses of the se-

curity men, which it claimed include indiscriminate and sporadic shooting into the air in major locations in Osogbo, Ile-Ife, among others.

The statement reads: “We are aware of plans by the Federal Government to intimidate the electorate with security men, arrest opposition party members and rig the process through the provision of Mugabetype ballot papers.

“The Federal Government should only perform its statutory functions by providing adequate assistance to the electoral body in order for INEC to be non-partisan in the discharge of its duties.”

The association, however, urged Nigerian students, youth and well-meaning individuals in the state to desist from political thuggery and any act capable of truncating the electoral process, adding that students should vote for integrity, prudence and competence in order to protect their future.

Treat religious houses as sacred, lawmaker tells Nigerians Wale Abiodun

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igerian politicians have been urged to accord certain places the deserved respects no matter the level of desperation to acquire political power.

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Rotimi Makinde, gave this advice during a chat with journalists ahead of the commissioning of the new church he built for victims of the mayhem launched in the city of Ile-Ife preparatory to the 2011 election.

The Cherubum and Seraphim Church located at Isale Agbara, Ile- Ife, Osun State, was allegedly attacked by political thugs when the federal lawmaker's brother Ope who was being pursued decided to seek refuge there.

The husband to the Prophetess, Ope and three others were killed by the thugs that invaded the church. A new church has been completed for the use of members of the church in replacement for the old one that was destroyed and the location is Ondo Road,

Ile- Ife. Makinde, who minced no words in categorising acts of attack on the house of God as sacrilegious, implored participants on the nation's political field to avoid indirect staging of war against God. “Whatever we achieve or attain in this life is ephemeral nobody has lived up to 200 years in the recent times therefore, it would be wrong for someone to get blinded with the pursuits of worldly things and embark on actions that are sacrilegious. We should respect the

houses of God, be it mosque or a church anywhere they are sited for the calling of the name of God should be spared of attack.

Quoting from the Bible, he said: “God said in Chronicles 22:11 ‘Now my son, the Lord be with thee and prosper thou and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee." He said: "It is therefore shocking and disappointing that those who are suppose to build the house not only refused to but engaged in its destructions."

Gaidam expresses shock over Boko Haram attacks

KOKONA LG boss tasks farmers, Fulani herdsmen on peace

l Southern Yobe residents flee to Gombe Hassan Jirgi Damaturu

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obe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, has expressed shock over the two attacks in Katarko and Potiskum towns, where about 13 people were killed and many others seriously injured.

Consequently, the governor has called for increased cooperation by the residents with security agents with more prayers being offered to restore peace in the state and Nigeria in general.

Gaidam, who is currently performing the Umarah (lesser hajj) in Saudi Arabia, said the two attacks were senseless, heinous and barbaric and totally unjustifiable and unIslamic.

He added that it was only by embracing peace, unity and fairness that Nigerians could put the country back on its leadership pedestal and urged them to

embrace the spirit of love, tolerance, forgiveness and brotherhood preached by Islam and other religions.

The governor condoled with families of the victims and prayed Allah to grant eternal repose to those killed and quick recovery to those who sustained injuries.

He also directed that free medical treatment be provided for all the injured until they are discharged from hospital.

Meanwhile, hundreds of residents in the southern part of the state have fled to Ashaka in Gombe and Bauchi states as members of the Boko Haram sect continue to launch attacks in the area.

The New Telegraph reported that the attacks were now extended to Buni Yadi town yesterday, barely an hour after the attacks on Katarko and Gujba local government areas, which left many people dead and over 50 others seriously injured.

APGA stakeholders back Umeh Onah O. Onah Onitsha

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member of the Board of Trustees (BoT), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka , yesterday said that the party’s National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, is sure of senatorial victory as he would emerge the party candidate to contest the Anambra Central Senatorial District.

Disclosing this while commending Umeh for slaughtering two cows for the APGA Muslim members in the state during their recent salah celebration held at Rojenny Tourist Village Oba, Ezeonwuka stated that the Igbo had realised the need to use APGA as a platform to achieve their political ambition.

“Umeh’s senatorial ticket has already been endorsed by APGA trustees, stakeholders and those resident at the Central Senato-

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rial District because they have seen the achievements of APGA right from when former governor Peter Obi was in power and now that Governor Willie Obiano started with flushing out criminals from the state.

“Obiano has intensified the infrastructural development of the state and by the time he will spend one year in office Anambra State will be heaven on earth,” he said.

Ezeonwuka, a patron of the Muslims in the state, said he built a mosque for them at Rommy Tourist village Oba, to give them a sense of belonging, stating that they had found solace in APGA. He said: “I help to make them to be law abiding, some of them are artisans.

Some were born here before the Nigeria/Biafra Civil War and they are not ready to go back to the North. APGA is the only party that can unite the Igbo and project them as better candidate than People Democratic Party (PDP)."

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The Chairman, Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Mr. Musa Namo, yesterday appealed to farmers and Fulani herdsmen in the area to embrace actions that would promote their peaceful coexistence.

Namo made the appeal when he received a delegation of Muslim faithful from Kokona that paid him a courtesy visit in Garaku.

“I want to thank you for the visit and to commend you for living in peace with adherents of other religions; and I urge you to sustain that for the benefit of all.

I call on you to engage in more activities that will strengthen and promote peaceful co-existence among the different ethnic, religious and political groups in the state,” he said.

26%

The percentage of women population above 60 years in Belgium in 2012.

Source: Un.org

OSOGBO Commissioner tasks nursing mothers on mosquito nets

JALINGO Taraba APC chairman restates call for peace

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State, Alhaji Hassan Ardo, has reiterated his call on aggrieved members of the party in the state to join hands with him to build the party.

Ardo, who made the call yesterday in Jalingo while speaking with journalists, said confrontation would not solve the problems in the party.

“I call on all our party members in the state to come together so that we can take the party to greater heights,” he said.

He dispelled rumours making the rounds that there were two factions of APC in the state.

The Osun State Commissioner for Health, Mrs. Temitope Ilori, yesterday advised pregnant women and nursing mothers to use treated mosquito nets to prevent malaria attacks.

Ilori told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Osogbo that they were more susceptible to malaria than the general population.

She said one of the Integral Action Plans of the state government was the restoration of healthy living for all and total control of malaria infection in the state.

“Pregnant women are more likely to become infected, suffer a recurrence, develop severe complications and to die from the disease,” she said.

24,522

The number of refugees in Ukraine at the beginning of 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

7

87%

The percentage of the world’s population that gets its drinking water from improved sources in 2010.

Source: Unesco.org

Strike out APC’s petition against Fayose, INEC tells tribunal ELECTION PETITION Following the refusal of Gov Kayode Fayemi to contest the governorship poll, INEC calls for striking out of case Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to strike out the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

The electoral body said this in its reply to the APC’s petition in AdoEkiti yesterday.

The commission, which is

the third respondents in the petition filed by the APC, averred in the preliminary objection it raised to the petition that the APC had no rights to seek the return of its candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who was not part of the petition.

In the 43-paragraph reply deposed to by its counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), INEC also denied all the allegations levelled by the APC that the election was systematically rigged through electronic means.

It also submitted that the ballot papers were the same model used for previous elections in Nigeria and was not done to favour the PDP as alleged by the APC. The electoral umpire also faulted the allegation of security clampdown on APC leaders, saying no such reports were brought to its notice.

All the INEC electoral officers in the local governments where APC is

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (right), decorating the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, during the inauguration of the council in Abeokuta…yesterday

challenging the results of the election were at the tribunal to sign their affidavit and written depositions before the tribunal's secretary as provided for

by Section 117 subsection 4 of the Evidence Act. Only seven out of the 16 LGs were listed as where the petitioner is contesting the results of the poll.

The seven LGs are: Ikole, Ekiti South-West, Ekiti East,

Ado, Ilejemeje, Oye and Irepodun/Ifelodun.

On the issue of whether or not Fayose attended The Polytechnic, Ibadan, INEC said by the Doctorine of Estopel (Once a case has been decided, the court can't go back to the same issue), the matter had already been decided by the Court of Appeal, Ilorin, Kwara State in Alliance for Democracy (AD) petition against Fayose in 2003.

45 soldiers graduate from Amphibious Training School Clement James Calabar

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he Nigerian Army has continued to bolster its efforts in tackling insurgency in the country as its Amphibious Training School located in Calabar, has graduated another batch of 45 in small boat operation.

The graduation ceremony of the Small Boat Operators Course 34/2014 took place on Friday at the auditorium of the training school.

Speaking at the occasion, the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Obiora Charles Medani, said the army was continuously being repositioned to defend the country’s territory and vowed that the military would soon overcome the current challenge posed

by Boko Haram.

Medani, who was the guest of honour at the occasion, expressed the hope that the graduating students would put into good use

what they had learnt during the three months training.

“With the current security challenge in the country, the military is training its officers and men in various areas to meet the current challenge and I hope those graduating today will take the experience gathered here to their different stations,” Medani said.

He expressed optimism that the training would enhance the capability of the students and appealed to them to be disciplined as they return to their stations to assume further responsibilities.

“I must thank the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh, for ensuring that the Amphibious Training School is given a face-lift and this, I believe, has enhanced your training. I charge you to be disciplined as you return to your stations and ensure that you utilise your knowledge well in furtherance of our mandate to defend the territorial integrity of the country,” the FOC said.

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ETHIOPE WEST

YOLA

‘Sanitation more effective Ribadu urged to contest with adequate equipment’ Adamawa governorship

N EWS I N BRIEF

The Transition Committee Chairman of Ethiope West Local Government Area, Oghara, Delta State, Precious Ajaino, has said the number of equipment, payloaders and trucks in the council will accelerate the removal of debris from the entire council not only on sanitation days but on a daily basis.

Speaking to New Telegraph at his office, the council boss noted that indigenes of the area have not been cooperating with the council to carry out the sanitation of the environment.

He said the lukewarm attitude was not unconnected with dirty habit of the people and lack of awareness on the importance ol living in a clean environment.

12.99m The total male population of Ghana in 2012.

Source: Un.org

POTISKUM Emir donates drugs to bomb blast victims

A group, the Concerned Youth for Good Governance in Adamawa State, has urged a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallan Nuhu Ribadu, to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The group said the call became imperative in order for him to contest for the governorship position on the PDP platform.

Addressing the youths from the 21 local government areas of the state in Yola, the chairman of the forum, Alhaji Ibrahim Isah Toungo, described Ribadu as an alternative to good governance in the state.

The Emir of Fika and Chairman Yobe State Council of Chiefs, Dr. Muhammadu Ibn Abali Idrissa, has donated free drugs for the victims of bomb blast in Potiskum in order to cushion their sufferings.

The monarch, donated the drugs when he paid a visit to the patients at the General Hospital Potiskum, shortly after the bomb blast that claimed 11 lives and injured 35.

“It is very sad development. We are in the state of security challenge. I condemn this attack; it is very barbaric and saddening, we pray God to bring peace, unity and good health for those injured, we also pray that Allah will expose them,” he said.

He described the attack as barbaric and wickedness on humanity, adding that the incident was unfortunate and uncalled for.

57.8%

940,000

The percentage of households with internet access at home in Europe region in 2008.

Source: Itu.int

The number of adults and children estimated to be living with HIV in 2007.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Enang intervenes in community, firm rift over non-payment of compensation TUSSLE Communal conflict arising from failure to meet expected demands aborted Tony Anichebe

T Uyo

he senator representing Akwa Ibom North East and Chairman, Senate Committee on Business Rules and Ethics, Ita Enang, yesterday in Ibiono Ibom, Akwa Ibom State, halted what could have resulted into a bloody clash between a community and contractor over nonpayment of compensation for road construction.

The community, Ididep, which is located in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area had prevented the contractor, SAMI Enterprises Nigerian Limited, from continuing work on the road, alleging that the company refused to pay

compensation and also doing a shoddy job on the road.

The work on the 15kilometre road covering Ikotedok Ikotobong; Ikot Oku: Ididep Usuk; Ntammbat; Ikotekere and Akpautong ldoro was said to have been stopped because of the community’s refusal to allow the contractor pull down houses; economic trees and shrines that were affected by the road construction.

While intervening in the rift, Enang appealed to the community not to resort to violence to express its grievances.

He revealed that the compensation had not been released to the company by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), adding that the money for the project was not enough. He appealed to the Federal Government to increase the contract sum.

“I have heard about the quality of work and the accusation that the company

was overlaying asphalt on the existing one that is bad.

I want to say that this is not one of such roads. I went through the entire stretch of the road when it was cleared and reconstructed.

“I did not see in any of the area that these people have tarred where they put asphalt on existing asphalt which they did not scrap,” he said.

The senator, while pleading with the people to cooperate with the contractor to complete the job and make it ready for President Goodluck Jonathan’s inauguration in his next visit, advised the contractor to relate better with the people to stop their agitations.

The Senator assured the people that contracts would be subleted to the community, while those of them who might wish to work would be employed by the company.

On his part, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ibiono lbom, Mr. Aniekan Ntia,

who spoke on behalf of the community, had said the company did not meet with some of the needs the community presented to them.

He stated that among some of the conditions the community presented to the contractor were youths employment; subletting of some of the jobs to indigenes and reconstruction of some areas of the road to prevent flooding.

He stated that whenever there was rain, there was a massive flooding on some portions of the road which had led to many houses collapsing.

He said: “The contractor has destroyed many crops and property when upgrading the road. After waiting for a long time to hear from the contractor to know if he was still going to pay compensation, but when we did not hear from him, the community rose up to find out if the money had been given to the contractor and they diverted it to some other places."

L-R: Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin; Deputy Governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru and Senator George Sekibo, at the inauguration of 'Stop Kidnapping Campaign', in Port Harcourt…yesterday

‘Itsekiris can’t be intimidated

by Ijaws over EPZ project’ Gabriel Chob Ughelli

F

ollowing the ongoing controversy trailing the naming of a proposed Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Project, a Marine expert, Chief Beck Hitler, has warned that the Itsekiris of Ogidigben will not be allowed to intimidate the Ijaw of Gbaramatu and Ogulagha kingdoms over the naming of the EPZ (Gas City project).

Hilter, who stated this in an interview with the New Telegraph, also warned the Itsekiri groups not to make provocative statements that are capable of instigating communal crisis.

He said: “For the interest of peace, the naming of the proposed Export Processing Zone must reflect the names of Ogidigben, Gbaramatu and Ogulagha to protect the collective interests of all stakeholders in order to avoid communal crisis.”

The Ijaw leader also warned that recent statements credited to Chief Ayiri Emami and some Itsekiri groups were capable of instigating communal crisis in the areas, adding that though such unguarded statements could never stop the people of Gbaramatu and Ogulagha kingdoms from possessing what rightfully belongs to them.

Obiano restricts corpses from other states co n t i n u e d f rom pag e 2

The situation heightened apprehension in the state over the possible presence of the killer virus in the state.

And to reassure its residents, governments of Abia, Oyo, Bayelsa have also hinted that its medical personnel were on red alert to avert any possible outbreak of the disease.

Fielding questions from journalists yesterday in Awka during the eighth annual women’s meeting in the state, Obiano said he had instructed the police in the state to mount stop and search for any vehicle conveying any corpse into the state to ensure that such corpse(s) had certificate stating the cause of their deaths.

He denied media reports that there was a case of Ebola disease in the state, stressing that the corpse of a native of the state brought into the state from Liberia had not been certified to be carrying the virus.

The governor said every action being taken by the state was just precautionary. “There is no Ebola case in Anambra State and by the grace of God there will never be. The rumour about a corpse that was brought from one of the West African countries is still being investigated; but on our own we decided to take precaution, we are getting the proper authorities to confirm that the corpse has Ebola or not.

“As we speak, from preliminary reports we have so far, there is no Ebola incident in Anambra State. I have told the police not to allow any corpse to be brought into Anambra State by road or by air if that corpse does not have certificate as to cause of death, wherever we see a corpse, we stop and find out what killed him/her before going further, it is only a precautionary measure as a responsible government to protect our people,” Obiano said.

In the same vein, Abia State government yester-

day said though no case of Ebola had been reported in any part of the state, the state government had taken proactive measures to contain any possible outbreak of the deadly virus in the state.

Speaking yesterday in Umuahia in commemoration of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, Abia State commissioner for health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah, said part of the measures was the designation of some hospital wards across the state to handle patients with symptoms related to the ailment.

Ogah said the ministry had put all hospitals in the state on alert, adding that though no case of Ebola had been reported in the state, government was not leaving anything to chance as it had also commenced intensive public sensitisation on both the dangers and preventive measures.

Also, the Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, said his administration was working closely with the federal ministry of health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the ministries of health of its neighbouring states to prevent any outbreak of the disease in the state.

The Bayelsa State governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, also said measures have been taken to sensitise the people on the dangers of the virus.

He said the decision was one of the major resolutions reached at the State Executive Council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, the commissioner for health, Dr. Ayibatonye Owei, cautioned against travelling to countries such as Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, where the disease is endemic.

According to Owei, 1,094 cases have been reported in those countries out of which 660 people have died. l Additional reports by Igbeaku Orji, Umuahia and Sola Adeyemo, Ibadan

SEGUN EDWARDS olaedwards@yahoo.com 08111813095

Companies & Stock 2 AUGUST 2014

Seplat’s 49% earnings drop: What next?

S

eplat’s 2014 half-year financial results witnessed a significant near 50 per cent drop in earnings. The result which probably is just a blip considering the reasons given also buttresses the importance of revenue in the company’s results as it navigates through the very critical path of growth in a high risk upstream oil and gas sector.

The company however explained that the results is focused on revenue, operating expenses as well as finance cost.

Profit after tax for the period stands at 24.3 billion ($156m) as against N47.1 billion ($303.3m), in the corresponding period of 2013.

The company’s gross revenue in the period stands at N60.3 billion ($388.2m) as against N65.1 billion ($419.4m) which represents 7 per cent lower than the comparative period in period in year2013.

Crude revenue (after adjusting for changes in lifting) stands at N58.8 billion (US$ 378.6m) in the period, representing 8 per cent decrease from the N64.2 billion (US$ 413.1m) recorded in the corresponding period of 2013, mainly due to 45 days downtime in the review period.

With revenue as critical aspect of the company’s operations, a third party downtime slice off seven percent of the company’s revenue is a huge risk. The company responded that plans are underway to mitigate this risk giving hope that it never occurs again. Nevertheless, revenue needs to be growing at double digits if its current price earning (P.E) ratio of about 13x is to be justified.

Gross profit in the period stands

Austin Avuru... Seplat’s Managing Director

at N38.4 billion (US$247.2m), which represents a one per cent decrease over N38.9 billion (US$250.3m) recorded in same period of 2013. Variance is mainly driven by lower revenue in the period under review due to lifting adjustments over working interest of 302 mbbls. This was partly offset by lower costs of sales as a result of the reduction in crude handling fees by 25 per cent and royalties by

19 per cent. The work-over costs on the existing wells in the period stands atN2.0 billion (US$12.7m), representing a decrease of 56 per cent compared to the figures of the corresponding period of 2013. This decrease was due to a switch from work-overs to development drilling program.

The company’s general and administration expenses increased by N8.5 billion (US$54.6m) during the period, compared to 2013, mainly due to commitment and arrangement fees paid to banks for its new N1.8 billion ($12m) loan facility, higher staff costs due to increase in head count (included in this amount is a onetime payment of IPO bonus to staff. This is in line with the Prospectus of US$5.0m, US$12m, regulatory payment of N2.5 billion (US$14m), which is also a onetime cost that will not re-occur in future periods, costs for the accounting and procurement system change US$7 million (N1.0 billion) and new business development costs for evaluation

International Breweries defends market share to stabilise profit

I

nternational Breweries succeeded in defending its market share in a slowly growing breweries market. The company, which lifted its level of profitability to a new high last year, has defended its improved profit performance in its 2013/14 financial year. The company’s sales revenue attained a new peak after an outstanding growth in the preceding year. After tax profit declined in the year, which can be excused on the irregular accounting period of 15 months for the preceding year.

Its management led by Otunba Michael Daramola, looks t can boost the company’s fortunes having placed it on a platform to compete favourably with the giants in the brewing business. Sales volume and revenue aren’t growing reasonably in the industry generally but International Breweries is seen to be beating the competition.

The company grew sales revenue by 6.4 per cent to N18.49 billion in 2014 over the 15-month figure in the preceding financial year. This is slightly ahead of the 6.3 per cent improvement recorded by Nigerian Breweries year-on-year in 2013.

Guinness Nigeria also recorded only a marginal improvement of 2.1 per cent in sales revenue in 2013 with a drop in sales revenue

9

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

looks likely for the company in its 2013/14 financial year.

International Breweries has achieved a rapid growth in sales revenue in the past five years from about N930 million in 2009 to N17.39 billion in 2013 and further to N18.49 billion in 2014. This indicates a sustained gain in market share over the period and the ability to defend the market share so far.

Two major expenditure elements of the company – cost of sales and marketing/administrative expenses, declined during the financial year but interest expenses claimed much of the revenues saved. Against the increase of 6.4 per cent in sales revenue, cost of sales declined marginally at N9.59

billion. That enabled gross profit to grow well ahead of sales revenue by 15.6 per cent to N8.90 billion during the period. Gross profit margin improved from 44.3 per cent to 48.1 per cent over the review period.

Marketing/administrative expenses also declined by 8.9 per cent to N3.90 billion during the year and therefore represents a reduced share of sales revenue. The decline accounted largely for an expansion of 45.5 per cent in operating profit to N5.01 billion during the year.

Much of the revenues saved in the two expenditure lines that declined were claimed by interest expenses, which soared from only N18 million in the preceding year to more than N1.0 billion in 2014.

of prospect for new ventures.

As it navigates through capacity expansion and growth, it is likely to continue to incur operating expenses which needs to be placated by fascinating revenue growth. It did claim some of the expenses are one time cost but I doubt the company’s opex will remain stable in the near term due to its rapid expansion plans. It will want to attract the best hands, contract lawyers, tax consultants, advisors, etc and these cost money. Depreciation cost and other amortised cost will continue to pose a risk too.

All of these won’t matter much if revenue continues to prosper exponentially.

The company’s total external loans is now N98billion but still under 50 per cent of its net assets as such debt equity structure seem fine. Return on asset of about 18 per cent also provides comfortable debt service coverage for the company. More importantly, the company is cash rich with over N90 billion in the bank and N143 billion in working capital. But all of these doesn’t take away the fact that we are now in an interest risk territory.

Flour Mills year pre-tax profit drops 24.4%

F

lour Mills of Nigeria Plc has recorded a pre-tax profit drop of 24.4 percent in its full-year to March 31, 2013/14.

The company’s profit in the period dropped to N 8.22 billion ($50.94 million), compared with N10.88 billion recorded in the previous year.

Gross earnings however climbed to 332.14 billion naira from 301.94 billion in the same period last year, the company said in a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

The company’s had equally recorded a dip of 0.45 per cent in its 2012/2013 year ended results from N7.76 billion in 2012 to N7.72 billion in 2013, while its profit before tax in the period declined by 5.4 per cent to N11.65 billion in 2013, from N11.80 billion recorded in 2012.

Its turnover however grew by a significant 16 per cent to 301.94 billion in 2013, from N258.26 billion in 2012, while the shareholders fund also rose from N76.65 billion in 2011 to N80.97 billion in 2013.

FCMB Capital Markets emerges lead arranger in Oando, Conoco $1.65bn deal

F

CMB Capital Markets, the investment banking arm of FCMB group has emerged the lead arranger as Oando Energy Resources (OER), the upstream business of Oando Plc, signed the ConocoPhillips acquisition agreement that will make Oando one of the largest indigenous oil and gas companies in Nigeria.

The agreement signing and completion ceremony took place recently in France.

FCMB Capital Markets Limited, a subsidiary of FCMB Group Plc, played the dual role of the Mandated Lead Arranger and Technical Bank, while First City Monument Bank Limited, its sister company, was one of the major lenders in the transaction.

The $1.65 billion deal, which is expected to increase Oando’s crude oil production from about 5,000 barrels per day to 50,000 bpd, was concluded following the satisfaction of all statutory requirements and approval of the Federal Government of Nigeria. “This acquisition satisfies our criteria for assets in production, as well as excellent appraisal and exploration prospects,” Wale Tinubu, Chairman, OER said.

FCMB’s emergence as lead arranger in one of Africa’s largest deals this year, comes as local banks are increasing their investment banking (IB) capacity to handle the most sophisticated deals. Three Nigerian firms –Vetiva Capital Managements Ltd, FCMB Capital Markets and FBN Capital finance, emerged in the top ten lists for Sub-Sahara Africa Equity Capital Markets fee rankings for H1 2013, according to data from Thompson Reuters deals intelligence..

Some signature deals already done by FCMB Capital Markets include acting as Mandated Lead Ar-

ranger Advisors, for Accugas Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seven Energy, on a $225 million Medium Term Project Finance Facility for its Central Processing Facility (CPF) and second gas pipeline project in Akwa Ibom, and sole financial adviser and arranger of a $65 million structured debt finance for a 14 story eco- friendly office complex in Lagos, called The Heritage Place.

The rise of domestic investment banks, unencumbered by memories of the 2009 crash of Nigeria’s capital markets, signals a growing sophistication of Nigeria’s financial services industry, say analysts.

The bank is a member of the FCMB group Plc, which is one of the leading financial services institutions in Nigeria. FCMB Capital Markets Limited is the investment banking advisory arm of FCMB Group Plc, specialising in equity and debt capital raising, mergers and acquisitions advisory and other forms of financial advisory services.

Ladi Balogun... MD, FCMB

What would be your reaction if your parents say you can’t marry your fiance/ fiancee? p.12 NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

Street DIARY NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

2 AUGUST 2014

www.newtelegraphonline.com/streetdiary

Michael Chinobi was not born with disability but he has suceeded to pull himself from the nadir to the top, writes kehinde AIG-IMORU

I

n Nigeria, there are millions of people living with one form of disability or the other. The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, a nongovernmental organisation, says they are about 19 million.

Although some of them use their physical deformity as an excuse to resort to begging, quite a number of them are doing well in their chosen fields.

However, the case of 28-yearold Michael Chinobi appears to be different. He is a bus conductor and he does it in Lagos.

Chinobi says he likes his job because begging is not an option. He interacts with people without a care about his disability. On closer look, it is his ingenuity that carries him through his job though one cannot help but notice that his handicap affects his ability to carry out a job meant for the able-bodied individuals particularly in a place like Lagos. His story is like no other, he had the use of both legs until an accident at 15 left him physically disabled.

It happened in his home state, Abia, while playing football with his friends when one of them stepped on his shin. The accident which occurred in 2001 left him with just the use of a leg; his left leg had to be amputated. According to him, he initially thought it was nothing to worry about but when he got home, he developed an excruciating pain and he had to be rushed to a traditional bone healer who tried to straighten it. Unfortunately, after some days, the leg became rotten and it had to be amputated.

That became the turning point of his life.

“This changed my life. I began to see life differently. I took solace in God but my desire to leave Abia State to seek greener pastures was overwhelming. In 2002, l decided to take the bull by the horn and moved to Lagos. It wasn’t easy but l planned to move on with life,” he says.

In Lagos, a friend assisted him and introduced him to the State Sports Council. He developed interest in discus, javelin and shot-put. “I wanted to prove that l have the ability despite my disability,” he adds.

Chinobi says he was determined that despite his handicap he can still attain great heights. So he dedicated time to sports and working as a bus conductor during the day. In the evenings, he goes to the sports council to train. Though he yearns to return to his first love, football, he admits it is

10

Begging not an option for me – Amputee bus conductor

Chinobi

difficult. At first, he was contended to be involved in other sports and simply watch ablebodied men play football. It never crossed his mind that he could play football again.

He recalls that he was watching able-bodied men play football when someone looked in his direction and asked if he could play football. He hesitated but he summoned up courage and said he could try. Eventually, he joined the physically-disabled team and like they say the rest is history.

What followed were opportunities he never dreamt of. Now,

he is the captain of the amputee football team. This has taken him to some African countries.

He was in Sierra Leone for the West African Nations Cup. He says he has a number of visas

The truth is being a disabled person in Nigeria is difficult if you do not have the resources to take care of yourself

to play in Europe but due to lack of funds and sponsorship he has not been able to travel.

Chinobi says he did not see his disability as an obstacle because his enthusiasm for life is indescribable. He has hope and has dared to dream. Though times were tough, he says he is tougher. “I am playing my part and I have the key. I am giving my life the best despite my pains, handicap and sometimes injustice by fellow men,” he says.

When asked how he summoned the courage to move on with life, he says his belief in God has a tremendous role to play, adding, “my goal is to give everything I do my best.”

He has been a bus conductor for 12 years and “it has not been easy.” Chinobi says he has never fallen while working as a conductor. Again, he sees the hand of God in this because “it’s certainly not easy even for the man with the use of both legs.”

When asked how he is faring in terms of financial reward of working as a conductor and sports man, he admits “these have provided my daily bread and I am contended that I am not a beggar.”

He says he sees himself as “someone who is complete in the eyes of God. So, having one leg is not an excuse for me not to work hard and earn a living.”

The down side, according to him, is the negative reaction some people have towards him.

For him, there is no bitterness or ill-feeling towards such people.

Chinobi says, “I understand there are different kinds of human beings. Some people pity me and wonder how this guy with one leg jumps using the crutches in the bus. Others are neither bothered nor concerned.

“Some have said to me, ‘it’s about time you found something else that would keep you better occupied.’ But I don’t mind such people.”

Though playing football makes him happy, he says he can neither work as a bus conductor nor continue to play football forever. According to him, he has been blessed with skills he wants to utilise. He is happily married and looks forward to having a family in the nearest future. His father and sisters live in Abia State, adding “I lost my mother many years ago.”

When asked if the disabled people association has been able to assist him, Chinobi says “it’s always about money. I really do not know what goes on there in high places. The truth is being a disabled person in Nigeria is difficult if you do not have the resources to take care of yourself. Besides, it is our national anthem that even if we are suffering, we pretend that we are not. Disability or no disability our country is facing hardship.

Each day I wake up I thank God I am living, breathing, moving around and able to hustle.

“If I had the opportunity to meet President Goodluck Jonathan or even Governor Babatunde Fashola, I would simply say to either of them, do the right thing, and do good things for disabled persons because I know that some are worse off.

With just one leg I know what I am passing through. The most important thing is to give these people what they want because they deserve it and they need it.”

On what December 3, the day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate people living with disability meant to him, he responds, “I don’t know. When we are invited to those events, it is about eating food. We are not hungry; we need a source of livelihood, and we need to move around without problems. I could go on and on. As a person, my number one goal is to start a business hoping to get enough funds to start.”

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

Cajetan Mmuta Benin

T

he axiom that ‘what a man can, a woman can do even better’ seems true in our society that with women proving that apart from being the pillars of the home they have also shown they are major contributors in development and key drivers behind the wheel of growth of any nation.

This fact was aptly demonstrated two weeks ago at Eyean community in Uhunmwonde council area of Edo State when about 25 ladies distinguished themselves and showed their quintessential quality, class and innate abilities in skill acquisition and proficiency in mechanical engineering.

The event was the graduation ceremony of the second batch of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Plc/Lady Mechanics Initiative with the 25 lady mechanics drawn from different states, including Edo State, the host state of the programme.

The initiative is a partnership programme designed for training of young girls and ladies who are dropouts or have no means of livelihood as well as indigents but are willing and courageous enough to undergo the three years training programme to acquire the pre-requisite skills that would ensure them a decent means of livelihood.

The ceremony was a colourful one with the First Lady, Patience Jonathan Goodluck, leading the pack of people of distinguished nature from the businesses and industries as well as the government and political circles. The First Lady also used the occasion to formally launch the Africa’s first female auto mechanics villa in the expansive land donated for the purpose by the Enogie of Eyean community.

For the newly-trained women mechanics, it was not just a milestone but a moment of joy and gratitude to God as they each enthralled the crowd with their telling and moving testimonies. Getting to this point was a tortuous road for many of them and their encourage to turn a new leaf were applauded and appreciated by the people.

Each of them went home with a fully-equipped tool box while some of the attendees admonished them to remain on the part of sanctity and put into good use the skills and knowledge that they have acquired during their training. They were also encouraged to set out on their own and not wait to be employed by others thereby reducing the unemployment level in the land.

Report has it that about 300 ladies who have passed through the programme are currently living and working in various parts of the world and the country while about 80 per cent of the trainees are gainfully employed by reputable national and multinational companies and others are self employed.

Speaking at the event, the First Lady said the skills acquisition and empowerment programme would enable women to contribute their quota towards national development, describing the initiative as a viable asset for promoting peace and education.

She emphasised that the programme would further serve as an avenue to further enhance the potential of women as drivers of growth and pillars of development in the country. The First Lady, who

STREET DIARY

e t a u d a r g I M L , a l o C a c o C / C B N o d E n i s c i n a h 25 lady mec

A guebor-

was represented by a director in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, said the initiative was in line with the transformation agenda of the federal government and one that had opened the path in the desire by the women for higher positions.

Furthermore, she added that the federal government had in recent time encouraged women to rise to higher positions of trust and authorities like their male counterpart in various fields of human endeavours and nation building. She urged them not to relent in their effort at be productive and relevant to their homes and society.

She said, the initiative “offers a transformation approach that is gender sensitive by challenging gender stereotypes. The federal government is proud to be associated with the great strides of LMI through the support provided by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for the training of some of the trainees of the centre and other similar programmes.’’

The First Lady expressed appreciation to the accredited nongovernmental organisation, LMI, which at the moment operates in five states of Lagos, Edo, Kaduna, Abuja and Kano and has so far trained more than 200 ladies as auto mechanics, drivers, generator technicians, water pump and speed boat mechanics in the country.

Mrs. Jonathan described the initiator of the programme as a visionary and commended her for the giant strides aimed at repositioning the society for a better tomorrow, stressing that there was an urgent need for women to attain economic independence in the control of human capital develop-

ment.

“It is imperative that we continue to strategise on ways to actualise economic independence for our women. Economic independence is an essential dimension of women’s empowerment.

It improves their access to and control of resources and promotes increased investment in human capital which in turn improves children’s health, nutrition, education and future growth.

The chief executive of the NBC/ Lady Mechanics Initiative, Mrs. Sandra Aguebor-Ekperuah, said the graduating students were the second batch in the series, which is a partnership her organisation entered with the NBC in December 2009 to empower, “disadvantaged young women living in Edo State towards employability and entrepreneurship through the acquisition of auto-mechanic skills.”

Aguebor-Ekperuah said that in 2013, 47 female mechanics had graduated under the partnership.

She stated that the body had received several requests from autofirms in Europe and the USA to employ the services of products of the body.

The idea to start the initiative which regularly scouts for interested females in communities outreach in the different parts of the state and the country, she said, started when she had a dream at age 13 where she was repairing a car.

Economic independence is an essential dimension of women’s empowerment

She added that the dream only became a reality when she trained as the nation’s first Lady mechanic and went on to set up the initiative in 2003, “to catalyse the socio-economic empowerment of women through skills acquisition and behaviour modification training for young girls and women.” The Managing Director of NBC, Mr. Ben Langart, said the partnership with the LMI was, “to identify and recruit 100 disadvantaged and deprived women, rehabilitate them and show them the benefit of learning a trade and living a positive life based on commitment and hard work.”

Langart commended the Edo State government for the invaluable support given the NBC’s investment programmes, pointing out that the company placed high value on women development while he lauded Mrs. AgueborEkperuah for her foresight and commitment, which had translated into a remarkable partnership.

The Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa, in his remarks urged the young mechanics to show themselves as worthy ambassadors of Nigeria and their families with a proof that ‘what a man can do a woman can do even better.’ The monarch who was represented at the occasion by the Enogie of Eyean, Osazuwa Aiwerioghene Iduriase, said he was proud of the ladies and pledged to assist the initiator of the LMI any time the need arises.

On his part, Governor Adams Oshiomhole who was represented by the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Orobosa Omo-Ojo, said the state was proud to have the initiator of the LMI as an indigene at a time the state was coming out of the dark years where females who had travelled to Europe in the past for unworthy ventures were deported.

He said government was proud

h with Ekperua

11

the grad

u an d s

o f the NBC for the enormous task to invest in the young Nigerian girls and efforts at repositioning the society. He thanked Coca Cola for its friendly investment in the state and for adding value to the lives of people of the state through its numerous products. He also tasked other participants in the private sector to key into the state government’s policy of revamping the state through its massive development strides in road construction, provision of electricity, guaranteed security, urban renewal programme in the beautification of city centres and other people Oriented programmes.

The governor challenged the lady mechanics to take their new profession with the needed seriousness and as “a springboard to launching themselves into greater potential for growth and development of their families and the society wherever they are. “This is a productive venture that adds value to the lives of citizens of the state,” he said.

Three of the graduates emerged tops in the batch during the ceremony, they were Miss Osarulyi Joy, Miss Okpoto Sarah and Miss Johnson Blessing. Twenty-three year-old Johnson Blessing said that she dropped out of Idia College, Benin City, because her mother could not pay her final Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations registration fees following a protracted ailment suffered by her brother.

She said, “I am proud to be a mechanic. I now own a workshop in Abuja and am happy because now I can make enough money to pay my brother’s school fees and take care of my mother.” Blessing pledged to continue in the footsteps of her mentor, Aguebor-Ekperuah, by setting up her personal workshop in any part of the country with a view to training more women and girls so that, “they can shun prostitution and other vices.”

12

Voices

Street Diary

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

What would be your reaction if your parents say you can’t marry your fiance/fiancee?

I will plead with them I will plead with them and make them understand things. If my plea fails, I would invite some elders in the family to come to my rescue.

(Ayomide Akinboye, banker) I will remain single if they refuse my choice I'll remain single if they refuse my choice, and after spending a longer time in their house, they will be forced to let me go. I just can't imagine how infuriated I'll be. I didn't make their choice for them, so they should not chose for me too.

(Ijeoma Opara, journalist) I am not really sure about what to do They can't even say that in the first place because I didn't make a choice for them. I am not really sure about what to do if it happens, but there must be a solution.

(Remi Odunsi, student) I will have to convince them Well, I will do all my best to try to convince them because they are my parents and we need their blessing.

(Akin Omole, works in a PR firm) I will abide by their decision If my parents won't agree with whoever I want to get married to, I will have to halt my plans. I will be unhappy because they are taking away my joy but I will obey them, even the bible says we should obey our parents. It was one of the commandments given to us. That will be my reaction.

(Shola Jumoke, NYSC Member)

I will stand my ground To be assertive, that is the only solution to this kind of problem, stand up for what is right. But I will be disappointed if this kind of issue happens to me. My parents should know that situations like this are to be treated with care and patience.

(Shobowale Temitope, computer technologist) I can’t disobey my parents Parents are always right and they must have their reasons. If persuaded they will let you know why. I don't think I can disobey my parents in such a matter because I have seen some examples with its consequences. Youths have to be careful with marriage issues. Beauty will fade one day, money might go, that is when you will now know if this person who claims to love you really does!

(Prince Williams, NYSC member) If I can’t persuade them, I will run away with him That will be sad but I will try to persuade them and if they refuse then I will run away with him, because it is not easy as they think to start l o o k i n g for another man who will love me that much. I don't think I can bear it!

(Peace Awoleye, student) I will pray for their understanding It might lead to depression though but I will pray to God Almighty to give my parents understanding on how to handle the matter. But if they insist then I will leave him because I don't have to disobey my parents.

(Nkem Ulebo, student)

They must convince me There must be a concrete reason for such a stand. My parents must be able to convince me and back it up with proof.

(Tunji Onafuye, entrepreneur) I will let them know what I want My parents don't have that right to make such decision for me but they can advise me and let me make my own decision.

I will not even have it at all because I won't agree to any kind of pushing me to do what they want me to do. It is not right. I will be straight with them and tell them what I want.

(Sylvanus Ego, hair stylist) I won’t disobey my parents There is nothing like love, it is the money.

Why should I disobey my parents because of someone who may desert me if any problem arises. Nowadays ladies don't even know what love is because they go for the money. Besides, if there is a problem, it is my family that I will run to who will console and pray for me. So I will obey my parents.

(Otupkor Francis, civil servant) I will be patient and abide by their decision I will agree because they are my parents.

Situations like these can only cause conflicts in the family. So in order to allow peace to reign I will abide by their decision.

One has to be patient, they might have their reason for disapproving.

(Nwanaka Iyeumame, teacher) compiled by

OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, victoria ewoh, AND GLORY TITTY

Instyle

Flat shoes for women can be worn with just about anything p.16

Travel

It’s a seaview wonder at Radisson Blu Anchorage p.39

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13

C o n v e r s at i o n

OKASILI

Jude Okasili I dream to build a furniture village INTEGRATING ARCHITECTURE WITH corners in a commercial building like a hotel Jude Okasili, the CEO of Multiyork Group, a fast growing Lagos FURNITURE AND JOINERY WORKS for instance. You’re not supposed to have We started to expand our business double windows, one window is the ideal firm with interest in furniture, architecture and real estate played because we discovered that most of the thing, but most times the hotel buildings are host to LANRE ODUKOYA at his head office on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, time the designs that the designs people looking like private homes. From experiget for their structures don’t conform ence of what we have studied, when you where he spoke about the challenges of being an entrepreneur. hundred percent with what our designs site a hotel from anywhere, you don’t need to be told that that’s a hotel structure. From will be when doing the finishing. So, most times we have conflicts when we come into a site and discover that certain things are the design you should know because you are not supposed to find double windows not positioned the way they should be. To make it easier, we try to do more of consulta- at the four corners. Most people don’t know the designs and these are the things we’re tion and architectural work- redesigning and then advise our clients. In doing that, we bringing in for our clients. discovered that it makes it much easier and we can also do the architectural work if we find them to do. We design buildings and even go into the development of the structure OUR BUSINESS TRANSITION Our business started growing from the sales of generators, heavy-duty generators. We because if we do total package; we deliver what our dream is in totality. For example, you’d find in commercial architecture, one is doing a structure like a hotel and lots of started by selling to developers, people who are building new homes and commercial buildpeople don’t know where the head boards should be, the position for the TV walls or ings. That was how we started to raise funds for this project. From there we were able to wardrobe positions in a room. We come in there and put our own bits to make it be the raise funds to set up the furniture company, harmonise the developers and sell them good way it should be other than breaking the bricks when you already have the structure furniture for their works and good generator sets for their buildings. As you know, in Nigeria, standing. Breaking and restructuring of course give you rough work and costs the clients you hardly find a new building without a new generator to power it. After letting people more money. When you break and try to restructure, you don’t get the same thing as know that we could get them all the furniture for their homes and commercial structures, when you begin it from the scratch - the straight lines and details will not be perfectly we rose to the point where we now consult for our clients based on the challenges we started achieved. That’s why we love to start it from the flop land, the design level and follow seeing. I have architectural knowledge already and why will I sit down when every time it up to make sure that no doors are hitting end walls, because the beauty of a door is we do a project we have problems? We don’t have the kind of finishing we would expect at when you have it properly centred. This is because the beauty of it all is when you see the end of the day. So, what we do is the consultation for our clients, we can work with you the beauty going right over the door. You’d also find situations where you have dead

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14

WEEKEND | CONVERSATION

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

‘Our artisans have dropped their skills for okada and tricycles’ CONTINUED FROM PAG E 1 3

or your architect if need be or if you want us to redesign for you and advise. And if you also wish to give us the job from the scratch to develop, we do that as well. It’s a lot much easier for us to give a total package which is far cheaper because we sometimes run into certain structures so huge that we wouldn’t be able to break any part because of the magnitude of structural defects.

“People build what they like and how they like it once they get a waiver from the same agency.”

RESTING THE HOSPITALITY BUSINESS In the mean time, we have rested our hospitality business focus because of the way the country is now. We still want to do that, we want to continue but you need to be able to develop your structure properly and be sure that you grow people who can do the same thing even though they can’t function hundred percent like you and have them around the business because you cannot do everything. It is because we’re still growing the current stage of our business, we want to concentrate more on it, and develop gradually. Already I’m under so much pressure as a result of the workload. There’s so much time needed and so much to deliver and these things barely leave me any time for several other things that I used to do. We are having bigger projects that are more time consuming and I’m more involved in them. I want to keep my clients as healthy as possible.

INFLUX OF CHINESE FURNITURE Well, I always say that, in every business the most important thing is to create a niche for yourself. If you have people who understand what you do and appreciate the quality of what you do, that’s good enough. As much as the Chinese furniture is flooding the Nigerian market, it comes and goes. You only have to try it once and you don’t have to go back there. So, we are always there waiting for you when you repent. The Chinese furniture are not tested and trusted. You have to test and when you cannot trust, you would have to opt for another option. Of course, as you know, business has a lot of challenges and competitions, but sometimes the competition is very good because it make you sit tight, buckle up and build more confidence in what you are doing.

We are enjoying the fact that there is competition in the industry because you have to do the best of what you know how to do. Yes, you have to continually look for innovative means to better the business and the quality that goes into your products because we know that the Asian importers are around and are much cheaper and look pretty good. But we cannot count on their durability as a matter of fact. So, if you test and after a couple of years, you can’t find what you want, the Americans call that ‘Lemon’. When you find out that all you’ve got is lemon, you’d fall back to people like us who are here to stay. In the industry, you consider people who are reliable and are not quick to run out of business and here to stay. So when you have challenges they will always be there to fall back on and accept whatever goes wrong- the returns, damages and replacements all of which we are open to. We are here to stay and keep the business going and we are not in business just for money making.

GOVERNMENT’S POLICY ON FURNITURE BUSINESS I’m particularly not happy with the government because the policies are getting stiffer by the day and for local manufacturers like us, we don’t get any support from the government. The duties for importation of raw materials have gone so high and I also understand that they are looking at opening the market for furniture to be imported, though it will be at hundred per-

OKASILI

cent duty.

But when you look at it, how do you encourage development in the country if you open up the borders for people to import? Even at hundred percent duty you are not encouraging development in the country because Nigeria is supposed to be a developing nation. But the way we are going, we have like an under-developed nation which means that we have no capacity on our own to produce anything. So, a thing as small as furniture, we cannot even produce for the Nigerian market. What happens to the skilled workers, the people that we employ when you open up the borders and expect people to bring in furniture flooding the market? Who are the skilled workers going to work for? How do they better their lives and that of their families? Most of these skilled workers are people who do not have the privilege to be educated and they’ve been able to acquire a skill which put them in a position to be able to earn a living. So, now if you take them off business and livelihood, what happens to them? They’d resort to motorcycle and tricycle riding because that’s a faster way of making money- same old story. Most of the bike and tricycle riders were artisans who found a cheaper way of making money and dropped their real skills.

THE PLACE OF STANDARD ORGANISATION OF NIGERIA As far I’m concerned, I do not think that there’s any standard quality control body whose standard quality control works I’m satisfied with. You find out that people build what they like and how they like it once they get a waiver from the same agency. There is no control. People do what they want to do.

If they are controlled, there are certain things you won’t find in this country. If they’re controlled, you won’t find those guys hawking some ugly-looking stools. That’s like throwing your money away because you can’t put things on them for more than a few daysthey’ve packed up. And people are selling these same things to be furniture. Then the lay man who doesn’t know buys this thing and takes home. It becomes another junk in his home because he won’t be able to use them. You buy the so-called shoe racks on the street and can’t use them for long. So where is the quality control? These things go through the Nigerian borders, specifically through our customs. These are the problems. Most of these things can be developed here. The government should encourage people; there are lots of people who are doing this same importation that can also use the same money to set up industries here.

Set up small scale factories, train and employ people and then people become more useful to themselves. That way the economy can develop.

CHALLENGES OF PROCESSING LOCAL TIMBER It’s actually not that Nigeria doesn’t have quality timber. A lot of people ask me, why do you import timbers? Nigeria has a lot of timbers, but these timbers that we have, how many local companies, individuals, government agencies can set up a proper processing factory like the way we used to have in those days with ST&P in Sapele, the Sapele Plywood Company?

That used to be one of the best in those days. I think it used to be a property of one of those government agencies, but today it’s gone. So, there’s a process of production for the furniture industry which is not just about timber that you find in the forest. The process is very wide. In the plywood industry, one factory can employ 5,000 workers or more. Where I do

business, they have over 20,000 workers in that factory because it’s a long chain of process. It starts from the sourcing of the timber from Nigeria, Congo, Liberia and all over Africa and the rest of the world. We’re speaking here of different species of timber and they are sent back to Europe and they first process them by logging. It’s such a long process before you can even arrive at getting the board. The truth of the matter is that without the board there’s no furniture.

You need the board which comes from the timber. We have such factory here which is Omo Wood from WEMPCO Group which are doing similar thing as plywood manufacturing. But what quality of plywood are they manufacturing? Are they considering the end user or are they just producing for commercial market they need to sell? So, if we have to go by what standard of plywood or boards are being used in Nigeria, is cannot use them because their quality are too low. That’s the same quality everybody is running from. That’s why people run to the imported furniture because that’s the quality that Nigeria will produce for you.

That’s the quality that termites will infest, the same that will bring out dust in your home. That’s all they can give you. The country is not encouraging people who have the capacity to invest in furniture that will be of ISO standard. There is no standard here and what do people like me do? I have no choice but to import these timbers from abroad to keep my business going.

THE HEIGHT OF MY DREAM If there’s no vision, there can’t be hope.

And I cannot move from point A to B or where I am today. In the business, there are lots of frustrations, challenges and the only thing that keeps me going is the vision. I’m looking at somewhere and I know there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

The vision for me is to be able to create a business empire where you can house and employ a vast number of people. I’m dreaming of building a furniture village where the workers will be comfortable because they have work and housing in the same place. When I get to that point, I will be able to pass my business to the next generation because it has become a legacy. I am not looking at the business to do for a short time.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

Twist and rock the Oleku outfits T

Angela Davies

he oleku twist outfits are in vogue and women who love and follow fashion are seriously embracing the style and getting inventive with it.

The Oleku twist wrap dress and the Oleku blouse and wrapper have both been retooled to give that contemporary feel. However, the Oleku twist wrap dress features a wrap detail which you twist, tie and make a nice bow at the back to suit your style. It flatters all body types and is a wardrobe must have.

Meanwhile the good old Oleku style popular among Yoruba women is no longer tied as short as it once used to be today. Although it still consists of a blouse and wrapper, it is twisted and tied in longer lengths to one’s taste. All you have to do to wear this style is to twist the wrapper and tie to suit your persona and event.

These striking outfits could be made with fabrics like silk, satin, chiffon, print depending on individual style preference. You could also mix and match fabrics to stand out. Then dress up your outfit with pretty stiletto heels or dress it down with embellished flat sandals depending on the occasion.

The length of the wrapper depends on how you want it. However, it could be midi or as long as you want. The blouse neckline features mainly the cowl neckline and round neckline. When it comes to the blouse sleeve, you could opt for the short, three quarter or even a long sleeve depending on your style.

These glamorous, timeless fashion pieces which give an accentuated waistline is rocked by celebrities in different fabrics and colours for that sophisticated and classy look to various events. It is perfect for red carpet events, weddings, church, dinner and fashion shows.

Steps to twist the Oleku wrapper

• Hold the wrap around your waist and gather in front with the top ends of the wrap in each hand.

• M a k e sure your legs are a little bit apart say about an inch or two.

• Take the right hand with the fabric and move it over the left hand of the fabric, twist and repeat.

• Pull until it is nice and fitted around the waist.

• Then take it behind you, tie neatly and tuck-in.

• If you don’t want to tuck-in the loose ends and it is not too length, you could make a nice little bow behind or leave them hanging.

INSTYLE

15

Colours are everything Simplicity and bright colours do not sound like compatible terms. But modish media executive, Ronke Ashiru, always seems to find a blend that enthrals, writes ANGELA DAVIES. Define your style My style is calm, simple and sexy.

What determines the kind of outfit you wear?

It depends on my mood and the event. There are days that I have to attend two events so what I do is to wear an outfit that will suit both occasions. However, I accessorize differently. I change my earrings and shoes that will still complement my outfit for the second event.

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

It is simple gowns but mostly with a touch of red, deep pink or something a bit bright. I love simplicity but I love colours. I play with colours that go with my skin tone and my age as well.

Attires you would rarely ever wear That will be jumper top. I have seen women wear it and I don’t think it looks attractive on majorly all of them.

Fashion accessory you cannot do without Black eye pencil because it brightens my eyes.

Signature perfume I love Elizabeth Arden. The fragrance is fascinating. One thing about perfume is that it has a way of showing in your persona.

Best designer Locally, I like Gravido fashion and Needlekraft Couture and internationally, I like Versace.

Best colour I have lots of colours I like.

How do you maintain your dreads?

I wash, lock and use normal hair cream and then style the way I want.

What kind of shoes do you love to wear?

I love to wear shoes with heels not higher than three inches and comfortable.

How do you love your makeup?

I love my makeup simple but it should shine.

I just use my powder, liner and lipstick. But when I am going on air, I use blush, eye shadow and other makeup.

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

Earrings because I love earrings and most ladies will not go out without putting on Ashiru their earrings.

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

Accessories to live for

Versatile flat shoes

Facts Fatima Aliyu Garba is the chief executive director of the House of Farrah. She gave up being a lawyer and an IT consultant to embrace her childhood dream and passion for the world of fashion. Her journey into the fashion business started in 2004.

Flat shoes for women are extremely versatile. You can wear these comfortable and chic accessories with just about anything and they will transform your outfit, writes ANGELA DAVIES.

F

lat shoes are versatile and smart alternative to heels as they could be worn with everything from skirts, dress and trouser to jeans with a beautiful top. Whether it is to work, or a night out with friends, you cannot go wrong with a stylish pair of flat shoes. They are shoes that will keep you comfortable from morning to evening.

Every woman should have flats in her wardrobe. Flat shoes if worn correctly, could be as stylish and fun as their high-heeled counterparts. Although heels gives poise and elegance, many working class ladies prefer to wear flat

shoes or carry it as a support because with flats your feet will feel comfortable and relaxed.

However, since flats are not as dynamic as high-heels, aside looking for current styles, it is advisable to look for flats with little extra like flats in chic colours, timeless designs, lush materials and shapes to help jazz up your look. Also details like buckles, straps, gems or bows can also add a lot of interest to a pair of flats, although it is worthy of note not to go overboard with embellishments.

So, whether you are short, tall or somewhere in between, you should give your feet a break once in a while and slip into a pair of comfortable flats that high heels will never beat.

The obsession for collecting high-heeled footwear is called Altocalciphilia.

The first miniskirt was unveiled by designer AndrĂŠ Courreges in 1965.

It ended a modest four inches above the knee.

New York City-based fashion designer Michael Kors began designing when he was just five years old. He designed his mother’s wedding dress for her second wedding.

FASHION ETIQUETTE

Just clutch it

A BEAUTY

E

Five fruits for a glowing skin

ating plenty of fruits will make your skin healthier, rejuvenated and more radiant. They also make your skin feel and look better. So to make your skin glow and give that youthful look, below are five fruits you should eat.

Pawpaw: Papaya as it is also called is a fruit rich in antioxidants and contains a special enzyme called papain that can kill dead cells and cure skin impurities.

You should eat papaya regularly and even mash it and apply on your skin for a youthful glow.

Apple: Apples contain lots of elastin and collagen that help keep the skin young. It also contains high fibre that helps to clean out the colon and promotes regular bowel movements, hence promoting clear pimple-free skin.

Banana: Bananas contains various skin-healthy nutrients such as Vitamin A, B, and E. It also contains a high level of potassium, which helps to moisturises and hydrates the skin, making it look fuller, more supple and youthful. The nutrients in bananas work to maintain the elasticity of the skin, moisturise dry flaky skin, prevent premature aging and wrinkles, soften and rejuvenate skin.

Lemon: Lemon contains vitamin C. For a beautiful skin, drink a warm glass of honey and lemon water every morning on an empty stomach. This helps to cleanse the skin and give you glowing skin. They also deep cleanse the skin by breaking down any dirt clogging the pores.

Pineapple: Pineapple hydrates and softens the skin from the inside out and lightens blemishes, resulting in clearer looking skin. Using pineapple juice will help clear off dead skin and reveal beautiful glowing skin.

Every woman deserves a healthier and glowing skin. So, you can start today.

s an elegantly dressed woman, how do you think other women would look at you when you walk into the venue of that special evening event carrying a heavy shoulder bag?

Of course, they will be stunned, thus, making you feel uncomfortable and out of place.

So, the perfect bag for special evening events should be the clutch. Aside the fact that a clutch will complement your evening dress, it will not squeeze, wrinkle or mess up your lovely elegant outfit since it is held in hand.

Although there are some cute small bags which you can easily carry by simply removing the strap, however, clutch is the perfect bag for the evening. So, just clutch it.

SHOWBIZ

Saidi Balogun On new film and failed marriage p.18 Omotunde Ogundimu Yoruba actress down with fibroid p.18

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'Odun Yi has been a blessing to me' How has it been?

I have been running around lately. I have not been in my house close to two weeks now. We have been going from one event to another and we still have to prepare for two different trips outside the country. We are making a new single and video too. It is really a whole lot of work and I just have to double up my effort.

What was it like being an unknown artiste?

Back then alI we wanted was just to be on the TV; we just wanted to be famous. But be careful what you ask for; right now we are famous and we have at least achieved some things. But we now know that it is not all about being famous. Many things come with fame but we thank God we are battling with it. You need to make money for yourself, the future and your family.

How would you describe your adventure with Kennis Music?

Well, it is a stepping stone for me, but it is now my past. I have my own record label now, Next World Music, and I am the only artiste under the label at present.

We aim to project the content and what Jaywon stands for. We would try to get the best out of my videos and records and to take the whole thing to the next level. It is not easy, but we thank God everything is happening so fast. We are just trying to work hard and do our own part.

How would you describe your music?

I call my style African music. For me I cannot say I do rhythm and blues or hiphop. My music is African music and it has a whole lot to do with juju and highlife.

Can you tell us more about the single you are releasing soon?

The title of the song is From Anambra and it has a feel of highlife. Apart from the song, you should also be expecting other singles soon. The song just got my attention suddenly one day. I met a girl and I was astonished about her look and other qualities. I later found out that she hailed from Anambra. The song is a bit different from all the songs I had done. It has a feel of hip-hop and highlife. The single and the video will come out in two weeks time by the grace of God. Do you have a favourite track?

It is a blessing when you do a song that you can perform every year.

One of my songs, Odun Yi, is that kind of song and it is a blessing to my life. A lot of people might not know, but the song is one of the greatest songs that has been produced in this country. My song has been on almost all the top charts for the past two years. I really thank God for giving

Nigerian singer, Iledare Oluwajuwonlo James, better known by the moniker, Jaywon, barely needs any introduction since the release of the hit song, Odun Yi. He reflects on quitting Kennis Music, the label that helped launch his career, and owning a record label. Jaywon spoke with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS me such a song. I thank God for my life and the lives of people who kept believing in my ability.

What inspired the song?

It is one of those songs you sing when you really need a change in your life. It has a whole lot to do with my career, myself and life generally. I just wanted to do something different at a point; I was tired of doing the same thing every time. File Be is also a great song and a lot of people still relate with it to date. But I would pick Odun Yi as my favourite so far because of the circumstances that led to the song.

How do you get inspiration for your songs generally?

I cannot really say.

I get it from God, everything that happened around me and while sleeping too. I even get inspiration from the Bible. I don't discard the possibilities of being inspired by anything because it can come from where you can never think of. It can come from my mum, driver, friends etc.

Are you satisfied with music

development in Nigeria?

I am not okay with the industry, but I know we are getting close. We would get there someday. A lot of artistes cannot do live and I don't blame them because most of them are opportunists. If you cannot perform live you should not be an artiste. Music in Nigeria is not the way it ought to be. And if the music is not in you, such person will not last for long. I don't do music because I need to make all the money in the world.

I cannot say I don't need the money, but I do music because I love it and it makes me happy. Once I am holding the microphone, I don't think of anything else regardless of what it could be.

What are the challenges?

Everyone will tell you it is money because you need to shoot the best videos and you need massive promotion for them. Even as a known person, people who love you might play your work but not the way you want it.

What would you settle for between music and marriage?

If your wife does not like what you do, then you married the wrong lady. She must love what you are do-

Jaywon...says the best gift parents could give their children is encouraging them in anything they do

ing because it puts food on your table. Music is not just a career; it is the life you live.

For some of us, when there is no music in our lives, we are sad. So, if your wife asked you to stop doing music, it means she wants you to be sad for the rest of your life. For me, music is my life and I will always love the women who love my way of life.

Was music what you have always wanted to do?

I have always wanted to be a musician, though my mother had another idea. She wanted me to be an accountant. But after I had my diploma, I went into music full time. They didn't support me at a point, but when they realised that I was not getting young anymore and I have a say to whatever I wanted to be, they had no choice.

What would you say to parents who are insistent on career choice for their children?

The best gift you can give to your children is to encourage them in anything they do. You can encourage them to go to school or obtain a certificate, but do not stop them from doing what they love because it is like you want them to be sad for the rest of their lives. It is like when your mother tells you not to marry a girl because of her tribe and wants you to marry a girl you don't love.

And when you marry a girl you don't love, It is very possible that the marriage will crash someday. What you should do is to encourage what they do and influence what you want them to be too. It balances things that way. If your daughter wants to sing, encourage her and it doesn't stop her from doing what you want her to do. She even tends to concentrate more since you have been encouraging and it is normal that she loves you more. Once a child is into music it is hard for the music to leave him or her.

What turns you off about people?

I hate people who lie a lot. I hate fake people too.

How do love to be remembered I want to be remembered as that positive guy who made good and evergreen songs.

What's your advice for younger artistes?

They should stay focused, double up and be prayerful. I am also hoping to sign more artistes subsequently to help nurture talents. We are still taking our time because a lot of the young artistes out there are angry, hungry and desperate. They are ready to sign any deal, but once their eyes are opened to the world, it would not be easy anymore. It is one of the reasons you see artistes having issues with their record labels. I wish I would not even sign anyone; I wish to just use my platform to help or promote a good act whenever I see.

Do you have any regret so far?

No regret. I love what I am doing and the fact that it puts smile on my face. I thank God for everything.

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Saidi Balogun out with new film, clears air on failed marriage

A

ctor, Saidi Balogun, is in the news again for both the good and bad reasons. Earlier in the week, his ex-wife, Fathia Balogun (now Fathia Williams) released a press statement stating that the Kwara-born thespian dragged her to court over use of his name. This incident coincided with the official release of the actor’s movie, You or I, a film with an all-white cast to hit the shelves from August 4. Faithia alleged that his ex-husband's film might just be telling the world exactly who he is. Afterwards, Balogun responded to stories about his divorce from the hitherto celebrated union in a press statement. “Yesterday I was accused of lying to the press on a recent rumour that has been circulating. I separated from my ex-wife Fathia Balogun in 2006, over 7 years ago. Since we were legally married in court, we had to legally divorce in court to finalize the issue. The public is welcome to go to the Lagos High Court to verify these records. This has absolutely nothing to do

with any name. I am not asking or forcing Fathia to stop using the name Balogun, as it is one of the most common Yoruba names. Furthermore, to set the record straight, Fathia and I had two children together not three. Fathia’s first child is from a different husband that she later divorced before we were married. I never lied to anyone.

Journalists presented me with a rumour that had no basis in fact, so I simply stated that I DO NOT WANT MY PRIVATE LIFE MADE PUBLIC. IT IS MY PRIVACY AND CONCERNS NOBODY. I decided to stay quiet as the two parties involved in this issue are over 40 years old, and I think we are old enough to handle this issue MATURELY instead of turning our private matters into a public gossip debate. I hope this issue is now clarified for the public, as I SAIDI BALOGUN am divulging the true facts myself instead of using a MISINFORMED publicist to do so for me.

There are so many positive aspects of Nigeria’s entertainment industry, we would rather focus on negative meaningless noise instead of these positive components.

PLEASE GIVE ME THE RESPECT OF KEEPING MY PERSONAL LIFE PRIVATE AND OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE. I AM FOCUSING ON MY WORK. THANK YOU!”

E-BRIEFS

It’s baby no 2 for Naeto C and wife

I

t's good news for the Chikwe family as hiphop artiste, Netochukwu Chikwe a.k.a Naeto C and his wife have just welcomed another baby.

The gorgeous couple became proud parents of a bouncing bay girl on Friday, July 25. Both mother and daughter are reported to be in good health. The latest dad in town took to Instagram to share a photo of his tot amid cheers.

Naeto C and his wife tied the knot in July 2012 and welcomed their first child - a son - early 2013.

Mavin Records act, Dr. Sid, weds in Lagos

S

idney Esiri (Dr. Sid), first son of late Justus Esiri had his traditional marriage with Simi Osomo in a well attended ceremony last Sunday, July 27. The Mavin Records' artiste wedded his bride in the presence of family members, friends and colleagues at the Ark Centre, Lekki,

Lagos State. Some of the celebrities at the star-studded event were label mates, Tiwa Savage, Don Jazzy, Da Prince and other red carpet stars like Toke Makinwa, Seyi Shay, Stephanie Coker, Andrea Giaccaglia, Banky Wellington, Funke Akindele, Tania Omotayo, Lynxxx, among a host of others.

RMD to become dike oha na Nollywood

‘Help, I’m dying of fibroid’

V

eteran Nollywood actor and Delta State commissioner for arts and culture, Richard MofeDamijo, at the 4th edition of the Nollywood Igbo Film Festival will be honoured with the title of “Dike Oha na Nollywood”. The event will take place on the first day of the three-day film festival. The festival is billed to take place in Asaba, Delta from 27- 30 of August. The founder of the festival, Nze Harris Chuma said RMD is being honoured for his outstanding contributions to Nollywood.

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opular Yoruba actress, Omotunde Ogundimu, who has been off the movie scene for a while now is currently battling fibroid.

The mother of three disclosed this recently. “My period comes like 10 to 15 days; then, it will stop and come again. I menstruate twice in a month. I noticed it last year before my husband passed away. Anytime we had intercourse, I would always

bleed. I took it for something else, so I didn’t really pay attention to it. But when he became sick and we couldn’t have intercourse any more, it (the bleeding) stopped.

Then, I didn’t have time to study it at that period too.

“But what I noticed is that my menstrual cycle changed, so I would menstruate twice in a month with very heavy flow. So, at that time,

I just felt it was one of the signs of menopause because I am way above 40. But last year, I had to go to the hospital to complain and the doctor said I had fibroid, even before the tests and scan were conducted.

When the scan was done, it was discovered that the fibroid was fully grown in my womb,” she explained.

The actress said she needs about N500,000 (N350,000 to undergo the surgery and N150,000 for her up keep) as she doesn’t have that kind of money because she has singlehandedly been taking care of her three children who are in school.

The actress added that her inlaws have never bothered to call her since the demise of her husband.

showbiz

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

19

Beauty Aghedo: I looked up to Kefee Obareki Fast rising singer, Beauty Aghedo (she sings with the stage name, B’Dash) earned her stripe as a member of D'Beats, which won the Star Quest contest in 2011. She has since released a second single titled, Oruko Jesu. She talks about her career, family and why she sings pop in this interview with ANGELA DAVIES

Aghedo

What’s new in your kitty and how has your music career been?

I just dropped my new single titled, Oruko Jesu. A song which talks about the various things the name of Jesus can do for us. And as for my music career, it has been growing. Before Oruko Jesu, I dropped a single titled, God Bless Me for Your Eyes. I gave it the title because after D’Beats, winners of Star Quest 2011 was disbanded after our one-year reign, a lot of people thought that I would not want to sing again. So that was what prompted the song. But I am very passionate about my musical career.

What were your formative years like?

Growing up had its ups and downs.

My dad died when I was about eight or nine years old and my mother have b e e n there all the way to support us. I come from a family of seven.

I and my twin brother are the last born. Right from childhood, I have always loved singing. When I was still in the church choir, every Saturday which is choir practice she would ask me if I was not going for rehearsal if she saw me at home.

I will say my mother has always taken an interest in my music career.

Also, my brothers and sisters have been very

supportive as well.

What is the relationship with your twin brother like?

We are very close and it has been nice all the way though he is married now. I feel a little bit jealous because he wouldn’t have time for me anymore. But he is growing and I am happy for him. He sings too, but he is a pastor.

What was the motivation when you to entered for the 2011 Star Quest musical show?

I heard that the last band was signed on to Kennis Music and I love that record label so much. However, I went into the competition determined to win as an individual but thank God my band, D’Beats won. During our one-year reign, we were able to come out with an album titled, D’Beats Goes On and we were signed to Now Muzik label for one year. During the audition, I didn’t know that I was going to make it into the house. When I went for the audition in Benin City I had almost lost my voice and I prayed to God to help me make it through. In the end, I made it through because the judges saw behind my cracked voice.

Tell us about your experience at the reality show and lessons you took away I had times when I cried and sometimes I laughed as well. But it was exciting all the way and it is still exciting right now. I was not interested in anybody’s perfection as long as we could work as a team. The lesson I learnt was that everyone comes from different homes but when you meet, you should be able to blend and work together or do given task together.

What is your kind of song?

For me, I sing Christian songs but I love pop music as well. My brand of music is pop. There is this enjoyment behind it whenever you listen to pop songs. It has nice rhythm and sound. I knew I was not going to be a gospel artiste even though I started singing in the church.

What does music mean to you?

If music were a man I will get married to him straight away because I love music.

How do you get your inspiration?

I get my inspiration from people’s experience, life experience, my personal experience and the word of God I hear as well.

As a young musician, how would you rate

the Nigerian music industry?

I will say it is growing and I am growing along with it.

Who are those you look up to in the music industry?

Outside Nigeria, I look up to Chris Brown and Beyonce. In Nigeria, I like Tiwa Savage and Omawumi because they are hardworking women. And for the late Kefee, I really looked up to her because of her kind of songs. They are simply unique.

How do you relate with your male fans?

I love them and they love me too. I can peck and hug them but there is a limit anyway. The limit is that you should not touch me the way you would touch your girlfriend.

Aside music, do you think you want to do something else?

Yes, of course. I would want to go into acting if the opportunity presents itself. Nevertheless, I am an embodiment of talents.

You are the brand ambassador for Healing Wings Foundation. What is your responsibility?

Healing Wings Foundation is a nongovernmental organisation saddled with the responsibility of empowering youths, women and the vulnerable. My pet project as its brand ambassador is to create cancer awareness among women in the society and Africa as well. It also entails helping to give free education to the poor in the society. I will be working with some organisations and individuals as well.

Greatest fear in life I don’t think I have the spirit of fear in me. God has not given me the spirit of fear but the spirit of boldness and a sound mind.

Is there a man in your life?

The truth is that a lot of guys come around me and they want to hang out with me. But nothing serious.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I see myself being a household name in the Nigerian music industry, Africa and the world at large.

How would you describe yourself?

Beauty is a very fantastic, enthusiastic and happy person to be around with. She is interesting and exciting as well.

20 SHOWBIZ HOW IT BEGAN It started in 2007, but professionally I’ll say 2010, because that was when I recorded my first single, Party Like it’s 1980. I remember that 2007 was the year Phyno and I moved down to Lagos from Enugu, back then we stayed and worked with J Martins. We both featured on J Martins' second album on the fifth track titled, Tonight. So we kept at our craft and just kept on recording. I also did my own song back then called Activity Pikin, I shot a video for it and got little airplay. Although people didn’t get to know who Run Town was, but I still kept at it, and along the line I met Timaya through J-Martins, and I started working with Timaya. At a point I started staying with Timaya. I learnt a lot of stuffs from Timaya about growing up in the industry. When I recorded the song, Party Like it’s 1980, people started to show me more love. The song was popular, but the artiste wasn’t popular. A lot of people knew the song, but I wasn’t known, so I felt I needed to put a face to my music. So we thought of doing a remix of the song and I told Timaya I wanted to feature Davido on the remix because then I wasn’t close to Davido, so Timaya put a call through to Davido, but when we got to Davido’s house to do the song, we ended up changing our minds and we recorded a new song, Gallardo, and that was how my career took a new turn with the song Gallardo, so much so that when I go to shows these days and I perform my old songs, people tend to connect with it. Now I have a new song out called Successful and Domot.

Both songs are receiving massive airplay right now and it makes me feel really happy.

BEFORE MUSIC I’m from Enugu State, but I didn’t really stay there. I was just there between 2007 and 2008 because that was where I wrote my WASC exams. That was when I met Phyno, it was after the exams that I moved to Lagos with Phyno.

GROWTH SINCE THE RELEASE OF GALLARDO To be honest, the love I’ve been receiving is amazing, the support has been very impressive and it has made me really excited and eager to do more. So in the coming months, I’ll be dropping more singles and videos. But I won’t drop an album this year, the album would drop next year. I’m still trying to carve out a niche for myself in the industry.

BETWEEN MY GALLARDO AND DAVIDO'S AYE I’ve heard that a couple of times that both songs sound alike, but I guess it’s because the same producer made both songs. Both songs were produced by T-Spice.

THE RECORD DEAL WITH ERIC MANNY I signed a deal with the label recently. In the beginning, when I released, Party Like it's 1980, I was in some kind of partnership with Phyno on a record label called Penthauze. We were running it together, but at some point I pulled out because I felt it’s time to take a bold step in my career, and at that time, Eric Manny brought an offer for me through a friend, Bugo. I took the offer and got signed to the label.

THE DEAL'S WORTH It’s personal. But I enjoy a great working relationship with the label, it’s like working with friends and brothers, it’s really a great team.

CHILDHOOD FANTASY Growing up, I wanted to be a basketball player, because I was playing the game back then. I even played professionally to an extent before music stole my heart.

WHY I DUMPED BASKETBALL FOR MUSIC Well, I guess music just stole my heart. I really don’t know how it happened, I just know music came, it stole my heart, and I followed it. Now I play basketball at my leisure time as a hobby not professionally. I would have been a professional basketball player because one thing about me is that I always concentrate fully on anything I want in life, and I believe I would have made it to the NBA. MY CHILDHOOD I grew up partly in Abuja and Lagos. Initially we were based in Lagos because then my dad was ill and he was in LUTH most of

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

'Why I quit basketball for music'

Since debuting with the song, Party Like it's 1980, RunTown's profile has soared impressively. The Enugu State born singer whose real name is Douglas Jack Agu followed up with another single that featured Davido.

He speaks with LANRE ODUKOYA the time. We stayed at Ikeja then and I had most of my primary education in Lagos. When my dad died, we moved to Abuja because at that time my mum worked for the ministry of health and 2005 she relocated to Enugu. When she went into politics, I moved with her too and that was when I wrote my WASC exams in Enugu.

DROPPING OUT OF UNIVERSITY I was in Unilag (University of Lagos) for a while, but I didn’t finish up, but now I’m in a fashion school in New York. I didn’t finish because I was studying computer science, which really wasn't my passion or what I wanted for myself. I just quit to pursue my real passion.

CHALLENGES FOR FLEDGING ARTISTES It’s been very hard. I remember when I did the song, Party Like it's 1980, it was very hard to raise funds to shoot the video and when I eventually shot the video, it was a very low budget video. So financing your career as a musician is very difficult if you don’t have help.

GREATEST FEAR Going broke has been my greatest fear. I’ll rather lose my life instead of going broke, because when you lose your life, you won’t know what’s happening anymore. It’s still the starting point for me to show the world what I’m capable of. At least now I can eat, because feeding was difficult before.

ROMANTIC TIE I have none for now, I’m very single.

MY KIND OF WOMAN I just want a quiet woman who has got good character. I don’t want a popular woman because I can’t date a celebrity, I can’t deal with all the drama.

CONFLUENCE

... a finger on the city’s pulse

LANRE ODUKOYA - 08059296445

Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo’s son weds

Aregbesola's life story told in new flick, Adesoji A

desoji an inspirational grass to grace story that captures the life of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, Governor of the State of Osun was premiered on Thursday, July 31 in Ilesa, Osun State.

Starring movie notables including Lere Paimo, Kareem Adepoju, Bukky Wright, Adewale Elesho, Alhaji Ade Adenrele, Bola Obot among others, Adesoji dramatically displayed the making of one of the most celebrated governors in Nigeria today.

Viewers will be amazed with untold stories about his birth, his revolt against cheating while he was a primary school pupil, his life as a bachelor, meeting his wife and many more.

Akin Olu-Philips, the director of the movie said "this motion picture is an attempt to share with the general public a compacted presentation of some of the life’s experiences that formed the person of Ogbeni. I believe it will guide the public to have a better understanding of his person and be inspired thereby."

According to the executive producer, Mr. Razaaque Animashaun it is intended as a motivating material as it highlights Ogbeni’s struggle to claim back his mandate for three and half years, his successes and achievement in the last three years in the State of Osun and most importantly to show that our country can actually produce such a visionary leader."

Whilst he was a commissioner of works in his base at the "Centre of Excellence", the spirits of his people at home continually cries for his attention and salvation like their forefathers sought from the great "Oranmiyan" of his genealogy. He initially tried to avoid this great challenge but the "Oranmiyan" in him became restless. Thus, he honoured the call of destiny in order to save his kinsmen.

It took him three years and some months to claim back the masses' mandate given to him against all threats.

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omi Ashimolowo, son of Matthew Ashimolowo, the Senior Pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre, London (KICC) tied the knot with his Sierra Leonean heartthrob, Dorothy Jeneba Kamara at the KICC Prayer City in Kent, United Kingdom, last Saturday. The highly colourful celebration of love was graced by eminent personalities including one of Nigeria’s most revered clerics, Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

Mike Adenuga honoured as pillar of entertainment

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Asari Dokubo boils

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epentant militant, Asari Dokubo, is pained by the accusing fingers pointed at him in the gruesome attack on former president, Muhamadu Buhari. The businessman has asked his solicitors to commence action to put to rest what he considers a cruel rumour on his person. Festus Keyamo, his lawyer has petitioned the Department of State Security Services. And here’s the content of the petition: We are solicitors to Alhaji Mujahid DokuboAsari (hereinafter referred to as ‘our client’) and on whose instructions we petition you. Our client briefed us as follows: That after the ugly incidents of Wednesday, 23rd July, 2014, in Kaduna State that killed about eight five (85) people and which was allegedly targeted at former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari and an Islamic Cleric, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, an online media, RESCUE NEWS, published a news item that our client procured suicide bombers to kill General Muhammdu Buhari and that he is privy to a plot to assassinate General Muhammdu Buhari. The publisher further alleged that our client paid the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) to the suicide bombers that carried out the said dastardly act and that one of the suspected suicide bombers arrested in connection with the said incident of 23rd July, 2014, has confessed to our client’s complicity in the said act. Our client finds these mendacious allegations made against him too weighty and grave to ignore or disregard. The said allegations have endangered the life of our client, the lives of his family, close associates and kinsmen.

While our client has the right to express his views on national issues like any other citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and has done so on many occasions, he has never and will never be involved in a plot to kill a respected former leader like Buhari or anyone for that matter.

We kindly implore you to use your good offices to thoroughly investigate the allegations leveled against our client by the said Rescue News to curtail the threat, public disenchantment and animosity already created against our client, his family, close associates and kinsmen as a result of these baseless allegations.”

“ "

" "

21

SHOWBIZ

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

usinessman and chairman of Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. (GCON), has been recognized for his imitable support for the entertainment industry. His rich award chest now includes "Entertainment Pillar of the Decade" in recognition of his immense contributions to the entertainment industry in Nigeria in the last 10 years.

This honour was bestowed on him by Entertainment Express and Sunday Express. It was the highest of a number of awards conferred on individuals and corporate bodies by the publications as part of activities marking her third anniversary.

Globacom, Nigeria’s national telecom carrier, was also recognized as the "Brand Supporter of Entertainment in Nigeria" at the grand ceremony graced by the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

According to the publisher of the publications, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, the Express Star Award is the organisation’s way of rewarding individuals and organisations that have contributed in one way or the o t h e r, to the growth and development of the entertainment sector in Nigeria.

According to Awoyinfa, Dr Adenuga Jnr is being given the highest honour in recognition of his “matchless contributions to the development and deepening of the economic potential of the entertainment industry in Nigeria”.

The entertainment industry has featured prominently in Globacom’s corporate social investment initiatives, principally on account of the company’s chairman’s passion for the industry.

Aside direct financial commitments including massive sponsorships, Globacom currently retains

the largest number of key players in the entertainment industry as brand ambassadors. The company has adopted the approach in the belief that by actively engaging these key entertainment drivers, they in turn can positively impact thousands of others who work with them and by so doing, help to grow the sector and the economy.

SOLUTIONS TO CROSS WORD PUZZLE E A R N E S T

A E L

C C A F

A

R A D I A L

M

H E A D

E

A L O E

N

C

R D B

B U F F E R

K E E P E R

S O E

B E E F

B I S D

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T A L C B A N T E R

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A S R E

K E R N I T E

ACROSS 1. EARMARK 5. TIN 7. EBA 8. RED 9. ODE DOWN 1. EARNEST 2. RADIAL 3. ALOE 4. KEEPER 5. TALC

10. PICK 11. ELAN 12. BE 16. U.S. 17. DAAR 18. CHEF

22. FOE 23. TRI 24. ACE 25. FAD 26. REFEREE

6. NOT 13. KERNITE 14. BUFFER 15. BANTER 19. HEAD

20. BEEF 21. CAF

22 showbiz

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

'Sexual immorality is most musicians' bane' Nigerian jazz artiste Nathaniel Bassey's music is increasingly having a gospel feel. The University of Lagos graduate speaks of this transition in an encounter with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS What's the feeling like from being a jazz musician to a gospel artiste?

When God calls you it is different. I am doing exactly what God wants me to do and it is fulfilling. Jazz was a stepping stone and I thank God for my experiences there. But the most important thing in life is to fulfil that call upon your life and God has placed an anointing in my life to function in the music ministry.

What are the new developments about Bassey?

I am presently recording an album in the United States of America and I am doing some recordings here too. I would say this is my second album, though I have done and released some singles earlier.

It is another devotional and meditative album. I am still struggling for a title because I've got many great songs and options in the album. I am just going to take my time; I know it would come to me. I am trusting God that the album will be officially unveiled by September.

How would you describe the impact of the church in your life?

I think the church is God's change agent on earth. I am a function of the church and I am a product of mentoring. I was mentored deliberately by a late pastor. He took a lot of interest in music and other gifted people. He made sure that we didn't just have the skill, but also the character to support it.

Do you think live concert here is at par

with other developed countries?

Well, we are improving compared to the past. There is still a lot of work to do, and a lot excellence and details to be put in place. The standard abroad is very high, and the precision, sound and delivery too.

But gradually I think we would get there.

Are you satisfied with development in the gospel industry?

What the excellent spirit does is to make you dissatisfied with a situation. So, we have to do more and I know we have got a lot of counterfeit in the gospel music circuit. We have many people who are just there for the money, fame and prestige.

We still have genuine ones called by God to function as music ministers, though.

And by the grace of God, with the genuine people around, we should experience a major difference very soon.

What's happening to your Trumpet and Ministerial Academy?

We went for a short break because of my schedule. I have been travelling in and out of the country. It is something I intend to do to raise other people because my definition of a good leader is one that impacts or develops other people. There are so many talents out there, but they need to be showed the way. We are putting things in place to make it very formal and we are trusting God for finance, support and ideas to push it to the next level.

Is there anything you wish to change given the chance?

There is always something you feel you

could have done better, but I have learnt that all things work out for our good. The Bible says all things work out for good to them who love God and to them that are called upon. So I believe that even the things I cannot change work out for our good How about the challenges of being a gospel artiste?

Personally, I don't have any challenge; the challenge is me. The moment I fail to believe or work hard, then I become a problem to myself. Like every other sector and endeavour in life, there are challenges. But I believe God has endowed human beings with the ability to scale through any problem in life. So, the limit to anything we do in life is ourselves and our minds. Once we do not limit ourselves, we have no problem.

What are your plans for the future?

I would just continue to follow the steps of the Lord. We need to set up a worship and music school. The Trumpet and Ministerial Academy is part of it. And as

a youth pastor in my church too, I want to mentor more people and I have a family and wife to look after too.

How do you relax?

I like to play soccer and watch football a lot. I used to play for the University of Lagos' urban and regional planning department. I still play with my friends now too. I play in the creative part of the game, so I like to give the killer-passes and dictate the game. I am a midfielder and I assist the strikers.

How do you advice up and coming gospel artistes?

They should let God be their focus, not just music. Music is only a tool in the hands of God. So, as you find God, you find your music. One of the things that I found out which hinders musicians the most is sexual immorality. With holiness and purity, you find out that there is constant growth. Musicians should keep themselves from pride, fornication, love of money, submit themselves to a local church. They should continue to work hard and the Lord will do the rest.

'Jazz was a stepping stone, Bassey explains

StartUps NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

2 AUGUST 2014

What is the name of your business?

My business is referred to as commercial press, that is the general name given to business.

What exactly does it entail?

Commercial press comprises of various aspects of process of production like the production of stamps and seals. It deals with official secret of the companies and organisations in terms of company seals stamps which is the secret of any organisation. This done in order for the entity organisation to put seals and stamps on any agreement entered into with another or organisation, it also entails printing of documents and others.

Specifically, I engage in the production of stamps and seals for individuals, corporate outfits, so, my specialty is production of stamps and seals for individuals, corporate outfits, institutions and government. In some cases, we produce special seals for people in the judicial system, like the Magistrate and Lawyers which is referred to as the wax seal but the personal seal belongs to a either private entity and in all of these, the secret of the production stamps and seals is usually the secret document of the entity, on whose behalf the seal of stamp is produced.

Lasisi

Running a commercial press is entirely on trust Abdul Azeez Lasisi, is the proprietor of Dasaz & Company, which specialises in the making of stamp and seals, a part of commercial press. He tells SEGUN EDWARDS in this interview that the business of manufacturing stamps and seals is as old as time and it is a business strictly done on trust.

What is involved in the production and stamp and seal?

The production of a stamp and seal is always required by an entity, be it government, institution, corporate organisation or private entity to seal an agreement with other parties. For instance, a seal is what government will require to seal any agreement between it and another entity, like wise, it is required to seal agreement between corporate organisations. All of these are secret documents of the entity that seeks the production of the seal or stamp and as such they can’t be duplicated for the use of another entity or individual.

We produce such official secret document for government authorities like the judicial system which is known as the Wax Seal which is not easily duplicated because it is a top secret document of government. The wax seal acts as the decision taken by the legal authorities on issues bothering on disputes between parties in judicial matters. So, the seal can never be duplicated or reproduced for any other person because it usually produced through a very stringent process that have lasted for several years, a process which is deviced through the various ancient writings like the Roma, Capital, Italics and the rest and so, it can’t be easily duplicated because there are various components employed in the production, like the neutral. But now, it has been computerised so, everything now is lettering it is like a stamp, when I use universe lettering for a client, the same can’t be used for another person because the universe lettering is not the same like the Roma, it is different from the style used years gone by.

What informed the change from the old style

23 It would interest you to know that students of Polytechnic, studying Printing Technology are referred to me for three months internship or system?

I would say the reason is the global issue of computerisation which is taking place all over the world, where computer and technology is replacing the old ways of doing things, apart from this, in the case of our industry, the issue of fraudulent activities which has spread to duplication ofsome top government secret documents like the seal of public oath, particularly the scandal of the duplication of the High Court official stamps for public affidavit by a syndicate uncovered in 2012, may have further increase government concern on the protection of its secret document. So, what obtains now in the business is the use of computers to manufacture stamps and seals.

The universe lettering processed through the computer cannot be replicated because its far different from the old letterings.

Who are your clients?

My clients are comprised of companies individuals and in some cases I have Lawyers who use the stamps and seals we produced as signatures for their businesses.

How are you taken into confidence that the seal or stamp produced for them would not be duplicated?

Usually the clients would come to us with their template from which we produce the stamp or their seal and after wards the template is destroyed immediately to ensure that the seal is not duplicated for use by another.

So, the moment the template is destroyed, it is certain that the stamp or seal would not be replicated.

Who provides the template?

Of course, it is the owner of the stamp or seal that provides the template the way it suits them. We only produce for them. The production of the seal by us goes to the point of engraving to making it stamp and seal genuine.

Do you train people on this business?

Yes, I have trained nothing less than twenty-seven since I started some considerable years back, with a lot of them now on their own, some are presently engaged in the local governments printing units as employees.

What is the duration of training for the business?

The training is various processes of training and duration. For instance, if someone wants to acquire training in stamp and seal production, it would take one year, but if it is the entire commercial press, which include other areas of printing knowledge the duration of training is three years. It would interest you to know that students of Polytechnic, studying Printing Technology are referred to me for three months internship and they acquire the required knowledge from here. The example is the Lagos State Polytechnic, whose students are referred here for such training.

What is required after training to commence the business?

The person would have to have a desk top, which cost around one hundred and twenty thousand naira. That could be coupled with the modern machine for the production of stamp and seal, which has replaced the old system of processing names of entity or organisation, whose stamp is being produced. We learnt the machine cost around five hundred thousand naira, so an entrepreneur would require around three hundred thousand naira to establish himself in this business.

24 FEATURES

Despite modernisation, Nigerian weddings stil preserve traditions and cultures

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

Although some aspects of wedding traditions and cultures have pave the way for modernisation, MICHAEL UCHEBUAKU writes that some ethnic groups frown at monetisation of some marriage rites.

The Yoruba The Yoruba traditional wedding, also known as ‘engagement or ‘Igbeyawo’ usually takes place before the white wedding ceremony. Some families choose to hold both weddings on the same day. The bride’s family is typically responsible for covering the ceremony costs, but some families choose to split the costs as they please. The entire ceremony is orchestrated by two representatives who are chosen or hired by each side of the family. The groom’s family is represented by the Alaga Iduro/ Olopa Iduro (standing policeman), while the bride’s family is represented by the Alaga Ijoko/Olopa Ijoko (sitting policeman).

The Yoruba traditional wedding usually kicks off with the bride’s family seated and waiting for the groom’s family to arrive.

Both the groom and bride are absent at this point. Once the groom’s family arrive, the Alaga Ijoko welcomes them at the gate in company with the housewives of the bride’s side of the family. The Alaga then asks the groom’s family to state their reasons for coming before collecting an entry fee from them. Finally, she introduces them to the bride’s family before some prayers are said.

After the introduction, the groom’s family kneel and prostrate before the family of the bride. The two families then sit at opposite sides of the room, while the Alagas sit or stand in their midst.

Once seated, the Alaga Iduro presents the proposal letter to the Alaga Ijoko on behalf of the groom’s family. This letter is read out loud by a younger female representative of the bride’s family. An acceptance letter is then presented to the groom’s family before some prayers are said.

After the prayers, the groom dances in with some of his friends, and prostrates four times. On the first two occasions, he prostrates for his new in-laws with his friends, before prostrating before them alone the third time. During the third prostration, the two families stretch out their arms to pray for him. Before he takes his seat, he prostrates again with his friends for the last time, but this time around, before his own family.

He then gives out some money before taking a seat while awaiting his bride’s arrival.

Once the groom is seated, the veiled bride dances in accompanied by her parents and friends. She then kneels before her parents, who pray for her and bless her. She does the same thing with her husband’s parents, before taking off her veil and joining her husband. On getting to her husband, she kneels before him while prayers are said for both of them. He then gives her some money, before carrying her up for all to see. At this point, the Yoruba bride puts the groom’s fila (cap) on his head to signify acceptance.

Femi William, 55, is a Yoruba man married to a Yoruba woman. When asked if some aspects of Yoruba cultural marriage such as prostrating before the elders can be monetised or traded for cash, he says: “Prostrating before the elders is a sign of respect, and it cannot be monetised. It is part of the

tradition and a groom cannot pay money to avoid prostrating before the elders.

“Prostrating before the elders shows that the groom is from a good family with good home training. That process of prostrating before the elders is what tells the bride’s family that the groom is fit to marry her.

“If you go to Saudi Arabia, you have to abide by their culture, no matter how rich you are. Nobody will collect money from you for you not to prostrate before the elders, because you can’t use money to buy culture.”

Traditional Marriage Ceremony In Yoruba Culture

PHOTO: WEDDINGFEFERITY

Traditional Marriage in Igboland In Igbo land, located in the south-eastern part of Nigeria, parents of the bride and groom, their extended families, villagers and people from towns play an active part in the traditional wedding ceremony. Traditional marriages use to be arranged decades ago. In arranged marriages, parents and relatives simply choose a bride for their sons and help them conclude the marriage ceremony. Today, arranged marriages still takes place in some parts of Igboland but it is largely rare.

Current traditional marriage in Igboland involves three stages. First, the future groom finds the lady he wants to marry and tells his parents. The future groom accompanied by his father, mother, siblings and close family members contact the family of the bride-to-be and set a date for both families to meet. During the meeting, the groom’s father will state their intention. The father of the groom and his relatives normally will not expect the family of the bride to give them positive or negative answer right away. They will schedule another date to meet. Before the next meeting, both families normally conduct investigation on each other to see if the families are of good character.

On their return visit to the bride-to-be’s home, the groom’s parents will restate their intention that their son wants to marry their daughter. At this stage it is expected that the bride-to-be’s family must have concluded their investigation and consultation with their daughter and should be ready to give the groom either a positive or negative answer. Some of the items presented to the host family by the family of groom during the return visit are Kolanuts, Palm wine (local wine), regular wines and soft drinks. Gifts presented by the family of the prospective groom may vary depending on the community or town since they are not all monolithic. Both families will share the food and drinks. In some communities, the bride-to-be is summoned before both families on the return visit and asked if she is interested in her future husband. If she agrees to marry her future husband, they will set another date for the actual marriage ceremony called “Igba Nkwu” The family of the bride compiles a list of items the groom family will bring before the wedding ceremony as demanded by their customs and traditions.

The exact number of items required de-

Bini Traditional Marriage Rites

pends on tradition of each community or town.

On the day of the third and final stage of the traditional wedding, the groom will go to the house of the bride-to-be with his immediate and extended family, villagers and town people with the items. Host family will cook all kinds of dishes to entertain their guests. Both families and their extended families including members of their communities will eat, dance and drink together.

The bride and groom will dance along with their family members. When the ceremony is over, the bride will go home with the family of the groom signifying that the two are now husband and wife.

There is a fourth stage called “Idu Uno” that is practiced by some communities in Igboland. Idu Uno stage is when the family of the bride officially goes to visit the home where their daughter lives. It should be note that the previous three ceremonies took place in the bride’s home. In this fourth stage, the bride’s family buys cooking utensils, bed sheets, suitcases,

Nobody will collect money from you for you not to prostrate before the elders, because you can’t use money to buy culture

PHOTO: KWEKUDEE-TRIPDOWNMEMORYLANE

boxes, sewing machine, bed, pillow cases, plates, clothes and other things that newlymarried couples need to start life together and a family. The wife’s family along with their extended families sets a date to visit the couple with all the goods they have bought. On ‘Idu Uno’ day, the wife’s family will give the newly-married couple all the things they bought for them. This is usually done to give the couple a head start by defraying some of their expenses. Marriage in Igboland can be a long and expensive undertaking.

However, due to the influence of modernisation, the list is usually monetised these days and the husband-to-be no longer needs to purchase the items himself. Chinedu Elue, a 47-year-old civil servant, gave the father of his bride-to-be cash.

He says: “I am from Anambra State and my wife is from Imo State. When I wanted to marry my wife, her father gave me and my family members a long list of items to buy.

“I couldn’t imagine going through such stress and inconvenience as going to the market to buy, goats, tubers of yam, palm wine, wrappers, clothes for parents and grandparents, cigarettes, liquor, jewellery, etc.

“So I simply asked my father-in-law-tobe to tell me how much all the items cost in totality. He told me and I gave him the equivalent of the items in cash, that is, some hundreds of thousands of naira to purchase the items himself on my behalf.

“After all, a man doesn’t need to pur-

Gerrard: Suarez was too good for Arsenal

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What I want from Jonathan – Gold medalist Usman

}p.27 Blessing Okagbare (in Nike kit) celebrates after winning a gold medal in Glasgow

Athletes in embarrassing coats of many colours

Men need more motivation to excel - Ajunwa

}p.27

‘My goal is to produce more Chika Chukwumerijes’

}p.31 Ganiat Ogundele in Joola outfit

Nigeria’s Yinka Ayenuwa competes in the Men’s 69kg weightlifting final

Chika Amalaha during her victory ceremony

Messi hits beach with girlfriend again

}p.32

26 SPORT

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Nigerian League Rendezvous with charles Ogundiya

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

08098042287

3SC target promotion before last two games

S

hooting Stars football club of Ibadan are currently at the top of the Nigeria National League Group as they seek a quick return to the elite division, the Nigeria Premier League.

The club got relegated at the end of last season, and according to the coach, Franklin Howard, the target is to gain promo-

tion as early as possible.

In an interview with League Rendezvous, Howard said the club can not wait to return to the Premier League.

He said: “It is unfortunate that 3SC are playing in the lower division, the club should be battling for the league title and not for promotion ticket.

“But now that we have found

ourselves in this mess, it is important that we get back to the Premier League and I can tell you that the target is to gain promotion with a few matches to spare.

“At the beginning, it was difficult to get the goals, but you can see that the goals are now flowing which shows that the boys are ready to finish well.”

Symbolic No. 19 shirt for Ezeji

P

remier League legend Victor Ezeji has been given jersey number 19 to mark his 19th season in the league.

Ezeji teamed up with Sunshine Stars of Akure at the beginning of the second half of the 2013/2014 season after a protracted transfer saga to Crown FC of Ogbomosho was thwarted. He made his debut for the club in a 1-0 victory over Nembe City on Sunday, entering the fray in the second half of the game.

The former Enyimba of Aba striker is one of the oldest players in the league. He has featured for several clubs in the country

Ezeji

and won trophies and individual accolades at every one he has played.

One striking feature about the University of Port-Harcourt graduate is that he scored in every season he played in the league since his debut for Sharks in 1996.

With league, Cup, national and international honours to his name, Ezeji has made his mark on the Nigerian scene.

According to an official of Sunshine Stars; “Ezeji will be bringing his wealth of experience to the club and we are looking forward to see him leading the club to success.”

MATCH DAY 21 (6TH AUG 14) FIXTURES KANO PILLARS VS GIWA SHARKS VS BAYELSA UTD NEMBE CITY VS RANGERS EL-KANEMI VS WARRI WOLVES KADUNA UTD VS ABIA NASARAWA VS FC TARABA GOMBE UTD VS AKWA UTD CROWN VS LOBI STARS DOLPHINS VS HEARTLAND ENYIMBA VS SUNSHINE

Richard Bubagha...Bayelsa Utd technical adviser

Bayelsa United will battle T to the end – Tebowei D irector of football at Bayelsa United, Deprieye Tebowei, has said that the club will battle till the end to avoid relegation.

Bayelsa United finished third in the league at the end of last season, but the club has been battling with relegation this season. They are currently 15th on the table, three points above the last relegation spot.

In an interview with League Rendervous, the director said the club will surely avoid relegation at the end of the season.

“Football could be funny sometimes, it is unfortunate that we are where we are today, but I can assure you that the club will not be relegated at the end of the season.

“The government has been doing everything to make the players happy. Their salary has been paid till date, likewise the match bonuses. The only thing remaining is the sign-on fee which is being processed.

“To get funds from government takes time, but I can assure the players that they will get paid as soon as the money is released to the club,” the former Green Eagles player said.

While commending the League Management Company, he however, noted that more work still needed to be done to make the league the best on the continent.

Glo league table

Kwara United forward Stanley Dimgba vies against a Rangers player

I

No

Team

Pl

W

D

L

SF

SA

Pts

1

Kano Pillars

20

9

7

4

30

20

34

GD 10

2

Abia Warriors

20

10

3

7

28

20

33

8

3

Nasarawa Utd

20

9

4

7

21

17

31

4

4

Giwa FC

20

9

4

7

20

16

31

4

5

Warri Wolves

20

9

4

7

22

19

31

3

6

Akwa United

20

9

4

7

19

18

31

1

7

Dolphins

20

8

6

6

22

16

30

6

8

Sharks FC

20

8

6

6

22

18

30

4

9

Sunshine

20

7

9

4

28

25

30

3

10

Enyimba

20

8

5

7

18

13

29

5

11

Lobi Stars

20

9

1

10

23

26

28

-3

12

Taraba FC

20

9

1

10

14

19

28

-5

13

Rangers

20

20

8

3

9

26

23

27

14

Heartland

20

6

9

5

19

17

27

2

15

Bayelsa Utd

20

8

3

9

25

30

27

-5

16

El-Kanemi

20

7

5

8

23

19

26

4

17

Crown

20

7

3

10

16

24

24

-8

18

Kaduna Utd

20

6

3

11

16

24

21

-8

19

Gombe Utd

20

5

5

10

21

24

20

-3

20

Nembe City

20

3

7

10

9

34

16

-25

Debut goal was fulfilling – Clement Bobby

t was a fairytale start for Heartland striker, Clement Bobby, in the Glo Nigeria Premier League after marking his debut with a goal in the 2-1 defeat against Lobi Stars on match day 20.

Boby gave the Naze Millionaires a first half lead before a spirited effort by the home side saw them turn

the game around with two goals in the second half to get the maximum points.

But despite the defeat, Bobby expressed a sense of personal fulfillment in justifying not just his mid-season transfer from Nigeria National League side, Shooting Stars of Ibadan, but also being on

the starting list.

“It was not good that we lost, but there is a personal fulfillment for me that I scored, and as a forward that is simply what you are fielded to do.

“Yes, this is my first game in the Premier League, but it is the same football and I have always had the

We won’t drop points at home again – Wolves TM

confidence that I can play in any league. It is an inner desire to succeed that pushes me,” he said.

Bobby insisted he was not tensed even though the initial thought of travelling to play against a big club like Lobi Stars in his first elite league game, made him a bit nervous.

eam Manager of Warri Wolves, Prince Odinogbe, has declared to League Rendezvous that the club will not drop a single point in the second half of the season.

Odinogbe said although football is not mathematics, he assured that the boys were ready to give their all to get the maximum points at home while also taking points away.

“Football is not mathematics. Dropping points at home does not mean you are not good; some days will be good while others will not be so good, but I am assuring our teeming fans that we are not going to drop a point at home this second half of the season while also picking points away from home” the former Julius Berger player said.

According to him; “We have no other business than to get a continental ticket this season and the only way to achieve that is by winning our remaining home matches while also picking points away.”

At the beginning of the 2013/2014 league season, the Seasiders drew two matches at home against Enyimba and Sharks while picking a win and draw away to Abia Warriors and Gombe United respectively.

The club had to rely on a 90th minute penalty from their top scorer, Gbolahan Salami, to defeat hard fighting Kaduna United in the first game of the second half of the season.

Week 21 will see Warri Wolves away to El-Kanemi Warriors in Kano on Wednesday, August 6.

“I feel great scoring on my debut because it is doesn’t happen like that for everybody. I am looking forward to scoring more now to show that this goal is not a one off. My dream is to play for FC Barcelona some day. I want to move to Europe after doing my best in the Nigerian league,” he said.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

Maryam Usman on her way to winning gold at the 75+kg in Glasgow

olden girl Maryam Usman is still savouring her weightlifting performance which won her gold at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Maryam dumped her Samoan opponent Ele Opeloge after lifting 155 kg to become the queen of weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games.

Maryam, who is still being mobbed by athletes at the Games Village, on Thursday made a passionate appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to host them just as he has always done with the footballers. ‘’There is only one thing I want.

I want President Jonathan to host us just like he has done with footballers,’’ the 75 + kg lifter from Kaduna State requested.

Reflecting on the rivalry between her and Opeloge, Maryam

Men need more motivation to excel - Ajunwa

C

hioma Ajunwa has expressed the opinion that Nigerian male athletes should not totally shoulder the blame for their unimpressive showing in major meets.

The men have struggled, once again, to make any impact at the ongoing Commonwealth Games, mirroring their fall from grace over the years, but Ajunwa won’t lay into the men as she believes that they need more motivation to bring out the best in them, something which she claims is not happening.

The Atlanta 1996 Long Jump gold medalist argues that the men’s race is tight and so requires something extra to produce worldclass athletes.

“The men’s race is not easy.

Anything male is extraordinarily super and I can’t really blame them. You can’t expect to train on your own and get to that superlative level where you can win an Olympic medal,” Ajunwa added.

“If Okagbare were at home I can tell you there is no way she would be at this level today.

“There has to be a modicum of balance such that the male athletes have the day to day struggles lifted off their shoulders, so that they can concentrate and get to that top level. The men have too many responsibilities weighing them down. But I’m happy that these things are happening so that we can learn from them, although, painfully, we don’t seem to ever learn” Ajunwa, whose 7.12 leap at the Atlanta Games still stands as

W

with her.”

Growing up, the siblings got a late start getting into the sport.

“My mom realised we were too tall for gymnastics when I was around 10,” Chiney says.

Basketball, she says, was different. “We fell into the sport, and then we fell in love with it.”

Her sister Nneka went on to earn a basketball scholarship to Stanford University, and Chiney followed in her footsteps.

“She has really set the bar for me throughout my life,” Chiney says.

On the court at Stanford, the sisters were nicknamed fire and ice.

“I was fire because I’d go out there and be that spark of energy.

Nneka was ice because she’d be consistent and cool,” Chiney says. “We called each other double trouble.”

Chiney went on to earn a degree in international relations, and had former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as her adviser.

“She let me know that ‘You

confessed that she was rattled when the Samoan opted for 161kg to upset her from winning the gold medal. ‘’I was shocked but prayed against it. She knew that the only way to win the gold was lift more than me. But there is no way she could have lifted 161kg. She is not a world champion. Such lifts are meant for champions. And when she tried and could not lift it, I fell on my knees and the rest is history,’’ she said as more athletes queued to get autographs and others to take pictures.

Maryam who is making her second appearance in the Commonwealth Games was a silver medalist at the 19th Games in New Delhi. ‘’I was tired of winning silver medals. I did not want to another silver at the Commonwealth Games after winning one in India.

I was focused and did not allow distractions. There were more pressures on me from officials and athletes, but I was calm and I thank God for answering my prayers’’.

Maryam also won three gold medals at the African championships in South Africa. She also scooped bronze medal at the Paris championship in 2011 as well as winning another bronze in Russia 2012. ‘’I cherish this medal more than other medals’’, she said with her trademark smile that reveals her immaculate white teeth. ‘’That is why I want our President to extend his gesture of hosting footballers to us. That will spur us to do more even in the Olympics. It will give us a sense of belonging other than thinking that our country is only appreciative of footballers,’’ she said.

How junior athlete made unbelievable gaffe!

N

Sprinter Ogho-Oghene Egwero

a Nigerian record, paid tribute to Athletic Federation President, Solomon Ogba, for his role in helping to nurture several athletes especially in ensuring they have the opportunity of continuing their

I’m living my dream – Chiney Ogwumike

hen Chiney Ogwumike heard her name called first at the 2014 WNBA draft in April, she felt the room go quiet just before the crowd burst into cheers.

“To be selected No. 1 overall was just surreal,” she says. “I couldn’t even imagine a better fairy tale for a basketball player.”

And it was history in the making.

Two years before she was drafted No. 1, her older sister Nneka Ogwumike was selected No. 1 in the 2012 WNBA draft.

They became just the second siblings besides NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning to be selected No. 1 in a major sport.

“To have Nneka there and to realize we accomplished something special, it’s something you don’t think you’re going to achieve as a child,” she says.

“I know she had doubts, but I didn’t have any doubts in my mind,” her sister Nneka says. “I was very proud, and it was wonderful to be there and to celebrate

27

What I want from President Jonathan – Usman

G

Vincent Eboigbe

SPORT

can succeed on the court, and you can succeed off the court,’” Chiney says.

Now both sisters are playing in the WNBA for different teams. Chiney is a forward for the Connecticut Sun, and Nneka is a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks.

They faced each other for the first time in their professional careers earlier in July. This time, it was the older sister who earned bragging rights.

“I think we are going to have to write a contract and say, ‘You will not block my shot, and I will not block your shot,’” Chiney jokes. “And all will be good in the household.”

But playing on different teams and being on opposite sides of the country hasn’t affected their friendship.

“It’s all love. She’s my best friend, and just to be able to have this great experience with her is amazing,” Chiney says. “It shows that you can be a dream-chaser.

Now I’m living my dream.”

igeria’s 4x400m U-20 team at the recently concluded World Junior Championships in Eugene last Saturday was the centre of much ridicule when the runner on the 2nd leg, after receiving the baton with Nigeria leading in the final heat to reach the final, bizarrely stayed in his lane throughout his run.

Athletics watchers will know that only the first 500 metres is run in lanes in the 4×400 metres – it has a longer stagger than the individual 400 metres which unwinds after the athlete on the 2nd leg has run 100 metres, with everyone moving into lane one for the rest of the race.

It was simply incredible that Samson Oghenewegba Nathaniel did not know how to run the 2nd leg, raising the question as to whether they were not trained to do this in practice? Didn’t they

ever run this race back home with him on the 2nd leg? Simply shocking that such inexperience wasn’t caught and fixed before getting all the way to the world stage.

What made this mistake even sadder was that they ended up missing out on qualification for the final, after finishing third in the race in 3:09.37, and missing out on a fastest losers’ spot by just 0.15 seconds!

Nathaniel maintaining his lane four in the 4x400 relay in Eugene, Oregon... recently

‘Mandzukic

egal tussle has ensued over Cristiano Ronaldo’s pants Fitness guru Christopher Renzi, who patented the “CR7″ trademark (by combining his initials and his date of birth: 7th October) in the US back in 2009 for use on his website and small clothing range, has been written to several times by the Danish textile company, the JBS Textile Group, that produce Ronaldo’s CR7 underwear range, asking him to relinquish his trademark in order for them to launch Ron’s grundies in North America.

JBS has also written to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in a bid to have Renzi’s trademark cancelled.

However, Renzi has now filed a lawsuit against JBS and Ronaldo in order to establish once and for all that he owns the licence to the term in as far as trading in the US is concerned.

Speaking to Reuters, Renzi’s attorney Michael Feldhuhn said: “We just want them to leave us alone.”

For what it’s worth, little-man-crushers JBS is claiming that they hold the “exclusive worldwide licence” to market the CR7 pants and that Renzi specifically filed his CR7 trademark to profit from Ronaldo’s global fame.

L

Ronaldo faces legal tussle over pants

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NEW TELEGRAPH

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nter ’s Nemanja Vidic has aired his belief that his new club will become great again after struggling in recent years.

The 32 year old Serbian international played a part in the 0-0 draw with his former club Manchester United on Tuesday and afterwards, he revealed his confidence in the direction the Nerazzurri are heading in.

“I had a lot of offers from different countries, including clubs in England,” Vidic confirmed to MUTV. “But Inter, a club in transition, is trying to improve.

I really liked the proposal.

Inter will become bigger and bigger and I‘ll try to help them achieve this goal.”

I

Vidic: Inter will be great again

Gerrard: Suarez was

helsea midfield ace Eden Hazard says criticism of his World Cup campaign was justified.

“From a personal point of view I must admit that the criticism of my performance was correct,” said the attacker in conversation with Sudpresse. “I tried to give the maximum, but it did not quite turned out as I had hoped.

“At the European Championships in 2016 in France, I hope to excel.”

Hazard added: “As a team we still can do better, but being among the last eight countries of the World Cup, is not so bad.”

I had a poor World Cup, Hazard admits C

Vidic

Global Football Special C

Robinho’s Flamengo’s move suffers setback

31-year-old from Buenos Aires had signed a threeyear contract at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi.

Izco, who made 218 league appearances across eight seasons with Catania, will be presented to the media on Monday.

M

ainz’s general manager Christian Heidel says forward Nicolai Muller will not be leaving the club unless a deal would be right for all parties.

Mainz keen to keep Muller

C Milan striker Robinho proposed move back to Brazil with Flamengo looks in doubt due to the club’s lack of finances for the deal.

The 30-year-old former Santos player was recently linked with a move to Major League Soccer with Orlando City, but that deal never materialised.

According to Lancenet it now looks like the 92 time capped Brazil international will have to wait a little longer for any potential transfer to happen as the Mengao are struggling to put together the finances necessary to complete the deal.

A

hievo continue to strengthen ahead of the 2014-15 Serie A season and on Thursday morning announced the signing of experienced midfielder Mariano Izco from Catania.

The Flying Donkeys have added no fewer than 10 new recruits to their squad as they look to improve on a 16thplace finish, with Izco becoming the second player to join from Catania by following striker Maxi Lopez to Verona.

A statement published on Chievo’s official website said the

TRANSFERS Izco joins Chievo overhaul

28 SPORT NEW TELEGRAP 2 AUGU

L

V

alencia return to north London to participate in the Emirates Cup for the first time since the inaugural edition of the tournament while Monaco are making their debut in the competition, bringing some Cote d’Azur glamour to the competition.

The Ligue 1 side has been weakened by the high profile loss of James Rodriguez to Real Madrid, while Valencia are hoping to recover from one of their worst seasons in recent memory, having ended the previous campaign in eighth place.

Monaco are the slight favourites for Saturday’s clash.

In pre-season, Monaco

have looked in decent goal scoring form, netting six times in their two matches against Colombian outifts Junior and Atletico Nacional respectively and also putting two past Parma in a 2-0 victory.

Valencia too have been scoring but also conceding in their warm up matches so far.

Last season’s Emirates Cup was a high scoring one, with three of the four matches played seeing goals at both ends.

Indeed nine of the last 12 matches in the competition have seen both teams find the back of the net which should give punters confidence with this selection.

Li Na Two-time grand slam champion Li Na withdrew from the Montreal WTA event starting Monday with a longstanding knee injury which she says will force her to miss the US Open.

Organizers of the major Canadian tournament confirmed the absence of the iconic Chinese sports figure on Thursday, with the world number two explaining: “I wanted to let all of my great fans know that unfortunately I am going to have to withdraw from the upcoming WTA events in Montreal and Cincinnati, as well as the US Open,” said the 2012 Montreal finalist.

“Since March, I have been struggling with my knee and it is just not where I need it to be in order to play at the highest level.

rent tensions in the region point to higher risks to the short-term profitability contribution from Russia” and other former Soviet republics, Adidas said in a statement.

Tiger Woods finds out over the next two weeks if his season is over or just getting started.

The first stop is Firestone, where Woods is an eight-time winner and the defending champion. After that, he heads to Valhalla Golf Club for the PGA Championship, where he won in 2000 on his way to an unprecedented sweep of the majors.

At stake is a chance to extend a season already cut short by back surgery.

nian rebels.

“The recent trend change in the Russian ruble as well as increasing risks to consumer sentiment and consumer spending from cur-

Daniel Ricciardo is refusing to rule himself out of the hunt for this year’s Formula One world title until the mathematics say otherwise.

Other than Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Ricciardo is the only driver to have taken the chequered flag this season.

“There are obviously a couple of opinions.

When maybe some of us say it (the title) is over, it’s just purely looking at the performance of Mercedes.”

SPORT BRIEFLY

The U.S. and European Union this week approved a new round of tougher penalties aimed at hurting Russia’s economy, punishment for alleged Russian support for Ukrai-

A

tletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has reassured fans that the club’s structure is solid, despite the sale of several key players this summer.

Diego Costa and Filipe Luis, key cogs in the capital club’s title success last season, have been sold to Chelsea, while Thibaut Courtois has returned to Stamford Bridge after a loan spell.

However, the Spanish champions have signed Mario Mandzukic and Antoine Griezmann, and Simeone feels they will still be capable of challenging.

“We’re working from top to bottom,” he said at a press conference.

“Now we will return to Madrid and find another group and we’ll slowly prepare for the start of the season.

“Today we have the same structure we have had for three years. Obviously our attacking potential made us grow, but the structure is the most important and ours is solid.”

Atletico’s still solid, says Simeone

Simeone

Tiger Woods

ing political tensions over Ukraine.

Russia’s economy and currency have weakened this year due to uncertainty over the potential damage from Western sanctions.

Adidas lowers 2014 profit target

Monaco’s Berbatov

he should have given us one more, but my big dream was to play for Liverpool, and the foreign players’ big dream is to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona, that’s a fact.

“His wife is from Barcelona and I don’t think you can begrudge a player like that, who has worked so hard for his dream. You can’t go against him when he says he is leaving for Barcelona.

“His dream from the first day he came was to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona. Last summer when he was out in the cold and training on his own that’s the conversation I had with him. I said, ‘Don’t go to Arsenal’.”

Monaco, Valencia clash in Emirates Cup

iverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes it would have been a mistake for Luis Suarez to have moved to Arsenal.

The Uruguayan was the subject of intense interest from the north London club last summer as they tried – and failed – to trigger a release clause in the striker’s contract.

And after Suarez’s prolific final season at Anfield, which secured the 27-year-old various personal honours as well as a dream move to Barcelona, Gerrard thinks the advice he gave his team-mate last season has been completely vin-

dicated.

“I would have been really sad and disappointed to see Luis go to Arsenal,” the 34-year-old said.

“With all due respect to them, I said to him that he was too good for Arsenal. I said if you score 30 goals for us and win the PFA Player of the Year, the press Player of the Year – I knew he was going to win them – I told him Real or Barcelona will come for you.”

“I think he got the wrong advice last year from people around him, from people saying he needed to play in the Champions League and it did not matter who it was for.

“A lot of people might still think

too good for Arsenal

Ricciardo

ports equipment maker Adidas lowered its full-year profit target on Thursday, citing among other things increasing risk in the Russian market amid mount-

S

Mandzukic

ormer Atletico Madrid defender Alvaro Dominguez has compared the club’s new signing Mario Mandzukic to his old team-mate, prolific forward Radamel Falcao.

Dominguez, who played for Atletico between 2008 and 2012 alongside Falcao and has faced Mandzukic in the Bundesliga, predicts the Croatian will be a perfect fit for the Spanish league champions following his move from Bayern Munich to replace Diego Costa. “For me Mandzukic is a natural striker and a little old-fashioned. He’s very dangerous in the penalty area,” said Dominguez to Mundo Deportivo.

Mandzukic reminds me more of Radamel Falcao, more of a predator in the area.

“I think Atletico have a hit with this signing, especially if they surround him with players who will create, something I don’t think will be a problem with Arda Turan, Koke and Raul Garcia.

“From what I saw in Germany I found him very complete. I couldn’t emphasise one aspect over another. He’s big but has good speed, holds the ball well, plays for second balls and has great anticipation in the area.”

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reminds me of Falcao’

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tletico Madrid are making Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla a priority transfer target.

Marca says Cazorla tops Atletico’s shopping list as they seek to rebuild coach Diego Simeone’s title winning squad.

Simeone wants a playmaker to complement Koke and Arda Turan in his midfield and sees Cazorla’s qualities as ideal.

Atletico are pushing Arsenal to drop their €20 million valuation for the Spain international.

Cazorla spoke of his admiration for Atletico only this week.

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Atletico make Cazorla priority target

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alatasaray have been linked with Newcastle United outcast Hatem Ben Arfa according to Turkish sports newspaper Fanatik.

Ben Arfa fell out with Newcastle coach Alan Pardew last season and was left out of the team following a dressing room altercation at Stoke City, followed by another heated exchange after the 4-0 loss against Manchester United.

The French international was left out of the squad that toured New Zealand and has been

training with the reserves.

Ben Arfa was also recently fined for being too fat on his return to preseason training, according to French paper Le Parisien.

Galatasaray linked with Ben Arfa

ergio Romero has admitted that he wants to stay at Monaco, despite interest from Benfica.

The Sampdoria goalkeeper spent last season on loan at the French club, but despite playing second fiddle to Danijel Subasic for the majority campaign has claimed that he wants a permanent move because of his daughter.

“I would like to play at Monaco,” he told reporters in Argentina.

Romero wants Monaco stay

Doubt has been cast over the future of the Germany international with Hamburg reportedly keen on the 26-year-old, whose form early last season saw him break into the national team.

If the northern Germany side does want Muller, they have been told to make the right offer, and to do so fast as Mainz would then need to find an adequate replacement.

“If both conditions are not fulfilled, then there will absolutely not be any transfer,” Heidel told Sport Bild.

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30 SPORT

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

Athletes in embarrassing coats of many colours

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Nigerian boxer Efe Apocchi, left, in adidas kit for his fight against Australia’s Apetana Jai

eam Nigeria’s participation at the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, may be tagged as the worst ever in the history of the country’s participation in the competition. Definitely not in the aspect of winning medals, but in the most distinguishing feature - the kitting of the athletes.

Nigerian athletes in Glasgow are not only poorly kitted, they wear what they have in their private wardrobe without recourse to the national colours and above all, these kits carry different brand names like Adidas, Puma, Zeus, Nike, Erima, Mizuno, Joola, Diadora, and some of the athletes just wear whatever they can lay their hands on.

In Glasgow, Nigeria has unofficially been given a denigrating award of excellence in poor dressing and appearing in uncoordinated uniforms. This is not only shameful but demeaning as the so called giant of Africa is busy combining unapproved colours and wearing prohibited brand names.

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee has taken particular interest in Nigerian athletes and they have been going the extra mile to help cover unregistered brand names on the athletes’ kit with coloured tapes. This has been most prevalent in wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, athletics and table tennis.

The wearing of coat of many colours by Nigerian athletes has been most conspicuous at the medal presentation ceremonies where the country’s athletes wear conflicting colours and brands. Even in cases where they wore the green and white tracks suits, we have seen brand names like Erima, Nike, Adidas, Mizuno and Zeus boldly emblazoned on the kits.

This has been confusing, as many of the journalists covering the Games in Glasgow have been asking their Nigerian colleagues funny questions. A number of them

had been approached by friends to ask quietly, “please which brand of kit do Nigeria wear?”

The answers have always been a long story of how the official kit was being expected and that ‘they were yet to arrive, but very soon they would for the athletes to use.”

Foreign colleagues have wondered how on earth Nigerian athletes could proceed for an international competition as big as the Commonwealth Games without an official kit.

In wrestling, Nigerian athletes always had their kits covered with cello tapes; it is not different in weightlifting. The Daniel Igalimotivated wrestlers who arrived in Glasgow elegantly dressed in beautiful ash coloured blazers with hats to fit and with multicolour bags, had no option but to join the ramshackle dressing at the event proper. The wrestlers always had a tape covering strange brands on their chest.

When Blessing Okagbare won the 100metres race at the Hampden Park Stadium, a regulatory official had to cover the Nike sign on her kit at the mixed zone during the question and answer

Nigeria’s Yinka Adenuwa, left, in Nike kit

session.

In weightlifting, the athletes wore strange colours from blue, red, purple and funny looking green. Chika Amalaha competed with blue kit and when she was presented with her gold medal, she wore a Mizuno branded white and green tracks suit. While another Nigerian lifter, Friday Olusola, during his own event, was dressed in black and white kit and had a bold inscription ‘Orange Boy’ in front of his shirt. The weightlifting federation Secretary General, Adesegun Adedeji, who was present at the venue, was seen wearing a green tracks suit branded by Zeus.

The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, was seen celebrating with Efe Appochi who had an adidas kit on, when he picked a semi-final ticket in boxing.

When Maryam Usman was presented with gold medal for winning the +75kg event, she wore an Erima branded tracks suit.

The table tennis players are freely wearing Joola brand without inhibition. When asked why

they are wearing the unapproved brand, the athletes’ response was: “We have not been given any official kit by the sports ministry.”

The tragedy of Team Nigeria’s poor kitting at the XX Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2014 stemmed from poor planning and coordination following the removal of former sports minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, who was replaced by Tammy Danagogo.

Abdullahi it was gathered had opened negotiations with kit manufacturing company, Mizuno, a Japanese outfit whose production factory is based in China, to get a renewal after the earlier agreement reached for the London 2012 Olympics had lapsed.

But negotiations stalled when Abdullahi was sent packing, leaving the issue of the provision of sports kit for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games hanging in the balance.

New Telegraph on Saturday scooped that the Sports Ministry had agreed to pay Mizuno N23 million for the deal, but the federal government delayed in releasing the funds.

The initial excuse was that there

Odunayo Adekuoroye celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Women’s FS 53kg

was no money to pay for the services, before the sports ministry was mandated to look for money to pay the sports equipment-manufacturing outfit and would get a refund later.

A source privy the deal informed New Telegraph on Saturday that those in the ministry couldn’t raise the money, a departure from what obtained during the era of Chief Patrick Ekeji as the director general of the National Sports Commission. Ekeji helped borrow N300 million for Team Nigeria’s preparations at the 2012 Olympics.

The source added that, when the federal government eventually released the N23 million for the full payment, time was already running out and the kit company was under pressure.

“Another hindrance that reared its head was the challenges faced by the Sports Ministry in transferring N23million to the manufacturers. They were incapacitated by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy which allowed for only $10,000 to be transferred daily to a foreign account,” the source said.

“This was the last straw as it prevented the prompt transfer of funds to the company which was not willing to commence production without receiving full payment.”

All these accounted for the delay in the supply of the kit and the reason for the ragtag dressing of Team Nigeria to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Unike the Kenyan National Olympic Committee that said they missed the memo for the date of the Commonwealth Games and therefore could not get money to procure the competition and training kits from Nike to the athletes in good time, Nigeria can not be excused as the sports ministry had been aware of the Games eight years ago when Nigeria lost the hosting right for the 2014 Games to Scotland.

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Chika Chukwumerije in this interview rues missing the World Taekwondo Federation grand prix, but is looking forward to the Commonwealth Taekwondo Games in November also in Scotland. He sheds light on other interest in this interview with Emmanuel Tobi How do you feel that the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, is going on without Taekwondo?

Taekwondo is not in the General Commonwealth Games. It is expected to be by the 2018 Games. However, there is a Commonwealth Taekwondo Games, also being hosted by Scotland, and it is in November. Nigeria will be ready.

Tell us more about the other players who will be also attending the competition, how is their preparation going.

40 of the nation’s best Taekwondo players were camped alongside other athletes in the Commonwealth camp for a month. General feedback from the athletes show they learnt a lot, and valuable information was transferred from the coaching crew, made up of the most recent successful coaches, to the athletes.

There is a sense of urgency and patriotism from the athletes, and they are most eager to win medals at the Commonwealth Taekwondo Games.

You recently missed the World Taekwondo Federation Grand Prix in China. Can you elaborate on what really happened?

The representative of the China Taekwondo Association in charge of the logistics participating countries handled the information for Nigeria badly – first, they responded to our request many weeks late, gave us the wrong information that I would get a visa in Taiwan, sent the invitation letter just two days to our flight to China, and then informed us that we had to go back to Nigeria to obtain a visa. The whole situation was sad, and his actions cost us a lot in terms of time, funds and Olympic points.

Don’t you think that missing the championship will affect your chances at the Commonwealth Taekwondo Games?

No it won’t. But every tournament you compete in adds to your experience, and gives you an opportunity to learn and improve at the next championships.

Both you and your brother attended some championships before the Commonwealth Games. What is the importance of these meets?

We gained Olympic ranking points, won medals for the country and continued to help provide inspiration for young, up-coming athletes poised to replace our generation.

What are the plans put in place to have another Chika Chukwumerije when you finally quit the scene?

It is about developing a sustainable system that can find up-coming athletes, expose and equip them until they can stamp their authority and presence on the global stage. That involves a lot of resources at all levels – local and national i.e. funding, the right coaching staff, equipment, training, facilities etc.

Putting that kind of system is always going to be challenging, but it is a constant discussion within Taekwondo circles now, with the current NTF President providing that kind of enabling environment where an innovative method can be developed to find the next generation of medal-winning Taekwondo athletes.

In the short term, the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation organises coaching courses, referee training programmes, athlete workshops to get these key stake-

Chika Chukwumerije (left) lands a high kick on an opponent in a recent competition

‘My goal is to produce more Chika Chukwumerijes’ holders more informed and knowledgeable about their various areas.

Let’s talk about your foundation, Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation; what is the inspiration behind it?

The goal has always been clear and consistent – to “Produce Educated Champions And Inspire the Future”.

We started the foundation because we wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people, no matter how small the impact was. I broke into the national camp when I was 18 years, and in the next decade, I saw a lot of improvements that could be made. It was not a ‘Eureka’ moment that made me gather like-minds to start the Foundation. It was years of being in the system, and seeing many

...Chukwumerije

available opportunities to engineer improvement.

I told myself all these years that ‘if I could teach competition skills garnered over the course of my career to the younger generation, encourage them to have formal education, get them little financial assistance where possible, integrate leadership and character-building sessions into training workshops with other professional skills, then my sport will be better for it, Nigeria will be better for it.’ 10 years down the line, we hope we would have developed a huge crop of enlightened action-oriented young people whose thought processes are innovative, and who will win medals for the country.

Getting funds is very paramount in

sustaining any project, how have you been sourcing for funds or do you have any sponsor?

It has been challenging. Sponsors need to see value in any venture, and Taekwondo in particular has a rising profile, but not enough yet to attract the kind of resources needed to make the change we visualise in the short-term and longterm. Friends, family, and private earnings have been our primary sources, but it is not sustainable.

Any sponsors that partners CCSF on our projects will get full value for their support - that is a guarantee. A project that seeks to add value to the lives of young people should certainly not suffer any lack of support.

What is the level of support from the government especially the National Sports Commission?

We did a project with the Grassroots Sports Development Department of the National Sports Commission in 2013, where we engaged over 100 kids in Plateau in an “Inspire the Future” campaign. It was a hugely successful event that parents and the kids wanted repeated. We are certain that many more partnership projects like this with the NSC across the country and regions would help achieve the goals in faster time over the next decade.

Finally, how would you describe the encouragement from your family on this project?

My family has been my backbone at times of self-doubt and difficulty. Not only in terms of providing funds, but more candid advice on creating more value through CCSF programmes.

32 Sport

Puyol is awesome at yoga

Puyol with partner, Vanessa

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arles Puyol may have retired from football after a decade as captain of Barcelona this year, but it seems that the 36-year-old is maintaining his fitness in fine fashion – after being pictured lifting his girlfriend in an awesome yoga pose.

The Spaniard posted a photo of himself lying on the floor and holding up his other half, Vanessa Lorenzo, using his hands in a perfect show of strength and balance while on holiday in Ibiza.

He might not be playing the beautiful game anymore but, after seeing these pictures, it seems as though Puyol could have a new career as a yoga instructor on his hands

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

Beckham voted best celebrity suit wearer

Lifestyle Ronaldo launches footwear range R

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ootballing legend David Beckham has been named as the best male celebrity suit wearer, according to a new poll.

David managed to claim the topspot, beating off competition from Justin Timberlake and actor George Clooney to top the poll by Institchu.co.uk.

The online suit tailor asked 520 women to choose the male celebrity they thought looked best in a suit, with Mr. Beckham topping the poll as over a fifth of respondents voted for him.

One woman said: “I chose David Beckham as the winner because he looks absolutely gorgeous when he’s in a suit. He’s a good-looking man anyway, but I’m not sure what happens when he wears a suit, he just looks incredible.

I could stare at him all day.

In second place was global superstar Justin Timberlake, with 19% of respondents deciding he pulled off a suit particularly well.

Actor George Clooney who is regularly pictured in a stylish suit came third with 16% of the vote.

Another woman commented: “I had to pick George Clooney. That man has been wearing suits for as long as I can remember and is rarely seen in scruffy clothes.

Some men can just pull of wearing a suit better than others and he definitely can.”

He was followed by Prince Harry with 13% of respondents saying they thought he looked the best in a suit.

eal Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he is to launch a range of footwear next year.

The World Player of the Year posted the designs for his CR7 brand on his Facebook page.

The casual-style shoes, which feature the CR7 logo as well as Ronaldo’s name across the heel, will be on sale from February next year.

The Portugal international already has a clothing and underwear range.

Ozil relaxes with girl friend in Las Vegas

Messi hits beach with girlfriend again

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ionel Messi has been getting over his World Cup final heartache with a sun-soaked holiday in Italy with his girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo.

Messi’s Argentina side was beaten by Germany last month as Mario Gotze scored the extra-time winner to deny the South Americans.

The 27-year-old looked to banish the World Cup woe as he and his partner were joined by friends as they relaxed and soaked up the sun on their luxury vessel off the shores of Ponza.

And the couple turned up the heat when they were spotted flashing quite a bit of flesh during their time on the water.

The Barcelona forward proudly put his washboard abs on display as he relaxed on the deck in just a pair of little white swimming shorts.

And, not to be outdone, his girlfriend Antonella inadvertently gave a full view of her shapely derriere when a gust of sea breeze blew her patterned kaftan up.

Messi’s girlfriend, Antonella

...Messi

s Arsenal’s players gear up for this weekend’s Emirates Cup, Mesut Ozil is still relaxing on holiday with his girlfriend.

The 25-year-old was spotted with Mandy Capristo relaxing by the pool of their hotel in Las Vegas.

Winning the World Cup with Germany was the perfect end to a mixed season for the former Real Madrid man, but Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says Ozil will miss the start of the season after his summer exploits.

The Frenchman said: ‘I have given them (Ozil, Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker) a good break because I have experience of players who have been in the World Cup final. You need a rest.”

Stories courtesy Dailymail

Ozil and girlfriend, Mandy

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Igbo traditional marriage is usually a very expensive process. It is for that reason that many Igbo ladies, especially girls from Imo, remain single for a long time

Traditional Marriage in Igboland

by a middle man who must be well known by both families.

The venue for the marriage ceremony, according to Benin tradition, is the home of the woman’s family. The traditional marriage ritual is called “Iwanien Omo.” Edo wedding attire worn by brides during their traditional wedding ceremony is so rich and regal.

PHOTO: ROMANCEMEETSLIFE

Virginity test and oath taking

Traditional Marriage Ceremony In Ijaw Culture

chase or pay for every single item on the list, because that would be too expensive.

Is the man who knows what he can afford.

And since he knows what he can afford, he should just pick some items on the list and forget about the rest.

“Igbo traditional marriage is usually a very expensive process. It is for that reason that many Igbo ladies, especially girls from Imo, remain single for a long time before getting a husband. Since many of the young men are not rich enough to pass through the expensive marriage process, the girls too have to remain unmarried.”

The Hausa Hausa cultural marriage usually takes the form of Islamic marriage.

The Nikkah: ‘the Islamic wedding’ is the process followed when taking a wife among the Muslims in Hausa land. It has its unique way of practice and this distinguishes it from other forms of wedding practices all over the world. In recent times, the practice of Nikkah has tilted towards a more cultural angle rather than its previous religious sacredness. With the rise of Westernisation, people have generally adjusted the rulings to suit their convenience or desires.

In the Hausa culture, the typical practice is initiated when the family, close family friends of the groom (not necessarily including his parents), and the groom’s guardian go to visit the family of the bride. It’s an all men affair and that is usually referred to as ‘Na gani ina so’ which literally means ‘I like what I see.’ The groom’s family goes with a basket of a few things including fruits and kolanuts. This is for the acceptance or rejection of the bride’s father after which, according to tradition, it is permissible for the man and the woman to ‘see’ each other.

The man and woman communicate with each other, share likes and dislikes. If the girl feels comfortable with marrying the man, she gives her consent. She communicates this to her parents who in turn activate the ‘Gaisuwa’ meaning greetings to their inlaws-to be. The Gaisuwa is a formal form of approval from the family of the bride to the groom’s family. At this point however, the father of the bride can still withdraw his initial approval if issues arise that cannot be sorted out. If all goes well at this point, the relationship is committal and it is certain that the two will marry each other.

It is also on this day, that the proper wedding dialogue begins and a wedding date is agreed upon and chosen by a delegation of the two families. The setting of the date

PhotO: LindaIkeji

A typical list of items presented to grooms in Igboland • Gallons of palmwine (local wine) • Cash gift • Bottles of wine • Kolanut • One goat • Rolls of cigarettes • Bags of rice • Yams • • Stockfish • Tobacco • Cigarettes • Soft drinks • George/Hollandis wrappers • Jewellery • Clothes is called Sa rana. The bride’s family goes home with some gifts for the bride referred to as Kai Kaya meaning ‘carrying things.’

Depending on the financial capability of the groom and his family, the items range from clothing, jewelleries, shoes, perfumes and many more.

Also, it is part of the Hausa culture for the groom to provide a house for the couple while the bride’s family has full responsibility of furnishing the house, especially her room, living room and the kitchen. All these are done before the wedding proper.

The wedding day is usually referred to as Fatihah. That is the day in which there is a solemnisation of the two families and payment of ‘sadaki,’ the dowry. Traditionally, the women folk aren’t expected at the wedding Fatihah and they usually never are present. Instead, the women are indoors busy at the Kunshi, preparing the bride for her final moment as a spinster and new beginning as a wife. The Kunshi is a ceremony just like a bridal shower where the older women apply generous amounts of perfume and scented flowers on the bride, lalei (henna) is applied on the arms and feet of the bride and her friends’. It serves as a form of decoration as flowers and other intriguing designs are drawn.

Depending on the families involved, ‘Walimah’ or wedding reception is held after the wedding Fatihah. It’s a whole day’s ceremony, with food, drinks and merriment for family, friends and other well-wishers.

After all has been said and done, the bride is taken to her husband’s house after series of admonishments from both parents, aunts,

Efik Bride

PHOTO: WEDDINGFEFERITY

uncles and even her new parents-in-law. It’s known as Kai Amarya and it means conveyance of the bride.

All in all, the Hausa Nikkah is usually a graceful and fun-filled ceremony with so many activities involved.

Bini traditional marriage rites

Bini traditional wedding or marriage, also called Edo or Benin traditional native law and custom, is an integral part of the Benin culture, preserved throughout the history of the people. It exists side by side with modern day Church wedding and Ccurt marriage. Whereas some Bini couples prefer performing all three primary types of marriages in the Benin, others are contented with the church marriage and the traditional marriage.

Although the minimum marriageable age for girls in modern day Benin society is 18, legal marriageable age for girls in traditional Benin society before 1897 was between 15 and 18 years.

The beauty of the Benin traditional marriage can be appreciated through the old days when courtship among young boys and girls begin in unique places.

The practice by which parents go out to look for a wife or husband for their children is called the Betrothal system.

Betrothal can be conducted on behalf of the children without their consents. There are cases where new born baby girls are betrothed. Suitors would begin asking for the child’s hand in marriage by dropping bundles of yams or log of wood at the doors of the parents; saying words like, “Imu kerhan gboto,” which means ‘I have dropped a log of firewood.’

The parents of a boy must accept the girl he wishes to marry before the commencement of marriage proceedings. The two parents would carry out series of investigations on the prospective bride and bridegroom and their families to confirm their history of diseases, crime and scandal before approving the union.

The act by which the parents of the bridegroom accept the bride as a prospective daughter-in-law is called “Ivbuomo,” which means ‘seeking for a bride.’

In some families, the terms of the marriage must be settled before the marriage.

They may include, The dowry “Iroghae,” the gifts for the mother of the bride, settlement for members of the extended family of the bride, date for the marriage ceremony Negotiations between both families as regards marriage plans and terms are done

Next is the gathering of the female members of the husband’s family, who may be staying in the same family compound with the husband.

Tina Okotie, a married businesswoman from Benin, takes pride in the beauty of Benin traditional marriage and insists that it would be rather difficult for modernisation to wipe away vital aspects of Benin marriage customs.

She says: “Every girl from Benin prays and looks forward to the day of her traditional marriage. That’s because of the beauty and glory of Benin traditional marriage.

“As you well know, Benin traditional marriage is very rich and regal. The bride and groom are both richly adorned with beads and native clothing. The bride wears a crown on her head, which makes her a queen on the day of her traditional marriage.

“Therefore, no Benin bride-to-be in her right senses would allow her husband-tobe to pay cash in order not to go through the processes of the traditional marriage ceremony. Monetising the traditional marriage processes and ceremony in Benin is like taking away the joy of the bride-to-be, and doing that to a Benin girl would be very sad.”

However, Okotie admits that the virginity test and oath-taking aspects of the Benin traditional marriage is no longer as common as in the past.

Virginity test and oath-taking is when women are led by the husband’s mother who would demand the bed-spread on which they both slept when they had their “first sexual relationship” after the wedding. They will consider the girl a virgin if the bed-spread is stained with blood, as such will present her money and gifts. She is at this stage fully accepted into the family.

“These days, how many brides are actually virgins on the day of their traditional marriage? As a result, many families no longer conduct virginity tests on the bride, because they know that it is not necessary in this modern era where young people have boyfriends and girlfriends,” Okotie says.

Benjamin Usifo, from Benin, states that Bini marriage is one of the most inexpensive in the country. He says: “The Bini people celebrate the relationship between two people, that is, the bride and groom.

They do not sell their daughters.”

With modernity setting in and for the fact that most people now live in the urban area, the canoe and fishing nets is usually monetised and handed over to the bride along-side money for her waist. The bride price varies from family to family or clan to clan depending on the state and it is usually dependent on the bride’s father and the financial strength of the groom.

In general, traditional marriage customs and practices in Nigeria differ from one culture to another. However, no matter how Nigerian cultures may differ on marriage, they still have some things in common, such as the payment of dowry, as well as the parental, family and/or communal involvement in the traditional marriage rites and processes.

Short Story NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

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Writer in focus:

MICHAEL UCHEBUAKU

08131161840

34

One cold, stormy night (2)

t was on one of those long romantic walks they took in New York that had led to their first kiss. It was about five in the evening and Mark had suggested they take a walk through a public garden. They held hands as they walked together among the flowers and trees, and when they had found a spot where there were much fewer people, they had kissed passionately.

His long arms had drawn her close.

Then he had squeezed her tightly against his chest and the voluptuous melons of her breasts had ached both for his touch and because they were crushed. Her body and soul had desired him.

Diana had conceived anyway and they had both decided to have the baby and get married later, which they did. Diana had loved Mark with all her heart but when it came to sex she soon receded to her usual sex-disliking self. She felt that Mark would always be patient.

Of course Mark had been patient for many years but she had pushed her luck too far, and she didn’t really blame him for wanting to leave when he felt he couldn’t take it anymore.

“Mummy, let’s go back to New York,” Melanie said again, bringing her mum back to reality.

Two weeks later, Diana, Melanie and Rain were on a plane headed from Los Angeles to New York.

Life just had to go on. After all, she was an economist and a new job would be waiting for her in the heart of New York if she did go back S turned to look into the face of the beautiful woman that was sitting beside him on the plane with a dog on her lap.

The lady appeared drowsy and jerked her head at intervals in a helpless effort to stay awake during the rather long flight.

Diana thought her dog never wanted any man to get close to her. Since her divorce, Rain had barked angrily and sometimes attacked men who admired her. She had attributed Rain’s hostility to her boyfriends to the dog’s fondness of Mark her ex. Thus, none of Diana’s boyfriends had escaped unscathed whenever Rain was in the house. Her last boyfriend, Richard, got bitten in the ankle when he visited the California farmhouse. None of Diana’s boyfriends seemed acceptable to Rain.

For that reason, Diana hadn’t been able to enjoy even a platonic relationship with any man. Men were just not safe in her house. That was until S came around.

Now, since the meeting on the plane Rain had suddenly become enamoured of S. The bitch had even sat on S’ lap for a moment before dinner. Was S the dog’s favourite boyfriend?

When S walked out Diana’s door he was sad. He didn’t know what was happening to him. He’d just received a call from his celebrity lover to come and collect the money he had requested. S never mixed business with pleasure. So he had perished his passionate embrace with Diana the moment he had received the call.

But now he felt bad. The money didn’t quite seem like everything anymore.

S had four celebrity female lovers, three of them old enough to be his mother. He hadn’t really intended having an affair with Diana, but he found that she was one single parent, or woman for that matter, who brought out the best in him.

He was ‘four-star’ S, because he had four stars that he milked. But Diana too was a star – the celebrity of his heart. Therefore, he was now ‘five-star’ S. He could still smell the fragrance of her breasts.

At the mall the next morning, Saturday, Diana was surprised when her little girl asked a woman with a pet dog shopping next to her why women loved their dogs more than men. “I love my dog more than my man because my dog is always happy to see me,” the lady answered.

Melanie asked three other shoppers with pet dogs the same question and one said: “I love my dog more than my man because my dog always barks for a reason.” The other said: “A dog knows what it wants – a bone, but men hardly know what they want.” The third woman looked at Diana’s dog and said: “Dogs are more committed.”

An embarrassed Diana asked her daughter why she asked such questions.

Melanie said: “Mum, it’s because you’ve stayed so long with a dog but without a husband.” *************************************** Six months later, Diana had settled down in her new banking job in New York and was enjoying a heated romance with S when she received a telephone call from her wealthy celebrity aunt in Las Vegas.

Aunt Margaret was a very successful actress and had been nominated for an Oscar award on two occasions. At fifty, she was still single.

“That man you’ve been sleeping with is a fraud,” Aunt Margaret fumed over the phone. “That can’t be true, S is every woman’s angel. He just can’t go about sleeping with women for money,” Diana defended.

“Ask him where he’s been staying in New York. I bet he’s with Angela the diva,” Aunt Margaret went on. “He’s there for the cash, Diana. You’re a banker, don’t give away a cent.”

Diana was badly hurt by Aunt Margaret’s words and she resolved to confront S and discover the truth. She didn’t completely believe Aunt Margaret. Diana disliked her aunt for not being there when she needed her. Aunt Margaret was her dad’s younger sister but she never assisted members of the family financially.

That man you’ve been sleeping with is a fraud,” Aunt Margaret fumed over the phone

Not even Diana’s dad when his farm suffered a crisis.

Instead, Aunt Margaret was known to lavish her wealth on her young boyfriends.

Could S have been Aunt Margaret’s lover?

Diana dialed S’ number and told him she wanted to see him in her place.

It was a teary-eyed S that admitted later that night that he had over a year ago acquainted himself with Margaret; not dated her. Diana didn’t believe him.

“What about the diva you’ve been staying with in Manhattan?” she asked him.

“She’s just a…” S found it hard to explain.

“A dupe,” Diana completed his sentence. “No, that wasn’t what I meant,” S protested guiltily. “Anyway I’m awfully sorry. It’s all in the past now because I meant to end my relationship with her since I met you.”

“I love you Diana,” S said, sorrowfully.

“I’ve been in love with you since we met on the plane.”

“Liar!!” Diana screamed at him. She asked him to leave.

Next morning Diana wept as she packed her things and Melanie’s things.

They were going back to rural California for a few days to celebrate her dad’s sixtieth birthday as a family. Throughout the flight to California, Diana grieved in her heart as though she had lost a loved one.

She had given her body and soul to S and he had repaid her with lies and deceit. Diana felt like a whore.

*************************************** S felt truly disgraced as he packed his few clothes into a briefcase three days later. It was five in the morning and the day was still dark. He was secretly leaving the home of his celebrity lover while she slept.

When he had finished packing, S dipped his hand into his jacket and brought out the cheque of a hundred thousand dollars the diva had recently given him. He kept the cheque on the bed beside the sleeping naked woman and walked away, shutting the door quietly. He was going to California.

S didn’t receive a hug from Diana when he got to the farmhouse. She casually introduced him to family members and S joined in the toast. At bedtime, when family members were going into their rooms, Diana didn’t show S where he would spend the night. Her bed was out of it. S wasn’t wanted indoors.

Just behind the farmhouse was a derelict doghouse that housed the family’s big bulldog, which was now dead. S slept in the doghouse that night.

S woke up by six-thirty in the morning and headed out of the farm despondently.

As he stood outside the gate of the farm in a dilemma about where to go next, S didn’t see two men that came out of a black car parked some meters away from the farm.

The next thing he heard was gunshots.

The sound of gunshots roused Diana and her family, and after a moment of confused reactions, they found S lying in a pool of his blood at the farm’s gate.

Luckily, he was still breathing but was in a coma.

After a few critical days at the hospital, S woke up to find lovely Diana sitting by his bedside. “The police think one of your celebrity lovers tried to murder you for taking her cash and leaving her. They are questioning the diva,” she told him.

S knew it was Margaret that wanted him dead, but he couldn’t tell the whole truth because he loved her niece. He couldn’t afford to lose Diana forever.

“I’ve left everything now for your love, Diana,” he said feebly.

“I hope you’ll get a decent job now,” Diana said, with deep love and concern in her eyes.

“I will,” S said. “You changed me.”

“You changed me too,” Diana said. “I want more sex with you.”

S slipped his hand under the pillow.

What he brought out was a surprise.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, as he placed the diamond ring on her finger.

“My dog wants me to marry you,” Diana answered.

“What do you say?” S asked.

“I say women love their men more than their dogs,” Diana replied.

As they kissed, nine-year old Melanie ran into the ward with Rain, shouting: “I’ve got breasts! Mum, what do women do with breasts?”

“Things that make them hate men,” her mum said.

Stroking S’ bandaged chest, Diana asked Melanie: “Would you like to know why a woman loves her man more than her dog?”

“Why, mum?”

“Because a man can leave everything for the woman he loves.”

Still stroking him, Diana tested his memory. “Do you remember the story I told you about running away with the wind?” “Yes,” S reassured her, “the wind never leaves you, I’ll never do. Because little boys that swing in crystal balls grow up to marry princesses.”

L ve&Lv ng

Dear Love Doctor, 'Men don't like being with me' p.37

Wedding Traditions: Putting Flower Garlands Around Each Other's Necks p.38

MICHAEL UCHEBUAKU

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

‘I married him to spite my mother' Love Confession Marriage is supposed to be by choice not by force. However, in this story, a girl goes into marriage against her wishes and this results in ugly consequences.

M

y name is Joke. My father is from Ogun State while my mother is from Oyo. My father died about five years ago while I was still in junior secondary school. At the time of my father’s passing away, my mother was only a housewife.

As a result of her status as a housewife, she found it very difficult to cope after the death of my father.

For that reason, my mother wanted me to get married early, as soon as I finished secondary school so that the burden she was carrying could reduce.

When I finished secondary school, my mother brought home a man she said she wanted me to marry. According to her, the man was from a very responsible home family and would take good care of me.

But the problem was that I wasn’t in love with the man and I found it difficult to fall in love with him because he is too fat and I dislike fat. But my mother refused to listen to my objections.

My mother put me under so much pressure to marry the man of her choice although she knew that I wasn’t in love

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

ireto007@yahoo.com 0813 116 1840

www.newtelegraphonline.com/loveliving

2 AUGUST 2014

MODEL OF THE WEEK Name: RUTH Tel: 0703 456 4492

with him. In fact, I hated the man’s guts and I was desperate to do anything in order not to marry him.

My friend advised me to quickly accept another man’s proposal and marry him so that I could tell my mum that I was already married.

And there was this 45-year-old man who had been trying to befriend me for some time. So I quickly rushed into marriage with him in order to spite my mother and teach her a lesson.

I wasn’t in love with the man I married, however, but I felt that at least marrying him would give me a breathing space from my mother, which I needed.

I didn’t realize that marriage was a lifetime after.

However, within months of getting married to the 40-year-old man I call my husband, he began to show his true colours as a drunk and wife beater.

He would go straight to the beer parlour after work and drink himself to stupor. Then he would return home late in the night only to turn me into a punching bag.

I now realized the problem I had gotten myself into. I realized that I got married to him just to escape from my mother.

My case is a case of jumping from frying pan to fire. And I advise girls to look before they leap.

Getting married in order to escape from family pressure is not the ideal thing to do. I ought to have taken a different and positive approach to dealing with pressure from my mother instead of rushing into the arms of a man who is even worse than the man my mother wanted me to marry.

Romantic Quotes Every love that is dependent on something when that thing disappears, the love disappears also. But that love which does not depend on anything is a love that lasts forever.

– The Mishneh What is being in love?

Joy, Creative Playfulness that pushes limits Contentment, The ability to savor the moment To be thrilled to be where you are and appreciate the present.

– Dr. David Fox

If you want to be our next model, please send your photos to: ireto007@yahoo.com Call: 0703 102 8714, 0813 116 1840

35

36 LOVE&LIVING

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

Love News

Paris Hilton shares passionate kiss on the beach with mystery man

L

ess than two weeks ago her boyfriend of nearly two years was telling her she is 'absolutely beautiful' and sharing photos of the two locking lips.

But now it appears Paris Hilton has ended things with 22-year-old Finnish-Spanish model River Viiperi.

The 33-year-old heiress was spotted kissing a mystery man on the beach in front of her home in Malibu on Sunday.

At one point during a party hosted at her Malibu home, the pretty blonde socialite took to the waves for a sexy romp with the latest man in her life.

The aspiring DJ donned a black and brown crocheted monokini and wore her blonde tresses in two buns at the nape of her neck.

With sunglasses on and boogie board in hand, she leaned in for some hot and heavy public displays of affec-

Love Education

What is Premature Ejaculation?

P

remature ejaculation (PE) occurs when a man experiences orgasm and expels semen soon after sexual activity and with minimal penile stimulation. It has also been called early ejaculation, rapid ejaculation, rapid climax, premature climax, and (historically) ejaculation praecox.

There is no uniform cut-off defining "premature," but a consensus of experts at the International Society for Sexual Medicine endorsed a definition including "ejaculation which always or nearly always occurs prior to or within about one minute." The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) applies a cut-off of 15 seconds from the beginning of sexual intercourse.

Although men with premature ejaculation describe feeling that they have less control over ejaculating, it is not clear if that is true, and many or most average men also report that they wish they could last longer. Men's typical ejaculatory latency is approximately 4–8 minutes.

Men with PE often report emotional and relationship distress, and some avoid pursuing sexual relationships because of PE-related embarrassment. Compared with men, women consider PE less of a problem, but several studies show that the condition also causes female partners distress.

If you have a problem of premature ejaculation, consult a fertility specialist or a medical doctor.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Love Songs

AVICII

Addicted To You I don't know just how it happened, I let down my guard Swore I'd never fall in love again but I fell hard Guess I should have seen it coming; caught me by surprise I wasn't looking where I was going; I fell into your eyes You came into my crazy world like a cool and cleansing wave Before I, I knew what hit me, baby, you were flowing though my veins The kiss...her boyfriend, River Viiperi was nowhere in sight

tion with the muscular man who wore blue and white boardshorts.

Both Paris and River posted cryptic messages to their social media accounts in recent days.

On Friday, the Come Alive singer tweeted, "Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place".

Her tweet comes after a long list of quotes shared to Instagram by her exboyfriend.

On July 20 River posted, "At some point you realize that you have done too much for someone or something, that the only next possible step to do is to stop. Leave them alone. Walk away. (sic)".

Next he shared, "If people don't make an effort to be in your life, don't try so hard to be in theirs; It's not worth it".

That post was followed by: "When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you".

Finally, he finished by saying, 'Their true colours have always shown, you just believed they would change with light.'

It appears safe to say that this ship has sailed and Paris and River are no longer a couple.

However, despite the purported break up, Paris informed her Twitter followers that she was on her way to Ibiza - her ex's hometown - on Sunday evening.

Courtesy: Daily Mail.

'I had an arranged marriage'

I

had an arranged marriage in 2010. It was a marriage where my mum chose my husband for me and I was just expected to turn up for the wedding.

My mum had been very hard on me throughout my life and I wanted her to love me. I wanted her approval so badly. So thinking that it would make her finally approve of me, I agreed to the arranged marriage.

It has been several years now. No one except my husband and I know why I still do not have a baby yet. The truth is my marriage remains unconsummated.

Being strangers, my husband and I were never able to feel that type of passion for each other. We have grown to love each other as a brother and a sister and are very loyal to each other.

To the outside world, we successfully pass off as a normal husband and wife. But of course we are struggling to have a baby, albeit for different reasons than most couples in this awful predicament of a childless marriage.

Due to the fact that we do not have an actual marriage, we are forced to go to fertility clinics to find an artificial way to have a baby.

I find it heartbreaki n g to go through t h e treatments, k n o w ing that if my life had turned out differently all this may not be necessary and I

Life Experience could be enjoying trying for a baby the natural way.

I come from a family where divorces are not allowed and are frowned upon because we are very religious.

I have kept all this pain in my heart and I struggle to sleep at night. I yearn for a baby and the love of a child. Even more, I yearn for a 'real' husband. One who can touch me and make me feel loved in a passionate way.

But I have grown to accept the brother that I found in return for the arranged marriage.

My mother does not know how she has ruined my life. I would never want her to know the truth. What makes it worse is that I still live without my mother's approval today – oh the bitter irony!

Being young, I sacrificed myself, trying to make others happy. By the time I realised my mistake, it was too late.

I love my husband like a sibling and a friend but sometimes when I watch romantic movies, my eyes fill up with tears.

If only my life could h a v e b e e n real like other couples.

I am s l o w l y learning to love myself, but sometimes I smile on the outside but cry so deeply within me.

I'm addicted to you, hooked on your love Like a powerful drug I can't get enough of Lost in your eyes, drowning in blue Out of control, what can I do?

I'm addicted to you!

Midnight blows in through the window; dances round the room Got me hypnotized; I'm getting high on the perfume.

I couldn't live without you now, oh, I know I'd go insane I wouldn't last one night alone, baby I couldn't stand the pain!

I'm addicted to you, hooked on your love Like a powerful drug I can't get enough of Lost in your eyes, drowning in blue Out of control, what can I do?

I'm addicted to you!

Love Poem

Vernon Myers

My Heart My Heart is something that gives me life My Heart feeds and nurtures as if it were my wife My Heart is kind and loving down to the last drop My Heart keeps me going not wanting to stop My Heart has a pulse to it unlike anything in this universe My Heart gives me strength in the hardest traverse My Heart gives me structure in such an unstructured place My Heart beats at an insurmountable pace My Heart bonds me together so that nothing could tear it apart My Heart is something I loved right from the start You Yes!!!! You. Are My Heart

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

Romantic Jokes

The villager who lost his donkey

A villager went to the city to visit his son.

He had no money so his donkey was his only transportation.

When he reached the city he went to pee at the corner at the street, but while peeing the donkey ran away.

The old villager spent all day looking for his beloved donkey, but as the night fell he decided to find a place to rest.

As he had no money, he went to a hotel where he found an open room and laid under the bed to rest.

Later on that night a couple came into the room and proceeded to make love on the bed.

The man compliments the girl and says: "In your eyes I can see the whole world" On hearing this the villager jumps out from under the bed and says: "If you can see the whole world, can you see where my donkey is?"

Happy Birthday to Biwom Iklaki who celebrated her birthday on July 29.

Relationships & Love Advice

'Help! Men don't like being with me'

Dear Love Doctor, This is my problem. Guys ask me out, or I go on dates with them, and then they don't call me again. They seem interested in me, attracted to me, but they don't follow through.

Maybe I have a terrible personality or that I'm unattractive, but honestly, I have good social skills, and I'm interesting and fun to be with. So I don't understand why men don't last with me.

From Chinasa. .

Love Doctor’s Advice: All you need to do is to keep being true to yourself. Maybe you haven't met the right man for you or maybe you don't show men that you're genuinely

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LOVE&LIVING

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

interested in having a relationship with them. If you're sincere and don't act fake, you're likely going to attract a sincere man in the long run. So don't worry, keep it "real" and be patient. Be true to yourself, and with time, you will find a man that will last with you.

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 If you’re in a crisis, call for help: 07031028714, 08131161840 or 08023700641. For free marriage/ relationships counseling, call Love Doctor Mike 07031028714, 08023700641. Visit lovedrmike. blogspot.com

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37

Odd News

Woman was fired because ‘she’s too sexy and her breasts too large’

T

he website for a Manhattan lingerie boutique called Native Intimates has a photograph of a well-endowed woman pushing her breasts together. So, it’s odd that an employee of the shop is claiming she was fired for being “too hot”.

But that’s exactly what Lauren Odes is alleging “When I was first told that I was ‘too hot’ and that my breasts were too large I was shocked,” said Odes in a statement released Tuesday. Her sexy appearance, she said, got her a pink slip from an employer who sells intimate apparel much sexier than your basic slips.

Not surprisingly her story is getting a lot of media attention thanks in part to the celebrity lawyer representing her, Gloria Allred, who held a press conference about the allegations. Allred has taken on many high profile and controversial discrimination cases in her day, including the case of a banker who claimed in 2010 she was fired for being too sexy.

In Odes’ case, however, the work environment would seem a bit more conducive to a little cleavage.

Odes began working for Native Intimates on April 24 handling data entry and shipping tasks, but by May 1 she was out of a job. She alleges her supervisors told her that her choice of clothing was disliked by the company’s owner, an Orthodox Jew. In a statement, Allred said a complaint has been filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in New York claiming Odes “was simply fired for being attractive and for not conforming to the religious strictures imposed by top management, apparently for having female body parts, despite having ably performed her professional duties.”

A woman reached by phone at Native Intimates would only say: “We’re not interested in giving a comment.”

A spokeswoman for the EEOC would not comment on the complaint.

Odes is alleging two types of discrimination: one based on gender and another based on religion.

Being too hot is not a protected category under the nation’s labor laws, but being terminated because you’re a woman or for religious bias is a legal no-no.

It’s unclear exactly why Odes was fired, but what is clear is employers have a lot of latitude in restricting what their employees can wear.

“All companies, regardless of whether they’re selling lingerie or whatever, are permitted to have and enforce dress codes that an owner sees as appropriate,” said Keisha-Ann G. Gray, an employment attorney for Proskauer, a law firm that represents employers. “They are permitted to require their employee to dress conservatively,” she noted, if it’s applied equally among workers of different genders, religions, and races.

Odes said she asked about a dress code when she was hired. She said she was told to look around and see what everyone else was wearing. “The dress varied from very casual athletic wear to business dress,” she said.

She also claimed she was wearing “very covered up attire” but it was her body that was the target of her employer’s disdain. She said that at one point a female employee suggested that she consider taping down her breasts.

Women are often held to a double standard at work when it comes to their appearance, said Anne York, associate professor of economics at Meredith College’s School of Business in Raleigh, N.C. While a supervisor may have thought she might turn off customers, she said, a well-endowed woman would seem like the perfect fit for a lingerie business.

Courtesy: Today.

38 LOVE&LIVING

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

True Confession From Overseas

SEXUAL COMMUNICATION

'We faked an engagement to get presents'

D

uring my first two years of university I met a fantastic guy named Leon. We clicked straight away and had an absolute blast, really making the most of university life.

He was gay and I was way too immature for any kind of serious relationship so he was the perfect 'boyfriend'.

We fast became best friends and spent almost all our time together.

After two years of parties and fun, we decided to move off campus and get a flat together. We found a cute little place not too far from school. We both had part-time jobs but, as we were studying full-time, we found it hard to work many hours and were therefore always pretty strapped for cash.

We made do — brightening the place as best we could with bits and pieces we'd buy at second-hand places or make ourselves (milk crate bookcases — very practical but not so aesthetically pleasing!)

After the first year in our flat we were getting pretty sick of living such a basic life. We both came from pretty wealthy families and had grown up used to luxuries — we were sick of making do and decided that after three years of basic living, we'd had enough.

We'd both had a few casual relationships — nothing serious — and we were aware that our families were hoping we'd get together. My parents adored Leon and continually made playful hints that suggested they thought we were a couple.

Leon still hadn't gotten around to telling his parents he was gay, though I'm sure they had their suspicions over the years. They always treated me very warmly — obviously delighted that Leon was showing interest in a girl.

We came up with a great plan: we'd get engaged! It was perfect — his parents would be happy and mine would be thrilled that their wild daughter was finally settling down with a "nice young fellow", as Dad always described Leon.

We'd get a heap of presents and finally be able to furnish our little flat.

We went to a discount jeweller and picked out a ring. We went halves in the $200 and concocted a romantic story to tell our parents. We had such fun that day, lying in the sun on our patio, sipping cheap wine and trying to outdo each other with stories of Leon's proposal.

My parents were pretty shocked when we made the announcement — they were used to us denying that we were a couple. They were happy, though, and Mum, ever the entertainer, almost straightaway began organising our engagement party.

Our parents met and thankfully got on as well as Leon and I always had.

The engagement party was amazing.

All my aunts and uncles came laden with expensive gifts, kissing me on the cheek and telling me how excited they were.

Leon and I could barely wait to get home and open our gifts — it was all a fabulous game to us. We got some shocking things, like doilies from my Aunt Mollie and a second-hand bench-

top pie warmer from his grandma, but mostly we got great things.

We told our parents that we wanted to wait until we had finished uni before we set a date for the wedding. We spent the next year, our final year of university, living in luxury with our Egyptian cotton bath sheets and whizbang coffee-maker.

We were the envy of our friends with our four-burner barbecue and spent many happy evenings drinking beer out of the crystal wine glasses given to us by my godmother.

At the end of the year Leon got a fabulous job offer interstate. I was keen to stay put and do an honours degree.

It was time to "break up".

I was sad to say goodbye to my best friend but nothing prepared me for how Mum and Dad would take the news — they were crushed. I had to pretend to be heartbroken as Dad fluffed around feeling awkward and Mum hugged me so sadly.

Leon and I had always said that we'd make some sort of auction-style game out of dividing up the gifts we'd shared over the past year.

When the time came we'd both lost heart and were feeling pretty ashamed of what we'd done. It had seemed like such a great idea but now Mum and Dad were so miserable, I felt bad about it. But life, as it does, went on.

I still hear from Leon occasionally, he's making it big with some finance company and happily living with a partner.

I'm now engaged to a lovely man called Tom. He knows this is my second engagement, but I've carefully avoided telling him the full story. Tom and I didn't have an engagement party — it just didn't seem right.

Mum and Dad like Tom, but they seem to be holding out a bit — scared that he'll break their daughter's heart like Leon did. If only they knew that I'm the one who broke their hearts.

Two health benefits of a healthy sex life S

ex not only feels good. It can also be good for you. Here’s what a healthy sex life can do for you.

1. Helps Keep Your Immune System In Good Condition “Sexually active people take fewer sick days,” says Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD a sexual health expert.

People who have sex have higher levels of what defends your body against germs, viruses, and other intruders. Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of the a certain antibody compared to students who had sex less often.

You should still do all the other things that make your immune system happy, such as: Eat right.

Stay active.

Get enough sleep.

Keep up with your vaccinations.

Use a condom if you don’t know both of your STD statuses.

2. Boosts Your Libido Longing for a more lively sex life? “Having sex will make sex better and will improve your libido,” says Lauren Streicher, MD. She is an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

For women, having sex ups vaginal lubrication, blood flow, and elasticity, she says, all of which make sex feel better and help you crave more of it.

Courtesy: ninems

Wedding Traditions

Putting Flower Garlands Around Each Other's Necks

I

n India, weddings are surrounded by rituals and ceremonies.

As part of the pre-wedding ceremonies, there is an Engagement Ceremony where the bride and groom exchange rings and the families exchange gifts and sweets.

The Mehendi Ceremony is usually held at the bride's home before the wedding ceremony and is the celebration when the bride's palms, wrists, arms, legs, and feet are decorated.

On the big day, the bride and groom put flower garlands around each other's necks in the Var Mala Ceremony to show the bride has accepted the groom as her husband.

Courtesy: Business Insider.

Travel&Tourism ON SATURDAY Destination

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

www.newtelegraphonline.com/travel

Osun: The state of the living spring comes alive p.42

Travel Personality 'Nigerians don’t spend on research and development' p.40

ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA, EDITOR, TRAVEL AND TOURISM iroandy@ymail.com

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

2 AUGUST 2014

39

HOSPITALITY Radisson Blue Anchorage Hotel, Lagos, not only presents enchanting images but also helps re-define luxury, writes ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA.

T

HE glassy facade is not only the most fascinating attraction of the Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos–based Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel. Styled by renowned Swedish hospitality designer Christian Lundwall, the entire architectural appeal and art deco leave you literall gobsmacked. But if the facade leaves a visitor feeling that way, the experience is amplified when once within.

There is no pretence about its high-end appeal. It is a feeling you get right from the moment the glass doors slide open and the butler curtesies, waving you on to either the guest reception area for your enquiries or the inviting lounge area with its cushy settees and setting.

And just as you crisscross from one end of the hotel to the other, it's hard to miss the state-of-the-art facilities blended with the beautiful scenery and luxurious decor.

Surely, Redizor, the property managers are determined to pamper you and actually meaning to do so.

You need to momentarily step to the lagoonside of the hotel, which is actually nestled against the abandoned Lagos lagoon front, especially at night to feel the exciting pulse of the hotel and see how well the lagoon itself blends with the hotel. Indeed, you can actually access the hotel from the lagoon end with a boat.

It boast a total 170 guest rooms and suites, all richly and tastefully decorated and fitted with different hospitality amenities for the comfort and enjoyment of the guests.

All of the rooms and suites feature bathtubs and walk-in showers with complimentary highspeed Internet access throughout the hotel. But a pleasant discovery is that with the level of room and suites categories comes the spacious and opulent nature of the facilities and luxuries on offer.

These include the standard rooms, which offer you the choice of either an urban - or ocean -style setting and fantastic views of the lagoon or city; business class rooms, offers a pleasurable lagoon view and designed for the busi-

t a r e d n o w w e i v It's a sea e g a r o h c n A u l B n o s Radis

ness travellers with well apportioned facilities on the dedicated business floor offering exclusive business executive lounge; and superior rooms with its amazing twin beds also offer city or lagoon views and come with access to the exclusive business executive lounge. The lounge offers a relaxing retreat to start the day with a cup of coffee, meet with colleagues or unwind after a busy day.

While the suites section offer

either the terrace or presidential treats, each with attractive features ranging from a separate dining to lounge area, but the additional offers of the presidential suites include powder room and Jacuzzi bathtub.

For dining and wining, you can savour the best of global offerings from the all-day-dining voyage restaurant, which features a variety of international buffet with array of choice Nigerian and continen-

tal dishes. It also offers à la carte and signature regional and Europe menus dishes. The restaurant setting is quite classic and inviting as its overlooks the lagoon and also connects to the terrace, which is promoted as a great location for cocktail parties and sundowners.

The surface bar and grill on the terrace level offers al fresco dining with ample view of the lagoon and jetty access for dining cruises just as you have it in Dubai or oth-

er cities of the world where dining cruise is popular. There is also the view bar, which as the name suggests not only offers good view and airy feel but also holds great promises for a relaxing treat with light snacks and drinks.

You can also chill out at the hotel and enjoy a whole world of interesting work out as part of the wellness offerings as provided for in the fitness and wellness suite, which comes complete with cardio-vascular gymnasium, massage and steam rooms, outdoor infinity swimming pool and children’s pool as well as pool bar and sundowner pool.

While for business meetings, conferences and other forms of social events of premium then the hotel is the place to be as it also measure highly in this regard with top grade facilities and great offers.

The outline include a top-floor business lounge, waterfront terrace, four spacious meeting rooms and two upscale boardrooms while the meeting rooms offer free highspeed Internet access and state-ofthe-art audiovisual equipment.

A unique point of the hotel's vantage location, particularly for the foreign guest, is the fact that it gives you unlimited access to many of the business, leisure, entertainment and shopping spots of the city. The list includes Goodies Supermarket, Mega Plaza, Shoprite, Bar Beach, the National Museum, Eko Expo Centre and the Lekki Conservation Centre.

NEW TELEGRAPH PARTNER HOTELS BENEFITS

FESTAC, LAGOS

PARKVIEW ESTATE, IKOYI, LAGOS

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

40 TRAVEL&TOURISM

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

CHEF’S CORNER

PHILIPS AKWARI: I'm Nigeria's first food photographer

Enticing food photography by Akwari

Philips Akwari, chief executive officer of M – Visuals Photography and Media Limited tells ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA how necessity led him to become a restaurateur in India. And, how down the line, he discovered the art of food photography.

P

Akwari

HILIPS Akwari's travel to India in 2011 was strictly for study – to learn the art of photography for one year and then return back home. But it all turned out to be a most defining moment in his life, changing the course of his life and present engagement.

He was among 25 Nigerians who got admitted that year into the Centre for Research in the Art of Film and Television (CRAFT) in Rohini, North–western Delhi with only three of them in the photography class. Settling down was not much of a problem barring one problem, which he says many Nigerians living in India face as well. ‘‘You find out that one of the major challenges in living in most of India’s cities is getting the right food to eat as a lot of Nigerians find it difficult adapting,’’ he reveals. But not everyone was as favoured as Akwari who met some Nigerian friends running a Nigerian restaurant.

At the conclusion of his studies in 2012, Akwari, a former travel agent was at crossroads as he has to decide whether to return to Nigeria or stay back. However, he took the option of staying back which posed the challenge of getting a job.

Idea of restaurant born It was then a friend suggested to him to open a restaurant, an idea he quickly bought even though he was not a tested cook. But spurred by necessity Akwari got a friend, a Nigerian, who agreed to finance the project.

His friend, Udueme Sunday, from Akwa Ibom State was a good cook and together they established Mama Africa Restaurant.

The target customers was mostly Nigerian, but selling the restaurant to them was a challenge at the beginning. ‘‘People were not patronising us but one day we decided to host a party and offer food and drinks freely to people.’’ Even this gesture did not bring in the customers hoped for. But just at the verge of shutting down, Akwari recalls a bold move by him. ‘‘One day I took a big step by going to a popular hospital – Apollo Hospital (this is the hospital to which most Nigerians come for surgeries) and I decided to market our food to Nigerian patients who come there for treatment.’’

He got introduced to one of the hospital staff who bought the idea and from there

on, Akwari and his friend were in business as they developed a strong bond with many Nigerians who visited the hospital and ended up making home and hospital deliveries to them.

The business later blossomed as they added other hospitals, hotels and guesthouses patronised by Nigerians to their portfolio. At a point they even had to extend the frontiers of their business by selling food stuff and drinks, eat in and take away and providing suitable accommodation for Nigerians and serving as tour guides and travel advisers.

Here Akwari brought his knowledge and experience as a travel agent to bear.

For over one and half years, Akwari and his friend made good money by offering food and medical tourism services to Nigerians in collaboreation with their Indian partners. But when Akwari’s paper expired and he couldn’t renew it he had to leave while his friend held on for some months and later followed suit.

Today, Mama Africa Restaurant is history but looking back, Akwari describes it as a rewarding experience with useful lessons that have helped in his present engagement. ‘‘It was just so exciting and I enjoyed it beyond what I had thought. Were it to be in other places like the United Kingdom I believe we would had carried on with the business, but India is a very hostile environment to foreigners, especially if you don’t have your papers.’’

Besides, Akwari insisted that he needed an uninhibited environment to push his love for tourism further, adding that he wasn’t really getting to do that in India as he wished. ‘‘I didn’t want anything to compete with my first love because I love tourism and it is what I love to do.’’

Starting afresh But is he abandoning the food business for a new venture now that he is back home? ‘‘I want to start the restaurant business all over again,’’ he said, sounding quite emphatic. He considers the fact that people would often say "thank you" after eating a compelling point.

Secondly, he sees running a restaurant as an avenue of blessing people and rendering assistance. This aspect, to him, is very key, rewarding and fulfilling as he narrated some of the experiences he had in India, such as offering food and accommodation gratis to some Nigerians and other Africans who couldn’t afford it when they ran out of funds. ‘‘I consider myself fortunate that I was able to assist people who were in dire need.

I was so happy that I was available at that time to help, I wouldn’t say I made so much money from the business, but the fact that within so short a time I was able to touch many lives, is something glorious,’’ he said, recalling how sad he felt when he later learnt of the death of some Nigerians who he took

Some Nigerians at Mama Restaurant in New Delhi

under his wings while still in India.

Digging deep into food photography Akwari is nonetheless happy that the restaurant business has helped him to discover the art and science of food photography. Today, he gladly refers to himself as Nigerian’s first and only food photographer, pointing out there is an art to it which not many people have mastered. ‘‘I have vied into food photography as a result of that experience and I am the first in that sense in Nigeria because a lot of photographers here are into events. I am also a landscape photographer and I do branding for fast foods and food manufacturers. I have a strong passion for African food and photography makes me think in different dimensions.’’

He argued that the reason African food is not so much appealing to the rest of the world is because it is poorly presented in images. ‘‘I discovered that we have poor images of our food and that our photographers are not paying attention to it. But now I have started redefining and making clear distinction of our food images. ‘‘I make food photographs while others take photo of food because there is no way you would look at the images that I make and the food wouldn’t be appealing to you. People would be attracted by it because I have seen that the power of image in projecting the food is the power of making food photography. ‘‘So, today, I am into food business and also a food photographer. I want people to see our food and accord it some respect and it has to come from the images first. I want to take it everywhere and I have started approaching some companies, but the response has not been far-reaching.’’

Akwari currently works as the marketing coordinator for Taste of Africa Food Festival, a food fair scheduled to hold in Abuja between September 2 and 6 this year.

His involvement with this food expo, he said, is part of his commitment to showcasing African food in a more appealing and captivating manner. ‘‘I am working on the food exhibition to make it bigger, better and more enriching,’’ Akwari said.

TRAVEL BEATS MS Sthembiso Dlamini has been appointed as the new chief operating officer of the South African Tourism. A former senior manager in the office of the chief executive officer of the National Development Agency, she assumed her new role yesterday.

Prior to her role at the NDA, Dlamini worked for the South African Revenue Services (SARS) as a director of corporate affairs (acting) from 2007 to 2012. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and criminol-

South African Tourism gets new COO

strategy. We are therefore pleased to welcome Sthembiso to the team as we believe that her previous experience and ogy and a post graduate diploma in adherence to good corporate governance expertise will stand her in good stead. We project and programme management. through prudent financial management. are confident she is the ideal candidate Her areas of expertise include highShe will also ensure compliance with for this job. We look forward to welcoming level co-ordination and administration, Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) her to the team and we wish her every planning, performance management, and all other legislations affecting South success in her new venture in our organpolicy implementation and programme African Tourism. isation,” said South African Tourism chief management.

“The role of COO is an integral one for our executive officer, Mr. Thulani Nzima while At SATOUR, Dlamini will lead business organisation as it requires operational welcoming her to her new position. planning and budgeting processes, ensure excellence in order to provide coordination Dlamini replaces Mr. Tim Scholtz who Dlamini optimal management of resources and for the delivery of South African Tourism’s left the organisation earlier in the year.

TRAVEL&TOURISM

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41

TRAVEL PERSONALITY

Nigerians don’t spend on research and development, says Essien Bassey Essien is the chief executive officer of International Style Weeks Limited. He speaks with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on the commitment of his company to pushing the frontiers of the tourism industry and the forthcoming presidential summit on tourism.

I

The beginning nternational Style Weeks Limited is an emerging market development company with interest in developing the tourism sector of the Nigerian economy. It also engages in media and marketing and about a decade ago, was engaged with the fashion and textile industry. But in the last few years it has turned its focus on the tourism industry.

Perhaps its first major public outing was the Tourism Development Workshop (TDW) it organised in May in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation and other collaborators. A follow up to this seminal workshop, which came out with a far reach outcome is a presidential submit on tourism, which is in the works and hopefully should hold in October.

The chief executive officer of the company, Mr. Bassey Essien, opens the company’s window to the world. ‘‘The company is about eight years old, our focus when it started was fashion. We did a lot of research and worked with a lot of consultants from across the world and saw so much and also saw the gaps, we saw the value chains and also the opportunities. We looked at the whole world and looked at Nigeria, so much information and that is what led to the interest in tourism.

“At present, our key focus is on tourism because of the knowledge that we have of how tourism is helping development in the emerging markets’ economies. You will find out that it is an interesting subject because of the enormous opportunities.

You look at our population, the talents, you look at the natural assets, the potential for development and other critical infrastructure to support tourism then you find out that it is an interesting place to be.”

Discoveries Applying this knowledge to the Nigerian environment, Essien reveals his discovery of the basic factors affecting the development of the tourism industry particularly as it concerns government’s involvement. One of such factors, he says, is the inability of the operators to show in concrete terms the benefits of tourism to the economic growth of the country.

“For so many years people were not able to translate the opportunities in economic terms to government because government would only understand whatever shows economic possibilities and not just ‘oh the thing is fine, you are going to have a nice experience.’ No, government is not interested in that. You must show how it can translate and become a contributing factor to the growth of the economy and for our own kind of government it has to be translated to them that way.”

Also, he reveals how exciting the tourism industry is with enormous opportunities, “our tourism industry is a very exciting one with exciting opportunities but it is not yet well organised. It is one that people are just playing in all sub sectors and doing their things but the truth is that they are not growing the way they should because the fundamentals that would help them to grow are not really in place.’’

What should these fundamentals be?

“Am talking policy, especially, because the government has not seen the real opportunities but there are so much opportuni-

The gaps here for me start with policies, the policies don’t encourage any growth

ties and I believe that because of tourism contribution to Nigeria’s economy in recent years government would begin to put a lot of things in place. For example, policy has to be re-evaluated to see how they can fast track development.’’

The workshop was an outcome of my many travels The Tourism Development Workshop that was held in May, he says, was informed by the experience and knowledge garnered in the course of the many travels he had embarked on over the years. “The workshop was an outcome of the many years of research and travelling within Nigeria, especially and outside of Nigeria to really experience what tourism is about.

I didn’t travel like the next Nigerian in the few travels I did outside Nigeria but as a researcher," he reveals.

According to him, he spent better time of the travels seeking out the finest details of tourism operations in many of these countries, particularly Jamaica where he

Essien actually understudied their tourism. “When you seat with these people, especially Jamaicans and they talk about tourism, people in the system, they are so knowledgeable about tourism and this will make you to know that you can’t do this thing without knowledge. Knowledge is power and that is really part of the things that inspired one to say that one can contribute to the industry what one knows.”

In the course of the many travels, Essien says he discovered the debilitating gaps in the system. What could these gaps be? “The gaps here for me start with policies, the policies don’t encourage any growth. I don’t think that the people in the industry even understand their own policies. First of all, Nigerians don’t read even as business people. They don’t spend on research and consultancies to help them get information. People that are doing

that are the banks, the telecommunications and the Dangotes. Otherwise people down there don’t invest anything on research and development.”

Following this discovery, he adds that, “we have to take a bold step and begin to create opportunity for discussions so that stakeholders can have an understanding of the sector that they are in. They can see the issues, they can see the challenges and the opportunities also clearly and they can see how they can translate where they are to where the opportunity is and how to translate whatever business they are in, including the sector itself, into reality and creating opportunities for themselves.”

Besides getting the stakeholders up to speed, “we felt very strongly that for tourism to move in Nigeria the government must be involved,” adding, “we had to partner with the Federal Ministry of Tourism, particularly with the minister himself who particularly was very excited and he was very supportive to see that the workshop took place. Because no matter how you do it, in this our economy if the government doesn’t play its role it is difficult because you will think that you are doing well but one day you wake up and your business is gone.”

Future plans With the success of the Tourism Development Workshop (TDW), Essien and his team have since begun work on another project, a presidential submit on tourism, which is an outflow of the TDW. With this, Essien hopes to establish a milestone in the industry, especially getting the government and other critical ministries, agencies and departments of government as well as key corporate businesses to see the interplay of tourism and throw their hats in the ring.

With the ball already rolling, his company is hoping to make a meaningful impact within the next one decade. “We are looking at another 10 years that there should be some basic impacts from what we are doing. We want to achieve a few critical things, one is to sensitise government to the issues and opportunities in the sector. They need to see the opportunities in clear economic terms, tweak the policies and funding," he says.

Essien knows quite well that the odds are stake against him yet he remains positive and undaunted as he says that “one has to be very patient with our public system and one cannot wait until they get it right. No, life must go on. It will never come on a platter of gold but at the end of the day you would have achieved something that is useful, something that goes beyond just a legacy. You would have touched so many lives because the improvement would be there and the government would have taken some actions.”

42 TRAVEL&TOURISM

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

DESTINATION

OSUN: The state of the living spring comes alive

With Osun State prepping for the hosting of the annual yearly cultural tourism and communal feast – Osun Osogbo Festival – whose grand finale is scheduled for August 22, ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA presents a bouquet of the state’s tourism offerings to help intending visitors explore the promises of the ‘living spring’ and catch a glimpse of one of the most acclaimed festivals in the land.

O

Background SUN State was created in August 27, 1991from the old Oyo State by the administration of former military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, alongside other eight states. The state’s landmass spans 14,875sq kilometres and it is popularly referred to as the state of "the living spring", a reference to the Osun River, a placid natural spring that runs across the state from which the state derived its name. It is symbolic because it serves both spiritual and socio-cultural (tourism) purposes in the state.

Historically and cosmologically, Osun State is an important enclave to the people of the Yoruba race, which are the original inhabitants of the state, as it is home to Ile–Ife, which is regarded in Yoruba cosmology as the cradle of creation, where as it is, Olodumare (God), started the creation of the world. It is believed to embody the beginning of life and the birthplace of civilization.

The best representation of this is Ile–Ife, the home of the Ooni of Ife, the traditional ruler of the people. Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade is the present Ooni of Ife, highly revered and respected by the people.

The state is made up of 31 local government councils, which are smaller units for governance and development while some of the major towns include Osogbo, Iwo, Ede, Ila Orangun, Ilesa, Ikirun, Ile–Ife, Ikire and Ejigbo.

Following its historical and cosmological backgrounds, the state has a rich blend and compelling socio–cultural environment with a peaceful and serene scenery.

The people are warm, welcoming and hospitable. The sate is home to one of the most outstanding, rich, colourful and most celebrated socio–cultural and religious festivals, the Osun Osogbo Festival.

From the capital city, Osogbo to every other town, exploring it is a delightsome experience for many visitors. Traditionally the home of the Yorubas, one prevalent element that should hold the attention of visitors remains the rich cultural appeal of the people, which is rooted in their history and traditional beliefs.

Traversing the six major zones of the state that is from Osogbo, Ile Ife, Ede, Iwo, Ikirun through Ilesa you encounter this histrionics in a most intriguing and captivating manner.

Celebrants at the bank of River Osun during a past Osun-Osogbo festival at the Osun grove

The rich and enduring tales of the people come alive when one is fortunate enough to have a good story teller as a guide, who through his dramatic renditions enlivens the nuances and common strands that runs through the ancestry of the people.

Interestingly, you evince these elements as you journey through the towns and villages and as you observe closely the people in the performance of their daily chores, in their arts and craft, in their oratory and theatrical performances as well as in their observance of the array of communal feasts and festivals, which in themselves embody the corpus of beliefs and cultural essence of the people.

Your discovery is that the people are stepped in profound cultural proclivity that actually reveals the true meaning of the sobriquet, "state of the living spring". One’s Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji sojourn is like digging deep into the source Olanipekun Larooye II of life to catch the true essence of the people.

Osogbo Oral history has it that Oduduwa, the Osogbo, the state capital is bordered by founder of Ile Ife was the son of Olodumare, Ikirun, Ede, Ilesa, Egbedore and Iragbiji the supreme god said to have descended and a captivating blend between tradition- from heaven on a chain to create the earth, The Arugba (votary maiden) al setting and modern scenery and easily which previously was a body of water. during the festival accessible from all parts of the state as well The spot he first stepped on is believed as the neighouring South-West states of to be Ile Ife from where he birthed the earth of the Yoruba race. A monument is erected Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo States. and the human race. The mysticism of to his name and the people worship and It is the abode of the state government Oduduwa is well and alive in the city as the celebrate it annually. and all functionaries of the state and also people over the years have preserved a subEde is also home to a number of orthothe palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba stantial part of it for the benefit of mankind. dox Christian sects and could easily pass Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye 11.

The Oduduwa’s lineage and mysticism for a pilgrimage town at some point of the But more importantly is the fact that it is is reflected in the Ooni of Ife, the traditional year when these people, particularly those the commercial nerve centre and industrial ruler who is the custodian of this rich cul- of the Baptist faith, which has a number of base of the state. ture and tradition. institutions in town, converge there.

The state capital, which is about one To catch a glimpse of this development, The palace of the Timi of Ede (tradihour's drive from Ile Ife and Ibadan and you have to visit the palace where one can tional ruler) is also another port of visit as over two hours from Lagos, also has a rich be taken through the rudiments of the vari- it holds a number of historical and religious measure of the art, craft and cultural ele- ous traditional and sacred sites, the Nation- icons, which portray the richness of the al Commission for Museums and Monu- people’s culture. ments of the people.

It could easily stand for the art and craft ments (NCCM), the Oranmiyan Staff, Ife Resort De Paradise base of the people and the state. The city Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University While in Ede take time out to explore the has a large concentration of a number of Zoological Gardens, Ile-Ase, Yeyemolu and beauty and natural ambience of Resort De national and international recognised art- Oduduwa Shrines and groove.

Paradise, Sekona, in Ede South Local GovAlso, some of the festivals and feasts cele- ernment. Owned by Taiwo Olaniyi (Twins ists whose works in the various genres of arts have made the city the art capital of brated by the people at certain intervals of the Seven Seven) whose towering status as an the South-west. year amply showcase these beliefs and cul- accomplished artist you first encounter in Ile Ife tural ethos that are cherished by the people. Osogbo art, the resort is a natural enclave Perhaps the best place to begin your ex- Ede covering a landmass of 20 acres where one ploration of the "state of the living spring" is Just like Ile Ife and Osogbo, Ede is an- feasts on different fauna and flora.

Ile Ife, which holds a lot of meaning for the other historical town with rich history and Besides, the artist has also left his impeople. For starters, it is regarded as the "cra- cultural elements that should interest visi- print on the resort going by the number of dle of Black civilisation" the source of life and tors. Notably is the fact that it is the sacred art works that litter the landscape. There is progenitor of the Yoruba race and culture. home of Sango, one of the traditional gods also a big lake for sport fishing and boating.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 august 2014

TRAVEL&TOURISM

43

TOUR package

Savour the bliss of Calabar

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

Some of the captivating scenes at Osun grove

Calendar of events

Ibodi Monkey Forest This is a forested enclave believed to be inhabited by a rare breed of monkeys that associated with the historical and cultural evolution of the people of Ibodi town in Atakumosa Local Government Area of the state.

According to oral tradition, these monkeys accompanied the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Isadele Oloja and Aramofe spirit from Ile Ife. The monkeys have over the years become part of the town as they even mingle with the people in the town while the forest remains in its primary state, uncultivated over the years.

To commemorate this development, an annual festival is held in September by the people to celebrate and appease the spirit of Aramofe and the monkeys.

Olumirin Waterfall Popularly referred to as Erin Ijesa waterfall, the fall, which is located in the forest of Erin about 20 kilometres driver east of Ilesa on Ilesa–Akure highway, is an attraction to behold and it signpost the richness of waterfalls that littered the state.

Water cascades from the top through the rocky outcrop spiralling down in great torrents to form a large pool of water at the

*July 16 – August 12: Ataoja’s youth football challenge *August 7: Stakeholders presentation forum, Osogbo *August 11: Iwopopo (traditional cleansing of the city); Iwopopo’s cultural town storming and PMAN’s performance day *August 12: FTAN’s Osun forum; Ataoja football challenge final *August 13: Festival are exhibition; opening ceremony of Ayo Olopon contest (native Ayo game) *August 14: Festive musical concert; Olojumerindinlogun (lighting of over 500 yearsold 16 points lamp) *August 15: Golfers arrive; Cocktail night at MicCom, Ada *August 16: Ataoja golf competition – MicCom, Ada *August 17: Osun Marathon walk; Osun traditional food festival and Osun festival trade fair opening ceremony *August 18: Iboriade (Ataoja’s crowns assemblage); Funman’s performance day *August 19: Arugba’s berth; ANTP/TAMPAN’s performance nite *August 20: Susanne Wenger’s sacred colloquium, Osogbo; Festival art exhibition closing ceremony *August 21: Osun children cultural fiesta; HIV/ AIDS promotional campaign; Sisi Osun cultural pageant *August 22: Osun Osogbo Festival Grand finale procession; Ataoja’s royal invitational reception *August 23: Osun festival trade fair closing ceremony

base that creates a natural swimming pool for people.

It also has ample ground for picnickers to explore and have fun while for mountaineers, conquering the rocky base adjacent the fall, which is said to be about seven steeple rolls, and according to history, no one has ever succeeded in conquering the height, offers some excitement and outlet to let out some adrenaline.

Ayinkunugba Fall This fall is located in Oke–Ila Orangun in Ifedayo Local Government Area of the state and has some mystic to it.

It was discovered by a hunter on hunting expedition and unlike Erin Ijesa fall and the others where water spiral from the top, this

fall is buried underground and you need to wade through hilly rocks and plains to reach it.

Kiriji War Site This war site is a throwback to the days when one of the fiercest tribal wars among the Yoruba race took place. It was a well celebrated battle and over the years has formed the subject of so many literatures with ‘Kiriji War,’ a dramatic piece written by the late Professor Ola Rotimi, as one of the most popular text.

Oke Maria Known as Mary’s Mountain, it is one of the most attractive hilly plains in the state.

This site has been made popular by Catholic faithful and other religious devotees who ascribe some sacredness to the mountain and hence hold a yearly pilgrimage at the site.

For the Catholics the month of February is the holy month for this spiritual retreat to the mountain while others of different religious persuasions visit all year round to hold spiritual retreats.

For the host community – Otan Ayegbaju in Boluwaduro, this development is a welcome one as it has ensured enhanced economic activities for the town and boosts its tourism importance with a number of tourists now making annual voyage to the sleeping town.

Ori Oke Ikoyi This is also another enclave of religious significance to the people and it holds a lot of attractions for visitors. It was the creation of the late founder of Christ Apostolic Church, Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola, in 1927 where prior to the popular 1930 revival of the church in Ilesa, he retreated for prayers and meditation.

Osun Grove, Inscribed as World Heritage Site in 2005, is not only home to the sacred arts of the people but also serves as pilgrimage grove for the people as it yearly plays host to the Osun Osogbo Festival, a month long communal feast that attracts visitors and Osun devotees from across the world.

It holds a lot of attractions for visitors, particularly conservationists who will find the fauna and flora resources of the grove rich enough and a place to explore for its natural bliss and soul inspiring effect.

Arts and craft The state boasts rich resources when it comes to art and craft with Ife art regarded as very rich while Osogbo, the state capital, is home of the creative ferment that inspired such artists like late Chief Duro Ladipo, Twin Seven Seven, Chief Nike Okundaye of Nike Art Gallery and late Susan Wenger (fondly called Adunni Olorisa), Chief Jimoh Buraimoh, and Chief Elebuion, Ifa priest.

Osun Osogbo Festival The festival predates the present to about 1370 AD as it is associated with the history, sociology, political and cultural development of the people. It all began with the legendary encounter between the early progenitors or founders of Osogbo with the Osun deity in Osun River. The founder of the ancient town, Oba Gbadewolu Larooye and the renowned hunter, Olutimehin had settled in the sacred Osun forest, following divine revelation and assurances from the Osun goddess, to a prosperous, warm and peaceful life devoid of the usual wars and calamity that have been the lot of the people in their former place of abode.

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They will not be offended because these are relevant to the tour - plus they will be more likely to pay for it along with the order instead of separately later. Plus, you get more revenue per customer. to be continued

My Weekend

F

rom his look, he appears every bit a homely person as he holds back words when the issue about socialising was raised. And without mincing words, Calixthus Okoruwa describes himself as someone who prefers being indoors apart from working hard to achieve the success he has so far achieved inthe public relations industry. He says is very happy to have a young family of three lively kids and is always kept busy sharing valuable time with his young family.

While agreeing that it is often tempting for CEOs of corporate outfits to wanting to concede their valuable time to official activities, Okoruwa says he has learnt to hire smart employees as a veritable backup to ensure that home front did not suffer.

He says: “There’s no doubt that it’s tough being a CEO. It’s not an easy job in any industry. But I think that a good CEO must also be smart enough to hire the right people, people who are smarter than he is, and get things done through those people.

“That has been one very critical area for me and though getting the right people is often a challenge, you find that once you get them and train them, then increasingly, your time is freed up for other things besides work. I spend a reasonable amount of time with my family on a daily basis which is very recreational for me.”

Okoruwa has been the CEO of the PR outfit in the last 10 years having set up the firm in 2004 after he left MTN as a communication officer.

He says: “One of the major ways of relaxation for me is spending time with my family which is very critical for me. It’s the major way by which I relax. I have a very young family and treasure every minute I spend with them.”

Keeping shape through regular exercise is also a major way of life for the young PR executive as he creates time for jogging on a daily basis, which according to him, helps to burn out fats from his sedentary life.

“I jog in the mornings. I do this on average, thrice a week. I do a four-kilometre stretch currently but plan to gradually increase it to five and later six. I do this as a way of keeping fit and also for health reasons. As you know, our lifestyles have gradually become a lot more sedentary. You spend lots of hours behind a desk at work or trapped in your car seat in the traffic.

“I used to cycle while I lived in a gated estate many years ago. I actually enjoy cycling a lot. Unfortunately, where I live currently is not conducive to cycling. So, my bicycle has been idle for many years,” he says.

Apart from jogging, he says he creates time to swim. “In terms of taking part in competitive sporting activities, I will say no. The only real competitive sport I was involved in was football in the old days but I do engage in swimming as regularly as I could create time to do that,” he adds.

Like a lot of young executives of his class, Okoruwa says he likes watching football, with preference for European football leagues. He adds that he is attracted to foreign football “because it is very exciting and never ceases to impress me both from the sporting and the business angles.”

But despite his love for foreign football, he says he is never tempted to have any emotional attachment to any football club.

Okoruwa “Maybe my business inclinations have deadened those emotions. I tend to see these clubs as businesses. I see a coach as doing a job that he has been paid to do for instance. In the same vein, the footballer may be passionate about the football club he is playing for but to a large extent, it is because he is being paid to play for the club.

“I also know that the entire football value chain is a very lucrative business that benefits the key financial stakeholders.

So, should I become emotionally attached to one of these clubs? My rational sense always tells me I should not. I enjoy the games as much as I can, but always strive not to be too carried away as to become

44

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

2 AUGUST 2014

I wish I could dress in casually everday – Okoruwa Calixthus Okoruwa, CEO XLR8 Limited, a public relations firm, appears a simple man in both appearance as well as his approach to life. This explains why he tells SEGUN EDWARDS that he treasures spending time with his family.

emotionally attached to any of the clubs.”

True to his posture as a homely person, Okoruwa says “I do not do much socialising, interestingly. So, unless there is the occasional wedding or any such activity, my weekends are typically spent with my family. It may sound paradoxical that someone in the PR business does very little socialising which should indeed be part of the overall social networking.

“But I guess we make up for this deficit in XLR8 by working exceedingly hard and smart such that our clients are ever willing to send new business our way by referring us to prospective clients every now and again.

“So what we lose by not networking as effectively as we ought to, we probably gain by working harder. Our clients never stop recommending us to prospective clients.”

For Okoruwa, that does not take anything away from him in terms of being relaxed on weekend, as he says he is always in relax mood particularly through his dressing, which is casual and relax.

He says: “I wish it were possible to dress casually all through the week. I particularly admire Wole Soyinka for the reason that he has since become such an institution that he can define his dress code and have the world accept it. I hope to get there someday. For now, I have to stick to the business convention of a sparkling shirt and tie and a suit to match.”

He says however that he does not have preference for any particular colour when it comes to what he wears in both official and casual outings.

As a CEO, Okoruwa explains that he creates a balance between his job schedules and valuable time for relaxation He says: “Work-life balance is key. It is something we even counsel our clients on.

So, we try to be good physicians and take

our own medicine as well. At XLR8, there is something we call ‘working smart.’ In other words, it is not just about working hard, it is about being a lot more creative in the way you work.

“It is less about the length of the hours you put in, but more about how creatively those hours are deployed. It is about the processes that have been put in place to ensure that we are a learning organisation, to ensure that our consultants can seamlessly share and enrich their experiences.

“My experience so far has been that even though there is a lot of work to be done, by being a lot more systematic about how we work, we have generally been able to create that critical balance between time spent working and time spent with family, friends and other things that matter. So, it’s not just about me, but all of us in the XLR8 organisation do enjoy a good balance of work and relaxation times.”

Acknowledging that his PR career has been faced with handling serious issues regarding clients’ image in the media and on such occasions, he has been able to steady his comportment.

“Crisis is a part of life. In every profes-

It may sound paradoxical that someone in the PR business does very little socialising which should indeed be part of the overall social networking.

sion, you will have to manage crisis at one point or the other. Indeed, one of the reasons why corporations and governments hire PR consultancies is the need to avoid crisis, the need to navigate the social and economic and political terrains in such a manner that crisis is minimal or such that where crisis inevitably does arise, it is quickly mitigated.

“It is a core essence of the PR consultancy and I’m sure many of the multinational corporations operating in Nigeria would tell you that they have derived impeccable value from partnering with PR consultancies especially in the area of preventing crisis or mitigating crisis,” Okoruwa states.

He equally locates the basic challenges in the PR industry in the country on the economy and the industry realities, adding, “as a country, we are not according the right priority to education and that is gradually affecting every other aspect of our lives.”

He notes: “The elite among us tend to believe that the way out is to send our children abroad or to local private universities.

But this will not solve the problem. The solution needs to be a lot more holistic. The entire fabric of our educational system is on the verge of total collapse. We need to pick up the pieces and make it whole again if we are to stand a chance of being truly globally competitive in the years to come.

So education is a big challenge.

“Another challenge, this time, one that is unique to the PR industry is poor understanding and appreciation of the value of public relations by public sector and private sector players. Many cannot distinguish it from advertising. Many of those who can differentiate both, tend to have very narrow or restricted views as to what it really is and the value it brings to the table.”

POLITICS

Kaduna APC gasps for breadth p.47 Why Abuja aborigines always seek compensation – Conference delegate p.48

ON SATURDAY

NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

www.newtelegraphonline.com/politics

2 AUGUST 2014

45

Even in the South -South, some states oppose resource control – Gen. Temlong

What informed the decision of the conference to scrap State Independent Electoral Commissions?

Well, I General Jonathan Temlongm, representing Plateau State at the national conference, seeks a 100% reform. If you have federating units as we do…; federalism itself presupposes that there’s a centre, sharing of power between the centre and federating units.

We thought it was wise not to get into certain things that should not be within the purview of the states because we will be contradicting ourselves. However, our federalism is not the same as in the United States. The conference agreed unanimously at plenary to deepen and save our democracy from the tyranny that is going on at the state level, where there is need to scrap the state Independent Electoral Committees to allow the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC , to conduct elections throughout the country.

Even if INEC has faults here and there, it is not the government in power that wins everywhere. The opposition has defeated the government in power in some states.

While INEC conducts election, there is a resemblance of fairness. Look at Lagos, Kano, etc where not even a councillor was produced by opposition parties.

Something was wrong, not everybody followed APC, for goodness sake. In Lagos as in Plateau, it was almost 100% PDP. Once you do not have democracy at the grassroots, and you are not deepening it, you are promoting anarchy.

Identify the cause of friction between the North and South at the c onfab, especially on the resource control issue?

I think it will be erroneous to look at it as a divide between the North and South. Even in the South, there are many states that are against any increase in derivation, even in the South-South.

If you look at allocation to states per month for example, Akwa Ibom and Cross-River takes home about N4 billion per month so you can’t say there is equity. The same thing with Delta and Edo which were the same state, Akwa Ibom and Cross-Rivers were the same state, but Delta takes home close to N20 billion while Edo takes home about N4billion. So there is disparity. Lagos, with a population of about 20 million people and with all the industrial hub and pressure, gets about 8 billion

Gen. Jonathan Temlong, delegate representing Plateau State at the National Conference, speaks to MUSA PAM in Jos on why the conference scrapped state electoral commissions; the abducted girls and the 2015 elections, among other issues.

a month, so you see, people erroneously think it is a north-south divide. No, even within the same zone, there are states that are having problems of meeting obligations to their people. But all these can be resolved, in fact, there was a consensus reached. It was agreed that we should increase

Akwa Ibom where so much money has encouraged financial recklessness

derivation from 13 – 18% but in the process, when we increase it, some states are going to have reduction from what they are getting; it is only the oil-producing states, but then, we went ahead to say even what you are getting now, the host communities, not all are benefiting. We have instances

where some governors acquire private jets, not benefiting to the ordinary man as in Akwa Ibom where so much money has encouraged financial recklessness.

So we now say it should be mandatory that a certain percentage CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

46 THE SATURDAY INTERVIEW

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

A country is as strong as its weakest link C O N T I N U E D f r o m PA G E 4 5

should go to the host communities that are really suffering the environmental degradation caused by the oil exploration activities. We also said there is a problem occasioned by the insurgency in the north, especially in the North-East and the collateral damage being caused in the NorthCentral and North-West. We said there should be some allocation that will help to rebuild these areas which are being devastated, 5% was agreed. However, when it came to the floor, there was discord which is understandable because people from the South-West and South-East were not catered for. They have problems in the South-East, the take home of five states in the South-East is about N20 billion and Akwa Ibom alone takes home about N22 billion which is more than what five states in the South-East take collectively.

Something is being done about that, the confab has actually come to the conclusion that, 5% should be devoted to the exploration of abundant mineral resources in this country. Agriculture too has been put in the front burner so as to diversify the economy by stopping reliance on oil. This pressure on oil and oil-producing communities should stop. Almost every part of this country should be able to contribute something to the national purse, we expect that in the next 5 years, our economy should be reversed from this mono-economic pressure. I think we are moving in the right direction, we need to be patient, to support the effort of the confab and press on the government this recommendation so that Nigeria will come out stronger. There is danger in over-relying on oil which is not renewable, if it is exhausted today, what happens? Do we go cap in hand begging? While we have other abundant resources that are available just waiting to be tapped, unfortunately we are not looking in that direction.

Taking about Plateau, how do you see the issue of zoning the 2015 governorship elections.

I believe in zoning, our committee in the national conference recommended zoning and it has been approved by plenary, not just at the national level, but at the states and even at local government levels. You see, you have to consider issues that make Nigerians to agitate or what is making people to feel that they have been side-lined or that they are not carried along as part and parcel of the country. What are those things that force Nigerians to believe that they are second-class citizens of this country. Part of the reasons why the national conference was convened was that there exists perceived issues and there are real issues; a fundamental feeling of denial or oppression or that there is no equity in the country; and where there is no equity, fairness and justice in the society, there is bound to be anarchy. Now, you have a country that is made up of majority tribes, minority tribes, how do they develop the necessary sense of belonging, especially in a heterogeneous society such as ours?

We have to take into consideration those small tribes and units because a country is as strong as its weakest links. So if there are weak links, we have to make sure that these weak links are taken care of and are strong, if not so, problems creep in.

What has the conference done to assuage these fears That is why we say that rotation should not just be between the North and the South. Even within these geo-political zones, there is need to build a strong sense of inclusion because after 8 years that the presidency has resided in the South, there is the assuring feeling that the position would come over to the North. And even in the North, there is the assurance that the position will rotate within the geo-political

zone. There is the comforting feeling, just like a clock ticking, that it will take a certain number of years in the North, and then it would tick back from North-West to the North-East and then to the North-Central.

We decided, in our wisdom, to make it go down south but it would be rotated within the three zones in the south.

So if the south has taken, it should come back to the North after they finish and then when it gets to the North, the sub-set that will take it after 8 years, if they are able to maintain it, then it moves again to the south. But it wouldn’t be the South–South again, no, it has to be another zone from the south so it balances the situation too. Also in the states, there are 3 senatorial districts so it has to rotate within them. So it won’t be the issue of North versus South again, no. it will be a clock-wise thing, as the clock ticks. The National Conference supports it. I was one of the proponents and I made sure I supported it through plenary. I was a strong supporter. By that I believe the minorities will be protected; so I cannot come back here and say I do not support it. In fact, even without that, we have practiced it in the Plateau. Plateau people have spoken with that all along. When it was time for the Central Zone to produce a governor, the people from the Southern Zone, even the Northern Zone, the people said it was time for the Central Zone and they voted Dariye. Right now, even when it was time for the Northern zone, people from other zones came out too, you had Victor Lar, Pauline Talen and co who came out, but the Plateau people said no, it was the time of Northern zone and so he got an overwhelming vote. It does not stop anybody from coming out again but Plateau people will speak again as usual. It is going to be the turn of the southern zone and I am sure they will speak.

You have since retired into civilian life and politics. Are you vying for any elective position soon?

You see, the problem with politics in Nigeria is that we don’t allow the ordinary people to express their will. Democ-

Temlong

racy, itself, puts sovereignty in the people.

What we are doing here is not to allow the people to have their will; we have a clique who sit down and say this is what we want, and that informed why we had to scrap the SIECs. As I told you before, as it is, if you want to become a councilor, the governor will have to approve it; as a chairman, the governor will have to endorse you, not the will of people.

Sovereignty in democracy belongs to the people and it is the people who should see and determine who they want to lead them. If the people say it is a cripple they want to lead them, we the able-bodied, whatever we want, should surrender for the will of the people to prevail but be that as it may, it means the will of the people should have the sovereignty. We, as human beings, we must listen to the voice of the people, and then we must listen to the silent voice of the Lord too.

You see, I have told you before and I am going to say it again that in the house of Jesse, there is a David somewhere; when Samuel and Jesse were looking at those they thought were going to be the king of Israel, the Lord said David, the king, is somewhere in the bush. Let the people of Plateau not be quick to look at those who are shouting but there is a David somewhere, and let’s pray to the Lord to bring out that David to take us to the point of our dreams.

As a retired General, do you agree with those who say that President Jonathan has been slow to rescue the abducted Chibok girls as well as curb insurgency in

You see, I have told you before and I am going to say it again that in the house of Jesse, there is a David somewhere

the country?

Those saying that, you have to excuse my language, do so either out of ignorance or mischief. Of course, you can go and rescue those girls if you know where they are and rescue their dead bodies.

Yes, but we want them alive. It is a very delicate operation, for those of us who know, it is delicate. As powerful as America, is how many years did it take them to rescue those Americans from their embassy in Iraq when they were adducted?

Even when they attempted a rescue mission, it failed because it was a delicate situation. That rescue mission would have ended with a lot of fatalities. So, these are very delicate operations that, even in the military, are not the privilege of every unit partaking in such operations; there are specialized units that take part in these operations. It took America over 5 years to get Bin Ladin. Do not forget that this success came with about very many billions of dollars spent to get him. Here we are faced with an asymmetric war and assymetric warfare is a very delicate operation. It is not a war of people of identical asymmetry. Asymmetric warfare is population-centric, who do you know is a terrorist? They may also be Nigerians; just a few other ones who come in and they don’t even stay with you. Now, you know there are some girls in Maiduguri who have been abducted, the mastermind is a Nigerian who was living somewhere in Maiduguri and was doing his planning. Yes it’s good to suspect every Nigerian now, yes, you must build the security consciousness within your population, because the bombs that are placed here and there are being carried by drivers and they are Nigerians.

We must build that security consciousness within the population until we are able to determine behaviors that are not common within their locality. If they see strange things, they should be able to report. Not just security consciousness of the population but also of the military and security agencies too to contain this threat. No country has defeated insurgency within the period you think we can defeat it. Go and read history, I am a student of military history, and I can tell you that it took the British many years to solve the problem in Northern Ireland.

Malaysia was also not an easy problem and in China, it wasn’t an easy problem either.The Americans went into Iraq and they were enthusiastic to come out. Afghanistan too was the same thing, how many years? In Pakistan, the tribal areas are almost no go areas to the constituted authority, so people just sit down and begin to bring politics into serious national security issues. You don’t. We should join hands with President Jonathan and the government and military to make sure that we support them. There should be synergy as we try to defeat terrorism. It is very important and very crucial because once we begin to dispute our efforts, then we are demoralizing our troops; we are inadvertently emboldening the terrorists because once we are divided, they become more and more daring and do what they want to do but then, we must show them that even those of them who are there must know that their actions actually cause Nigerians pains and force them to rise up and challenge them. You can see how the world has risen against them, especially on the Chibok girls. Our girls, we want them alive, we want to re-unite them with their families but if anybody pushes the government into any panicking measure, we will end up bringing back the dead bodies of those girls. It is also not going to augur well for this country or be any more comforting for their parents. It will not be good for these girls because some of them are future leaders of this country and future mothers of great people in this country.

47

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

I

nitially, it was the beautiful bride and many suitors coveted the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna state. The party, from all indications, was a draught of fresh air and its chieftains promised a break from the past at state and national levels. Specifically, APC seemed like a new beginning, an alternative to Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), a departure from impunity and imposition of candidates.

In particular, it promised internal democracy, open and transparent primaries as well as accountable leadership.

These ideals, from all over the country, had attracted followership for APC as PDP suffered a rash of defections. Last December, Alhaji Yaro Makama Rigachikun, former PDP chairman, led the cavalry charge in Kaduna state, defecting with about 2,000 members.

Significantly, the decampees included political heavy weights, former party leaders and top guns of PDP in the state. Makama, at that time, upbraided the PDP, castigated Kaduna state government and promised more defection. A week later, his promise came to pass as more PDP supporters crossed over to APC. The floodgate seemed like a Tsunami and Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, the Interim Management Committee chairman, had predicted PDP’s fall in Kaduna state. In APC, according to him, all members are equal and the new comers will not be discriminated against. Significantly, APC’s popularity, mass following and its better-than –the rest image continued during the registration exercise. However, before then, the party had run into rough waters.

On January 5, retired General Sani Saleh, representing Kaduna central senatorial district, allegedly met with other elected officials and removed Baba Ahmed. Promptly, the decision was conveyed to party headquarters and the APC high command, according to reports, asked Alhaji Umaru Dembo to take over Kaduna sta te. However, Baba-Ahmed refused to hand over, describing Saleh’s action as null and void.

On February 12, members of IMC met and passed a vote of confidence on their chairman, daring Dembo to a power struggle. Quietly, the latter disappeared from the scene and Baba Ahmed soldiered on. However, on his own, Baba Ahmedtendered his resignation, citing frustration from above, a few days to the registration exercise. Later, party elders, stakeholders and floor members prevailed on him and the chairman rescinded his decision.

Luckily, the party weathered that storm and the registration exercise was smooth sailing. The exercise, according to guidelines, was to hold for one week but two days after commencement, APC was overwhelmed by new members.

In some centres, registration cards were exhausted in the first two days, as party members milled about, waiting for more materials to arrive. In Kaduna state, the exercise was largely hitch-free, recorded a huge success and presented the APC as united. However, the congresses proved otherwise as it exposed the facade.

Specifically, the ward congress commenced on April 17 but largely, the exercise was inconclusive on the first ballot. Violence, disagreements and allegations of imposition had marred the poll as party officials and elected legislators disagreed on the results. Particularly, Kaduna North was the worst hit as tension enveloped the entire area council. On May 3, the Ward Congress Committee, led by Col Ibrahim Abdallah (rtd), ordered a re run election but the results were disputed across the state. Consequently, the party was at a cross-roads in Kaduna state because in Kano and Adamawa states, party chairmen had already emerged at state levels. On May 4, Kaduna North APC stakeholders Forum, chaired by Alhaji Kabiru Umar, met at Gombe Jewel Ho-

Kaduna APC gasps for breadth

About two weeks ago, the Kaduna state chapter of All Progressives Congress(APC) set up the Alhaji Tijani Ramal reconciliation committee to mend cracks in the party following the ward, local government and state congresses. IBRAHEEM MUSA chronic the problem and the committee’s recommendation.

tel and reached a common ground. In the end, the resolutions were transmitted to the Congress Committee and in summary, the Forum wanted fresh congresses in nine wards. The election, according to them, had earlier held in only three out of the 12 wards that comprise Kaduna North local government area. However, the Congress Committee neither acknowledged its letter nor heeded the Forum’s counsel on the disputed nine wards.

Two days later, the fired another letter to the committee as time was running out and party members were losing their patience. In particular, the forum advised that consensus candidates, in lieu of a congress, should be ratified after consulting with relevant ward stakeholders because time was of the essence. In addition, the forum warned of the consequences of hedging on the matter.

Unilaterally, the committee released names of ward chairmen, without consultation, in the contentious nine wards, triggering crisis in Kaduna North local government area. Led by Haruna Mohammed, aggrieved party men stormed APC secretariat to protest the committee’s action. Largely, the protest was peaceful but the party members chanted war songs, holding placards as they did. In part, the messages on the placards read ‘’no internal democracy in Kaduna APC,’’ ‘’we resist imposition of candidates’’, ‘’Buhari, Tinubu and Akande intervene before it’s too late.’’ Somehow, the party papered over that crack and proceeded to the local government and state congresses.

In all, nine contestants jostled for to become state chairman, including Mr Mataimaki Tom Maiyashi, Alhaji Addullahi Garba Abbas and Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi as well as Alhaji Aliyu M. Lawal, Alhaji Sadiq Mamman Lagos and Alhaji Umar Isa. The rest

were Hon Barnabas Bala Bantext, Mr Mikah Sule and Alhaji Ahmadu Yaro Coca-Cola. Significantly, the contest was held at the Trade Fair ground, at the outskirts of town, amidst tight security for two days. In the end, Hon Barnabas Bala Bantext, Malam Nasir El Rufai’s candidate, clinched the state chairmanship but his victory was hotly contested.

Specifically, nine signatories wrote a petition to the national headquarters, accusing El Rufai of subverting party interest. ‘’The roles played by El Rufai and his agents and some law makers’’, the candidates alleged, ‘’have created massive problems for the state APC, and their continuous involvement in compromising the integrity and competence of the Committee will destroy the party.”

On his part, El Rufai absolved himself of blame, directing the aggrieved to channel their complaints to the appeals committee. ‘’Apart from the congress committee, there is the appeals committee and the appeals committee will take complaints from anyone that complains of wrongdoing;’’, he said and that ‘’ if you have facts, send them to the appeals committee, which is how to do things in a political party. Just throwing allegations around, with respect, is absolute nonsense.”

The crisis, rather than abate, assumed a dangerous dimension as it

Specifically, nine signatories wrote a petition to the national headquarters, accusing El Rufai of subverting party interest

factionalised the party. Specifically, a parallel executive led by Senator Mohammed Aliyu, had emerged and the state congress was called ‘’a sham, fraud, rape and mockery of democracy.’’ The faction, in a press statement, had made wild and ridiculous allegations but instead of calling for a rerun, the group unveiled its own executive.

Delegates, according to the group, had voted according to their conscience at the congress but ‘’their votes were polluted by wild votes intended to favour predetermined candidates.’’ Earlier, these candidates had published an almanac, according to Aliyu’s faction, ‘’to show that they are the group under the leadership of a national officer of our great party who hails from Kaduna state.’’ However, the statement didn’t show how this amounted to an infraction of the process.

On this note, APC’s Kaduna chapter went to the national convention but the cracks remained wide and open. However, two weeks ago, the party set up a reconciliation committee, headed by Alhaji Tijani Ramalan, to mend fences within the party and move APC forward. Specifically, the committee listened to both sides and made vague recommendations. In particular, Ramalan and co advised the Bantex-led executive to reach out to the Aliyu faction, especially to carry every one along. Although Bantex has promised to do so, such a pledge is easier made than done, going by precedents elsewhere. More so, it remains to be seen if Aliyu’s camp will embrace the Olive branch when and if Bantex extends it.

For now, APC is honouring its own date with the same crisis of alleged imposition of candidates and fractionalization that dogged PDP and other parties, prompting insinuations that it may not be the alternative that people are yearning for after all.

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Barrister Musa Salihu, a representative of the aborigines of Abuja at the ongoing National Conference, told OWUKA NZESHI that the proverbial story of Oliver Twist does not refer to his people who are always seeking compensation even after the Federal Government properly acquired and paid the original owners for the land on which Abuja sits, thus rendering nonsense reference to the area as a ‘no-man’s land’.

Tell us about the beginning?

In 1975, the military regime of General Murtala Mohammed set up the Justice Akinola Aguda Panel, with the mandate to recommend a virgin location for the capital city of Nigeria. This became imperative given the challenges of over- population, congestion, unbearable traffic chaos and insecurity in Lagos.

The panel recommended that the new Federal Capital Territory be carved out of old Kwara, Niger, and Plateau States that were expected to donate land, be compensated for such land and, in addition, use such funds to re-settle displaced aborigines.These states were duly compensated, except old Kwara State which later opted to return its share of the money and, voluntarily, ceded its territory, Abaji, as part of the new federal capital.

Niger State resettled its own people in Sabo Wuse; old Plateau ( Nasarawa) State resettled its own people in New Karu.

These were in consonance with original plans to develop a fallow land into a symbol of unity Nigerians. Several years later, however, those supposedly-compensated and resettled re-invented fresh claims to the same land they had given up for good.

The national conference is winding down and many delegates are counting their gains and losses. What is the story of the FCT at this conference?

When we came here, we came with very high expectations but we are lucky that at the end f the day, we got what is reasonable, given the time and circumstances. We were able to get a Mayoralty for the inner nucleus of the Federal Capital Territory, a land of about 2,000sq kilometers will now be headed by an elected Mayor. The number of Area Councils was increased from six to eight. We also have an increase in the number of federal constituencies from two to four and then we have a ministerial slot for the FCT. We also have a recommendation that all outstanding compensations should be paid and just of recent we had a Commission recommended for FCT to look into the plight of the FCT indigenes. So far, those are the things we have gained from the conference.

But we lost in our bid to have an increase in the number of senatorial districts from one to two. We narrowly lost it because people were angry, especially the northern delegates who moved out that time. Even with the votes that were taken there, we are grateful and will continue to struggle for more things to come to FCT. Let’s look closely at complaints of forceful take-over of Abuja land and the compensation controversy which has featured at the conference. What happened to the compensation paid to indigenes of Abuja and why do you still lay claim to the land ?

I am happy you have brought up this issue. In the first place, the Aguda Panel that designed the relocation of the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja intended that this land should be truly a ‘no man’s land’, whereby the indigenous population would be compensated and resettled eleswhere. That was approved by government but again, government became a victim of its own inconsistency. Along the line, the people could not be truly resettled. For example, the indigenous people who were originally part of Niger and Plateau States had different experi-

them by force. I use the word force because they have not been compensated.

If they say they want hundred percent, then we would also say we take hundred percent control over our land and that will not augur well for this country. So, federalism means that you help the section that does not have and that is in need. Today, the main resource we all rely on is petroleum, tomorrow it could be something else coming from another area. At that time, that section that has the resources will have to help the others. So I think that whatever they(South -South) have now as derivation is reasonable and they should make do with it.

Are you saying that the FCT has no natural or mineral resources that could be developed, exploited and made to contribute to the Federation Account?

No. We do. In fact FCT is richer in terms of aural resources than so many states in this country. From the facts made available to us, we have so many mineral resources but people don’t know. As you are here, you are either sitting on gold, salt, uranium or other minerals. We have at least five mineral resources in the FCT, but you see, I kept quiet because FCT already benefits from this. There is a special allocation that goes to the FCT through the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission. It is deducted at source and given to the FCT.

Why Abuja aborigines always seek compensation – Conference delegate ences. On Niger State, we are aware of only two villages, Sabon Wuse and Sabon Gawu.

Were those the only villages in the FCT then?

Even in those areas, it was inchoate, partial settlement. The people were not fully resettled as envisaged by the constitution.

Section 44 of the Constitution said the people should have prompt compensation and, secondly, the claimant of the compensation must have access to a court of law that has jurisdiction to fix the amount of compensation that should be paid to them. I want to challenge you and challenge anybody in this country to prove me wrong if I say that such a thing has never been done in FCT since 1976.

Instead of complying with the law, what they did was to promulgate a decree, the FCT Act, which provides in Section 6(1) that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any law, including the constitution, the compensation that will be paid will be paid in accordance with the provisions of the decree. This makes it unconstitutional. What they used that Act for was to pay people even N20 for a large expanse of land. The owner of the whole land that now hosts the Federal Secretariat, Office of the Head of Service down to the Transcorp Hilton Hotel was paid N20 only. I am telling you that only N20 was paid to him. Do you call that compensation?

So in effect, the land has not been compulsorily acquired by the government. And to worsen the situation, the Obasanjo regime came up with so many circulars in 1978 to the effect that government would no longer be able to pay compensation and resettle the people outside the territory. The implication was that people should remain and be treated as citizens of the FCT but that compensation and resettlement will be done whenever development catches up with the various indigenous communities. Again,

this is contrary to the constitution which says that compensation must be prompt. This s why we say no compensation has been paid.

What about this scenario where the government resettles the indigenous people at a particular location; government build houses for them in their new settlement only for them to sell off these houses and relocate to another bush where development hasn’t arrived? Is this not creating room for an endless cycle of resettlement and compensation for the same people?

Well, in such a situation, these people would be deemed to have been compensated. But what I am telling you is that under the 1963 Republican Constitution, compensation was supposed to be adequate.

When they were to enact the 1979 Constitution, they dropped that word adequate and substituted it with another word, prompt.

Prompt means that as you take over the land, give me my money and I am telling you that that has not been done properly too. We challenge government authorities to publish the names of the recipients of their compensation, the sizes of their land and the amount of money paid to these people.

What is the position of the FCT on the raging debates over resource ownership, resource control and derivation formula?

Our position is very simple. We live in a federal set up, we have a federal system of government and one of the principles of federalism is that if you don’t have, the person who has or the area that has, should come to the aid of those who don’t have.

Therefore, I don’t find it palatable for a section of this country to say they must have hundred percent of their resources. If that is done, what would you say of the indigenes of FCT whose lands have been taken from

Does it make sense for other states and the FCT, which have their own mineral resources, to treat the derivation issue as though it were the headache of oil bearing communities of the Niger Delta alone?

No. We are not keeping quiet and leaving it as if it’s the South-South’s headache alone.

You see, we are saying that in the principle of federalism, let us have a fair share. If the South South states say because they produce petroleum, they should have everything, other states will collapse. They will not even be able to pay the salaries of their workers.

That is why you see this resentment. It is not that we are keeping quiet, we are talking.

The resources are no longer the property of South-South because we live in a federal system of government. It is for all Nigerians.

It is a commonwealth for Nigerians.

When in the future, some minerals like gold or uranium are discovered in the FCT or Zamfara State, would you still regard them as the commonwealth of Nigerians?

Yes. It has to be shared because that is the meaning of a federal system of government.

If it is a confederation, each region or state would be allowed to develop at its own pace and control its resources to develop itself.

But this is a federal system of government. If you say the oil producing states should take control of their resources, what happens to the South-Western States? What happens to the Northern States that don’t have petroleum today but contributed their resources to develop the oil and gas industry? They used cocoa resources from the South-West, coal from the South-East and groundnut from the North to develop the oil and gas in the Niger Delta.

Some delegates are of the view that this conference has been a waste of time. Do you agree?

No, I don’t. Even if for nothing, at least it will be on record that so and so things have been achieved for this country. We had very meaningful decisions taken for Nigeria irrespective of your cadre or class, worked for Nigeria in the interest of Nigeria and it is my belief that something good will happen. I don’t think a reasonable government will come and put this kind of conference together and later throw its outcome into the dustbin.

How do you want the final report of this conference to be handled?

Well, I hope and pray strongly that the recommendations reached at this conference should be implemented. If that is done, Nigeria will be better for it and Nigeria will become a greater country.

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APC is equal to any opposition in South-West, says Leke Pitan All Progressives Congress chieftain and two-time commissioner in Lagos, Dr Leke Pitan tells DOMINIK UMOSEN that the threat by political parties to form a coalition to capture Lagos is proof that his party is the one to beat. bour leaders like late Pa Imoudu, Frank Kokori, etc, justified their relevance. From the beginning, middle or however, strikes have always been with us. Doctors went on strike even before I went to medical school, so I can not, now, say it is something new. Be that as it may, I can say that strike is unfortunate and something that nobody wants either by doctors or other professionals. Workers, generally, do not like going on strike. Strike usually is because government refuses to act deftly, tactly and promptly. When I was in office- and am happy to say that I superintended two of the largest sectors in the public service, health and education. It was possible to manage them successfully without any friction with the professionals involved because once one got a hint of anything, one would engage them and try to resolve any challenge. This approach never fails to nip any strike in the bud, until strikes eventually became strange in the health sector, including the education sector when I took over.

Tell us about yourself?

I am from Agbowa. And my mother and father also hailed from Agbowa. When my father died in 1999, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, the late Chief Ganiyu Dawodu, Baba Hamzat, Chief Odunsi, all came home to bury him. And he was buried besides his own father, right before the family house which was the party secretariat. It was the ward headquarters secretariat. About two years ago, we built the local government secretariat for the party. My father was councilor for Epetedo area and the area covered up to Sandgrous and Lafiaji. He was councilor again and again, then he became chairman.

What, in your pedigree, prepared you for this ambition I grew up as a regular kid, but not in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and all that. It just happened that somehow I went to the best schools that children of big men and women struggled to attend. I sat for exams, passed in flying colours and got admitted- no stress, no lobbying or anything. As at now, I am special advisor in charge of Africa for International ‌

Federation, an affiliate of the World Health Organisation, (WHO). The body is for hospitals all over the world, including United States of America. I attended Igbobi College and did my Advanced Level General Certificate Examination (GCE) at Kings College, Lagos but that does not disqualify me as a homeboy.

I only settled for Kings College out of the schools whose exams. I am still one of the masses, only that I got the opportunity to attend Kings College. I am sure that if you had wanted to attend that school, took its exams and got admitted, you would have gone. I would not say because of that, you have become detached from regular reality.

After all, it was from the same Lagos Island home that I finished secondary school and graduated from University of Ibadan Medical School.

As a medical student, did it ever cross your mind that doctors would, one day, go on strike like other professionals I must quickly say that strike was not totally strange, either in the medical profession or elsewhere. Do not forget that was how la-

If you become governor, what new package would you bring to the table I am in the race, essentially, to deepen democracy, to further carry the grassroots along. And that has various ramifications. But one must, first of all, appreciate the present governor and thank the former governor for the foundation we all laid, including the present governor and our other colleagues. In fairness, we, including Yemi Cardoso, Wale Edun, etc, all laid a solid foundation under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. It took some courage and creative thinking by members of that cabinet to lay the foundation that we laid. The present administration took it from there, expanding the frontiers of infrastructural and environment to the next level. They succeeded in making possible what was regarded as difficult or impossible. From this excellent performance, we hope to take Lagos to the next level, both vertically, by taking it higher, and deepening the experience. Enhancing the purchasing power of the common man defines my gubernatorial ambition. It is about being creative, if we want to take you off the street, we will make sure there is an alternative, even if temporary. We will make Lagos a model city. We will make policies bearing in mind the purchasing power of the people, bearing in mind the fact that they still live day by day. There is need to carry that along all the time. This will dovetail into all the sectors, including health which we will make acceptable. All possible avenues will be explored, including and not limited to seeking foreign assistance, begging Nigerians in diaspora to come back home and help. Health insurance would be brought to the table and made something the people can participate in. Even if you have to start it like free health initially, let them develop the confidence, first , that it is there. Wewill generally provide a social safety net below which nobody will fall. This, generally, is what we are bringing to the table.

We will also beckon on like-minds in the opposition to join us

You harped extensively on infrastructure, can Lagos still afford infrastructural expansion?

You are right, Lagos can ill-afford space for horizontal expansion but there is still space (points a finger upstairs); there is space up there. Development could be tackled vertically, moving away from the horizontal model we are familiar with- instead of building more bungalow schools and hospitals, we do so vertically. There is space upstairs. We will now build schools, structures of three or more floors, if possible deck the structure for the possibility of adding another floor. And when we will embark on our aggressive massive housing programme, this will be the model. Power, too, will be pursued on the basis that the more people require it, the cheaper it becomes.

How will you control noise pollution by religious organizations without hurting the grassroots appeal that you so profess?

The two do not necessarily have to go together, what I mean is even if you put the two together –religion and noise pollutionyou want to ask if you really need noise to do religion. No, you do not need noise to do religion and if you put religious leaders in charge of that, a joint religious council, I believe they will do it. We can help them by installing meters which measure noise pollution. For you to register your church/ mosque, you must install those meters that measure the amount of noise you generate. The higher the noise level, the more money you pay. If the reading shows the noise-level below point, you do not pay any thing. In other words, what you pay will be inversely proportional to the noise you make. You will not make more noise than what you need within your four walls because a meter is installed besides the loudspeaker that is calling faithful to prayer, for instance. The religious leaders will be in charge of that and if revenue generated becomes substantial, both parties can share from it. Yes, government must recover the cost of installing these meters.

Do you recognize any threat in the proposed political alliance between parties to wrestle power from the APC in Lagos?

Anything is possible in politics, after all, it is a game. I am not going to say the opposition can not do it, after all, we are not going to fold our arms. I am not the type of politician who will under-estimate, denigrate or castigate the opposition. In politics, you are free to deploy any strategies that are within the law. If they are talking about a coalition, it means that they have admitted that, on their own, they can not do it, kudos to us. That is a plus, even if psychologically. What it therefore means is that we should unite our household. Second is that we must quickly arrest potential members that may be used for the coalition before the opposition gets them. We will also beckon on like-minds in the opposition to join us. The bottom line is that we must not be complacent. The opposition is free to deploy whatever but we must be ready to counter such strategies within lawful means. Before your 30 per cent can become my 70 per cent, there is much to do.

Are you persuaded that the trending impeachment plots against governors is a deliberate strategy against the opposition?

Look, if a house of assembly is induced against the governor, it is a very anti-democratic technique, strategy. It may have short-term gains but certainly, it has a lot of long-term losses for all. Okay. Having said that, one must also say that governors, not only in the South-West, must sit up to make sure this does not happen.

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Agada

Numerical strength will knock out Idoma again – Agada Political activities over Governor Gabriel Suswam’s successor in 2015 continue to intensify, with no aspirant ready to concede to the other. How do you interpret this situation?

Thank you very much. You know, this issue of governorship contest, anybody who enters into it feels that he or she has something to offer and the person must have looked at his or herself properly before jumping into the race. So by the time you start telling the person to step down for this person or that person, the feeling is that it is just not as simple as that. All I know is that, if it were in the proper line where things work effectively, where there is respect, discipline and understanding... I mean when people come out like that and stakeholders in the area look at the issue and say well, this or that person should have some understanding to give way for the other, people should abide, more often than not, because the door, everybody wants to pass through so let them test their popularity and whoever wins will get the edge because if he insists on somebody not going by force, you know the Nigerian situation; the next thing is to go to court and by the time elections are over peacefully, the next thing is to hear a court injunction that somebody was prevented from contesting.

The Idoma people of Benue state have always berated Tivs for not understanding their age-long frustration from inability to clinch the governorship position since creation of the state, but former Minister of State for Education, Dr. Jerry Anthony Agada told CEPHAS IORHEMEN, that poor numerical strength is the Idoma political albatross.

So if the understanding does not prevail, then let all of them go.

Your people in the Benue South have always agitated for the governorship position, leading to cries of marginalization.

As 2015 draws nearer, do you envisage fulfillment of the dream, especially with people like the Deputy-Governor, Chief Steven Lawani in the race?

Let me tell you that the agitation by the people of zone C for governorship is not zeroed down to any individual. The point is, there are three zones in Benue State, zones A and B have produced governor before, only zone C that has never produced governor before so let it go to Zone C. Whoever it falls on in Zone C is a matter of conjecture. So the question of saying with people like Chief Lawani, as for me,I

don’t want to zero it down to an individual.

Let it go to zone C, and once it goes to zone C, it behoves on the people to say okay, this is our candidate that time Lawani or any other person can be. So the Idoma people are agitating not because Lawani is contesting, it’s because we want the right thing to be done to the people of Zone C. Why has it been impossible for that zone to produce a governor over the years, is it improper coordination or what?

You know it very well, is it not a game of majority that we have been playing here in the state? Democracy, they will tell you, goes by the sobriquet ‘game of numbers’ and if you compel the population of Zone C to that of Zones A and B put together, don’t you think that the majority will always be there?

So it’s not a question of Zone C getting something wrong, it is a question of our number and that is what we are saying that if it is done by rotation from zones A, B and C, then one can have the assurance that yes, it can turn to you, but if it’s not done that way, definitely Zones A and B will always defeat Zone C. So it’s not a question of we in the area have done something wrong or not getting our acts together, even if we get all acts together, even if every Dick and Harry in the area puts together their votes, it still would not work out and that’s why we are appealing for understanding from our Tiv brothers.

Any advice to fellow Idomas?

My advice to the people is that they should not relent in their agitation. It is a rightful thing to do and they are doing it well. The only thing is, let them, on their own, do it with some understanding and in such a way that they will not waste their energy. Let us look at who should be among the aspirants and then zero on one so that all of us will cue behind that person and fight as a front. If, at the end of the day, we cannot match the forces of Zones A and B, then let it be but not that we did not put our house in order or get our acts together..

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Dr. Tivlumum Nyitse a PDP bigwig in Benue State resigned as Permanent Secretary, Governor Gabriel Suswam to contest the 2015 governorship race. The the veteran journalist told CEPHAS IORHEMEN his plans to transform the state.

Sir, you are one of the prominent governorship aspirants wishing to succeed Governor Gabriel Suswam in 2015, and you are viewed as having a lot of experience having worked in the government for many years.

How do you intend to transform the state if given the mandate next year?

Thank you very much for this question.

Yeah, I agree with you that anybody that wants to lead his people must have an agenda, must have something that he wants to do to transform the lives of the people socially, economically and even politically.

So I came into this race with a mind set that by the grace of God if I become governor, I will focus on key areas that will change the lives of Benue people. Benue state is basically an agrarian state and our culture must as of necessity be given the pride of place in my government if I am given the opportunity to govern the state, because agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of Benue State in all ramifications. You can see that because the level we are now in terms of poverty is because we have not embrace agriculture so if you take agriculture to a level that you can begin to process our raw materials, make them more marketable, it will improve the lives of both the farmers and the people in general.

If you talk of citrus, we have the best fruits in this country so if you establish cottage processing industries, you will be able to curb wastes. If you go to our rural areas, you will see the level of wastes of our mangoes and oranges at a colossal loss. So my government will look at those things that can improve and add value to the produce that are produced in the state. If you do that then you rejuvenate the economy, create wealth for the farmers and make them earn money so that they can live better lives as well as train their children in schools and all that.

Then education. Education is one area that will be accorded serious attention right from the primary level. If you look at the primary education particularly public schools, most of our kids that pass through public schools are not qualified to enter the universities because they are not properly groomed. So if we provide standard public schools, make them functional, provide descent classrooms, effective instructional materials, qualified teachers, then you will be able to produce pupils that can compete favourably with those that are been produced from the nursery and primary schools today.

Most people of our generation are products of public schools, but have been able to compete anywhere we went to. So why can’t our children in public schools now compete, so if we develop our primary education, it means those people going into secondary schools too will be good products and those going to universities from these schools too will be good products.

Okay, as somebody that has worked in the public service for many years, how do you intend to ameliorate the civil service if elected governor?

You see, Benue civil service is

In government, everybody has his own priorities its not about not doing anything or not performing when he was there

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Idoma can be governor, says Nyitse about the most effective in this country. I remember very well in the early ‘90’s state governments elsewhere were sending their civil servants to come and understudy in Benue state civil service which means it had the best known practices that can be copied. So there appears to be a dive in this regard, so we had to introduce quality civil servants to go on training, to go on capacity building programmes so as to keep on with the tempo of standards that we were known for. And if you do that, the government of the day will be happy, because if the civil servants are motivated it means they will have productivity, and the products of government will be driven because its the civil servants that drive government policies and if they are motivated and well trained, it means the output will be higher and government will have less to worry on the success of its programmes.

So we will do that by reengineering our civil service to ensure that sincerity is maintained and once that is done, you will also cultivate motivation, and create enthusiasm and competition, and once there is competition, there is productivity. So we will work on that to ensure that Benue state civil service goes back to its old place of pride in the society.

What will your administration do to raise the revenue profile of the state when you finally become governor, any strategies on ground?

Yes, there is so much to be done to generate revenue to the state. Basically, first and foremost, Benue is under-taxed. Image the way people drive their cars and park them in the state? If my administration collects monies form people that park their cars anyhow, imagine how much you will generate.

So much is being wasted here, even in terms of waste management so much money is being lost. So if by the time I have the opportunity to lead the state, we will have to focus in this this direction so that we do not depend so much on the federation account. We can generate our money here locally.

There are other areas which we can raise the revenue profile of the state. If you go to countries abroad, you can’t park your car anywhere like that, you can’t stand by the roadside and ease yourself, but these things are here with us and they attract charges. If you park your car in a designated place and the give you two hours, you can’t exceed that point and a ticket for

which you have paid is given to you.

Sir, from the MINDA political bloc where you come from, and where the next governor is likely to emerge, over 15 aspirants are in the race to succeed Governor Suswam. Political pundits are saying why can’t others withdraw from the race to reduce the number.

Do you subscribe to this idea?

Well, I have always explain that the more the aspirants in the race, the more the merrier, and it is also good for the system so that people will have the wide choice to make.

The other aspect which is clannish but also important is that people normally consider MINDA as been very backward, not having people who are not qualified in certain positions, but we have people who can even be president of this country going by their training, exposure and background.

So it’s good to say today that we have come of age, as on the issue of zoning, its a party issue I cannot condemn zoning and whether people in the past had benefitted from the zoning exercise, why not MINDA people for now? So if zoning has been established in the party and people have gained from it before, we cannot jettison it now because it’s our turn to also showcase what we can do and we cannot be suppressed.

Again, of the issue of people coming together and others withdrawing, it’s a process within the party and the party has its own mechanism for weeding out people, and I think at an appropriate time, those machine rise will be evoked and those that will be so screened out will fall by the wayside and will join hands with other people they hope to align with and gradually it will become like a pyramid, because somebody will emerge as a governor. For now, the pyramid is at the base as wide as anything and by the time the top begins to narrow down the base will become wider, and then somebody will emerge as governor.

Sir, you talked about zoning and the Idoma people from the Benue South otherwise known as zone C are also agitating that they be allowed to produce the next governor. Do you envisage that their dream will come to reality this time around?

In a democracy, everybody is free to aspire be it from zones A, B or C to be governor. But by the time the issue of zoning comes in, that is where the discussion will come in, and I am sure the leadership of the party will

have a way of discussing more themselves to ensure that the right thing is done. And I am not in a position to say whether zone C is not qualified or not, no, they have a chance, and the right thing will be done at an appropriate time.

Sir, as one of the top politician in the state, why has it been difficult for the Benue South to produce governor over the years as they used to cite marginalization?

No, it’s not impossible. Politics generally is first and foremost, a game of number before morality even comes in. But we are living here as brothers and for us to live cordially together, there will be discussions amongst the people involved and I think those discussions are going on, and at the appropriate time, decisions will be taken that everybody will be happy about.

As the Governor Gabriel Suswam’s administration fades out, what would you say the governor has not done that when you come in as next governor you will do?

No, I think this way. Every government has good intentions and has programmes and these programmes cannot be achieved all at once because of limited resources. Suswam came in with his beautiful programmes and he has done the best that he can given the resources. So if I become governor, I will continue from where he has stopped and see areas that I think he probably he didn’t give priority, but I think they are there and I will continue from those areas.

In government, everybody has his own priorities its not about not doing anything or not performing when he was there, no, every government means well for the people. So Suswam has don very well for the people of the state because I have been part of the administration and I know how much this government has done. I have seen areas that I can improve upon, and at the end of the day Benue people will be happy for it because there has been even development.

The area you come from had engulfed into crisis following attack on Tiv farmers by suspected Fulani insurgents. What is your plan for the people in terms of provision of adequate security to the lives and property of the people?

We (MINDA) have a very unfortunate situation on the issue of boarder demarcation because the area shares common boundary with Nassarawa state and other local government areas in the state. You see, there are no boarder demarcations and our boarders are porous. Most settlements are intertwined, so you can’t say this is where Benue stops with Nassarawa and vice versa.

So first and foremost, we must establish our boundaries with our neighbors to check encroachments.

Of course, the security of the state is paramount in my agenda because it is the responsibility of the government to protect the lives and property of citizens, so security will be given a pride of place and not just MINDA but to every Benue citizen, I will ensure that everybody lives without the fear of molestation.

And we can’t do all these alone, the people must cooperate for us to move forward. The demarcation of our boundaries will be done in cooperation with the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and see that they are properly established.

I am a victim of the Fulani attack and I know what we went through , i lost everything I had in the village and I will not rest on my oars to ensure the boundaries are demarcated to protect our people.

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

Issues and Perspectives on the Tobacco control bill Gbenga Osunbiyi Abuja

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obacco control to be succinct is about reducing or completely eradicating, the effects of tobacco smoke on the consumer. The question, however is that, has the war on tobacco smoking control failed or worked?

As the House of Representative committees on Health and judiciary held public hearing on the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB), it is pertinent that all proponents for and against tobacco control policies should sit down and accurately evaluate if the tobacco control policies or the drive for its implementation in several countries globally failed or succeed.

Different schools of thought have begun to emerge to look critically at the push for several policies and the appropriate strategies which may be deemed effective for those whom the policies wish to affect. World Health Organisation (WHO) states that ‘the tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing nearly six million people a year.

Nearly 80% of the more than one billion smokers worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.’ The advocacy groups argue that cigarette smoking is harmful to human health. Is this not true? Researchers and the World Health Organisation (WHO) corroborate the fact that cigarette smoking pose serious threat to public health At the public hearing, it was expressly declared that the bill is not meant to ban tobacco, but to set up a legal framework that will allow for effective control of the tobacco industry. According to Honourable Yacoob Bush Alebiosu, sponsor of the bill, there is the need to control the distribution and supply chain stakeholders in spite of the contributions of the tobacco industry to the economy. “We need to control the distribution and ensure that those in its supply chains are licensed in order to monitor their compliance to the regulatory framework but we are not banning tobacco firms from operation. They only need to know that and comply with regulation.” He stated.

The public hearing was an avenue for diverse stakeholders to express their view about the bill and all contributors commended the bill.

They called for the need to have a law that is enforceable and will not be counterproductive in implementation.

According to Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN, Nigerian Association of chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), urged

the parliamentarians to ensure the passage of a law that does not kill the legal industry, leaving behind negative consequences for the overall economy. For instance, NEPC in a document observed that when viewed against the background of the statistics from the data for beneficiaries of its Export Expansion Grant Scheme (EEGS), the tobacco sector has contributed immensely to the economy. “Between 2006 and 2012, there was an accumulated inflow of foreign exchange worth N55.386 billion from the sector. The inflow also reflects an increase of 1,055.77 per cent from N1. 08billion in 2006 to N12.51billion in 2012. In the same period, the sector, according to the report, contributed N20.41billion in investment in capital assets and infrastructure development. There is also an increase of 89.08 per cent in 2012 to the tune of N2. 96billion as against N1.57billion in 2006. While in the area of employment generation, the sector recorded an increase of 11.64 per cent in 2012 with a total of 1,237 employees as against 1,108 employees in 2006,” NEPC said At the hearing, the Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (IPPA), Mr. Olusegun Sotola, its head of research, said that regulation must be balanced and must also cater for rights of both smokers and nonsmokers, so that it doesn’t result in unintended consequences. According to him, it must be realised that the issue of tobacco has both the health and economic implications.

“As long as there is demand, there must be supply. The right of smokers must be catered for and if the bill as it is drafted, is passed, it will not only affect the manufacturing but the whole value chain; farmers, distributors, retailers, suppliers. This will impact on the economy negatively,” he stated.

Notwithstanding the outcome of research on the incidence of smoking in Nigeria, apologists of the Anti Tobacco control Bill are also pushing for it on the basis that Nigeria is a signatory to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

As a signatory to t h e

W o r l d Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of 2004 and ratified in 2005, they argued that Nigeria is expected to take practical steps to check the use of tobacco use. To them, only a further regulation as contained in the bill at the national assembly would do. Presenting its organisation’s memorandum, the director of Environmental Rights Action and Friends of the Earth (ERA), Akinbode Oluwafemi commended the house for championing the course of regulating the tobacco industry, he noted that his organisation is calling for the regulation of the contents of tobacco products as well as the packaging and labelling of tobacco products in the country. According to him, they are also advocating the rights of non-smokers since tobacco is the only commodity a consumer consumes and it affects a nonconsumer of the product. “We are not insensitive. We also know that smokers also have a right to smoke but we on the other side believe that inasmuch as smokers have their own right, non-smokers’ right should also be protected,” he stated.

The Director of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, BAT West Africa, Mr. Freddy Messanvi said that BATN had always supported appropriate regulation for the tobacco industry in Nigeria and have cooperated and collaborated with government agencies towards ensuring that existing regulations are enforced. He said that it is gratifying to know that the law is not meant to ban tobacco, but to put in place policy framework that will allow for effective operation. Messanvi pointed out that the bill must not force the legal and regulated businesses out of operation as this would leave the market at the mercy of smugglers and illicit traders.” Should tobacco be regulated? Certainly it should, but we need to be careful in dealing with the trade, because tobacco industry is a business which if treated wrongly will mean leaving the cats out for the dogs. In a country where we do not have the capacity to deal with smugglers, porous borders and the criminality surrounding the illegal trade, then we will simply leave our public health to faceless cabals whom we will find difficult to deal with.

Whatever the outcome, what public spirited folks do not want is a situation where things go from bad to worse for the citizens the law is meant to protect. This fear is not misplaced considering that there are a couple of countries where this happened after the introduction of stiffer anti tobacco legislation.

Canada and South Africa are just two examples of such countries.

With the state of Nigerian borders and security situation, one cringes at the thought of armed gangs compounding the public health challenge which tobacco business in the hands of bootleggers will cause the country, taking into consideration the situation in Canada, South Africa and some other countries. The consensus from all stakeholders at the public in Abuja is that the law to regulate the industry is desirable, but caution should be exercised, not throw away the baby with the bath water.

The power of prophecy

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n our prevailing world, there is a craving for prophecy.

We want to know the future from today to enable us plan.

We often wish that if we could ascertain what’s going to happen the next minute, we could escape from future mishaps and perhaps stop them from occurring. We desire a look into the future with so much hope. One saddening truth is that we wait for revelation from some other person to give us light into the direction we should take.

While we may have spiritual leaders with prophetic ministries who prophesy into our lives, we are first our own prophets. The ability to use our words to change our lives is an inherent part of every man. God fused that into us from the beginning because everything He made was from words. Whatever we say has the dynamics to either positively influence or negatively influence our lives depending on how we say it.

You can make your own selffulfilling prophesies happen by charging your words with the power to act. How? You may ask.

Can I actually make proclamations and have it come to reality? Yes you can. The ability lies in your power to use the right words and target those words.

Speaking into life Whatever you say has bearing impact on how you or any other person will turn out. The power of life and death is in your tongue. To get positive values, speak positive and stay positive. Negative things also come as a result of our negative use of the tongue. Whatever you want, you can get it by tuning the use of your tongue to your favor.

Speak into the present. Whatever you want, you could say it and get it. But it’s not just saying it, its saying it the right way. If you need ten thousand dollars, you won’t say “I need ten thousand dollars” you say, “I have ten thousand dollars”. Speaking like you’ve got what you want already speeds up the process of getting what you want. Speak in the present. Use words like, I am, I have, etc. avoid words that refer to an achievement in the future like “I will”.

Develop faith as a means of receiving from him when and as often as we want Speak continuously Continuous speaking of your expectation in the present every time, and as often as possibly, increases the chance of having it come to reality. Keep saying that thing you want like you have it already and, repeatedly, as often as you can. You will have it just the way you want it.

Speak with the time Setting a period for which your self-made prophesy should see gives credence to your prophetic ability. The word “now” should be the circle around which your needs have to be met. You might not see the possibility, but when you keep saying what you want for now, that now will arrive before long.

Stay connected The need to stay connected to a spiritual source cannot be overemphasized. Build a connection with God. Develop faith as a means of receiving from him when and as often as we want.

All God desires from us is “just ask.” When we ask we will receive. In asking from God, we could ask amiss which invariably means not all those who ask receive. You can ask right by accepting His supremacy over our lives, believing he is capable of seeing our needs met and confessing our need have being met by him even when we don’t get to see the physical thing we need.

Using your words rightly can make the best impression in your life and those of others. it has immense capability to make you into the model you want to become. Don’t give up in fear that you are incapable of attaining your goals and desire. Keep saying it and expect it to happen now. Even if it fails to happen now, your words are placing present action for a future occurrence. Prophesy!!!

Courtesy: “Undigested Essays”

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

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James Eze

n the world of Masters of Ceremonies (MCs), Chido Obidiegwu towers above his peers like Zuma Rock over the low plains of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. From his lush silver hair and wellsculpted face to his deep voice that rumbles like rain-bearing thunder in the middle of July, Chido wears charisma like an Arabian musk – thick, persistent and nostalgic.

Chido is set aside. And it is an act of God!There is hardly a gathering of the human community where Chido’s striking looks and forceful personality will go unnoticed. And his choice of event-anchoring as the field to invest his incredible energy and talent couldn’t have been influenced in any sphere lower than heaven. Although Chido naturally comes with a combustible personality, with the microphone in his hand, a new dimension is instantly added to his profile; he transforms into a sweet mass of spellbinding speaker, evoking the memories of Soul Train’s Don Corlenius, the iconic showbiz impresario of the 20th Century.

Like a bee to the scent of nectar, Chidolue Obidiegwu has been fatally attracted to events and social engagements right from his high school days at the highly regarded St Theresa’s Nsukka. A passion that began with the block parties he hosted with his bunch of rascally high school friends soon snowballed into a flaming passion at the University of Benin where every successful event had the print of his infectious touch.

Chido’s luminous personality stretched across the Niger to light up the University of Benin where he studied and the University town of Nsukka where his parents lived.

He had a cult following on both campuses where nubile young women were smitten by his guttural voice and rippling body while young men sulked in envy. There was no off season for him as life felt the same regardless of school holidays. Campus parties, pageants and cultural shows were not quite the same without him as he shuttled between ancient Benin and ethereal Nsukka.

Most students at Nsukka were unaware that he was not one of them until he finally returned to the campus for his Master’s Degree in Mass Communication after bagging a Bachelor’s in History from the University of Benin.

Recalling one of the memorable events in his time at Nsukka, Chido laughed at his blunt refusal to admit Nigeria’s most memo-

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The book that reads like its cover rable pop king of the 80s into the venue of one of the parties on campus. “I was the bouncer on that day. I had been working out for a while and built up some muscles. He was famous at the time after the release of his debut album which had the hit-song – I Need Someone. I heard that he was coming to the party and I waited at the gate. He arrived, dressed in his trademark leather jacket and jeans but I turned him back. I asked him, ‘were you invited to this party?’ He said ‘I am Chris Okotie!’ And I asked him, so what?” he recalled, doubling over with laughter. We were in a car, blazing down the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.

Although we had been friends for a while, I was just getting to know him better, observing him away from the stage and the quizzical look of others who see him as the silver-haired bombast whose long sounding words make the locals scream “supu! Supu!” when he is compering events in South Eastern Nigeria.

“I consciously developed that style,” he said of his trademark bombastic approach to MC-ing, a crooked smile playing at the corners of his mouth. I had wanted to interrogate his style for some time but I worried how he would receive it. I had often felt that there were times when simpler words conveyed greater lucidity. “I purposely wove that into my style because I consider it very important that I should also entertain the audience when I am performing. It was my late mentor, the accomplished MC, Ikenna Ndaguba that taught me the trick.

He advised that I should develop a style that would mark me out. So, I had to find a way to entertain the audience while at the

same time doing my job. I am not worried if I sound bombastic. I am comfortable with it,” he explained.

Bombastic or not, Chido’s style has kept clients queuing up for his service for about 20 years now. And perhaps more importantly, he owes his current appointment as the Special Assistant to the governor of Anambra State on Events to his trademark style. In fact, since his appointment, the Okija-born but Nsukka-raised maestro has become the life of every event in Anambra State. Looking polished with his silver hair and bespoke Senator suits, Chido always wows the crowd, dropping high-sounding words that are reminiscent of the oratorical effusions of politicians of the First Republic and often times, swiftly switching to Igbo language to connect with the rural folks.

Perhaps it is plain naïve to expect anything less from Chido who packs diverse experiences in broadcasting, integrated marketing communications, network marketing and corporate social responsibility. But even

MILESTONES

so, it is doubtful if any MC on this part of the planet ever puts in as much effort into their preparation for an event as Chido does. A thorough professional, Chido usually asks for a comprehensive brief on an event before taking on the job. Naturally, a general idea of the likely guests to be expected at the event features prominently in this due diligence. Thereafter, he spends a great deal of time researching and reading up on the subject matter as well as the prospective guests. Through this method, he gains a remarkable insight on the entire event that usually comes in handy when he is behind the microphone.

Like many people who were built for the stage, Chido is probably happiest when with the mic in his hand. His face suddenly acquires an indescribable glow when the liquid rumble of his voice ripples through the loudspeakers. At such moments, he transforms into the master of his own universe, orbiting a planet that is known to him alone.

At such moments too, he hates to be distracted, no matter what the matter is.

Off the stage, Chido is no less enthusiastic about life. He likes to be among friends, downing a bottle of Hero beer, popularly known as O mpa in Anambra and the sister states of the south east. Two Heroes down, you could hear his booming laughter like a clap of thunder. Chido is so gregarious that he can hardly drink a glass of water without friends. He is compassionate and a friend to lean on when the blue skies are gone.

But if you are Chido Obidiegwu’s friend, you will probably find him too blunt at times. He is not one to swallow his grief in silence or whimper in the corner weighed down by unexpressed grudge. Chido shoots from the heap. He feels things with passionate intensity and close friends have often been at the receiving end of his flaring temper once he is rubbed the wrong way.

At 50, Chido is increasingly beginning to look like the archetypal Igbo man, reminding us of the unforgettable image of Okonkwo that Chinua Achebe hewed out of his matchless imagination in Things Fall Apart – bold, brusque, successful, war-like and irrepressible. A fine figure of man! As he turns 50 on Thursday, July 31, 2014, what more can I say to this massive man that cuts the image of a great character out of a storybook but Happy Birthday?

James Eze can be reached on eziokwubundu@ gmail.com

Anyaeji, a sensational genius

or Engineer Otis Anyaeji, group managing director of foremost indigenous engineering firm,. Otis Engineering Limited, becoming the president-elect of the Nigerian Society of Engineers,as he has just did, would not be the first time he is towering, shoulders and head, above others. The first time was when the authorities of his alma mater, Christ the King College, Onitsha, eulogized him for possessing exceptional abilities in mathematics.

Perhaps to justify this assessment by the school authorities, Anyaeji went ahead to sensationalize his genius by clearing all his subjects in the West African School Certificate (WASC ), examination, in flying colours, in June 1971. To all intents and purposes, gaining Admission into the Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsaukka to study mechanical engineering invariably became a consolidation of his sensational genius.

Upon graduation in 1977, Anyaeji, who is passionate about hardwork and excellence, proceeded for his compulsory national service where his sterling qualitouhies stood him apart from the regular crowd. For example, though he studied mechanical engineering in the university, this did not hamper him from breaking new grounds by designing a 3-kilometre asphalt access road at the headquarters of the Nigeria Gas Company, Escravos and Warri Phase 111 Tank Farm.

The trail-blazing role of foremost indigenous engineer and presidentelect of Nigerian Society of Engineers, Otis Anyaeji, writes DOMINIK UMOSEN, inspires a generation.

But it was not until the president-elect of the NSE left the Nigerian NationaL Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that his intrinsic genius exploded, in a manner of speaking. Before becoming a permanent fixture in the silent called National Independent Power Project, Anyaeji established O. T. Otis Engineering/Consult whose primary functions include conducting feasibility studies, market surveys, basic and detailed engineering Other areas where this trail-blazing indigenous engineering company has excelled include procurement, contrac ting engnineering, valuations, strategic planning, project management and cost engineering, among others. Between March 1990- July 93, he was deputy chairman of the Standing Technical Committee on tfhe Nigeritan Automotive Industry (STC). And on his personal merit, he was appointed founding chairman of the Natfional Automotive Council (NAC) which replaced STC. As chairman of the United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO )-sponsored Ni9gerian Low Cost Vehicle Foundation, Anyaeji is also chairman or mem ber of several engineering institutions. He is chairman , forum of consultants and contractors

on Nigeria Integrated Power Project For someone who was stopped by fate from becoming a reverend father, having enrolled to become one, Anyaeji’s passion for excellence is hardly surprising- it is a suitable explanation for his passion for excellence and doing things the proper way.

Whether at the Olorunsogo power plant, its equivalent in Calabar or the Omotosho gas turbine in Ondo, Anyaeji has become a permanent fixture at the Integrated Power Projects sxcattered nationwide to provide muscle for government’s drive to stabilize power supply in the country.

As a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering and president-elect of NES, his investiture at the University of Lagos was not the first time his genius would be sensationally-re-affirmed since that inaugural acclamation by his alma mater.

Other distinguished personalities who witnessed the event include former Nigerian External Minister and United Nations Under-Secretary, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; former Secretary of Health, Prince Julius Adelusi; Prof. Adeyemi Suleyuman Olatunji; Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel; Prof.

Chukuemeka Okoro and Engr. Andrew Yakubu, Group Managing Director of NNPC, among others.

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Anyaeji

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Doctors playing God

wo incidents bring to my instant notice that doctors in Nigeria are still on strike and there seems to be nothing we can do about it: A neighbor lost her mother to lack of adequate treatment; a relative recently went thorough a caesarean section without proper need for it and I discovered that the doctor concerned who charged an astronomical sum for the procedure, also doubles as a consultant in an Ikorodu- based General Hospital. This is the worse time anyone can full sick in Nigeria, if you do not have money to pay the bill in a private clinic. Our doctors are not willing to shift ground unless all 24 of there demands are met immediately.

I took a cursory look at what doctors where asking for and concluded that a lot of their demands are legitimate.

Consequently a lot of these demands smack of down right selfishness. How do you justify the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) demanding that in the health sector grade level 12 must be skipped for all medical doctors? What that means is point of entry for medical practitioners, both dentists and doctors should be level 13! There are other demands too: They want an immediate implementation of a January 3rd 2014 circular which says there should be an immediate payment of the arrears of the corrected relativity for 22years during which NMA members where short changed. Doctors want clinical duty allowances for honorary consultants to be increased by 90 per cent and a hazard allowance of at least N100, 000(One Hundred Thousand Naira) a month!

There is something called a specialist allowance in their package which they say should be at least 50 per cent more than that of other professionals. When we look at all these demands we would like to conclude that it’s all about cash.

We would probably like to see, in our mind’s eye, a group of greedy person-

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BUSINESS SENSE ALEX OGUNDADEGBE alexogundadegbe@gmail.com

There is one thing for sure. Politics has entered our medical sector and doctors are the major protagonists nel who are holding a whole country to ransom.

Doctors went bonkers when other health professionals had their salaries adjusted. The feeling it seems among them is that: “why should other medical professionals have salaries that are in anyway close to doctors?” In the medical profession there is no doubt that doctors are king. They are given special treatment for the special training many of them have acquired, and as far as our health sector is concerned, we cannot do with out them. Perhaps this is why there is so much hard lining in the current strike. The wounds and differences go deep and are quite long. Many health professionals believe that the root of it all is in the period when Late Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti was Health Minister. Ransome-Kuti endorsed a special health package for doctors and their salaries were increased with a wide gap

being between what doctors earn and what other health professionals receive in terms of emoluments.

There is one thing for sure. Politics has entered our medical sector and doctors are the major protagonists. In the United States, Europe and the Arab Emirate where doctors of Nigerian origin outnumber those of other foreign nationals, doctors are given pride of place. Politics hardly mingles with health care. One central aspect of the health care delivery system that is missing in Nigeria is a workable National Health Insurance Scheme. Such schemes are the fulcrum of financing health care delivery in the countries where the sector is rated high. Nigeria’s health insurance scheme is still limping and in need of reorganization. Nigerians do not really trust the health sector in the country as we find that politicians and other important figures, who can afford it, frequently fly abroad for medical check up or treatment.

To look at the crises in the health sector as being a doctor problem alone would be error. The Joint Health Sectors Union (JOHESU)is full of crises over who should earn what and how much difference should be in the individual salaries of different professionals. So the crises is one of not just doctors, but nurses, pharmacists and laboratory

technologists who all combine to make up our health sector. Is it possible to get the doctors back to work while these differences are being sorted out? It does not seem likely. Granted they want certain positions in the health sector reserved for doctors alone. They would go up in arms if anyone who is not a doctor is made to head a medical facility, but the irony of all this is medical administration is fast becoming a profession that is not being given to doctors in many parts of the world. In the United States and indeed the United Kingdom where doctors in Nigeria draw a lot of their examples and inspiration, there is a course called Medical Administration that is being study at an MBA level. A lot of the candidates are not core medical practitioners and the argument given for the course is spending upwards of seven years in the university studying medical science does not prepare a doctor to manage other people.

Ego is the root of the industrial action among doctors. Fights and disagreements over titles and nomenclature have crept in such that the title “consultant” in a hospital setting describes the relationship between the specialist medical doctor and his patient only. The NMA claim that “It will be a source of confusion if the title is applied to any other health worker who statutorily is not a doctor. The medical association does not want “non doctor consultants” appointed because it would lead to chaos and anarchy in the sector.

With the body count increasing in many parts of the country, this appears to be one strike or struggle, as you wish to describe it, that doctors cannot win.

There is no way on earth government can meet all of the demands the NMA is making. The doctors seem to have thrown their Hippocratic Oath to the winds. The oath says put the patient before every other consideration, but sadly, nobody is on call.

Female suicide bombers!

his Boko Haram people or whoever they are really mean business o. Female suicide bombers? This is real calamity. I do not know how to react to this one o. Women wrapping themselves with bombs and blowing up those sensual bodies with every other thing or person around them. In my wildest dreams I never believed this could happen in Nigeria.

Bodies meant to provide succour and pleasure are now being turned into weapons of mass destruction. I am a firm believer in the female body. I worship it and understand it thoroughly. The body was built to give and sustain life.

It is this same body that has been turned to a vehicle of carnage. Can you imagine, a sweet nubile Fulani damsel smiling at you at a lovely motor park in Kano, and you thinking that the gods have decided to bless you. You stand up stroll towards her with your best smile, and as you attempt to introduce yourself, you finally see yourself in front of your maker with no teeth. It is not a joke o.

It can happen and will really happen, if the Boko people do not stop this tactic.

Me, as a show of self preservation have called a ceasefire to chasing women.

One has to be very careful these days.

A one-week ceasefire will not damage me, it will give me enough time to assess the situation and see if one can proceed with caution or if one should join the Catholic priesthood. I also advise my brothers to toe the line. Let us look at women especially the ones who are very beautiful with long pointed noses and ebony smooth skins carefully before we

EDGAR’S WORLD JOSEPH EDGAR

josephsamsponedgar@gmail.com approach.

After having studied the situation as you can see I am deeply troubled, I have come out with sure signs with which we can identify potential female suicide bombers. They are usually extremely beautiful, smooth ebony skin, tall and lithe. Pointed noses and well proportioned breasts. Hips like the hills of Mongolia and eyes that are bewitching. Their most terrible weapon is their smile. The smile weakens many warriors and leave them shaking in their pants that when they see these amazons they remain transfixed on the spot and cannot even run.

These kinds of women are usually found in far flung places like Adamawa, Kano and Borno. But one or two have been sighted in Uyo and Shomolu. I have seen two sef near Apata in Shomolu.

She smiled at me and started walking towards me, me that I have survived SAP riots, Israel bombardment of Gaza, my mother’s slap amongst other calamities

I have come out with sure signs with which we can identify potential female suicide bombers to come and be killed by this ebony goddess. No be me, I just pick race and did not stop running till I got to Umunede in Delta State.

How will Oby Ezekwesili react to this.

Will she set up another online group. I think I will take over from her and form #save our men. This to me is worse than Ebola. How can we fight this? How can we resist this strain of female bombers.

We need to immediately go on Instagram and send pictures of male celebrities with placards saying “save our men”. Kai, female suicide bombers? I have not slept

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

since I heard the news. This directly affects me and maybe I should go join the army or even seek audience with the Boko people so I can may be try to alter the strategy.

How do you fight a female suicide bomber? Where do you start from when even without the bombs she is still killing you. Without the bombs you are transfixed and without the bombs you are a willing slave. By the time you now add the bombs you will not be able to find any more men left in this country. This is a devastating tactics and not fair at all.

The United Nations must step in now o.

But seriously, all efforts must be put on ground to tackle this menace. Enough of the armchair criticism. We are at war and everybody must join the war effort . Just as I was writing this, I read Pastor Tunde Bakare’s interview where he asked the federal government to apologise for killing Boko Haram leader. How will that solve the problem? These simplistic positions can be very annoying.

People just grab whatever platform they can lay their hands on and dish out stupid advise.

Ok, Jonathan says “sorry” and Boko Haram surrenders and drops their weapons?

Na true. What we need is what I believe the government is doing. A clear and decisive initiative that would lead to incisive victory. This is war and not a beauty pageant.

A war we should all fight, a war that all men should stand up and be counted.

While we are fighting the war, let me just reach London for a brief visit, when the war is over I will come back.

Thank you

SPORT EXTRA

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Amalaha fails B drugs test, faces sanction

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igerian teenage weightlifter Chika Amalaha faces heavy sanctions after her B sample came out positive .

Amalaha was subjected to a test after claiming gold medal in the women’s 53kg category on Tuesday and her A sample revealed that the youngster had traces of diuretics but masking agents in her body system.

However, CGF chief executive Mike Hooper, on Friday, said the follow-up examination backed up the

initial finding of the doping control that Amalaha went through.

Hooper said: “I can report that the analysis on the Nigerian weightlifting Chika Amalaha’s B sample has been completed, and this has confirmed the analysis and finding of the A result.”

Amalaha snatched a best of 85kg before managing 111kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 196kg, to become the youngest Commonwealth weightlifting gold medallist but she has been stripped of the medal.

Blessing Okagbare (right) during the 200m final in Glasgow

Onyali hails female athletes

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ormer African record holder Mary Onyali has commended the Nigerian female athletes for their impressive run at the Commonwealth Games holding in Glasgow, Scotland.

“The ladies are on top.

Women are coachable more than the men. Men are hard to coach and to convince.

It’s a natural thing. Men have been under our shadows for a long time. It is like taking a horse to the stream, it is difficult to force it to drink water. We’ve been supporting our male counterparts morally and financially and yet they are not hungry enough to prove their worth. They need to put their acts together. They need to wake up!,” Onyali said.

Weightlifting coach Emmanuel Oshomah who also led Maryam Usman to win gold agrees that women are on the groove over men here in Glasgow.

“It has to do with the level of discipline and endurance. There are things that women cannot do for a long time. It is not so with men. It is natural. Also, the elasticity level of women is better than men’s. Women tend to start sports earlier than men. This is so because men want to be independent before embracing sports. And when they enter at old age, once they sustain injury, it takes longer to heal because of age.

Don’t forget that men are always fending for themselves,” Oshomah said.

Onyali

Okagbare will dominate 100m, 200m -Coach Dapo Sotuminu Glasgow

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ommonwealth and Africa’s fastest woman Blessing Okagbare has been tipped to dominate 100 m and 200 m in the world.

After her sterling performance at the Commonwealth Games where she dusted Jamaicans to win the 100m in 10.85secs and claimed victory in the 200m in 22.25 secs, her coach John

Smith reviewed the race on Friday and said that there was still more to come from the 25-year-old.

“I’ve watched her grow up. She is going to dominate the 100m and 200m in the world for a long time,” Smith said.

“She is disciplined and hardworking. She knows what she wants and dedicate herself to a tough regime at achieving that. I’m happy for her and Nigeria because she is going to rule the World of Athletics for a long time,”

he said.

Smith said that he was still looking at the possibility of Okagbare combining sprint with the Long Jump.

“She is good in Long Jump. The problem with the jump is that it comes in-between the races. It distracts other events. That is the reason why she did not do well at the London 2012 Olympics. Here in Glasgow, we had to shelve that to concentrate on the two and she came out sparkling in them”

Awoniyi’s hat-trick lifts Flying Eagles

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aiwo Awoniyi fired a hat-trick as the Flying Eagles continued their preparations for the final AYC qualifier against Lesotho with an 8-0 pounding of non-league side, Basa United.

The Nigeria U-20 team will host Lesotho on August 15 with the reverse tie in Maseru two weeks later.

The overall winners of this match-up will qualify for the 2015 AYC in Senegal in March.

Awoniyi hits target in the 8th, 20th and 24th minutes as the Flying Eagles again ran up another big win.

Enugu Rangers ace Obinna Nwobodo was also brilliant in midfield although he did not get his name on the scoreboard.

Awoniyi got going after just eight minutes when he smashed home a superb shot.

Bernard Bulbwa doubled the advantage after 14 minutes, before Awoniyi

got his second goal in the 20th minute, when he was set up by right back Ifeanyi Nweke.

Alhassan Ibrahim ‘Muazam’ should have made it 4-0 three minutes later, but he failed to do so from inside the box.

However, he then set up Awoniyi to complete his hat-trick a minute later.

Ifeanyi Matthew buried

the fifth goal from the penalty spot in the 59th minute after substitute Chisom Eze was brought down inside the box.

Eze then got his own goal three minutes later after he was put through by Abubakar Lawal.

Ifeanyi Ifeanyi headed a corner by Ifeanyi Matthew for the seventh goal on 72 minutes.

Amalaha

Brilla FM unveils new programme for fans

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ports Radio, 88.9 Brilla Fm has unveiled Club Specific News, a package aimed at serving different football fans updates about their favourite teams on the station’s network.

In a press statement signed by the Group Marketing Manager of the station, Babatunde Akinbode, a copy of which was made available to New Telegraph, the company said that the programme would focus on European football super powers such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, PSG and reigning European Champions, Real Madrid.

The statement read further that the package provides 15 minutes programmes dedicated to each of the clubs at different times of the day throughout the week and will run on Brilla FM stations in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna and Onitsha.

TRANSFERS Mourinho hints at Cech exit Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hinted that the club are willing to let Petr Cech leave this month.

Cech faces stiff competition for a starting berth this season after Belgium international Thibaut Courtois returned to Chelsea following three hugely impressive seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid.

“Petr is ready to fight for his position but Thibaut is the best young goalkeeper in the world, no doubts about that,” Mourinho said.

“So if he’s our second goalkeeper, we will feel very safe with him.”

GAMES/CROSS WORD PUZZLE Nigerian Capital Cities-2

KEY WORDS ABAKALIKI LAFIA GUSAU YENAGOA BAUCHI AWKA

MAIDUGURI PORT HARCOURT UYO OWERRI ASABA ABUJA BENIN OWO JOS OFFA SOKOTO ZARIA

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1 Set aside for specific use 5 Metallic container 7 Nigerian staple food 8 Blood’s colour 9 Lyric poem 10 Select 11 Vivacity 12 Exist

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17 Ray Power Operator 18 Chief cook 22 A military enemy 23 Indicating ‘three’ 24 Expert 25 Temporary fashion

26 Person who preside over football matches

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Serious in intention

2 Arranged like radii

15 Good-natured raillery

3 African shrub

19 Leader

4 Prison guard

20 Cow’s flesh

5 Face powder

21 Conf. of African football, abbr.

6 Expressing negation 13 Boron’s principal source

See solution on page 21

HOSPITALITY

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Sanctity of Truth 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, AUGUST 2, 2014

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GLASGOW Athletes in embarrassing coats of many colours P.25

Apology to Boko Haram?

Not in my name!

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he use of exclamation mark, for those who possess a measure of sophistication in the art of literary composition, must be sparse and only deployed at moments of extreme outrage or excitement. In this instance of expression and demonstration of the extremity of my outrage, I deploy an exclamation mark in the title of this piece and plead your indulgence as I proceed to justify it.

This newspaper reported at page 46 of its July 28, 2014 edition that Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly Church has called on the Government of Nigeria to apologise to Boko Haram. Aspects of the statement attributed to Pastor Bakare reads: “We will not also ignore the fact that at the root of the escalation of the Boko Haram crisis was oppression and injustice. The summary execution of the Boko Haram’s former leader, Mohammed Yusuf, in 2009 provided the soil of martyrdom for the nurture and growth of the sect. Government must declare peace first of all; apologizing for the murder of Mohammed Yusuf to the sect members.”

The simplest definition of apology that will guide my submissions here is the one that has simplicity and directness at its core: “A written or spoken expression of one’s regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another.” [http://dictionary.reference. com/browse/apology].

If Pastor Bakare was correctly reported, and I have absolutely no reason to doubt the professional integrity and factual veracity of my colleague in this stable, then the statement ought to contain its own apology to the Nigerian people, and to all the victims of Boko Haram, for being ever suggested in the first place apologies to Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Adduced here is an internet link to a video showing Boko Haram members interrogating and ultimately decapitating a personnel of the Nigerian Air Force, Umar Abubakar, for the crime of “worshipping the Nigerian state.” http://saharareporters.com/2014/07/22/ disturbing-video-shows-how-gleefulboko-haram-members-decapitated-nigerian-air-force.

If you have the stomach to watch this clip to the end, when you lift your head, I urge you to invest just two minutes ruminating over Pastor Bakare’s recommendation to the Federal Government of Nigeria – “...apologizing for the murder of Mohammed Yusuf to the sect members.”

Think about that very young Air Force Officer, on an annual salary of just N40,000, who paid the capital price, in the most barbaric and gruesome manner you could ever imagine, in defence of our freedom and security, Pastor Bakare’s included. And the good Pastor has declared, with apodictical certainty, that the most appropriate inscription on the

BROADSIDE EMMANUEL ONWE agubata@aol.com

Bakare

wreath to be hung over the bodiless tomb of that warrior, is: “Boko Haram, we’re ever so sorry we provoked you.”

It is clearly perverse and false the logic which considers apology to Boko Haram appropriate in the face of the history that we know and the escalating carnage that we experience. The scent of moral equivalence that oozes from the good Pastor’s preachment is vexatious and must stand rejected.

Let me be presumptuous and invite the good Pastor to educate us, simple Nigerians, on both the specifics and generalities of our faults, our failings, our insolence, our injurious actions and the compendium of our wrongs in respect of Boko Haram. For, to recommend so rare an act of state as a response to so shocking a degree of criminality as has been perpetrated by Boko Haram against the Nigerian people, Pasto Bakare must have thought deep and hard before he came to his outrageous recommendations.

Pray, good Pastor, as the President of our beleaguered republic, or his representatives, crawl to Boko Haram to offer the suggested apology, what might the contents of the calabash bowl be? Sand collected from the 14,000 graves of the innocent victims – that is to say, those so fortunate to have left an identifiable

thumb or an eyeball or other body parts behind after Boko Haram’s incendiary explosions had blown them to smithereens?

Or a cupful of tears from the relatives of the victims of Boko Haram’s atrocities?

Or perhaps the grieving mothers and fathers of the stolen children of Chibok should be marched into the bowels of Sambisa and there fall on their knees and apologise for daring to raise a family in the assurance of the freedom of worship and the right to life, as guaranteed by the laws of our land?

In the protocols of this apology, to whom should the Nigerian state appeal?

To Abubakar Shekau? To the next-of-kin of Mohammed Yusuf? To the general militia of Boko Haram? To whom? And how exactly might the Nigerian state frame the language and content of the apology? Perhaps the imagery might look something like this: in an arena where Shekau and President Jonathan are gathered, along with facilitators and intermediaries and spectators, Jonathan rises, sweeps off his Stetson fedora hat, gathers his flowing gown tightly about his midriff, falls prostrate before the majestic Shekau and whimpers – “I, on behalf of the Nigerian people, profusely, unconditionally and without qualifications whatsoever, apo....”

God forbid!

Seriously, friends, Pastor Bakare is a serious patriot. He is sound of mind, dedicated to his principles and beliefs, distinguished in his pastoral calling, a champion of justice, and a powerful voice in the advocacy for the redemption of our benighted nation. He has paid his dues, to use, for once, appropriately and with merit, a phrase that has been sullied by the thieving gang of Nigerian politicians.

I respect Pastor Bakare. But I cannot think of any solution, of the thousands that have been propounded, to the Boko Haram menace with which my disagreement could be more profound and at which my disgust runs without moderation.

I devoted my youth working, without pay, for Amnesty International. My specialisation was on thematic campaigns against extra-judicial executions and capital punishment. I have grown and matured in the principle that abhors the wilful and deliberate killing of any hu-

man being, particularly by state actors.

When a few jungle beasts in police uniform murdered, in cold blood, the founder and leader of the now more beastly Boko Haram, a universal condemnation of the barbaric act erupted and I found total justification in it. Boko Haram has, consequently, proceeded to enact an unprecedented bestial wrath against innocent Nigerians.

The history of extra-judicial murders in this country is long and harrowing.

The Apo Six outrage stands as a damning reminder of the excesses of some criminal elements within our security establishment. What ought to agitate our minds is the ease with which we, as citizens, cultivate a sense of indifference to such wanton horror. The demand for justice, pursued through the onerous and meandering path of due process of the law, must remain a strong instrument of our human rights activism. Grovelling before a reckless bunch of terrorist losers must never find space in our toolbox of security measures and our quest for peace.

I have, on a different occasion, in a different place and at a different time, contended that foolish are those who fail to acknowledge or who explicitly reject the notion that the origins of Boko Haram are directly traceable to extreme poverty and degradation. “Anyone who disconnects the Northern youth’s insurgency from the Dickensian state of existence in NIGERIA at the present time is either ignorant or wicked. Those who insist, as, I do, on this point of view are not offering an excuse for Boko Haram but an explanation.” This contention, of course, drove some of my critics to distraction.

The poverty in question is not peculiar to the Muslim youth, or confined to northern Nigeria, my critics argue. But they miss the point – that the youth of southern Nigeria have not embarked on a wave of criminal self immolation and mass murder as a response to their condition of hopelessness is not an argument sufficient to defeat the premises of my submission.

It follows, therefore, that Pastor Bakare is not alone in his attempt to find a more nuanced depth of reasoning in his contemplation of the monster that is Boko Haram. But the recommendation of an apology to Boko Haram by the Federal Government of Nigeria is utterly wrongheaded.

I favour the solution that demands for the ruthless bombing of Boko Haram to complete submission, thus compelling, not inviting them, to the settlement table where the terms of surrender will be read to them by a junior officer of the Nigerian Air Force. No more. No less.

Pastor Bakare may apologise, but not in my name. Not in my country’s name.

And I trust that thinking Nigerians will not sign their names in the register of this nauseating irrationality.

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