Binder1march 22, 2014 by Newtelegraphonline

Saturday Edition

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Saturday, MARCH 22, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 32

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NTSHOWBIZ

NTWEEKEND

mudi: king of the casual stuff p.13

ABIOLA IGE SPEAKS ON STEAMY PHOTO p.20

ACF: Why we’re opposed to single term for president and governors l Says it's an incentive for corruption

Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

he Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has voiced its opposition to single term for the nation’s president and governors, warning that adopting such will serve as an incentive for leaders to steal public funds.

Rather, the Forum expressed its support for multiple terms for the offices of the president and governors because it was likely to create room for motivation and reward. This position emerged from the ACF’s one-day retreat for northern delegates to the national conference held Thursday night in

Abuja. The ACF, in the position paper jointly signed by former inspector-general of police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, and ex-minister of information, Professor Jerry Gana, warned that the issues of rotation of the nation’s presidency and politics of zoning should never be made a constitutional matter, but that it should

be left for political parties to decide. The Forum noted that the apparent failure of leadership in the country had more to do with the operators than it did with the system of government. According to the ACF: “What Nigeria needs is purposeful leadership and the best in every one

which are needed for the rewiring of the politics, reengineering of our sense of justice for making mercy smarter and hope more strategic for those who believe their empowerment, their opportunity and their future have been stolen by the predator leaders.” On the issue of the tenure of president and gover-

nors, the forum said, “ACF prefers multiple tenure for president and governors because such system makes allowance for motivation and reward. But in the case of single term the good and the fearless are grouped together. As a result, the only incentive for leaders is abilCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

OUR STORIES OF SORROW, TEARS AND BLOOD, BY IMMIGRATION JOB SEEKERS p.52

FA C E O F F

p.48 Al-Makura squares up against

deputy in today’s council election ® I left APC because of its ‘lies and falsehood’ – Barau Ndubuisi Ugah

N Abayomi

N’Conference is illegitimate – Tunji Abayomi

Ozekhome

It’s in accordance with the law – Ozekhome

asarawa State Deputy Governor, Mr. Damishi Luka Barau, has said the popularity and political will of his principal, Governor Tanko Al-Makura, will be put to test today, during the conduct of the local government election in the state. There has been no love lost between Al-Makura and his deputy since the latter defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the ruling All Progressives Congress

(APC) in the state, deeply polarising the government and creating an interesting political scenario ahead next year’s general elections. Speaking with New Telegraph in Lafia, Barau said it was logically incorrect for anybody to insinuate that his political base was weak, given his enormous contributions to the present administration. “On my political base, I believe in God because for anybody to come and say my political base is weak, I don’t know where the person is coming

from in the first place. Saturday is coming; we have local government election. That will be the practical aspect to test my political worth. I am ready and on Saturday (today) we will prove it,” he said. The deputy governor, who reiterated that he had never had cause to disrespect Al-Makura, explained that “everyone that needs respect must first respect himself ”. According to him, “If the governor whom I respect up CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

NEWS

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

‘Single term is an incentive for corruption’

Content 22.03.14 INSTYLE

MYWEEKEND

Stunning Red

CO N TI N U ED F RO M PAGE 1

There’s really nothing that captivates like a red evening dress. It’s bold, makes an elegant statement, and gives the wearer the sort of confidence that comes with the realisation that you’re the centre of attraction. But you’ve got to wear it right.

ity to pillage public funds at collective peril. “However, if the search is for a way of eliminating abuse of incumbency, it may be more productive to consider the practice in Chile, which allows for multiple tenure that are not consecutive. That is to say no president is allowed to conduct an election in which he is a candidate. “Another alternative is to use the Bangladesh practice which uses caretaker government to conduct elections,” the Forum declared. With regard to rotational presidency and zoning of positions, the ACF said: “In a developed democracy premised on triple foundation of liberty, justice and common decency, it should not matter whether the cat is black, white, spotted or brown as long as it can catch the rat. “But since a political economy makes our governments to determine who gets what, why, where, how and when, it may be difficult to do away with politics of identity called power shift, rotation or zoning. Yet, it should not be a constitutional matter, but left for political parties to manage,” the group said. The ACF further declared that any constitutional recognition of the six geo-political zones would amount to four

} 16 Work Hard, Rest Well

Bolanle Fisher, a portfolio manager chief executive officer of Koshare Provado Limited offers what can best be described as a guide to good health and how to help the stock market regain its groove

} 35

THE ARTS

Echoes from the Cross River Basin

An exhibition that opened last Thursday at the National Museum, Onikan, in Lagos, reinforces the hidden genius of aboriginal art.

} 33

TRAVEL

A Blend of Rich Taste Drawing from its historysteeped early years, Golden Tulip’s transformation offers a glimpse of the managers’ grand vision which is to grow the hotel into a formidable competitor.

} 41

SHOWBIZ

Choc City’s New Kid After a series of stormy tale with some of its top artistes, Chocolate City signs on Nosa Omoregie, a rising act who looks set to reignite the label’s somewhat dimmed flame.

} 19

SPORT

A Keeper’s Reminiscences For years, Ike Shorunmu, was the national football team’s first choice goalkeeper. That seems like ages ago now as he looks back on a career that brought him fame.

} 31

Al-Makura’s popularity on test today CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

till now is telling people and his cohorts that I betrayed him, he should go to his closet before God, and ask himself between him and I who the traitor is. People said I was very harsh when I said the governor should go and look at the mirror and know who is a betrayer. “What do I mean by that? I should be the one complaining that I was betrayed. Anybody who felt I betrayed the governor doesn’t know the issues involved, but I stand my ground, I do not disrespect the governor but, at the same time,

I will not compromise my integrity.” While dismissing claims that his defection was allegedly premised on corruption and religious bias, Barau said: “Well, I heard the governor, during the APC summit in Abuja, saying that it is unfortunate that he is the only APC governor that is here without his deputy and that he has lost his deputy due to his stance against corruption and religion as the two main issues. That is very, very unfortunate. “When I heard that, what immediately came to my

mind was: In what perspective is he talking about this issue of corruption? If he is directing those corruption issues to me as his cohorts are claiming, then it is laughable. I want to challenge the governor and government of Nasarawa State, from May 29, 2011, till date, if they have any corruption issue against me since I became the deputy governor, they should bring it out. I don’t want to say anything yet; the time has not come. The time will come, I will show the world who is corrupt and who is not corrupt.” On reports that President Goodluck Jonathan

was grooming him for 2015, Barau said: “Their trademark is falsehood. I think they should try to imbibe the spirit of sincerity in them.” The deputy governor, who also denied reports that Al-Makura paid his medical bills when he travelled abroad for medical check, said: “Well, as far as I am concerned, from the day I moved to the PDP, I know such will crop up. My submission is simple: this is the impression of pains for the loss of a valuable thing that you have.” SEE INTERVIEW ON PAGE 46

tiers of government with dire consequences on the cost of governance and unity of the country, adding, “this is because six federating units with their own states, police and local governments will have centrifugal effects on the centre, thereby weakening the nation, (and culminating in) a confederation which can lead to split of the country. “It is, therefore, the considered view of ACF that there is nothing wrong with the current federal structure with states as the federating units. All that is required is purposeful leadership that is humane in spirit, moral in purpose and wise in uses. Any devolution of power can still be achieved with appropriate adjustment in the exclusive list”, it said. Speaking on the issue of the nation’s finances and its management, the Forum called for the creation of the office of the “Controller of the Federation Account” for effective management of the accounts of the federation. “This will go a long way towards improvement in management practices of the accounts of the federation and federal government for public good,” it said. Prominent among those in attendance at the retreat were former

minister of petroleum resources and delegate to the national conference, Prof. Jubril Aminu; former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Umar Na’Abba; former deputy senate president, Alhaji Ibrahim Nasir Mantu; law lecturer, Professor Auwalu Yadudu; former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Gen. Jeremiah Useni (rtd.); Deputy Governor of Niger State, Mr. Musa Ibeto; former chief of army chief, Gen. Salihu Ibrahim (rtd.); former internal affairs minister, General John Shagaya; former minister of state for justice, Musa Elayo; and former education minister, Prof. Ruqqayat Rufai. The roll call also include the following: former IGP, Alhaji Gambo Mohammed Jimeta; deputy-governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje; former senate president, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; former external affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; former minister of defence, Alhaji Mohammed Haliru Bello; former chairman, foreign affairs committee of the House of Representatives, Dr. Usman Bugaje; former military administrator of Kaduna State, Sarki Muktar and Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba Gyang, among others.

Prove our link to Boko Haram, APC challenges PDP Ndubuisi Ugah

n a bid to exonerate itself from insinuations by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it was involved in the activities of the outlawed Boko Haram sect, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dared the PDP to make available to Nigerians any evidence of the opposition party’s alleged involvement “or forever shut up”. The party in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: “We

have absolutely no hand in this insurgency, and we dare anyone with contrary information to publish such today. It is trite that he who alleges must prove.” But the Publicity Secretary of PDP in Lagos State, Mr. Taofik Gani, has described the opposition party’s claim as “unfortunate”. According to him, “the group of persons who formed the APC had at one point or the other been linked to political violence. “There is no doubt that ACN has an identity of political violence. CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

Military recover anti-aircraft guns, rockets from burnt church Emmanuel Onani ABUJA

roops prosecuting the war on terror in the North East zone, have uncovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, including anti-aircraft guns, rocket propelled guns and General Purpose Machine (GPM) guns, on the premises of one of the burnt churches in Kalabalge Local Government Area of Borno State. A statement by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, disclosed yesterday that the discovery was made possible through the arrest of a terrorist, who was said to have claimed to

zz As Army, Air Force chiefs visit war zones be a Camerounian and a suspected arms courier for the outlawed Boko Haram sect. Other dangerous weapons said to have been recovered, included thousands of various calibre of rounds of ammunition and links. The statement said: “The middle aged man who led troops on the cordon and search operation towards the recovery was one of the terrorists captured in recent raids.” The New Telegraph learnt that the captured fighter was also said to have “disclosed that the weapons were stockpiled to be used in a pending attack on some communities

around Nigeria-Cameroun border. The weapons have all been evacuated while Guard locations and patrols are being maintained in the general area and the surrounding localities.” This is even as troops are reported to have continued with the relentless counterterrorism campaign against the outlawed group in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. “The caves of a particular mountain captured overnight is undergoing a thorough search for terrorists who are believed to have fled there in the wake of the ongoing offensive on various terrorist enclaves.

Arms are also the object of the cordon and search,” the statement added. Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, has been checking on deployment and troops disposition in various locations of the theatre of the counter terrorist campaign in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States. A statement by the DDI noted that: “The army chief who is in company with his Airforce counterpart, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, also visited troops, who were wounded in the course of the operation so far, in the Military Hospital in Maiduguri.”

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR, SATURDAY:

NDUBUISI UGAH

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

The Week Ahead

Jonathan to attend Global Nuclear Summit March 24

President Goodluck Jonathan will on March 24 join other world leaders, including President Barrack Obama of the United States, President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, for the 2014 Global Nuclear Security Summit, which opens at The Hague in Holland. A statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said: “President Jonathan’s visit to Holland for the Nuclear Security Summit will be the final leg of a six-day working tour which will also take him to Namibia and Italy.”

NIS test: JAF holds rally March 27 The Joint Action Front (JAF), has declared March 27 a day of national mourning for those who lost their lives during the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) job recruitment exercise. In a statement signed by Messrs Dipo Fashina and Abiodun Aremu, chairperson and secretary respectively, the group also declared mass rally for the unemployed on the same day.

OHSF to reappear before Reps March 27

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Solomon Adeola-Olamilekan, has asked the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHSF) to appear before the committee on March 27, after it must have reconciled its records as regards the N52billion it received from the Budget Office from the Service Wide Vote.

Soyinka, Ekweremadu for St. John Forum March 26 The maiden edition of the public service debate by the St. John’s Forum, which will feature a panel of eminent Nigerians, including Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, former External Affairs Minister, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu and renowned Oxford University scholar, Dr. Abdu Raufu Mustapha, will hold on March 26 at 11a.m. at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

2014 Leaders Forum holds March 27 L-R: Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; her Youth Development counterpart, Mr. Bonny Haruna; Minister of Environment; Mrs. Lawrencia Laraba-Mallam and Vice-President Namadi Sambo, at a meeting on Shelter Belt held at the State House, Abuja… yesterday PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

16 die as Fulani herdsmen attack Tiv farmers in Benue Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

o fewer than 16 Tiv farmers were reported killed in Agasha and Udei communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, while hundreds of others were rendered homeless during the week in a renewed attack on them by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Chairman of the council, Mr. Frack Usa Adi, who said this while speaking with journalists in Makurdi, added that the deceased were killed in two separate attacks on Monday and Thursday respectively. Adi condemned the inces-

zz Scores killed over land in Plateau sant attacks on communities in the area, and appealed to the federal government to urgently deploy troops in the area to prevent further breakdown of law and order. The council boss who said he would not rest on his laurels in providing succour to his people, said his administration had so far provided relief materials to the displaced people at Daudu, Ortese and Gbajimba, and Abinsi among other refugee camps to alleviate the sufferings of the people. He advised the people to shun rumour capable of causing tension in the state

and commended efforts by Governor Gabriel Suswam at ensuring the return of peace to the affected areas. Meanwhile, pandemonium erupted yesterday when two communities - Dopai and Shwai- in Ampere District of Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State took up arms against each other. The face-off, which started as petty skirmishes over a piece of land, has led to serious fighting. An online news medium, Eagle Online, gathered that the fight, which started as a minor disagreement, re-

sulted in the loss of lives and property. Several persons were also injured. The two communities are separated by location. While the people of Dopai live in Pankshine, the Shwei community is at Kanke. But the bone of contention is that the coastal area, which serves as their border. It was learnt that the coastal area is a virgin land, which had not witnessed farming, with none of them wanting to let go of it. It was alleged that the Swhei people decided to employ the services of Fulani herdsmen to attack and dislodge the Dopai people.

The 2014 Leaders’ Forum of the Nigerian Institute of Training and Development (NITD) with the theme: ‘Employability, Linking Town, Gown and Plant’ at the NECA Auditorium, NECA House, Plot 42, Hakeem Balogun Street, CBD, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

JCI Senate Association dinner holds March 29 The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Junior Chambers International (JCI) Nigeria Senate Association, Senator Shex Ladipo and Senator Fillius Osubor, has said the annual business dinner will hold on March 29 at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos at 6p.m.

Fees: ICAN members get March 31 deadline The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has given March 31 as deadline for all its members, who are yet to redeem their financial obligations with the body as it has concluded plans to suspend members who have defaulted in the payment of subscriptions and faculty fees for more than two years with effect from April 30.

Court decides on validity of service to NAICOM boss April 4 A Federal High Court, Lagos will on April 4 decide on whether the criminal charge served on the Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel, is valid or not. The decision of the court presided over by Justice Okon Abang was sequel to the arguments canvassed by counsel to the accused, Professor Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), insisting that the charge was not served on the accused personally.

NEWS

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

OSOGBO

ABUJA

Voters’ registration: APC seeks extension in Osun

N EWS I N BRIEF

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State yesterday reiterated its call for the extension of the voters’ registration which held between March 12 and March 17. The party’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, who made the call in an interview with journalists in Osogbo, recalled that the exercise was disrupted in some registration centres by thugs scaring prospective voters from performing their civic duty. The News Agency of Nigeria

NNPC decries negative criticisms of its operations The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has decried the spate of negative criticisms and public misconceptions of its operations. The corporation’s Group Managing Director (GMD), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, said this late on Thursday night in Abuja, at a dinner to mark the end of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference 2014. Yakubu noted that such comments were unfair to the corporation and a morale dampener to prospective investors

BENIN ‘Closure of Dopemu Bridge won’t affect LAGBUS operations’ The LAGBUS Asset Management Ltd., operators of LAGBUS metro buses in Lagos, said yesterday that its operations were not affected by the closure of Dopemu Bridge. The Managing Director of the company, Mr Babatunde Disu, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. “Prior to the closure of the bridge, we had gone to the site and surveyed how to strategise for the development so as

Leadership tussle: IPMAN calls for calm Suleiman Bisalla ABUJA with agency reports

he Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on its members to remain calm over the ruling of a High Court in Port Harcourt that sacked its National President, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir, on Thursday. This is coming as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday said four vessels carrying petroleum products had arrived at the ports in Lagos for onward discharge to ameliorate the fuel crisis in the country. Special Assistant, Media, to Abdulkadir, Alhaji Danladi Pasali, who spoke to New Telegraph in Abuja, called on IPMAN members nationwide to continue their businesses as usual, saying the matter had been appealed at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt. The court terminated Abdulkadir’s tenure and the constitution of the association L-R: Head, RTV Production, COSSE Limited, Tunde Akinsoyinu; Chief Operating Officer, Media Integra Concept Limited, Jayne N. Okoronkwo; Sunday Editor, Emeka Madunagu; Victor Anokwu of the Creative Department, COSSE; Executive Director, Creative, COSSE, naming Mr. Obasi Lawson as Yomi Omotehinwa; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, New Telegraph, Bolaji Tunji; Daily Editor, Gabriel Akinadewo; Saturday Editor, the national president of the Laurence Ani; Oke Ronke of the Finance Department, COSSE; Advert Manager, New Telegraph, Taiwo Ahmed and Assistant Advert association. Manager, Dipo Ariyo, during a courtesy visit by the management of New Telegraph to COSSE in Lagos…yesterday. Some marketers from La PHOTO:SULEIMAN HUSAINI gos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Suleja Depots, who where at the National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday, expressed dissatisfaction with the Judgment and threatened to shutdown activities at the various

Confab: Public interest lawyers push for rights’ of minorities

Tunde Oyesina Abuja

ith the inauguration of the national conference in Abuja by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Public Interest Lawyers League (PILL), yesterday said it was going to make case for the enhancement of the rights of minorities in the country among other things. Disclosing the league’s agenda to the New Telegraph, the President of the league and delegate to the conference, Abdul Mahmud, said the group was also coming with an agenda aimed at developing the frontiers of law, justice, rights of minorities in

� Backs Jonathan on conference the country. He said: “By minority, we mean children, women. So participating in National Conference, we are interested in pursuing some of these objectives which the Nigerian public as known us for. Also we want to help deepen, the democratic project that started in 1999. “For the past four weeks, we have been involved in prenational conference meetings where we have articulated our positions on justice, police reform, judiciary and structure of governance of our country. These are issues we will be taking to the national conference and God willing,

36,020km The average distance travelled per car yearly in China (world’s highest). (Source: Mirror.co.uk)

we intend to align with other Nigerians that are coming to pursue some of these objectives.” On the suit challenging the power of the President to convoke a national conference, Mahmud stated that there is no law in Nigeria as that gives any individual who exercise power within the executive sphere of our government to convoke a national conference. He however added that a national conference was an extra-constitutional arrangement, which goes beyond the purview of the constitution. “I don’t see how those who are pursuing this legal suit in

111m

court can take their argument far because we have an executive president which issues like this, lies within his executive powers frame work. In my opinion, he has power to call for a conference and he has been clever enough not to call it a sovereign national conference, rather it is a national conference. “I don’t share the opinion of those who argue that the president does not have that powers. To my understanding of Nigeria law, I think he does, he has that power as an executive president and more particularly when the conference is not a sovereign one.

1.5m

The total infant population vaccinated with 3 doses of DTP in 2012.

The total deaths recorded among children under the age of five from vaccine-preventable diseases in 2008.

(Source: Who.int)

depots. Already there is fuel scarcity in many parts of the country due to shortage of supply from marketers. Some IPMAN members, who spoke but didn’t want to be named said the judgment was against the interlocutory injunction granted by the High Court, in State in 2009 and rectified on the February 6 this year. Pasali yesterday confirmed the Port Harcourt judgment, saying, however, that since an appeal had been filed and served, status quo would be maintained pending the appeal court judgment Abdulkadir’s tenure officially ends on May 27, 2014. Meanwhile, the NPA in its daily publication, the “Shipping Position”, noted that the vessels would discharge their products at the Single Buoy Mooring; the Petroleum Wharf Apapa; Fishery Wharf and the New Oil Jetty. The NPA also disclosed that it was expecting the arrival of 51 vessels from March 21 to April 15. A breakdown showed that 20 of the 51 vessels would sail in with containers, while 17 vessels would come with food items. It said the food items include frozen fish, bulk salt, rice in bags, buckwheat and bulk malt.

Court fixes hearing of Sanusi’s suit March 31 Joseph Jibueze

Federal High Court yesterday in Lagos fixed March 31 for the hearing of a fundamental rights suit filed by the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Sanusi had filed the suit through his counsel, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo (SAN), seeking an order restraining the police and the State Security Service (SSS) from arresting, detaining or harassing him. Joined in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Inspector General of Police (IG) and the SSS as first, second and third respondents respectively. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the applicant’s motion was

scheduled for hearing yesterday. Counsel to the first respondent, Dr. Fabian Ajogu (SAN), informed the court that he had a motion on notice dated March 19. He said the motion was for extension of time to regularise filing processes. Counsel to the third respondent, Mr. Ahmed Musa, also made the same application, saying his motion was dated March 17. However, counsel to the applicant, Chief Kola Awodehin (SAN), did not oppose the application for extension of time. Awodehin, who said was prepared to proceed with his motion, noted that he was constrained to ask for an adjournment by the nature of applications filed by the first and third respondents.

Diarrhoea claims three lives in Niger

hree persons were reported dead, following an outbreak of diarrhoea in two local government areas of Niger State. The Director of Public Health in the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Usman Mohammed, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna yesterday. Mohammed said the ministry was notified of the outbreak of the disease in Tafa Local Government Area, adding that the state government had sent a medical team to the area for medical assistance. “We have received information on the outbreak of stooling and vomiting in Tafa town, we dispatched a team of medical personnel to examine the situation. The re-

NEWS

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

EDO

LAGOS

Edo teachers’ assessment test holds March 22

port shows 36 persons have contracted the disease, one person died and 35 others are responding to treatment at a government health facility in the area. The ministry received another complaint on a similar outbreak in Gawu Babangida. “The disease had claimed two lives, while 26 others were receiving treatment at public health facilities in the area. I can assure you that the situation is under control, following the intervention of the medical team; no new case of the disease is reported from the area,” he said. He attributed the outbreak to the source of drinking water, adding that the affected persons were believed to have been fetching water from ponds, following the breakdown of their boreholes.

NEWS IN BRIE F

Edo State Government has said it is not aware of any court injunction restraining the state government from going ahead with the teachers’ assessment exercise scheduled to hold today. A statement issued by the state Commissioner For Information and Orientation, Mr. Louis Odion, said: “Edo State Ministry of Justice is not aware of any such injunction. Therefore, this is to reassure teachers of Primary and Secondary Schools and the general public that the Assessment exercise scheduled for today.”

N45.2bn

The total export value of tanned or crust hides and skins of animals in the dry of Nigeria in the second quarter of 2013.

(Source: National bureau of statistics)

Yeni Kuti’s exhubby, Femi Segun, is dead A popular media personality, Segun is the father of Yeni Kuti’s daughter. The two have been for a long time. News sources disclosed that Segun died yesterday in a fatal power bike accident. Femi Segun is the son of award winning Nigerian novelist, Mabel Segun. He is the national publicity secretary of Igbobi College old boys association.

N11.25bn

The total import value of herbicides, ant-sprouting products and plantgrowth regulators Nigeria in the second quarter of 2013. (Source: National bureau of statistics)

GUSAU Zamfara pensioners seek payment of N2bn gratuities Zamfara State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), yesterday said the state government owed them about N2 billion in outstanding pensions and gratuities. The state Chairman of the union, Alhaji Tukur Maru, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau. Maru, who said about 5,000 of his members were affected, said the members consisted former workers who retired from the state as well as those from the local governments.

85.3% The percentage of Japanese men who have internet connections in 2010 – 2012. (Source: Itu.int)

Ekiti PDP guber candidate emerges today Adesina. Wahab Ado-Ekiti

he candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the June 21 govewrnorship election in Ekiti State will emerge today (Saturday) at a congress where delegates will vote in a primary. Though 14 aspirants were cleared for the exercise by the national leadership of the party last week, only three signified interest in the ward delegate congress, which took place on Wednesday. The three aspirants are former governor of the state, Mr. Ayo Fayose, former Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade and former Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Adedayo Adeyeye. The other 11 aspirants reportedly boycotted Wednesday’s event. They are Mr. Wale Aribisala, Chief Bisi Omoyeni, Chief Abiodun Aluko, Mr. Deji Ajayi, Ambassador Dare Bejide, Senator Gbenga Aluko, Alhaja Habibat Adubiaro, Erelu Dupe Ogundipe, Dr. Peter Obafemi, Chief Ropo Ogunbolude and Chief Bodunde Adeyanju. However, allegations and counter-allegations of fraud trailed Wednesday’s exercise, as electoral materials were allegedly hijacked in some local

governments. In another development, the spate of protest by some aspirants may not stop the governorship primary from holding. The team to conduct the exercise arrived Ado-Ekiti yesterday aand was led by former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili. Meanwhile, former senator who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District, Mr. Ayo Arise and Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, have declared that members would not tolerate any form of fraud in today’s exercise. They insisted that only a credible primary, where genuine lists of delegates are used, would save the party from imminent collapse in the preparation for June 21 election. Arise particularly stated that members of the party would reject any fraudulent primary that is skewed in favour of any aspirant, saying the party must provide a level playing field for all the aspirants for unity of purpose in the PDP. In a telephone conversation in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, Arise, who lamented the alleged shoddy conduct of the delegate congress last Wednesday, said party leaders would resist any attempt to change the list of delegates in today’s primaries.

L-R: Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole; member, House of Representatives, Hon. Razaq Bello-Osagie and Chairman, Festrut Group of Companies, Dr. Festus Asikhia, during the latter’s visit to the governor in his office…yesterday

Why power sector transaction succeeded –BPE DG sCORE CARD The DG of BPE has attributed the success of power sector transaction to the president’s determination Simeon Ogoegbulem and Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

irector-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki, has attributed the success of the power sector transaction to the dogged determination of the President Goodluck

Jonathan’s administration, which ensured that all inhibitions to the transaction were removed. Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, when he received the 2013 Man of the Year Award organised by The Oil & Gas Year (TO &GY), Dikki said the Bureau alone would not have recorded the tremendous success in the transaction if President Goodluck Jonathan and VicePresident Namadi Sambo had not given the needed fillip. He recalled how during the signing of the industry documents for the transaction, some of the critical stakeholders were foot–dragging until the president gave

marching orders to them to expediently play their roles. The DG dedicated the award to the president for “his focus, determination and meticulous follow-throughs which saw the success of the Power Sector transaction”. Likening what transpired in the power sector transaction to a popular saying, Dikki said: “The President held the head of the snake and allowed the BPE to play with its tail”, adding that without the president’s courage, it would not have been a success. Dikki, who was recognised by the TO&GY for being instrumental in driving the power sector transaction to its logical conclusion, commended the organisers for

their integrity. In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, urged Nigerians to embrace deregulation of the economy to enhance development. Nwapa noted that the liberalisation of the telecoms sector which he said had opened up several opportunities in the sector and given easier and cheaper access to telephony which were absent when it was a government monopoly. Nwapa called for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to open up the oil and gas sector and ultimately, the Nigerian economy.

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ADAMAWA

N EWS I N BRIEF

BAYELSA

FCT

Tuberculosis kills 192 in Adamawa in 2012

Bayelsa okays N300m for pension arrears

NACCIMA tasks producers on packaging

About 3,382 cases of Tuberculosis were recorded in Adamawa in 2012 out of whom 3,098 were successfully treated by the state TB Control Programme. The Project Manager of the Control Programme, Dr. Stephen John, who stated this yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Yola, said 192 of the patients died of the disease, while 41 others failed to complete their treatment.

The Bayelsa State Government has released N300 million for payment of arrears of gratuity and pension to retired civil servants in the state, the Head of Service, Mr. Fraser Okuoru, has said. Okuoro, who made the announcement at the end of the State Executive Council meeting in Yenagoa yesterday, said the government had previously paid N1.5 billion to the pensioners, adding that the fresh amount had brought the total sum paid to N1.8 billion.

The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has urged local manufacturers to improve on the packaging of their products in line with global standard. The National Vice-President of NACCIMA, Mr Billy Gillis-Harry, made this call at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Centenary Trade Fair organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABUCCIMA) in Abuja.

125.2bn

768m

2.5bn

The total population with mobilecellular subscriptions of developed countries in 2013. Source: Itu.int

The total population of the world’s still reliant on unimproved drinking water sources in 2011. Source:Who.int

The number of people still lacked access to improved sanitation facilities in 2011. Source: Who.int

Police bust baby-making factory in Ogun Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

he Ogun State Police Command has uncovered a baby-making factory in Akute in Ifo Local Government Area of the state and rescued eight pregnant women, including a 16-year-old girl. The proprietor of the factory, Mrs. Angela Chigoeze, and her brother-in-law, Obinna Ndunaga, were also arrested by the police in a raid conducted on Thursday. The state Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, who conducted journalists round a bungalow building in Akute yesterday, where the suspects were nabbed, disclosed that a baby was often sold at N300,000 each. Okoye said the young girls were usually offered pittance after delivery and their babies

zz Arrest two suspects, rescue eight pregnant women taken from them and sold to unknown people. He attributed the discovery to robust community policing and discreet intelligence gathering by men of the state police command. He, however, stated that investigation was still ongoing to unravel the sponsors and collaborators of the baby-making syndicate which apparently used the building at No. 9 Sebanjo Crescent, off Fabolude Bus-Stop in Akute as operational base. Three of the pregnant women are teenagers. They are 16-year-old Precious Steven, Miracle Eze and Blessing Saviour who are both 17 years old. Others are Jeremiah Gift, 25; Joy Okoro, 20; Stella Samuel, 19; Agnes Igbo, 22 and Vivian Princewill, 20.

Narrating how the baby factory was busted, the police commissioner explained that men of the Ajuwon Divisional Police Station stormed the scene following a tip-off. He said, “When we moved in around 7am on Thursday, we couldn’t get anything. So, we left. But later we got information and we came back to the house and continued searching. We discovered that the pregnant girls were hidden in the wardrobe. “One of the girls kept in the wardrobe fainted and she was taken to the hospital and revived. This is inhumanity to human beings. The coordinator (Angela) of this baby factory sold each baby at N300,000 or even above. She in turn gives pittance to these young girls. If the mother delivers a stillborn,

she will not get anything.” Okoye said the suspects would be transferred to the State Police Command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation. Fielding questions from reporters, the proprietor of the baby factory claimed that her husband, now at large, rented the building from where the illicit business was transacted. Angela, 29, who hailed from Abia State, said she started the business last year as a traditional healing home. She, however, denied that the young girls were usually impregnated inside the house, saying they (pregnant women) were either brought by their husbands or trace her address themselves.

Police to parley stakeholders on 2015 polls TALK For a peaceful election, police promises talk with the people Leo Sobechi

n a bid to ensure crisisfree and adequate security during the elections, the Zone 6 command of the Nigeria Police Force, (NPF) comprising Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi and Benue states; plans to hold a series of brainstorming sessions with relevant stakeholders in the zone. The Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 6, Calabar, Mr. Musa Daura, who dropped the hint in Abakaliki, yesterday said: “Arrangements are being finalised for brainstorming sessions with all

NLNG denies non-remittance of funds to Federation Account

he Nigeria Liquidfied Natural Gas (NLNG), yesterday described reports that it had failed to remit funds to the Federation account from 2004 till date as untrue and a figment of the imagination of the authors of such reports. A statement issued by the General Manager, External Relations of NLNG, Kudo Eresia-Eke, claimed that the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transpar-

photo: Kunle Olayeni

ency Initiative (NEITI) had independently verified this issue and in its last report, confirmed that Nigeria LNG Limited had fulfilled all it’s due obligations. The statement also maintained that “relevant committees in the Federal House of Representatives in 2009 and 2013 have also similarly reviewed this issue without any adverse findings against Nigeria LNG Limited.”

Akpabio blames lack of respect for failure to bury civil war victims

Pregnant young girls at the police station...yesterday

stakeholders so as to strategise against occurrences that may militate against a smooth conduct of the 2015 national elections.” Daura, who spoke in Abakaliki, while touring Ebonyi State as part of his working visits to states under his zone, added that the police would leave no stones unturned to avert crisis during the elections even as he called on all Nigerians to invest in peace by playing roles expected of them in ensuring security of lives and property. “Every Nigeria,” he noted, “has a stake in peace and security of this country; security of lives and property shouldn’t be left to the security agencies alone. All of us should contribute and use our various vocations in life to advance the course of security.”

overnor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has blamed leadership problem in the state on the inability of residents and government to decently bury innocent persons who were murdered during the Nigerian Civil War. Consequently, he said that the state government had concluded arrangements to organise a one-day memorial service in Uyo, the state capital on April 6 in honour of the departed. Akpabio, who stated this Thursday at Abak Council hall, during a town hall

m e e t i n g /co n s t i t ue n c y briefing for Abak Federal Constituency, said: “Let me give you information because you have touched a very serious issue. Myself and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), have concluded arrangements that part of the problem of Akwa Ibom State, is lack of respect for leadership, everybody wants to behave like periwinkle – doing blackmails and pulling down leadership is because we are yet to give decent burial to the souls of the departed.”

2015 polls: NYSC members will be electoral officers -DG

he Director General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, yesterday said the corps had concluded arrangements with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use corps members as electoral officers for the general elections in 2015. Olawunmi, who made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Obubra, Cross River State, warned corps members against engaging in fraudulent practises during the elections. “No corps member is expected to collect money from any politician or give out sensitive electoral materials for any financial reason.

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“Any corps member caught in this act will be severely punished. The use of corps members in elections has become part of the electoral process for obvious reasons. Corps members are well educated and enlightened to handle election materials in all local government areas of the federation,” he said. According to him, NYSC and INEC will pay corps members allowances for participating in the elections. The Director General expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements in the Obubra camp and thanked Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State for ensuring adequate protection of corps members serving in the state.

KANO

NEWS IN BRIE F

JOS

WARRI

Kano govt orders trade unions to re-register

Plateau Fadama procures tractors for farmers

The Kano State Government has directed all trade unions in the state to re-register in conformity with the new Trade Association Act. The Commissioner for Commerce, Mines and Tourism, Dr. Danburam Nuhu, gave the directive in Kano, when he received members of Agricultural Produce and Suppliers Development Association in his office. Nuhu explained that the new law provided certain guidelines that would make the conduct of the unions and associations better.

The Plateau State Fadama III Coordinator, Mr. Gideon Dandam, has said the office is liaising with companies and agriculture-related institutions to obtain tractors and other machines for farmers. Dandam told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Jos yesterday that the arrangement became necessary due to the new phase of the Fadama III projects focusing on large scale farming. The coordinator explained that the World Bank-assisted project was expected to end in December 2013, but was extended to 2017.

Umukoro passes on at 78 The pioneer Registrar of Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Warri, Delta State and the Orovwiroro of Agbon kingdom, Olorogun Gordon Emanyan Edafe Umukoro, is dead. A statement issued by his family said Umukoro died on February 20, 2014 at the age of 78 years. Umukoro, a renowned educationist was the first ever graduate produced by the Okpara inland community of Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state. He started his career at Urhobo College, Effurun, Delta State as Senior English Master and acting principal.

1bn

327,186,148

The number of people who practiced open defecation worldwide in 2011. Source: Who.int

The total number of disputed territories in the world. Source: Blatantworld.com

The total population of Eastern Africa (Africa’s highest region). Source: Blatantworld.com

Ekiti guber: Stop harassing us with police, LP tells APC Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

T Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left), and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, during Okowa’s empowerment programme in Asaba… yesterday

Missing N24bn pension: OkonjoIweala dismisses allegations DISCOVERED Okonjo-Iweala has denied reports of missing pension fund Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

he federal ministry of finance at the weekend brushed aside the allegations made against the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, by the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Solomon Adeola Olamilekan over an alleged

“missing” N24 billion from the Police Pension Account, describing the allegation as “ridiculous and false”. Special Adviser to OkonjoIweala, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, in a statement insisted that as contained in a recent communication with the lawmakers that the money is not missing. Nwabuikwu expressed regret that: “It is unfortunate that the chairman has persisted in using his privileged platform to disseminate such distortions even though the minister has repeatedly explained to the Committee that the money was an overpayment based on the demands

of those trying to steal from pension funds which was successfully blocked and the money returned to the treasury by the minister.” According to him, “This persistence in peddling this untruth suggests that this is yet another attempt to tarnish the image of the minister for partisan political reasons and to take public attention away from the positive efforts to reform the historically problematic pensions sector.” He described as ironical that the committee chairman is attacking the Minister for taking action to ensure that public money was not stolen, but put back into the treasury

where it belongs. The spokesman further noted that “It is also important to state that the amount in question was returned to the treasury well before the director general of Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD) was appointed, stressing that “ the effort to use her to “confirm” that the amount is missing is contrived and deceptive.” Nwabuikwu stated that though the minister was currently out of the country, she was ready and willing to take up the challenge posed by the committee chairman for a public discussion on the issue.

he Ekiti State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using the police to harass and intimidate its members in the state. Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the state Chairman of LP, Mr. Akin Omole, alleged that few days ago, some of his party members were arrested in Iyin-Ekiti on trumped up charges. But APC Director of Media, Mr. Segun Dipe, urged the leadership of the LP to tell their members to be law abiding, denying the allegation that

his party was using the police to harass opposition members. Omole noted that some APC members went to the police and accused some LP members of frivolous crimes, leading to the arrest of his members by men of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad arresting over an offence allegedly committed during the recently-concluded voter registration exercise. In the same vein, eight members of the party have also been declared wanted by FARS for similar offence, which the leadership of the LP described as a ploy targeted at whittling down its popularity in the state in the build up to the June 21 governorship poll.

‘Prove our link to Boko Haram’ c o n t i n u e d f r o m pag e 2

The Boko Haram that has now turned into a monster in our polity. When the Boko Haram led by late Mohammed Yusuf was arrested, he wrote a letter that he was in touch with the former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu-Sheriff.” However, the APC insisted that in the absence of any evidence, Nigerians would have no choice but to conclude that the “relentless finger-pointing by the PDP and the presidency is a ploy to divert attention from those who are actually behind this insurgency, those who see it as a trump card to 2015 and those who have been benefitting massively

from the huge funds being allocated to security”. APC said the latest accusation by the PDP was being made within the framework of its plan to frame up the opposition and crackdown on its leaders ahead of the 2015 general elections, since, as it claimed, the PDP has realised it cannot possibly win the 2015 elections. “Otherwise, how can the PDP-led federal government claim to have ‘evidence of meetings held outside the shores of the country’ to violently overthrow the government of President Jonathan, and yet refuse to make such evidence public or arrest and try those involved?” the party queried.

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KADUNA Kaduna spends N100m on tourism development

N EWS I N BRIEF

The Kaduna State Government yesterday said it had spent N100 million in the development of tourist sites in the state in its effort to boost tourism and generate revenue. The Director, Planning, Research, Statistic Department, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Abdulmuminu Ashafa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kaduna that contract for the project was awarded in 2013. He said the present government had developed tourist sites neglected by past administrations.

1,424.4m

The total population of cinema visitors of United States in 2013. Source: Mirror.co.uk

JOS

GOMBE

NDE to organise extraPlateau govt begins provision of milk to pupils mural classes for The Plateau State Government candidates yesterday began feeding pupils in public primary schools with milk as part of its programme to nourish them and enhance their growth. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Education Secretary, Jos North Local Government Area, Mr. Patrick Davou, inaugurated the programme at the Township Pilot Science Primary School, Jos. Davou said 45 public primary schools in the area had been selected to benefit from the gesture which was part of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) programme.

The number of Nobel peace prize winners of the United States (the world’s highest). Source: Mirror.co.uk

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Gombe State has said it would organise extra-mural classes for 1,350 school certificate holders with deficiency in their results. The NDE Coordinator, Alhaji Abdulkadir Mabudi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe yesterday that the programme, tagged “graduates coaching scheme”, would begin on Monday. He said the aim of the programme was to coach those who had deficiencies in their results.

13.7

The number of hospital beds per 1,000 population of Japan (the world’s highest). Source: Mirror.co.uk

NCP okays bids for seven generation companies Anule Emmanuel Abuja

he joint meeting of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) and the Board of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) presided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, has ratified the results of the financial bid opening for seven out of the 10 power Generating Companies. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, who briefed State House Correspondents on the outcome of the meeting and confirmation of the results, explained that the

zz Three results pending Federal Government would generate an optimal sales value of $4.2billion from the preferred bidders while the least total sales value from the reserved bidders was $4.089billion Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who explained the approval of the bids result, said three of the 10 generating companies namely, Omoku, Alaoji and Gbarain, were however being withheld pending the outcome of a court case instituted by one of the disqualified bidders, Ethiope Energy Limited. Ethiope Energy Limited,

which was disqualified for failing some aspects of due diligence process and requirement, had bided for the three generating companies but later went to court to challenge its disqualification. According to the power minister, the privatisation processes which climaxed with the financial bids opening was very transparent. He said what was achieved in the privatisation of the successor companies of the PHCN had been replicated in the NDPHC power generating companies. Announcing the ratification, Uduaghan said: “The

preferred bidder for Benin Generation Company is EMA Consortium with a bid price of $580million, the reserved bidder is Index Consortium which bided for $575million. “For Calabar Generation Company, EMA Consortium won as the preferred bidder with a bid price of $625million while Nebula Power Generation Consortium followed as the reserved bidder with $623.75million. “Egbema Generation Company went to Dozzy Integrated Power Limited which offered $415.075million with AITEO Consortium as the reserved bidder offering $392million.

Enugu embarks on biometric registration of indigenes in Abuja Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

nugu State Government has directed its indigenes resident in Abuja, to conduct biometric identification of the indigenes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a means of addressing the problem of employment into the federal civil service and admission into universities. The New Telegraph, however, gathered that the compilation exercise would be done through the various town/development unions based in Abuja. Chairman of the Association of Enugu State Development Unions (AESDU), Abuja chapter, Malachy Ugwu, who said this at a press conference, said the as-

sociation was surprised that many people, who were not from Enugu State had, in the past, alleged that they were from the state and, therefore, cornered benefits meant for indigenes of the state. These benefits, according to him, included employment opportunities in the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), admission into competitive schools, among others. He explained further that “AESDU was shocked to learn from the Federal Character Commission that the slots due for Enugu State in most Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies have been oversubscribed, implying that our people have filled all the slots meant for the state.”

NIS test: Don’t sack minister, group advises FG Temitope Ogunbanke

he National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has condemned the call for the suspension of the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, over the tragic event that took place on March 15 during the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment test across the country. In a communiqué signed by its President, Mr. Henry Nwabueze, after its meeting in Abuja, the NYCN said the call for the sack of the minister was unnecessary because his sack would not stop unemployment plaguing

the country. The group, therefore, called on all Nigerians, irrespective of political leanings to join hands with the federal government to finding a lasting solution to the menace of unemployment in the country. The NYCN, which also commended President Goodluck Jonathan over the suspension of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said: “It is sad that a man occupying such an elevated office should be making an unsubstantiated allegation against a sister agency in the public.”

NATOP, Lagos ministry parley on tourism agenda Andrew Iro Okungbowa ollowing its quiet diplomatic move to enlist the various tourism operators and stakeholders in pursuance of its tourism agenda and compliance with the hotel licensing law, as amended, the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations has held talks with the officials of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP).

L-R: Permanent Secretary/Tutor General, Education District 2, Mrs. Titilayo Solarin; Principal, Oriwu Junior Model College, Ikorodu, Mr. Bisiriyu Muideen; Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye; Principal, Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu, Mrs. Abiodun Ogunniyi and Education Portfolio Manager, MTN Foundation, Mr. Victor Orie-Ononogbu, during the presentation of furniture and learning materials by MTN Foundation to the schools at Ikorodu…yesterday

At the meeting, the Senior Special Assistant to the state Commissioner for Tourism and Secretary of the Hotel Licensing Authority, Aduke Gomez, alongside the Director of Hospitality, Mrs. Antonia Johnson, briefed the tour operators on the tourism agenda of the state and the effort made by it over the period to ensure the registration of all tourism outfits, including the tour operators, operating in the state.

Companies & Stock

SEGUN EDWARDS

22 MARCH 2014

Afromedia Needs Lifeline to Stay Afloat

hen a company suddenly drops into steep losses after years of profitability it becomes imperative to read the chairman’s statement and see if there is a logical explanation from the arrowhead of the board. Afromedia’s chairman’s, Patrick Osita Nwabunie, had in his 2011 statement devoted about seven pages of the annual report to addressing stakeholders with just one full page explaining the reason for the poor results. The company had posted a revenue of N3.2 billion and pre-tax loss of N409 million. Things have since gone from bad to worse as it. The company posted a revenue of N1.6 billion for the year ended September 2012 and pre-tax loss of N4.4billion. Third quarter 2013 earnings forecast projects a revenue of just N400million not enough to show a sign of an imminent recovery. At the company’s annual general meeting (AGM), the company blamed declining profitability on the rising cost of concession for outdoor advertising space from the likes of FAAN and LASAA as well as the drop in price due to budgets cuts from its major customers particularly in the telecoms industry. That surely may have been a reason at the time but the drastic reduction in revenues is one to send shudders down the spine of shareholders and wonder what had happened. Its revenues dropped by 50 per cent year on year whilst gross profit margins also dropped to 31.4 per cent from 44 per cent the year before. To

Olopade

add salt to this, operating expenses rose sharply by 181 per cent to N4.5billion from N1.6 billion in 2011. It will be interesting to know why they incurred this huge rise even though one might guess they may have written off prepayments and

trade debtors which otherwise may no longer materialize. The company will go on to declare a loss after tax of a whopping N4.4billion nearly wiping put its entire equity. This makes one to postulate in retrospect that the reason

for the dividend payout in 2011 and bonus issues may just be a premonition that major losses was to be expected in 2012, a situation that may have created a moral deficit and inability to declare dividends. Afromedia has been in operations since 1928 when it was called West African Publicity Company. It obviously has survived the pre and post colonial era and rode through wars, coups and counter coups. But its recent results is probably the stiffest test the company faces to remain solvent. The company’s external debts of N300million as well as overdrafts of over N1 billion is a definite pathway to bankruptcy if its equity raising plans are not pursued with increased urgency. Recent increase in the activity in the stock market may well be the best sign yet that it is time to consider a public offering. It will be foolhardy to suggest a recapitalization alone will solve the company’s problems. The company may be need to renegotiate advertising concessions with owners to align with the realities of the advertising markets. Companies have since realized fancy billboards and branded bus stops do not necessarily promote brand awareness as well as TV and Radio commercials. The company claimed to have invested over N133 million in exploring potential markets that may provide a source for revenue growth. Such investment should have yielded fruit in 2013.

Mobil Oil two-year profit decline worries investors

he oil marketing companies have had a turbulent 2012. From the subsidy strikes to the house of representatives public hearing to the partial removal of subsidy. So don’t be surprised when you see quoted companies in the sector report declining revenues and profits. Mobil Oil Plc released its 2012 audited accounts with revenues rising 30% year on year to N80.8billion. However, cost of sales increased sharply thus reducing Gross Profit year on year by 19% to N8.2billion. Pre-tax profit at the end of the period was N4billion (2011: N5.99billion). This is despite the company’s performance in its first quarter 2013 results which showed a 7.95 per cent year on year increase in revenue to N19.14 billion and a 34.62 per cent year on year growth in profit after tax to N624.19million.

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As at first quarter 2013, it was among the 32 petroleum marketers granted licenses by Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), to import gasoline; its import allocation was 60,000 metric tonnes for for first quarter in 2013. Its 2012 fianancial year results, revealed that Mobil made a profit after tax of N2.88 billion and its rev-

enue, total assets and shareholder’s equity for the period rose by 30.12, 7.88 and 46.52 per cents year on year to N80.80 billion, N33.56 billion and N6.59 billion respectively. Oil marketing companies are known to typically have very low profit margins as most of them incur very high direct cost of sale. Therefore, the belief is that when margins shrink despite increase in

revenues, the worrying signs are that products are just getting too expensive to secure. Thus, Mobil oil apparently spend N90 of every N100 in revenues on paying making products available for sale. On a flip side, this actually makes the increase in revenue a whole lot important because if it were just 10 per cent lower, the company may have been starring at losses. The rise in revenue can be seen in their ability to turnover inventory 13 times annually a figure that is higher than industry average. Mobil Oil is currently priced at N123 in the stock market has suffered a decline of 12 per cent over the past one year. Its 52 per cent drop in earnings per share surely hurts their market value more even more. At N123 per share, the price is 15x its earnings making expensive in market watchers opinion.

Shareholders Groups Boycott NSEÆs Investors’ Clinic

hareholders advocacy groups boycotted the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) organised investors clinic aimed at informing the market community of the improvement recorded by the stock market in the last two years. Consequently, leaders of virtually all the shareholders advocacy groups, who were the focus of the parley and sent invitations by the authority of the stock market did not turn up for the parley, which held on the 23rd floor of the NSE building in Lagos on Wednesdy. Speaking to New Telegraph on the development Chairman of the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Mr. Boniface Okezie said the boycott by registered shareholders advocacy group was a unanimous decision by all the groups, despite the official invitations sent out by the management of the NSE. According to him, the decision to boycott the parley was borne out of the realities about the stock market as he said the present management of the Exchange has done very little to lift the morale of the Nigerian investors in the market. He said the place of the real Nigerian local investors have been wiped out from the scheme of things , in terms of investment in the stock market, as things presently stands

24 Investors Eye Enterprise Bank

o fewer than 24 local and foreign investors are vying to buy Nigeria’s Enterprise Bank Limited, as the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Kick-started sale of its 100 per cent stake in the bank. The Bank’s CEO, Mr. Ahmed Kuru revealed that 24 investors have shown interest in the bank, with half of them international investors. Last month, AMCON said 18 bidders had submitted offers for the sale of the bank which was developed from the defunct Spring Bank. AMCON, which owns 100 per cent stake in Enterprise Bank last year commence the process leading to its divestment from the bank.

Should women make financial provision for home? p.12

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Again, man relocates to JAMB headquarters over ‘best prize’ Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

shama Audu, 39, from Edo State, has just one request from the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). He wants his 1995 JAMB’s best candidate prize, if there’s anything like that, given to him. When four years ago he came around as an uninvited guest and was taken to an unknown destination without accomplishing his mission little did the residents of Bwari and indeed staff and management of JAMB realised that Audu would resurface in 2014. To ensure that JAMB acceded to his demand, he has relocated to the main entrance of the headquarters of JAMB at Bwari to demand his best candidate prize he claimed he won after sitting for the matriculation examination in 1995. He heralded his arrival to JAMB headquarters this time around by putting a phone call across to Bwari Police Division which later informed the examination body of the coming of its uninvited guest. With an old, torn graduation hat on his head, an old grey suit on a deep brown pair of trousers and black shoes, the heavy-bearded man who relocated to JAMB office about one month ago claimed he emerged the best candidate in the matriculation examination conducted by the body in 1995 by scoring the highest mark of 249. Standing in a conspicuous place, he currently welcomes visitors to JAMB headquarters with his property comprising a metal pail, a mat, a pillow and a travelling bag. His appearance and incoherent speeches however suggested that though he might have issue with the board, he actually could not be said to be in the right frame of mind. He now receives alms from members of staff of JAMB with which he sustains himself. It was learnt that he showers and changes his clothes at night. When our correspondent met with him, he gave his name as “Prof. Ashama Audu, the National Chief Executive Coordinator of the National Identity Card Project Commission, National Population Project Commission” but he was calm, friendly and courteous as he spoke. He told New Telegraph that he had been denied his prize as the best candidate in that year, noting that there was a particular appropriation for the best student. Audu said he was offered admission to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University

of Ilorin, Kwara State to study Banking and Finance and Accountancy, Business Administration and History. “JAMB is an organisation that was established purposely to conduct examination for first degree programmes. I sat for JAMB in 1995, my score was 249, and I’m a first class student with 95 to 100 per cent grades. “JAMB has not at any point in time given me a complete result. I was only given a code. That’s my score code and my score code is 249 and I have to get it documented. I was given admission to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Federal University of Ilorin, Kwara State to study Banking and Finance and Accountancy, Business Administration and History.” When asked whether he was to study all the courses together, he affirmed by saying “yeah.” However, the man who hung a laminated photocopy of JAMB acceptance form UME, ADMS, FORM BE titled acceptance forms was incoherent suggesting that he might be mentally unfit. And the name on the form which also bears JAMB logo as well as the board’s Lagos and Bwari offices addresses was Ashama Audu. However, further findings by New Telegraph revealed that Audu who hails from Igara, Akoko Edo Local Government of Edo State might have actually studied and graduated from the University of Ilorin. His childhood friend, who simply gave his name as ‘Encomium’ based in Igara revealed that Audu studied Business Administration at the university. Encomium’s contact was obtained on Audu’s mobile phone. Encomium told New Telegraph that Audu who was given the sobriquet ‘student professor’ by his classmates at the university, graduated from University of Ilorin with First Class. He described him as an exceptionally brilliant student who always excelled during his school days but lamented that due to his state of mind now, “he mixes things up.” On whether the man sat for JAMB examination in 1995, he replied “he sat for JAMB long time ago but due to his condition he is mixing things up.” A top JAMB official who pleaded for anonymity said, “We don’t have anything to do with any prize that is not part of our activities. If you sat for entrance examination in 1995, we assumed you should have graduated. Even if we give prize, it should be for current candidates not for someone who sat

Audu. (Inset: His certificate)

about two decades ago. The man, I’m afraid is not complete. This man was here about three or four years ago, the board arranged for him to be taken away but he returned.” He noted that individual universities gave scholarship awards to outstanding candidates in the last Unified Matriculation Examination (UTME). Asked why the Board has continued to allow the man to take shelter at its entrance, the source said JAMB Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, had cautioned against any forceful removal of Audu. “We have written to the Social Welfare Department to help us move him out of here to a rehabilitation centre,” he said. The source said due to the man’s mental state, it has been difficult for the management of JAMB to comprehend his demands or attend to him properly, noting that the board could not forcibly eject him because he had been peaceful since his arrival at the entrance of the board about two weeks ago. However, the Head of Department, Education and Social Development, Bwari Area Council, Joseph Agho, lamented that the FCT Rehabilitation Centre at Kuchiko, Bwari, did not have the facility to cater for mentally sick patients. “We have put up plans for him to be

removed but the financial situation now at the council is somehow, budget has not been passed. So, I wouldn’t know when the approval will be given as we are now handicapped,” he said. He said that it would be a disservice to take the man to the centre and dump him there when there was no proper arrangement on how he should be treated there. Agho said his department and JAMB were still collaborating on how to get the man to his home state with a view to taking him to the Edo State Psychiatric Hospital, Benin. He said “It is better for him to be in the state, we have psychiatric hospital in Benin and he is from Edo state. I was able to make that contact, I called them at the psychiatric hospital and they told me how much the deposit is. The first deposit is N75, 000 apart from other things to buy. JAMB Chief Security Officer, Achi Kamwai, said his case was the second in the history of the board, noting that a former employee of JAMB who was mentally sick about 12 years ago came to the board to demand his entitlements after he was disengaged from it services. The man, according to him, was violent and was removed with the aid of policemen.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

street diary

Lawrence during his burial in London. (Inset: Lawrence)

Lawrence and his wife, Charity

Man dies searching for Scot father in Britain An attempt by a man with mixed parentage, a Scot father and a Nigerian mother, ended in tragedy JULIANA FRANCIS writes.

awrence Onyechere Rogers had a mixed parentage. If his middle name is anything to go by, one of the parents was from the South-East. Lawrence was born in 1945 in the South-East. He found his missing rib in that part of the region and married Charity Lawrence Onyechere. Although there was nothing to suggest that Lawrence was unhappy living in that part of the region, he was worried that he could not give an account of where his Scot father was. To unravel the mystery, Lawrence discovered that his father, Basil Carson Rogers, worked in Jos in the 40s. Armed with some facts, Lawrence decided to trace his father to Scotland and thus left the shores of Nigeria in March 2010. But his quest ended on a tragic note. His widow, Charity, said the British government could not be extricated from Lawrence’s death. Charity, 64, said her husband would have still been alive if the British government had “not frustrated him to death.” Charity accused the British government of depriving her and her kids of knowing where Lawrence was buried, thereby denying the family members of paying their last respect to him. She said, “My husband was falhered by a Scot. The name of my husband’s father is Basil Carson Rogers and no amount of denial by the government would take away that fact or conceal it. My husband even went and did DNA to proof his paternity, yet they called him a liar. They told him that anybody could come to London and claim to be a citizen. “Those words shattered my husband. He never stopped talking about it. His last wish before he died was that his kids should be taken to their root, but the British High Commission did not even allow my children to go for his burial. Right now, as I’m speaking with you, we don’t know where he was buried.” Charity said it was her husband’s last wish that the children should be taken to Britain,

which he insisted, was their root. According to her, the family had thought that once Lawrence got to Britain, the mystery surrounding his paternity will be resolved. But when the British government did not believe Lawrence’s story, his widow said he went to the court to prove the genuiness of his claim. Within a short time, the cost implication of his visit began to tell on him. He needed accommodation and money to pay his lawyer, Charity said. Since Lawrence had no job, it was learnt that he had to rely on his family to send him money to enable him to pay his bills. Charity said one of Lawrence’s daughters, Mrs. Joy Ayo, was involved in a ghastly road accident, while she was on her way to raise money for her dad. “Joy was the one paying for her father’s accommodation while he was in London. She went to Kaduna with her daughter to collect N500, 000 from a friend. It was on their way back that they had an accident. Do you see what the British government did to me? Joy’s daughter died in that accident. “The British government did not allow us to attend his burial.” It was learnt that while Basil was in Nigeria, he had so many Nigerian friends but was fond of one Mr. Ajomiwe, who was from the part of South-East region that is now Abia State. Our correspondent learnt that Ajomiwe had a nephew, Hannah, who was living with him. Basil, according to Charity, expressed his love for Hannah and proposed to marry her. Ajomiwe reportedly took his friend to Hannah’s father and the Scot paid the dowry. When Rogers wanted to go back to Scotland, he told Hannah’s dad identified simply as Chief Onyechere, of his desire to leave with his wife and little son, Lawrence, but Chief Onyechere refused. “Chief Onyechere, Hannah’s dad, said he heard that white people used blacks in their country as slaves. Rogers tried to convince him that as his wife, nobody would make Hannah a slave. The issue was argued for long, until Rogers angrily left for Scotland in 1957,” Charity said. According to her, Rogers continued to communicate with his wife until the civil war broke out. “People in the village called my husband names and told him to go back to his father’s

land. He became worried and troubled. He asked his mother about his father, but she refused to tell him his whereabouts. It was Ajomiwe’s wife who later told him everything about his birth after Ajomiwe had died. Since then, he started yearning to meet his father. Even after he married me and we had children, he kept telling me about this desire,” Charity said. In 1973, Hannah died. But before she died Lawrence was already working as a customs officer. In 1998, Lawrence went to the Salvation Army in Nigeria and narrated his story. The Nigeria branch of the organisation, wrote to its London branch and Lawrence was advised to come to London. When he arrived in London, Lawrence wrote to his wife informing her that he was directed to a place called ‘The Archives,’ where he got details of his father and traced him to Scotland. “Unfortunately, Rogers was dead. He had remarried a woman called Charlotte, who had also died. They left behind a dog. They never had any kids. My husband got this information from his father’s neighbours. “They said he slept and never woke up. The coroner form showed that he died of brain stem haemorrhage and hypertension. My husband had never suffered from high blood pressure before his death,” she said. A document showed that while Lawrence was in London, Home Office UK Border Agency wrote him a letter, indicating that it was considering his application for a certificate of entitlement to the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom. He was asked to present within 21 days, his original birth certificate, father’s birth certificate, parents’ marriage certificate confirming relationship and legitimised birth as stated and any additional evidence that could establish his relationship with father. Although Lawrence’s birth certificate was lost during the civil war, it was however reproduced

Any claim to UK citizenship by descent needs to be supported by official documentation

at the hospital where he was born in Nigeria. The real bone of contention was production of the marriage certificate between Basil and Hannah. “Rogers and Hannah married according to customary law. What marriage certificate were they asking for?” queried the widow angrily. Lawrence’s hope was dashed in a letter dated June 2, 2011. The letter, which was written by Home Office: identity and passport service reads in part: “… Any claim to UK citizenship by descent needs to be supported by official documentation and from the information and evidence provided by you in support of your client’s application, it appears that your client does not qualify for British citizenship by descent for the following reasons: your client has failed to provide official and original documentation to establish his own birth in Nigeria. “The local hospital record is not sufficient evidence of birth and cannot be accepted by the UK identity and passport service as evidence of birth. Your client has failed to provide original and official evidence that his father was legally married to his mother before his birth in Nigeria and your client has failed to provide any evidence to establish his identity and relationship to his claimed father…” Another letter from UK Border Agency, dated June 7, 2012, states: “You were born in Nigeria in 1954; however, upon Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, you ceased to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies and became a citizen of Nigeria. “Although you claim to be the son of Basil Moore Carson Rodgers and have provided an official copy of his birth certificate, these documents can be obtained from the Scottish Registry Office by anybody making a request and paying the relevant fee, they therefore cannot be relied upon as evidence of a relationship without further supporting original documents…” Lawrence, who died in December 19, 2013, was buried by members of his church, Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom. When contacted, the Head of Press and Public Affairs, British High Commission, Abuja, Rob Fitzpatrick, said, “We are unable to comment on individual cases.”

Voices

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

Street Diary

Should women make financial provision for homes? Let women finance homes too!

Traditionally, our great grandfathers were solely responsible for the financial affairs of the family. I think economic climate has evolved globally and women are, in this age, expected to work and support their husbands with some of their earnings. Well, they wanted gender equality, now they should also bring some money to the table.

Yinka Ilesanmi - banker

Women should not overburden men

The financial responsibility lies solely on men. However, women nowadays are voluntarily encouraged to lend a support to complement men’s efforts to avoid being overburdened. This will further promote love and harmony in the home.

Olawale Mikhail Adisa - ICT expert No, women should not

For me, it’s not good. The husband should provide the financial resources though the woman can help in some other ways. When the woman is the breadwinner, the marriage may collapse.

Sikiru Akinola – Obafemi Awolowo University student It is morally wrong

To be candid any home where a woman is the breadwinner is faulty. It is both morally and ideally wrong but we shouldn’t completely rule out some forms of contributions.

Sanusi Babatunde - ICT officer It is man’s responsibility

It’s a man’s job to provide for his family however, a woman who supports her husband on this assignment keeps her family forever.

Ayomide Babalola – banker Woman is helpmate

As a woman, you don’t expect much always from your husband. Rather you should be your husband’s helpmate. It is only in Nigeria here you see man only making financial provision for the home. But when you go abroad you are amazed that b o t h couple do it together. It is only in Africa you find such absurdity, because to me it is absurdity.

Mrs. Seyi Alabi - business woman

Women should only lend support

No! A woman is just a supportive hand in a home; she should only be assisting. Providing for the family is mainly the responsibility of the man because he is known as the head. Even though a woman needs to help, it should just be in little things. When the man faces some difficult circumstances, if there is love and understanding in that home, I guess it is necessary for the wife to help out.

Olamide Adeyemi - Undergraduate, University of Lagos

Women should supportive

God has made the man the head and the woman the neck to support it. When the role is reversed, there’s always a problem because naturally the woman begins to dictate to the man and his ego would be affected. There are sometimes things may go wrong in a family but it shouldn’t be for long. The man should get something doing so that he can fend for his family.

Yetunde Brown - Corps member It is man’s duty

She should not be a liability

Be expected? No, she shouldn’t. The woman is the man’s help mate not his head. She can only help in some situations. She is not expected to be the breadwinner. But she should not be a liability too. When things are not going well for the man, it’s only normal that she helps. Olivia Ugo

Normally it is the duty of the man to take charge of the financial issues at home and woman is only to assist. If things are going rough for the man, that is a different case.

Oluwaseyi Mojeed Unemployed graduate It is man’s job

Just a little helping hand Yes, she should on little basis. This would help her to know the value of money, set priorities for tomorrow, get her busy and be focused too. So I see no reason why a woman shouldn’t be part of the financial responsibility in the family. Man should always be the leader in the affairs of the home but things have changed and the society is not making it better. So a woman should always help her husband in any way she can.

Basirat Babalola - an entrepreneur

Capable women should Running the home is a collective effort both morally and financially. It should not be the responsibility of any particular spouse to take care of the home. However, in Nigerian culture, a man is said to be the head of the home in all aspect including finance, unlike some other countries where women shoulder all the family financial needs. I agree that capable women should play key roles in supporting their husbands financially for the family well-being.

Henry Chima - works with food concept It is expected

A woman has to contribute financially because she is a member of the family, but in my own case if she refuses to bring out her money there won’t be any problem.

Ademola Adesina – Businessman

Why woman? It is the man’s responsibility to provide financially for the home. The woman should only assist in case the husband is short of cash. In every family, husband and wife must be friendly in order to assist each other.

Ola Hassan - travel and tours consultant

It benefits family I don’t see anything special about it, she is my wife. If I am the one doing it what would you call that? I strongly believe in what the bible said that we are meant for each other. We are supposed to be for better or worse. Because whatever my wife does is for the benefit of both of us.

Comrade Peter Akpatason – unionist I don’t pray for it

Left to me, I don’t pray for such, because women are wicker vessel. Whatever some of them did to assist their husbands in time of need will be used as topic of discussion among their associates. After I graduated from school, there was a lady I was dating. There was a plan that this will ultimately lead to marriage. While I was hunting for job, she was keeping the home front. But each time she served me food, she would complain and then abuse me on the slightest provocation calling me all sorts of name. That was how we parted ways.

Toheeb Ajiroba - driver compiled by

Ricketts Olushola, mojeed alabi, Elijah Eda Samuel & TAIWO BABATUNDE

Showbiz From Choc City, a new star emerges p.19

NTWEEKEND

Travel The summit of ingenuity in Calabar p.42 NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

www.newtelegraphonline.com/weekend

22 MARCH 2014

C o n v e r s at i o n

22 YEARS ON THE JOB

I still wonder how time flies. So, I’ve been designing clothes for people for 25 years already! All these convey good memories and at the same time, it’s good to meditate with nostalgia where one is coming from. If nobody praises you, you have to praise yourself. I’ve done so well by the grace of God.

MUDI:

King of the Casual Stuff Clement Enajemo, the CEO of MUDI Clothing Africa is a menswear designer of repute. He earned the accolade from his clean, tailored lines which distinguishe his brand in style and class. For 22 years, the Delta State-born Enajemo has riveted Africa with his avant garde designs and acquired commensurate fame and fortune. LANRE ODUKOYA met him recently at his pristine, ash-hued office at Anthony Village, Lagos

MORE GROUNDS COULD HAVE BEEN COVERED

Yes, I could have covered more grounds. For instance, the issue of energy is a huge problem. Capital is another clog in the wheel of success. I started without capital, no structure and no godfather. The level I am today is as a result of passion and extreme dedication to what I do and discipline. THE RMD ROLE

Don’t misunderstand me; when I say no godfather, there’s clear difference from a godfather and one who supports you. The first shop I got for my business was possible through Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD). I was saving and my money wasn’t enough. I told him about it and he assisted me to get the shop. I got the shop for N47,000 and I was only able to raise N17,000. He helped me with N30,000. So, he’s someone who have done so well for me. If you check most of my contemporaries, you’d find out that some of their family members have been wealthy, that factor helps to cushion the effects of austere times and I have nothing against that. So, they’re privileged people because they gained access to funds and readily got the structure to take advantage of. But my case was completely different. I didn’t have those privileges. TOUGH TIMES DON’T LAST

In 1994, two years into when I started working, I was living in Ketu, Lagos. I came back lamenting because I was to deliver an attire. Then, I would go from one office to the other. As I was lamenting to a friend of mine, the young man asked me a question spitefully: ‘when are you going to by

a car from this work that you think you’re doing?’ I can never forget that day. The second scene was after the two-year rent of the shop that I got through RMD expired. I needed to renew the rent for another one year and I had only the money to pay for six months. I approached an older friend to lend me some money because I couldn’t return to RMD, who had done his best and had other things to worry about as well. I asked him for about N20,000 or less and he told me, ‘Mudi, this work can’t pay you, forget it’. The one who asked whether I would ever buy a car from the work was my secondary school classmate. I will remind him one day when an opportunity to do so arises. And the older friend who prophesied that the work would not pay me, I shall wait for a day when people will be around him and I will say, ‘this man almost ruined my destiny’. GIVING BACK TO THE SOCIETY

There are people who want to invest in this business and their influx into my office daily is massive. I consult for them free-of-charge. I’ve also been under immense pressure to open a training school as a way of giving back to the society. I want to delve into this, but I’m taking my time now because I want to acquire the funds. I don’t want to just rent a flat and begin operations; I desire something of international standard. I want apprentices to get inspiration from where they’re learning when they look at the environment. I want to get the structure right. EVOLVING WITH BRAND IDENTITY

First of all, I’m an artist. People say I’m gifted and I also know that there’s so much in me which I’m very proud of. I’m good at what I do and I make this confession with all humility. That’s a plus for me. And I’m also aware that your philosophy must reflect in what you do. Things around you, the cars you drive, the architecture of home, office automation and so on must reflect your personality. Anything you see around me is a product of my mindset. So, when you hear people say, “that guy get packaging”, that’s the same thing they are trying to say and I see it as the best way of doing the business. People also tell me, ‘Mudi, you’re hard working’. I don’t see it as a big deal because you must work to live. MUDI IN RANGES

My patrons cut across the super rich, middle class and the low income earners CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

WEEKEND | CONVERSATION

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

who just want to spoil themselves. I make my outfits, put in the best imaginable quality and then put a price tag. You’re a civil servant, a technocrat, a contractor or a politician and you can afford my clothes; that’s business for us all. BETWEEN MUDI AND GOV. EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN

I don’t want to go back to what the press wrote or what happened a few years back. The governor is like the father of my state. So, I don’t want to go into issues with my state governor. If I see him today, I would greet him as I always do. I must give him that respect, first as a senior, because he’s by far a senior to me, and then he is my governor. The issue we had was a personal issue which had been resolved. Though, I don’t make clothes for him again for now.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

‘I believe the mudi brand should be “I know we have designers in this country who get it wrong; you see their faces more than you see their clothes and I think it’s not supposed to be so.”

CLOTHING ACROSS BORDERS

In any profession people come in to carve a niche, others will automatically follow. Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss and so on all have outfits in Nigeria, why can’t we push ours outside the shores of our country? Once your mindset is there, nothing is impossible. We have outlets in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Senegal. We make all the clothes from Nigeria because we don’t want to compromise the quality we export. It’s more or less the boutique experience, people just go and buy off the rack. PUSHING BRANDS BEYOND THE FOUNDER

A lot of people love to see me stand out of a crowd because I’m a designer. They probably expect that I wear extraordinary apparels, but I’m just an unassuming fellow. Most times you must consider the person who is behind a particular brand and the person’s philosophy must reflect in his clothes. My clothes are not the typical busy and overdecorated stuffs. I like things that appear simple but classy. You don’t have to be noisy for people to know that you’re good at what you do. I believe more in projecting the job and not my face. A lot of people know the name and they don’t know the face behind Mudi and I enjoy it. People sometimes meet me at the airport and ask, ‘Are you Mudi?’ Depending on my mood, I may say, ‘no, I don’t know Mudi. Although, people say I look like him and I agree too’. And there are other times when you ask me that question and I would answer, ‘I am Mudi’. Let the brand be more famous than the face of its founder, I think it’s better that way. NEGATING THE RICHARD BRANSON PHILOSOPHY

I know that Richard Branson posits that you can build both your face and your service into double brands. That’s his position on how businesses can be run, but I don’t buy it in my own enterprise. “You can” is different from “you must”. What matters to me is ‘are the patrons comfortable in my clothes?’ I know we have designers in this country who get it wrong; you see their faces more than you see their clothes and I think it’s not supposed to be so. There are designers whose clothes are not accessible. That’s why I hammer more on the brand visibility first. This is what I’ve been doing all over the years and I enjoy it.

I’m working at night because there are no distractions between 8pm and about 2am. That’s when one seldom gets phone calls. ABOUT MY FAMILY

CHOOSING A MUDI AMBASSADOR

First and foremost, I look at the carriage of the person we intend to make a brand ambassador. His background is also very important. We like someone who relates well with a lot of people. It has nothing to do about being handsome or not. SOURCING MATERIALS

I use any fabric I get from any part of the world. I get fabrics from Austria, Italy, India and so on depending on what I intend to design.

I am married and to shock you, I have two wives and two kids, a boy and a girl. The first wife is my matrimonial wife and the second is my job. My wife at home has been able to realise that this man has to work because if I’m not working, I won’t be where I am today. Today she’s happy that people celebrate her husband. Every Christmas, precisely from December 28 till January 15, I travel with my family to anywhere I want and relax. I travel mostly around African countries because there are lots of inspirations you find. THE BUSINESS OF FASHION DESIGNING IN NIGERIA TODAY

I’m pleased about the success and the height our industry has attained, but there’s lot more we can still achieve.

BETWEEN WORK AND LEISURE

BREAKING OUT OF AFRICA

It may sound funny to you that even working is a form of relaxation for me. The joy of work rejuvenates me. That’s the irony. For instance, when my guys want to work overnight, I stay with them because I achieve a lot when

When Mudi will break out of Africa is question I find difficult to answer because I know I’m doing my best to become an item in every household. It’s a process; I commit the rest into God’s hand after doing my best.

“I have two wives and two kids, a boy and a girl. The first wife is my matrimonial wife and the second is my job.”

MY WORRY ABOUT SOME NIGERIANS

There’s something that I’m worried about. It’s painful to see that some people are just becoming uncomfortable as you make progress in life. It’s so sad. These are some of the people who laugh with you but speak ill of you behind. I’ve traveled to several countries and I realized it’s so common here. Some of these religious men see you and pray for you: ‘God bless you, it shall be well with you.’ But when God starts blessing you, they become uncomfortable and you wonder why. These are not clerics in whose place you worship, they patronize you and suddenly withdraw without any misunderstanding.

CONVERSATION | WEEKEND

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

known more than the face behind the brand’

BEST THING A FAN DID TO ME

I was at the airport in Kenya, and we were in the queue with the immigration officials and a lady accosted me, she’s Kenyan. She asked: ‘are you the Nigerian designer, Mudi?’ And I said, ‘yes, ma’. She said, ‘I’ve seen you several times in the magazine even here in Kenya. Please hold on for my husband, my husband wears your clothes.’ She picked the phone and called her husband. Then she handed me the phone and the man told me, ‘God bless you, Mudi, you make us beautiful. Each time I wear your clothes I’m always happy.’ That’s the most beautiful thing a client has said to me. BEING A SOCIAL DRINKER

I seldom drink; I’m a social drinker. I take any drink, beer,

whisky, cognac and so on, but most of the time I find it very difficult to drink more than a bottle of beer. SPORTING FOR RELAXATION

Yes, I love football and I find some time to relax with it. I love both Barca and Chelsea and my best player is Mikel Obi understandably because I’m a Nigerian. NOT A FAN OF LABELS

I have quite a number of shoes and I don’t just buy shoes because they’re made by famous designers. I just pick whatever is beautiful off the rack and wear. AUTOMOBILES AS TOYS

I love unique things. I won’t tell you that I have a fleet of cars, but the ones I have are unique. I admire cars that define my style.

MUDI:

UPCLOSE ICS

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INSTYLE

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

Make bold fashion statement in

red

Angela Davies

ed is bold, beautiful, interesting and daring. Consequently when you wear a red outfit, especially one that is lovely and elegant for an evening event, you will definitely make heads turn and that is because undoubtedly, it is a colour that draws a lot of attention when worn properly. A gorgeous red dress can make a bold fashion statement, but if properly harmonized with the right accessories it can create a look that appears both classic and sexy. However, to accessorize a red dress, you should stick to simple, modest pieces that add a little interest and contrast without drawing too much attention. Since red is such a striking colour, make your dress the focal point of your look. This means it is best to go for modest accessories and makeup so you look fascinating. If you want to appear all red, then use different shades of red to create

Keeping it simple, not complicated For musician, Stella Ogadinma Francis Ebegbune, popularly known as D’lyte, elegance strikes a resonant chord when understated. She would don simple and fitted outfits, she tells ANGELA DAVIES

contrast while staying within an all-red colour scheme. Tips on accessories • W e a r earrings, necklaces, cocktail rings, wristwatch and bracelets. Whether you will wear necklace or not depends on the neckline of the dress. Dangle or chandelier earrings are ideal for the red evening outfit. • Carry a clutch which could be a red colour, especially one in a shade that varies from your dress. Better still, go for gold or black. • Wear lovely pumps or stilettos. In fashion today, the shoe and clutch does not necessarily have to be the same.

Define your personal style

Signature perfume

I love to look simple so I wear simple and not complicated clothes. I am easily and well defined by my simplicity.

I love good perfumes by Elizabeth Arden, Calvin klein , Paco Rabanne but my signature perfume is Olalee by Paris Ado a very good perfume for kings and queens by a Nigerian.

What determines the kind of outfit you wear?

My mood determines the outfit I wear sometimes. Also the event determines what I wear. But for red carpet events I wear very long or short fitted gown as they look fabulous and sexy on me. What kind of outfits make up a larger part of your wardrobe?

I have more of jeans, body hugs and tops in my wardrobe. It is an everyday outfit for me because it is very simple and easy to wear and move about. Kate Henshaw

Favourite piece of clothing

My favourite piece of clothing is a semi- short fitted gown. It can suit any occasion and it’s classy and sexy. What is the most expensive fashion item you have ever bought?

Well, it could either be my wristwatch or my dress. I can’t figure that out right now because I haven’t really thought of it. Are you a fashion freak?

Best designer

I am not really a designer freak but I love Olalee clothes by Paris Ado and I also like Zizi Cardow. How do you love your makeup?

I love my makeup simple and light especially on long hairdo. Then I love Smokey eyes and pink and red lipstick its suits me so well. You will always see me in Smokey eyes especially in my videos and photo shoots but my kind of makeup also depends on the occasion because makeup varies . But for my everyday look I love it semi- nude, very light Best colour

I will say my best colours are red, orange and black. I wish one day I would say white because I really can’t stand a single stain on white. What kind of shoes do you love to wear?

I love high heel sandals. You can’t catch me on flats.

No, I am not. I just love to look good and comfortable in whatever I wear. However, I love good clothes and I have a very good fashion sense. Which is that attire you would rather not be caught wearing?

You can never catch me in Iro and buba and boubou as well. I won’t wear them because I love my outfits fitted and simple not complicated. If you have to flaunt any part of your body, where will that be?

In as much as I have good cleavage and beautiful legs, I love my stomach because it is flat and makes me feel sexy. I feel cool flaunting just a little part of my stomach. My stomach makes me feel confident when I wear a tight or hugging gown. Fashion accessories you can’t do without?

Well, I can do without any fashion accessory. But I love my powder, eye liner and lip gloss or lipstick. I also like my hand band or wristwatch.

Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi

Rita Dominic

What kind of jewellery appeals to you?

Katherine Obiang

Bangles or hand bands as well as small neck chains, however I love it very simple.

D’ltye

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INSTYLE

Accessories to live for

Chic and timeless skinny belt Skinny belts are timeless. Their chic and elegance accentuate your waistline and also enliven your outfit, writes ANGELA DAVIES

kinny belt helps to define as well as accentuate the natural waistline and hips. They are a creative way of adding variety to your existing ensemble mix. They are belts that add that extra bit of style to your look so wear them just above the navel to accentuate the thinnest part of the waist to emphasize your curve as well as add panache to your outfit. However, don’t fasten them too tight. They look lovely when worn

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

over blouse, button down shirts, dress, high waist pants and skirts. The beauty of skinny belts is more sophisticated when you wear a lovely blouse or top tucked into a pencil skirt, short flared skirt or wide-leg trousers. Even on dresses, jumpsuit, trousers and tucked in blouse, playsuit and even cardigan. These elegant and timeless belt styles include shimmering metallic, patent and textured leather, woven, braided or punched patterns. They also come in various exciting colours, however black, red and brown creates for more versatility. No matter your size, skinny belt will add to your silhouette. And you don’t need to be skinny to wear skinny belt.

Facts

All black

Zizi Cardow, the founder and brain behind the eponymous label, won the prestigious designer of the year award at the premier event of the Nigerian Fashion Show (NFS) in 2001.This award launched her designs into fashion market in South Africa and Europe.

Tee A

oday, it is a fashion face-off between two male entertainers in black outfit. Black looks good on women just as it does on men. However, who would you say wore this black outfit better between comedian, Tunde Adewale, better known as Tee A and musician, Chinedu Okoli aka Flavour N’abania? Comedian Tee A looks every inch a gentleman in his all black ensemble which he wore to Love Like A Movie 2 event in February. He wore a black long sleeve cotton shirt with white thread design at the shoulder with black buttons tucked into a pair of black trouser held with a black belt with silver studded buckle. He completed his style with a pair of black lace up shoes and black and silver wristwatch. Musician Flavour also wore a black long sleeve shirt with black buttons also neatly tucked into his black trouser and put in place with a black belt with silver buckle to the African Magic Viewers Choice Awards, (AMVCA). He accessorized with gold cross neck chain, stylish sunshade, wristwatch and black shoes with spikes. No doubt, Tee A and Flavour both look cool in black, however, who do you think wore it better?

Elizabeth I loved hats so much that she made it mandatory for all females over the age of 7 to wear a hat on Sundays and holidays. Anyone who refused to do so was stiffly fined.

The Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani quickly became known for his amazing red dresses, all in a bright shade of red, which became known in the fashion industry as “Valentino red”.

Egyptian women used to use henna to lighten their hair. Flavour

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Adaora’s sound and fury

daora Oleh is one television presenter I admire. I first saw her on Project Fame West Africa, a musical talent show where she was co-host alongside Joseph Benjamin. I remember thinking she looked amazing, and her accent was lovely. So you can imagine my delight, when after dinner on Saturday, I plonked down on my favourite sofa, and as I surfed the channels in search of something to watch, her show was on air. I had also watched a previous episode once where Basketmouth, popular comedian, was a guest. Before the show premiered, Adaora promised her viewers the show would be informative and fabulous, with an array of “lighthearted and indepth interviews”. It would air for 30minutes, largely focusing on popular and positive role models in the society. Today’s guest was Ice prince, popular Nigerian rapper. It was quite refreshing, watching her in a not-so serious mood. She was chatty, exuded a lot of charm, it also looked like Ice prince was enjoying himself. Adaora was quite the interviewer, she was not too pushy in that annoying way some interviewers can be. Alas! I watched and saw that, at some point, Adaora fell short of her promise. The interview slipped into the monotonous mode of “ask and answer”. Of course, this is what interviews mainly consist of, but it lacked a certain “oomph” to it. I felt it could have been different, you know, with Adaora as the host. There are so many celebrity talk shows on tv today, one would not like to be lost in the sea of them. If you’re going to have one, it should stand out, offer something to the audience that the others are lacking. Perhaps, I found it this way, because these celebrities are the people we see everyday. Not physically, of course, but with social media, everything seems to be within our proximity. We have news on celebrities at our finger tips. We know who just purchased a new luxury car, and who ruined his, who got dumped and who rekindled their love. Most of these are quite irrelevant, of course, but who doesn’t love juicy gossip now and then? So, what I’m driving home is, it’s quite pointless, reading about these people on blogs and websites, seeing various photos shared by them, via Instagram then still get to watch an interview. It’s like “hey, I’ve seen that already.” There have been so many birth and death of these celebrity

talk shows because of this. The key is research and creativity. You must dig, find out new interesting things about your guest. And be really, really creative. There are people outside of the entertainment scene that could prove quite interesting. But, I think it’s a particular syndrome of media these days, churning out items they feel should be of interest to the audience, hence, “entertainment” is the only way out. There’s a general decline of intellectual stuff on television these days, save for the news, which even struggles to be comprehensive at times. TV’s instant gratification has something to do with this. Quite ironic, and amusing even, that the average Nigerian would turn to foreign news station to get credible and accurate news on matters concerning his own country. Somehow, some television programnmes have, in their own way, misled some young individuals, telling them indirectly, what is more important. Entertainment is awesome and lucrative, no doubt, but what about a basic education also? This also leaves me wondering, where the Art House, Travel News and all other awesome television programmes I used to watch when I was younger went. Even though I was younger, I used to enjoy those programmes immensely, they were always so informative and entertaining. I’m quite sure I’m not the only one who felt this way back then. Really, it’s almost no wonder why the average Nigerian to Who says entertainment has to always be about young men singing about enemies or getting money, while some semi nude girls prance around the screen, or who says we need to watch it repeatedly? Entertainment, to some, could also mean, having their favourite writer have a lighthearted and witty conversation with the host of a show, or watching art and craft, tourism. Making a show versatile will attract a larger number of audience, and it will also appeal to their various interests. Anyway, I enjoyed the other part, where shoes were the fashion topic. A movie director also had a quick chat with Adaora. Overall, I think The Adaora Oleh show isn’t a bad one, it’s one I could actually watch again. Till I come your way again, these are the musings from the wandering mind of a young Nigerian female.

Oleh

FAVOURITE OF THE WEEK

hings are definitely getting hotter in Nigeria’s foremost cooking competition, Knorr Taste Quest, Season 2, tagged “Hot gets Hotter”. It is definitely living up to this. Last week, there were nine contestants battling for the position of Nigeria’s “Most Skilled” in Culinary matters, and this position comes with the juicy prize money of two million naira, a Ford SUV, courtesy Coscharis Motors, and loads of awesome kitchen equipment, provided by co-sponsors, Kenwood Electronics. Each week on the show, the judges, who

Steamy affairs

are experts in culinary matters themselves, give the contestants a theme to work with, and last week’s was “Naija with a Twist”. The contestant with the best tasting dish (this is quite a feat) wins N20,000 as a reward. This called for contestants to be creative (not like they aren’t most of the time) with their Nigerian dishes, it was definitely taken up to another level. Watching the contestants come up with so many mouth watering dishes from basic ingredients was like pure magic. The contestants were asked to prepare a starter, and a main dish, and each protein

(Lamb and Snail) were to be featured in the course. After the task, Doom and Moses (contestants on the show) couldn’t complete theirs, even though the judges agreed their dishes tasted really well. Olabode won N20,000 for the first time on the show, as the judges were highly impressed with his dish. Charles, however, wasn’t quite lucky. He was already on probation the last time, and again, he failed to win over the judges’ tastes buds as they all concluded his dish was a total disaster. He was evicted. I’m looking forward to next episode’s

array of mouth-watering dishes from the contestants, and also who gets the boot. Perhaps, I might learn a new recipe or two from them! Knorr Taste Quest is aired on Fridays on NTA from 8pm to 9pm, Silverbird TV - 8pm to 9pm. On Saturdays it airs at 7pm and runs till 8pm on ONTV; 8:30pm to 9:30pm on Startimes (WAPtv), 8pm to 9pm on DSTV Channel 155; and AIT from 8pm to 9pm. Viewers also have the opportunity to win prizes after each episode if they answer the weekly trivia correctly.

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Cynthia Morgan P-Square’s pop queen on the spot p.20 Okoroji ‘We will not sacrifice the interest of music industry’ p.23

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IDEA BEHIND OPEN DOORS’ RELEASE

I think my single, Always Pray for You, has done very well. That was something I did own my own and out of sheer love, not because I promoted the song online, it went farther than I anticipated. I dropped the single in 2009 and people started demanding for an album immediately after. But my journey so far has been one full of challenges, I’m still standing anyway. People will get to know me because they might misunderstand you with just one single, but I think an album after five years is thoughtful enough. CLOGS IN THE WHEEL OF SUCCESS

I’d been through some tough challenges. First of all, you meet dishonest people, so you no longer have people you trust which makes you want to do things on your own, especially the financial part. Secondly, getting stakeholders to hear your music especially on radio, it wasn’t easy at that time. At a point in time, I was hoping to get signed, that way I would be getting a lot of works off my shoulder, but people looked down on me. I went through all that and got signed to Chocolate City in 2012. THE CHOCOLATE CITY DEAL

My next door neighbor, Jeffrey Daniel, was close to my brother who I was living with in Ikoyi, Lagos, at that time. He heard my songs, my brother gave him my CD and after two weeks of delaying, he decided to listen to my work. He listened to Always Pray for You and was blown away. Then he was a judge on Nigerian Idol and Audu Maikore, the CEO of Chocolate City was a co-judge, they’d already heard Always Pray for You. When I met with Audu, he said he wanted to hear other songs and I played the other songs that I’d worked on and he was very impressed. Immediately, we started talking about a contract. But I had some reservation because of my spirituality, I didn’t want that to be affected and I wasn’t sure that they wouldn’t tell me not to drift from my message. I was very concerned about that and we spoke about it. Along the line, there was a little misunderstanding and I decided to continue to do things on my own. After over a year, I got a call from Audu again and the rest is history. THE NATURE OF MY CONTRACT WITH CHOCOLATE CITY

It’s a management and recording deal. ABOUT MY GENRE I want to do away with that ‘gospel music’ tag many are giving my music. I’m a Christian and there’s no genre called inspirational, so I like to use my songs to talk about our everyday life. That’s why my songs affect people more than the regular gospel songs. I could talk about heartbreak from the point of view of a Christian. I could talk about the hardship of the country, love and so on. I have a single I dropped just for the media house before. It’s a beautiful

From Choc City, a new star emerges After producing A-list singers like Jude Abaga (MI), Ice Prince, Victoria Kimani from Kenya among a host of other riveting acts until recently when Brymo unceremoniously exited Chocolate City, the frontline record label is spotlighting another enchanting act, Nosa Shedrak Omoregie. Nosa’s debut album, Open Doors was launched amid pomp at VCP Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on March 14. He reflects on his journey so far in this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA. love song which was inspired by the things we go through every day. If we have time to pray in the morning, if you’re not rushing out of the house, you’d pray for your loved ones, so I wrote about that. I do soul, highlife and as many genres as I can lay my hands on. But the message is to inspire and let you understand more about God. WAY BACK AT UNIBEN

I was a student of Electrical/Electronic Engineering at the University of Benin, Edo State, and I was pastor in the Good Life Family Church which we started when we were in school. I started writing songs while I was in school. I graduated in 2006. WHY MY SONGS ARE MIXTURE OF ENGLISH AND PIDGIN

I want to carry everybody along and I understand that not everyone who understands pidgin can flow with English grammar. On the other hand, everyone who understands English grammar would understand pidgin to a large extent. So, I can carry everyone along with pidgin because if I make the medium expression too hard for the guys on the street, they won’t understand. I have a message of hope in my songs and if I won’t to take something to the streets and I package it in gold, it would look too expensive for people to patronize. That’s why I do most of my songs in pidgin. I don’t really choose to do the songs in pidgin, but when the music comes to me first, I think

“I want to carry everybody along because I understand that not everyone who understands pidgin can flow with English grammar” of the medium of expression for something that will inspire people to feel that; ‘that song is coming from my guy.’ There are fourteen songs in the album. It has Always Pray for You, I just released Always on My Mind and I released a love song out of gratitude to God. But I present the love song in a way that you could sing it to your wife, parents, friends or anyone who’s been there for you because God is all that in one. I have Why You Love Me, I Go Stay, a prayer song, No Worry, a remix of Always on My Mind with MI, and that’s the only collaboration I have now. ALTERNATIVE PLANS IN CASE MUSIC NO LONGER PAYS

I don’t have a Plan B, everything is planned. Music is just a means to an end. I want to do music as a hobby, have money and go to the studio to do songs. I’m going into business as an entrepreneur. There are so many things that I want to invest in. I’m not your regular artiste, a bad spender, I don’t smoke and I don’t drink which doesn’t make

me perfect. I don’t drink or smoke because I just don’t like them. I grew up hating them. DISCOVERING MY TALENT

I discovered that I could sing at age seven, because my family was one time or the other involved in choir. There was a church we were attending then in Benin, we had men choir, women choir, youth choir, children choir and the main choir. I had one family member in each of the choirs. It was Christian Gospel Church in Benin. WHY I DIDN’T STUDY MUSIC AT THE UNIVERSITY

It was because I was just a chorister, a boy who took up the challenge to do some songs. I hadn’t started producing songs then. I got this particular software and I thought that it would help me express myself because I thought that production of songs was for those who could play the instruments. I had the music theory in my head but couldn’t express it with any instrument. Later on, I stumbled on this software where you can produce, bring out the songs in your head, simulate the real life and it changed my life. So, when I started doing some beats and releasing some songs, I felt the urge to write songs. I have a step brother who really challenged me when he said; “hey, let’s break the rule.” That was how I started writing songs. This first song I wrote was Fire in My Bone. It’s not on this album, but it would be on the sophomore.

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Abiola Ige reacts to steamy photo ‘...What’s wrong in being professional?’

ecently, a salacious photo of two actors , Abiola Ige and Muna Obiekwe went viral on the internet. With Muna in firm grip of Abiola’s boobs, savouring one like a sumptuous ball of orange, reactions trailing the brazen shot are yet to abate. The delectable actress who had kept mum on the ignominy finally spoke out on why and how the photo came to be. Her words partly read: “I was going to remain silent on the photo being displayed on the internet, however, I realise that I need to set the record straight for my family, friends and fans who I love and respect. The photo in question was taken from the set of a movie called ‘PREGNANT HAWKERS’ in which I played a hawker who was in a romantic situation with a man. This movie was shot and aired two years ago. The photo circulating the internet right now is the photo from a scene in the movie and NOTHING

more. IF you watched the movie you will see that there is nothing to this movie other than the fact that I was playing a role! I am an actress, it is a profession that I love and will continue to enjoy. I am required to play all sorts of roles. In each role I step out of being Biola Ige and go straight i n t o ‘character’. “Whoever maliciously leaked this photo to make it appear to be something else has simply given me some great publicity! Thank you. I have been through a lot of difficult things this year with the loss of my mom and a brief illness, that a simple photo from a movie scene from 2 years ago is the least of my worries. I have no further comments regarding this act to hurt my character. I look forward to acting more movies, and playing more roles to entertain you. Thank you all for reading.” A Yoruba actress who

E-BRIEFS

Olamide concludes UK tour

Actor, Victor Edogun writes novel on terrorism

igerian rapper, Olamide has rounded off his week-long United Kingdom tour. Photos from his performance proved that his fans had waited long enough to have him live on stage as he was almost stampeded particularly by overzealous female friends. And now, the tour has ended and he’s billed to land in the country soon. Interestingly so, Olamide and girlfriend share same birth month, March. His girlfriend’s birthday was a couple of days back and she was with him in Birmingham, while his was last Saturday, March 15.

eteran actor, Victor Edogun, has written a novel on the rampaging terrorism situation in Nigeria. The novel, tentatively titled Save Today, will hit the shelves in a couple of weeks. The insightful and blunt piece x-rays the genesis and remote causes of terrorism in Nigeria, and the reasons it seems insolvable. Aside beaming its searchlight on the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect and how they can be permanently curbed, Edogun also enumerated the different types of terrorism that are plaguing Nigeria. According to Edogun, the different types of terrorism include corporate terrorism, societal terrorism, jungle justice, social terrorism, colonial terrorism, moral terrorism, financial terrorism, family and government terrorism. “We all are individually guilty of terrorism except you have never exhibited any of these tentacles of the evil. For instance, corporate terrorism is indiscriminate/mass sacking of staff, often cloaked as downsizing/retrenchment,” Edogun hinted. He added that in a country where resources are scarce, the pace of intergroup competitions increases. “This is because each group rests its survival and consequent development on the available resources. Where such competitive conditions pervade among inter-group relationships in society, a behavioural pattern is exhibited whereby competition for scarce resources breeds mutual mistrust. Each group tends to distort its own position and, on occasion, even falsify it. Each group sees the other as the ‘enemy’ and forms its own stereotypes of opposing groups.

knows the evasive Abiola insists that, “Abiola wasn’t naïve two years ago, she enjoyed what she was doing. In fact, if she has another opportunity, she’d do the same many times over. You need to see the circle of friends she keeps to be sure of the kind of girl she is.”

Jesse Jagz drops post Choc City second album

ormer Chocolate City act and brother to M.I Abaga, rapper Jesse Jagz, has unveiled the album art and tracklist to his upcoming album, Jagz Nation Vol.2: The Royal Niger Company. Last year, the talented producer and singer wowed with his rich sophomore album Jagz Nation, Vol.1: Thy Nation Come. The tracklist for the album will be released on the March 28.

Cynthia Morgan, Jude Okoye’s new sign-on in weird photoshoot

aul and Peter Okoye’s elder brother, Jude, otherwise known as Engees recently signed a beautiful pop singer, Cynthia Morgan to the Square Records family. To stun the waiting fans, the daring songstress returned from the studio with this shot.

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What’s marijuana got to do with music?

It’s hardly ever openly acknowledged, but it’s a common notion that marijuana use remains a closet passion for many artistes, writes OLUSHOLA RICKETTS

n a recent visit to a nightclub in Oregun, Ikeja, the hall was full with fun seekers. It was about 2.00am. At a corner marked “VIP Section”, several artistes amid sips of champagne exchange banters drowned by the loud music. As the reporter heads towards the rest room, he glimpsed two artistes wrapping some dried, leafy substance. He got to know what their subject of interest was only after it was lit - marijuana! This might be an isolated scenario, yet it helps underscores artistes’ increasing reliance on this banned substance. Although by no means peculiar to Nigeria, the country’s case is particularly ironic given the frequency at which artistes - even those with a penchant for raunchy lyrics - are listed as “ambassadors” of one noble cause or the other. The reasons for marijuana use may vary on a larger scale, but the popular refrain in showbiz is that it confers ample confidence on the user sufficient to banish all stage fright. This is one of the reasons the business soars and so productive in Nigeria and beyond. In Nigerian, the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti made marijuana popular in the music scene by allowing smokers to romp free at his famous Shrine. He sang about marijuana, idolized it, and smoked it. It may have been outlawed everywhere else, but marijuana had no such imprint in Fela’s “republic”. He called it “African grass”. Virtually all his acolytes followed suit. But it was a contrasting picture at his son’s enclave, Afrika Shrine. At a point, Femi Kuti reportedly banned the smoking of hemp in and around the Afrika Shrine, a decision said to have been observed mostly in the breach. According to singer, Timi Dakolo, there has never been any time he thought of smoking marijuana or any other substance to aid his performance. “Honestly, I don’t know why some artistes take weed. Contrary to popular beliefs or misconceptions, an artiste must not smoke weed before he gets on stage to entertain. We have to be extremely careful too as musicians because we are being watched by people. Also, children pick up habits fast, so we must be careful. I know this because I am a father too,” Dakolo said. An up and coming rap artiste, Bamise Olabode, told New Telegraph that marijuana use should never be considered an acceptable habit. He said some weeks ago, a teacher in Florida was suspended by the school management and questioned by the police because he told some children to listen to Lil Wayne’s song. He said the teacher merely wanted to point out some literary devices he noted in the song, but paid dearly owing to the song’s adulation of marijuana. Olabode said “Mary J” - one of several monikers associated with marijuana - is becoming more of a trend and culture amongst entertainers. He worries about the adverse effect its prevalence is having on the minds of the youth. “Weed these days has become a thing of pleasure. It has gone to the extent that smoking it is what some entertainers who are meant to

Weed these days has become a thing of pleasure. It has gone to the extent that smoking it is what some entertainers who are meant to be role models do at their leisure time be role models do at their leisure time. When you ask them, they say it is just fun. Personally, I do not think marijuana should be the only worry here because entertainers also take codeine in the name of getting high,” he said. Also, Olumide Olabisi (Olu Kode) described weed as an essential creation of humanity. He said most artistes use it to be inspired. “It is like a source of inspiration but I must say that it is not all musicians that smoke or take weeds,” he pointed out. For artistes that take marijuana, he said it is not such a big deal if children look up to them as role models, noting that children should rather appreciate their positive side. “We have kind, nice and generous musicians that take marijuana. We cannot say they are not good role models simply because they take weed. We equally have artistes who do not take weed but have no compassion for others. Marijuana is not a yardstick to determine goodness,” he explained. Emerging female musician, Ebisan Bukola Damola, said: “people say it helps them to be more creative. For me, my drug of choice is simply chocolate and it helps a lot. But artistes that get nervous on stage claim marijuana calms them down and allows them to perform without any pressure.” Speaking about the influence it has on kids, Ebisan lamented the many misleading things that children are

Terry-G

exposed to via television or the internet. “Parents should remain the children’s primary role models,” she said. For the chief executive officer of Gas Promotions, Ayodele Odunsi, it’s hard to see any relationship between weed and great performance. He believes it’s simply a mindset. “I do not believe in taking weed. I work closely with many artistes in the studio and we never have reasons to smoke before we get inspiration. Smoking does not suit everybody; it damages the body system and renders people useless. Parents have a serious job in re-orientating their children.” But a musician who asked not to be identified said weed prevents most users from seeing their hurt. “If an artiste can focus on his music without thinking about what critics have got to say, family and relationship problems and other pressures, there is no limit to his or her ability.” The situation in the view of a showbiz critic is pretty much dire than previously thought. “In every five Nigerian artistes,” he said, “we have more than one user of weed and almost all the top Nigerian artistes such as M.I, 9ice, Tuface, Wizkid, D’banj,Timaya, Terry G, and Vector Da viper have made references to weed once or twice in their lyrics .”

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Tuface joins the BlackRealvolution train

wa rd -w i n n i n g artiste, Tuface Idibia, has pitched his tent with the #Blackrealvolution movement. The Blackrealvolution movement represents peace, love and unity - values which the talented singer has strongly promoted through his songs. He stated that the movement would be formally launched on Friday, March 28, asking that interested Nigerians should join the #Blackrealvolution. “I can assure Nigerians that the experience would be one which they won’t forget in a hurry. The memories of the #Blackrealvolution movement would linger in the memories of Nigerians for a long time to come, he intoned. He further explained that “the #Blackrealvo-

Peter Okoye shares happy moments with kids

espite the busy times the popular musician Psquare, Peter Okoye has, he still makes out time for his family, just like a responsible father will do. The talented singer, Peter Okoye, shared photos of himself and his two children, Cameron and Aliona, swimming. The photograph was titled “My little princess… #Aliona #happymoment”.

lution is about stirring up the spirit of consciousness and good tidings in Nigerians. The movement represents positivity, being our brother’s keeper and forming a united front against negative forces. I preach the message of love, peace and unity through many of my songs. And I have also written songs advocating for better leadership.” Tuface said he’s a firm believer that Nigeria can compete with countries considered far developed if Nigeria’s vast potential can be properly harnessed. The chart-topping artiste said: “I believe in perfection, I believe in excellence. #Blackrealvolution is about being innovative and distinctive in one’s endeavours. It is about being real.”

Phyno releases full album

zubuike Chibuzo Nelson is out with a full album ,Tracklist. He got his nickname Phyno from the word phenomenal and in less than three years of his debut in the industry as a rap artiste, Phyno has lived up to the sobriquet. Phyno’s debut album “No Guts, No Glory” is set to be released in a couple of days. Arguably one of the most

Iyanya rolls out NGO

inger, Iyanya Mbuk, has announced the launch of his non-governmental organisation called The Iyanya Foundation. The popular artiste disclosed that the new foundation would help orphans across the country and improve their lives. He explained that the NGO would also cater for the needs of orphans and the less-privileged in the society. “I am one of the very few orphans who had the opportunity to become great and influential in the society through my music and with MTN giving me the platform through Project Fame. Not every talented boy or girl on the street today will be as fortunate as Iyanya.”

Dare speaks on Nigerian Idol deal

John Dumelo and Rukky Sanda in hot romance?

ohn Dumelo is one of the hottest guys in Ghana’s movie industry but he’s yet to get hooked. He said he’s really taking his time to ensure he ends up with the right person although he’s been under pressure to get married. But since the photo of himself and actress, Rukky Sanda, hit the airwaves, the buzz is that there may be some kind of closely knit tie between these two.

anticipated albums from a Nigerian hip-hop artiste, Phyno’s fans can now take a sneak peek into what the rapper has been brewing for them. Collaborations with other Naija music powerhouses include PSquare, Omawumi, Flavour, MI, Timaya, Ice Prince, Mr Raw and, of course, Olamide. He also features rising artistes Efa, Runtown, and Stormrex.

igerian singer, Dare Art Alade, was recently unveiled as one of the judges of the popular Nigerian television reality show, Nigerian Idol, sponsored by Etisalat. Speaking in an interview on Friday, the RnB artiste, who just concluded his ‘Love Like a Movie 2’ (LLAM2) concert in Lagos, which featured American RnB singer, Kelly Rowland, disclosed why he accepted to be a judge on the show. According to him, “Nigerian idol came calling and man must work”. This was when he was asked why he agreed to take up the job after he finished his concert. He further said he would bring his experience and music ear into the competition.

D-Black, Samini, Efya, others on tour

hanaians can expect to have the very best of entertainment as D-Black, Samini, Tic Tac, Efya, EL, Swag Society and P.Kay embark on tour. The event dubbed “See the Future Road Tour” will kick off on March 28, to recognize alternative talents who are usually sidelined. They would be accompanied by a few other celebrity performers who will mount various stages across Ghana

to entertain fun lovers with freestyle performances designed to inspire the next generation of artistes. The tour starts from Kuku Hill in Osu and makes five other stops at locations on different dates and will feature various artistes showcasing performances from diverse creative fields — from dance, rap, poetry recitals, comedy, acrobatic displays, magic display, music, painting, drawing, among others.

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Okoroji: We will not sacrifice the interest of music industry

hairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, has said that the representatives of COSON in the on-going NBC/NCC/ COSON/BON/IBAN Joint Committee will not sacrifice the interest of the music industry. Chief Okoroji bared his mind when he addressed members of the COSON management at a meeting during the week. Okoroji said, “We understand the historic nature of the ongoing negotiations. In the interest of the country, we are willing to bend backwards where it is necessary and compromise where we consider it appropriate but we will not under any circumstance sacrifice the interest of members of COSON or the right owners in the various countries around the globe who have mandated COSON to manage their rights. You have my word that we will not sacrifice the interest of the music industry in Nigeria.” Okoroji further explained: “We refuse to accept that the music industry in Nigeria must subsidize the broadcast industry. By population, Nigeria is by far the largest country in Africa. Our GDP is set to outstrip that of South Africa in a few years.” He further stressed that, “Our music is heavily in demand across the world; more than that of any nation in Africa. No one

has yet given me any reason why in tiny countries, such as Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, etc, they are collecting far more royalties for music from broadcasting stations than Nigeria. No one has told me why South Africa has to collect over one hundred times more royalties for music from broadcasting stations than Nigeria. “The royalties paid in Nigeria must be reasonable and in accordance with prevailing standards. This is about the future of our children who are investing their talent, time and resources to create the great music that is shaking the world. They have my assurance that regardless of the provocation, intimidation or threat, we will fully defend their interest.” It further stated that, “COSON is not interested in distributing pittance to our stakeholders as copyright royalties. Music is intellectual property with substantial value. Those who want it should be ready to pay for it. Our industry must show in its returns the fact that by far, we are the most active in the continent. We cannot say that we are the first and then we are behaving like the last.” Asked why the negotiations seem to be going on for so long, the COSON chairman explained: “This can never be a never ending process. The NBC pronouncement is

Okoroji

clear as to when this process comes to an end. We are being very patient and professional. We have refused to be provoked so that no one seizes it as a reason to do that which is contrary to the interest of the music industry. Anyone who meets with us will tell you that we do not posture. We deal with facts. We are bringing a lot of incontrovertible facts to the table and my hope is that at the end of this process, the music industry would have taken a major leap forward. I wish to thank the leaderships of the NBC and NCC for their engagement.”

On January 9, the National Broadcasting Commission published a major pronouncement in reaction to the COSON, BON/IBAN conflict and set up the NBC/ NCC/COSON/BON/IBAN Joint Committee to review copyright royalty tariffs with respect to broadcast of musical works and sound recordings and to ensure that the royalties paid by broadcast stations in Nigeria are fair, reasonable and in accordance with prevailing standards. The joint committee was inaugurated in Lagos on February 24.

Dayo Adeneye and Keke Ogungbe

Jaywon on his Kennis Music saga

I Jaywon

ledare Oluwajuwonlo James better known as Jaywon has reacted to the ongoing friction between him and his label Kennis Music. Jaywon had written Kennis Music through his lawyers that he wanted to buy out what is left of his contract. According to the artiste, he is willing to bear all the financial implications that would be involved in buying out the contract. Since the recent developments between Kennis Music and the artiste, the label is said to have

alerted all members of the Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (IBAN), to remove the works of the artiste, either single or collaborations, from their respective rotation play lists, until his request to buy out his contract is completed. Knowing the pedigree of Kennis Music, Jaywon is set to spend a long time on the negotiation table with Kenny Ogungbe, before a reasonable conclusion is reached.

24 NTWEEKEND

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... a finger on the city’s pulse

Myma Keem Bello-Osagie celebrates 60th birthday

Not yet game for Ayo Fayose

ecently, Dr. Myma Bello-Osagie, the wife of banking and telecommunication expert, Keem Belo-Osagie clocked 60. The Ghanaian born lawyer marked her birthday celebration alongside Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, her husband’s best friend, who also clocked 60. The party was held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island. The private gig was graced by top Nigerian elites. Myma is a managing partner with Udo Udomo & Belo-Osagie, a leading law firm. She specializes in energy, natural resources and the environment, telecommunications, corporate advisory including foreign investments, corporate restructuring including mergers and acquisitions. A graduate of the University of Ghana, Myma is a recipient of two degrees from Harvard Law School. She is a specialist in Nigerian Petroleum Regulations and Environmental Law. It is pertinent to note that Myma played a key role in drafting the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, and she is a member of the New York, Ghana and Nigeria Bars – as well as the American Bar Association. The delectable lady is ranked as one of the World’s Leading Lawyers in the Corporate/M&A section of the Chambers’ Global Directory.

LANRE ODUKOYA - 08059296445

Bello-Osagie

ormer governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Ayo Fayose’s attempt to return to office is currently deadlocked. Sources claim a growing force within his party, Peoples Democratic Party, doesn’t want him in power. “They want a consensus candidate to be chosen,” the source disclosed. Insiders explained that the move will enable the antiFayose elements to successfully shoot him out of play on the basis of party directive. Yesterday is gone, but some strong stakeholders are pessimistic about Fayose’s candidature because they feel he’s reckless with power which was also believed had cut short his tenure. However, the former governor has declared intention to resist emergence of any consensus candidate as his party’s flag bearer. Fayose vehemently echoed his emotion: “I don’t want to be a consensus candidate. Everybody must be given the right

to exercise his right as a member of the party. I have obtained my form, I returned it, I was screened and the last leg is the primary. If an aspirant has paid N11 million for primary, he should have courage to face the electorate to elect him as candidate. I reject consensus in totality.” Sources claim Fayose is talking tough because he’s beginning to sense something untoward.

Fayose

Rasak, Sade Okoya renew wedding

The prince in web of betrayal

alabari Prince, Tonye Princewill is yet to recover from the blow dealt him by a media aide. And it seemed just like William Blakej had him in mind when he said: “It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” The man who had been his wordsmith for years, one who authored nearly all the literary darts he’d been firing has cunningly dumped him for an old foe, Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi. Prior to this time, the governor and Princewill had a cordial relationship and immediately that affair became sour, the latter had granted several interviews to express his displeasure about how the governor is steering the ship of his state. Princewill on the other hand portrays a patriotic stance to whatever he tells the press, most of which turns out to be anti-Amaechi in presentation. As the once trusted aide’s loyalty changes like weather, Princewill is unsettled because he’s already aware most of his clandestine plans would be laid bare before a man he’s stealthily battling.

Rasak and Sade Okoya

4-year-old billionaire businessman, Rasak Akanni Okoya and his wife and mother of his four youngest children) Sade Okoya, 36, renewed their wedding vows last weekend at their palatial Oluwa-ni-sola estate, on the Lekki-Ajah highway, Lagos. In attendance were former Lagos State governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the current governor, Raji Fashola among a host of others from the high society. The lavish gig reminds one of the very humble beginnings of Sade Okoya (now the most powerful woman in the Okoya clan). Kuburat was the first woman prominently known with the billionaire capitalist before she was ousted by Ajoke, a woman once after Rasak’s heart. Some power tussle played out between Ajoke and Wosilat, Rasak’s only sister which later went out of hand. There were salacious tales relating to doubtful paternity in the household. That, plus other allegations she made against her husband ended the relationship. And the new era ushered in a much younger maiden, Sade.

Morin Desalu: Strides of a corporate amazon

Princewill

n the last few months, there has been an explosion of amazons whose professional profiles have been on the rise in the corporate space and one of such women is Morin Desalu. She is the CEO of Riskwatch Insurance and a member of the Board of Trustees of Women in Business, WIMBIZ. Morin is the daughter of the late Emeritus Professor Adeboye Babalola. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in social sciences from Sheffield City Polytechnic (now known as Sheffield Hallam University). She then proceeded to the University of Sheffield, England, from where she obtained a Master’s degree in business administration. After her Master’s degree, Morin spent five years at Lloyd’s as an Aviation Placing Broker with Jardine Insurance Brokers

International Limited in London. She is a Chartered Insurance Practitioner, an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, London and a practicing Insurance Professional. She manages Risk Watch Insurance Brokers Limited in Lagos and is the Chairperson of Risk Finance Options Limited, a risk management consultancy practice. Morin is an alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School having attended the Chief Executive Programme. She is a volunteer for the Mentorship Programme of the Fate Foundation; a Trustee of The Samaritan’s Wallet and a member of the Board of EFINA (Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access). A keen golfer, Morin is married to Adewunmi and together they have five sons and two daughters.

Desalu

War on the Bridge: Chelsea, Arsenal in title race clash

p28 Iniesta: Barca can win clasico war p29

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EgwUekwe seeks special Wedding gift from mates

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Eagles defence okay for Brazil –Rufai Vincent Eboigbe

uper Eagles defence is one area in the team that gives followers of the game in Nigeria cause for concern as the Brazil 2014 World Cup gets closer. Godfrey Oboabona is just finding his feet in the Turkish league, so also his central defensive partner, Kenneth Omeruo, whose move on loan from Chelsea to Middlesbrough in the lower division in England has not been long enough to give him an edge. Even the recall of ageing skipper Joseph Yobo has not managed to calm nerves ahead of the Mundial.

But Peter Rufai doesn’t believe there is reason to be worried. The former Super Eagles goalkeeper argued in a brief chat with New Telegraph, that at any point in time there are always areas in a team that may not measure up or that may need strengthening, adding that this is ‘normal’ but that what makes the difference is how that deficiency is handled. Rufai said, “In football you are always going to have areas that may be of concern; it could be offensive and it could be defensive. It is normal. “Sometimes these lapses only become obvious when you play a strong team which

Bench role won’t affect Eagles in Brazil -Nwosu

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exposes the weaknesses. I don’t think the defence is something that should cause Nigerians undue worry as I feel the technical crew is in control and equal to the task of beefing up that area in time for the World Cup. I saw the Mexico friendly and the defence was up to the task. And Mexico has players you must agree that are a highly rated in the world. “Also, there are a number of quality friendly matches that have been lined up for the Super Eagles before the World Cup; these games will help to further solidify the area. I do not have any fears.”

Life after football has been great – Shorunmu

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26 SPORT

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Leaguemania with Chimaobi Uchendu princehench@yahoo.com

08092747532

Egwuekwe seeks special Wedding gift from mates

Nigeria Premier League standard delights Glo

itle sponsor of Glo Premier League, Globacom, has commended the clubs for their conduct in the past three weeks since the commencement of the league across various centres in the country. “The reports from the centres on crowd control and teams’ discipline have so far been impressive, and we believe things can only get better as the league progresses”, Globacom said in a statement. “In addition, we are glad that the league is gradually returning to its old glory, and we wish to commend the fans for embracing the new dawn with their orderly conduct,” the statement added. The company said the robust quality of football witnessed since the commencement of the new season, as well as the wholesome atmosphere at the venues where the matches have been played have been commendable. According to the telecommunications company, the new trend will shore up the rating of Nigeria’s league on the continent in the nearest future. “It will be gratifying if we can maintain and even surpass our position as one of the top three leagues in Africa. Glo, as the title sponsor, will continue to support efforts aimed at achieving the goal,” the statement further said. Meanwhile, action returns on Week 3 on Friday when Heartland host Sharks of Port Harcourt in Owerri, while Crown Football Club of Ogbomisho welcome Dolphins of Port Harcourt in Ibadan on Saturday.

Shobowale Azeez of 3SC tackle Orji Kalu of Heartland FC during the 2013 Nigeria Professional Football League match between 3SC and Heartland FC

Nembe can return to NPFL – Salihu

he League Management Company (LMC) has urged Giwa FC of Jos and Nembe City FC to challenge their ouster from the Glo Premier League through the proper channels. Salihu Abubakar, the chief operating officer of the League’s organising body, urged the affected clubs to seek redress by going on appeal with the Appeals Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as is the standard practice. He declined to make further comments on the situation with GIwa FC, but admonished Nembe City to take

appropriate steps to get themselves reinstated by going on appeal with the NFF. Saliu said “I can only talk about Nembe City for now. For Giwa, the matter is in the court and we are warned not to talk on it. “For Nembe, they know what to do to return to the league, the licensing regulations allow them to come to the NFF and seek redress if they feel they are not satisfied with decision of the LMC.” “For instance, in asking for a performance guarantee from the Clubs, the LMC has merely sought

Rangers seek redemption with Pillars visit

Gambo

nugu Rangers’ 2-1 loss to Enyimba of Aba last weekend in a southeast derby would be the right tonic the Flying Antelopes need to wake up to their earlier vow to win laurel at the end of this season. To do this they have a mountain to climb in Kano Pillars on Saturday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium in the week 3 match of the ongoing Globacom premier league After becoming the first team to score against Enymba in Aba since June 10, 2012, they are now turbo charged to add misery to the Sai Masu Gida boys who were rescued by Mohammed Gambo last weekend in the match against Sunshine Stars of Akure. The drama played out in Kano where Sunshine Stars were just seconds away from ending Kano Pillars’ unbeaten run at home of more than 10 years but for the intelligence of their star striker Gambo.

to enforce compliance with Article 1.5 (5) of the 2012 Regulations which requires all participating clubs to provide irrevocable letter of commitment from their owners confirming financial status and capability to play in the season. The sanction for noncompliance to this requirement is automatic withdrawal or deregistration of the club from the league”. He further explained that the registration requirements implemented at this stage was to condition the Clubs towards meeting the more stringent FIFA and CAF Club Licensing regulation.

Week 2 results Pillars

2-2

Sunshine

Enyimba

2-1

Rangers

Kaduna Utd

3 -1 FC Taraba

Nasarawa Utd 1-1

Akwa Utd

Gombe Utd

0-0

Bayelsa Utd

Sharks

1-0

Lobi Stars

Crown

1-0

Heartland

Week 3 fixtures Saturday 22-03-14 Crown FC

Dolphins FC

FC Taraba

El-Kanemi Warriors

Kano Pillars

Enugu Rangers

Sunday 23-03-14 Akwa United

Kaduna Utd

Lobi Stars

Gombe United

Wednesday 26-03-14 Warri Wolves

Enyimba

Bayelsa

Nasarawa Utd

uper Eagles and Warri Wolves defender, Azubuike Egwuekwe, has asked his team mates for a befitting wedding present as he walks down the aisle with his heartthrob this weekend. He said the best present he can ever receive is a convincing win against C.A.Bizertin of Tunisia in their CAF confederations Cup match at the Warri Township stadium. While he expressed gratitude to God for helping him to get a woman who really loves him, he urged the players to win for him. “ I want to really thank God as He has done much for me especially picking the right lady for me. I want to appeal to the players to play their heart out and give us victory as a gift. The only thing I want from them is victory and if they can do that, we will be happy” said Egwuekwe who was part of the team that won the Nations Cup last year. Reacting, Warri Wolves assistant Captain, Uche Ossai assured that the Club will win their continental match against C.A.Bizertin on Saturday for the sake of their Captain and Super Eagles defender, Egwuekwe who is getting married to his heartthrob, Isioma in Abi Town, Ndokwa area of Delta State on Saturday, 24 hours before the encounter. Ossai who will not be able to attend personally as a result of the match, said the only thing they can do for their Captain is to win convincingly for him and his wife to be. He said those of them who will not be playing on Sunday will be there to celebrate with the couple and wish them the best. “ It is un fortunate some of us will not be there because of the match but we have all resolved to win this match for the new couple as that is the debt we owe him. He is an inspirational captain who has served this club well. He deserved the best from us and by the Grace of God, we shall dedicate the victory to him.”

Jude Opara Abuja

ome members of staff of the Nigeria Football Federation have kicked against the idea of using a particular set of staff as national teams’ secretaries. Some aggrieved staff of the federation who confided in New Telegraph said the NFF hierarchy has continued to encourage act of favoritism by not making the appointment rotational among those who are qualified. Spokesman of the aggrieved group alleged that the administration of Sani Lulu popularized the ugly trend and used it

as its divide and rule strategy. “This was never the practice in this office. I still remember the time of Alhaji Sani Toro, the appointments as secretary of the national teams were always rotated among the staff and everybody was happy with the system. “Today what we are seeing is a situation where only the same set of people are used as secretaries as if they have anything the rest of us do not have. Everything now is about having a godfather and it is not good for our football”. The secretary of any national team is always in charge of the allowances of players as well as inviting them to camp.

Bench role won’t affect Eagles in Brazil -Nwosu Success

Chimaobi Uchendu

Ugbade tips Success F for Granada glory

• As ex-Eaglets star eyes La Liga action Charles Ogundiya

lying Eagles assistant coach, Nduka Ugbade, has expressed confidence in the ability of former Under-17 star, Isaac Success, who was unveiled alongside Uche Agbo on Tuesday by Spanish Primera Division side, Granada FC. Success was the star of the Under-17 team in the run up to the Under-17 World Cup which the team won for the fourth time last year in the United Arab Emirates, but an injury copped in the second game of the competition put an end to his championship. Ugbade who was one of the assistant coaches of the Eaglets team that won the World Cup last year, in an interview with New Telegraph said the coaching crew is planning to build the new Under-20 team around him. “It was very unfortunate that Success

sustained that injury in UAE, but thank God he has overcome the injury. I see him turning into a bigger star at Granada. “We are looking forward to seeing him in the Under-20 team, infact the technical crew is planning to build the new team around him as we did towards the World Cup. He is a good player and I am happy for him,” he said. Meanwhile, Isaac Success, speaking with New Telegraph from his Spanish base said he has put the misfortune of the World Cup behind him. “I am back on my feet now doing what I know best how to do, I am looking forward to breaking into Granada’s first team as soon as possible. This is another opportunity for me to prove myself in a big club like this,” he said. Success was originally signed by Udinese of Italy but loaned out to Granada until June 30, 2018.

ormer Green Eagles player, Henry Nwosu, has downplayed the bench roles of key Super Eagles players ahead of the World Cup holding in Brazil. The Gateway of Abeokuta head coach said their bench roles in their clubs would not affect Nigeria’s performance at the mundial. “Warming the bench does not make any player less potent, rather it diminishes his market value. That Mikel and Moses are having difficulty making the first eleven of their clubs does not make them lazy or of less value as far as the national team is concerned,” he said. Nwosu said Stephen Keshi understood the problem that had made most of his key players bench warmers and would assist them whenever they come to camp for national assignment. “Keshi played in Europe for several years, so he understands the situation that keeps a player on the bench. Moses and

Cycology partners UBA Foundation to ride against cancer

NFF Secretariat staff frown at nepotism

Edo Sports Forum hails Okpekpe Race ports in Edo State is about to witness a revolution following the resolution of the nascent Edo Sports Media Practitioners Forum in Lagos on Thursday. The body which consists of such eminent sports journalists as Frank Ilaboya, Ben Alaiya, Mike Maiyaki, Henry Okoduwa, Cecilia Omorogbe, Osaretin Emuze, Patrick Omorodion and other eminent journalists from Edo state, said they have resolved to partner the state government in the drive to reposition sports in Edo State. In a communiqué signed by the body’s Protem Chairman Osaretin Emuze and Secretary Smarts Ebhodaghe, the body hailed the initiative of the second edition of the Okpekpe Road Race scheduled for May 3 in Etsako area of Edo State. “We must praise the initiators of the Okpekpe Road Race, especially Mr Mike Itemuagbor and corporate Nigeria, which has been very supportive. We must also praise Governor Adams Oshiomhole for being supportive of this race which has assumed international status from the very beginning and we believe it’s the sign of greater things to happen to Edo sports”. The forum while admitting the genuine desire of the Edo State government to revive foremost football club, Bendel Insurance FC, said there was need for concerted efforts from all and sundry to revive the darling club of the state. “We recognize the efforts of the government, but our position is that more needs to be done to get the club back and running especially in the area of welfare for players and officials. The forum then renewed its call for a formal meeting with Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, where some of the programmes on its agenda can be formally presented to the governor for articulation. “We acknowledge the efforts of the governor and his team but as indigenes of the state and stakeholders we want to partner with the government to take sports in Edo State to another level.

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NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

ycology Riding Club has partnered with the UBA Foundation to stage a charity ride to create awareness about the scourge of prostate cancer. According to captain of the club, Frank Ozomah, the ride comes up on Saturday and about 100 cyclists (mostly Cycology club members) will take part in the 20km ride. He said they have concluded plans to stage the race in order to enlighten

people more about the disease and the need to go for periodical medical checks so the cancer can be detected early. Speaking to the press at the club house in Ikoyi, Ozomah was optimistic that Cycology Riding Club will once again make an impact in the society. “The idea as usual is to cycle in large numbers (in a particularly branded jersey around a given route thereby attracting attention and people’s curiosity). Our hope is that this

ride will be one of the arsenals in the fight against this aliment,” Ozomah said. He continued: “Prostrate cancer is prevalent amongst black men over the age of 45 and there is a need to have regular medical checkup.” He added that the ride will start at the UBA House in Marina to the National Stadium, Surulere via Awolowo Road, Falomo, Ahmadu Bello Way, Bonny Camp and Eko Bridge.

Moses

Mikel would be instant hit for other clubs outside where they play currently but training with their present teammates helps them play better any day. “Whenever they are in the National camp, Keshi knows what to do to get them ready, so, I see them as asset to the Eagles during the World than liabilities that most Nigerians think they would be.” He also called on Keshi to have a rethink over some of the players who had been sideline due to indiscipline and those that are on self-exile because the World Cup is a showcase of every country’s best legs and Nigeria cannot be exception. “I want to advice my friend and teammate, Keshi, to have a change of heart about those players that he had sidelined for indiscipline and others that are on self-exile. We need most of them now to boost our chances at the World Cup. We cannot afford to use rookies to face tough opposition and frankly those that have been left out of the team are the best Nigeria can boast of now,” Nwosu said.

for tough

159

Chelsea

47 61

51 204

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WAR ON THE BRIDGE:

Draw Lose Score

favorites. As it has been throughout the season, there remains a widespread belief that Arsenal don’t have what it takes to get the required results when it really counts to lift the trophy for the first time in a decade. Yet, while they have wobbled, Arsene Wenger’s side have hung around. And a win at Stamford Bridge at the weekend would mean having to be taken seriously.

TEAM NEWS

28 27 28 28 17 27 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28

1 Juventus 2 Roma 3Napoli 4 Fiorentina 5 Inter 6 Parma 7 Lazio 8 Verona 9 Atalanta 10 Torino 11 Milan 12 Genoa 13 Sampdoria 14 Udinese 15 Cagliari 16 Chievo 17 Livorno 18Bologna 19 Sassuolo 20 Catania

28 28

17 Getafe ARSENAL: Aaron Ramsey, who signed a new contract

15 Osasuna 16 Vallecano

14 Málaga

9 Espanyol

8 Valencia

13 Elche

7 Sevilla

6 Villarreal

12 Granada

5 Sociedad

4 Bilbao

11 Celta Vigo

3 Barcelona

2 Atlético

10 Levante

1 Real

LaLiga

Team

Serie A

CHELSEA: David Luiz returned from injury to take his place on the bench in midweek, meaning that Ashley Cole and Marco van Ginkel are now the only absentees. Cole could well return from a knee injury on Saturday but is likely to only be on the bench against his former club. Van Ginkel has returned to training following his cruciate ligament injury and is now set to get game time with the Under-21 side.

Chelsea, Arsenal in title race clash he latest chapter in a Premier League title race that refuses to predictable will be written today when Chelsea host London rivals Arsenal. After Arsenal had set the early pace, the title then appeared to be heading inexorably toward Manchester City as Manuel Pellegrini’s side went on a scoring rampage. But as City faulted, Chelsea rediscovered their ruthless efficiency under Jose Mourinho to inspire a

159

Arsenal

Matches Win

Team

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Global Football Special

Liverpool in January . John Mikel Obi may not play any part when Chelsea host fellow title contenders, Arsenal. The midfielder has played just twelve minutes of football for the Blues this month and that might continue this weekend as Coach Jose Mouriho prefers new boy, Nemanja Matic in Chelsea’s anchor role. Same might go for Victor Moses who has spent more time on the bench this year than most of Liverpool players. He has played just sixteen minutes for the Reds in the last two months and is likely going to be an unused substitute against Cardiff City this weekend.

Onazi, Balotelli Uche, Azeez

toke City will count on the impressive form of their Nigerian import, Osaze Odemwingie, when they confront Gabriel Agbolahor’s Aston Villa in a Premier League fixture on Sunday. Odemwingie was the hero for the Potters when they beat West Ham last weekend. The Super Eagles outcast scored two goals as his side ran to a 3-1 win over the Hammers. He has formed a telepathic union with gangling Peter Crouch since moving to the Britannia Stadium in January. Though he’s managed just three goals in seven appearances for his new club, his work rate has become a major headache for opponents and Agbolahor and his teammates could find it difficult dealing with him at the Villa Park. Sone Aluko will hope to score his first Premier League goal this year when his club, Hull City, host Victor Anichebe’s West Brom today. Aluko is yet to score since September last year and he will be keen to help his side bounce back from their 2-0 home loss to Man City. Anichebe has paltry three goals, three assists in 19 appearances for the Baggies and has not scored since his strike against

Red-hot Osaze faces Agbonlahor

EAGLES FOCUS

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Ifeanyi Ibeh & ajibade oluSesan

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NEW TELEGRAPH

Pts

28 SPORT NEW TELEGRAP 22 MARC

PSG striker Edinson Cavani has rejected a move to Manchester United. It is understood United bosses sounded out Cavani several months ago about a possible move and were willing to offer him a contract worth around £280,000-a-week.

Barcelona’s board insist there’s no concern over Lionel Messi’s new contract talks. Vice President Faus said:“We are in permanent contact with Jorge Messi and are talking about all aspects of this improvement (of his contract), they are conversations that [Barca president Josep Maria] Bartomeu is having directly with the player’s father.

BRIEFLY

arcelona star Andres Iniesta believes that his side can win “the war” against Real Madrid on Sunday to narrow the gap in the La Liga title race. Los Cules lie four points behind leaders Real, but looked to be back near to their superb best after scoring seven without reply against Osasuna. And a win at the Bernabeu would mean Real go into the last ten games of the season only a point in front. In an interview with Spanish daily SPORT, Iniesta said ”Now comes the most difficult game of the season but also the most beautiful one. “The Madrid-Barca game is a war of football, but what has happened in the past has stayed there. We want to get a good feeling at the Bernabeu and we believe that we can win there.” “It has not been a comfortable season. At all levels, there are changes to be made – it has been difficult.” Iniesta and his wife lost a child, and he thanked Real Madrid players for their support. “I have received expressions of affection from the players of Real Madrid; there are more important things than a football game. My wife and my family appreciate all the love of these people.”

LA LIGA

Iniesta: Barca can win clasico war

The defeat to Villa was the latest example of Chelsea being unable to breakdown or finish off lesser opponents who operate with stubborn resistance. The unconvincing strikers at their disposal was always likely to be a major obstacle to silverware in Mourinho’s first season back in charge and that’s exactly how it’s proved.

Cavani

illarreal striker, Ikechukwu Uche, will be desperate to add to his 12-goal haul when his side visit Estadio Mestalla for a date with Valencia on Sunday. The Super Eagles forward has not scored since January when he helped the Yellow Submarines to a 2-0 win over Almeria. Though he missed about three matches shortly after due to injury, Uche has been struggling for form since he returned from the break. Villarreal are pushing for a Champions League place and rely on the form of the former Getafe forward to realize their ambition. Uche has played 23 league games and racked up 12 goals with one assist. Ramon Azeez’s Almeria has the misfortune of battling relegation and will be looking forward to boosting their fight against the drop when they host Real Sociedad. Azeez has played 23 times for the Mediterranean side and has scored just once. Nosa Igiebor and Odion Ighalo are expected to be missing in action for Real Betis and Granada respectively due to injuries. But it remains to be seen if Granada will feature their new Nigerian acquisition, Isaac Success who moved from Udinese to the club on loan.

duels in Spain

sense of inevitability about their march toward the trophy. That, though, was before last weekend’s shock defeat to Aston Villa that has left them just four points clear of both Arsenal and Liverpool, having played a game more. The tightness and capriciousness of the race is summed up by fourth place Manchester City, with three games in hand, now being the

Messi

Onazi

genyi Onazi could help Lazio compound the problem of ACMilan when the Rossonerri arrive Stadio Olympico for a Serie A match on Sunday. Milan have been experience a turbulent period following a string of poor results this term and Coach Clarence Seedorf seems bereft of idea on how to stem the tide. Lazio, who hope to play continental football next season, will fancy their chances against the former champions and the Nigerian midfielder could play a huge role in the game. Though he’s yet to score a goal, Onazi has been an influential member of Lazio after playing 22 of Lazio matches. Injury-prone Joel Obi is gradually regaining his form and he may appear for Parma against Genoa this weekend. His career has been blighted by recurring injuries and he has managed just five appearances this term.

clash in Italy

Inter v Atalanta Sampdoria v Verona Udinese v Sassuolo Napoli v Fiorentina

Osasuna v Sevilla Betis v Atlético Valencia CF v Villarreal Real v Barcelona

29 29 30 29 29 29 30 29 29

9 Newcastle 10 Aston Villa 11 Stoke 12 West Ham 13 Hull 14 Swansea 15 Norwich 16 West Brom 17 Crystal Palace

21 18

25 25

16 Freiburg 17 Stuttgart

18 Braunschweig 25

Sunday Nürnberg v Frankfurt Leverkusen v 1Hoffenheim

Tottenham v Souton Aston Villa v Stoke

SPORT

Sunday

14Hamburger 15 Nürnberg

13 Frankfurt Mö’gladbach v Hertha

12 Bremen

West Ham v Man Utd

11 Hannover

Wolfsburg v Augsburg

10 Hoffenheim

Norwich v Sunderland

9 Hertha

Stuttgart v Hamburger

8 Augsburg

Newcastle v C/Palace

7 Mö’gladbach

Hannoverv Dortmund

6 Wolfsburg

Man City v Fulham

5 Mainz 05

Schalke v Braunschweig

4 Leverkusen

Hull v West Brom

3 Schalke

Mainz v Bayern

2 Dortmund

Pts

Everton v Swansea

1 Bayern

Bundesliga

8 Southampton

20 Fulham

7 Man Utd

6 Everton

19 Cardiff

5 Tottenham

4 Man City

18 Sunderland

3 Arsenal

2 Liverpool

Pts

1 Chelsea

Saturday

Bundersliga

Lazio v Milan

20 Betis

19 Almería

EPL

18 Valladolid

Cardiff v Liverpool

Chelsea v Arsenal

Saturday

Catania v Juventus

Bologna v Cagliari

Sunday

EPL Fixtures

Parma v Genoa

Bilbao v Getafe

Sunday

Chievo v Roma

Espanyol v Levante Valladolid v Vallecano

Torino v Livorno

Saturday

Serie A

Granada v Elche

Saturday

La Liga

FIXTURES

intracht Braunschweig and Hannover stand in the way of Bayern Munich defending their Bundesliga title this weekend. Pep Guardiola’s side are on the verge of being crowned champions of the German top flight and could win the league

Bayern set to wrap up title this weekend with victory over UEFA Champions League hopefuls Mainz. However, bottom side Braunschweig and mid-table Hannover would have to beat Schalke and Borussia Dortmund respectively to make Bayern’s title mathematically secure. Given that Bayern have scored more league goals than Braunschweig and Hannover combined, Guardiola may have to wait before clinching the Bundesliga in his debut season at the Allianz Arena.

with the club this week, recently suffered a further setback on his return from a thigh injury, meaning he will be ruled out for at least another 10 days. Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere still face several more weeks on the sidelines, while Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby are longterm absentees. January loan signing Kim Kallstrom is now available after a back injury and could be included in the squad for the first time on Saturday.

PH ON SATURDAY CH 2014

30 SPORT

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

Lifestyle

Benzema: Ronaldo’s girlfriend is sexy

arim Benzema believes his Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo is the ‘best player of all time.’ ‘In my opinion, Real Madrid is the best club in the world,’ Benzema added. ‘There’s nothing bigger.’ He also thinks Ronaldo’s girlfriend, supermodel, Irina Shayk, is also the best as she sparkled at the the Gala Spa Awards 2014 in Baden Baden, Germany on Saturday night. The 28-year-old, well known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, wore a revealing black and white gown.

Powell’s wife put £10,000 engagement ring for sale

T Pique and girlfriend Shakira

Pique is like a soldier... and I’m proud to be a WAG -Shakira

he may be obliged to cheer on her native Colombia at this summer’s World Cup, but Shakira has admitted she’ll be supporting world champions Spain in Brazil, and that she is proud to be a WAG. The pop superstar, partner of Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, insists she’ll be Spain’s biggest groupie in South America as Vicente del Bosque’s side look to retain the World Cup after their victory in South Africa in 2010. ‘I never knew I would be so proud

Irina

to be a WAG,’ she told The Sun. ‘But I am one of them - and very happy about it ‘I go to as many of his games as possible and I wouldn’t miss the World Cup. I’ll be there this year as a groupie.’ The 37-year-old Colombian met the 27-year-old Spaniard Pique a year after the 2010 World Cup success, having made the video for Waka Waka, the official song for the tournament. And Shakira admits she respects the life footballers have to live, insisting Pique is like a soldier who gives all his time and focus to the team.

he wife of Andy Powell has publicly shamed the former Lions star after he begged her to take him back following the pair’s split. Powell, who switched codes to play for Wigan Warriors, broke up with Natasha Gascoine in February - nine months after their wedding - and has pleaded for reconciliation. Gascoine has other ideas, however, and posted his appeals online. The 25-year-old took to Twitter to vent her frustration and is so angry at the break-up that a selection of Powell’s possessions have been uploaded for auction on eBay. Powell, ex-Sale Sharks, played just five games for Warriors since reverting to Rugby League and had a troubled spell at the DW Stadium.

Neymar, Thiago visit Mickey Mouse club

t would be wonderland if Brazil won the World Cup on home turf this summer, but Barcelona forward Neymar is hitting the fantasy heights early with a trip to Disneyland in Paris. Neymar, with Brazilian team-mate Thiago Silva, posted images on his Twitter and Instagram pages with the words

By Chimaobi Uchendu princehench@yahoo.com

08092747532

‘Happy Father’s Day’, with Wednesday marking the occasion in Spain. Silva’s PSG side are through to the Champions League quarter-final stage after last week’s win over Bayer Leverkusen, while Neymar’s Barcelona overcame Manchester City 4-1 on aggregate.

Natasha

Seriaki pledges work onYenagoa Polo Club

he Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF) has commended the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson for his firm commitment in putting Yenagoa on the map as one of the polo playing cities in the world. NPF President, Francis Ogboro, hailed Seriake for championing the introduction of the noble game of polo in the oil rich state, by building a world-class Polo Club as part of efforts to promote tourism and leisure in the state. The Nigerian polo boss said it has been following with keen interest the commitment of the governor to transforming the state through tourism and the game of polo, adding that the NPF is ready to support him all the way in his transformation agenda. The governor is a great admirer of polo and he has sought the support of the federation to bring polo to the state. Soon, we will see polo at the highest level when the facility is completed,’’ Ogboro said. The former Lagos polo captain, who noted that ancient game of kings, has wit-

Action at the 2014 Lagos Polo International Tournament

nessed tremendous popularity in the past four years as one of Nigeria’s biggest corporate sports whose corporate partnerships and sponsorships which runs into billions of Naira cuts across all sectors of the economy. He also revealed that with expected coming on board of Yenagoa Polo Club whose inaugural tournament billed for later in the year, the number of polo clubs affiliated to NPF family will swell to 13.

Apart from the resurrection of Sokoto and ongoing effort at ensuring that Uyo Polo Club takes firm roots in Akwa Ibom State, two other states have approached the federation for membership consideration. Ogboro listed the state to including Benue and Kogi states that have applied for the registration of Makurdi and Lokoja polo clubs respectively, who se applications are being processed by the national body.

Only last January, a delegation of Makurdi Polo Club led by its captain, William Susuan took part at the Niger Delta Polo Festival in Port Harcourt as observers, while Sadiq Abubakar and Ogu Negedu have been selling the tourism potential of Lokoja polo across the country. The quest by Bayelsa State of joining other polo playing states in the Niger Delta region and growing family of Nigerian polo community which has been on the drawing board for years, to a concrete leap last week, with Governor Seriake Dickson on the driving seat. Beyelsa capital city, Yenagoa has been on the waiting list of polo playing cities in Nigeria for year, but all that changed last week, when the government of the great people of Bayelsa commenced the process of building a world-class Polo Club as part of efforts to promote tourism and leisure in the state. The polo loving Gov. Dickson who has already started riding ahead of the first ever polo tournament in Yenagoa, stated that the desire by government to convert the Gloryland Castle to a world-class hotel and a polo facility, was borne out of the need to create an environment conducive for investors.

SPORT

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

Life after football has been great – Shorunmu Super Eagles goalkeepers trainer, Ike Shorunmu, was the safest hands for the national team; he was a hero in his town, Ibadan, where he played for 3SC early in his career. Now retired, he bares his mind to New Telegraph’s CHARLES OGUNDIYA about life after quitting the game. EXCERPTS: How has it been after quitting football?

Before I stopped playing football, I had already envisaged what life after the game will be. I tried to plan for life after the game, but it has not been the same to be realistic. But I can tell you it is very interesting. When I was playing I used to go out early in the morning and come back around 10.00am or 11.00am. Again in the afternoon you go out for another round of training or match proper. At some point I could sleep till 10.00am or 11.00am but when I got a job with Super Eagles that changed. Can you describe the experience at home?

First, I thank Allah for the life because, some started before me, some with me and others after me but today they are no more. I will say let’s give thanks to Almighty Allah. Second, I will say it has been very interesting, because when you are playing a lot of things happen at home that you don’t notice. But right now when I stay at home, I will say no, no that’s not how it is supposed to be, there is a lot of fighting. Sometimes it will be like ‘daddy take it easy’ ‘take what easy I will say’ but later I started understanding the fact that I don’t play anymore and that those things that I didn’t notice then are now clear to me. So I have to change my mentality and flow with them. Now I am getting used to the system; it’s another life after football. So far it has been very interesting but I will say I really appreciate the efforts of my friends, family and loved ones. Have you experienced such moment when your children will say, ‘daddy go back to where you are coming from’?

Something like that comes up, but I let them realize that it can’t be like this forever. When I was playing you can do something I don’t see, but right now I’m back home, as a father I need to control things, it is very, very important to control things. It is good to control things when they are still young rather than when they are matured. I tried to caution them against some things that they are doing that are not right, but now they understand me and they are taking to me. Sometimes they finish eating and they will just dump the plates in the sink for some hours, I will tell them this is not right, you have to keep your kitchen tidy every time, they will say ‘daddy we will do it’ but I will tell them to do it immediately instead of waiting to do it at their leisure and that they can contract diseases if they allow bacteria to get into the stuff. You can’t compare Africa with Europe; in Europe you can keep your things as long as you want, but here you need to change things. Those are the things I tried to change; some of the kids are not with me now because of their schooling but

I do this, is it going to yield, if I do that, is it going to yield. I really want to thank God for everything; the little invested I Allah has blessed.

when they come back home, they say ‘daddy what you taught us, we are making use of them in school and it’s helping us’ I believe that one day they are going to be independent, if you don’t get it when you are young, it will be impossible to get it when you are grown up. By then you will be so busy, so lazy to take care of your home and family. I am happy they adjusted quickly and they are doing it right now. Was there ever the case of conflicting interest at home?

It is normal, but in the life we are in today, it is a matter of understanding. In my family they really understand me very well, I understand them too. For example when they want to watch a program on the TV, I don’t disturb them and they also respect my choices when I want to watch a particular program. If we want to watch different programs at the same time, being the father of the house, they give me that privilege. They either go to another room to check for other channels or play games. All I am saying is that it is just a matter of understanding and it has been going on well. Some ex-internationals don’t appear to be doing so well. How did you save for the raining days?

This is very interesting question. The mistake some of our colleagues made was in believing that the good times will continue, but nothing lasts forever; football is time bound. When we were playing, the salaries, bonuses, endorsement money, they were something else, but when we stopped everything stopped. The only thing is that when I was getting that type of incentives, I put it at the back of my mind that one day everything will s t o p, so I looked at what I could do to make my future secure. I started thinking, if

The mistake some of our colleagues made was in believing that the good times will continue.

Can you mention one or two of such investments?

Shorunmi

The most important thing I will mention is that I was able to put roof over my head, when you have a roof over your head, you have everything. Somehow, when you don’t have a house of your own, that means all your properties are outside, the owner of the house you are staying can just wake up one day and say you should pack out of the house, what are you going to do? So I really appreciate my God for giving me wisdom to acquire a roof over my head. I give thanks to Almighty Allah. Can you differentiate between being coached and now as a coach?

Being a player is different from being a coach. As a player you are learning and asking questions from your coach. It then depends on the individual players the way they receive it. But as a coach, you want to impart something in a player, in doing this you look out for so many things, whether the player is really serious, a teachable person. Is he ready to receive what you are teaching him or not. We have different coaches, different players and different knowledge, the most important thing is that anybody you are working with, you must have a good knowledge of such fellow, when you instruct him, will he listen? Can you compare the Super Eagles of your days with the current Eagles?

I don’t really want to compare. The only thing I will say is that life is changing; our own days have passed, this is a new era, if some of the players are doing wrong, we have to put them in the right path. For the sensible ones ready to listen, they will reap the results, but the ones that don’t want to listen they will also get the results. The most important thing is that, life is changing and we need to move along with it. How do you unwind? Nothing special, the only thing is eat healthy. If you are healthy, there will be no problem.

32 SPORT

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

Countdown to Fifa World Cup HISTORY

From 1962 to the ‘greatest team ever’ Vincent Eboigbe

Elephants out to end group stage jinx Ifeanyi Ibeh

roup C, comprising of Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Greece and Japan, looks set to be a straight fight between the Colombians and the Ivorians, but many have picked Colombia’s Los Cafeteros as favourites to top the group. The current Greek side are a far cry from the team that conquered Europe a decade ago, and Japan have a habit of faltering at the big stage as was the case at last year’s Confederations Cup in Brazil, where they lost all three group games. So, on paper, it doesn’t seem like a difficult group for the Colombians, but they have struggled in the past, and have never had a particularly great track record at the World Cup. At their second appearance, in 1990, they were expected to make it to the last-eight only to be stopped in the round of 16 by Cameroon. Four years later, worse was to happen as the Colombians, despite being considered a front-runner for the title, finished last in their group behind Romania, Switzerland and the United States. The loss to the Americans featured the own goal by Andres Escobar that quite possibly cost the defender his life (Escobar was murdered a few weeks after the game). They also crashed out in the group stage in 1998, and then failed to qualify for the next three tournaments before berthing in Brazil thanks to goals from Radamel Falcao.

But their superstar forward could miss the World Cup after undergoing surgery for a muscle tear. And although the Monaco player harbours hopes of playing in Brazil, chances are that he won’t and it remains to be seen if in his absence players like James Rodriguez and Jackson Martinez will be able to fill the gap and impose their authority on their group rivals, especially Cote d’Ivoire. Cote d’Ivoire may be the highestranked African team heading to Brazil, but that position reflects the team’s potential rather than their performances. Instead of building a reputation as Africa’s dominant force they have become better known for falling short when it matters as has been the case at the last five editions of the African Nations Cup. At each of these tournaments Didier Drogba and company have stormed through the group stage only to implode at the knockout stage. The world will however be waiting to see whether Sabri Lamouchi’s side will finally get to do what they have failed to do in their previous two World Cup appearances: qualifying for the knockout rounds. Brazil 2014 will be the last chance for the core of the current Elephants side to finally leave their mark on the international stage. And with Yaya Toure running the show from the midfield, with the power up front of Drogba, coupled with the creativity of Gervinho on the flanks, they will certainly have a good chance of progressing.

GROUP C FIXTURES 14 June Colombia vs Greece 14 June Cote d’Ivoire vs Japan 19 June Colombia vs Cote d’Ivoire 19 June Japan vs Greece 24 June Japan vs Colombia 24 June Greece vs Cote d’Ivoire

FACT BOX COLOMBIA FIFA ranking: 5 Appearances: 5 Best ever finish: Last 16 (1990) Key players: Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez Captain: Mario Yepes Manager: Jose Pekerman COTE D’IVOIRE FIFA ranking: 24 Appearances: 3 Best Finish: Group Stage (2006, 2010) Key players: Yaya Toure and Gervinho Captain: Didier Drogba Manager: Sabri Lamouchi GREECE FIFA ranking: 13 Appearances: 3 Best Ever Finish: Group Stage (1994, 2010) Key players: Kostas Mitroglou and Sokratis Papastathopoulos Captain: Giorgios Karagounis Manager: Fernando Santos JAPAN FIFA ranking: 48 Appearances: 5 Best Finish: Round of 16 (2002, 2010) Key players: Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa Captain: Makoto Hasebe Manager: Alberto Zaccheroni

VERDICT: It looks set to be a straight battle for top spot between Cote d’Ivoire and Colombia especially as Greece and Japan will struggle to cope under the hot and humid Brazilian weather.

n 1962, the World Cup returned to South America, this time to Chile. Brazil still had intact the 1958 team. Pele had been injured and replaced by Amarildo, who scored both goals in a group match against Spain. Another change was in the coaching crew. Vicente Feola had given way to Aimore Morreira. Brazil went ahead to retain the cup, re-enacting Italy’s feat in the ‘30s In 1966 football returned home to England. Ironically, this edition was one that spawned upsets and controversies. First, Africa boycotted. Not having an automatic slot, and forced to engage in playoff was too much of a humiliation. Again, in the quarter final tie between England and Argentina , England coach Alf Ramsey had derogatively referred to the Argentines as ‘animals’ when Argentina captain Antonio Rattin refused to leave the field after having being given the marching order. It was an ill-tempered match that England won 1-0. One of the greatest upsets in World Cup history was recorded during this edition. North Korea defeated Italy 1 – 0. Another memorable match in the series was the one between North Korea and Portugal. The Koreans had jumped into an early lead and after just 22minutes led 3 - 0, and believed the match was already won. That was before Eusebio ran amok. The ‘Black Panther’ produced a brilliant performance that saw him scoring four times to dismiss the Koreans 5 - 3. The fairy tale run of Eusebio and Portugal was finally checked by host England who won 2 - 1 in the semi-final. But the legend of Eusebio had by then been assured a place in the pantheon of World Cup folklore. The final match of the championship saw England take on Germany; this encounter produced perhaps the most controversial goal in the history of the World Cup. Regulation time ended two apiece. Extra time saw Geoff Hurst connect a cross which seemed to hit the cross-piece and bounce into play. The referee, after consulting with his linesman ruled it a goal. England went ahead to score

another goal, winning 4 -2. Mexico won the right to host in 1970 and Brazil went there with a team that has been described as the greatest ever. For the first time since 1958, Pele was fully fit. Players like Jairzinho, Rivelino, Tostao, Gerson, Carlos Alberto etc. were his able lieutenants. Playing some of the most delightful football ever seen, Brazil left no one in doubt as to their mission in Mexico. Defending champion, England had perhaps the best defence, marshalled by the “one and only the greatest of all defenders” Bobby Moore. Brazil had by far the most lethal attack. It was the thinking in Mexico in 1970, that any team that could combine the attack of Brazil with the defence of England would be the ultimate team. These two teams were expected to meet in the finals. However, this was not to be. On June 7 in Guadalajara they filed out against each other. It was a difficult, tactical match; Mario Zagallo from the class of ’58 and ’62, who had become coach of the Brazilian team, had said the more patient team would win eventually. The second half began with Brazil carefully building up from the rear. Tostao, who became a medical doctor after an eye injury cut short his career, gave the impetus to the only goal of the encounter. Dribbling past two defenders, Tostao encountered an obstacle in the third, masterfully he wheeled round and floated the ball with his right foot to Pele who controlled it and shifted it unto the path of onrushing Jairzinho who thundered into the net of Gordon Banks, who early in the first half had been forced by Pele to make a save that has been described as the “save of the century”. Brazil would play Italy in the final after dispatching age-old rivals Uruguay in the semi-finals. Uruguay had scored first and with the spectre of the Maracanazo again looming, Brazil stepped up the tempo to win 3-1. In the other semis Italy edged out West Germany in another memorable World Cup duel. Jairzinho would become the only player to score in every game in a World Cup. Brazil went on to win the cup trouncing Italy 4 - 1 in a most one-sided final.

THE ARTS

Book Researching Nollywood: The Exhibition of Otherness p.34

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From the Cross River basin, echoes of aboriginal art There were echoes of aboriginal issues at an exhibition which opened last Thursday at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, writes TONY OKUYEME.

“N

igeria is a country rich in culture and her valuable objects have been exhibited in many countries of the world. These include the works of Igbo Ukwu, Nok, Owo, Ife and Benin to mention just a few. Of equal importance are the works found along the Cross River basin which are also among the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria.” These were the words of the director-general of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mallam Yusuf Abdullah Usman, while opening the exhibition Cross River Valley: Eden of Art and Culture. This new exhibition, he said, is intended to highlight and showcase a section of the large collections of National Museum Lagos that have hitherto not been exhibited in previous outings. Furthermore, it is also to demonstrate the creativity, ingenuity, skills, aesthetic qualities and technological knowhow of the people of this area dating back to several decades, adding that the display however, is not exhaustive but limited to objects from the commission’s collection and from the following States, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and parts of the Cameroun. Cross River Valley: Eden of Art and Culture is the first to focus exclusively on the traditional art of the ethnic groups dwelling along the Cross River basin which stretches from the Cameroun Mountains. The display showcases the objects associated with the culture of the people living in the villages, towns and cities, along the course of the Cross River. The presentation is done with their objects of trade, ancestral worship, terracotta, household items, food preservation, mask, royal paraphernalia and body adornments. The director-general reiterated that the National Commission for Museums and Monuments as the custodian of the country’s cultural heritage is not relenting in its statutory responsibilities to research, conserve and preserve these tangible cultural property, and for the enjoyment of mankind. “Among the comity of nations, Nigeria’s cultural heritage both tangible and intangible stand tall because of their uniqueness, creativity, historical value and the inspiration behind their production. I have no doubt that this exhibition, ‘Cross River Valley: Eden of Art and Culture’ has a lot to offer to individuals and groups that will visit

the National Museum Lagos. The concept and touch of professionalism in this exhibition attests to the potentials we have in museum. “Cross River Valley: Eden of Art and Culture is the first to focus exclusively on the traditional Art of the ethnic groups dwelling along the Cross River basin which stretches from the Cameroun Mountains. The display showcases the objects associated with the culture of the people living in the villages, towns and cities, along the course of the Cross River. The presentation is done with their objects of trade, ancestral worship, terracotta, house hold items, food preservation, mask, royal paraphernalia and body adornments. “Cross River Valley: Eden of Art and Culture is not our bus-stop. Rather collections from other areas of the country will be projected by National Commission for Museums and Monuments from time to time through future exhibitions.Our valuable collections are our pride as a nation and as a people not only to those that visit the museum on daily basis, but most importantly to the outside world as a boost to our reputation, integrity, creativity, and ingenuity as a people with a very rich and robust historical past.” Noting that the National Museum, in Lagos, is one of the 42 museums under the Commission, Usman said the museum has hundreds of artifacts from all the cultural regions of the country. He noted, however, that they are too numerous to display in a single exhibition. “The act of sectionalising exhibitions is therefore an attempt by the museum to systematically display the collection from time to time. Accordingly, this exhibition titled Cross River Valley: Eden of Art and Culture has been put in place to focus on the multifaceted social, religious and economic life of the people in Cross River, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi States and Southern Cameroun Republic that form the mainstream of the Cross River Valley,” he said. “The exhibition presents a number of stimulating aspects of the traditional arts and practices of the groups dwelling along the Cross River Valley such as masks, currencies, ancestral figures, terracotta works, royal paraphernalia, body ornaments, household utensils, traditional rulers, yam barn and fire place.”

Etisalat celebrates literary works by female writers Tony Okuyeme

A Perforated pot clay

Basket (Abagi Cane)

Mkpoporo masquerade

Royal Sword (Etuma) Yala

s part of its commitment to supporting fiction and other forms of literary works Etisalat has sponsored this year’s edition of the Woman Rising Initiative held last weekend at the Wheatbaker Hotel, Lagos. The event, now in its fourth edition, is organised by The Life House as part of activities celebrating the International Women’s Day through various aspects of the arts. At the event, Head of High Value Events and Sponsorships, Etisalat Nigeria, Ebi Atawodi, said Etisalat was proud to sponsor the Woman Rising initiative, a century cause celebrating the literary prowess in women. “Etisalat Prize for Literature was designed to recognize and reward debut writers of fiction in Africa, with the objective of discovering new creative talents and promoting the growing publishing industry on the continent. Sequel to the recently concluded Etisalat Prize for Literature, people asked how the Prize for Literature had three shortlisted female finalists. I believe it is a testament to the literary ability of the African woman. The year 2013 was an interesting year for women in literature; and the emergence of three female finalists for the Etisalat prize for Literature further depicts the depth in creativity. Etisalat believes firmly in how art and culture foretell creative ideas and as such, is proud to be an active sponsor for the literary arts through the Woman Rising Initiative,” she said. Co-founder and curator for The Life House, Ugoma Adegoke, thanked Etisalat Nigeria for its support of arts and culture through the Woman Rising Initiative. According to her, “the arts have the power to heal, delight, create joy and togetherness; offering a unique quality of life for our children and ourselves. As such, I am grateful to our main sponsors, Etisalat Nigeria, for their continued support in our drive to seek strategic and sustainable support of arts and culture in Nigeria.” To spice up the occasion, various women from different walks of life read short stories, poems and exciting excerpts from various female authors. One of such writers was Molara Wood, who read excerpts from some of her stories, including Fear Hill and Indigo.

34 THE ARTS

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

The construction of difference Researching Nollywood: The Exhibition of Otherness Didi Cheeka

ontemporary European researchers of Nollywood are using the Nigerian movie industry in much the same way the colonial authorities used colonized people and cultures during the Colonial Exhibitions: to construct, display and control Otherness. I use Nollywood as the imagined monolithic construct produced by Western discourses - a collective notion identifying the exhibited as against the culturally superior spectate. This construction of “self ” and “other” is a discursive process. Through its discourse of alterity, European identity sought to determine, redefine, develop its “self ” in contrast to the colonized “Other.” As a result, different discourses of alterity arose defining the religious, cultural and social dichotomy between Europe and colonized peoples. This discursive process served the purpose of stabilizing European identity and culture by affirming its difference and superioriority. It is this discourse of alterity, regarding colonized people’s cultures - the construction of difference and exhibition of the Other - that is being repeated, defended and extended by current researches on Nollywood. Nollywood, thus, becomes a site where fear and fantasy are being projected and, at the same time, the crystalizing of the exhibiting “self ’s” aspirations of domination. How is the research of the Nigerian movie industry similar to those colonial zoos of a bygone era? What role does academic discourse play in this defining of the Other? Here, I must state that I use Otherness not necessarily to refer to whatever negative or positive stereotypes that are generated by these researches, but rather in the researcher’s (to quote Yegenoglu) “power to construct the very object it speaks about and from its power to produce a regime of truth about the other and thereby establish the identity and power of the subject that speaks about it.” Semiotics in the sense of a purely sociological analysis of Nollywood movies, as opposed to aesthetics - is used to legitimize the superiority of Europe’s cultural productions as works of art, and Nollywood’s as purely of sociological interest.

REVIEW We will come back to this. On the edge of Paris stands a sombre relic of Europe’s colonial past - the Jardin d’Agronomie Tropicale, Vincennes, site of the 1907 colonial expo in which men and women from the former colonies were exhibited - alongside exotic animals - to crowds of visitors. The Jardin Tropicale is reputedly the only remaining site in France where the displays have not been razed to the ground. These exhibitions were staged to whip up national enthusiasm for the colonial effort and engender a sense of racial superiority. French cultural historian, Pascal Blanchard estimates that one and a half billion people visited colonial exhibits all over the world from 1870 to 1930. (The French Communist Party had staged an anti-colonial exhibition to counter the 1931 Paris Exhibition.) Postcards from the Colonial Exhibitions showed the exhibited oppressed, exploited and degraded by the spectate’s gaze. This oppressive gaze framed the exhibited into a role that was not theirs, but which, for researchers and anthropologists was symbolic of a race and fed theories of racial superiority. Just as contemporary study of Nollywood blurs all distinctions between aesthetics and semiotics, the Tropical Expositions blurred all distinctions between person and specimen in its bid to invent the savage. This primitiveness of putting so-called primitive people and cultures on display has extended - in modern times - to the primitiveness of studying a ‘primitive’ ‘film’ form based on its sociology, its ethnography (that is, its exotic appeal), completely divorced from all aesthetic criteria. This brings us back to the problem of aesthetic and semiotic analysis. A major weakness of semiotic analysis (of cultural productions) is that it overlooks aesthetics. Semiotics, in this instance, lends itself to the distortion of the exhibited narrative within the academic framework of the spectate’s narrative to feed notions of cultural superiority. To disregard aesthetics is to blur all distinctions. The one cannot be an adequate substitute for

“Since Nollywood, it appears, is of interest only from a sociological point of view, any one of its movie is as good as the other” the other. Since Nollywood, it appears, is of interest only from a sociological point of view, any one of its movie is as good as the other. Nollywood is, thus, constructed as a monolith, an eternal given. This monolithic notion is almost a racial prejudice, seem designed to foster a limited range of aesthetic responses - people are unwilling to enjoy something better. It seems to say to the exhibited: stick to this primitive level, this is only what you are capable of. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that those outlandishly ugly cultural commodities from Nollywood should be accorded the status of “art.” (We must be clear that the same holds for most of Europe and America’s productions.) I’m not saying that Nollywood movies should be analyzed like a lyric poem. To do this, is to elevate the popular (just because it is popular) to the status of art, it is to strike a blow against art - the same way reducing it to mere sociologic worth is a blow against aesthetics. Of course, one can make the observation that an artistic-critical approach to Nollywood is more

than its artistic worth. I’m simply saying that the real reason why Nollywood researchers abandon aesthetics has nothing to do with the problem of reconciling semiotics with aesthetic considerations, with the problems of determining Nollywood’s aesthetic status. I simply insist on a critical approach to Nollywood based on its subjective aesthetic judgments - aesthetics not in the sense of art, not in the truest sense of that intense, exhilirating pleasure and excitement when a movie (or performer) astonishes us. Aesthetics in the sense of what people go to the movies for, and particularly what its audience watch Nollywood movies for, what they enjoy about it. (What we enjoy about a movie has little to do with sociology or art - one can get pleasure even from really bad movies.) It is not that the conditions under which a movie is made and the market for which it is made are irrelevant. Just that, this is a secondary, analytic function. As Pauline Kael pointed out, it is necessary to separate the use of a movie for sociological purposes, from what makes it a good movie or a poor one - surely, for non-aesthetic purposes, either the one or the other can serve. The exclusion of aesthetics from the discourse on Nollywood means that researchers come with only one side of them: the literary-intelligence side that is academic-based, without the artistic-critical side of them - as if aesthetic subjectivity is the very antithesis of education and intelligence. These academic re-

searcher-spectate can, of course, deny the validity of subjective values. And by extension deny the fact that their ‘objective’ in the sense of relying on the ready-made terms of cultural respectability and on academic consensus - semiotic approach is culturally and institutionallyconditioned. This ‘objectivity’ defraudes the exhibited and gets them (through a crop of academia-based Nollywood theorists) to participate in the display of their cinematic Otherness and inferiority, and at the same time boost the spectate’s sense of Selfness and superiority. This toga of academic respectability thrown over Nollywood - which serves the purpose of healing the internal division within these alienated intellectuals adrift in a sea of popular culture - is the only way these academes could permit themselves to enjoy pop culture without feeling they are slumming. Having permitted themselves be part of a display of alterity, these [new] academic defenders of Nollywood could not offer a counter-critique that is non-academic and hence, accessible. The enshrinment of Nollywood by academia is not an overcoming of cultural snobbery and superiority, but rather an expression of it. The piety surrounding Nollywood is not a victory, but a loss. It loses its appeal as a radical reaction to an ossified, Francophied narrative, becoming the desirable, the only valid narrative - just for being popular. Over time, international interest in Nollywood has shifted from elite curiosity, fascination with the exotic, to a one-sided gaze that is manipulative and reproduces the hegemonic gaze so central to imperialist relations. Consider this - for a way difference is displayed, categorized and performed: “Reading and Producing Nollywood: An International Symposium.” Among the many sub-topics one encounters, “Re-reading Nollywood: Neo-Primitivism and Tunde Kelani’s Quasi-Movie. The last Colonial Exhibitions were held in 1958, but who can deny that the performance of difference and its accompanying logic of domination is ongoing. The relationship between researcher and researched is still a relationship of power and domination. It is the modern spectate’s style of dominating, structuring and building hegemony over the exhibited - who is approached from what has been called ‘a stereotypical filter’ through which the gaze makes the researcher feel superior and cultured. Cheeka is a Marxist critic, writer and filmmaker.

My Weekend NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

22 MARCH 2014

i isher dwells with the men on Broad Street, the Nigerian equivalent of Wall Street, as a portfolio manager for investors in the stock market. She relishes her trade but added she does not as yet feel totally-fulfilled because such can only come at a certain age. “We just feel satisfied and that is the way I feel. I still have some feats to achieve,” she enthused. She takes the issue of her state of health very seriously and, so, cherishes the idea of keeping fit. She does so through regular exercise. Fitcher takes pleasure in riding bicycle and I swimming as a way to keep her health in top shape. She also watch a lot of movies as well as finding time to get the requisite amount of sleep. “I create time to do all these. I ride bicycle around the neighbourhood.” With regard to the fact that many CEOs tend not to relax as they should, she pointed out that irrespective of status, busy executives should create time to sleep well. “I know a lot of them don’t sleep, majority of them don’t even watch TV, the moment they sit to watch TV or movies they are snoring. They should create time to rest, take plenty fruits and spend time with the family.” A single mother, she is not overwhelmed by domestic challenges. She still finds time for her children, taking them out occasionally on recreation and watching movies together at home. She is blunt in her resolve that the stock market will not experience the boom period it witnessed in the period preceding the crash of the market in 2008. “I don’t see the market experiencing another boom because the boom was artificial,” she declared. The 45-year-old portfolio manager also said the crash of the stock market was indicative of the social and economic conditions in Nigeria at the time, which drove many people to put their monies in the capital market. “There was no electricity, factories were not working, while a lot of things that would have kept people engaged like agri-business were not there. A lot of market women didn’t have anywhere to sell, so a lot of people had to bring their money to the capital market because they knew we performed magic. You could give me N100,000 and in three weeks I would give you half million. So everybody was part of it, all of us are guilty.” Fisher however said the situation of the capital market crash was not new to market operators, because it witnessed a similar scenario ten years before the 2008 meltdown. “It is not new to some of us. We saw the situation as a repeat. To me, what led to the situation was that there was too much money in the market; there was no outlets for the majority funds gotten from the various public offers then,” she noted. She cited cases where companies came to the market to get money for their operations and got excess funds. “They got more than they required. We would have expected that banks would take funds which they got in excess and put it into agriculture and other areas of the economy. But instead they returned monies, the banks returned monies and so other offers followed suit. There were no second plan for whatever monies from any of the public offers bought, there were no second plan for it, it was just money to buy shares and if the shares were not totally taken, we returned back your money. And that was because majority of them did not have foresight, they didn’t know that they needed these outlets so that if the market was

Work hard, rest well ... An executive’s guide to good health Bolanle Fisher is the chief executive officer of Koshare Provado Limited, a registered capital market operating firm with specialty in portfolio management. In a chat with SEGUN EDWARDS, she speaks on working in a largely male-dominated industry and why she would rather not be that chief executive who sits at a desk poring over stock indicators and hardly finding time to relax

Fisher

coming down, for whatever reason the other outlets would have served as buffer.” Continuing, she said: “One of the reasons we were told the market came down was that other markets internationally were falling. But the Nigerian market is very peculiar; it seldom reacts to other things around it, it just grows with very little share capital. Since the crash, it is not funny, government is not helping, no definitive policy to revive the market, no stable policy brought in to aid the market.” Reminded that the government had put some palliatives in place to revive the market, she said: “Despite the measure, we can’t see it in the market., It’s not seen to be working. Majority of us can not feel the direct impact of the measure or measures. They came in and said there would be market-makers and even the marketmakers we have not really felt their impact. It is just individual organisations or companies that are moving their stocks somehow; they come in and buy, drag it up - individual growth, that is what is happening in the market.”

Fitcher, who is currently enrolled with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), as a law student, disclosed that investors are still so scared to come back, a situation which she said has discouraged clients from taking another look at the market. “What we do now is value the entire holding of clients at any given amount. We now come in and look at the present market price and advise you, knowing what you intend doing with your portfolio. For instance, we bought First Bank ‘s share at N43 in those days; now it is about N12. We can now come in and average it. When we do the averaging, we advise the client appropriately. You may not be totally convinced, but you will at least come to buy.” Speaking more on what she does as fund manager since the market crash in 2008, she said: “We have not been chasing clients bringing money for us to manage again because besides the fact that it is not totally profitable, it is not easy. There are no funds in the market from real local investors. We do more of recovery

35 because stock-broking has a lot of branches, there is consulting, there is recovery, and there is estate area. We do more of consulting and then recovery. We know there is about over N42 billion unclaimed warrants. Majority of our clients are in there one way or the other, so what we do is we now go and consolidate those for them, and get a percentage and with that we get referral. So, rather than using that money to do something else, they can actually plough it back into the market. That is how I have been surviving since the crash.” She also advises her clients to invest in money instruments, whenever the market is down. “Yes, we do because for us we want it to be a win-win situation for our clients so that we don’t appear very selfish and as portfolio managers. We can also look at agric, real estate, then we can also put your money in treasury bills and other short instruments.” She however dismissed the possible return of the capital market to growth or stability in the near future. “It is looking bleak. That is because nobody is putting money in the capital market, though it is the best option. It is best platform for a good retirement, but because we have lost confidence in the market from the crash that made us lose huge monies. Perhaps there would be some change if the government sits with the market community, the operators and unveils a pragmatic relief plans for everybody including the investors. Otherwise, I don’t see a situation when people will just wake up and then bring their monies back to the market.” On what she is doing to restore her clients’s confidence, she said she is embarking on enlightenment about the market at forums such as universities and polytechnics. “We must take awareness to the cradle, but for this to be achieved first of all operators in the market must raise their ante in the area of integrity, we must work on the integrity of everybody in the market, we must live up to the motto of the market community, that my word is my bond, where investors can put their monies on shares and be rest assured that their investment is secured.” On the insinuations that the market could achieve full recovery on the impact of the listing of companies in the telecoms sector, as well as the power sector, she noted: “I can say of the power sector, I know that they are working on plans that would see some of the new companies seek public funds to enhance their operations, but I don’t know of plans to list the NNPC in the market.” She emphasised that the return of confidence to the market is still a gradual thing. “I will rather allude to the fact that it is gradually creeping back. I will put it at 40 per cent for the market, while 60 per cent still turn their back on the market. It will take a long while from where we are.” Fisher commenced her capital market career working with Emerging Capital Limited, a stock-broking firm. She left the company in 2008, the same year of the bus. From there she established Koshare Provido Limited, a company which she registered as a capital market agent. The name Provado, she said is a Jewish word which implies adequate. Looking back, she said: “Looking back, I would say I’m averagely fulfilled, because you can’t feel fulfilled until you get to a certain age; we just feel satisfied and that is the way I feel. I still have some feats to achieve.”

Ideas&Brands ON SATURDAY

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22 MARCH 2014

Heritage Bank: So far, so good? One year after Heritage Bank emerged from the rubbles of Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN), DELE ALAO takes a look at the journey so far in a topsy-turvy industry.

eritage Bank, apparently the youngest player in Nigeria’s financial landscape, turned a year old this month.The story of Heritage Bank’s liquidated predecessor, Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN), has been told severally. Suffice to say, Heritage Bank came out of the shell of a tainted brand. Therefore, the expectation at its inception was, at best, tentative. Especially coming at a time the financial sector was undergoing serious belt tightening, Heritage Bank appeared to be a bad experiment; akin to a small fish opting to jump headlong into a shark-infested ocean. However, going by the depth and industry-wide impact of some of the accomplishments it has recorded, it is hard to tell that Heritage Bank commenced operations only about twelve months ago. The first noticeable step the bank took to announce its serious commitment to making a mark was the Account Validation Exercise it conducted for depositors of the old SGBN. For the first time in the banking history of Nigeria, a bank that had gone under for ten years, with depositors having lost hope of recovering their deposits, came back under a new ownership and management structure to return the lost deposits to their owners. The development became all the more commendable as the Central Bank of Nigeria had earlier on two successive occasions before the coming of Heritage Bank, raised and dashed the hopes of SGBN depositors, with its inability to see through its own account validation exercise it had organised for SGBN depositors. This hope-restoring platform on which Heritage Bank commenced operations quickly established its brand credentials of empathy, trust-worthiness, integrity, reliability and focus. Beyond these demonstrable positive brand attributes, however, the Bank opted to add innovation as yet another

ublic relations consultancy outfit, PRRedline, was, has been voted PR Agency of the year in the public relations category at the tenth edition of the Excellence Recognition Awards organised by Global Excellence. The event held at the Havens Event Place, Lagos, saw PRRedline beat other nominees like TPT, JSP Communica-

Akinsola Akinfemwa

measure of its business philosophy. In the last 12 months, Heritage Bank has championed a few innovations and trends that have changed the course of banking business in the country. One such innovation is its leading exploration of alternate channels of financial services distribution. The bank has continued to move the frontiers of e-banking platform with its firstof-its-kind deployment of Finnacle 10 software. Other older and bigger banks have had to copy this approach and, today, the e-banking platform has become a veritable marketing and competitive arena. Moving on, Heritage Bank equally raised the bar by launching, ahead of any other financial services provider in the country, its Automated Banking Centres (ABCs), MSME Clinic, Financial Literacy Plan and Agency Banking platform, among other innovations that never previously gained wide embrace in the financial sector before its coming on board. Also, the launch of its Zero COT offering signaled yet another revolution. For most banks before Heritage Bank, the COT represents a huge cash cow; producing 20 to 25 percent of their revenue base. Heritage Bank became the first to operate zero COT on all its account categories and today, a few other banks are towing the line while it is just a matter of time before this instrument of customer exploitation is consigned to the waste bin of history.

In the last one year, Heritage Bank has definitely, reaped the benefits of goodwill and public acceptance. Among other evident show of corporate and institutional demonstration of confidence in its values and business philosophy, the bank has received mandates from several MDAs, Governments and Corporate organisations as their revenue-collecting agent. Among these are the Lagos Government, Nigerian customs service, the Oyo state Government, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Eko Distribution, PHCN Ikeja Distribution and DSTV/Multichoice, among others. Industry analysts see the bank’s securing of these mandate as noteworthy because apart from being the newest commercial bank in the county, it also does not yet have the kind of branch network and presence that usually recommend financial institutions for such services. The obvious consideration, analysts observe, is the Bank’s robust credentials built up via its unrelenting commitment to innovation, integrity and focus. The Heritage Bank story is further made more exciting by the fact that the bank is designated a regional bank. According to skeptics, given their lower capitalization and being restricted to operating in a minimum of five and a maximum of 10 contiguous states within the country , regional banks will find it difficult competing with lenders having national and international licences. This is because, apart from having more capital than regional banks, National banks are also allowed to operate in every state of the federation as well as outside the country (international banks). From its activities and achievements so far, the bank has definitely confounded doubters who had initially questioned its founders’ decision to choose to operate as a regional bank in the highly competitive Nigerian banking environment and especially at a time when no other regional commercial bank in the country seems to be in the limelight for any major landmark business breakthrough. If as a regional bank, Heritage Bank has given older, bigger and national players in the sector a run for their image, it is better left to imagination what new possibilities would follow its much envisaged growth and status

PRRedline wins best agency of the year tions and Marketing Mix to cart home the plaque in the PR Category. The agency had earlier bagged the City Pride Achievers Awards as the Most Outstanding PR Agency of the year 2013 while the Lagos State Government, was

also honoured it with a commendation Certificate for the professional handling of the MoneyGram Gear Up for School Project under the ‘Support our schools’ initiative of the State Ministry of Education for the same year.

transformation into a national bank. In a press interview in May 2013, Heritage bank’s managing director and chief executive officer, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, disclosed that the lender planned to increase its branches in the country from three to 16 by the end of June and to about 30 by the end of the year. He, however, went on to add, “We can’t compete on branches but we will have what is more than a branch. We will have points of reference rather than branches where customers will transact their businesses seamlessly. I foresee a situation where more banking would be done from homes and offices. If you need a loan, you can do it from your house. Banking is moving somewhere. Technology will be able to help us give that confidence to the clients to assess minimum loan to start a small business. We will be at a cutting edge in giving deliverables to customers.” Also, the chairman of the bank, Mr. Akinshola Akinfenwa, noted during the Bank’s maiden press briefing a year ago, that despite the number of banks in Nigeria, the country is still under banked, thus presenting opportunities for fresh operators. “That is why we at Heritage Bank see opportunity for service. With the caliber of people assembled to run this bank, given their firm knowledge of Nigeria’s financial terrain, our Bank will provide firm support to small and medium scale industries and we are going to deploy first-class technology solutions as well as knowledge to achieve this goal”, Akinfenwa, who was a former group managing director of Skye Bank Plc, further stated. Barely one year into its journey, Heritage Bank could be said to have delivered on all the things Sekibo and Akinfenwa promised at the onset of the journey. This could only mean the Bank, including its continued evolution, is a product of consistent strategy, clear vision and focus. It obviously may be too early at the moment for analysts to begin to make predictions about the Bank’s prospects; but judging by its activities and achievements so far, few would doubt that Heritage Bank has come to stay as one of the positive results of the on-going efforts to transform and strengthen the nation’s financial sector as a strong catalyst for overall national economic rejuvenation.

The event was attended by several notable personalities such as deputy governor of Osun State, Mrs Grace Olaoye-Tomori, Otunba Gbenga Kaka, Hon. Toba Oke, Hon. Obafemi Hamazat, Ken Caleb Olumese, Clarion Chukwura, Keke Ogungbe, Funke Akindele, Mercy Johnson and comedian Gbenga Adeyinka, among others.

L ve&Lv ng

Life Experience: ‘I was financially wiped out by a greedy and callous lady’ p.38 Sex Traditions The Mardudjara: Where men eat their own foreskins p.40

MICHAEL UCHEBUAKU

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Love Confession

hen I met Julian, I knew he was going to make a great father. Having grown up in a family without a dad, this was high on my list of prerequisites. Julian seemed to fit the bill perfectly — he was good with kids and spent lots of time with his nieces and nephews. I knew he was a workaholic too, but was sure that he would stop to make time for his family. By the time we had our second child, I knew our “perfect family” was in trouble. Julian returned to work at his restaurant straight after the birth and after that, we hardly saw him. He went to work early to start the breakfast shift, came home briefly for lunch and to see the children and returned to work until late in the evening, when everybody was in bed. When the kids reached school age and weren’t home in the middle of the day, they never saw their father at all. Julian brushed off my complaints with reminders that he was working so hard for them in the first place, but I knew this wasn’t really the case. The restaurant was doing well and we’d always been good with money; there was more than enough room for Julian to take a few days off here and there. But it never happened and so by the time our kids had almost reached high school, we’d never even taken a family holiday together. I knew I had to do something drastic, so I left my husband. But that only made things worse. I got custody of the kids and Julian never even saw them! Infuriated by his apparent lack of concern and remembering my own childhood with a dad who lived two states away and didn’t care, I decided it was time to teach Julian a lesson. And I knew just how to do it. Julian had a good business going with his restaurant, but I knew he was a bit shifty in how he ran things. No one who worked for him received proper training, for example, because it cost too much. One day, I

anonymously rang the council and made a complaint. I said I’d recently eaten at the restaurant and had wound up incredibly sick. I told them that I had watched the preparation of the food and noticed some very poor hygiene practices from the chefs. I hung up the phone, knowing that Julian was going to get a call from the local health department. What I didn’t know was that Julian had already been in trouble and fined for similar infringements. For example, his staff didn’t store food correctly, didn’t label expiry dates, check temperatures, wear gloves or even clean adequately! I had no idea things had been this bad. I only wanted Julian to get a fine, to pay him back, but it was a long way past that. When the health inspectors paid my husband a visit, they found enough wrong to shut him down. And it was all my fault! It was a blessing in disguise, though. Out of work, Julian came grovelling back to the family. I took him back on one condition: I would go back to work and he could become a stay-at-home dad. He accepted begrudgingly, but every now and then he still talks about opening up his own business. I always manage to talk him out of it, but he has no idea how far I’ll go to make sure he doesn’t!

Odd news

22 MARCH 2014

Name: Franca Tel: 08022639677

My husband lost his business because of me How do you combine your job/ career and your marriage? For this writer, her man’s business was getting in the way of their relationship. That was the reason she did what she did.

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

If you want to be our next model, please send your photos to: ireto007@yahoo.com Call: 0703 102 8714, 0813 116 1840

Scientists create painkillers more powerful than morphine from Snails’ venom

cientists have created powerful painkillers from the venom of snails, it has been revealed. The substances, based on a tiny protein found in cone snails’ venom, could be more effective than morphine. They may one day lead to the development of a drug to treat severe and

chronic nerve pain. Professor David Craik, from the University of Queensland in Australia, described the development of five new ‘experimental’ painkillers as an ‘important incremental step’. ‘This could serve as the blueprint for the development of a whole new class of drugs capable of relieving one of the most severe forms of chronic pain that is currently very difficult to treat,’ he said. Cone snails, which are typically found in warm and tropical seas, use venom to paralyse their prey. The fluid contains hundreds of small proteins, known as conotoxins, which appear to have an analgesic effect in humans, said Prof Craik.

Researchers are working on the development of a conotoxin-based drug that can be taken orally - unlike the only drug that uses the protein now, which must be injected into a patient’s spine. And preliminary trials are promising - with a prototype drug tested on rats shown to ‘significantly reduce pain’. ‘We don’t know about side effects yet as it hasn’t been tested in humans, but we think it would be safe,’ said Prof Craik, who will soon present his discovery at an American Chemical Society conference. ‘It acts by a completely different mechanism than morphine, so we think it has a minimal possibility of producing the side-effects of that medication. That is one of the big advantages of this drug.’

38 LOVE&LIVING

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

Love Songs

Love Crime

Female teacher faces up to seven years behind bars for having sex with student

high school teacher has been accused of performing a sex act on a student in her classroom. Emily Nesbit is also alleged to have sent photos of herself partially undressed to the 18-year-old as well as exchanging text messages where she said she wanted sex. The 31-year-old is facing up to seven years in jail after being charged with institutional sexual assault. While the victim is at the age of consent officials in Pennsylvania said his age was irrelevant where teachers are accused of sexual misconduct with their students. Nesbit, an 11th grade English teacher, came under suspicion after another student noticed the text messages from her on the boy’s cell phone. Court documents reveal that Nesbit and the teen were in regular contact for two months. Nesbit, who was the student’s English teacher at Cumberland Valley High School in Cumberland County, sent him text messages that police said implied she had a desire to have

Life Experience

hen I met my wife, both she and I were divorced, and I took her and her five-monthold baby boy into my home. We married four years later. My job (though incredibly stressful and which necessitated me commuting from North to South on a weekly basis) brought an affluent lifestyle. My wife was a housewife, her little boy called me Dad - and I loved him as if he were my own. But, eventually, my workload made me tired and withdrawn, while she enjoyed a circle of new friends and slowly built a life without me. Sometimes I felt like a stranger in my own home. After eight years together, including four years of marriage, I decided that I could not go on travelling up and down the motorway, living out of suitcase during the week. So I asked my wife to move nearer to my work, thereby reducing my travelling. I felt that I needed to spend more time with her and our son, but she wouldn’t entertain it - and within weeks had engaged a very expensive solicitor (whom I was to pay for) who wrote to me (at my hotel) asking for a divorce. When we got together, she had nothing. I helped sort out her credit card debt and her ex gave her just £50 a month as a token gesture. She had always said that we didn’t need a prenuptial agreement because she had too much respect for me to consider taking me to the cleaners if

sex with him. They also exchanged photographs of each other in various states of undress, police said. Nesbit confirmed to performing the sex act with the student in an interview with police. Her lawyer Brian Perry said she had made “a series of bad decisions at a low point in her life.” Charges were brought against Nesbit within days of officials being alerted. The student victim was interviewed within hours of the police being tipped off and Nesbit, from South Middleton Township, resigned her

position on Wednesday. Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said teacher-student sex was becoming a regular occurrence. “Frankly, we’ve had too many of these cases involving school employees,” Freed said. “There’s nothing more important for our youth than how we educate them and put them out into the world.’ ‘This was not a difficult decision (to bring charges),” Fred added. Fred Withum, superintendent of the Cumberland Valley School District, said Nesbit’s arrest had caused concern for parents and other students. “While we know that public schools are a reflection of society, the Board of School Directors, parents, educators, the community and our students expect that the Cumberland Valley School District is better,?” Withum said as he read from a prepared statement. “Our desire is not to be a reflection of society, but to reflect the best that society can be.”

‘I was financially wiped out by a greedy and callous lady’ When we got together, she had nothing. I helped sort out her credit card debt we split - and in any case, she assured me she loved me so much that this would never happen. How stupid I was to believe her. I ended up having to give my house (worth £360,000) to her, on the basis that her son was a ‘child of the family’. The other option was to pay ongoing maintenance for the next ten years as well as a substantial lump sum. So, after only four years of marriage, she got 85 per cent of my net worth. I ended up losing the house and nearly all my savings by the time I’d paid off the outstanding mortgage. I also lost about £15,000 in legal fees and bills, and had to move into rented

accommodation, while she has my four-bedroom house in a lovely area. And just to rub salt into the wound, I’ve tried to keep in touch with the little boy I treated as my son but never hear back from him. She sent an email saying he never talks about me, doesn’t miss me and she doesn’t want him to have anything to do with me; she’s met a new man and tells me not to contact her or the little boy again. How, in a civilised society, is it possible for this to happen? I’ve tried to be balanced, but it is very difficult when I’ve been financially wiped out by a greedy and callous lady. I know nothing can change my situation but somehow I find it helps to share the pain of my story. Having gone from having everything to nothing in the space of 12 months, I have learnt not to trust love - because it lies. Please warn other men.

WHITNEY HOUSTON

I will always love you If I should stay, I would only be in your way. So I’ll go, but I know I’ll think of you every step of the way. And I will always love you. I will always love you. You, my darling you. Mmm. Bittersweet memories, that is all I’m taking with me. So, goodbye. Please, don’t cry. We both know I’m not what you need. And I will always love you. I will always love you. (Instrumental solo) I hope life treats you kind And I hope you’ll have all you’ve dreamed of. And I wish to you, joy and happiness. But above all this, I wish you love. And I will always love you. I will always love you. I will always love you. I will always love you. I will always love you. I, I will always love you. You, darling, I love you. Ooh, I’ll always, I’ll always love you.

Love Poem

Angel Clairmont

Kiss Lo’ on the winds- what is this? on it, through lover’s breath, a kiss so, whilst this wonderous wind blows by, I float upon the bliss of it...

Romantic Jokes

Disease

A newlywed couple on their honeymoon prepares to see each other naked for the first time. The husband exposes his knotted and twisted feet. He explains, “I had tolio as a child.” The wife asks if he means polio. He says, “No, it only affects the toes.” He removes his pants and reveals deformed knees. He admits, “I had kneesles, too.” Finally, he pulls off his boxers. In shock, the woman gasps, “Oh no -- smallcox, too!”

Words of Wisdom: Follow your heart

Love Education What is Conception?

onception occurs when a sperm cell from a fertile man swims up through the vagina and into the uterus of a woman and joins with the woman’s egg cell as it travels down one of the fallopian tubes from the ovary to the uterus. As the fertilized egg continues to move down the fallopian tube, it begins to divide into two cells, then four cells, then more cells as the division continues. About a week after the sperm has fertilized the egg, the fertilized egg has traveled to the uterus and has become a growing cluster of about 100 cells called a blastocyst. The blastocyst then attaches itself to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium). This attachment process is called implantation. Release of the hormones estrogen and progesterone causes the endometrium to thicken, which provides the nutrients the blastocyst needs to grow and eventually develop into a baby. As cells continue to divide—some developing into the baby, others forming the nourishment and oxygen supply structure called the placenta—hormones are released that signal the body that a baby is growing inside the uterus. These hormones also signal the uterus to maintain its lining rather than shedding it. This means that a woman does not have a period that month, which may be the first way a woman knows she is pregnant. If you have problems with conception or fertility, contact the fertility specialist. Source: www.my.clevelandclinic.org

LOVE&LIVING

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

Relationships & Love Advice

‘I’m in love with my friend’s sister’ Dear Love Doctor, I am in love with my friend’s sister and I don’t want to offend my friend. Please help me, I can’t tell him and if I tell her, she may tell him. What do I do? From James. Love Doctor’s Advice:

Genuinely express your love and fears to her and if she likes you, she will tell you. If she actually loves you the same way you love her, her brother will not be a problem. That is because he would have no choice in the end but to respect his sister’s decision to be with you, especially if she is an adult with a mind of her own.

(Even if he opposes your relationship with his sister if she accepts your friendship, all you would need to do is reach out to him in friendship and assure him that you mean well for him and his sister and that you consider his friendship as a privilege and would like to maintain the bond of friendship that exists between the two of you.) But if she doesn’t want you, tell her to forget everything and act as if nothing happened between the two of you. In so doing, you would avoid unnecessary friction with her brother. 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 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 or Chris 08023913619. Visit www.romancestory.org

Love News

Pastor drops dead on pulpit over extra-marital affair

pastor who gathered his flock to tell them about an extra-marital affair probably didn’t know that would be his last living act. Bishop Bobby Davis, 72, pastor of the Miracle Faith World Outreach Church, died as members yelled at him about an affair he’d had, reports The Connecticut Post. “After the service on Sunday the bishop’s family asked us to remain in the church and the bishop confessed to us something that happened long ago,” church member Judy Stovall said. “He wanted to come clean with all of us. He wanted to ask our forgiveness.” As it turns out, the pastor’s congregation did forgive him. It was their shouts of forgiveness that led to Pastor Davis’ heart attack.

“We were shouting, `We forgive you, we love you,’ but the stress of all of it — he had a heart at†ack,” Stovall explained to the Post. “I held his head as he lay on the floor. Our congregation is hurting now.” Stovall said that the tension of the moment must have gotten the better of his pastor. Davis had served as pastor of the church he and his wife founded since 1967. The couple had six children and eight grandchildren. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last summer. Pastor Davis was a graduate of the Vision Christian College of Ramona, California, where he received a doctoral degree in ministry and a master’s degree in theological studies. Davis was also a certified marriage counselor.

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40 LOVE&LIVING

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

SEXUAL COMMUNICATION

Sex Traditions

Does the size really matter?

The Mardudjara: Where men eat their own foreskins

he transition from boyhood to manhood among this tribe found in Australia is a horrible experience. The first part of this Mardudjara Aboriginal rite involves a barbaric circumcision followed by the circumcised male ingesting his own foreskin. After healing from the ordeal, the boy’s penis is then cut length-

wise on the underside, sometimes all the way to the scrotum. Blood is then dripped over a fire in order to purify it. From then on, the male will urinate from the underside of his penis instead of the urethra for the rest of his life. The real question, however, is how does destroying a boy’s ‘manhood’ bring him into manhood?

True Confession from Overseas

I lied to steal my best friend’s man W

e were in our final year of high school, and my beautiful, highly intelligent and talented best friend, Fiona, had met the man of her dreams. She was over the moon in love with him and I could understand why. He was caring and thoughtful, tall and good-looking. He was serious eye candy and I found myself blushing in his company and often had impure thoughts about him. But I knew Ryan was different. He wasn’t just a distraction for Fiona, he was the one. We had our final exams to study for and they paced their time together, kindly including me on outings as often as they could. When Ryan’s parents invited Fiona to dinner to meet the girl of his dreams, I was invited along as well. They all seemed to adore her and when Ryan’s father confided in me that “she was the girl he would marry”, I felt the first twinge of jealousy set in. I had never before felt jealous of her, because I loved her unconditionally as my best friend. While she was a natural blonde with bright blue eyes, I was confident with my smattering of freckles and hazel eyes. I felt we were both pretty in our respective ways. Our school year ended on a high note, with both of us doing very well academically. Fiona was dux and we all went out to celebrate. Ryan was so proud of her and gave her an amazing commitment ring. I was green with envy. When the university offers came in, Claire was offered a full scholarship to study medicine at Otago University in Dunedin, New Zealand. I did not get into the medical course I’d applied for, but was accepted for a BSC de-

“One day I hinted that she’d met a fellow student she was... interested in. This broke Ryan’s heart, but I had no conscience”

gree at Sydney University in our home town. At first I was sad that we’d be separated, but then I remembered how envious I had been feeling lately. I reasoned some distance between us might be a good thing. Ryan was inconsolable when he found out about her offer, as he’d just accepted a new job in Sydney and this was to be the start of a rewarding career for him. They spent every living moment together leading up to her departure for university. I was left out of their plans. I felt sorry for myself and missed my best friend. The time soon arrived for Fiona to move countries and leave Ryan and me behind. Ryan was as lost as I felt and he started to spend more and more time with me and my family. I saw this as my opportunity and turned on all the charm. I was always so grateful to see him, chatting about Fiona and filling him in on her university gossip. One day I hinted that she’d met a fellow student she was pretty interested in. This broke Ryan’s heart, but I had no conscience. I knew that I wanted him for myself. I was prepared to go to battle and lose Fiona’s friendship for him. They exchanged a few heated emails, with Ryan accusing her of cheating on him. She invited him to come over so they could sort out this misunderstanding. He asked me for advice and I lied blatantly, telling him Fiona had treated all her past boyfr iends t h i s w a y. H e b e -

lieved me, as he reasoned I knew her best, and broke it off with her. I could tell her world had crumbled. She called me to chat and Ryan answered the phone. He was firm when he told her that it was really over between them and revealed that he was interested in me now. At last, I was victorious! I cut all ties completely with Fiona, changed my mobile number, moved in with Ryan and warned my family that I wanted nothing more to do with Fiona. A couple of years later we got married and Ryan supported me through university. Over the years we had two children who both look so much like him. A year ago Ryan was offered a career change with a move to Auckland, and I instantly thought of Fiona. It had been 12 years since we had seen her. We discussed it and both felt that if she were still living in New Zealand, we would have no problem seeing her again. I found her email address and we began to chat. She was now a successful doctor practising in Auckland and was very happy to make contact with me again. Ryan and I decided to invite her over to meet our children. When she walked in the door, she lit up the room with her beauty, grace and wonderful energy and I remembered just how much I missed her. She looked amazing, toned and tanned, having just returned to NZ after a summer break in Europe, water-skiing and sailing in the Mediterranean. She’d done very well financially, far better than we had, and owned a lovely heritage home on the shore. Next to her, with the rush of life and the exhaustion of motherhood, I felt like a wilted flower. I was envious of her lifestyle – she was planning a winter break to ski in the Alps. I realised that I’d missed out on her company all those years and could see how much Fiona lived, played and worked with vitality. I was envious and impressed at the same time. Our children instantly fell in love with her too. Our young daughter asked her, “Why don’t you have children of your own? You would be a fantastic mum.” To which Fiona replied, “I’ve not met the man to spend the rest of my life with yet.” I looked up at Ryan then, and saw his eyes soften. I can’t help feeling responsible for destroying their hopes of a life together. I really hope they never find out how I lied. NB: Call Mike on +234-703 102 8714 if you have a story from abroad to share with us.

s we all know, it takes more than height to make a great basketball player, and more than biceps to make a standout football star. The same can be said for savvy lovers who have better sex — physical equipment isn’t everything when it comes to knocking it out of the park, and women aren’t shy about singing the praise of skill over size. Unfortunately, not all guys seem to believe those women so we’re going to rely on science to reassure you that the size of the package isn’t more important than the method of delivery. A comprehensive worldwide study of more than 40 independent penis size research projects, undertaken since 1942, has come up with a general penis size guideline. With over 11,000 participants, the survey puts the average erect size of the adult penis between 5.5 inches and 6.2 inches in length and 4.7 inches and 5.1 inches in girth. The study also took a look at perceptions of size and asked more than 50,000 heterosexual men and women how they rated their own size or the size of their partner. They found that 85 percent of women were satisfied with their partner’s penile size, but only 55 percent of men were satisfied. Notice anything? The women were much more forgiving and didn’t feel like they were dealing with inferior goods. Chances are that women within measuring distance usually have better things on their minds than finding a ruler, and if they don’t, penis size probably shouldn’t be your first concern. Two women sum up the general view of women about penis size in this way: ‘It doesn’t matter to me as long as it isn’t too big or too small.’ ‘It doesn’t matter the size as much as it does what it is supposed to do. In other words, as long as it satisfies me.’ It is also worth noting two points about women. 1. Some women really dislike the idea of a large penis and may be frightened by one that is too long. 2. Some women are much more impressed by the thickness of a penis, rather than its length. This is because some females like the sense of feeling stretched round the entrance to the vagina – so if a guy is quite broad at the base of his penis, this can feel very exciting and satisfying to such women. If you are truly concerned with your ability to fulfill your woman, try to learn all you can about satisfying her all round, and learning tips, techniques and positions that can maximize what you’ve got. Best Wishes in your sex life!

Travel&Tourism ON SATURDAY NTWEEKEND ONLINE AT

Destination The summit of ingenuity p.42

Travel Personality Adventures of Ikechi Uko p.45

ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA, EDITOR, TRAVEL AND TOURISM

andrew.okungbowa@newtelegraphonline.com

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

www.newtelegraphonline.com/travel

22 MARCH 2014

HOSPITALITY

A blend of rich taste Drawing from its history-steeped early years, Golden Tulip’s transformation offers a glimpse of the managers’ grand vision, writes ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA

HE expansive landscape of Golden Tulip Festac spans seven hectares of land. Massive to behold and explore but once you walk through the glass door, the discovery is that of stepping into a new and different world. From the reception, the waiting lounge, bar and restaurant and shopping areas, you are attracted by the beauty and slickness of the design. The creativity, breezy feel that you see here seems to be a standard signature of the hotel as you explore the various sections. Welcome to the real world, welcome to the world of a blend of rich taste is what the corporate affairs manager of the

hotel, Emmanuel Ele appears to be saying as he guides you through the facilities. On the flip side, the hotel enjoys a rich history, culture and tradition. Formerly Festac 77 Hotel, then Durbar Hotel, it was a place to visit then to enjoy the best of Nigeria, Africa and international hospitality. But over the years, it fell into bad management and was abandoned for years until United Africa Company Nigeria (UACN) bought it over, refurbished it and signed on Golden Tulip as the brand managers. The focus of the Amuwo Odofinbased hotel as explained by Ele is business and leisure, hence its array of facilities and amenities are

structured to reflect this focus. He revealed that since opening for business the hotel has distinguished itself as a world class hotel and prime choice. While it has its sight on the international travellers, the hotel still caters to local residents and travellers within the west coast of Africa, given its vantage location along the ECOWAS corridor. Accommodation

It has about 471 sellable rooms and suites, all furnished and fitted to taste. The categories of rooms include suites, comfort, diplomatic and presidential. Distinctly decorated with appealing colour

schemes, bedding materials and amenities that include a mini–bar, tea or coffee facilities and a safe for personal items. Leisure

Its array of leisure and wellness amenities ranges from the kidneyshaped swimming pool, well–manicured gazebo, terrace by the poolside, pool bar, a twin tennis court, squash court, a jogging track to a gymnasium fitted with sauna and steam bath facilities. Conference

When it comes to business meeting, conference and hosting social events, the hotel parades nine different meeting facilities, which can

accommodate over 650. These are Arthur Mbanefo, Arthur Mbanefo 1, 11 and 111, Christopher Eze, Egri Okwaji, Felix Osifo, Lillian Esiri, Mohammed Koguna, Ola Onasanya, Shehu Idris, Silas Daniyan 1 and 11. Dining/wining

Its plush and exciting spots for feasting and wining include the main restaurant and outside terrace by the poolside, lounge bar, pool bar/grill. Monday dining is a buffet, Tuesday is Indian selection, Wednesday is for lovers of sea food, Thursday offers Asian delightsome cuisine while Friday is African night, Saturday is devoted to Arabian night and Sunday is a special Sunday Brunch. Loyalty programme

The hotel offers a rewarding loyalty programme for it regular guests, combining nine flyer awarding frequent flyer miles per stay at any Tulip Inn, Golden Tulip and Royal Tulip. The reward system also extends to its airline partners KLM – Air France and America Airline.

Lovely dining scenery

HOSPITALITY BITS InterContinental Hotel partners banks to reward customers InterContinental Hotel, Lagos, has unveiled its guest loyalty programme, which is known as ‘The Rewards Club’ in partnership with two leading financial institutions in the country. They are Wema and Skye Banks. It is a points-based bookers incentive programme open to all individual and corporate guest with a range of exclusive privileges and benefits that would enable members “book locally and spend globally” with their Wema or Skye Bank prepaid card.

The hotel’s director of sales and marketing, Krishna Kunan said this is the first of its kind. According to him, corporate and individual client who book rooms, meetings and banquets facilities get every dollar back by way of points that will be remitted to each booker’s prepaid card when due. “We have partnered with two banks along with MasterCard. They actually gave us the opportunity for this programme to be global. It is an incentive programme for every dollar you spend

in InterContinental. We give you the points on your prepaid card but what you choose to use it is none of our business. There’s no requirement and it is free of charge,” he said. Speaking also at the launch, the managing director of Wema Bank, Segun Oloketuyi, stated the desire of the bank to continuously partner with organisations like the InterContinental Hotel Group to create high-value initiatives and experiences for clients. By Olushola Ricketts

Royal Senchi opens in Ghana A new hospitality outfit, the Royal Senchi Resort Hotel, has opened for business in the historic kingdom of Akwamu, Eastern Region of Ghana. It enjoys a prime location, lying on the west bank of the Volta River overlooking the eco-island known locally as Denkyenyam. Built in 2011, it has over 80 rooms and suites, all tastefully fitted and furnished with deluxe amenities, modern comfort and technologies, against the backdrop of the spectacular river view. The Volta Executive building, with four

Junior and one Executive Suite, also offer complete privacy in an exclusive setting and with special privileges. The restaurants are classic while the Nsu Bar, is the ideal meeting place for both residents and non-residents to relax and enjoy a serene moment. It also has a good banqueting and conference facilities of different make and shapes. The Royal Senchi is only one and a half hours drive from the capital, Accra, or Ho, or Koforidua; and 10 minutes drive to the famous Akosombo Dam and Lake Volta.

TRAVEL&TOURISM

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

DESTINATION

The summit of ingenuity With Summit Hills, Calabar may just finally have the people at its feet, reports ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA.

IRST it was the Tinapa Africa Business Resort, which caught the imagination of the people and got everybody talking. Now, the Cross River State government bent on pursuing its tourism economy dream is soon to birth another tourism enclave otherwise known as Summit Hills. Judging by its iconoclastic nature and array of facilities, it may just be the defining project that will deliver on the promise. Since the first tentative step taken by the former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, in the early 2000s to do the unusual by making tourism an economic catalyst, the state government and private investors have both invested huge resources in lifting tourism infrastructure in the sector. The state has never let down its sights. It began with the transformation and renewal of the once famed but abandoned Obudu Cattle Ranch into a world class resort now known as Obudu Mountain Resort. But the dream didn’t stop there as years later a cable car, the longest in the world was installed at the resort alongside other facilities. To drive traffic and popularise the resort, a world mountain race tagged Obudu Mountain Race recognised by the World Mountain Running Association was introduced. One of the highest paying races in the world, it has since its introduction attracted some of the best runners across the world. There was also the transformation of Calabar in terms of its facilities and the introduction of the annual Calabar Festival with the Carnival Calabar, regarded as the biggest street party in Africa. It was an instant hit. Amid all these came what many has described as the most audacious project, Tinapa – Africa Business Resort. Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, while formally launching the complex described it as a project borne out of “tenacity of dream”. Not yet the dreamed Eldorado though as the project is still struggling to get on to a good footing as envisaged. With its near failure, casting a shadow on the shining tourism armour of the state, the expectation would be for the state government and the people to suspend any lofty project with a utopian bent until seeing through Tinapa, which was recently taken over by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). But not this “tourism-obsessed” government and people who are sold

completely on creating the first and best tourist destination in Nigeria at all cost and regardless of the oppositions as well as the apparent failings of the present. There appears to be unseen hands propelling them and unheard voices instructing them otherwise. For the moment, the state government is “cooking another broth” which when unveiled is sure to take tourism to another height. Perhaps to the summit of its tourism dream! Interestingly, the name of the new project is Summit Hills, a grand project right on the fringes of Calabar. Aside Tinapa, it is most likely going to be the most ambitious project ever contemplated and embarked on by the administration of Governor Liyel Imoke. Already, the Summit Hills is being secretly dubbed by the few who have toured the project as “something greater than Tinapa”. The Summit Hills enjoys a vantage location, a part of the city overlooking Tinapa. It is actually envisaged as a city within a city and for those familiar with the Canary Wharf Business District in London, or the Lower Manhattan district in New York City, United States, it is comparable in size to any of these. Mallam Abdullahi Mohammed who have toured the city under construction described it thus: “The most exciting real estate project in Nigeria is already alive and breathing in Calabar; it is called Summit Hills. Those who have seen the ongoing work there marvel at the vision of the man behind it. It is certainly a city of the future, where everything is available.” The suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Lamido Sanusi Lamido, before his travails visited the Summit Hills with his management team where he applauded the state governor for the dreamed project, which he described as an elixir for the state’s economy and a good development for Nigeria. “I have to commend Cross River for its consistency in Tinapa, Carnival and the International Convention Centre which are intended to bring economic development. You can see how wonderful and beautiful the surroundings are. Look at Tinapa and the shopping mall, as you get to the shopping mall, you see a recreation centre and within few minutes’ drive you have a golf course.” While wishing the state government well in this new venture, he assured

Summit Hills

Lakeside Hotel, Tinapa (formerly Amber)

them of the support of the CBN. “As we move away from agriculture, this is good for Nigerian economy as a new sector. It is good for Cross River as it will help create employment. It is also good for Africa as it provides us with opportunity to attract more tourists’, he said, adding that ‘‘we go to Livingstone, we go to Alexandra and hopefully, Calabar will soon be the Mecca for tourism.” The Bankers Committee since its creation in 2009, said Sanusi has made Calabar its home. “We took the decision because the town is peaceful, quiet, clean and there is less distraction as well as the wonderful support that we have received from the state.” Summit Hills is being constructed in phases with the first phase ongoing and due to be delivered by November this year. It would on completion be connected to Tinapa by a monorail. Beside the monorail, a network of road is also expected to link it to Tinapa, making access to the resort much easier. The chief press secretary to the governor, Christian Ita, said on completion, it will be the economic engine room of

the state. “The Summit Hills is a vision of Governor Liyel Imoke, to build an economic engine that creates jobs, increases the economic potential and builds on the strengths of Cross River State.’’ Some of the facilities listed for the first phase include a nature reserve for endangered species of monkey endemic to Cross River State. This would make for exotic nature trail and safari experience, construction of a network of road and two dedicated hospitality outfits - an event centre and a business hotel (International Convention Centre (CICC) and the CICC Hotel). Governor Imoke is particularly thrilled by the prospect of the event centre, which according to him, is a purposebuilt centre of international standard and with all conceivable conference facilities. With Calabar presently ranking behind Lagos and Abuja as the most preferred conference destinations in the country, the idea is to use the conference centre to shore up the position of Calabar not just in Nigeria, but on the continent. ‘‘Today in Nigeria, Calabar is the third largest MICE destination in Nigeria after

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A GLANCE AT C RO RIVER STATE TO SS URIST ATTRACTIONS

TRAVEL&TOURISM

Bottom hill - Obudu Mountain Resort Waterpark

zz zz zz zz

Kwa Falls Old Residency Marina Resort Qua Vista Farm An d Resort zz Agbokin Falls zz Alok Monolith s, Ikom zz Afi Wildlife Sa nctuary zz Drill Ranch, Calabar zz Calabar Fest ival (Carnival Calaba r) zz Obudu Mou ntain Resort zz Tinapa zz Duke And Ol d Towns zz Mary Slesso r House zz Cross River National Park zz Leboku Fest ival Marina Resort

Lagos and Abuja. And we think that we can over take Abuja very quickly once our international conference centre is completed,’’ he said even as he boasted that ‘‘at the risk of sounding in-modest, it will be the first completely standard international conference centre build from the scratch to meet global competitive standard. It is not going to be a remodelling or something that we adapt but rather it is something that is brand new and under construction now. ‘‘It is designed to make sure that next time we say we are hosting a big conference in the sub – region we have a facility that can match it or accommodate that with interpretation booth and everything that goes with it. That is very critical for us as we think that if we can complete that and a few other things that we are doing now to become a destination.’’ The second phase would boast such facilities as residential area and a hospital while the third phase would feature the completion of the golf course, clubhouse and additional residential area. The fourth and final stage would be the

Kwa falls

completion of the remaining residential area. The hospital is a 105-bed specialist hospital and it is a public-private partnership initiative between the Cross River State government and an international concessionaire, UCL Healthcare Services Limited. The estimated cost of the hospital is put at about $40 million. According to Imoke, the state government is contributing a capital of N3.2 billion while UCL HealthCare Services Limited will provide the balance money in the form of equity as part of their counterpart funding for the project. Besides fulfilling the state’s vision of providing a first-class rated health care facility to its people, it’s conceived to be the next stop for medical tourism in the country. “We are acutely aware of the immense importance of this project, which will not only transform the medical landscape of the state but will also ultimately enlarge the profile of health care delivery in the region and country,’’ said Imoke. Some of the specialised services to

be offered by the hospital on completion include gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics, internal medicine, general surgery and orthopaedics, laboratory services, dermatology, urology, eye surgery dental surgery and neology as well as cardiology with plans to include oncology as it extends its frontiers in the days ahead. The golf course is conceived as a premier golf course, designed to retain the natural idyllic setting of the area is as much a golfers’ dream as an exciting walk, it is situated on the western side of the main access road. It will feature lush fairways, an extensive driving range and natural features that provide recreational opportunities for residents who wish to play close to their home as well as guest of the hotel and the CICC. While the Clubhouse would offer spectacularly elevated scenery of the Calabar Channel and surrounding wetlands. Some of the expected amenities would include a cafe, restaurant, catering facilities, pro-shop, changing facilities, private meeting and VIP rooms.

Details of the monorail show that it would use electric-powered passenger shuttle trains consisting of 10 cars with 78 seating capacity. The train will shuttle passengers between the CICC and the Tinapa complex while allowing access to Studio Tinapa, Tinapa Shopping Centre and the Tinapa Water Park. The monorail station is set just off the CICC building to give access directly to convention activities. To ensure the city functions seamlessly, a dedicated power plant that would provide 24 hours supply of electricity is expected to come on stream as soon as it is opened to the public. With the Summit Hills coming on board soon, Cross State, may just be inching towards realising the dream of governor Imoke of making the state all season long destination that is a service economy. ‘‘The type of a destination that we want is traffic all year round because we want to be a service economy. If there is demand for the service that we provide then more people will come in here.

TRAVEL&TOURISM

CHEF’S CORNER

ALM and easygoing, he goes about his duty in an unobtrusive manner. But his expertise yells out once you taste one of the delicacies of Olakunle Ishola, executive chef of Prince of Anthony Hotel (under Hotel 1960), Anthony Village, Lagos. The premium at the Prince Restaurant is on quality and healthy food hence they offer mainly a la carte and what Ishola refers to as a la mini. Under 20 minutes, Ishola and his men at the spanking kitchen ensure that your order is laid out on your table. But as you wait, you are kept busy with complimentary peanut from the kitchen. According to him, buffet is offered by the kitchen also, but this is on special occasions such as festive periods, public holidays and special occasions when the hotel puts out special packages for its resident guests and non-resident guests. While on request by either the individual or group marking special occasion the hotel too serves buffet. Corporate guests, business travellers and leisure seekers are all provided for by the hotel. Besides the regular continental and African dishes, which Ishola has de-

Ishola

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OLAKUNLE ISHOLA: Lord of the Pantry From a part time baker, Olakunle Ishola, writes ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA, has risen to the top tier of the culinary world as the executive chef of Prince of Anthony Hotel, in Lagos. signed in a manner that entices, it is always a delight to be treated to one of his recipes served on the weekly chef special occasion. The chef special by Ishola, which seems to set the hotel apart from the crowd, as many people look forward to it, is, according to the executive chef, a blend across Nigeria and continental. It is a total package, he says, as even the starters and desserts are given special treat. The list of Ishola’s creations include Jamlayya Special, which consists of primps, crocker fish, shredded chicken and steak with vegetable as well as white creamy sauce. He adds that it is eaten with white, red rice or matched potatoes accompanied with red wine. There is beef strongoff, which is derived from Chinese and contains shredded beef, soy sauce, garlic and ginger, white creamy sauce and eaten with French fries (chips), matched or grilled potatoes with white wine. Others include chilly fish, chilly butterfly primps and chilli sauce. Any of these, he says could be eaten with either rice or French fries (Chips). The hotel also has a special place for bakery items with its special pastry corner, shamwarma and pizzas among other culinary offerings. One of the reasons the Prince of Anthony Hotel’s food are highly prized stems from what Ishola says is the culture of quality and care o f

the hotel. ‘‘Our culture is quality, we insist on the best from our suppliers as we don’t compromise right from the supply to the final unit. Any sub-standard food item is rejected outright,’’ he informs, adding that “hygiene is very key to our operation, the training of our kitchen staff and the kitchen is kept neat and healthy always as well as time management’.’ Furthermore, he reveals that the satisfaction of the guest is also very paramount as they ensure that guests get value for their money hence the extra care by him to look after the guest in all the departments. ‘‘We make sure that the guest is satisfied as we offer value for money based on qualitative services right from the reception to the kitchen.’’ Complimentary breakfast is served at the hotel while the restaurant opens for breakfast at 6am and closes at 12am but 24 hours service is on for the in–house guest. Also, the hotel, Ishola says, specialises in outdoor catering with full and half delivery as well as interior decoration for any occasion. From baker to executive chef

The story of Olakunle Ishola reads like a fairy tale which began at age 17. Growing up in his Bariga, Lagos, neighbourhood, he would visit one of the local bread bakeries owned by one Mr. Olaiya. For him, it was just a way of engaging himself constructively after school hours. He signed up as an apprentice in 1989 and graduated in 1992 as a baker. But within the three years of training, Ishola developed a passion and interest in the work the more and from there began a lifelong romance with the culinary world. After earning his stripe as a baker, he moved on to the bakery and confectionary end where he was devoted to learning all kinds of breads and pastries in a company known then as Underground and owned by a Lebanese. Three years after honing his skill here, again he was on the move, as he left for Cook and Baker. His next stop over after a year here was at the Tribe Bar and Grill at Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos where he attained the position of a senior baker. In 1998 he was an assistant chef at Blue Sea Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, and then trans-

Prince restaurant

ferred to Mochachos, an eatery owned by the hotel. Having acquired sufficient skill and expertise, Ishola decided to be an entrepreneur, opening his own bakery in 2002 where for over a year he held sway in the public domain with his Nourish Bread, which according to him, was highly sought after in his Orile neighbourhood. He describes the experience of having his own outfit as a good one. ‘‘I felt good then and challenged because I saw myself competing with some of the biggest names in the industry because I had the experience, knowledge and skills,’’ he recalls. But he couldn’t go far with the dream as he had to close shop unceremoniously. Dejected, he relocated to Abuja in 2003 to start a new life. As if guided by destiny, he again signed up with a bakery and confectionary outfit, Bubble Gum, where he worked for eight months as the executive chef. In the same year, Ishola moved over to Transcorp Hilton Hotel as chef de–parte (manager). Here, he again, proved his mettle for close to nine years as he won different accolades and recognition for his skills and professionalism. The honour list includes staff of the month and year for several times and also as one of the best staff who contributed to the success of the hotel within the Africa, Middle East, Asia and the Pacific region. But in 2012, he left not only ‘‘to upgrade myself,’’ but later moved on to Grand Square Supermarket, Abuja, as the executive chef. By January 29, this year, Ishola was lured back to Lagos by the Prince of Anthony Hotel as the executive chef. From a little baker on the street of Bariga then, he had within two decades not only educated himself in the field by attending different training courses within and outside Nigeria in such places as Germany and South Africa, but also earned a Higher National Diploma (HND) in banking and finance from the Lagos State Polytechnic in 2002. Obviously a fulfilled and happy man, Ishola would rather see his rise as the hand of providence. ‘‘It is destiny,’’ he intones, as he reveals that after earning his HND in banking and finance, he attempted braeking out of the culinary world but just couldn’t fit into anything else and so decided to remain. ‘‘Going to school is to give you exposure and understanding of the basic of what you are doing... It is not that I wasn’t interested in working in the bank or corporate world, but it is destiny as I tried to venture into other field but still ended up where I started from,’’ he says. According to him, if he was in the banking sector, he perhaps wouldn’t have attained the height he has today. ‘‘I feel good because from this job I was able to educate myself, look after my immediate and extended family and got married. If I was in banking I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today,’’ he says, insisting that the best is yet to come. ‘‘I am happy but I still want God to take me to another height on this job, reveals the Ogun State–born Ishola, father of four children.

TRAVEL&TOURISM

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 march 2014

TRAVEL PERSONALITY

Adventures of Ikechi Uko As publisher of Africa Travel Quarterly (ATQ) and Africa Travel Quarterly news (online), organisers of Akwaaba - African Travel Market and Travel Awards as well as Abuja Bantaba, Ikechi Uko seeks to put Africa on the world travel market. ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA chronicles the life of the Abia State-born travel czar.

ALL and slim built, he stands out in a crowd or room and literally makes heads turn the moment he walks in. Added to these is the fact that Ikechi Uko’s brilliance and passion become apparent the minute he begins to talk about his favourite subject – travel. For him, what used to be a passion has long turned into a career, a business and lifetime engagement, which over the years has consumed the whole of his soul. His attachment to the world of travels, which has earned him recognition and accolades across the world, is almost infectious because he is a compelling speaker who usually holds his audience spellbound at every forum he makes a pitch for travel and tourism. How did it all begin? ‘‘I think I was born into a family that travels. My father’s job (with the defunct Nigerian Railways Corporation) meant that he travelled all the time and we lived in different parts of Nigeria when we were kids. ‘‘So I have always had the passion for travel,” he says. And to drive home the story, Uko had his secondary education in Enugu, studied geography at the undergraduate level and remote sensing at the post graduate level both at the University of Ibadan, served at Bauchi from where he moved over to Kano. ‘‘I have always had the desire to travel and know new places. So I don’t think it is by accident that I ended up in this (travel business) because it is something that I have always enjoyed doing,’’ he adds. ‘‘The business part of it, trying to earn an income out of your passion was the difficult part. It meant I had to educate myself on different things. I had to learn journalism, I had to learn marketing, I had to learn advertising and I have to actually acquire skills that I initially didn’t have to be able to earn an income out of it,’’ he reveals. His first stop was in publishing where he tried publishing the Travellers Weekend, in 1996 alongside travel awards. It was not an instant success as it witnessed so many epileptic presences on newsstands. But buoyed by the conviction of his passion, he persisted and later transformed it into Africa Travel Quarterly (ATQ). Having mastered the curve and established a name in the travel world with ATQ making waves, he last year debuted with an online version of ATQ, which is known as ATQ News, a weekly publication focusing on news and development within the Africa travel industry. How easy was it for a mere sapling and neophyte that he was then to attempt pioneering a travel magazine? ‘‘It was very, very tough in the beginning considering the fact that you were starting the first travel maga-

zine in an environment where there was none,’’ he said, the emotions returning as he reminisced on those rough early times. ‘‘That has actually helped me because it is easy for me now to pioneer things. I was in my twenties trying to set up a travel magazine and I didn’t have the kind of income or structure needed to push it. So I will say I had some rough education in that part, but looking back I don’t regret any part of that because it enriched me. When they say tourism enriches, I think I am one best example of that.’’ How enriching? ‘‘I am actually a happy and fulfilled person. Knowing how beautiful the world is and knowing how gracious God is. I have also benefitted from what I always tell people is His grace because I have been to places and I came out safely,’’ he recounts, admitting that the journey has been that of mixed blessings and experiences. ‘‘I have been to battle zones, I have been to dangerous areas, I have been on rickety planes, I have ridden boats on rough seas, I have stayed in the best hotels in the world and I have flown in the best airline ever made by man. I have actually seen the best of life and also the worst possible parts of this world.” Not content with his stake in the travel industry, he again ventured into another difficult aspect of the travel business, which is travel trade exhibition. In 2004, he birthed a travel exhibition, which was later named Akwabaa – Africa Travel Market, which he calls “where Africa meets the world”. This, according to him, signalled a new move and direction in his travel odyssey. During his vacation in America in 2003, he recounts his encounter with Africa consciousness where he realised that the rest of the world viewed every black man as African and not as Nigerian or Ghanaian and treated everyone the same way. That was what shaped his new preoccupation with Africa travel. ‘‘Africa needs to work more with itself; that is my vision and that is what I am trying to achieve, to make Africa one big travel market.’’ Ever since, he says he has made Africa the centrepiece of his world with most of

his travels in the last one decade restricted to Africa except of course for conferences and other travel events. ‘‘I have spent the last 10 years travelling from ‘Cape to Cairo’ and I have been enriched and I have seen that Africa owns the best,’’ Uko enthuses. Casting his gaze across his living room, he suddenly transports you to Africa as he attempts a specific take on the unique attractions of the continent. For instance, he reminds one of the beauty of North Africa, which he likens to the West. With regard to the west coast, he says Gambia offers the most developed hospitality environment with fantastic options while Accra, Banjul, Lilongwe are about the most friendliest cities in Africa. South Africa and Kenya (Nairobi), he adds, offer high end shopping experience while Zimbabwe and Zambia also offer fantastic experiences, but the best kept secret of Africa, he says, is Ethiopia as the world is yet to discover its richness besides the pictures of famine, wars, communism and perhaps its airline. ‘‘It may not be the most sophisticated modern country, but it has the greatest historical and Christian artefacts in the world. Six of them are on the world heritage list in Lalibela. Fantastic environment. It is probably one of the best kept secret of the world for most travellers.’’ And what more? ‘‘The prettiest women in the world are in Ethiopia,’’ he says giggling. After a little pause and then turning his gaze back to you, he waxed almost poetic: ‘‘Then you have Nigeria, fantastic blessings, our ‘Naija Seven Wonders showed us some of the greatest things that God has put on

“I have stayed in the best hotels in the world and I have flown in the best airline ever made by man. I have actually seen the best of life and also the worst possible parts of this world”

earth - the Mambilla Plateau, Obudu Mountain Resort, Benin moat, which is the largest man made excavation in the world, Idanre Hills, the Kano walls, which is the biggest free standing structure in Africa. ‘‘Nigeria is richly blessed. One of the best roads and landscapes that I have seen in my travel round the world is driving from Kano to Maiduguri. Fantastic landscape, but it has been overrun by insurgents (Boko Haram).” With this somewhat picturesque presentation, how come Nigeria is yet not a true destination? He cites lack of organisation and structures as the most basic problems of the country while also blaming the operators for lacking the boldness to work “out of the box,” educating and enriching themselves by experiencing other destinations and putting audacious investment as Cross River State has done. The staying power for this travel enthusiast who reveals that he travels almost 200 days in a year is God, to whom he is totally devoted. ‘‘The second important thing for me is that I have a fantastic family who has provided the environment that enables me to thrive. I travel close to 200 days in a year and it doesn’t destruct my life. My kids have fantastic education and exposure because my family has been well run,’’ even as he pays glowing tributes to the staff and people who work with him to realise his dream. Besides, he also singles out some individual who have in different ways shaped his vision and helped him to tread the right path. The list include the late Mr. Matts Da Silva, late Tunde Sawyer, late John Mugo who was the Kenya Airways’ first country manager in Nigeria and late Sam Ubi of KLM. Others are Bernard Ikeakor and, of course, the man who he says introduced him to the world of travels - his father. ‘‘My daddy introduced me to travels. He worked with the then Nigerian Railway Corporation. He exposed me to books at a very young age, most of those books I read left fantastic impression on me and one of the greatest was the biographer of David Livingstone and that little book in my father’s shelf changed my life,’’ he recalls.

POLITICS

Talking Point Maitama Sule’s consummate sophistry p.51 Patrick Okomiso ‘Police should have investigated Sanusi’s alligation’ p.52

ON SATURDAY

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www.newtelegraphonline.com/politics

22 MARCH 2014

MUHAMMAD AHMAD MEETS DAMISHI LUKA BARAU Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Comrade Damishi Luka Barau, who recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), feels that his principal, Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura, is spreading falsehood about his person. In this interview, he provided why he left the All Progressives Congress (APC), his relationship with the state governor and other issues. How has life been since you defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?

To be precise, I want to thank God for the development. I am aware of the consequences of such decision, the expected, both the good and the bad. What I know is that I am convinced, beyond reasonable doubt in my mind, that I ought to have taken this decision and I took it. I want to assure you that because of that conviction; I have no reason to lose sleep on issues that may be associated with that action. So, in a nutshell, for me it has been peaceful in mind and gladdens my heart that I did what I did and feel very comfortable. What is the relationship with the governor since your defection?

We parted ways in terms of political ideologies but in terms of governance, my spirit is intact with the governor. At the same time, the governor has the discretion to assign responsibility to me as his deputy. But if he feels otherwise, I am still comfortable because the constitution is clear about my functions. Have you been assigned any responsibility since your defection?

I have not received any message from the governor but I hope it will come. Do you see the governor in terms of official function?

No, I just answered the question. What has been your relationship with the state House of Assembly since you defected?

It has not changed. You know, I was a member of that constituency and since the inception of this administration, they look up to me as a father as far as their constituency is concerned because I was there before as the first majority leader of the Assembly. So, there are lots of things they learn from me and I also learn from them. Our relationship has been very cordial more so that I have come back to the party of the majority in the House, the PDP. They see me more as a father from the moment I defected. Is it true that you betrayed the governor by defecting, even after he made you deputy governor and even paid your medical bills abroad before the 2011 general elections?

E S U A C E B C ‘I QUIT AP D N A T S T ’ N D I COUL THE LIES’

Well, as far as I am concerned, from the day I moved to the PDP, I know such will crop up. My submission is simple: impression of pains for the loss of a valuable thing that you have. That is the summary. However, I think the authors of these write ups are deliberately positioning themselves, having satisfied that they have lost something valuable and are now looking for ways of destroying that valuable thing. Unfortunately, they are talking to somebody who knows what he is doing and equally knows much about them. Let me say in clear terms, I am aware government sponsors all these write ups. That is why I said they are doing it out of pain

THE SATURDAY INTERVIEW

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

and I don’t want to join issues with them. But one fact that I must state here is to corroborate my assertion on the day of leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC). I said I was tired of dealing with lies and falsehood. What they did in those write-ups is the practical exhibition of those virtues that I said I hated among them which was why I decided to leave them. You can see that even when I left, they are still exhibiting those characters which I think has vindicated my position. For instance, you are talking about one man who worked under me as my zonal coordinator in Keffi during the campaigns and who was alleged to be one of the authors of such false write- ups. But I know he cannot even read those write-ups because of his intellectual capacity. When I read the piece, I laughed because I have been with them and knew their antics, I mean those in that government. So, they are not thinking deep to know the kind of person they want to rubbish. For instance, he talked about the governor sponsoring my medical bills before elections. I also learnt that the governor did not inform many people most of those things in the write-ups that he took responsibility of my medical bills before elections. It is ridiculous and very unfortunate. Although I have vowed not to demean my principal, however I have a responsibility not to compromise my integrity and at the same time have every responsibility to defend that integrity. If the person that I respect would stoop so low, instead of looking for genuine reasons for my departure from him will go into falsehood, no problem about that. Thank God I am still alive. Although I don’t want to elaborate on the circumstances of my illness but I know I sacrificed my life on this project, TAAL Campaign Organisation. I want to also say that nobody would have nominated me if I were sick; the governor wouldn’t have nominated me to be his running mate if I were sick from the beginning. We started this campaign in PDP; we formed the structure of the campaign organisation and all the inputs were generated by me. I have them in writing and all those surrounding the governor today were not there when we started. They didn’t contribute anything. It was during the general elections that they came in because most of them contested elections in PDP but lost before they joined us. Today, they are masters in the house. For my health, one naira was never spent by the governor and I want to challenge the governor or whosoever think he knew what the governor did to come out and dispute this fact that the governor did not give me one naira to go to hospital when I was down. The truth is that friends and well-wishes were by my side morally and otherwise. I know I went to a private clinic in Abuja when I was tested and by their own assessment, I needed operation of the spinal cord and that time there was contemplation whether I should go for overseas treatment before the election. But my friends insisted that I should not worry; I should rather go after the election. So, I didn’t go for any treatment before elections. After the election, we spent about five

“If the governor whom I respect up till now is telling people and his cohorts that I betrayed him, he should go to his closet before God, and ask himself between me and him who the traitor is.”

ing you to succeed Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

Barau (right) with the state Chairman of PDP, Chief Yunana Illiya

to six months in office when I was assigned to lead the state delegation to Jerusalem for the 2011pilgrimage. As leader of the delegation, I used the opportunity to do medical check which was my entitlement. I approached the governor who graciously approved the $9000 given to me for medical bills by the hospital. When I went to Israel, I ran some medical tests and the hospital found me healthy and that I didn’t need any operation. I spent two days before I joined the pilgrims. Those who went with us are alive. All I spent in that hospital was $2000. So, I had about $7000 plus left remaining from the money government gave me for medical bills. And being the leader of the delegation, everyone was looking up to me for one thing or the other. So, out of the money I spent about $2000 and had about $5000 left out of the money. It may interest you to know that as part of my character, when we returned, I gave the governor my report and said here is the balance of $5000 because since I didn’t do the operation, it is not my money. The governor cannot deny that because he told some members of council and commended my stand on that. I paid the money to the Accountant General’s office personally. So, for my principal to say he paid my medical bills is very unfortunate. Is your job as the deputy governor suffering?

Constitutionally, as I said, the office of the deputy governor is an appendage of the governor’s office. It exists at the discretion of the governor. For me, if I am given an assignment to do I will graciously do it because I know my responsibility and my limit but one thing is that I don’t dabble into what I am not asked to do. I want to have my peace and do my legitimate responsibility. If you even ask me to lie down at home, I still remain the deputy governor of Nasarawa State. I don’t think the office is suffering from anything because once in a while, even when I did not defect, everyday if you came to my office, you see all kinds of people that visited and nothing has changed since. Rather, the frequency of visits has increased. On government activity, it is only when the governor asks me to do something because there is no specific schedule for that office. It is only when the governor assigns you. How true is it that the Presidency lured you into the PDP?

As far as I am concerned, my opponents are only chasing shadows. I have integrity and I don’t subscribe to blackmail. I want to say it in clear terms about my going to PDP that I have never discussed with President Goodluck Jonathan one-on-one that I want to join PDP. Since I joined the PDP, I have not discussed with the president because I didn’t join the party for Jonathan but first for myself and for my people. Jonathan is the one that needs me. There are reports that President Jonathan is groom-

Their trademark is falsehood. When I went to Israel with the president, the House of Assembly signed impeachment notice. But all that was going round was that the president called me to Jerusalem so that he can initiate impeachment notice against the governor for me to become governor of Nasarawa State. You can imagine that it took the leadership of the House to swear to the governor that I didn’t know anything about what was happening. You see the guilty are always afraid and I just laughed when they said so. I think they should try to imbibe the spirit of sincerity in them. Why does religion seem to play a role in your defection?

It is very unfortunate; it pains me that leaders of our status can bring ourselves so low as if we don’t know the constitution of this country. I am ashamed to even address the issue because those bandying the issue of religion are supposed to be leaders that have benefited from the unity of purpose of the different faiths that we have, including pagans, Muslims and Christians. These are the same category of people that supported and voted them. When these people were voting them into office, they didn’t talk about religion. It is only now that they are bringing up the matter. In the first place, I have not talked about any ambition as the reason of decamping. It is not even contemplated and I still say they are chasing shadows. They know they are defeated. That is the instrument they think they can use to get sympathy. It’s claimed that your defection to the PDP was allegedly triggered by corruption allegations against you. How true is this?

Well, I heard the governor, during the APC summit in Abuja, saying that it is unfortunate that he is the only APC governor that is here without his deputy and that he has lost his deputy due to his stance against corruption and religion as the two main issues. That is very, very unfortunate. When I heard that, what immediately came to my mind was: In what perspective is he talking about this issue of corruption? If he is directing those corruption issues to me as his cohorts are claiming, then it is laughable. I want to challenge the governor and government of Nasarawa State, from May 29, 2011 till date, if they have any corruption issue against me since I became the deputy governor, they should bring it out. I don’t want to say anything yet; the time has not come. The time will come, I will show the world who is corrupt and who is not corrupt. The governor’s camp alleged that you are not loyal and lack political base. Do you agree with that?

On the issue of respect, everyone that needs respect must first respect himself. If the governor whom I respect up till now is telling people and his cohorts that I betrayed him, he should go to his closet before God, and ask himself between me and him who the traitor is. People said I was very harsh when I said the governor should go and look at the mirror and know who is a betrayer. What do I mean by that? I should be the one to be complaining that I am betrayed. Anybody who felt I betrayed the governor doesn’t know the issues involved, but I stand my ground, I do not disrespect the governor but, at the same time, I will not compromise my integrity. On my political base, I believe in God because for anybody to come and say my political base is weak I don’t know where he is coming from in the first place. Saturday is coming; we have local government election. That will be the practical aspect to test my political worth. I am ready and on Saturday we will prove it.

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National Conference is not legitimate –Abayomi Nigerians have been advocating a national conference and the president gracefully granted their request. Why are you against it?

First and foremost, if you are aware of the agitation for a dialogue, you will know that I have been in the forefront since 1998. The only difference is that I am advocating a constitutional convention. Many of the leaders, including the late Chief Rotimi Williams, participated in all those military constitutions. I am not against the conference per se. What I am saying is that conference can only come into effect through an enabling law; it cannot be a personal affair of the president. The call then is if we don’t have a law to guide it directly, it becomes guideless at the end. What does the president do with it? So, there is a fundamental problem here. If the matter has been subjected to a debate in the National Assembly, we will have the views of different people; the intellectual, the women and others. They will include their input on how it will go. For example, what exactly does the president intends to do with the outcome right now? Previously, he said the outcome would be sent to the National Assembly. Later, he changed his mind that the members would determine what would happen to the outcome and when he inaugurated the conference, he said there would be a referendum. So, you can see the confusion. What exactly does the president want? Does he intends to amend the constitution or does he intend to give us a new constitution? So, these are the fundamental, serious issues.

A human rights activist and lawyer Dr.TunjiAbayomi, has sued the government over the legitimacy of the ongoing National Conference. In this interview with WALE ELEGBEDE, he speaks on his why he wants the conference to be stopped and the budget for the confab. tion, why is he casting over 140 in a national conference to deal with the fundamental issues of Nigeria? Is he more than any other Nigerian citizen? If there is a law that says he can do that, then we will know that the law is enacted by the delegates of the people. But there is no law. Technically, the president established the law to guide the conference. Is it part of his power to make law? The prevailing constitution only gives him executive power. It is important to appreciate that the constitution did not say that the executive power of the federation shall be vested in the president to carry out any act. It says that the executive power vested in the president shall be exercised to execute laws and the constitution. It didn’t even say he should use it to govern. That means that every act must be prescribed by law. What do you want to achieve with this suit you have filed?

The suit I have filed now is to give legitimacy and legality to the conference.

But the conference secretariat said at the last hearing of the suit you filed that you don’t have locus standi on the issue.

It could. Why can’t it be stopped? If the conference is illegal and unconstitutional it can be stopped. All of us in Nigeria have agreed that we are bound by law. The mere fact that it has everybody there does not change anything. Obasanjo’s conference was even better-organised, it had a lot more people and it was cheaper than this N8billion conference. This conference is meant to feed people who are over-bloated and full, meanwhile the children of the poor are dying in stadiums struggling for small jobs. But if it is illegal, do you think former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) would be presiding over it?

What do you mean? Is he still a CJN? That does not mean he cannot act illegally. He may think what he is doing is legal but the court will decide that. There is nothing special about the CJN participating in the conference.

What is your take on the N4 million allowance per month for each delegate and the budget of N7billion for the conference?

I think the commoners don’t have faith in the Nigerian government any more. If that amount has been used to create employment for youths as an emergency measure, there would be a difference. Look at those who they are spending that kind of money on. All the Alamieyeseigha, Olu Falae, Jubril Aminu and others. All of them are well-fed and full, those who have enjoyed the pecks and pleasures of governance. Meanwhile, the coming generation are being tormented by hopelessness. They are struggling to have small jobs which they can’t get. I don’t understand why people are comfortable with the situation, maybe I am different. Do you have faith in this conference?

There is a difference between what you talk about and the people who talk, and the use of the talk. I want to remind you that Obasanjo had political conference which came up with very interesting recommendations, what happened to it? So, the faith in this conference would have arisen if it was legitimised by law. My case in court is to actually help the government. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is not participating, they are already there fighting this same conference. There will still be the need for a law because this conference cannot go anywhere without a law. Do you believe that this conference would be able to address the issues that Nigerians have been calling for?

If the position is that I don’t have locus standi, then who has locus standi? Is it then a subject that cannot be challenged by anybody? The law has advanced beyond that locus standi ambush. We are talking about an issue that affects the nation.

This is not the first time that we will be addressing ourselves as a nation. It has always been from the time immemorial. We had conference before 1946 Richardson Constitution, we had after that. We had conference during the military and even Obasanjo had two conferences. Even the National Assembly had just gone round. The reasons why those conferences appear defeated is because they are not purposeful in their nature and they are not original in terms of emanating from the freewill of the people. If you look at the conference we have now, what is the difference between it and the military constituent assembly in terms of legality and legitimacy?

Are you saying that this conference does not have legitimacy?

It doesn’t have. It doesn’t have law, it doesn’t have legitimacy. What authority does the President has to constitute it? Is it not the same question we were asking when the military were in charge? Were we not asking then what authority does a military head of state has to bring about a new constitution for us? For example, let me give a simple abnormality in this scenario. The president is appointing about 140 delegates directly or indirectly. This includes those who he directs and those who take authority from him. The same president cannot cast more than one vote in a local government election. So, if the president cannot cast more than one vote during the local government elec-

But you were asking that the conference be stopped?

“This conference is meant to feed people who are over-bloated and full” Abayomi

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Conference is in accordance with the law – Ozekhome Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, is a delegate in the ongoing National Conference. He affirms that the conference is legitimate and that the N4 million allowance for each delegate is not much. He spoke with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE Dr. Tunji Abayomi is in court challenging the legitimacy of the National Conference. What is your take on this?

Dr. Tunji Abayomi is entitled to his opinion and I do not want to pre-empt what the court would say. I have also stated somewhere that there is supposed to be a law from the National Assembly empowering the convocation of the National Conference. But then again, I also look at the second side of the coin because I always believe that there is one-sided coin in that situation. The second side of the coin is that if you look carefully at Section 5 of the constitution, the section gives the executive power of the federation of Nigeria to the President to maintain all laws made by the National Assembly and also to maintain the peace, order and good government of Nigeria. The argument, therefore, is that if the President feels that one of the ways he can maintain the peace, order and good government of Nigeria and exercise his executive power or laws made by the National Assembly, then he can convoke a National Conference. And that was why during his inaugural speech, he made it clear that it did not have a personal agenda in this conference. He said all he wants to do is that Nigerians should talk because there have been too much murmuring; too much of monologue and it is time for Nigerians to talk because to jaw-jaw is better than to war-war. So, if you ask me, I think the President was perfectly right to convoke the National Conference without any National Assembly law backing it up. So, it would have been unnecessary to look for a law to back it up. That is my view as a constitutional lawyer. Dr. Abayomi also said that whatever may be the outcome of the National Conference would be illegitimate without a legal backing.

It cannot be illegitimate because sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria and Nigerians are the one exercising that sovereignty now and once the outcome of the conference is subjected to national referendum or plebiscite, even if the President himself has said it is possible, it can be done. Then it automatically adored the gap of legitimacy because the legitimacy we are talking about emanates from the people to have a home-grown constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Like I said, I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the case but since you are asking this question, as a lawyer, I have to proffer my views. But I see it as an impossible task for any court in Nigeria to grant an injunction to stop a National Conference that has already started. If it has not started, it is a different thing. Courts do not grant injunction to stop an act that already commenced or completed.

How do you see the suit?

I am actually surprised and somehow taken aback that the suit was filed by Dr. Tunji Abayomi because when I first heard about it, I thought it was not true until I read about it in the newspaper. Because Abayomi is one of those Nigerians right from the time that we formed Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON) with the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi in 1998 that have been calling for not just a National Conference but a Sovereign National Conference (SNC). So, I do not know what has informed his new thinking and I do not want to question him or begrudge him for that. So, I want to just leave it at that. Don’t you think that the N4 million monthly allowance per delegate and N7billion being spent on the conference are outrageous?

Ozekhome

I said it one and half months ago when I heard that N7billion was earmarked for the conference that I do not think that the amount is too much for Nigerians to talk and find solutions to their problems; and find common grounds as to how best to answer national questions of where we are coming from, where we are and where we want to go to. We have heard of some Assistant Directors in ministries pocketing N10.5billion, N8.8billion. But at the conference we are talking of N7billion for 492 delegates and five management staff. All these people are leaving their jobs to come and stay in Abuja for three months. The whole N12 million alleged to be earned for three months is still less than what each members of the National Assembly including the lowest paid members of the House of Representatives received per month. And it must be understood that this N4 million is to cover air fare for people coming from all over the country, their hotel accommodation, internal transportation and allowance. Do you also believe that the outcome of the conference will achieve the desire result?

I believe the outcome will achieve the desired result. We are going there with open minds, no stereotype, nothing fictitious. There is going to be horse trading; there would be compromises, understandings and hot debates. All these would come to the fore but I believe that at the end of the day, it would be better for Nigeria and Nigerians because to jaw-jaw is better than war-war. To talk and express ourselves is better than to engage in monologue or soliloquy. I see the outcome cementing Nigeria unity more. I do not see Nigerians going there to go and discuss how to dismember Nigeria or how to decapitate Nigeria. Rather it will be how to cement this

“All these people are leaving their jobs to come andf stay in Abuja for three months” behemoth contraption that was possibly amalgamated in 1914 by Lord Lugard. How do we bring about all the 382 ethnic nationalities to begin to have a sense of nationhood? How do we bring about power devolution? How do we bring about true federalism and possible resource control so that each federating unit can begin to look at itself retrospectively and harness its own resources so that we do not depend on a monolithic product called the black gold, the black oil. These are the issues that we are going to discuss. Why do we still discriminate on the basis of indigeneship, settler or citizenship? If I had lived in Lagos since 1974, even though I am from Agenebode in Edo State, why can’t I aspire to be the governor of Lagos State? Why do you still regard me as an Edo man and not as a Lagosian all because I am not Yoruba? Why would Igbo in Sabongari, Kano who have been there since 1940s would not be able to contest for the governorship of Kano State because they are still been regarded as settlers and strangers? These are some of the issues we would discuss and I believe we would find answers. How about subjecting the outcome of the conference to the National Assembly for ratification or referendum?

It has to be subjected to the people of Nigeria for a referendum or plebiscite, not to the National Assembly. The National Assembly is not equipped to carry out a refer-

endum. The National Assembly cannot give a new constitution. Under Section 9 of the present constitution, National Assembly can only amend the existing fundamentally-flawed constitution which was given and forced on us by a military regime in 1999 led by Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar’s regime. Even if you amend the present constitution one million times, it will not accord it any legitimacy or respectability or acceptability by the people of Nigeria. Therefore, the process by which a constitution comes to being is as important if not more important than the content of a constitution. The best thing therefore which the President will do, and thank God he dwellled on it few days ago during the inauguration speech, is that the outcome of the National Conference would be subjected to the Nigerian people in a referendum or plebiscite. The type that old Mid-West Region had before it was created out of the old Western Region on the night of August 9, 1963. It is that referendum or plebiscite that would make the constitution to be home-grown because it emanates directly from the people. Then such a constitution would become home-grown, legitimate, acceptable and respectable. But if you take it to the National Assembly, then you have killed the entire exercise as it was killed in 2005 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo took all our decisions at the National Political Reforms Conference to the National Assembly. The fact that the outcome of the 2005 conference was taken to the National Assembly because of his third-term agenda killed that good initiative. The tail cannot wag the dog; it is the dog that wags the tail. So, the National Assembly cannot dictate to the Nigerian people about how they should exercise their sovereignty. No. They are ill-equipped, they cannot do it. It would be illegal, illegitimate and unconstitutional.

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‘Police Should Have Investigated Sanusi’s Allegation against NNPC’/ Nigeria is bigger than any individual Chief Patrick Okomiso was the governorship candidate of the defunct All Nigerians Peoples Party in the 2012 re-run governorship election in Cross River State. In this interview with JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM, Okomiso argues that the police failed in its duty to investigate the allegations levelled by the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi against the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Have the 100 years of Nigeria’s existence been worth it?

Nigeria is only 100 years old. So, it was a very nice thing that was done. The celebration came in at a very good time and it was really a good thing and I say congratulations to the awardees, especially those who laid their lives for this nation. There wouldn’t have been any better time than now for the celebrations to take place. Nigeria has passed through a lot: amalgamation, confederation, civil war, military coups, OPC, Boko Haram insurgency, etc. For me, Nigeria has really done well in these 100 years. We have produced great people. People like Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Prof. Adeoye Lambo and many other great international figures. What about allegations that the NNPC did not remit about $20bn and the suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the whistle blower?

The suspension of Sanusi Lamido was the way of the federal government saying that you cannot be a judge in your own case. It has also been alleged that there was misappropriation in Central Bank by Sanusi and he was suspended on those bases. I think Nigerians should allow Sanusi to defend himself adequately on these issue because l can see a number of documents flying about and you know this an accusation, it has not been confirmed that he has done it. He is being suspected to have done it. So, my take is for them to allow the police to investigate the matter and should be able to come out with an authentic report that would show whether Sanusi embezzled or missappropriated funds during his tenure as CBN governor. If that is done and he is found guilty, he should be prosecuted. That is how it should be. Number two, Sanusi brought out an allegation of unremitted funds against NNPC, which calls for the anti-fraud unit of the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the allegation and the account of NNPC. If NNPC is found guilty, the Minister of Petroleum, GMD of NNPC and other officials concerned should be prosecuted. The anti corruption agencies - EFCC and ICPC - are not being taken seriously again by Nigerians. Whose responsibility is it to set up the investigation team?

It is that of the Inspector-General of Police. Somebody has accused somebody of stealing, the Police should move in. It is the statutory responsibility of the police. That is why it is called Nigeria Police Force. Would the Nigeria Police succeed in such investigation if orders are not given from above?

I want to say that Nigerians own the Nigeria

Police Force. The Police, by the Act that established it, has a right to stop you on the road and search you or your car. Ask you where you are going to or coming from. So the same police has the right to move into anywhere, including the NNPC and investigate what is happening there; the same police has the right to go into the CBN and investigate what is happening and thereafter, proceed to the law court for prosecution. The nation is approaching the 2015 general elections, but the dust raised by the 2011 election is yet to settle. Why is it so?

Okomiso

Let me say this categorically. There was no dust raised in the 2011 elections. Why some people think that there was controversy was because of issues in four or five states from the North and that was basically due to widespread ignorance. The result of the election was controversial in Katsina and everybody in Katsina believed that Katsina amounted to the whole nation. In the 2011 election, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan won. There was no way Buhari could have won the election at that time. I am not talking about today, l am talking

about 2011. A Presidential candidate that never visited any of the local governments outside his comfort zone. You see, Nigeria is a very large nation. If you campaigned in Sokoto, you should not think that the person in Calabar should be aware. PDP, at that time, went to every state and CPC never went round. So they couldn’t win. 2015 is a different ball game. The PDP has been in power and Jonathan has piloted the sheep for four years: he is going to bring out his report card and voters would decide on his report card and any other person coming has

the right to bring out his intention and if that his intentions are better than that of Mr. A, you go for it and if you feel that intentions of Mr. A is better, you go for Mr. A but let us have it on record that it is unbelievable that Nigerians will sit down and believe that Nigeria will disintegrate because of an election. No. Nigeria is larger than one person. If other political parties feel that there should be a change, they should be making statement that reflects that. We should begin to see their presidential candidates and their qualities.

In Ondo, old things have passed away –Akinmade Describe Gov Olusegun Mimiko”s style of governance.

His approach is pragmatic and scientific. He is methodological in governance and implementation of policies. That is why he has been able to carry everybody in the state along and you can see the results. The people have been very generous with their support for Gov Mimiko because they understand the direction of the administration. They share its vision and also believe in the personality of the man Abayomi Rahman Olusegun Mimiko as a credible and sincere person. He had been with them before he became governor; they know his pedigree, and that was the reason they supported him to reclaim his mandate when he was initially robbed. Only a trusted leader could get support to return for a second term. Don’t forget, most people believe it was impossible for any governor to get a second term mandate in Ondo State. How has the administration intervened in the agricultural sector?

When Mr Governor assumed office, he discovered that the agricultural sector was not what it ought to be and he set out immediately to implement the progamme he had to revolutionize the sector. And in no time, was able to make impact in the sector. Initial 18 Mobile Farm Service Centres were provided across the state to attend to the imme-

Akinmade

diate needs of established farmers in the state. Soon after, the government introduced a farm produce buy-back programme, through which N25m was provided for the buy-back of excess produce from farmers. These include Agricultural Villages to encourage fresh graduates to go into farming in Ore, Odigbo local government area among others to accelerate crop farming, animal husbandry, mushroom farming and oil palm revolution. In March, 2011, the Ore Caring Heart Agricultural Village took off with 1,500 graduate resident farmers. Other areas of intervention by the government in the agricultural sector include the estab-

lishment of Farmers Field School and training of 720 farmers, production of fingerlings, fish seed production and pond construction for 200 fish farmers, distribution of seedlings to farmers, procurement of veterinary drugs and the payment of N60 million counterpart fund. Other areas include the building of Fadama Headquarters Office in Akure, the disbursement of N93.7million grant to Fadama farmers in 2010, and additional N42.6m grant. The government also introduced Inputs Revolving Fund of N241 million to provide an unhindered fund flow for the purchase of inputs as soon as they reach reorder level. Government also increased the level of subsidy on farm inputs including fertilizer from 25% to 30% and 50% on cutlasses and files which are considered as universal inputs, even as speed boats were procured for Ilaje and Ese-Odo riverine areas for community development . Government also renovated buildings and constructed the perimeter fence of the Ondo State Government/Leventis Foundation Agricultural Training School, Ido-Ani, replenished depleted forest reserves by planting teak and indigenous species of trees in Owo, Akure and Oluwa Forest Reserves in the North, Central and Southern Senatorial Districts with about N35.3 million released for raising ornamental and fruit tree seedlings as well as fire-tracking, conservation planning, demarcation of core area and patrol at Ose River Park.

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Maitama Sule’s consummate sophistry Dominik Umosen

ould the latest call by the Conference of Leaders and Elders of Northern Nigeria for President Goodluck Jonathan to step down from office to make way for a robust Sovereign National Conference be the freshest twist in the convoluted plot of undisguised hostility that has defined relations between a section of the North and the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan since its inception in 2011? The Kano meeting, which was convened by Nigeria’s former permanent representative at the United Nations, Alhaji Maitama Sule, was well-attended by the cream of the region’s political leadership, including former former Legal Adviser to Late Gen Sani Abacha, Prof Awwal Yadudu; Second Republic minister of power and steel, Dr. Paul Unongo; Dr Saddiq Abubar Abu and Mrs Pauline Tallen. Others included former vice-chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Prof Ango Abdullahi; Air-Vice Marshal El-Amin Daggash; former federal permanent secretary, Hakeem Baba Ahmed and a lawyer, Solomon Dalong who made the call for President Jonathan’s to resign which drew a thunderously ovation at the Kano meeting. According to him, “If President Jonathan refused to step down for the Sovereign National Conference, by May 25, 2015, the country should recognize members of the conference as the only duly recognized leaders in the nation,” he said, raising a deafening roar from members of the audience most of who were united, apparently, by their hostility to the administration, than spurred by national interest. Interestingly, Tallen and Damlong who hail from Plateau State which has been torn apart by recurring feud between indigenous ethnic

Sule

nationalities in that state and the Hausa/Fulani community who they consider “settlers”. Apparently, it was easy for all groups to gather in Kano and holler, yell and demand the president’s resignation but difficult for that assembly of strange bedfellows to proffer a recipe for the Plateau conundrum, for instance. The situation is so bad that former head of state, Gen Yakubu Gowon, cannot easily visit his native Pankshin, but curiously, the Kano conference of strange bed-fellows conveniently skirted a burning issue like reasons for the collapse of the concept of political homogeneity in the North. Baba Ahmed, whose position on the hypocrisy in Plateau State is not in doubt, was equally careful to skirt the so-called minefield symbolized by resurging ethnic nationalism which

undermined the once-famous political homogeneity of the region. Like Nero who fiddled while Rome was burning, he preferred to stoke the convenient fire of political hypocrisy currently raging in the country than identify why groups like the Middle Belt Forum, the Beroms, the Taroks and other ethnic nationalities in the North are pressing for greater national identity now more than ever before. “At a time when hundreds of innocent lives are being slaughtered, the president is talking about holding a faceless conference. This is a conference that will have neither the time nor the clout to take up the alarming rise of violence in the lives of northerners, they are only going to the national conference as mere spectators who have nothing to contribute,” Ahmed said.

For Unongo who threatened that the “North is ready to go to war in case of any eventualities”, the Second Republic power and steel minister did not explain however why his Tiv kith and kin in Benue State have not gone to war over their confrontation with rampaging Fulani herdsmen. Maybe their sense of outrage from slaughter by their “fellow Northerners” is not as deep as that reserved for feared eventualities from the national conference. According to Baba Ahmed, “this conference will be engaged in quarrels over composition of committees, rules and agenda while the northerners ask who exactly is killing them in villages in towns and villages in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kaduna”, adding that the North will participate in the conference, at best, as a spectator and, at worst, as a helpless victim of a conspiracy to further exploit its weakness and urged northern delegates to stage a walk-out. Because it is only hypocrisy that can inspire the instigator in a fight to complain of conspiracy if he is eventually subdued by the opponent, elders from Borno at the Kano conference accused the federal government of lacking the political will to crush the lingering insurgency in the north-eastern parts of the country. “We have reached a point of no return because of excessive killings and maiming of our lives, and the federal government has completely abandoned us to our fate,” Zanna Hassan Boguma lamented over the humanitarian crisis in the region. Perhaps, to complicate Unongo’s hypocrisy, a few days after he treatened war, his Benue State was ransacked by Fulani herdsmen who narrowly missed killing Gov. Gabriel Suswam. Before Suswam ran for dear life, Unongo had boasted : “We will go to war to safeguard the integrity of the corporate existence of the Nigerian nation, we did it before” .

The goons at the immigration office M y friends’ parents wanted nothing more than for her to start a career at the immigration office. They went borrowing to make sure she got invited to take the exam. Some fool took advantage of their eagerness and collected a whole N20,000 instead of the advertised N1,000 I heard was collected. The Friday before the exam, she asked for my advise and I gave her my candid opinion not to go for the exam. My argument was that since she had already secured a job with a newly established Investment bank there was no need for her to go do the exam. She agreed with me to the consternation of her parents. I had to speak to her mum, who felt that the immigration office would secure her a good pension. But after some explanation from me, she calmed down and accepted her daughter’s decision. So you can imagine my consternation just 24 hours after, when reports began to emerge that people had died at the various locations set up for the exams. I have

EDGAR’s WORLD JOSEPH EDGAR josephsamsponedgar@gmail.com

heard that over 500,000 people came out to fight for the only 4,000 places. How on earth did they expect this kind of exercise to go smoothly and efficiently. How can you organise an exam at the National Stadium and expect it to be orderly and that people would not cheat, scramble and mess up the whole thing? I am sure it is the money they expected to make from the exercise that blinded them from the sheer impossibility of conducting a successful examination. Me, I tire o. The pictures from Lagos through

Port Harcourt to Abuja are humbling. See the number of Nigerians looking for jobs and these are just those who are interested in immigrations. If it was Shell or any other oil companies, then we would have seen Armageddon. I don’t even know what they do at the immigrations apart from issuing passports and stamping them when you are coming back or travelling out of the country. With technology all over the place, what do we need stadium for? Couldn’t this exam have been conducted online,

with people staying in their homes to take them? Couldn’t firms like Chams who have strong capabilities in this regard be involved and if they wanted to leave it within Government, why didn’t they involve WAEC or JAMB which conduct exams of this size every year? Wetin concern passport office with exam? Abeg, this is very annoying. Boko Haram is killing their own, immigrations is also killing, soon customs will join. What kind of country is this? Yet, heads will not roll o. The comptroller-general is still in office o. One of the officials was quoted as blaming the candidates for their unruly behaviour. And this is acceptable to us? How will the parents of those who died take this? In the quest for a job, to repay them for years of suffering their children lose their lives. I feel like placing a curse on the heads of the organisers of that exam, but I will hold my peace. However, you can be sure they are surely not in my prayers. Immigrations ko, immigrations n ... With that their ugly uniforms.

52 FeatureS

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

Our stories of sorrow, tears and The nation was thrown into mourning when 18 people died in various centres in their desperate attempt to sit for the Nigerian Immigration’s aptitude test. While the dead are waiting to be buried, some of the injured victims, in this report by WAHEED BAKARE and NDUBUISI UGAH recount their experiences. Additional reports by CAJETAN MMUTA, SOLA ADEYEMO, DAN ATORI, JOE EZUMA, ELIJAH EDA SAMUEL, JUDE OPARA and ONYEKACHI EZE.

hen a couple, Timothy and Grace Omuagbon, got SMS alerts inviting them for the ill-fated test conducted by the Nigerian Immigration Service last Saturday, their joy knew no bounds. Grace is a teacher while her husband drives a taxi. Although the couple put their monthly income together to enable them to meet their obligations, they hardly meet their immediate needs. So, when NIS provided the opportunity, they saw it as a way of improving their financial status, which they envisaged through prompt payment of salaries and emolument. But if the couple had been told that there was a disaster waiting to happen at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, the venue of the test, they would have probably deleted the SMS sent to them by NIS. Grace said, “As we were going in, people were struggling to get in but the door that was opened was not wide enough. I fell down and was revived. It was the Immigration officials that took us to the central hospital. I could not talk and I was coughing out blood later. “I had broken ribs and a bone in my shoulder. We were many that the Immigration officers took to the hospital but one person died. It was my husband that paid the hospital bill. “There is an iron now fixed in my rib to enable the blood to flow. Doctors said my lungs had collapsed.” Grace has a broken rib and scapula and she is still writhing in pains at the Emergency Unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Timothy, 35, who also sustained injury during the stampede, said his major concern was how his wife would recover soon. He said, “Both of us fell down as they pushed us and many people fell on us. I had bruises all over my body. It was the immigration officers that helped me out. My wife could not get up and the crowd kept surging. I had to call for help to get her out of the stadium. “I have spent over N100, 000. A group, Save Accident Victim of Nigeria (SAVAN) has contacted the Immigration but they have not responded to our plea. They should not allow us to die before giving us job. They should come to our aid. My wife is lying here at the hospital and there is nobody to help us.” The couple were among thousands of youths harassed, humiliated and dehumanised in various centres across the country during the exercise. For Isaac who came from Owan East to sit for the test in Benin, the entire process was inhuman and degrading. He said, “We were still loitering around as at 2pm and there was no information from the recruiting officers.” Isaac said the situation was compounded when Immigration officials started shooting resulting in a stampede.

The liaison officer of SAVAN, Ms Cynthia Ogbo, confirmed that the group had contacted the officials of the NIS on behalf of the couple but nothing positive had been achieved. Similarly, some of the applicants in Port Harcourt relived their experiences to the New Telegraph. One of them, Mr. Chijioke Ogbonna, a graduate of accountancy, said most of the participants had no business being at the venue because they looked older than their age, adding that this might have contributed to the large turnout of applicants at the venue. On his part, Obichere Okoro, said because of the stampede and the chaotic atmosphere in the stadium, many had their papers and writing materials destroyed, while the rain could not allow many others to sit for the exam. “This disaster has opened our eyes to the magnitude of youth unemployment and level of desperation in the country,” Okoretee Horsfall, a part-time lecturer in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RUST), said Horsefall, who also sat for the test in Port Harcourt, said such a condition was unacceptable to Nigerians, giving the level of waste and corruption that is going on in the country. Another applicant from Abua, in Abua/ Oduah Local Area of Rivers, Jasper Saturday, said he was revived with an oxygen mask by a female nurse among the medics brought to the venue by the NIS. He said the medical team arrived after the stampede. Abua said he thanked God for sparing his life but was worried that he lost a bag containing his university degree and NYSC discharge certificates, transport fare and clothes. He said there was no way the security men on the ground could have managed the crowd at the stadium in Port Harcourt, adding, “I don’t think it was a wise decision to invite all of us there at the same time.” One of the applicants in Rivers who gave his name simply as Moses said he and others arrived the venue of the examination around 6:30am and the test did not start until 4pm. “By then, the crowd had increased and no crowd control mechanism was put in place. If the test was to be conducted between 9 and 10am, why was it delayed for at least seven hours?” He asked. Mohammed Alabi, a graduate of Obafemi

My survival was a miracle. I am not too sure if I will apply for immigration job again.

Scenes of NIS recruitment exercise in different parts of the country

Awolowo University was among the applicants at the Abuja stadium. He said he had wanted to sit for the exam in his home state until NIS announced that applicants could take part in the exercise where they registered. He said this was a big relief for him in terms of stress and cost implication of travelling to the South-West. Mohammed who is still recuperating at the Male Surgical Ward at the National Hospital Abuja when New Telegraph visited him on Wednesday, said he was at the National Stadium Abuja, venue of the exercise as early as 5.30am. He said his early arrival at the venue put him at a vantage. But he added that when the gate was opened around 7am, the crowd had increased and was uncontrollable as many people struggled to enter the venue at the same time. “In the process, some of the applicants were pushed down. I could not withstand the push, and that was all he knew. How I got to the National Hospital still remained a puzzle to him,” he added. Uju, who wished to be identified with her first name, said although she was lucky, what she experienced on the ill-fated day would continue to linger in her memory for a long time. She said, “I saw how one of the pregnant women suffocated to death due to exhaustion. It was then that something struck my

mind that my life could be in danger if I did not find my way out of the stadium. My survival was a miracle. I am not too sure if I will apply for immigration job again.” “This was the second time recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration Service was ending in a disaster. In 2008, about 23 people allegedly died during the aptitude test. It has continued to puzzle many Nigerians that of all the military and para-military agencies,

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

FEATURES

blood –Immigration job seekers

it is only NIS recruitment exercise that has always end in disaster. Is it because of the rigorousness of the recruitment exercise? What went wrong

Available statistics showed that at least 18 persons had died as a result of the stampede across the country. It was gathered that only 4,556 vacancies were advertised by the NIS, but over 600,000 applicants registered for the

recruitment test. Each applicant paid N1, 000 processing fee to be eligible to participate in the exercise. Feelers from the centres indicated that there was nothing on the ground to suggest that NIS prepared for the massive crowd that turned up for the exercise at the centres. Public analysts have also queried why NIS shortlisted 600,000 for jobs when only 4,556 would be recruited. It was also learnt that the exercise was delayed by hours prompting some of the applicants to become unruly. According to a source, the delay in opening the stadium gates further heightened tension and created anxiety among the applicants. The matter was further compounded by inadequate medical facilities at the recruitment venues. This was corroborated by one of the applicant, Thomas, who said, “It was after one hour that Immigration officials brought their van and took us to the hospital.” Instead of holding the exercise one day, some observers said that the organisers ought to have spread it for two days or more as is the case in the recruitment into the army. Meanwhile, a group, the Joint Action Front (JAF), in a statement signed by Messrs Dipo Fashina and Abiodun Aremu, chairperson and secretary respectively, said, “JAF notes that the avoidable

This disaster has opened our eyes to the magnitude of youth unemployment and level of desperation in the country tragic death of March 15 is a reflection of the depth of the crisis of unemployment and the necessity for Nigerians to struggle for the replacement of the unjust capitalist system that encourages looting and corruption and concentrates wealth of Nigerians in few hands of the ruling class of exploiters at the expense of the deprived majority working people.” While commiserating with families of the deceased, JAF attributed the tragic incident to the “prevalent unjust neo-liberal IMF and World Bank policies that is the root cause of over 50 million youth unemployment and rising job losses as well as social insecurity in the country.” ‘NIS officials should face murder charge’

The leadership of Accord Party (AP) has called for a thorough probe and subsequent trial of the top hierarchy of the NIS officials for alleged murder. The National Secretary of AP, Dr. Samson Isibor, who was miffed by the

incident, also urged the federal government to declare seven-day mourning and prayers for the repose of the souls of the dead across the country. He described the death of some of the applicants and those that were injured as a national calamity and shame on the leaders and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for obvious failure to create jobs for the unemployed youths. Also, a pressure group, South-South Mandate (SSM), Edo State chapter, condemned the conduct of the tests by the NIS and described it as a national scandal. The group urged the Federal Government to ensure that it prosecutes all those found culpable in the incident. The SSM in a press statement signed by its President and Secretary-General, Mr. Curtis Ehgosa Ugbo and Mr. Mathew Edaghese, in Benin, said the dead job seekers were victims of “official murder.” On its part, National Chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Alhaji Yinusa Tanko, said it was time government instituted a judicial probe into the senseless killings, which he described as calamitous and a setback for the country. The chairman of the party, who described the incident as tragic and scandalous while speaking with journalists in Osogbo, regretted that those killed, especially the youths had potential of becoming eminent personalities that could uplift the advancement of the country in the future.

Faces

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

22 MARCH 2014

Businesswoman and philanthropist, Mrs Abasiama Ajayi, on Sunday, March 16, celebrated her 50th birthday with members of her family, friends and well wishers pouring encomiums on her. The event, which at the IBB Golf Club, Aso Drive, Abuja, attracted dignitaries from diverse professions.

L-R: Eno Udoh, the celebrant, Mrs. Abasiama Ajayi and Mfom Udoh at the ceremony.

L-R: Former minister of state FCT, Senator John Akpan Udoh Edehe, president Nigeria Golf Federation Mr. Peter Deshi and Mrs. Abasiama Ajayi.

L-R: Modupe Mills, Mrs. Abasiama Ajayi and Irene Dabor.

The celebrant Mrs. Abasiama Ajayi being presented with a trophy my representative of Sunday Kitty Group IBB Golf Club, Faran Brimm, to mark her birthday.

The celebrant, Mrs. Abasiama Ajayi (centre) cutting her birthday cake.

The celebrant, Mrs. Abasiama Ajayi being presented with a trophy my representative of Sunday Kitty Group IBB Golf Club Faran Brimm to mark her birthday.

L-R: Modupe Mills, Affiong Ekpe, the celebrant, Mrs. Abasiama Ajayi and Glory Usoh at the ceremony.

Cross sections of guests.

PHOTOS: Timothy Ikuomenisan

SPORT EXTRA

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014

Champions League q’final: Man Utd draw Bayern Munich

anchester United have been drawn against holders Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, while Chelsea face Paris St-Germain. Spanish champions Barcelona play La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid meet Borussia Dortmund. The first legs will be played on 1-2 April, with the return matches on 8-9 April. This year’s final is to be held at Benfica’s Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on Saturday, 24 May. United overturned a 2-0 deficit against Olympiakos to book their spot in the last eight, while Chelsea saw off Galatasaray. The Premier League champions beat the Greeks 3-0 in the second leg to provide some muchneeded relief for manager David Moyes and his players. Now they will play German leaders Bayern, who remain favourites to retain their European title after defeating Arsenal 3-1 on aggregate.

UCL DRAWS 1 & 9 April Barcelona v Atlético Madrid Man Utd v Bayern 2 & 8 April Real Madrid v Dortmund PSG v Chelsea It is a rematch of the 1999 Champions League final, when late goals from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham won the trophy for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side. Bayern beat United on away goals in the 2009-10 quarterfinals, ending the English club’s hopes of reaching a third successive final. Manchester United have been handed arguably the toughest draw of all against Bayern. Pep Guardiola’s side have already demonstrated their class against Manchester City and Arsenal this season and United’s status as outsiders for the tourna-

ment will only be cemented after the draw against the Bundesliga superpower on a mission to become the first club to retain the Champions League. United manager David Moyes suggested his side might now be in with a chance of making further progress into the Champions League after overcoming Olympiakos. The unmoved odds of 20-1 on United winning the tournament paint a more realistic picture. Chelsea’s task is slightly easier against the big-spending PSG, inspired by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Jose Mourinho will approach this tie with guarded optimism, especially with the second leg at Stamford Bridge. Ibrahimovic has never enjoyed the greatest of fortunes against English clubs in Europe and while Mourinho, predictably, is keen to paint Chelsea as outsiders, he will believe this draw has handed him a real opportunity of reaching another Champions League semi-final.”

Klopp: We ’re ready for Madrid

urgen Klopp is not surprised to be facing familiar foes Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. The Bundesliga outfit were drawn against the Spanish giants in the knockout rounds for the second year in succession at Friday’s draw, following on from their semi-final meeting last season. Dortmund were victorious in that tie, with Robert Lewandowski inspiring them to a 4-1 firstleg win before they held on at the Bernabeu, losing 2-0 to progress 4-3 on aggregate. It was the second time the Germans had got the better of Madrid last season, after taking four points off them in the group stages of the Ronaldo competition and Klopp stressed his belief that the cream always rises to the top in the Champions League. “It’s a good draw,” he told the club’s official website. “If you repeatedly qualify for the round of the last eight teams in Europe, you just have to expect that there are just more frequent pairings - as in this case.

Rooney

Hazard

Ibrahimovic

Maigari banks on Flamingoes for World Cup glory Adekunle Salami

he President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, has expressed confidence in the ability of the national U-17 team to get to the semifinals of the ongoing FIFA Women U-17 World Cup. Maigari said the players have the talents to do Nigeria proud and they demonstrated this in the first two matches against China and Columbia. The Flamingoes defeated China 2-1 in their first match and came back from a goal down to pip Columbia with same margin. He said, “These girls are very good. They understand the game and also play for one another on the pitch. I was highly impressed the way they handled the game against Columbia. We could have won

United tie a ‘great draw’, says Robben

he Dutchman was in bullish mood after the reigning European champions were drawn against the struggling Red Devils - but says David Moyes’ men remain a “very good team” Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben believes being paired with Manchester United in the Champions League quarterfinals represents a “great draw” for the holders.

Robben

The runaway Bundesliga leaders visit Old Trafford in the first leg on April 1 before the return at the Allianz Arena a week later. Robben, who scored the winner in last season’s final victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, was in a confident mood after learning of Bayern’s next assignment.

with a higher margin if we had scored first. But we should appreciate their character. It is not easy to have achieved such at a big stage. “I have confidence in the players and the technical crew to go all the way in this event. The girls are eager to achieve results. They are very young and that is why we keep talking to them.” The Flamingoes have a tough task on hand in the last match in the early hours of Monday as they confront the group leaders, Mexico. The Mexican team has scored eight goals without conceding any so far. They defeated China and Columbia 4-0 respectively. “In a competition like this, you will meet with tough teams and I expect the players to rise to the occasion. It is 11/11. Our target is to top the group, so we are going for a win,” Maigari added.

NNL axes Shooting Stars

etermined to stamp out hooliganism in the country’s football, the Nigeria National League on Friday sanctioned the Oyo State club, Shooting Stars Sports Club, for the alleged physical assault on the match officials during its last home tie against Prime of Ogbomosho in Ibadan. In a letter conveying the sanc-

tions to the management of Shooting Stars and signed by the NNL secretary, Lawrence Katken, the official match reports indicated that Ibadan fans manhandled the officiating officials before the commencement of the encounter while the match referee was also assaulted after the game. The NNL said 3SC will therefore pay a fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000.00) which will be paid within three weeks just as the

Oyo State Football Association and Shooting Stars have been warned to henceforth provide adequate security before, during and after their home games or face stiffer fines. The sanction on Shooting Stars will bring the number of clubs so far reprimanded by NNL this season to three following the fines on Jigawa and Abia Comets respectively for various acts which tended to drag the beautiful game to disrepute.

TRAVEL PERSONALITY ADVENTURES OF IKECHI UKO

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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, MARCH 22, 2014

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SPORT LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL HAS BEEN GREAT – SHORUNMU P.31

Boko Haram: The commander-in-chief in the shadow of war crimes “The fumes of the dead are in the air like poison. The plague, more cruel and more pitiless than war, descended upon us. A pestilence, that would leave half of our kingdom dead. Where did it come from? What carried its germ? The priests told us it was God’s punishment. For what sin? What commandment must we break that could earn this? No, we knew the truth. This was not God’s work, but devilry. Or witchcraft. But our task, to hunt down a demon, was God’s cure.” - Anon

hose charged with the awesome duty have endeavoured to hunt down the demon. The demon has fought back. The demon’s cheerleaders have also enrolled into the combat, fighting with propaganda, blackmail and outright defamation. The callousness has been breathtaking and the cynicism far beyond common apprehension. There is a direct correlation between the threat to prosecute the military officers, particularly General Azubuike Ihejirika, the former Chief of Army Staff, who courageously went after Boko Haram insurgents and the dramatic escalation in the demons’ savage butchery. It is inconceivable that the child murderers and baby snatchers have not drawn inspiration and impetus from the grossly ill-advised crusade of some northern figures to jail the former Chief of Army Staff for spurious allegations of war crimes right in the middle of an increasingly attritive war. In obedience to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in defence of the realm against all enemies – in this instance, both domestic and foreign - the worst enemies of our men in uniform turns out to be unarmed civilian abetters, sympathizers and, possibly, collaborators and facilitators of the enemy. Boko Haram is a political weapon that has transmuted into one monster of a boomerang, now bouncing off dangerously against the walls of northern elite’s pretensions, arrogance and hard of hearing indifference. If key northern elders, the governors, legislators (state and national), the emirates, the sultanate and the intelligentia unite and impose upon themselves a singular obligation of ridding the northeast of Nigeria of Boko Haram, they have the capacity to do so seven times a week and twice on Friday. They have the reach, the influence and the method. What they lack is the necessary self-motivation, sincerity of purpose, political will and moral fibre. Instead, they are sworn to the prosecution of General Azubuike Ihejirika, for a variety of bogus charges connected with war crimes and or crimes against humanity. A man who put

BROADSIDE EMMANUEL ONWE agubata@aol.com

on the line his own life and the lives of young Nigerian men and women in uniform in defence of his country? It is clear that nobody has paid any real attention to the inverse implications of this reckless and mendacious agenda. Those negative implications portend a degree of danger that must concentrate the minds of thinking Nigerians. If you prosecute the General sent into the battlefield for war crimes or for crimes against humanity, you must also prosecute his Commander-in-Chief who sent him forth. The Commander-in-Chief is the hand that rocks the cradle. In common law, this would be referred to as corporate attribution or directing mind – where culpability for corporate crimes is attributed to the chief executive of the company and not just to the ordinary worker who directly committed the offence. In international law, when we deal with war crimes we deploy the concept of command responsibility, sometimes referred to as the Yamashita standard or the Medina standard. In layman’s terms, we are simply dealing with the idea of superior responsibility - the doctrine of hierarchical accountability in cases of war crimes where culpability is assigned not just to the warriors in the battlefield but

to those who gave the orders, right up to the highest authority, civilian or military (refer to the Nuremberg trials or the General Pinochet debacle or the Charles Taylor misadventure). It is now common knowledge that the peddlers of the war crimes and or crimes against humanity agenda have invested more time and effort compiling evidence against the Commander-in-Chief and his service chiefs than they have invested in sourcing enduring solutions to the insurgency. And yet, they would seek to put fire on the President’s arse to rush to Maiduguri and assail Boko Haram in double quick time. A Commander-in-Chief he is. A superman the President certainly is not. They divided the country along tribal and religious lines. They have nurtured that division with a combination of violence, red hot rhetoric, manipulation of the legal and constitutional architecture of the country, including population census, military and paramilitary apparatuses, et cetera. The division they nurtured brought about ruination, paralysis and now, at last, dissipation. Anarchy has overtaken them in some parts of their stronghold. The northeast shrivels under imminent apocalypse – threatening the annihilation of that great land of the Al-Kanemi. And yet the

genuine arbitrators of peace are fiddling and playing undergraduate politics. Through nepotistic sectionalism, they perverted the ethos and best traditions of the military by recruiting and promoting not the best but the favoured. Thus, now that push has come to shove, merit is abroad and mediocrity is wilting in the heat of battle. And yet, responsibility is lifted from where it ought to lie and placed elsewhere. The very same people that are calling for the scalp of the former Chief of Army Staff are equally the ones who are most obligated to rise to the upheaval of war and help win peace and stability. This obligation comes primarily from the imperatives of history and politico-social status. But they have shamefully abdicated that responsibility and instead are gaining notoriety for kindergarten tantrums and melodrama. What have they done by way of remedial action? They have blamed President Goodluck Jonathan for being slow to fix their mess, heal the wounds of division, bring harmony to historical discord and rid the northeast of the very nihilism they wilfully and wickedly brought upon it. A Commander-in-Chief in the shadow of war crimes and or crimes against humanity is an encumbered and shackled Chief. The outrage is to be found in the double standards of those who have deliberately created this operative circumstance at a time when a modicum of patriotism would have greatly aided the Chief in his onerous duty of securing the peace and territorial integrity of the republic. This laughable blackmail should cease forthwith because it amounts to nothing more than a staggering pile of hypocrisy married to a dangerous politics of thoughtlessness.

BY CHUKWUEMEKA EMENIKE

LIPSTICK

Printed and Published by Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Ltd: Head Office: No. 1A, Ajumobi Street, Off Acme Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja-Lagos. Tel: +234 1-2219496, 2219498. Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322, by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Advert hotline: 01-8541248, Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: Laurence ani. All correspondence to PMB 10000, Ikeja, Lagos.