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Nigerians I’m complicated... Cool who won’t with my tattoos, says be voting } 24 actress Sotayo } 23

jega’s AGONY Electoral umpire in eye of the storm

lOkurounmu: He has compromised INEC to favour North l Balarabe Musa: Why I support postponement lWhy he should go, by Greg Mbadiwe lHe’s not to blame - Nkire, APC BoT member

} 45

52 deaths so far from pre-election }5 violence, says NHRC

How we plan to spend Valentine’s Day, by celebrities

} 44

2

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Contents | 14.02.15 CONVERSATION

An Artiste’s Reminiscences Princess Dupe Adetuwo, actress and tourism consultant relives memories of her days on the set of Mirror in the Sun, a series with a spellbinding hold on Nigerian TV audience in the ‘80s

}13

INSTYLE

Fedora for Women Although largely considered a masculine-inspired accessory, the fedora hat increasingly finds ample space in women’s wardrobe

}16

THE ARTS

Cape Town Beckons Curators of Lagos-based Omenka Gallery are upbeat as they round of plans to present works by four contemporary artists at the Cape Town Art Fair

}18

SHOWBIZ

The Beatmaker’s Dream Project Fame judge and music producer, Temitayo Ibitoye (Tee-Y Mix), talks about his decision to establish a record company

}21

SPORT

Odiaka’s Rage Ex-Green Eagles striker, Monday Odiaka, wants the Nigeria Football Federation to look beyond Stephen Keshi in appointing a new coach for the team

}25

DESTINATION

La Campagne Blues It’s easy to see why visitors to La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Lekki, Lagos, continues to rise if you’ve spent some time at the idyllic facility

}42 Plus: Street Diary 10 | Love&Living 35 | Voices 12

SATURDAY

Comment

D

Illegal aliens and general election

emocracy offers more freedom than some constitutions guarantee. Little wonder a lot of things are taken for granted or even go unchecked in the spirit of sub-regional integration.

Nigerian borders are so porous that even if we are unable to play the usual Big Brother role, citizens from sister ECOWAS states find the country more homely and accommodating than their nations. However, as we prepare for elections billed for March and April, there is need to keep an eye on illegal migrants.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has been feeding journalists with news of arrests and repatriation nationwide. In 2014, about 613 illegal migrants were sent back to Niger by the Sokoto command.

Zamfara followed earlier this year with the arrest of 150. In Anambra, 600 were detained.

It is disturbing that the arrests exposed the danger in harbouring some of these illegal aliens. Many were in possession of the National Identity Card, others even tendered Voter cards.

In Calabar, 40 were apprehended and paraded on Thursday February 12.According to the Cross River State Controller of Immigration, Mrs Funke Adeuyi, “these illegal immigrants were arrested on Monday February 9, by the Intelligence group of the NIS at different locations in the state. We have thoroughly screened and profiled them. We have also identified those ones that are not here with their valid travelling documents. At the end of the day, we have been able to identify 40 of them, and they will be leaving the country as soon as possible. Out of the 40, 12 are from Mali, 10 from Burkina Faso, six from Niger Republic, five from Guinea, three from Senegal and four from Cameroun.”

An illegal alien, with a Permanent Voter Card is a threat to national security. At a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to pick the PVC, this sad development could trigger protests and even wild demonstrations. The consequences may be too much to bear .

There are about 1,497 illegal immigration routes in Nigeria. Niger Republic, our Northern neighbours account for a large chunk of the illegal aliens. So many of them come in as artisans and spread to all parts of the country.

That is a dangerous situation in this charged atmosphere of insurgency. It has been established that many of those who are bombing and liquidating Nigerian towns are not from our shores. The possibility exists that because of our porous borders, the insurgents may even be in our midst, too close for comfort.

Insurgency involves an international network of deadly fundamentalists. It is no longer news that young men and women leave Europe, America and Oceania for the Middle East to wage war. We have also had cases of Nigerians journeying to Mali to join terrorist groups. The presence of some of these fellows from our sub-region calls for concern.

While emphasis is placed on the armed forces, government should also not lose sight of the role of the Immigration Service. The border patrol unit must be fortified and more attention paid to intelligence gathering.

Modern weapons of warfare should not be reserved for the armed forces.

Men and women of the Immigration should carry assault rifles. In Anambra, one of them was attacked by one of the illegal aliens, Suleiman Yahaya.

Government must also not leave the duty of monitoring our porous borders to the paramilitary forces.

There should be inter service understanding.

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tial candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, to call his supporters to orCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

NEW TELEGRAPH

Money Line

MONDAY,

JANUARY

Stock Watch

Afromedia: Incapacitated adverse regulation by

37

Interview

Okonjo Iweala, a mismatch economy, says Enwegbara for Nigerian

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Director mo Bassey of HOMEF, Nnimcould not , said the fishermen fisherman hope to fishing pittance was better than return in the Bodo that Shell to fered the communities creeks because rivers initially to pay of- ters hydrocarbon of the depthand with cleaner “This can. to fish. Sadly of wapollution hardly ing from a good fishing purchase Bodo pollution , although the oil spills. resultthe boat and ment necessary the Goi also damaged He equipamount expressed that the fishing making community waters to return being offered the the community business to tinue people that to languish know each conthey choose best – that the glect without in abject is if neto move remedy,” to other he said.

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by Shell Bank Plc, Bayo akomolafe Janet Nnabuko, and Monitoring, for the damage severity is Monitoring, done Asst. Editor of Madiebo Consumer Executive Director,National Lottery Regulatory (Maritime) He said: Protection Lagos & at the 5th sunday Ojeme Commission, South West Council, “HOMEF the compensation draw of the Ifeyinwa Afam Ojeh, Bank, Fidelity Asst. Editor sees Fidelity Save4 Nwamuo Head, Savings, amount (Insurance) Bank Plc., and Divisional Scholarship to about which will Godson Ikoro Head, Retail Ikemefuna Mbagwu, Fidelity each of savings N600,000 Asst. Editor promo in the plaintiffs Bank, Fidelity for Manager, (Money Market) Lagos. balance Bank Plc., with the going for Dele alao Richard projects Industry & – school community Agric Editor health centres blocks and Dayo ayeyemi – as inadequate for the Property Editor done.” severity of damage adeola Yusuf Atake Kunle Azeez Energy Editor ment of maintained that Wole shadare building compensation payawfully promised igeria’s missed Aviation Editor in early ics wouldof schools and and Domain New Telegraph its 2014 would increase 2014 that System Name clintarget, not by Chris Ugwu (DNS) reduce it domain uptake The missed has learnt. the demandany means fered setback space sufCapital Market names to of gent clean-up as the regulator the auspicious target was end of that for an 250,000 by .ng last year, abdulwahabEditor on the year. vironment. of the Ogoni ur- try code number domain of Isa This means of names en- (ccTLD), Top Level the coun- registered Finance Editor that the planned .ng had a target Domain Kunle azeez to be by of 190,000 country istration Nigeria Internet names planned NiRA has the end of 2014.

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Front row: L-R: European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker; Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu; former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy; Mali's President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita; French President, Francois Hollande; Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel; Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas and Italy's Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, at a solidarity march against terrorism in Paris...yesterday.

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Feb 14: APC blows hot

lDSS' story on hacking senseless, says Lai Mohammed Temitope Ogunbanke

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday faulted the re-

port of the Department of State Services (DSS) that it planned to inflate its membership data as well as hack into the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC) database through the creation of party membership forms and cards to match INEC's

voters register across the country.

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DEGRADATION

Dayo Ayeyemi

Sancti ty of Tr uth

No. 33

42-43

Bodo spill: N16 billion Group faults Shell’s compensati on

Communities in the NigerDelta have been drastically affected by activities of oil companies

p.22

Food price drops in index December

}7

Vol. 1

Insurance

Claims: Policyholder’s Leadway conflict with deepens

38

What's neWs

15

12, 2015

Naira walks knocks CBN tight rope as ICAN

35

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Customs miss 2014 revenue target by N223bn

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17, 20

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Kalu to pDp, apc: elections not Do-or-Die

} 32

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Saturd /newtelegraph

Vol. 1 No. 327

Monday, January 12, 2015

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

JOS LP governorship candidate tasks FG, INEC

N EWS I N BRIEF

ST

ASABA

UDU Muogho passes on

Uduaghan woos Deltans for PDP

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate Uduaghan, Thursday commenced the in Plateau State, Ambassador Bagudu Hirse, showcase of a harvest of projects across the state as a way of drawing support for has urged the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission candidates of the Peoples Democratic (INEC) to ensure that the March 28 and April Party (PDP) in the forthcoming polls.

He said it was necessary for the people 11 election dates remain sacrosanct. to vote PDP in the coming elections so Speaking with journalists yesterday in Jos, that they would continue to enjoy the Hirse said the reasons advanced by INEC dividends of democracy as they had for the postponement were cogent and convincing enough as no part of the country been enjoying since 1999.

Specifically, Uduaghan, while inaugurator any eligible voter should be left out of the ing Ashaka/ABOH Road observed that forthcoming elections. the PDP-led government in the state had According to him, the postponement is synonymous to a woman in labour pains and made it possible for vehicles to drive to Aboh, in Ndokwa East Local Government her date of delivery delayed to those who Area of the state without making use of started the race to seeking elective offices much earlier, but for those who started late, a pontoon which was the norm before the party came into power in 1999. it could be a blessing in disguise.

The Ogbu of Udu kingdom of Delta State, Olorogun David Udi Muogho, has passed on at the age

of 84.

A community leader, civil servant and custodian of tradition, Muogho died on February 1 at a private hospital in the state.

A statement signed yesterday by his first son and Director of Administration, Ibru Organisation, Henry Muogho, stated that funeral arrangements would be announced later.

0.2%

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The estimated transfer cost of Francesc Fabregas of Chelsea FC in 2015.

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The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of Algeria in 2004.

Source: Itu.int

Jonathan: We will re-capture Adamawa, Yobe, Borno Anule Emmanuel Abuja

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured the international community that the military will re-capture major areas currently under the control of the Islamic Boko Haram in the North East before the new dates for the general elections.

The President stated this while addressing members of the diplomatic corps at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He had hosted them to an annual cocktail where they were usually provided with the opportunity get fist hand information about government's policies particularly Nigeria’s foreign policy direction.

Speaking at the event, President Jonathan thanked the diplomats for their countries support to Nigeria, particularly as regards the current insurgency in the North-East and in implementing bilateral trade agreements.

“The Boko Haram insurgency has today become the biggest manifestation

of terrorism not only in our country nigeria. It has become a regional problem. The activities of Boko Haram has shown that no single country can effectively tackle terrorism and insurgency alone.

“For effective and successful containment of this challenge it is through regional and international collaboration and cooperation. We are, therefore, forging collaboration with all our immediate neighbours, sub-regional allies ‎and even partners beyond the region to deal with this mortal challenge to our security and development,” he said.

He said the period of the election postponement would provide security forces the opportunity to recover fully areas captured by the insurgents.

“This period will give them the opportunity to clean up the three states.

If at all they cannot clean up the three states at least two states will be recovered completely and more local governments even from the remaining state so that elections could be conducted even in Borno State."

Edo REC uncovers plot by politicians to arm-twist NYSC Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

T L-R: Senior Assistant National Secretary, Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ), Mr. Gbenga Bamidele; NUJ President, Malam Garba Mohammed and National Secretary, Mr. Liman Shu'aibu, at a news conference on the postponement of the general election in Abuja …yesterday

NIS tragedy: Oshiomhole offers automatic employment to 20 victims PROMISE KEPT

Edo State government finally has fulfilled the the promise made to victims of Immigration tragedy.

Cajetan Mmuta

A BENIN

fter one year of dashed hopes to gain employment, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday gave automatic employment to 20 victims of the last Immigration recruitment tragedy of March 15, 2014.

Oshiomhole also gave the sum of N2 million to the widower and children of the late Mrs. Sandra Amu, who died during the stampede that trailed the recruitment exercise at the Samuel Ogbemudia

Stadium in Benin City, the state capital.

The gesture is coming almost a year after the Federal Government promised automatic employment to those injured in the exercise and three employment slots to families of those who lost their loved ones in the recruitment fiasco.

Disclosing the employment offer during a meeting with the family of the woman who lost her life and 11 of the 20 persons, who sustained injuries during the ill-fated recruitment exercise, Oshiomhole said: “It is unlawful for people seeking employment to pay money. It is the employer who pays the consultant and not the applicant. That transaction was mainly illegal collection and it is extortion.

“I think it is important that people don’t exploit official power to

compound the problem of those who are already down. What we can, without prejudice to whatever plans the Immigration Services or the Ministry of Internal Affairs is making, is to see how we can assist in terms of employment.

“The government will also provide the family of the deceased with legal representation so as to sue the Immigration authorities for the loss of life. Each time people are reckless with human lives and they go home and sleep, is why we talk about the culture of impunity, where people can do anything and go free.”

Speaking further, he said: “We are also going to offer the graduates employment opportunities in our Information Communication Technology Agency if they are interested in that.

In that case, you need to take their documents and

they start work by Monday.

However, if the Immigration option opens up, you are at liberty to move from one job to another.”

Earlier, Coordinator of the group, Mr. Edmond Osuma, had told the governor of their challenges since the Immigration recruitment exercise of March 14, 2014 that since the incident happened it had been difficult to contact the Comptroller of Immigration.

He solicited the assistance of the governor to enable the group to see the immigration authorities and requested the governor’s magnanimity to alleviate the hardship of the victims.

The victims told the governor that while they paid N1,000 each, online, before going for the recruitment exercise, they were yet to get a refund one year after the tragedy.

he Resident Electoral Commission (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State, Mr. Mike Igini, yesterday raised the alarm over plot by politicians to infiltrate some ad hoc staff of the commission, who were mainly members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) recruited for the forthcoming general elections in the state.

Speaking yesterday during a meeting with leaders of various political parties in the state, Igini said the plan by the unnamed politicians was aimed at manipulating the elections in their favour.

The REC, however, vowed that INEC would check the planned excesses of some politicians with a view to ensuring that their

plans were made impossible for them to rig the elections.

He cautioned that: “If you look at the history of INEC, they started making use of civil servants at the state level, primary school teachers as obtained in other partS of the world. But because of the level of collusion and connivance, INEC decided to go into partnership with NYSC as well as other Federal agencies.”

According to him, “What do we find today, political class, politicians are now doing everything to infiltrate the NYSC. As you can see fake corpers these days; because of the shift we are going to do a refresher course for them again, particularly, for the NYSC people. I don’t know what this country is turning into. Are we now going to apply to God to send us agents that will conduct the elections?

Ajimobi saved me from Akala’s persecution – ASUP boss

A

former Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), The Polytechnic, Ibadan chapter, Mr. Babatunde Dosunmu, has commended Governor Abiola Ajimobi for ordering his reinstatement after he was controversially sacked, in obedience to court order.

Dosunmu, who had been sacked in 2009 by former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, following the

protracted industrial action embarked upon by the institution’s lecturers over their contentious welfare issues, was ordered to be reinstated by Ajimobi immediately he became governor in 2011.

Akala had disobeyed the order of the court over the reinstatement of the labour leader, a situation that had generated ripples in the institution before the advent of Ajimobi’s administration.

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

5

You are Boko Haram mercenaries, DHQ tells Nigerien soldiers Emmanuel Onani and Ibrahim Abdul

T

Abuja /Yola

he Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has come down hard on the Nigerien defence ministry, over its deriding comment about Nigerian troops prosecuting the counter-insurgency war in the North East.

The Nigerien defence ministry had said its soldiers do not run away at the sight of Boko Haram, unlike their Nigerian counterparts.

Reacting in several posts on the DHQ’s twitter handle to the statement, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major General Chris Olukolade, described the statement as “irresponsible.”

He subtly accused the Nigerien soldiers of deriving their survival from looting, mercenary engage-

l Scores feared killed as sect attacks Chadian village l NEMA refutes rumours of rape, child trafficking in IDPs ment and collaboration with Boko Haram, safe for what he said, was the poverty ravaging the country.

Some of the posts read: “Our soldiers have been defending our people and nation's wealth from mercenaries supplied to Boko Haram by those who boast that they don't run.

“Welcome our friends from Niger. No way for your infamous looting here. How the poor country compensates its soldiers and claim they don’t run.

“Poor Niger! Treacherous ones amongst us accorded them effrontery to insult our troops to gain bad press.

Don't compromise your patriotism. We don't cross our boundaries. It is unacceptable for any Foreign Government to say our soldiers run.

This is your motherland! Defend her!

“Nigerian soldiers remain undaunted despite attacks and insults. They have been maximising the use of available resources to keep at bay these terrorists, who keep flooding in from around.

“Our troops have, with due decency and professionalism, respected borders, unlike others reputed for looting, mercenary engagement and collaboration with terrorists, as a way of surviving the poverty in their country. Our soldiers have remained professional and sacrificial in protecting Nigerians, preserving the nation's assets.

“Despite these jeerings, insults and ill-wishes from within or without Nigeria, the Nigerian soldier has not

and will not be deterred.”

In another development, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in Adamawa State has said there is neither reported case of child abuse nor child trafficking in its camps, contrary to a media report, that such cases were rampant in the North-East camps of the agency.

Disturbed by recent investigation reports that there were cases of rapes and child trafficking in some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, NEMA had constituted an investigation committee to ascertain the authenticity of the reports.

NEMA’s Camps Coordinator in the state, Alhaji Sa’ad Bello, said: “The report did not specify which

L-R: Delta State Commissioner for Works, Funkekeme Solomon; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Chairman of Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Mrs. Nkechi Chukwura, at the inauguration of the newly constructed Aboh Road…recently PHOTO: Government House

Pre-election violence claims 52, says NHRC

Tunde Oyesina Abuja

A

s the general elections draw closer, a total of 52 deaths have so far been recorded as a result of pre-election violence cutting across the six geo political zones.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) while making this revelation yesterday during the official presentation of an 'Advisory Reports on Pre-election Violence’’ further stated that Lagos, Kaduna and Rivers were worst hit by pre-election violence.

Speaking through its board chairman, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, the commission said it was ready to broker peace between the two major contenders in the March 28 Presidential election, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and Gen-

l Lagos, Kaduna, Rivers worst hit l Commission sets to broker peace between Jonathan, Buhari eral Muhammadu Buhari.

The commission however revealed that it would open an Election Violence Information Centre (EVIC) where reports on violence would be made and a commensurate action would be promptly taken by the commission.

The commission gave the call centre number as 08100000065.

Odinkalu further revealed that pre-election violence had been recorded in 22 states of which 59 people were confirmed dead.

He gave the analysis as follows; Lagos State recorded 11 violent incidents with 15 deaths, Kaduna State recorded nine violent incidents with nine deaths while Rivers recorded six

violent incidents.

Katsina recorded two violent incidents, with Ogun recording one casualty, while Ondo and Bayelsa recorded one incident each with three casualties recorded by Bayelsa.

Others are Edo State, two violent incidents and two casualties, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja,one violent incident, Ebonyi also recorded one alongside Akwa Ibom.

States that also recorded one violent incident are Kebbi, Niger, Oyo, Ekiti, Kano, Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau and Taraba.

He further noted that the death which occurred was either as a result of gun shots or severe wounds

from machete cuts.

He also noted that so far, there had been 61 incidents of pre-election violence and 10 complaints, adding that the incidents recorded in 2011 were not as much as the present ones unfolding.

“This commission will make Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and General Buhari to speak to Nigerians, demonstrating that they also are Nigerians and that the election is between two brothers.

“We will ensure that the message is played on every phone for every phone user everyday. We will approach Jonathan, Buhari, (John) Odigie-Oyegun and (Adamu) Mu’azu. Will record the messages together and it shall be played for all Nigerians to hear it."

of the six states in the NorthEast that had perpetrated the child abuse and child trafficking. Those of us here in Adamawa State have not had any case of child abuse nor child trafficking. However, we will not speak for other decamps, but in Adamawa there is no reported case of child abuse.”

Meanwhile, Boko Haram militants have carried out their first attack

on Chadian soil, weeks after the country’s soldiers crossed into Nigeria in pursuit of the terrorists.

Multiple reports said militants suspected to be members of the group struck at a village near Lake Chad on Thursday night, killing several residents and a local chief before they were repelled by security forces.

The militants crossed Lake Chad in four motorboats and attacked a village, an army spokesman, Colonel Azem Bermandoua Agouna, told the BBC.

EFCC arrests Nyako’s son over alleged money laundering Emmanuel Onani Abuja

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested Abdul-Aziz Nyako, son of former Governor of Adamawa State, Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd.).

The commission had earlier declared Nyako, who was removed by the Adamawa State House of Assembly last year over alleged gross misconduct and his son wanted, over alleged corruption.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the younger Nyako was arrested yesterday in Gombe State, by operatives of the anti-graft agency.

The statement reads: “Barely two weeks after the EFCC declared former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako and his son, Abdul-Aziz, wanted, operatives of the anti-

graft agency, this morning arrested the younger Nyako in Gombe, Gombe State. He was immediately flown to Abuja where he is currently being grilled by a crack team of detectives who had been working on the Adamawa investigation for several months.

“Abdul-Aziz, who was declared wanted by the EFCC in the case of stealing, abuse of office and money laundering, is currently telling investigators all he knows about illicit funds traced to companies where he has interest.

“Specifically, he will have to explain how over N15billion funds belonging to Adamawa State was laundered into the accounts of five companies owned by him- Blue Opal Nigeria limited, Crust Energy Nigeria Limited, Blue Ribbon Multilinks Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Blue Ribbon Bureau De Change.

Oba of Benin alive, Traditional Council insists

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he Benin Traditional Council yesterday described as untrue reports that the Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa, had passed on.

The speculation on the monarch’s demise had gone viral on the Internet yesterday morning.

The rumour also intensified with the claim that the Oba did not personally receive President Goodluck Jonathan, during his February 4 presidential rally in Benin, the Edo State capital.

The Secretary to the council, Mr. Frank Erhabor, said the speculation was a mere speculation, which had been on for over six months and lacked truth.

Erhabor noted that it

was the responsibility of the council to issue a formal statement, if such a development did occur.

He said: “They have been peddling that rumour for more than a year now, because the Oba has not been coming out.

“If there is anything like that, there is usually a statement from the palace or from the Benin Traditional Council.”

Although the spokesperson did not specify whether or not the Oba was hale and hearty, he said that inability of the President Jonathan to see the monarch, when he visited the palace, did not give credence to his rumoured death.

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Group laments members’ alleged denial of PVCs Camillus Nnaji

A

group, Ndigbo and South South United Concern, has raised the alarm over what it described as a plot by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in collaboration with the All Progressives Congress (APC), to allegedly disenfranchise about four million members of the group by not issuing them with their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs).

In a statement made available to Saturday Telegraph dated February 10 and signed by its chairman, Mr. Theophilius Onuegbu, the group expressed shock over what its members were going through before getting their PVCs. The statement reads: “We the above mentioned people want to use this medium to bring to public

notice the plot by INEC’s ad hoc staff and APC members to disenfranchise our four million members across Lagos from performing their civic rights in the forth coming general elections.

“Reports reaching us last week had it that some of our members paid money ranging from N300 to N500 before they were handed their PVCs. We equally had it on good note that the majority of our members in Alimosho, Mushin, OshodiIsolo and Amuwo Odofin local government areas were denied voters cards even when their names and photographs appeared on the list.”

The group further alleged that they were asked which political party they supported before issuing them with their cards, adding that "if you claim you are a PDP member, they would tell you your card was not ready".

I wasn’t suspended –Bayelsa PDP chair Chiazor Uduh

with agency reports

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hairman of Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Sam Inokoba, (rtd.), has dismissed reports of his suspension by the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party.

The state PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osom Makebre, had on Wednesday announced the suspension of Inokoba, where he claimed that the decision had been communicated to the national leadership of the party for ratification.

Inokoba allegedly received N70 million from the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, but declared N30 million to the

state executive of the party.

Following this, the state PDP executive decided to set up a panel to probe him on the allegations of diverting N40 million out of the N70 million meant for the party’s presidential rally in the state.

It was gathered that the panel hurriedly met and suspended Inokoba, who shunned an invitation to come and respond to the allegation.

But reacting to the development yesterday, Inokoba said he disbursed the funds in compliance with the wishes of the donor and was not guilty of diverting party funds as alleged.

He further argued that the SWC of PDP lacked the powers according to the amended PDP Constitution to discipline him.

Lagos may sue FG over SURE-P taskforce Muritala Ayinla

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agos State Government may soon institute a legal action against the Federal Government over deployment of the SURE-P taskforce to manage traffic on Lagos roads and painting of the roads in green white colours.

The state government also disclosed that it was set to drag the federal government to court over the removal of political adverts and replacement without recourse to the established rules and norms of outdoor advertisement.

The legal threat, Saturday Telegraph learnt, was coming after President Goodluck Jonathan allegedly

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

failed to reply or address the situations on which the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, had written the president to avert anarchy in the state as a result of the “faceless men” operating as law enforcement agents in the state.

Briefing journalists at a joint press conference addressed by the state Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, his counterparts from the Ministries of Transportation, Information and Strategy, Kayode Opeifa and Lateef Ibirogba, respectfully, the state government urged the federal government, who is suspected to be behind the brazen lawlessness in the state to follow the rule of law.

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IKEJA FCT FCT EFCC arraigns woman over APC wishes Nigerians happy FG completes 13 dams The Federal Government yesterday said it N4m dud cheque Valentine’s Day

NEWS IN BRIEF

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday arraigned one Oluremi Olajumoke, in an FCT High Court for issuing a N4 million dud cheque.

The accused, a 48-year-old businesswoman, was said to have collected N8.5 million from one Mr. Chukwuma Nwafor, as payment for the rent of a shop in her care.

The court was told that Olajumoke collected the money in 2012 but was unable to deliver the shop situated at Sheriff Plaza, Wuse, Abuja, to the tenant.

The prosecutor, Mrs. Jamila Shata, told the court that when the accused failed to vacate the shop, the complainant demanded for the refund of the money.

315.4m

The estimated total population of Northern America in 2000.

Source: Un.org

As Nigerians join the rest of the world today to mark Valentine’s Day, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged them to prepare to celebrate their imminent liberation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-imposed yoke under which they have laboured for many years.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said but for the insistence of the PDP and the Jonathan Administration that the suffering of Nigerians must be prolonged for another six weeks, the Valentine’s Day, which is a global celebration of love and affection, would have also marked the celebration of freedom from the PDP servitude by all Nigerians.

1,254

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of the world in 2007.

Source: Itu.int

had completed 13 dams across the country that would provide jobs for about 233, 381 Nigerians and boost dry season farming.

The Director, Dams and Reservoir Operations, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Reginald Ikpeawujo, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He explained that the 13 dams, when operational, would provide jobs for no fewer than 233, 381 Nigerians, adding that they would be inaugurated in March by President Goodluck Jonathan.

NAN reports that the dams are; Kashimbilla Dam in Taraba, Gurara Hydropower in Kaduna, Inyishi Dam in Imo, llesha Dam in Osun, Gimi and Galma Dam in Kaduna, and Ibiono Dam in Akwa Ibom States.

$11m

The total amount of endorsements of Gareth Bale (Football) for 2014.

Source: Forbes.com

Nnaji, Ayogu, Nnamani back Jonathan's, Ugwuanyi's election bids SUPPORT

Three Enugu State indigenes endorse the president's re-election campaign.

F

Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

ormer Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji; former Nigerian Ambassador to Uganda, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, have backed the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying nothing will be left undone within this period of the polls shift to deliver the president during the general elections.

The trio, who are indigenes of Enugu State, also vowed to ensure victory

for the state PDP governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, whom they described as a bridge builder, who is generally loved across the state.

Speaking in Enugu yesterday, Ayogu, who is also a contact person for President Jonathan in the Enugu North senatorial zone of the state, said the people of the state, especially those who had registered should strive to vote en-masse for the PDP during the elections.

Ayogu, who was a onetime Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, explained that the success could only be made possible through the collection of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) with the extension of time for the collection now effected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said: “Anybody who loves this country and wants us to conduct a truly transparent election that will earn us credibility in the eye of the international community will not oppose the postponement of the elections as has been done by INEC. He cited the case of his Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state where a good number of persons who would want to vote to choose their leaders have no PVC till date, as a case in point.

Also speaking during a rally in Enugu South Local Government Area, Nnamani warned the people not to waste their votes on any other party other than the PDP, just as he declared that the other parties had no firm footing in the state.

“Don't vote for mushroom parties and their

candidates here. All those other parties here are mushrooms; we are fortunate enough here in Enugu that our party is doing well and I said this much in the presence of Mr. President at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, when he came for the presidential rally,” he stated.

On his part, Nnaji, while speaking at a PDP campaign rally in Nkanu East Local Government Area, called on Nigerians to support the re-election of President Jonathan, insisting that there was no credible alternative to the president at the moment.

Nnaji, who addressed his Nkanu people in their native dialect, said in view of the challenges facing the country, it would be unthinkable to hand over to people who don't have full grasp of the situation.

L-R: Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Ismail Olalekan Alli; Governor Abiola Ajimobi; Chief Imam of The Polytechnic, Ibadan Central Mosque, Alhaji Tajudeen Adeyemi and Chairman of the institution’s Muslim community, Mallam Isiaq Salam, during the Jumat prayers at the institution…yesterday

PHOTO: OYO GOVERNMENT

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

APAPA JOS 33 ships laden with petroleum Card readers will check products arrive Lagos multiple voting, says NOA

N EWS I N BRIEF

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SOKOTO 'Emulate Ahmadu Bello’s leadership qualities'

The Director National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Plateau State, Mr. Bulus Dabit, has said the use of card readers in the forthcoming general elections will address the problem of multiple voting.

Dabit, who stated this yesterday while speaking to journalists in Jos, said the card readers could only read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and not the Temporary Voters Cards (TVCs).

He said the card readers would be distributed according to population at the polling units to avoid unnecessary congestions during accreditation.

Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, has urged Nigerians aspiring leadership positions to emulate the leadership qualities of late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in order to ensure good governance.

Wamakko, who made the call at the APC campaign rally in Rabah, the country home of the late premier, said Nigeria would have acheived a lot if the current political leaders had embraced the exemplary leadership qualities of the late premier.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Wamakko also received 7,401 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.

£130

34.66%

1,694.6m

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

Source: Soccernet.com

The percentage of the individuals using the internet in Bosnia & Herzegovina in 2008.

Source: Itu.int

The total population of Asia region in 1960.

Source: Un.org

Thirty three ships laden with containers, foods and petroleum products have arrived Lagos ports from February 12 to 27.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which stated this yesterday in its daily publication, ‘Shipping Position’, in Lagos, said 13 of the expected ships would arrive the ports with containers, while 10 others would arrive with rice, buckwheat, bulk sugar and frozen fish.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the six ships would arrive with general cargo, while the remaining four ships would sail in with petrol, base oil and kerosene. It stated that 17 ships had arrived the ports with general cargo, foods and petroleum products.

CBN sells dollars to stop naira drop as stocks plunge Ayodele Aminu

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n a bid to halt the naira’s slide to a record low, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday intervened with dollar sales in the foreign-exchange market as the nation’s stocks led declines among world markets.

“The aim is to pump a maximum amount of liquidity” into the market and reduce dollar demand,’’ informed the President of the Financial Market Dealers Association, David Adepoju. He told Bloomberg on the phone, that: “The currency wasn’t sold at the regulator’s typical auction rate, but a rate closer to what the interbank market is trading at present.”

Nigerian assets have plummeted with a 50 per cent decline in oil prices since June 2014 that has curbed government’s revenue and export earnings for Africa’s top crude producer.

The selloff deepened this week, pushing the nation’s currency to a record low, after elections earlier scheduled for today were postponed by six weeks.

The apex bank sells dollars to banks on Mondays and Wednesdays at a rate of five per cent above or below N168 per dollar.

A spokesman for the CBN, Ibrahim Mu’azu, said on the phone that: “It is part

of central bank measures to defend the naira. The aim is to increase dollar supply to the level that it will be able to suppress dollar demand and minimise the level of depreciation of the naira.”

The currency gained 0.7 per cent to N204.05 per dollar as at 3:07 pm in Lagos yesterday, reversing an earlier decline. The naira lost 5.2 per cent over the past five days, the most on a weekly basis since December 2008.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All Share Index also dropped for a seventh day, slipping 1.3 per cent to 27,585.26, the lowest since December 2012, and the most among 93 indexes tracked by Bloomberg.

“When the election was delayed, confidence was sapped,” Seun Olanipekun, an analyst at Investment One Financial Services Limited, told Bloomberg on the phone from Lagos.

“It’s mostly foreign investors that are selling.

No sector is safe from the selloff” and shares may fall even further before elections because of the high political risk.

“I just don’t see any investors going long naira onshore assets,” Samir Gadio, head of African strategy at Standard Chartered Plc, said by phone from London. “We are hardly seeing any trading in the interbank market,” she said.

Ndokwa People Initiatives mobilises support for Okowa Miss United Nations 2014, Miss Precious Chikwendu (left) and Project Director, Miss United Nations Nigeria, Mr. Utchay Odiums, at a press briefing on the flag off of this year’s edition and National Registration Exercise in Abuja…yesterday

Police, STF confirm release of Dariye’s father RESCUED

The abducted father of the former governor of Plateau State has been rescued from his abductors.

Musa Pam

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Jos with agency reports

he Plateau Police Command and the Special Task Force (STF) in charge of security in the state have confirmed the release of Senator Joshua Dariye’s father, Pa Dariye Dafweng, by the kidnappers.

Dafweng was kidnapped on February 7 in Mushere village in Bokkos Local Government Area, where a ransom of $10 million was demanded by the kidnappers.

Spokesperson for the State Police Command, Mr. Emmanuel Abu, a Deputy Superintendent

l Jang visits family of Police (DSP), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that Pa Dariye was finally released after intense pressure, following intelligence gathering by the police and other security agencies.

Abu said the victim was found in Demquan village in Qan’Pan Local Government Area of the state.

“He was abandoned by the kidnappers and he found his way to the house of somebody he knew in the village,” he said.

Commenting on the development, STF spokesperson, Capt. Ikedechi Iweha, attributed Dariye’s release to the efforts of the STF, the police and the Department of Security Service (DSS).

Iweha, however, confirmed that the STF arrested some suspects in the process.

Meanwhile, Governor Jonah Jang, has visited Dariye’s family over the abduction of the former governor's father.

Jang, who was accompanied by his wife, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Senator G. Pwajok and other top government officials, expressed sadness over the incident, saying he was

closely monitoring the investigation.

He also expressed regrets over the abduction of Dariye’s father, stressing that he would have been subjected to a traumatic condition.

Responding, Dariye thanked Jang for the visit and described it as a great encouragement to the family.

It would be recalled that Dafweng, 87, was kidnapped one week ago by unknown gunmen.

Chiazor Uduh

N

dokwa Peoples Initiatives (NPI) has called on all the residents of Delta State to go out and vote massively for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), gubernatorial candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

NPI, according to its president general, Mr. Agha Emmanuel, said if elected, Okowa would focus on programmes and policies that would create wealth and generate employment for the teeming youths in the state.

Emmanuel also noted that the Ika-born Senator would in four years “look into our plights and give us a lift because he knows that we have the human capital that could help him realise his dreams

for greater Delta.”

He declared that Okowa, who is a Pan-Deltan, would establish vocational training centres across the state, upgrade the technical school in Utagba-Obe to a world class institution and also reposition Ndokwa land.

“He will bring amenities to our communities. He will also appoint our sons and daughters into his cabinet and various other positions.

He has consistently pledged his allegiance to the people of Delta, which is a good sign of a true democrat. Ekwueme has continued to rekindle hope for better days among the people. At this stage, we need a unifier, one with the capacity to frontally address the issues in governance in the state,” he said.

Use of PVC a welcome development if...says Mu'azu Ndubuisi Ugah

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ational Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Adamu Mu’azu, has said the use of Electronic Management Tool (EMT) to be used for the general elections is a welcome development so long as the Independent National Electoral Com-

mission (INEC) does not see Nigerians as the proverbial ‘guinea pigs.’

Mu’azu, who spoke yesterday when a delegation of the Africa Union (AU) election observers led by its Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, said: “INEC must ensure a successful

test run before approving it for use in the elections, stressing that INEC management must get its sums right before introducing the measure.

“The delegation was impressed that there was no street fighting or protest trailing the postponement, which was a sign of maturity of Nigerians and the depth

of democratic practice in the country,” said Mu’azu.

Mu’azu also told the delegation that, “what is happening today in INEC has been highlighted to them via letters from our party to his office on so many issues including the fraud of PVC we anticipated, including the manipulation."

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Cross Country drags A.G Moeller to court

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ross Country Motors Limited has dragged A.G Moeller to court over a dispute arising from financial deal between the two organisations.

Speaking on Wednesday when the matter came up for hearing at a Federal High Court in Lagos, the former chief accountant to Cross Country Limited, Mr. Godsday Chukwusa, said the transport company had paid over N223 million to A.G Moeller as at August 2010 out of about N228 million owed by Cross country.

Chukwusa, who was testifying in the case of N80 million fraud preferred against the Chairman/Managing Director of A.G Moeller Limited, Mr. Adeloye Richard Olukemi and the finance house, gave details of the financial lease between the two organisations.

The accountant who is also the prosecution put the financial lease between the two companies at N140million for 40 units of Volkswa-

gen commercial buses and was expected to operate for 24 months, spanning March 2007 to March 2009. He, however, stated that problem arose on how to calculate the default charges since the transport company could not meet up with the deadline of the financial lease.

Aside A.G Moeller, Chukwusa also told the court that his former company, Cross Country Ltd also wrote Finance Lease request letters to the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, EBN Finance Limited (a subsidiary of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc) for financial lease facilities for various acquisitions of motor vehicles, which it never had problem with.

He hinged the failure of the Cross Country to meet up with its obligations to A.G Moeller on the fact that the 40 buses supplied by the company developed technical faults as the vehicles used diesel engines, which the transport company was not used to.

Police rue breakdown of ‘Peace Accord’ in Kwara Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

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wara State Police Commissioner, Salihu Garba, yesterday lamented that the ‘Peace Accord’ signed by leaders of political parties and their governorship candidates in the state early last month had become ineffective.

Garba, while opening another round of talks and declaration for peace by the parties, said it was regrettable from current events in the state that the accord, which was signed in January, “has become a worthless paper” even as he warned that his command would no longer tolerate the breach of the law by anybody, no matter how highly placed.

While the police boss said he was being constrained

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by the ongoing industrial action by judicial workers from prosecuting offenders, party leaders in the meeting in their presentations demanded more concrete proof of commitment to fighting political violence by the command.

He expressed concern that the series of meetings they were being constantly summoned to attend have yielded little result.

Garba, while warning politicians in the state to desist from destroying their property hinted that intelligence information indicated that the thugs being used for the task had formed themselves into a professional group such that it was the same set of people that were now being engaged by the parties to destroy their respective campaign materials.

LAFIA

MAKURDI Group berates APC over NIS recruitment

NEWS IN BRIEF

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A group, National Democratic Youth Movement (NDYM), yesterday berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation for not recognising the efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan at alleviating the problems of Nigerians.

President of the group, Igoche Matthew, who fielded questions from journalists in Makurdi, on the sideline of a statement allegedly credited to Buhari Campaign Organisation faulting the recruitment exercise of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), expressed regret that the APC had lost touch with the true picture of activities within the organisation.

ALGON seeks extension of LG tenure

The Association of Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON) Nasarawa State chapter yesterday appealed to the state legislature to review the one year tenure of elected council officials to three years to promote grassroots development.

Chairman of the association, Alhaji Suleiman Wambai, who is also the Executive Chairman of Lafia Local Government Area, said in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia, that the appeal was imperative, given the attendant realities that tenure of a single year was not in the best interest of people at the grassroots.

“The one year tenure is extremely too short for elected local government officials to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots as most chairmen had only fully settled down,” he said.

25,000 The estimated number of Americans above 65 years with Alzheimer’s in Hawaii State in 2014.

Source: Alz.org

18%

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

Source: Un.org

CALABAR Imoke inaugurates science, ICT labs

Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, yesterday inaugurated a science, ICT laboratory and library blocks and road network in the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Akpabuyo.

The projects were part of the state government’s aggressive policy to reposition education in the state.

The Nigerian Navy Secondary is one of the 66 secondary schools captured under the state government comprehensive renovation and reconstruction exercise across the state.

The laboratory houses Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and computer laboratories, while the road network is meant to address the hardship students, staff encountered within the school during rainy seasons.

2.97m The number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy in low and middle-income countries in 2006.

Source: Who.int

Polls shift: Resign now, Ohaneze chieftain tells Jega MARCH 28 ELECTION An Ohaneze member accuses the INEC chairman of partiality and calls on him to step down.

Okegwo kenechukwu

C Onitsha

hairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Atahiru Jega, has been asked to resign his appointment immediately or incure the wrath of Nigerians for derailing the democratic process.

A chieftain of Ohaneze Ndigbo, an umbrella body of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Chief Pius Ozo Anekwe, said at a press briefing in Onitsha, Anambra State, that Nigerians should hold Jega responsible for allegedly truncating the dem-

ocratic process to favour his Northern kinsmen.

Anekwe, a former president general of the Onitsha Market Amalgamated Traders Association (OMATA) and South-East Traders Union of Nigeria (SETUN), warned that any attempt to allow the INEC chairman to conduct the March 28 elections would be resisted at all cost, pointing out that he would mobilise the South-East traders and other interest groups for a street protest.

“We are very lucky that the February 14 election was postponed due to some security reports. The INEC chairman had perfected plans to rig the election in favour of his kinsmen, because he knew his tenure has come to an end.

He also refused to release the PVCs to electorate in the South-East and SouthSouth. How can Adamawa State that has been bedev-

illed by Boko Haram insurgence have more registered voters that Lagos State?” he queried.

“Nigerians have seen that INEC was not prepared to conduct a credible, free and fair election. A lot of work has not been done.

Machines were imported to be used during the election that is barely a few days away, yet the ad hoc staff to operate the machines have not been trained.

“As a chieftain of PDP and a high ranking member of Ohaneze Ndigbo, I am strongly calling on Jega to resign immediately because he has betrayed the confidence of Nigerians in him,” he asked.

He contended that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, had had a certificate, he would have enrolled in the university like former President Olusegun

Obasanjo and former President Shehu Shagari did, stressing that Buhari was not qualified.

It is also an abomination to allow a 75-year-old man who was only trained on how to shoot and kill to rule Nigeria under a democratic rule. I am therefore appealing to Nigerians to allow the minority Ijaw man to complete his tenure and the North would look for somebody like Alhaji Umar, a young dynamic and vibrant Northern political leader to champion their curse.

While blaming President Goodluck Jonathan for "rigging" himself out of office, he said: “How can he appoint all the service chiefs who have anything to do with election to come from one ethnic group? For instance, the Inspector General of Police (IG), INEC chairman, PDP chairman and even the National Security Adviser (NSA) are all from the North."

Borno PDP guber candidate condemns Biu Market bombing Ahmed Miringa Maiduguri

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he governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State, Alhaaji Muhammad Alkali Imam, has condemned the suicide bomb attack at Biu Market, which reportedly claimed about nine persons, including the female suicide bomber.

While condemning the suicide attack, Imam also consoled with the families of those who lost their lives and pray for the repose of the souls of the deceased and wished those who sustained injuries quick recovery.

The governorship candidate in a statement signed by the Chairman, Media Committee Imam Campaign Organisation, Mr. Inuwa Bwala, which was made available to newsmen in Maiduguri called on security agents not to rest on their laurels until those behind the Biu blast were found and brought to justice, stressing that the contest in Borno did not worth the blood of a single individual.

He also appealed to the people of Biu to remain calm and focus.

Imam, said: “Change in Borno is inevitable and no amount of violence can delay it.”

9

L-R: Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Ndufu Alike, Ebonyi State, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe; Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu; his wife, Olufunke and Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Rahamon Bello, at a reception organised by UNILAG for Sunmonu in Lagos... recently

SATURDAY

Voices Will you go on a Val date with your ex? p.12

Street Diary SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015

10

NDLEA arrest cripple, 56 others with 87kgs of Indian hemp Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

T

DSS operatives

photo: en.wikipedia.org

Pandemonium as drivers beat up DSS operative Adesina Wahab

A Ado-Ekiti

fight between students of the Ekiti State University, A d o - E k i t i , and commercial drivers plying Ado-Iworoko Road over the number of passengers on a seat, almost turned fatal on Friday as an operative of the Department of State Security was almost lynched by the drivers.

The trouble between the students and the drivers, owners of what is popularly called 'Akoto', stemmed from the insistence that the number of passengers be reduced from four to three per seat.

The students claimed that since the buses are not as roomy as Toyota and other brands, carrying four passengers per seat was not conducive.

The development led to a disagreement because the drivers said they would only reduce the number of passengers if they would be allowed to jerk up the transport fare.

The irate students and drivers engaged in a free-for-all and the drivers soon mobilised other members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to join them.

The drivers blocked the road and it was in the process of seeking a passage to his office that the DSS operative, identified simply as Courage, was attacked by the drivers.

His clothes were torn to shreds and he had bruises, cuts and

blood stains on his body.

He said he was attacked on his way to the office by some of the drivers who were molesting other motorists.

Courage said though he introduced himself as an officer of the DSS, instead of giving him a free passage, the angry drivers attacked him and tried to disarm him of his service pistol.

"I was punched, clubbed, stoned by the drivers and if not for the timely intervention of another colleague who fortunately came to the scene and shot in the air severally to scare the mob away, it would have been worse," he said.

Normalcy was restored to the area following the intervention of EKSU management, the police and operatives of the DSS. However, the face-off between the students and the drivers may linger for a while as both sides are not relenting.

The students are insisting that they will not allow any hike in fare and that their convenience is also important.

“By this act of destruction, the drivers have courted trouble and should be ready to face the consequences. We will not relent until they comply with the regulations concerning the proper number of passengers they should carry,” one of the students said.

On the other hand, the drivers are also insisting that they will not go back to the road until there is a concrete agreement between them and the students.

he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Benue State has arrested 57 persons, including a cripple for allegedly using and selling 87 kilogrammes of cannabis popularly known as Indian hemp.

The cripple, Abu Edoh, alone was arrested with 50 kgs, his partner, John Ordam, was arrested with 4.4 kilogrammes and two locally-made pistols. While the other, Terhemba Lordye, who was convicted two years ago by the Federal High Court in Makurdi, was caught with one kilogramme of Indian hemp.

Briefing journalists at the agency’s headquarters in Makurdi, the state Commander of NDLEA, Mrs. Chinyere Obiajuru, said the arrests were made possible following a joint patrol by officers and men of the command, as well as some soldiers. Obiajuru warned those engaged in the illegal act to desist from it or face the full wrath of the law.

She explained that the state command of NDLEA carried out the raid in conjunction with the military in the last one month to ensure that the rescheduled general elections were conducted under a free and fair atmosphere.

According to her, election violence is usually triggered by youths, who indulge in alcohol and smoking of Indian hemp.

Obiajuru who called on the public to report those suspected to be smoking or selling Indian

Siezed bags of Indian hemp

PHOTO: FILE COPY

hemp to officials of the command said, such useful information would be treated with utmost confidentiality.

She further advised parents to be vigilant by watching their children to ensure that they do not keep bad friends that would introduce them to hard drugs and smoking of Indian hemp which was capable of destroying their future.

Meanwhile, cult members on Wednesday went on the rampage in Naka, headquarters of Gwer West Local Government Area of the state killing four people including a notorious cult leader popularly called ‘Last Kobo.’

According to an eyewitness, the killing of one cult member earlier in the day by the rampaging group provoked revenge by the other leaving three dead.

Our correspondent learnt that

38 pupils get scholarship at PDP rally Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

F

or their outstanding performance in delivery of a welcome song during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign rally at the weekend in Udenu council area of Enugu State, Governor Sullivan Chime, has announced scholarship up to university level for 38 pupils of Inland Primary School, Imilike Enu and automatic promotions for five teachers who conducted the pupils.

In the same vein, the government also commended a retired headmaster of that school who composed the song and joined the pupils during the performance.

The pupils and their teachers performed at the grand finale of the party's campaign tour of the 17 local government areas of the state held at Obollo Afor, the headquarters of Udenu Local Government Area which is the home base of the gubernatorial candidate of the party, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The pupils thrilled the mammoth crowd at the rally in their rendition of the song which also touched on the nation's democracy, voters’ mobilisation and enlightenment.

As a result, when Chime addressed the rally, he alluded to their performance, saying that, “I will like to specially thank the pupils of Inland Primary School, Udenu, for this great feat. The government of Enugu State has decided to give scholarship to these schoolchildren that put up a wonderful performance here today."

Enugu State governor, Chime

there was apprehension in the area as most people restricted their movements to avoid attacks.

The state police spokesman, Mr. John Bako, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), who confirmed the incidence, said some suspects had been arrested.

He added that the police had so far recovered two locally-made pistols from the culprits while investigation was in progress.

Ex-policeman, son attack detectives with cutlass Dominic Adewole ASABA

A

n ex-police sergeant (name undisclosed) was yesterday arrested for attacking detectives from the Delta State Police Command with a cutlass.

The suspect, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, said, was aiding his son, who is a suspected cult member, to evade arrest.

The ex-policeman’s son simply identified as David, Saturday Telegragh learnt, evaded arrest when five of his gang members were nabbed when police ransacked the house of their kingpin last week.

Confirming their arrest at the command headquarters in Asaba, Kalu, who said they would be charged to court, added that a locally-made pistol was recovered from them.

She narrated how another cult leader, who claimed to be a student of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, in Aniocha South Local Government Area, was arrested.

The suspect, Kalu maintained, was behind a lot of cult-related clashes in the polytechnic town and its environs.

While she said the suspect was still undergoing investigations, she listed the items recovered from him to include one locally-made pistol, six Nokia handsets, police inspector’s lanyard, blue beret with ribbon and a red gown.

11

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

SaturdayLetters You have a right to be heard. Send your letters and photographs to saturdayletters@ newtelegraphonline.com. Letters should not be more than 150 words and must have the name and address of the sender.

Q uotes of the week

“The circumstances (under which Buhari) will be working under if he wins the election are different from the one he worked under before, where he was both the executive and the legislature; he knows that. He’s smart enough. He’s educated enough. He’s experienced enough. Why shouldn’t I support him?”

- Olusegun Obasanjo (retired General and former President).

“We will not be intimidated by the latest antics of the Jonathan Administration to harass and intimidate the opposition, especially in the run-up to next month’s general elections.”

- Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC National Publicity Secretary.

A motorcyclist halling pipes along a Lagos highway PHOTO:GODWIN IREKHE

High cost of rent in Lagos Dear Editor, I want to appeal to the Lagos State Government to intervene with the aim of reducing the high cost of rent in Lagos. Everybody knows that looking for accommodation in Lagos is a Herculean task. However, the Lagos State Government recently introduced a law limiting the number of years for which a tenant can pay for rent to one year. Therefore, I think the government should go a step further by limiting the amount of money that a tenant can pay for renting an apartment in Lagos.

Government should draw up a list of the different categories of apartments and houses in Lagos and set a legal limit or a maximum amount of money one can pay for renting any of such apartments or houses in any of the categories. It can be done and should be done.

If the Lagos State Government can indeed put a ceiling on the amount of money one should pay for an accommodation in Lagos, it would go a long way to reduce suffering and improve the welfare of the people.

Oladele Thomas, Lagos.

On Voting in the Diaspora Dear Editor, I had expected that by now Nigeria would have developed to the point that Nigerian citizens based abroad would be able to vote and choose who becomes their next president.

However, it is obvious that INEC has dashed my hopes again of voting overseas. Therefore, I would like to use this medium to appeal to the Independent National Electoral Commission to start planning for elections early, keeping in mind Nigerians based abroad, so as not to disenfranchise them again.

Nduka Moye, Germany.

The recent political clash in Ajegunle Dear Editor, I would like the Nigeria Police and the federal government to put an end to the unnecessary killings by political thugs which now frequently occur in Lagos in the days leading up to the presidential election scheduled to hold next Saturday, February 14. Last Tuesday several innocent people lost their lives in Ajegunle when thugs from both the PDP and APC camps clashed. I see no reason why anybody should kill or be killed because of politics. Government and the security agencies need to stop the killings fast.

Leye Williams, Lagos.

Lotto or gambling addiction among the Nigerian Youth Dear Editor, I want to ealert Nigerians with regard to the dangerous culture of gambling, lotto or betting that is now prevalent among Nigerian youths. The Nigerian youth, majority of whom are unemployed and unemployable have been so corrupted due to bad governance in the country, that they now entirely indulge in gambling or betting under all sorts of titles. On many occasions such gambling practices lead to violence. Therefore, the federal government ought to take steps to curb this dangerous trend and encourage the youth to focus on more positive exercises.

Timi Thomas, Ogun State.

Politicians and the need to fulfill Campaign promises Dear Editor, I want to use this platform to appeal to politicians from all the different political parties to fulfill their campaign promises once they get into power. There is need for politicians to fulfill their campaign promises because Nigeria has been under-developed for too long and is now in dire need of development. The truth is, the more politicians or people in government fail to fulfill their campaign promises, the more Nigeria fails to develop.

Moses Edith, Calabar.

“We, in the APC, will not allow the use of the military to oversee the conduct of the elections because we know and we are aware that they have sewn fake police uniforms, they have sewn fake army uniforms but we will not allow them.”

- Kayode Fayemi, former Ekiti State governor.

‘Let’s stop tarnishing INEC. The political parties, citizens, social media people should stop it. Tarnishing INEC can guarantee electoral violence. There are few Nigerians, who will accept INEC chairmanship and bring in the level of integrity he (Jega) has brought to the job.’

- Prof. Chidi Odinkalu (Chairman, Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission).

“If anybody thinks that I’m illiterate or uneducated after attending many military institutions in the UK, India and the US, they should read my books.

I would also urge those engaged in Buhari’s qualification debacle to focus on real issues and stop degenerating into trivialities.”

- Olusegun Obasanjo “Why is the North-West zone, which includes Katsina (Buhari’s home state) with the highest collection rate of 80 per cent? How come the North-East also has 75 per cent collection rate when this region includes Boko Haram territory (Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states)? Did the internally displaced persons come back there to collect their PVCs? - Clement Aguiyi.

“We have confidence in Jega; that his team will conduct a very free, fair, transparent and credible election in the country.”

- Dr. Adamu Mu’azu (PDP National Chairman).

“I am confident that the multinational force of Nigeria, Chad, Niger, which Cameroon has also agreed to join gives much hope that the days of the insurgents are over.”

- Colonel Sambo Dasuki (NSA).

SATURDAY

Voices

SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2015

Will you go on a Val date with your ex?

I have to avoid lust of the flesh No, I cannot go on valentine with my exboyfriend because I wouldn’t want to push myself back to what I have denied myself of and also because I am made of flesh and so will want to avoid the lust of the flesh.

– Loveth Abel, civil servant

Yes, but not based on sex Yes, I can go on valentine with my ex but it wouldn’t be based on sex, just for friendship sake and I will ensure the meeting will be in a public place and not in a secluded place.

– Krane Dammi, businessman

No, because he just wants sex

I can't because he just wants to have fun with me, maybe because he doesn't have someone to take out so he just wants to use me to ease his pressure and I wouldn’t want to be taken for a fool. So, my past is gone and never to come back to me again.

– Adefowope Opeyemi, businesswoman

Except if I'm lonely and not in a relationship Never, except if I am lonely and not in a relationship. For me to even go on a val date with such an ex, the break must have been my fault not when he was the one who hurt me.

– Abdullai Oluseun, student

I won’t even give it a thought

I would never do such a thing. I would not even give it a thought because going on a valentine date with him is just like trying to reconcile with him and that would not be healthy for my current relationship.

– Love Vincent, student

It would be nice to spend time with her again

It depends on the motive Going on a valentine date with my ex- boyfriend is not really the issue, but the motive behind the outing is what matters, that is what I should be careful of before agreeing to such an idea because if he demands for such an outing and I don’t bother to investigate his motive, if I am not careful my present relationship is likely to be at risk.

It is not a big deal It's not a big deal since he knows there's nothing between us and besides anyone can be your Val. You could have a girl for a Val, since Valentine’s Day is to show love to the person you love.

– Oluwaseun Popoola, student

– Olakonipekun Oluwadamilare, civil servant

I can if I still love her I can if I still love her. The fact that we no longer date doesn’t mean that we cannot be best of friends and mind you having just one cloth is not good enough because you might be beaten by the rain at any point in time. So, having an alternative is sometimes the best option.

– Adegoroye Babatunde, businessman

It is just for the fun of it I may or may not, it depends on what happened and if I am free. For instance, if the person I am seeing presently is not around due to one thing or the other then why not? Is it not just to catch fun and enjoy the day? Nothing more!

– Saliu Oluwafeyikemi, student

It is a tempting proposition For me, it's a big no, because Valentine’s day is a day of maximum temptation. I have been there before and I know what it means for lovers when they are together especially on a romantic day as Valentine.

– Joseph Akinwale, student

compiled by

john edu, AYILARA DAYO and EZEKIEL ADESAWE

If I were to be in such a situation. I would not hesitate to accept such a proposal as it would be nice to spend reasonable time with her again during this season of love.

– Alayemi Oluwaseun

You have to consider your present It will be good to spend some reasonable time with one’s ex, especially if she is someone that holds a huge place in your heart but on the other hand your present relationship should be considered first.

– Solomon Adedeji

It might reignite old flames

I can't go out with my ex. I have my reason. I think if we go out together on a day like that the feeling will come back and if it comes back, we might end up doing something.

– Augusta Anyanwu, student

It won’t look nice I cannot go on valentine date with my ex-girlfriend because we have parted ways.

It wouldn’t look nice for me because we have no feelings for each other. So such setting will look boring. Valentine is based on love, affection, romance, sweet talk, spending time together and an act of showing care to each other. And all of these affections don’t exist between us again, so, I can’t.

– Taiwo Hodewun, civil servant

12

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015

SATURDAY

WeekendDelight 13

C o n v e r s at i o n

Instyle

PRINCESS DUPE

A dash of red on Valentine’s Day p.15

ADETUWO

The Art Omenka Gallery goes to Cape Town p.18

Mirror in the Sun gave me the push A woman of many parts, Princess Dupe Adetuwo is a business woman, arts connoisseur, and a special assistant to a tourism operator in Ondo State. But it was as an actress that she shone brightest after starring in Mirror in the Sun, a TV series that was a favourite staple for Nigerian viewers in the ‘80s. The mother of three and royalty from Ondo State relives memories of her early days in acting and why she’s passionate about tourism in an encounter with Andrew Iro Okungbowa

Love & Living ‘My husband got a married woman pregnant’ p.35

I INHERITED ACTING GENE FROM MY LATE FATHER It is an inborn thing, it flows in my veins because my late father before he became king was an entertainer; he was into music. So I would say I have a little of it in my blood because I have always been interested in acting right from my primary school days.

When I got to secondary school too I was in the literary and debating society and I was also the head of drama group.

From there the interest began and it kept growing till today.

Hospitality A piece of classic experience at African Sun Airport Hotel p.39

BREAKING INTO THE WORLD OF ACTING My first major break was a film I acted in 1984, Song Bird. It was an indigenous film. That was how it started and then I took part in mainly soaps.

My first TV drama was Mirror in the Sun. I didn’t study acting, I studied business administration but then I had to take some lessons from some of our prolific directors and seasoned producers. People like Uncle Lara Williams. I took some acting courses under him after I left school. Just to brush up and have some basic background in acting. I have never made acting a full time career as I do it alongside other engagements.

MY IN–LAWS WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH MY ACTING CAREER When I got married, my in-laws frowned at it and condemned it, they just felt it was an undue exposure and that it could lead to other things such as being promiscuous. My husband was indifferent but his people never liked it. So I had to take a break and after a while we relocated to England and returned later and along the line I lost my husband.

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

PRINCESS DUPE ADETUWO:

ADETUWO

BACK FROM ENGLAND, I RETURNED TO MY FIRST LOVE I had to come back to my first love because some of my colleagues that I left behind then when I travelled to England like Ngozi Nwosu, Shola Shobowale, and Clarion Chukwura, had all gone far in the profession. They never left and have been there since Nollywood was created and I now said let me come back to it since it made me happy and gives me joy.

MIRROR IN THE SUN WAS THE MOST WONDERFUL TV DRAMA PRODUCTION THEN Mirror in the Sun was the number one and the most wonderful TV drama production then because people rushed home to watch it and it was wonderful at that time. Tade Ogidan, one of our foremost producers and directors, the sister, Ruth, is my friend, and we were some kind of a family friend and then he was in NTA with the likes of Zeb Ejiro, Fred Amata and Kanayo O. Kanayo and he brought me in as a freelance artiste then. That was when Mirror in the Sun started and he introduced me to the producer, Lola Fani–Kayode. That was how I got to be part of it. I played the role of Tinu, Mama Jimmy. Joke Silva was my lawyer then, lawyer Miriam. It did a lot of things to my career because it has been a reference point, it shot me up high there then and gave me a lot of leverage because people wanted to identify with you, people wanted to make friends with you and it helped my career a great deal at that time. I got into many other soaps then, there was one by Danladi Bako, Sparks. I was Itohan, the computer girl, Richard Mofe–Damijo was one of the detectives. At a point too I was a guest artiste in Village Headmaster.

When Africa Independent Television came into being then there was this programme called Country People produced by the late Oba of Aramoko, Wale Amele, with Sister Amebo.

She was my mother and I was Omari, the lead character in that production. And then several others like The Zenith and Tade Ogidan’s Diamond Ring, I was the customs chief.

EVERGREEEN PRODUCTION It would be Song Bird because of the story, the plot of the film. It addressed all the ills in the society and it was very powerful with very powerful cast. Ogidan, who is now a very, very big producer was the cameraman at that time and even in Mirror in the Sun, Uncle Tunde Kelani was a cameraman, but nobody remembers that anymore.

NOT ALL ABOUT FAME In those days I used to feel happier than now and though there was not much money in it then. But there was this love, there was unity and there was contentment. Now everything boils down to money and nobody has CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14

Weekend Delight

| Conversation

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

‘I’ve had to turn down roles because producers wanted sexual favours’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 3

the interest of the arts again. They are just interested in the fame and no more discipline, no more respect and no more love as everybody is just for himself or herself. But in those days when we don’t see each other for days we go out to look out for our colleagues and ask after their welfare, we were like one big family.

NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT ACTRESSES We had a lot of negative perceptions then because the way people saw an average actress was that she must be loose and wayward; but it is not so with everyone of us. It is a matter of choice and I am sure you have the same in other profession.

I MADE A HUGE SACRIFICE TO KEEP MY HOMS I had to juggle the time I spent at the movie sets in order to take care of my children too. Because I love my children so much, I made sure that they did not suffer. If you are not careful it would affect your home because of the time you spend on locations.

I tried as much as possible not to spend too much time at locations and I even had to turn down some of these jobs too to attend to domestic matters.

That was how I bridged the gap.

YOUNG ACTRESSES SHOULD SPARE TIME FOR THEIR HOMES I would tell them to plan well, to see their homes - especially when they are married - as very important and their family too should be considered. They should not lose their heads because they are now popular. A lot of them let it get into their heads and allow it to get into their relationships. They just feel that they are too big now for the man that they are married to and start misbehaving or making some moves by not carrying their husbands along. If the man is not in the industry, it will be a bit difficult because it is only when you are part of the industry that you understand the workings.

A CHALLENGING CAREER It is never an easy task at all because it is the grace of God that one needs and very few of us have not lost our heads or lost our minds because we feel that we are celebrities. But most of these young ladies nowadays lost it so easily because they feel they are now celebrities and can get away with whatever they do, and people are always applauding and coming around them.

MINDFUL OF THE ROLES I PLAY A lot of people watch your wife and tell tales. I mind the kind of roles I play too because sometimes people can’t separate the roles you play or what they see you do on screen from your real person.

NEVER BEEN KISSED ON SET So, that is another area that I am very careful about. I don’t just play any role or any negative role; maybe you see me smoking hemp, raped or kissed. I have never been kissed, not once. I don’t do it; I will not take such a script because our society is not ripe for such. People love watching it but deep down they still condemn it.

I’LL NEVER EXPOSE MY CLEAVAGES ON SCREEN You can never see me expose my

cleavage or expose my flesh. Sometimes if they give me clothes to wear to expose my skin or that I should dress scantily, I will say to them, ‘no, I am sorry, look for another actress to play the role’. What will my children say? I will look at the story; I will look at the plot and the lessons to be learnt in that script. I will look at the kind of personnel you have on ground, the crew, the quality of your crew members and your equipment too and the technicalities before I decide.

I DON’T ACT FOR THE MONEY I don’t like to do it for the money but because of the interest and love I have for it. Sometimes they have to adjust to what I think I can do, but if they don’t I leave the script for other actresses.

MY CHILDREN ARE MY GREATEST CRITICS My children are proud of all the roles that I have played and they are my greatest critics. Even when sometimes I don’t deliver well they would say, ‘no, mummy you can do better than this’. Because they know what I can do and what I can’t do. They know what I stand for. It is not that I’m not flexible or can’t bend over sometimes to accommodate some of these things, but then there are some things that they know that I will not do.

‘You wouldn’t see me expose my cleavage’, she said.

around and it has opened doors for so ON THE STATE OF THE MOVIE INDUSTRY many people and some of them are brand No regrets personally, but I’m not ambassadors. happy with the way the industry is Unpleasant memories as a fegoing. There is no more respect, there male actress? is no more discipline and it is an-allI have had to even reject some roles comers thing. Most of our producers too are not so well off and they because I was asked to depend on some of these girls compromise and I said, too to produce some of the VITAL STATS ‘sorry, you can keep your movies. Because they are the role and give it to someEducation ones with the cash and have body else who is ready to Read business administration these big men up there who do that but not for me’.

Roots I find that insulting, you sponsor them. So they dictate; should see me as somethey call the shots now. They Ikoya, Ondo State are the ones that would enbody who merits it and not Walk to Fame because you want to sleep list those that would go and Starring in Mirror in the Sun meet with President Jonathan with me for a role. I will not in Abuja or those who would settle for that. Fine if I want Other Movies go and see the governors and to but not because I want to Family Ties, Dazzling Mirage if you don’t play games with play a role. I am not saying that I am a saint. I find that them your name will not come up and even as a male artiste. demeaning and insulting to a woman’s pride.

THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FRUSTRATED BY MY MARKETER The only thing that concerns them now is how to make money. They are I have a lot of unfinished works, too money conscious, that is the greatest which I am yet to complete but the one challenge that we have. Do you know I completed was in 2005. That was - Tinu that some of them have gone as far as mi ni mo mo (Yoruba film - I only know what is in my mind). But because of the carrying drugs? There are drug barons all around sponsoring them and that is experience which I had with my maranother area too because if you’re not keter way back, I have not gone back to complete most of the works. in that caucus that go about with drugs you can’t appear in some of these movWe work for the marketers, it is as ies. How much do they pay per script bad as that. The challenge is money, that somebody will be building houses funds, that is the major challenge and that is why most of the times you have in Lekki and you see them buying cars of to go to these marketers because they N34 million, N100 million? Where is all that coming from? The kind of life that are the ones with the money. They now they live is larger than life. What the TV dictate and cheat you because most of has created for them, they just want to the time you lose out. maintain it by all cost. It is not too good because only few people are looking at Background how the industry can be back on track I am an Ikale princess; I am from Ikoya but majority will say, ‘look, you are old in Okitipupa local government area of school, you don’t know what is happenOndo State. My uncle is currently the Oba. ing anymore’.

My first daughter is a lawyer, the second one is a biochemist and the third one an IN PRAISE OF NOLLYWOOD economist. I was in school when I met We thank God that it is contributing my husband. I unwind by playing table tennis and I play some other games like to the growth of our economy one way or the other. Our films are being sold badminton. I was a former table tennis

champion when I was very young then.

OLD SCHOOL SIMPLICITY I am a very simple, down to earth person, and a God-fearing woman. I love to be around beautiful people who don’t have airs around them, I can’t stand arrogant people. I just like people who are very down to earth and who are always themselves. I am not a fashion freak, I just put on something that fits me, something that I am comfortable in, I don’t follow the trend because I am a bit laid back person.

I am an old schoolgirl, a village girl in that regard, I just want to be simple and go unnoticed and that is why I don’t want to do anything extra to get roles.

BITTEN BY THE TOURISM BUG I am the special assistant to Dr. Wanle Akinboboye who is the special adviser on tourism to Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State. What I do is that I handle matters concerning community affairs and public relations, media and publicity in general. Idanre Hills Resorts is a destination and in the past there was nothing to sell that destination. People used to go up through the bushy path; they get up there and get down with nothing to make them feel relaxed or welcomed. So that is why we created a resort around that destination.

The reaction has been awesome because there has not been anything like that in this part of the country, especially in Ondo State where we are.

The places that you can find before are eateries and maybe spots where people drink and eat pepper soup and all that but now it is an all encompassing resort or recreational project.

A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE It has been wonderful because we have been having a lot of media houses showcasing what we have and even recently the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) came around. The place is going to be listed as World Heritage Site and a lot of people come around.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

A dash of red on

VALENTINE’S DAY T

Angela Davies he colour red is usually associated with Valentine’s Day. However, that does not mean you should have a spot of red from head-to-toe as that will be an overkill.

With Valentine’s Day being celebrated all around the world, there will be lots of events to attend with your partner or even loved ones. So whether you're attending a special Valentine’s event, going out on a romantic evening date with that special person, or spending the day with loved ones and family friends, it will be ideal to spot a touch of red to make the day a fashionable and memorable one.

Tips

• There is no hard and fast rule on how you should dress for Valentine; however, you should avoid wearing it from head-to-toe.

• For a smart casual look, you can pair a red lovely top with denim jeans.

• If you decide to wear a black outfit, then you should accessorize with red pumps and clutch to balance your look.

• If you also decide to wear a

beautiful red dress, then, accessorize with black, gold or silver accessories.

• You can also accessorise your outfit spotting only gorgeous red hair piece or pumps.

• There is a wide array of red accessories to complement your outfit like red clutch, colourblocked handbag, hair pieces, belt, bracelets, cocktail rings, chandelier earrings, pumps and stilettos, necklace mixed with other colours, wristwatch, brooch and lots more.

• For the men, the way you decide to dress also depends on the time of the event. However, it would be appropriate to throw in a red jacket on your outfit, pair your shirt with red pants or even match a red T-shirt with jeans.

• When it comes to accessories, you could dot red accessories like bow tie, tie, boutonniere, pocket square and shoe.

So, for both women and men, whatever you decide to wear to that special event today, it is imperative to make red the focal point and you can accomplish this by accessorizing right and not indulging in overkill.

Instyle

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Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Accessories to live for

Classy fedora hats for women Although largely considered a masculineinspired accessory, the fedora hat is being rocked by women with an array of outfits, writes ANGELA DAVIES.

E

ven though the fedora is usually considered to be men's hat, stylish women add this hat to their style repertoire to give their look an occasional playful twist. The fedora represents style and sophistica-

tion.

Usually, fedora hats come with either small or wide brims. So, you have to know how to wear each of these hat types. If you want to wear fedora hat with small brim, you have to tilt the hat toward the back of your head, therefore, leaving the front of the brim to sit on your forehead. And if it is a wide brim fedora, simply allow the hat sit directly on top of your head.

Fedora hats looks great with an array of trendy outfits ranging from casual to formal to get that chic look. Just ensure the colour complements your outfit. The hat simply takes any outfit to another level. It is easier to wear fedora in style with basic pieces.

The fedora hat comes in a variety of colours and embellishment styles to choose from. Many of these hats come with simple ribbon with bow and a few come with gemstones design.

If you desire to wear one, ensure it fits you perfectly, no matter how cute the design or the style is. That means it should not be too loose or tight but comfortable on your head when you wear it.

To stand out, match your fedora hat with trendy pieces for that chic and posh look. So whether you are wearing a simple shirt and pants, dress or trouser suit, adding a fedora hat can instantly give you that prim and flattering look.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

MY STYLE

Comfort above trend For Nollywood actress and scriptwriter, Ruth Kadiri, comfort should never be sacrificed for fashion.

Her outfit is a reflection of how she feels, she tells ANGELA DAVIES How would you define your style?

My style is quite simple but comfortable. I like to wear whatever I feel comfortable in and feel like wearing.

What determines the kind of outfits you wear?

I am still very young and vibrant, so I think my outfit is a reflection of how I feel inside.

Sometimes I dress according to the occasion I am attending.

Also, my mood dictates what I wear at any particular time, but the outfit have to be comfort.

Which outfits take up the most space in your wardrobe?

I am a very casual person, so you will definitely see jeans, different styles of tops and sneakers.

Outfit you’re unlikely to be caught wearing?

I really can’t think of any.

Fashion rule you live by Comfort first.

Fashion item you cannot do without?

My wristwatches, but it has to be male wristwatches. I also value my sunglasses.

Most expensive fashion accessory you have ever bought?

I would say a wristwatch.

Beauty D

What kind of jewellery appeals to you?

I like silver jewelleries. Also, I like jewelleries that are bold, beautiful and make statements.

Favourite designer I like Ferragamo and Vera Wang. In Nigeria I have a few designers that are creative with their designs that I like as well but I won’t mention names.

Signature perfume It is a called Issey Miyake and it is a masculine perfume. It is the perfume my dad used to wear and I kind of connected with the scent.

How do you like your hair?

I always wear wigs and fix weave-ons but I hardly braid.

I like hairstyles that are easy to remove at any time point in time.

How do you love your make-up?

Actually, I really don’t like to make-up but if I have to, it has to be subtle but stunning.

What kinds of shoes hold a special appeal to you?

I like flats and heels that are not too high but comfortable.

Best colour Blue and red. I love red because I am Aries and blue because that is a reflection of how I feel sometimes.

Instyle

Facts The Chidinma Obairi clothing line was established by Chidinma Obairi in February 2012. It was set up with the intention of providing each customer with a unique couture piece conscientiously detailed, timelessly feminine and very sophisticated. She was one of the designers who designed custom-made outfits for Omotola JaladeEkeinde’s 20th anniversary celebration in Nollywood.

Fashion designer Valentino Garavani quickly gained recognition for his red dresses, in a shade that became widely known as "Valentino red."

Fashion Week did not start in Paris. It originated in New York City and the first Fashion Week took place in the early 1940s.

The two-piece swimsuit also known as the ‘bikini’ was invented by French designers, Jacques Heim and Louis Reard in 1946 and it was first sold in a beach shop in Cannes, France.

Romantic and fab makeup looks for Valentine

o you have a special Valentine’s Day outing this evening and you are thinking of the best makeup to wear to complement your outfit? Well, it is appropriate to create the ultimate romantic look for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day night termed as the most romantic day of the year. But, you have to ensure that your makeup is flawless and highlights your natural beauty.

There are different makeup looks to spice up your evening look depending on the fashion statement you want to make.

Nevertheless, you could opt for a subtle or dramatic look. If you want the dramatic smokey eye makeup look, then go for it using dark colours. When it comes to lipstick, you should go with nude shades or soft pink lipstick because with darker eye makeup, you should wear lighter colour lipstick.

If you want a subtle but striking makeup look, then, your eye make-up should be light while you use a rich red lipstick for a sexy look. You will never go wrong with red lipstick as it suits every skin tone.

Also, you should style your hair for a more fabulous look for the evening. So, for a glam look for a formal date tonight, your hair should be in an updo style. If you are going for a casual event, you can let your hair down for that simple yet demure look whether it’s braid or weave-on.

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SATURDAY

The Arts SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2015

Omenka Gallery goes to Cape Town Art Fair with stellar cast

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Stories: Tony Okuyeme rom February 26 to March 1, Omenka Gallery will participate in the second edition of the Cape Town Art Fair which holds at the Avenue, V & A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa.

The gallery would be presenting recent work by four leading contemporary African artists - Joel Mpah Dooh (Cameroon), Duke Asidere (Nigeria), Gerry Nnubia (Nigeria), and Ndidi Emefiele (Nigeria). The four artists differ in their primary point of investigation. While Dooh is preoccupied with experimentation, Asidere’s work engages contemporary African politics; Nnubia offers critical possibilities for painting, and explores the tensions between form and formlessness vital to the tenets of modernism with his “acrylic flow”.

Ndidi Emefiele (Rainbow) Emefiele also adopts the historic practice of using the body symbolically, dating back to the sculptures and paintings of ancient Egyptians, whose “god-like” pharaoh was often depicted much larger than ordinary mortals, his erect, stiff posture signifying his unyielding majesty and authority.

Dooh has enjoyed international critical acclaim with his paintings and multi-media works. He is inspired by the tactile reality of his environment though he is mostly an inner traveler. Dooh works on paper, canvas, corrugated iron and most recently acrylic sheets, while incorporating earth, paints, clay, packaging, wood, and chalk to explore the fragility of individual human identity and how we reinvent ourselves while moving and evolving in the city.

Through visual metaphors, Asidere comments on the everyJoel Mpah-Dooh (Crossing the Park) day human drama that surrounds him - political, social, psychological or cultural. Furthermore, he adds an densely populated urban landscapes, acelement of surprise to these sketches of centuated with thick strokes of vivid cohuman drama by infusing them with lour. He has recently turned to car enamel irony and humour. paint, which he applies with a spray gun Significantly, Asidere’s broad oeuvre to produce emotionally charged works ranges from headless or limbless figures that retain figurative subject matter, and and faces of strangely hybrid beings to at the same time emphasize abstract

qualities. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of Asidere’s style is his simplicity of form and expressive line, which he achieves with an economy of means.

Nnubia’s technique involves the skillful manipulation of his medium to a liquid viscous flow often assimilating accidental occurrences and temperature adjustments, depending on the effect sought.

In Emefiele’s works, the heads of her female figures are large, bearing semblance to those of traditional Yoruba sculptures, carved disproportionately to other parts of the human body to emphasize its function as the seat of wisdom, upon which the destiny of an individual is carried. Here, the female body becomes a contested site and an important source of information, through which she challenges established notions of beauty.

“Overall, the exhibition has a strong contemporary outlook and engages the traditions of African art history, resulting in iconic imagery that captures intense and challenging moments,” Director of Omenka Gallery and president of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), Oliver Enwonwu said.

“Omenka is a leading art gallery in Nigeria and represents a fine selection of established and emerging contemporary African and international artists working in diverse media. Omenka stimulates critical discourse on African art through solo, group and large themed exhibitions accompanied by informed, scholarly catalogues.

“In ensuring sustainable presence for African art within a global context, Omenka participates in major events like Art Dubai, Joburg Art Fair, Cape Town Art Fair, Cologne Paper Art, Docks Art Fair, Lyon, LOOP, Barcelona, Art14, and 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair. Additionally, Omenka encourages a cross fertilization of ideas by collaborating with leading galleries across the world to bring the work of many international artists to Nigeria, often for the first time. Omenka Gallery also organizes several workshops and residencies to encourage curatorial and professional artistic development.”

A canvas of smiles An exhibition of 15 paintings and drawings by Chigbo Obiora Henry opened last Saturday at Alliance Française, Yaba, Lagos. The paintings on display are mostly of mixed media of human figures and landscapes of Nigerian people on canvas.

“This is my first solo exhibition intended to preach the beauty in smiling,” Chigbo said. “It is a known fact that we face challenges as individual or nation.

Too many stress from our imperfect leaders, society or even immediate family. However, we should not allow anything to weaken our joy and health.

“Why did Mona Lisa become one of the most famous

painting of all time? That's a question an incredible number of people have asked in the past, and one possible answer is ‘because of her unique smile’.”

He posited that there are a million reasons why “we must smile and laugh. They are the best medicine for your health. Laugh relaxes the whole body, boosts the immune system, triggers the release of endorphins and protects the heart from heart attack.

“It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile.

Indeed it is easier to smile than to frown. Let us smile more.”

The exhibition runs till Saturday February 21.

18

Reflection with

Tim Akinleye 08098668480

timwriteswell@gmail.com

KIDNEYS MONOLOGUE Right from my mother’s womb, Ere Science reveals to me thy wound, Faithful friends hitherto ye have been, Till indulgences threaten now your wellbeing And mine gradually become unstable, Like a patient etherized on a table.

Folks wonder at what you do!

Every being nature endows with two Bean-shaped cleaners of my mess Liquid of life organic molecules excess; You keep undesirable wastes away So my body and blood alive may stay.

The ignorant knows not what you do!

Filterers of urea and ammonium. You quietly channel my urine to my bladder, Freeing me from harmful acids. You bother and maintain my acid-base balance, Regulating my salt and water alliance.

Though from me you hide your wounds, That I may not panic for lack of funds, Until alas, 80 per cent old they are When chronic or acute they...Aah! Little hope for me you know is left A tilted hope on my bean on the left!

High level of urea in my body, eh boss, May lead to vomiting and weight loss, Or cause some difficulty urinating!

Much as you know I hate body itching, Diligently, you rid my blood of phosphates That my bones, broken, may not prostrate.

Potassium could be crazy at times, And may rebel to build up and climax.

Altering the melodic rhythm of my heart!

Muscular paralysis summoned to the party I plead you fail not in your duties, That my firm hands, legs and ankles, My feet, my face, my waist, May not gain undue weight.

Or my breath shortened for long, Trapped downward in my flooded lung And the pains thereof I mayn't withstand, My back, my sides too sore to stand.

Thou dependable twins: Producers of erythropoietin, Stimulants of bone marrows seeds and oxygen-carrying RBCs, You fix my concentration and memory, That my gaze and BP may stand the battery.

Now the light of my skin is under arrest And my sleep is cut and put to rest, I will daily take care not to disrupt, Nor your blood supply do interrupt, Never again will I overload you with toxins To impair your tissues and tender veins.

Neither AKD nor CKD is my portion.

Nor diabetes mellitus my notion; Nor hypertension induced would fain, Nor overuse of aspirin and ibuprofen, Colluding with unhealthy family history, Shall sway and prolong your misery.

Infectious diseases like hantavirus Can attack and make you cantankerous.

But, henceforth, will I drink moderately, And stop smoking now desperately, Even as I daily my body exercise To avoid weighty and fatty excesses.

Muna, Steve, others though you did fail!

Two million Nigerians you may soon; We promise our lifestyle to change Being mindful of our salt intake Never again drug overdoses to harm thee.

That you, may in health, till the end, with us be.

In remembrance of Muna and many Nigerians who have died of kidney related diseases.

All rights reserved © Copyright Tim 2015

SATURDAY

Flavour, Chidinma cause a stir with new love video

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ShowBiz

Tee-Y Mix A bad singer can learn to be good

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SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2015

19

Sound Sultan

Why I dumped basketball for music Since the release of Jagbajantis in 2000, Sound Sultan's career has been experiencing a jolly ride in the music industry. He has of late delved into movies and basketball promotion. He talks about his various pursuits in an encounter with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS. How would you rate the performance of Headgone, the movie you produced along with your brother, Baba Dee? It has been wonderful and we thank God for the idea to even think of a movie because we never knew it would be well received. Everyone who played part in it too has been really supportive and happy to see positive results in the early stages of release. We are even yet to put it out in the market. We did cinema viewing just for a month and the response was really awesome. We were also called by the biggest film festival in the world, Berlin Film Festival which allows us to show it to an entirely new audience around the world. As I speak with you, Baba Dee is in Germany. I believe it would open us to marketing possibilities internationally also. We are still coming back to the cinema during the Easter celebration.

Should we be expecting more movies from you both?

Definitely, yes, but it can’t be so soon. Headgone is too big a movie for half a year.

What were those challenges that nearly stopped the movie from being a reality?

I don’t think the challenges were enough to stop the movie from happening entirely because we had a lot of plans in place already. But there were fears that it might not meet up with the original blueprint. When you are trying to make a star-studded movie it would be difficult to meet up with the demands from the celebrities.

What are your plans this year with regard to your music?

We are constantly working. Last year, I released my album and it was even loaded than most recent albums. It had Kokose featuring Wizkid. Last year too, I dropped a video of my single, Ise where I featured Sarkodie from Ghana and the video of LUV Language featuring Duncan Mighty. So, basically, we are working and movie will not stop music.

How about your recent single, the song you featured Patoranking? What is the idea behind it?

It is titled Dem Laugh When You Laugh and the video will be shot next week. It talks about the yes men, people that won’t tell you the truth. Patoranking loved the song when he heard the beat. I asked him to do something on it and the rest became history.

How have you been able to sustain your feat in the music terrain?

Like I always say, I can’t give a definite reason, it is all

about God. It is just to keep doing what you are doing, which is a constant factor. You should be down-to-earth too.

Were your parents into showbiz?

I must say my mother had creativity in her to some extent. I could recall that before she left us she was always singing in wedding ceremonies and created a lot of freestyles. My dad draws a lot too. So I feel the creativity has always been somewhere in the family.

Is there any of your song you rate higher than others?

All my songs mean a lot to me. As I speak to you I know I have nothing less down 70 songs out there. All these songs were well thought of and I attributed a lot of values to most of them. So for me I rate all my songs equally. The only one I can single out if I must is Jagbajantis because it introduced me to the world. It gave me like eight awards or so, but I have like 28 awards altogether now.

How has it been with artistes on your record label, Naija Ninjas?

We are working hard, but you know the music industry is really crowded. Despite that, everyone is still getting their voices out there. Young GrayC, Blacka and Karma are all in the studio. Young GrayC is planning a video shoot for Chukuma and she is doing a multiple remixes for that song because a lot of artistes want to be on it. For the first time in Nigeria, we are working on six remixes for a song. Blacka did a song with Ice Prince not too long also. So, everyone is working and there is a new boy, Jungle Boy who is working with Tee-Y Mix as we speak.

Considering that Sean Tizzle started under the label, but walked away shortly after, what are the measures you’ve put in place to ensure that such won’t repeat?

It is normal for anybody who knows the industry that the contract is one step and the other is trust and loyalty.

You can sign all the contracts, if there is no trust and loyalty there is nothing. I don’t want to go deep into the issue.

You recently invested in a basketball team; what informed that?

I just had a meeting with my partners. We want to make basketball in Nigerian bankable again and show a lot people what they’ve been missing. We want to make The Islanders basketball team visible to everyone because we know that it would attractive other brands once we do that. We would be staging a competition that will unfold

in May, so people should watch out for that.

How optimistic are you?

We are optimistic and pray that everything gets better, but we are not going to allow that to affect our imagination and ambition. We have to start planning and keep getting better for the sake of Nigeria. So while we are still doing this, we just don’t want to make money for ourselves but also try to propagate Nigeria in a proper way.

If you watch the National Basketball Association (NBA), Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and European Basketball League, you will see the standard. Our own Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) matches are nothing to write home, but we are trying to breach the gap.

How well do you play basketball?

I used to play professionally with Dodan Warriors, Lagos. But right now, it is Islanders all the way. I played basketball and I still play week in, week out.

Why did you stop since you were good at it?

I would say music took over at the long run. Also, one will easily jump and do whatever you want to do if there were an organised league in the country and one gets assurance or insurance in a case of injuries. Since basketball has a lot of risk and little insurance, I thought it was better I went for music. I cannot hurt myself holding the microphone.

Your appearance has not changed much since you hit the limelight; what is the secret?

There is nothing I do extra; maybe I inherited that from my father. But I still engage in sports and keep fit in the gym on a regular basis.

Do you have a fashion style you love to be identified with?

What I wear depends on where I am going. If I am headed to a place and I don’t want many eyes to be on me, I know what to wear. If I want to be spotted from afar I know what to wear too. I dress for occasions.

What is your basic philosophy?

I like being straightforward because beyond what I do is how I do it. I am trying to let the younger ones to know that it is a cliché for you to say you cannot achieve things the right way. It is not that I am a stubborn person; I am just making a statement. Music goes a long way in impacting generations to come and I want everyone to be well informed, steadfast and righteous in their ways.

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Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Romance tale trails Flavour, Chidinma as Ololufe video drops

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lavour N’abania and Chidinma Ekile are the toasts of everyone today and the singing duo has effortlessly sparked off a romance tale from their seemingly extraordinary dalliance lately.

Both singers released the video of their new duet, Ololufe on February 9 and the internet just won't stop buzzing. Romance tale has trailed them in the past, especially with the way Flavour mostly holds the younger singer, their French kiss in this new visuals is swelling assumptions in fans that there just has to be more to it than meets the eyes. Flavour and Chidinma's chemistry in the video is strong and they just can't keep their hands and eyes and lips away from each other. Both seem pleased to be in the company of each other and despite being a video shoot, the stars kept each other very close. Chidinma's kiss however reminds us all of actress Genevieve Nnaji when she appeared and kissed DB Records boss, D'banj in the video for his popular love song, Fall in Love,

E-BRIEFS

4real Eze debuts with Super video W

off his 2008 The Entertainer album.

At the time, fans speculated the duo was secretly dating but they dispelled it as a figment of some people’s imagination as events unfolded. Chidinma and Flavour have done a couple of songs together. Daniel Ademinokan and Stella Damasus also once denied their romance until they relocated to the US together. Chidinma said in one of her previous interviews that she had no time for any romantic relationship yet because it would o n l y cause her dist r a c t i o n .

Maybe with a man like F l a v o u r, it could rather be another promotion.

Our prayers with pregnant actress, Uche Jombo

F

ew months after Nollywood actress, Uche Jombo Rodriguez, allegedly lost her pregnancy, the Abia State born actress and producer is flaunting another baby bump. The TV star who has enjoyed her three-year marriage to a Puerto Rican shared a 'selfie' on Instagram recently which clearly

showed the baby bump. Her fans have since been praying for her safety and that of the unborn child.

It was speculated that her last miscarriage was the second in three years of her marriage. Uche Jombo got married to Kenny Rodriguez on May 16, 2012, and has been living with her husband in the US.

Basketmouth has the last laugh on Val show A

nd comedian, Bright Okpocha, a.k.a Basketmouth, is having the last laugh after the presidential election initially scheduled for February 14 was postponed. Basketmouth was blasted by Nigerians for fixing his comedy show on a day the country intended to have its presidential election. He was taking some top Nigerian entertainers to London for his February 14 comedy show, but he was described as being so unpatriotic and he had to issue a press release to explain his innocence.

At last, it turned out he just had the last laugh with this election postponement, prompting the sarcastic remark that Basketmouth is even more serious than his country.

ith songs like High Place, Cold, featuring 2Face Idibia, Hot and Double Traffikator that featured Wizboy to his credit, Super is what Kaduna State-born Eze Franklin Chekwube, also known as 4real Eze, needed to announce his emergence on the Nigerian music industry. Towards the end of last year, 4real’s song, Super, not only ranked among the most downloaded Nigerian music, it also enjoyed massive airplay on radio. While the song continues to garner fans for the first artiste on Don Maseratte music label, the much talked about musical video of the song, has been released. Music video director, Clarence Peters, handled the shoot of the video, said to have gulped millions of naira.

Speaking about the video, 4real said, “To be candid, we don’t have intention of shooting the video but the rate at which people accepted the song, gave us a second thought, and the demand for the video propelled us to hit location with Clarence Peters, one of the most sought-after music video directors in Nigeria. The track is very fortunate as I have other songs begging for videos.”

However, as 4real’s Super video is currently enjoying ample airplay on popular music channels, aspiring music star also known as ‘IceCream4real’ has returned with a new song titled Stylee. The song produced by More Money is learnt to be a New Year gift for his fans.

In his words, “The new single is a New Year gift for my fans and a way of telling them to expect more from me. With the way my career is going right now, I believe that the sky is my starting point.

I rarely settle for less and I always try to give my fans the best. My style of music, dancing step and stage craft are some of the reasons ladies call me ‘IceCream4real,” he concluded While Super's video and the new song, Stylee from Don Maseratte music label are receiving impressive airplay, the record label's chief executive officer, Don Maseratte, has revealed that plans are in top gear for 4real’s club tour.

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15. TARABA 19. ORGY 20. GALA 21. NIB

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14 FEBRUARY 2015

Showbiz

21

‘A bad singer can learn to be good’ Sometime last year, Project Fame Judge and music producer, Temitayo Ibitoye, announced his decision to establish a record company.

With the name Vivace Records, Tee-Y Mix has presently signed two artistes. He speaks with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS.

mance. Some people might have track records of doing well, but their performances just fell a week or so and they get voted out. People could be quick to judge. But at the end of the day it is about you as an individual. The fact that you were voted out doesn’t mean you can’t make something out of music. If you really think you are talented and could compete favourable with the industry players, then go ahead and take your chances. Being a winner on a reality show doesn’t really add much to what you become years later.

May be for a reality show like Project Fame, which doesn’t just offer money as a reward but also knowledge and exposure, you can hold on to all those things and excel with them.

Could you recall your first hit song?

That was Adara by Sasha. Then, I was a resident producer for Storm Records and they had Sasha, Naeto C, GT the Guitarman, Ikechukwu, Darey among others. The label was one of the biggest at that time and I worked with almost all the artistes on it. Obi Asika fell in love with my productions and creative abilities.

What do you think make you a sought-after producer?

I pay attention to details and I try not to impose myself on any artiste.

By bringing out the best in an artiste, I try to see what he or she wants to achieve. I try as much as possible to understand where the artiste is headed to, make a proper sound and cater for the need of the artiste. It is one thing to be able to record a song and it is another thing to be confident enough to sell that song or convince people to like it.

Since when have you been doing music?

I started music very early. Before I proceeded to University of Abuja for my degree, I was doing music and I was doing it when I was there too. Everything I do is centered on music, as I set up studios, trained people and other things. At a time, I was just doing music for fun and to while away time.

Did you learn how to play instruments somewhere or what?

At that time, there were no many schools to learn how to play instruments in Nigeria. It was either you learn by yourself or in the church. Even in church, you still had to learn it by yourself somehow. There was no Internet or access to information as it is right now. Few people who had the privilege to travel abroad will do photocopies of materials and give them out, while others will never give you. I learned how to play drums from the church and from people. I started learning the piano there as well.

Church plays a major role in the music industry because you will see musical instruments in every church you visit and people who can play them. It is one of the institutions that invest heavily on musical instruments and a place music minds come together.

What influenced your decision to establish Vivace Records?

My plan initially was not to own a record label; I just wanted to produce music. But having carved an inch in music production, I wanted to move to the next level or take up something extra. Also, my passion for good music and the need to help talented artistes to realise their full potential contributed to this move. On the label, we have Immaculate Patience Edache who was the first runner up on MTN Project Fame West Africa Season 6 and Oyinkansade Dare Akande.

Were there no worries that it might be a waste?

For everything you do in life, there is always that risk factor. Yes there was, but at the end of the day you will look at things that help you to achieve purpose. One of my purposes in life is to be able to impact and make a difference in the society and music gives me that platform. Like you know, music business is very volatile. It is not a business you are certain of getting the money you had invested. Since I started the label, I had invested quite a lot and I have not gotten anything.

But it doesn’t take anything from me

Would you be bold enough to tell a bad singer to look at other options or collect his or her money?

I will be frank with him. Money is part of many rewards and I won’t say I don’t want money, but the most important is the success of your work because that is what I love to be identified with. But even when you are a bad singer and you admit it, there is always room for improvement. From a bad singer you can learn to become a good singer. The problem with most people is that they don’t know how, so I put them in the right direction. I get them voice trainer, vocal coach, etc provided they can afford it. I urged them to go work on themselves for a period of time and come back. Some might have good voices but bad writers. I get them song writers too. It would just cost you more money, but you can always improve if you are willing and have money to spend. We learn everything in this world one way or the other. Though some things are natural, we still spend time and resources to develop them.

because I am doing what I love. The reward will always come once you are consistent and like they say, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’

But what informed your choice of Immaculate and Oyinkansade?

The truth is that the two are the ones that I picked out of many options available to me. The reason is that I think they are super talented and very good musicians. They are not just recording artistes, they are good performers too. And most importantly, their temperament works with me.

You must have clinched some awards; what does that mean to you?

You know for producers we don’t have many awards out there. Though we now have quite a number of awards’ platforms, it used to be very few. I was nominated for The Headies two times before I won it two years ago and I had got nominations at The Future Awards twice also. So, for any

award that has come, either in form of nomination or as a winner, I appreciate it and very grateful because it reminds or tells me that I am doing well.

One of my purposes in life is to be able to impact and make a difference in the society and music gives me that platform

How has it been as a judge on MTN Project Fame?

It has been good and rough. It is also a very humbly one because you are on the platform where what you say to people really matters a lot. What you say can either break or make people. It is an exciting one too because you will see all sorts of people all through the audition stages to the main show.

Have you ever felt dissatisfied or bad that a contestant was voted out?

There’ve been cases through the seasons. None comes to my mind now, but sometimes I feel that only if the person had done one thing or the other better in a previous perfor-

How do you cope with artistes that love things to be done their way?

I do not really have too many of them. People, who work with me for some reasons, trust my musical judgment. So, it goes a long way in helping me. Generally, it is a function of communication and trust because everyone wants to be successful regardless of his or her attitudes.

With your acquaintance with music, have you ever considered being a singer?

I know I am a good singer, but the issue is that I am not interested in being an artiste. I could probably do a producer’s album, not to come out as an artiste.

Is there any hidden desire to delve into politics someday?

I won’t go into politics, but there is a strong desire to make a change.

You don’t have to join politics to impact the society. It is supposed to be a lifestyle to constantly change one’s environment.

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Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

My crush on Dakore ended once she got married

an elderly lady that I always remember. She saw us filming somewhere in Lagos and accosted me, therefore disturbing the shoot in the process.

She went on and on about how she loved so many things about me and my acting. And after all the praises, she ended on a somewhat negative note by saying, 'you don fine now, I remember the first time wey you begin act, you no fine at all.' I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The rest of the crew had a good laugh though.

Away from acting what other passion do have?

Growing up, I really wanted to be a pilot and still wish I could. But I was diagnosed with myopia when I was 15, so it killed the dream. Then I also have a passion for computers, I used to be an IT guru when I was in school. I used to fix people's computers and do assignments for my mates studying computer science.

I also used to do public speaking and deliver seminars and classes for a private company in Abuja. Now I hardly have the time for any other thing but acting.

Nollywood actor, Daniel Kanayo Daniel’s dream was to become a pilot in his formative years.

But he studied applied biochemistry and ended up as an actor. He speaks with ANGELA DAVIES about growing up, his crush on a popular actress and how childhood ended early for him.

What will you not tolerate in a woman?

I am obsessively clean, so the first thing I won’t put up with would have to be dirt and disorderliness. The second would be lies and deceit.

Who is Daniel K Daniel?

My full name is Daniel Kanayo Daniel but popularly known as Daniel K Daniel or DKD as friends and colleagues call me. I am an actor and a model. I was born in northern Nigeria and grew up in Abuja, Enugu and Port Harcourt. I am from Nenwe in Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State. I have a bachelor of science degree in applied biochemistry from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

What was growing up like?

I grew up in a strongly knit family where family holidays and celebrations were our thing; academic excellence was a prerequisite for these of course. I am the first of four children; I have two brothers and a sister, the angel of the family. I lost my father when I was quite young. He passed tragically in a ghastly auto crash, and being the first child, I had to grow up pretty quickly, so in essence childhood ended for me really early.

How did you make your Nollywood entry?

It was a big accident and it’s still funny to me. After I graduated from the university and went back to Abuja, while waiting for my youth service, I did some modelling jobs. Then, I met a friend, Steiner Eunice Opara at an event. After the shindig she asked me to accompany her to see a friend and I obliged. We ended up at a movie casting. Immediately we walked in, the director asked me to walk up and read the script that he liked my haircut and dressing and I did.

Then he asked me to act, I hesitated and said I didn’t know how to. But he insisted and I did.

People applauded, he asked for my name and I said 'Daniel K Daniel,' he laughed and said, ‘you say you are not here to act but you have a showbiz name.’ He took my number, gave me a script and that was how it started. But when I was younger, my dad used to allow filmmakers use our house in Enugu and Port Harcourt as movie locations. I was not really fascinated about

Are you married?

No, I am not married and to be entirely honest, I don’t know when. But hopefully soon, so my mother doesn’t disown me.

What is your assessment of Nollywood and what do you want changed?

Nollywood right now is something to be very proud of. The pioneers laid a good foundation for us and we are doing our best to build on that and make it the biggest movie industry in the world. Nollywood movies are shown all over the globe, I feel fulfilled sometimes when I receive mails from fans in China, Switzerland and some other countries you wouldn’t believe watch our movies. The things I would like to change are piracy and inadequate funding.

it because I felt they took up too much space and would normally stay too late. So, I used to grumble about it a lot. I never knew I would end up as an actor. When I finally became an actor several years after, it felt like I was home where I belong.

What were your earliest challenges as an actor?

I was practically handed my first job as an actor on a platter but, from then on, it has been one big challenge after another because I have to continually prove that I am as good as everyone says I am. The biggest challenge was often proving that I could do as well as my more popular colleagues at that time who were automatically first choice by virtue of being in the game longer.

Do you have a crush on any female celebrity?

I have none. Oh, I remember I had one on Dakore Egbuson but then she got married and so the crush died.

What is the weirdest thing a fan has said or done to you?

There have been some crazy stuff from female fans but funny enough it is the one from

I really wanted to be a pilot and still wish I could

What are some of the movies you have featured in and which role would you say has been most challenging?

I have featured in so many movies. Some are Ladies Men, Under, which was filmed in Ghana, Paint My Life, Tempest, Lions of 76, Jujuwood, Body of the King, Girl, Mummy Dearest, Devil in Red, Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO 4) movie The Child, BBC movie Sarah's Choice, MNET movie Perfectly Flawed, Match Maker, I'm Audrey, amongst others. They have all been equally unique and challenging in different ways. But I will tilt towards Lions of 76 directed by Izu Ojukwu as being the most challenging partly because of the time spent on the project. We spent six months filming the project; we all had to sacrifice a lot to make it happen.

What makes you happy?

This is a simple but tough question. I guess seeing my loved ones happy and putting smiles on people's faces make me happy.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Showbiz

‘I'm complicated and I’ve got three tattoos I’m cool with' Tayo Sobola, known in the showbiz circle as Sotayo is no green horn. She earned some fame mostly through her acting and hilarious skits with Bovi Ugboma, Basketmouth. The brazen actress speaks to LANRE ODUKOYA about her career, romance and family.

How did you get the stage name, Sotayo?

Well, Sotayo is the first two letters of my surname and my name, Tayo. People started calling me Sotayo right from my school days at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU).

How did you find yourself in the movie industry?

I never intended to be an actress. I have always wanted to be a lawyer. Acting movies is just something I saw myself doing. It just came up along the line.

Since you began to act have you had any regret especially given that the industry is prone to controversies?

Not at all; I am happy doing what I am doing.

You’ve enjoyed some fame already in the industry where you haven’t stayed pretty long, are you content with this?

I haven’t gotten to where I am going yet. To me, on a scale of one to 10, I am still at one. I haven’t started, I see myself like I am just starting because I have not gotten anywhere despite starting 11 years ago. I have been doing different things altogether, but I am doing one thing now. I have done a lot of things. I have been a model, a dancer, a writer and a musician. Basically, I have done almost everything in the entertainment industry.

How many movies have you produced so far?

Arewa Onijogbon was my first movie. The second one was Corper Jide and the last one I produced was Bella.

Some of your colleagues say the industry is not a lucrative one; how do you get your funding?

I don’t know about the industry not being a lucrative one. The people doing well today don’t just rest their backs on movie production. I don’t do just movies I have some other things which I do to get money.

Things like what?

I do some contract jobs and that comes once in a while because of the fact that I happen to be out of the country most times, I buy things and give it to people to sell on my behalf. So, that is where I get my money from.

Why are you not always in town?

I just go out there to cool off sometimes. It is easy because I have a residence in London. I like shuttling around and wherever I am, I end up bringing back something to sell.

With your flamboyance, one is forced to ask if you have a rich father or a sugar daddy, as some have suggested?

I don’t know anything about a sugar daddy and all that. The truth is that it is not like I have a personal house that I bought in London. My dad is late, so it is not like I have a rich dad. As for the sugar daddy, I don’t think I have any. I am spending what I earn.

As a pretty young lady, how do you check unwanted attention from men?

I have been trying my best to control it, it is not like I am a year old and it is something that has been happening all my life. I control myself.

What do your male admirers like about you? Do you think it’s the whole of your look or the tattoo?

I don’t know. Most times they say it’s my personality, my legs others say it’s my eye, but I tell them my eyes are bad, 'so, how come you like them?' 'I just like your personality' is the common one which I hear more often.

You said you also worked as a model, why did you flee from the runway?

I didn’t walk away because once in a while I still get calls saying we want you to do this job for us. I actually went some two steps back because I wasn’t in for the come for casting thing.

How do you mean?

The thing about modelling is that you could go for an audition and find thousands of people waiting for a job they need just two people for. I believe if you need

me for a job, you will call me.

Tell us about Bella; what is it all about?

It is just a movie I produced. It focuses on the discrimination that people with tribal marks go through. I actually acted Bella in the movie and I had a tribal mark.

The movie industry is in no little supply of charming women, what stands you out?

I think my person. Honestly, I really don’t like it when I have to rate myself with other people, but the truth is that I do what I am comfortable doing. I don’t look at what people do to do my things. I don’t just do Yoruba language movies, I do English language movies as well, comedy skits and I can actually spread my tentacles to wherever I want. I just think I am a bold person and I can also be shy if I want to. The thing that stands me out is my personality.

How many do you have and where are they located?

I have three tattoos all over me. I have one on my right leg, one on my left arm and one behind my left shoulder. I don’t belong to any clique, they are just something I saw, liked and did.

Do they represent anything to you?

No, they have no meaning.

Nothing is attached to my tattoos.

Are you getting more?

I am cool with what I have now because I can actually cover whichever one I want to cover and expose the one I want.

Tell us about your marital status; are you single, taken or searching?

I am complicated.

Why complicated?

It is personal and I don’t want to talk about it.

Have you ever been jilted?

No not at all. It is complicated and what I mean by that is that I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t like disclosing my relationship.

You have this expression that says I can’t be heartbroken on your face, is this correct?

I can’t be heartbroken. I don’t think I can be.

Is this because you don’t have a heart?

If you say so, that’s it. I don’t have a heart so nothing can be broken. I am very serious.

Every woman is said to have at least, a love button, do you have any?

I don’t think so.

When was the last time you fell in love?

I can’t remember.

Was it that long?

I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about relationship, love and the sort.

Who mentors you in the movie industry?

I don’t know honestly. That is one question I don’t have an answer to.

23

Investigations SATURDAY TELEGRAPH 14 FEBRUARY, 2015

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he Seventh-Day Adventist faithful are, according to information, about five million in number in the country. They worship on Saturdays in respect to their interpretations of sections of the Holy Bible that talked about God resting on the seventh day after creation. Because of this, they would not, for whatever reasons, compromise that day. And so, they have been agitating that general elections in Nigeria be moved away from Saturdays to enable them to participate.

They have, before now, missed out on previous elections in the country because they held on to the Sabbath doctrines.

President of the Church, Eastern Nigerian Union, Pastor Bassey Udoh, said elections should be fixed on public holidays as done in most advanced countries of the world to give Sabbath worshippers equal opportunity to participate.

“Election is a very important event that in developed countries, public holidays are declared for elections and if the Nigerian Government sees election as important event, public holidays should be declared for days of major elections.

Our reason is that we have never seen elections fixed on Fridays and Sundays because government has taken cognisance of Muslims and Sunday Christian worshippers. It is for this reason that Sabbath keepers are saying that our right to vote and to be voted for should be respected and that elections should not be fixed on Saturdays,’’ he said.

Udoh also said that more than five million Sabbath worshippers would be disenfranchised if elections were fixed on Saturdays.

“We are not trying to impose our religious belief on Nigerians but we are simply trying to stress the need for the constitutional right of our members and our urge to discharge our civic duties.

There is the provision for the Fundamental Rights of Citizens; that is the right to worship and that should be respected.

We are calling on government to look at the constitution in considering the issue of election date,’’ he said.

He added that the church’s position was not a directive on the government but a demonstration of interest of members of the church to vote and be voted for during elections.

“We have been suppressed, marginalised and disenfranchised for so many years and we are saying for how long.

We are citizens of this country and we should not be disenfranchised, that is what we are saying. We have not asked our members not to vote; that will be wrong. But by implication, if election is put on Saturdays, it means you have disenfranchised us.

“We worship on Saturdays, not for personal reasons but Biblical, which are founded in the scriptures and dates back to creation. We believe that Sabbath is a Holy Day and should not be used for any personal, civil or public business.

And that is why we are badly disturbed that the Federal Government that is preaching one man, one vote, wants to conduct elections on Saturdays,’’ the cleric said.

In like manner, the Church’s stakeholders claimed that letters have been

Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Maryland, Lagos.

PHOTOS: TONY EGUAYE

Polls: Nigerians that would be shut out

Adventist Church faithful in Nigeria are peculiar people. Citing religious injuctions, they boycott elections that are fixed on Saturdays in the country. To the Adventists, Saturday is the Sabbath, a holy day that cannot be compromised. However, they have allies in many others, who usually engage on essential duties on such days, including Nigerians in the diaspora.

ISIOMA MADIKE takes a look at what impact this might have in the coming general election sent to the appropriate government institutions on the need to fix elections on any of the working days instead of Saturdays. The Western Nigerian Union President of the Church, Pastor Oyeleke Owolabi, like his counterpart in the East, noted that many countries in the world do not conduct elections on Saturdays.

He stressed that this was to allow for religious liberty.

He said, “we are not being selfish;

what we are clamouring for is that elections should not be conducted on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays, because these days are spent by Christians and Muslims as their worship days. Saturdays should be set aside for us to worship. Why can’t the government conduct elections on a working day except Fridays,” he asks.

The church had made it mandatory for every member to register during the

Isioma madike

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

24

Journalists on duty during one of the elections in Nigeria

PHOTO: NATIONALMIRRORONLINE.NET

voter registration just to show the government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that they are ready for elections. It has also written to INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to reconsider changing the election timetable to enable its members to participate in the coming exercise.

Members have equally urged the Federal Government to consider declaring a public holiday for eligible Nigerians to vote and be voted for, like it was done in the United State of America and Ghana in their most recent elections. They argue that the church has made contributions to the development of the country since its inception in Nigeria in 1914, especially in education, health and other areas.

Good as this appeal may seem, there are those, who believe there would be greater problem if the request to consider this group of religious faithful is granted. Arguments are that other religious groups that worship on other days other than Saturdays would also kick and no one would be able to fault them. Even atheists, according to those on this divide, would giggle in derision. This, they say, may not be out of place due to their aversion to religion.

There are also others, who believe that such action would throw the nation into Constitution crisis, and the definitive meaning of Constitutional ambiguity

SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2015

SATURDAY

FREE

Sport Splash 25

GLO League

No room for lazy players - Kwara United coach p.26

English FA Cup

Liverpool look to exorcise Crystal Palace demons p.28

Interview

Nigeria won’t qualify for 2017 AFCON if… says Lawal p.30

Lifestyle

Mikel: Cook your women dinner on Valentine’s Day p.31 Super Eagles in action against Bafana Bafana at the last AFCON qualifiers

Odiaka attacks NFF over Eagles job, Keshi

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Vincent Eboigbe

The Team

Vincent EboigbelAssistant Editor Ajibade Olusesan l Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing

ormer Green Eagles striker, Monday Odiaka, has charged the Nigeria Football Federation to look beyond erstwhile coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, in appointing a new boss for the team.

Odiaka told our correspondent that the insistence on retaining Keshi has become a fixation that could be counterproductive. He said there were many qualified and competent coaches in the country apart from Keshi who could handle the national team.

With the federation yet to agree contract terms with the ‘Big Boss’ there has been a vacuum in the coaching crew of the Eagles which assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi,

has had to fill. Keshi is football works,” unwilling to take a pay said Odiaka. cut and would rather “We have so quit the job than settle many other coachfor less than the N5m es in the country, it doesn’t have to he hitherto earned. He actually wanted 100 be Keshi. There are percent increase. others who can do Odiaka said that a good job. The NFF the long-running should look around contract negotiation and pick the best to gives cause for conlead the Super Eagles Odiaka cern since it shouldn’t back to the top; we are have even arisen in the first place not short of good coaches in the given that Keshi failed to qualify country.” the Super Eagles for the African On Tuesday the technical Nations Cup. committee recommended to the “When a coach fails to deliver executive committee of the NFF he is sacked or he resigns. If a that Keshi should be offered a new coach makes promises that he contract. The football house is yet can’t fulfill, he goes. One way or to meet to ratify the recommenthe other he is out, that is the way dation, but this does not entirely

dispel the lingering issue of a foreign coach which NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, tends to favour.

But Odiaka who holds the record of scoring the fasted goal in the Under 20 World Cup in Moscow in 1985 is dead set against threading that well-worn path (hiring a foreign coach) again.

“I’m against employing a foreign coach, I’m totally against it.

Why should we go through that route again? It is a retrogressive move as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

He added that there were two options in resolving such a situation: either the NFF sacks the coach or he (the coach) resigns. The latter, Odiaka noted, is even the honourable thing to do since he (Keshi) failed in his assignment

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Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Kogi FA aspirant calls for support

AFN to invest in youth, says Ogba

Charles Ogundiya

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s the February 26 election date into the state’s Football Association in Nigeria draws near, an aspirant for the chairmanship position of Kogi State FA, Mohammed Ibrahim, has called on stakeholders in the state to support his ambition.

The former vice chairman of Lobi Stars of Makurdi said his thirst for development of football in the state prompted his decision to run.

“I want to take football in Kogi State to national and international reckoning by harnessing all human and material resources that will enhance the growth of the game.

“I want all football stakeholders in the state to support my ambition so that we can change the face of football in Kogi state,” he said.

Ibrahim is an accomplished football administrator who has worked with some of Nigeria’s finest club sides.

Ibrahim who hails from Idah Local government area of Kogi State, joined Lobi Stars of Makurdi in the ‘80s as a member of the supporters club and later rose to the position of the vice chairman.

He also worked with Chief Daniel Idama, the chairman of Julius Berger Football Club of Lagos when the club ruled the Nigerian Football League in the early ‘90s.

Speaking further on his ambition, he said: “I promise to develop football from the grass roots and also to seek private and corporate partnership for all football activities so as to reduce over reliance on the state government.”

Charles Ogundiya

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Kwara United’s Tunde Yusuf (left) in action against Wikki Tourists Photo: shengolpixs

No room for lazy players

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Charles Ogundiya ewly appointed Kwara United coach, Tunde Abdurahman, has said he is not going to tolerate laziness in his team. He admonished players who are not ready to be disciplined to leave the club immediately.

The coach didn’t hide his feelings while addressing the players during the team’s first training session on Thursday in Ilorin.

“You will surely enjoy working with me but you need to be disci-

- Kwara United boss plined and hardworking. I am a go-getter and my ambition here in Kwara State is not different from the past even as I plan to achieve more here,” he said.

While introducing the new technical crew to the players, the general manager of the club, Haruna Maigidansanma, congratulated the players for working hard to take the team back to the Premier League after a season in the lower division.

The general manager pledged his total support for the team and assured them that any outstanding player would be rewarded hand-

somely.

The Kwara State Government on Monday approved the appointment of the former Wikki Tourist of Bauchi gaffer Abdurahman as the head coach of the Ilorin based team.

Also in the new technical crew of Kwara United are: Babatunde Sanni as the chief coach, former Nigeria international, Jimoh Balogun as the assistant coach while Kareem Elemosho joined the club as goalkeeper trainer.

Mustapha Ganiyu was appointed as a trainer for the newly promoted club.

NBA All-Star Weekend: Oladipo to donate earnings to cancer research Ifeanyi Ibeh

O

rlando Magic guard, Victor Oladipo, has promised to give part of his expected earnings from Saturday night’s NBA All-Star dunk contest to three different cancer research facilities.

Oladipo, who was born in the United States to Nigerian parents, is partnering with a non-profit organisation, Dunk Cancer, and he told the Associated Press: "I wanted to give back. I feel like that's the type of human being I am - first and foremost - just to give back to people who are not as fortunate as me. I'm all about making a difference, and I felt that was the best way to do so."

Oladipo will be competing against three other dunkers – Milwaukee's Greek-born Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo, Minnesota's Zach LaVine, and Brooklyn's Mason Plumlee – for the $100,000 star prize. $50,000 will go to the secondplace finisher, while $20,000 each will be given to the third and fourthplace finishers.

Oladipo’s donations will go to the Children's National Medical Centre in Washington, D.C., for research on pediatric cancer; the Mel-

he Athletic Federation of Nigeria has said the federation will continue to invest in youths in order to prepare them for the future.

President of the federation, Solomon Ogba, made this declaration while speaking with our correspondent during the closing day of the fifth annual Dr. D.K. Olukoya Athletics Championship.

According to Ogba, the federation’s target is to get young and talented athletes that will take over from the ageing ones in a very short period.

“We are looking for a time when we would easily have a capable replacement from the pool of younger athletes if an established artiste is not available for a particular meet.

“I really want to give kudos to the sponsor of the Olukoya championship because he has given us at the federation the platform to discover young athletes.

“For example, Blessing Okagbare did not compete in the long jump event of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and African Championship in Morocco, but someone like Ese Brume stepped up to win gold for the country,” Ogba said.

The former Delta State’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports said some of the upcoming athletes were currently in the United States on scholarship with youngsters like silver medallist in the 200 metres at the 2014 World Junior Championships, Divine Oduduru, and Commonwealth gold medallist in long jump, Brume, set to move to the US in the next few months.

Perseverance House wins at VGS Sports Day Ifeanyi Ibeh

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Oladipo doing a slam dunk

vin and Bren Simon Cancer Centre in Indianapolis, who are working on breast cancer research; and the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in Orlando for its research on blood

multiple myeloma, an incurable, but treatable blood cancer.

"I want to give back to the areas that gave to me," said Oladipo, who was drafted into the NBA two years

ago by the Orlando Magic. "(Orlando) moulded me and they didn't have to draft me, but they did. I felt like I needed to give back and keep it in the family."

he second edition of the unified Inter-House Sports Competition of Victory Group Schools was concluded last weekend at Victory High School sports ground, Ikeja, Lagos, with Perseverance House emerging overall winners of the biennial event.

Six schools – Victory High School, Victory Home School Ikeja, Victory College, Victory Institute of Catering, Victory Home School, Ojota, and Victory Grammar School – took part in the event, with Perseverance emerging tops, followed by Honesty, Unity and Punctuality in second, third and fourth place respectively.

Presenting the giant trophy to the captain of the victorious Perseverance House, the Regent of Ikeja-land, Prince Adekunle Apena, thanked all the participating houses for their exemplary conduct and urged them to take both their academic and sporting pursuits seriously.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

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14 FEBRUARY 2015

ometime last month, the news of the illness of the late former Nigeria international goalkeeper, Wilfred Agbonavbare, filtered in. It became a subject of discourse as we (myself, deputy editor, sport, and other colleagues) reflected on this development given that in recent time we have dedicated our sport pages to highlight some of the health issues being encountered by our football stars of yester year.

Just days after, the news of his demise also filtered in. What a life! Fate some time has a cruel way of playing a fast one on you. It just reminded one also that life indeed as recorded by the holy book (The Bible) is ‘a vapour,’ which William Shakespeare also re-affirmed in one of his classical writings when he said that life appears here today andtomorrow disappears.

I was devastated and saddened by the news of his death. In a way I regarded his death as a personal loss and not just a loss to the family, the nation and the football fraternity, or Rayo Vallecano where he had spent most of his professional playing days and made quite an impression on the team and the community.

Wilfred was a great shot stopper of our time. Tall and powerfully built, he covered the goal post like a colossus, and he was every player's – striker’s – Achilles heel, as everyone dreaded his pose. His antics or dramatics as well as craftsmanship on the field of play were second to none.

More than anything else, he was a great motivator and inspirational force.

He exuded uncommon confidence in the field and believed that he was the best and that no ball could get past him.

And on many occasions he proved his mettle and how good he was on the field of play, inspiring his team to victories.

Everyone who had played with him can testify to this and I personally can testify to this because I had on many occasions, long before he came to the limelight, played with him in the same team and against him. In fact, we were in the same class – Form Three – at Edokpolor Grammar School, Benin City, in the early 1980s (now you probably can guess how young I am) and he was the goalkeeper of the class.

It is actually this part of his life that not many people know about and how he hugged the limelight that I want to reflect on and bring to the fore in this tribute to someone I considered a friend. Even though we seemed not to have been in contact after our secondary school and early days in Benin, but I followed the progress of his career thereafter until the very twilight.

Cast your mind back to the 1960s – 1980s. Bendel State and later Edo State was renowned for its sporting prowess.

In Benin City, Eghosa Grammar School, Adolor College and I think at a point, Western Boys High School, were the big names when it came to sports, particularly football.

Edokpolor was never in the mix until the early 1980s when circumstances and fate conspired to orchestrate the change that brought the school to the limelight when it came to football, precisely Principal’s Cup, which the school won back to back for many years running. That turning point came with the emergence of Chief Francis Izegaegbe as principal of Edokpolor.

He was a strict disciplinarian who brooked no nonsense from either the students or staff. Our school then was lowly rated and known only for its notoriety, but the new principal ensured a change in the fortune of the school.

Sport, particularly football, was not a strong point of the school, the only time we measured up on it was during the school’s inter – house sport.

But the principal leveraged on this

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'The Wilfred Agbonavbare that I know' Andrew Iro Okungbowa who was Wilfred Agbonavbare’s classmate at Edokpolor Grammar School, Benin City, Edo State, recalls some of his fondest memories of the former Super Eagles goalkeeper who recently died of cancer in Spain.

as he introduced element of importance to the game of football by introducing inter class football competition at all the levels. One Mr. Ogunsola was the games master then and he was the one used by the principal to accomplish this mission.

Wilfred and I were in the same class and I had known him as a good goalkeeper with the Unueru Bombers. I had counted on him to be part of the class team, but he bluntly refused to show interest in the team despite all my pep talk and encouragement.

It was only after I blackmailed him by threatening to report him to Mr. Ogunsola and the school principal that he reluctantly agreed to join the team.

That year we got to the semifinal stage as we lost out on penalties, but the great revelation was Wilfred as he stood out and shone like a million stars.

His exploits didn’t escape both the principal and Mr. Ogunsola as he earned automatic call up to the school team alongside some of us and other stars that were discovered during the competition.

That marked the beginning of the explosion of Wilfred, who later became known as ‘Cigalo,’ into the consciousness of the people and the football world.

For three years Wilfred was the school’s number one goalkeeper and integral part of the team that won the Principal’s Cup for the school back-to-back.

He was a very outstanding and colourful

I have very many fond memories of Wilfred as a goalkeeper but one of them... was his performance against Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha goalkeeper with a unique appeal. You could hardly get past him on a one-onone situation or during penalty kicks.

I have very many fond memories of Wilfred as a goalkeeper but one of them, which remained etched in my memory, was his performance against Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha. The first game we played with the school ended in a draw and penalty kicks were slated to decide the winner who would then progress to the final.

It was a nerve-racking and tensionfilled day as Ogbe Stadium, Benin City, was filled to capacity and people waited with bated breath for the spot kicks. Wilfred won the game for us by saving the last kick and the stadium was ecstatic.

That was how we played the final game on same day and won the cup.

Reflecting on Wilfred’s exploits over the years, I can’t help but wonder what would have been his fate had I not insisted on his joining the class team. But the man, if any at all, who in my estimation should take the glory for the goalkeeper that we all fondly called ‘Cigalo,’ should be our school principal, Mr. Izegaebe who was a very good motivator, organiser and inspiration for the team.

Because he led the school team by example and was good at spotting talents and encouraging them to join the school team while ensuring that all their needs were meant.

I recall that in those days before any match, the school, following the directive of the principal would prepare food – hot eba and okro soup – for the team, which they would eat together in the school before going for a game. He built team spirit and made the players believe in themselves.

With him, the school attained greater heights and created history by winning the Principal’s Cup back to back and producing some of the football stars which later went to play for such big clubs as Bendel Insurance, New Nigeria Bank and Arbico Football Clubs, among others and rose to both national and international prominence.

Adieu Wilfred!

ered from a serious knee injury suffered while playing for Monaco last season -- "has to prove himself" regardless of his price tag.

The snub has outraged "The Tiger's" Colombian fans, with fellow footballers, sports journalists and even celebrities taking to social media to slam Van Gaal.

Retired Colombian star Faustino "Tino" Asprilla accused the Red Devils manager of bias against South American players.

the Turkish Cup Last 16 defeat against Kayserispor.

The Brazilian fullback will undergo an MR scan to determine the severity of the injury.

Fellow left-back Ismail Koybaşı has also been ruled out with injury. The Turkish international will be out for at least a month.

Motta has made a total of 26 appearances in all competitions for Beşiktaş this season.

The Brazilian fullback

January signing Tolgay Arslan could take Huthinson’s place in central midfield against Bursaspor on the weekend.

Süper Lig leaders take on 4th place Bursaspor on Sunday 16 February at the Atatürk Olympic stadium.

Beşiktaş then travel to England for their Europa League Round of 32 clash against Liverpool at Anfield.

Besiktas left-back Motta suffers injury blow eşiktaş left-back Ra- be forced to play central B mon Motta suffered midfielder Atiba Hutchinan injury blow following son at left-back as a result.

anchester United manager Louis van Gaal has sparked a frenzied reaction by Colombians for his treatment of beloved native son Radamel Falcao, earning the Dutch coach the nickname "Van Maal" (Mr. Evil).

Falcao has seen little playing time since joining United last August in a loan deal worth £16 million ($24 million, 21 million euros).

Van Gaal said last month the striker -- who had missed the World Cup finals as he recov-

Colombians slam 'Mr. Evil' van Gaal for benching Falcao M

www.newtelegraphonline.com

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

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famous FA Cup victory against Manchester United has already been masterminded by Preston North End manager, Simon Grayson.

He hopes to do it again

ierre Webo has been linked with a move to the Spanish second division club Mallorca by the Turkish newspaper Milliyet.

Webo’s contract with Fenerbahce finishes at the end of this season. The ex-

P

NO TEAM 1 Juventus 2 Roma 3 Napoli 4 Fiorentina 5 Sampdoria 6 Lazio 7 Genoa 8 Torino 9 Palermo 10 Inter Milan 11 AC Milan 12 Sassuolo

P PTS 22 53 22 46 22 42 22 35 22 35 22 34 22 32 22 31 22 30 22 29 22 29 22 29

P PTS 25 59 25 52 25 47 25 46 25 45 25 43 25 42 25 38 25 34 25 33 25 32 25 27

PREMIER LEAGUE NO TEAM 1 Chelsea 2 Man City 3 Man United 4 Southampton 5 Arsenal 6 Tottenham 7 Liverpool 8 West Ham 9 Swansea City 10 Stoke City 11 Newcastle 12 Everton

TABLE

day and he cited the loss to Palace as a turning point.

"When we lost to Palace it was a real low in the camp," he said. "You look for a reaction and we tweaked the system and the players have responded. From that day it was a great reaction and the lads are playing attractive football."

Serie A

lation, but the game that followed inflicted even further psychological damage.

Despite Rickie Lambert's goal after just two minutes, Palace hit back to go 3-1 ahead - and there was no dramatic turnaround on that occasion.

With Rodgers in Italy on official club business, assistant Colin Pascoe faced the media on Thurs-

Mallorca target Fenerbahce’s Pierre Webo

It was there that Liverpool's title dreams were all but ended last season, when a 3-0 lead somehow vanished inside nine minutes to take two points and control of the trophy's destination from the Anfield club's hands.

Manager Brendan Rodgers insisted before November's visit to Selhurst that the Premier League crown was not lost in that capitu-

Grayson out to shock Man Utd in FA Cup again

iverpool will hope to lay some ghosts to rest at Selhurst Park when they take on Crystal Palace in the FA Cup fifth round.

Selhurst Park has been the scene of some painful moments for Liverpool in recent times, but Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round tie will offer them a shot at exorcising those demons.

FA Cup: Liverpool look to exorcise Palace demons

Global Football Special

evilla are looking to find some much-needed energy for a La Liga clash against Cordoba, while Atletico Madrid are high on confidence.

Unai Emery needs to find a way to reenergise his Sevilla outfit in La Liga, while Atletico Madrid are on a high.

Sevilla host struggling Cordoba on Saturday, but they go into the clash having lost three of their past four league matches.

It has seen Emery's men slip to fifth in the table, two points behind Valencia in their battle for the final UEFA Champions League spot.

S

Sevilla look for boost, Atletico eye another win

Piatti

s his impressive season resumes following his return from injury, Valencia midfielder Pablo Piatti has admitted that the struggles of his last campaign have served to bring out the best in him this time around, and that he wants his future to remain at Mestalla in the longer term also.

“I’m feeling well and really confident at the moment. I’m in good form and of course, I’m enjoying my football a lot. I learned a lot from difficult situations last year and now I’m happy in how things are going.”

Piatti was then asked about the goalscoring struggles that their high power attack are going through, to which he insists that it’s a ‘privilege’ to have the forward players they do, and that they will come good soon.

A

Piatti: I want to continue at Valencia

28 Sport SATURDAY N 14 FEBR

Motta

Khedira

Webo

son why Napoli cannot secure a top-two berth ahead of the Romans.

"We believe in second place, and we're not giving up," Callejon told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli. "We will try to do our best in every competition, there are still many games and we hope to do well with every race."

Wahab Riaz is confident to put Dhoni Eleven under pressure by taking early wickets in their first nerve testing tier on February 15 against the opponents, never defeated by Pakistan in a World Cup match.

Wahab said it was encouraging for his team to exploit the situation and conditions as the Indian batsmen could not win a single match in their recent tour to Australia.

Talking about having Waqar Younis as the team coach, Wahab said, "It is wonderful to have someone of Waqar's stature as a coach. He has shared his experiences with us, we have learnt a lot of things from him, so it's really good for bowlers to have him around as a coach."

SPORT BRIEFLY

heading into Saturday's trip to Palermo at Stadio Renzo Barbera, having won four successive league matches.

Napoli - inspired by Gonzalo Higuain's three goals in that period - have accounted for Lazio, Genoa, Chievo and Udinese to close the gap on Roma after 22 rounds.

And Callejon sees no rea-

Wahab Raiz

apoli have Roma firmly in their sights as they prepare to face Palermo on Saturday.

Spanish forward Jose Callejon believes Napoli can leapfrog Roma into second place in Serie A before the end of the season.

In-form Napoli are just four points adrift of Roma

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Napoli target second spot

Grayson

perienced striker has previously played for Nacional, Osasuna, Basaksehir and Mallorca.

The Cameroun international joined Fenerbahce from Istanbul Basaksehir for €3 million in February 2013.

Webo has found the back of the net nine times in 19 appearances for Fenerbahce this season. five of Pierre Webo’s nine goals have come in the Ziraat Turkish Cup.

Tiger Woods

Ter Stegen

But it’s not felt Ter Stegen or Khedira are realistic targets as Barca won’t let the goalkeeper go as long as they can’t sign a replacement due to the transfer embargo.

Khedira, meanwhile, appears bound for Bayern Munich when his Madrid contract expires this summer, and would only move elsewhere if that deal went awry.

when Manchester United visit the League One side in the fifth round on Monday.

Grayson was in charge of Leeds United, then a third tier side themselves, when they won 1-0 against Manchester United in 2010 to become the first lower league opposition to beat an Alex Ferguson-led team in the third round.

After a fourth round in which the FA Cup rekindled its old magic with the exits of the Premier League leaders Chelsea and champions Manchester City to lower league opponents, the Preston boss wants to use his previous experience of conquering 11-time winners United to do it again.

“It was a fantastic occasion that day,” Grayson said. “This is a different United team but one we will look forward to playing.

Fallen world number one Tiger Woods is taking a break from tournament golf in a bid to get his faltering game back in shape after the worst round of his career which included a disastrous 82 at the Phoenix Open and a mid-round withdrawal at Torrey Pines – had been “very disappointing.”

“My play and scores are not acceptable for tournament golf,” said Woods. Like I’ve said, I enter a tournament to compete at the highest level, and when I think I’m ready, I’ll be back.”

orussia Dortmund have been linked with a double La Liga swoop for Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira.

AS cites a report from Bild that says Dortmund are planning a summer overhaul as a reaction to the disastrous League campaign that sees them currently bottom of the Bundesliga.

Dortmund want Ter Stegen, Khedira B

joined the Black Eagles on loan from Corinthians last season and then completed a permanent transfer in the summer.

C o a c h Slaven Bilic may 22 28 22 24 22 23 22 23 22 21 22 19 22 15 22 9

PTS 49 41 34 34 33 32 26 26 25 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 18

Bundesliga Saturday Leverkusen v Wolfsburg M’gladbach v Köln Bayern v Hamburger Werder Bremen v Augsburg Hoffenheim v Stuttgart Frankfurt v Schalke Sunday Hertha v Freiburg Hannover v Paderborn

West Brom v West Ham Blackburn v Stoke City Derby v Reading Palace v Liverpool Sunday Aston Villa v Leicester City Bradford v Sunderland Arsenal v Middlesbrough Monday Preston v Man United

aen coach Patrice Garande feels his side can approach Saturday's visit to defending Ligue 1 champions Paris SaintGermain without pressure following their excellent recent form.

Caen have surged away from the relegation zone and climbed to 14th on the back of a run of four successive wins.

Garande's men are now four points clear of the bottom three following a 2-0 win over Toulouse, and Garande believes that gap will allow his team to play with freedom at the Parc des Princes.

"We need to maintain our approach of going after the results we want and of attacking even when we're not playing brilliantly," he said.

PSG can ill-afford a slip-up in a tight race for the title that sees the top three separated by just two points.

Garande plays down PSG trip C

Bacca

After his side lost 2-1 to Getafe, Emery said his side "are low on fuel" and needed a break.

A clash against second-bottom Cordoba could be the perfect way for Sevilla to return to form and try and finish the season strongly.

Like his team, Carlos Bacca has slowed – the Colombian has 12 league goals this season but just two in 2015.

Atletico are flying high as they prepare to take on Celta de Vigo on Sunday.

Diego Simeone's side is third after four straight league wins, sitting just four points behind leaders Real.

The highlight of Atletico's recent run was their previous outing – a 4-0 thrashing of city rivals Real.

In-form Barcelona are putting the pressure on, and Luis Enrique's men host Levante.

Legend of boxing Bernard Hopkins is hell bent on securing a fight with Carl Froch after recently being dismissed by the Briton as a future opponent.

The 50 year-old, who ended a record-breaking reign as light-heavyweight champion when defeated by Sergey Kovalev in late 2014, is open to helping Froch realise his dream of headlining Las Vegas.

"You should put all the pressure on that coward that calls himself one of the greatest European fighters of all time," Hopkins told Sky Sports."If he wants to fight before he retires as he was quoted: 'I want to fight in Vegas'.

Bernard Hopkins

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

P 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22

English FA Cup Saturday

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

PTS 54 53 50 44 42 41 35 27 26 25 24 23 23 23 23 22 20 19 18 18

25 27 25 26 25 24 25 23 25 22 25 22 25 21 25 17

La Liga

13 Crystal P. 14 West Brom 15 Sunderland 16 Hull City 17 QPR 18 Aston Villa 19 Burnley 20 Leicester

FIXTURES

P 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

La Liga Saturday Sevilla v Córdoba Real Madrid v Deportivo Granada CF v Bilbao Málaga v Espanyol Sunday Valencia v Getafe Barcelona v Levante Vallecano v Villarreal Celta de Vigo v Atletico Monday Deportivo v Elche

NO TEAM 1 Bayern 2 Wolfsburg 3 Schalke 4 Augsburg 5 Gladbach 6 Leverkusen 7 Hoffenheim 8 W. Bremen 9 Frankfurt 10 Hannover 11 FC Cologne 12 Hamburg 13 Mainz 14 Hertha 15 Paderborn 16 Dortmund 17 Freiburg 18 Stuttgart

Bundesliga

13 Udinese 14 Verona 15 Empoli 16 Atalanta 17 Chievo 18 Cagliari 19 Cesena 20 Parma

NEW TELEGRAPH RUARY 2015

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Nigeria won’t qualify for 2017 AFCON if… says Lawal Former Nigerian international, Garbal Lawal, highlights the importance of quickly sorting out the issue of hiring a substantive coach for the Super Eagles in this interview with Emmanuel Tobi.

He also speaks about the Flying Eagles and other issue. Excerpts…

Flying Eagles What we need in our football right now is continuity in youth development. We hope to see the Flying Eagles continue from where they stopped at the U-17 level after they emerged world champion. They have done well with the Super 4 Tournament in Abuja but they have to do more to sustain the winning spirit.

We hope to see that continue without any distraction from agents who are the biggest problems of our youth teams.

They distract the players with different offers and this more often affects their concentration at the national team.

There must also be a deliberate effort by the players to develop and improve on their games instead of resting on past glory. They must be disciplined and faithful to their programmes such as training, eating, resting as well as socialising because it is a combination of these things that make them better players.

the 2017 AFCON and 2018 World Cup but the NFF is still struggling to name a coach. A lot of teams have started strategising for the AFCON immediately they crashed out of the on-going 2015 AFCON but we are still foot-dragging.

If the NFF wants to retain Stephen Keshi, let them tell the whole world and stay with it. After all Keshi won the 2013 AFCON and we are still dwelling on that when other countries have moved on.

2017 AFCON It is left for the NFF to decide what they want because CAF has already released their programme schedule for

NFF’s delay in tackling issues We keep talking about the various issues in Nigerian football, but what does the NFF do? Do our opinions count in this country? The NFF is holding the entire country to ransom by not doing the right things on time whether in hiring a new coach, conducting elections or any such issues.

I’ve been saying all these things since but what has the NFF done. The media, the administrators and the majority of ex-international have said a lot about the Super Eagles but what did the NFF do with all these opinions. I’m tired of talking about an issue when those who ought to act seem not to know what to do.

What we need in our football right now is continuity in youth development

Players attitude Even if we change the coach what about the players' attitude? The players are the major culprits in the decline of our football. We must have players who are ready to give their best for the country and not just massaging their egos.

Even if you bring a new coach, he is going to work with these players unless the NFF allows him to bring his own players like Keshi did.

Aruna Quadri

Elections: We will forge ahead with plans for AAG – Elegbeleye Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, sheds light on a number of issues the commission has in its sights in 2015. She speaks to Comfort Chukwu in Abuja.

Nigeria will take part in several competitions this year. All African Games in Congo, the IAAF World Championship in China, are some of the events in 2015.

What is the National Sport commission doing to ensure that Nigerian athletes have brilliant outing at the meets? Has Preparation for these events commenced?

All Africa Games is taking place this year, we are just starting to get our federations to do something; we are working hard to get funds to send to the federations, but we will do some competitions preparatory to the All Africa Games. We are making plans to camp the athletes; some will be in Abuja and others in Lagos Aruna Quadri was recently named by ITTF as the 2014 payer of the year, what are the commission's plans for the table tennis star to achieve even greater feats in 2015?

He had a competition in Cairo recently so what we will do is afterwards. We sent our congratulatory message, and we called on behalf of National Sport Commission, we also congratulated the Table Tennis Federation. We agreed to put him in our high performance training grants.

We didn't provide him training grants before now but we will do so because he is important to us and to the nation as a whole. So we will honour him.

Super Eagles players disappointed after the team's failure to qualify for the AFCON

The Nations Cup is on in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria as the defending champions are not there, this must be a painful experience for you; and how do you think the Super Eagles can get to the summit of African Football?

It makes me feel very bad, ordinarily we were supposed to be there to defend the cup we won in 2013 but we could not make it. Our non-qualification for

the competition in Equatorial Guinea is a complete embarrassment to the National Sports Commission, and I'm sure Nigerians are not happy. We only feel good when Nigerians are happy over what we have achieved, and I believe it is very awful and unacceptable to us and Nigerians that we couldn’t defend the cup. It is really embarrassing, but we learn lessons everyday, and we have seen why we failed.

Then again, the house was in crisis and a house in crisis cannot really organise. The Nigeria Football Federation had been in crisis for quite some time and it affected planning and preparations for competitions. We also need to look at our players, and of course the coach has to be someone who knows the job. Again the NFF must know that Nigerians are looking up to them when it comes to football because everybody in this country has passion for football. I want to assure Nigerians that the Super Eagles will bounce back and we will be able to reclaim the trophy after this one in Equatorial Guinea, and I assure you it is very possible. Our focus now is re-orientation for Nigerian Football.

Do you foresee the elections affecting preparation for All Africa Games?

Yes, it might affect it, because calling people for camping now won’t do. Some of them would want to travel because of the elections and it will affect some of the programmes. But we will still forge ahead, the National Sport festival will start in the month of April and we know the political challenges some of the states are facing, in spite of that we are moving ahead What is the level of progress regarding the planned concession of the National Stadium in Lagos?

There is a committee in place working on that and it includes the National Sports Commission, and those from the Bureau for Public Enterprise, and the Ministry of Finance. We have been meeting and we are going to Lagos to do facilities tour. The stage we are now is for us to advertise for a transaction adviser, it is stage by stage it, and it is going to be a point of discussion in our next meeting.

Is the NSC broke?

Yes, there is always financial challenge, but we hope it will be better.

14 FEBRUARY 2015

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Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Shayk

Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt and dance like no one is watching - Randall G Leighton

Dwight Yorke's ex wins Celebrity Big Brother

I want a loyal man, Shayk attacks Ronaldo

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F

rina Shayk has taken a swipe at former boyfriend Cristiano Ronaldo following the end of their five year relationship.

Comments made by the Russian model reported by the Daily Mirror suggest that the Real Madrid man may have cheated on Shayk.

When discussing what she wants from a future partner the Victoria’s Secret beauty stated; “What I’m looking for in a man is – I think I love honest men and I love a man who is loyal to women. I think this is [the] most important thing in [a] man.”

Such a statement would of course lead many to assume that a lack of honesty may have been the reason behind Shayk’s break-up from Real Madrid star Ronaldo.

By all accounts it was the 30-year-old Ballon d’Or winner who ended the relationship and Shayk does seem a little bitter about the split.

Shayk goes on to describe what she’d be looking for from a perfect Valentine’s Day date.

“Expensive bottle of champagne, because I’m Russian. I love an expensive bottle of champagne.”

“Chocolate and [a] cool movie. Like recently I saw Pretty Woman and that felt like Valentine for me. It was really nice.” she added.

ormer model and girlfriend of Dwight Yorke, Katie Price has won Celebrity Big Brother.

She beat ex-Apprentice candidate Katie Hopkins into second place.

Calum Best came third, Keith Chegwin took fourth place while Michelle Visage was the first finalist to be voted out of the house.

Earlier in the show some housemates had said they'd be annoyed if Katie Price won the series as she entered the house 10 days after the original line-up.

Leaving the house to (mostly) cheers and chants of "Pricey", the 36-year-old asked the crowd "Why have I won?" and "What's going on?"

She broke down in tears at the beginning of her interview with presenter Emma Willis.

Describing her time in the house as "crazy" she joked that the show's producers wouldn't be able to play her a 'best bits' montage as "I haven't done nothing".

"I went in with a medical problem and have been on antibiotics and painkillers so I have not been myself. I feel like I've been boring so I don't know why I'm sitting here," she added.

The mother of four said she hopes to have made some real friends in the house, name checking the "genuine and lovely" Keith Chegwin who she "followed round like a Price sheep".

Wozniacki dazzles in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

Mikel

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Mikel: Cook your women dinner on Valentine’s Day

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ohn Obi Mikel sat out Chelsea’s EPL clash on Wednesday against Everton due to a knee injury, an appearance would have been a good Valentine reminiscence.

The 27-year-old, however, will not have the weekend spoilt for

himself and Russian fiancée, Olga Diyachenko.

He posted on Instagram: ‘A Gift and A Delicious dinner for her on Valentine's Day.’ He advises the rest of the men to do the same: ‘Guys you should Wozniacki try it out too’.

aroline Wozniacki got male deuces flowing as she stepped out in New York's Herald Square to reveal her inclusion in this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition.

Wozniacki, who split from ex-fiance Rory McIlroy last year, served up a treat as she swapped her tennis whites for something a little skimpier.

Wozniacki was not the only sports star to slip on the beach wear as she appears alongside UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.

Despite losing out to former women's No 1 Victoria Azarenka in the second round of the Australian Open earlier this year, the tennisstar-turned-model returned to the women's top five for the fist time since March 2012.

Also featured in this year's edition is Irina Shayk, former girlfriend of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, Stephanie Bertram Rose, girlfriend of Paris Saint Germain right back Gregory van der Wiel, and American model Gigi Hadid.

Hannah Davis, girlfriend of former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter, has bagged the coveted cover shot this year.

24-year-old Wozniacki took to Twitter on Monday to express her feelings about being included in the famous swimwear glossy: 'Excited to be included in the 2015 Edition,' she wrote.

We wonder if McIlroy will be popping down to his local newsagents for a quick flick through.

Stories courtesy Dailymail

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Investigations

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When a smaller, though no less important denomination of Christians demands electoral participation, it has to be listened to

A medical doctor on essential duty photo: nursingworldnig.com

would be all too clear. Yet, there are those, who believe Jega and INEC should listen to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

For instance, Executive Director, Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), Egbuodike Ezike, said that the Adventist Church’s concerns are valid.

“It is something that the electoral body should give consideration to and not dismiss as an unwanted irritant. My only worry is how it would affect an election that is already strung precariously to ethno-religious divides.

“People typically vote, and are voted for, according to their ethnic or religious persuasions. Despite the Constitution's outlandish prohibition of state religion, which, in Nigeria's particular case, is more theoretical than practical; the ‘major’ religions have, historically, had a loud, enormously disruptive voice in the country's politics.

“Although, the political document says in unequivocal language that ‘the Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion,’ Islam and the major Christian denominations have had their say, and sometimes their way, in the political organisation of Nigeria because of their parochial sense of self-adulation. So, when a smaller, though no less important, denomination of Christians demands electoral participation, its voice is entirely valid. It has to be listened to,” Ezike said.

To the district pastor of the Adventist Church, Oregun in Lagos State, Joseph Olayemi, the real travesty would be the denial should elections run on a Saturday, the Adventists' day of worship.

“Adventists' fundamental human rights: the right to vote and the right to worship would be violated. Both rights are guaranteed by the Constitution. Since the Constitution has no quarrel with any religion's day of worship, voting on a Saturday would obliterate that freedom for millions of adherents of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, who have to worship their God on that day.

“Besides, it is humanly impossible to worship and vote at the same time. But the state must guarantee both rights at the same time by voting on a day that didn't encroach on religious and electoral freedoms. Ignoring the Adventists' concerns, or dismissing them with derision, would be a tremendous injury.

"There is, therefore, no reason to undermine certain worshippers’ right to practise their faith. Democracy thrives on its guarantee of all human freedoms, including the freedom to worship and the freedom to vote and be voted for. God recognises that too, Olayemi said.

Incidentally, the Seven-Day Adventists faithful are not the only ones that are systematically being disenfranchised.

There are other Nigerians, who by their profession are also denied the right to vote. Those that fall into this group in-

clude segments of Nigerians that are usually on essential duties on such days.

National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members, who are habitually deployed as ad hoc staff of INEC during elections are among such people. Because of the requirements of their deployment, they are usually not able to vote in areas where they registered.

Others are medical personnel on duty at such times; members of the armed forces that are used to maintain peace during elections in areas other than where they reside, and journalists, who monitor elections.

A Lagos-based lawyer, Emeka Obi,

Soldiers drafted to maintain peace during an election photo: globalvillageextra.com

Corps members as ad hoc staff of INEC PHOTO: NATIONALMIRRORONLINE. NET

believes this group of Nigerians should be considered in the electoral process.

“If they are doing something that would advance the cause of the nation that would not deprive them of their fundamental right to vote. Something has to be done; may be, a special arrangement to enable them participate. They could be granted excuse to vote at any point they found themselves during elections,” he suggested.

There has equally been the nagging issue of the Diaspora Nigerians. There have been calls by Nigerians living abroad to be part of the country’s electoral process. Unfortunately, INEC has said that

it is “practically impossible” for them to vote during the 2015 general elections even if the Electoral Act, 2010 is amended to allow for such.

Jega said a provision of the law that requires Jega every eligible person to cast their ballot at the polling unit where they registered as a voter forecloses Diaspora voting. He, however, asserted that the commission would not relent in its aspiration to make Nigeria’s electoral system more inclusive by accommodating citizens living abroad.

He said: “In Nigeria, we are doing our best to open up our system for citizens in the Diaspora to be able to vote.

Unfortunately, there are presently legal inhibitions, because our laws prohibit Diaspora voting.

"There is a provision in our laws that requires every eligible person to cast their ballot at the polling unit where they have registered as a voter. The implication is that for people in the Diaspora to participate in our elections, they will have to come home to register as voters, and subsequently cast their votes at the polling units where they registered.

“But we have made recommendations to the National Assembly for an amendment of that provision so as to allow people in the Diaspora to vote; and we are hopeful that our recommendation will be taken on board,” he said.

For many Nigerians, the issue of inclusive participation in electoral process in Nigeria represents one of the many forces tie into the democratic dilemma the nation now faced.

A physically-challenged person cast his vote under the watchful eyes of policemen PHOTO: NAIJACENTER.COM

34

Investigations

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

‘Elections shouldn't be held on Saturdays' Joseph Olayemi is the district pastor of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Oregun, Lagos State. He tells ISIOMA MADIKE in this interview that Sabbath faithful are mandated to keep Saturdays holy in obedience to the injunctions of God and as such members are not expected to do anything other than worship God on that day.

There have been issues concerning Sabbath adherents not voting on Saturdays in Nigeria. What would you say is the reason for this action?

The reason is simple. That is the day that God rested after creation and He commanded that it should be kept holy.

That was how the Holy Bible recorded it. Another purpose of Sabbath is to make us know that God is the creator.

God made Heaven and Earth and the seventh day he rested. Any day you observe that Sabbath, you are casting your mind backwards to the time that God created Heaven and Earth. If you disobey the Sabbath, you might be trying to support those who believe that God is not responsible for the creation of the world. So, we don’t want to disobey God that is why on Election Day, maybe you might see one or two per cent of our members because you cannot police anybody. But generally, a lot of our members, who keep to that injunction, are disenfranchised.

Are you saying that Sabbath is for worship only?

That is right. On the Sabbath you are supposed to worship God, fellowship together in the church, relax and meditate on creation. To me, there shouldn’t be any controversy about this. We as Nigerians are guaranteed the freedom to worship as well as partake in the electoral process of our country. It’s a constitutional right. So, we are only appealing to good conscience, for the issue to be seen from our stand point.

What about devotees that work in organisations that goes to work on Saturdays. How would such persons observe the Sabbath?

Well, it is quite unfortunate that Nigeria is not where human rights are actually respected. What I mean by this is that many people are not strong in faith.

There are people as our members, who have lost lucrative businesses and jobs because they want to prove God first and God is still faithful to them. If this country is where people’s freedom is respected, once you tell your organisation what you believe, you ought to be exempted.

Has there been any member that tried that?

Yes! One of my elders said that when they wanted to make him an elder, he just walked up to the management. He made it known to them that henceforth, if there would be work on Saturdays he should be informed by Friday morning so that he can do that, which he is expected to do on Saturday as he would be worshiping his God on that day. And he was exempted. My advice as a pastor is for people not to throw salvation away because it matters more than employment or income.

How has it been in previous elections?

I can’t be emphatic about this. If it is other denominations, so many noises would have been made. Though, we

Olayemi

know we have been continuously disenfranchised but we don’t want to be confrontational; we can only appeal to the authorities to consider us as Nigerians. We should not be denied our rights because of our faith. As a church, we don’t usually dangle into politics but that does not mean we can’t contribute to the electoral process of our country.

Are there countries where election issues are handled differently?

In America, I don’t know much about African countries like Ghana, there is no particular day for election; it is a continuous process, even voting.

That can be adopted here to accommodate everybody. That way, I am sure a greater percentage of people will want to contribute to the electoral process.

So, if something like that is done here, it would be fine for all. We also want to contribute politically to our nation and it wouldn’t be fair to deny us the right. Imagine what the vote of about five millions Adventists would bring to the table in elections.

Has the Adventists Church formally complained to the electoral body?

Well, some Christian could but Adventists can never be part of a protest, otherwise the best answer will be to protest. Government should leave elections out of Saturdays because some people’s right are tampered with. The truth is not always easy for people to accept. I was an Apostolic but after studying the

If elections could be done electronically in Nigeria, people’s vote would not be tampered with

Bible, it dawned on me that I am not observing the Sabbath. I pay my taxes and other levies as a pastor like any other bonafide citizen, so why should we be exempted from elections?

What specifically would you want government to do on this matter?

We would be so happy if government can take voting away from Saturdays.

There are some of our members in the National Assembly and they were pushing for that, but their number is so insignificant and democracy is all about numbers. If we had the number, by now we would have been able to push that through. But, we are not relenting.

Are you saying it is not possible to accommodate election time table in your

curriculum?

There is no way we can accommodate elections in our schedule. The only thing is for the country to borrow a leaf from other countries. In South America, for instance, people start voting before the voting time because of the functional electronic system; if we can get to that level, why not? In recent times, government is saying that schools will not be shut down for elections, thank God for that. Before now, they would paralyse many things because of elections. But because of the nature of elections in Nigeria, there is no way it will not affect you.

So, INEC should improve on the electronic voting system…

Exactly, if that can be perfected, people can vote before the actual Election Day. It makes it convenient, easier and faster. That way, we as Adventist will have no reason to complain. If it is moved to Friday, Saturday or Sunday, Muslims and Christians will be affected. But if it is run through the week, people can vote at their convenient time.

Another gain would be that if elections could be done electronically in Nigeria and people are given the power to vote, their vote will not be tampered with.

Not only that, rigging will be obsolete and the populace can hold their leaders responsible for their election promises.

Though, nothing is perfect, except in heaven where we have perfect situation. But it could be near perfect if that is done.

SATURDAY

Dear Love Doctor, 'My wife's fat body turns me off!'

p.37

L ve&Lv ng

Life Experience

'What I learnt after my wife left me'

p.36

SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2015

35

'My husband got a married woman pregnant' Confession Having an extra-marital affair is like eating the forbidden fruit. And when that happens, relationships and families are usually either damaged or destroyed. In this story, a woman is left devastated when her husband takes an extramarital affair too far...

Michael Uchebuaku

M

y name is Tina and I’m from Rivers State. I’m tall, slim and beautiful. Although I’m from Rivers state, I agreed to marry Akin my husband, because I am not tribalistic.

When Akin asked for my hand in marriage about three years ago, my mother was not happy with his request.

She called me in private and told me that people from Akin’s place of origin don’t value marriage and have a high rate of separation and divorce.

But I disagreed with my mother and insisted that such bad opinions people have about Akin’s place of origin are due to tribalism.

I told her that such stories are told out of discrimination and that she shouldn’t believe such nonsense that Akin’s kith do not value marriage.

I went ahead to marry Akin and gave birth to a son for him within the first year of our marriage. But my son had hardly celebrated his second birthday when I started hearing rumours that my Yoruba husband was a flirt.

I quarreled with him severally over it and on one occasion when I saw a sexy text message in his phone, he beat me up so badly that my face was swollen.

I heard that my husband specializes in dating married women. Finally, the bubble burst in April last year when my husband impregnated a married woman and her husband threw her out because of it.

The husband of the woman told her to go to the man who impregnated her and tell him

to marry her. My husband had to rent a house for the woman to stay.

There are many men who believe good women are hard to find. So when a man meets the woman of his dreams or someone to have fun with, he'll stop at nothing to seduce her — even if she already has a lover.

Before I married my husband, he told me that I was a rare gem of a woman and that he was determined to spend the rest of his life with me.

But I find it very hard to believe that my dearly beloved husband would have fallen out of love with me not so long after marriage, to the extent that he is now dating a married woman.

I know that no man is perfect and women are always on the

I had actually known that my husband was very much attracted to married women because even before I had married him I had heard rumours

prowl for that "perfect man" of their choice without minding if the man is even married or not.

Therefore, I kept asking myself if this thing my husband had done was ordinary.

Could it be that the woman is unhappy with her marriage and decided to charm my husband in order to make him marry her?

Some time ago, I tried to discuss the issue with my husband. I tried asking him why he was attracted to married women in the first instance.

I had actually known that my husband was very much attracted to married women because even before I had married him I had heard rumours from his friends and associates that he loved frolicking with married women.

"I started dating married women from an early age," my husband said to me." "A part of me found these relationships so sweet because these sugar mummies and rich married women were giving me money and taking very good care of me.

"But a part of me also found that these ordinary relationships made me more vulnerable. When I was sleeping with a married woman I knew absolutely that the woman was risking herself for me and so I was important.

"With a woman like that there was always a sense of uncertainty because the fact was that her husband could catch her red-handed at any time and she would be exposed. Personally, I was also always at risk because I knew that some men would want to kill anybody who messed around with their wives.

"So out of fear for my life, I started visiting native doctors and giving them huge sums of money to make very potent charms for me. The fear of death and the sweetness of the bosom of a married woman made me go traditional. Sometimes, I even charmed some married women in order to get them to go out with me.

"But now I regret it all because it is destroying me and destroying my family too in the process."

My husband tried to assure me of his love, saying that he would come back to me and do his best to make it up with me.

But I wonder if that is actually going to be possible after getting a married woman pregnant.

The woman is over 40 years old and she seems bent on claiming my husband as her lover and making sure that he marries her.

According to her, she can't lose both her husband and mine at the same time.

But my husband is now saying that he loves the woman and wants to divorce me and marry her. After all I’ve suffered for him, he now wants to divorce me and marry a married woman that he impregnated.

I really think that by getting a married woman pregnant, my husband has gone too far in his dirty relationships with married women. And to be honest, I really feel devastated at the moment.

My husband has no shame.

He wants to divorce me to marry his shameless lover. To cut the long story short, I have informed my lawyer and told Akin that he has to be paying me every month for my son’s upkeep, else I will sue him and get him jailed if I can.

36

Love&Living

Love News

O

ral sex has long been considered the safer sex option for young people wanting to avoid pregnancy or STI infection.

But research from the University of NSW (UNSW) suggests that giving oral sex to somebody with human papillomavirus (HPV) could be linked with oesophagus cancer.

Rates of oesophagus cancer have been on the rise, particularly in men, but doctors have been unsure why.

Professor Shan Rajendra from UNSW compared the behaviour of people with throat cancer with those without and found that a high proportion of those with cancer have HPV in the oesophageal tissue.

For years, having Barrett's oesophagus — where the throat cells change due to chronic heartburn was thought to increase throat cancer risk. But Professor Rajendra's research suggests it's only people with HPV in their Barrett's that need to be concerned.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Oral sex linked with throat cancer: Australian study

Professor Barrett studied just 261 people and said a larger longitudinal study was now needed to confirm his findings.

Past studies have linked HPV to mouth and throat cancers. When researchers from Ohio State University

compared people with mouth or throat cancer with those without, the greatest difference was their oral sexual behaviour.

The greater the number of oral sex partners someone had had, the greater their risk of oesophageal cancer.

With male and female high school students now being immunised against HPV, experts hope the incidence of oesophageal cancer will drop over the next 20 years.

The study was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

'What I learnt after my wife left me'

L

ife can be so horrible at times, but everything happens for a reason. That is the belief I carry and probably most of you as well.

It’s that belief in life we learn from and try to come to terms with events and situations to offer ourselves peace and hope.

With the exception of death and taxes, horrible situations can be avoided if we see the little things that ultimately lead up to the big thing.

My story is a perfect example of a horrible situation that could have been avoided if I only saw the little things.

Growing up I had the misfortune of learning to adapt too many different fathers in my life.

My mother (God rest her) worked day and night to support our large family.

Lionel Richie

Stuck On You Stuck on you I've got this feeling down deep in my soul that I just can't lose Guess I'm on my way Needed a friend And the way I feel now I guess I'll be with you 'til the end Guess I'm on my way Mighty glad you stayed

Life Experience Jerry Maldonado

Love Songs

What gave her comfort was always having a man around which ultimately ended in a contentious divorce with all of us kids witnessing this from the front row.

One thing I did observe during all of this turmoil was how it could have been prevented. My little mind saw every grim detail that led to the demise of my mother’s marriages.

I knew (or at least I thought I did) was to use that knowledge for the person I would eventually marry. I only wanted to do it once and use my experiences as a template for what not to do and create the ultimate family life of stability, but I was wrong.

My wife of almost twenty years has left and the situations of my mother’s past had nothing to do with this sad scenario. Most important, it was the little things I missed that turned her away.

Granted, this situation is never

My wife of almost twenty years has left and the situations of my mother’s past had nothing to do with this sad scenario

one sided. It takes two to make a marriage work or fail, but the man is considered by most the leader of the household.

In other words, family members feed off his happiness or unhappiness and use that emotion as the foundation. Women are different.

Most keep quiet with their emotions, wants and needs until ultimately things blow up and the slow downfall begins.

My soon-to-be ex-wife is a perfect example of a woman who tried to please and only needed the little things to make her happy. Most important, she wanted me to listen, but I didn’t.

All the signs were given to me, but in my mind I thought it didn’t matter enough to consider as I worked constantly thinking I was doing the right thing.

This progression soon turned to bitterness and resentment as my wife finally gave up. I begged and pleaded realizing my mistakes, but it was too late. Someone else has come into her life and offered her what she wants and needs.

Is this a rebound on her part?

Perhaps. Is this just a fill-in from a woman who begged for time and an ear to listen? Indeed so. The scenarios are endless, but simple little things could have been provided to avoid this life-altering event.

Simple communication on each other’s wants and needs are the key that could have saved this and probably millions of marriages as well.

You could love each other to death, but if one person is crying out and the other is not listening, the results over time are devastating.

Unfortunately, there is a flock of listeners just waiting in the wings to scoop up individuals like my wife and offer the world.

I'm stuck on you Been a fool too long I guess it's time for me to come on home Guess I'm on my way So hard to see That a woman like you could wait around for a man like me Guess I'm on my way Mighty glad you stayed Oh, I'm leaving on that midnight train tomorrow And I know just where I'm going I've packed up my troubles and I've thrown them all away 'Cause this time little darling I'm coming home to stay I'm stuck on you I've got this feeling down deep in my soul that I just can't lose Guess I'm on my way Needed a friend And the way I feel now I guess I'll be with you 'til the end Guess I'm on my way I'm mighty glad you stayed.

Love Poem Peaceful Love There is peace in my soul For such a long awaited time There is love in my life A love of melody and rhyme.

Once you took hold of my heart I knew no other could have reached As whispered fate took my hand To levels only you could reach.

You in my life Will live eternally I knew the first night we met You were meant for me.

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

Enjoys Romantic Joke Who Sex More A man and a woman were having drinks at a business conference when they got into an argument about who enjoyed sex more.

The man said, "Men obviously enjoy sex more than women. Why do you think we're so obsessed with getting laid?"

"That doesn't prove anything," the woman countered. "Think about this: when your ear itches and you put your finger in it and wiggle it around, then pull it out, which feels better: your ear or your finger?"

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Relationships & Love Advice

'My wife's fat body turns me off!'

Dear Love Doctor, I married my wife because she was hot. For some reason she really loved me and wanted to marry me.

I didn't want to lose her because I loved her. Being with her made me feel so good, touching her at any opportunity made me crazy.

She was so perfect, but ultimately we have nothing in common. That was 12 years ago. Now we have two kids and that body I was obsessed with is gone. She has put on like 25-30 kgs at least. I get so mad at her sometimes for letting herself go even though I know having kids can do that and it's not her fault. She's such a good person I would never say anything but the reason I fell in love with her is gone.

I feel trapped sometimes but I know it is my fault for being so superficial. Lately I feel myself looking longer at other women and fantasizing about having sex with a hot woman again. I just can't accept that I will never have amazing hot sex again when it used to be so mind blowing. I have even been thinking about my ex girlfriend who was not even remotely attractive but who was my best friend at the time. I left her for my wife and I wonder if that was the biggest mistake of my life. What do I do?

Love Doctor’s Advice: You say you had nothing in common, but you were happy enough for 12 years. Looks matter and anyone can feel quite resentful if their partner changes dramatically, especially by putting on that amount of weight.

No woman should put on so much weight just as a result of two pregnancies so you need to consider all the options before making life changing decisions.

Could she have postnatal depression or be comfort eating because she knows how much looks mean to you and was unhappy with putting on weight in pregnancy? You have two young children to consider and fantasizing about other women isn’t the ideal way forward. Stop looking back at the past and try to make the future better for all of you. Talk to your wife when you won’t be interrupted so you can really concentrate on her. Don’t criticise or threaten

Love&Living

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

to leave her if she doesn’t get fit; instead, tell her that you’re worried about her and you appreciate she’s very busy with two children but you’re concerned that she always puts her own needs last and it’s time she looked after her health.

Some exercise you can do as a family and you can also happily look after the children so she’s able to go to fitness classes. Tell her that being a parent has made you tired and less fit and that you’d like both of you to sort this out, so that also means healthy eating as a family.

Being a full time mother can be draining and even a bit boring and there are all sorts of possible reasons behind her weight gain so it isn’t doing either of you any favours to ignore it. You do need to consider depression and that’s not an easy subject to broach – maybe you could do some research before you chat and find out if there are any support groups in your area.

She should also see her doctor no matter what in case there’s any other underlying health issue causing severe weight gain.

However tactfully you approach this she won’t be able to lose that amount of weight overnight, so you need to do some serious thinking. You’ve been very honest about what attracted you to your wife but if she doesn’t lose weight, is your marriage over? If so, take the long view regarding future relationships. Everyone ages, so could this obsession with looks affect other relationships if your marriage doesn’t last?

You felt you didn’t deserve your wife at first which hints at low self esteem and could go some way to explaining your obsession with looks, so counselling could really help both of you and guide you to making the right decisions for your children and yourselves. *Send your comments/stories to Love Doctor. E-mail: ireto007@yahoo. com. For free marriage/relationships counseling, call Love Doctor Mike 07031028714, 08131161840. Visit lovedrmike.blogspot.com

37

Mother gives birth to twin girls nearly two months apart

Odd News

A

Romanian woman has given birth to twin girls nearly two months apart, in what doctors described as a 'miracle'.

The 41-year-old woman gave birth to her first daughter in November 2014, but the other was born seven weeks later in January 2015.

This means though the babies are twins, they are born in two different calendar years, Romania Insider reports.

The woman had carried both babies without any problems, but began having contractions prematurely at seven months.

She gave birth to her first child naturally, and doctors expected the birth of the second twin shortly afterwards.

But to their amazement, her

contractions stopped.

Earlier scans had found the twins were in different embryo sacs and had separate placentas, as is often the case for nonidentical twins.

So the doctors advised the woman to carry the second twin for longer so it could grow inside her womb.

Finally, the second twin was born in January 2015 by Caesarean section at the Cantancuzino hospital in Bucharest.

'It is extremely rare; I don't even know which medical mechanism stopped contractions for the second twin,' Dr Adrian Sorin Crăciun told Mediafax newswire.

'It was nothing short of God's miracle.'

Both babies were underweight at birth, with the first weighing slightly less than 2lbs (900g), and the second weigh-

ing 3lbs 3oz (1kg).

They stayed in hospital until the end of January, weighing 4lbs 13oz (2.2 kg) and 6lbs 6oz (2.9 kg) by the time they went home.

Dr Leila Hanna, a consultant gynaecologist & obstetrician at BMI The Sloane Hospital, Kent, said this case was 'extremely rare and unusual'.

She told MailOnline: 'The majority of non-identical twins have different placentas. They are from two eggs with two embryo sacs and two placentas.

'But the fact that they were born seven weeks apart is highly unusual.

'Normally they come out days apart, not weeks.

'She must have been a bit dilated, had her first child but then contractions stopped, her cervix quietened down and she was not dilated enough to have the second child.

'There is no cause for this, it is just an unusual case.

'She is lucky to have carried the second baby for longer so it could grow in her womb.

'These babies were underweight and so the risk of them needing respiratory care and neonatal support is high.

Courtesy: Daily Mail

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38

Love&Living

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

'Should I give up my life for love?'

I

am torn between following my responsibility and my heart. I grew up in Vietnam knowing I would always follow in my father’s footsteps by marrying the daughter of one of his associates and becoming a partner in his business within the next 10 years. For the first 24 years of my life this was acceptable, it was in fact the only reality. Now everything has changed.

I came to Sydney on exchange to finish my last 2 years at university. My parents said I needed to be educated about the world and see how lucky I am to have my life established for me.

It was believed that I would see the example of people wasting their lives in Sydney on drugs and fleeting pleasures and appreciate how hard my father has always made me work and the control needed to be successful.

Instead I was accepted immediately by an amazing group of people and for the first time in my life I controlled my time, my money and I was able to choose who I was friends with without worrying about my parents disapproval.

With them so far away it was easy to forget the life that has always been waiting for me and enjoy every moment of my life here in this wonderful country.

I never questioned that I would return to my real life eventually, the dutiful son earning his father’s approval by following his example

True Story completely.

My time in Sydney has been a dream with none of the history of my country and my family forcing me to act and think a certain way.

My dream became even better when I met Anna on campus early last year. She is everything my parents would hate, she works at a bar, she loves to argue and has opinions about everything and she doesn't know what she wants

Wedding Traditions

Log Cutting: Germany

I

n Germany, newlyweds must instantly put their bond to the test by working together to saw a log in half in front of all their guests. The act is intended to showcase the bride

and groom's ability to work together and face the obstacles that may come throughout their marriage.

Courtesy: Irish Central.

to be doing 10 minutes from now, let alone 10 years from now. I know that her worst crime in my parent's eyes is that she loves me.

I didn't realise how much I loved her in return until I received a letter from my parents 2 weeks ago containing a cheque for my final term of tuition at university and extra money to buy a ticket home at the end of July.

Suddenly my time has run out and I have to wake up from my dream. My time in Sydney has changed me and I am scared that I cannot go back to the world I once lived in and I can't imagine being away from Anna.

"My parents mean everything to me, but I worry that if I give up the life I have now I will never be happy and always wonder how my life could have otherwise turned out."

I have not told Anna about my parents or their plan for me, only that I come from a very traditional Catholic Vietnamese family. I don't think she will appreciate the difficulty I have in choosing whether to abandon the life I have always worked for and anticipated.

I know it is selfish but a part of me isn't sure her love is enough for me to give up my family and my future. I also do not want her to stay with me only out of guilt.

How do I make this decision that I feel could change my life forever?

Courtesy: nine.com

Love Education

What is Sex Selection?

S ex selection is the attempt to control the sex of the offspring to achieve a desired sex. It can be accomplished in several ways, both preand post-implantation of an embryo, as well as at birth. It has been marketed under the title family balancing.

Preference for sex of child In many cultures, male offspring are desired in order to inherit property, carry on family name, to provide support for parents in old age.

In countries such as India, China and Nepal sons have been favored over daughters. According to a 2011 Gallup poll, American parents favor boys by a 40% to 28% margin. The results were similar to a survey in 1941, when Americans preferred a boy to a girl by a 38% to 24% margin.

The overall preference was driven by men, of whom 49% preferred a son compared to 22% who preferred a daughter. Men's preference for sons was most pronounced among men aged 18 to 29. Women, on the other hand, showed no preference for either sex, with 33% stating that they preferred a girl and 31% responding that they favored a boy. Evidence suggests couples in the United Kingdom tend to pick sons and daughters in roughly even numbers.

A 2009 study at the University of Ulster found that having sisters, as compared to brothers, can enhance the quality of life of an adult.

Post-birth Sex-selective infanticide - Killing children of the unwanted sex. Though illegal in most parts of the world, it is still practiced.

Sex-selective child abandonment - Abandoning children of the unwanted sex. Though illegal in most parts of the world, it is still practiced.

Source: en.wikipedia.org.

SATURDAY

Travel &Tourism SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2015

Chef's Corner

Chef Tossou’s pick for Valentine dinner p.40

39

African Sun Airport Hotel: A piece of classic experience

Travel Personality

Lee Hess: Swiss Spirit Hotel and Suites Asaba is setting the benchmark for other competitors p.41

One of the bedrooms

Destination

A day at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort p.42

Hotel's facade

The swimming pool

HOSPITALITY

A

s gateway to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) and also to the local airport, Airport road teems with hotels of different categories. The attraction is mostly due to its proximity to these two airports and the easy access out of town that if offers.

But for African Sun Airport Hotel, Lagos, the newest addition to the growing statistics, it goes beyond leveraging on the vantage location, rather it is out to pander to patrons with a yearning for the good life with its upmarket product, signposted by its upscale facilities tempered with personalised and professionally delivered services.

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Focus The general manager of the hotel, which is part of the Zimbabwean-owned international hotel brand (African Sun) and fast gaining grounds in the Nigerian hospitality space, Sindiso Sibando, quite confident and focused on the hotel’s brand, which he said is providing up-

African Sun Airport Hotel Lagos is brand new and it comes with a lot of promises, offering an upmarket product with a middle class panache, writes ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA who was at the hotel recently. market product for the people. ‘‘We are looking for the upper end clients to give them the services that they are looking for,’’ said Sibando, adding that the hotel offers another opportunity for African Sun to entrench its brand in the market, which according to him are high quality product and services delivered in an excellent manner.

According to the Zimbabwean–born general manager, every hotel has its building and facilities but what makes the difference, he said, is the service and this is where African Sun has the edge because of its devotion to professionalised services. ‘‘The product that we have here is generally better than those around us,’’ he boasts, adding that ‘‘our prices are higher but we are offering a better product and give our clients value for their money because once you get what you want you will be willing to pay for it.’’

If there is one thing he values

most, it is guests feedback. ‘‘We take guests feedback very seriously and evolve a better means to please them,’’ he said.

He also explained that the hotel is quite flexible and ready to pander to every need of its guests, adding that as a full service hotel, the commitment to the guests is offering them the best and memorable experience.

Accommodation It has 75 rooms comprising deluxe, standard deluxe, executive deluxe and suite – all classic and furnished to taste and guest’s satisfaction with some of the best amenities in the hospitality business. Some of the amenities include shower/Jacuzzi, tea/coffee facilities, well-stocked mini bar, flat screen TV with satellite services and internet as well as deposit safe.

Dining/wining Its Iruka restaurant, offers a range of African and international buffet and a la carte dining. For

relaxation, the service bar in the restaurant, lounge and Wharfedale pool bars are the spots to visit to enjoy some of the best wines, beverages and cocktails in the city.

Fitness Its fitness facilities include a swimming pool, which children could use if accompanied by their parents; a gymnasium located at the basement of the hotel with plans for a spa, massage and treatment facilities.

Conference The hotel offers a rich blend of conference facilities with two conference halls, which are furnished and equipped to taste and are dedicated to hosting such events as weeding, parties, retreats, training seminars and workshops and annual general meetings as well as private gigs.

The conference facilities are complemented by business centre services.

Other services Other services on offer include complimentary breakfast, free Wi–Fi, airport shuttle, laundry, 24-hour room service, ample parking space and round-theclock power supply.

NEW TELEGRAPH PARTNER HOTELS B E N E F I TS

FESTAC, LAGOS

ABA LAGOS

ABA

There are lots of benefits to derive as one of our partner hotels. For enquiries and details on how to join the programme, please contact Andrew Iro Okungbowa: 08023152195 (sms only), e-mail: iroandy@ymail.com or Chinyere Opara: 08063768131 (sms only) e-mail angela_ curtis-2@live.com

40

Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Chef Tossou’s pick for Valentine dinner

CHEF'S CORNER

Chef Francois Xavier Tossou, head chef of Banex Hotel and Suites, in Lagos, shares his recipe for a Valentine dinner.

Spiced chicken salad (for four persons)

Ingredients: • 175g cooked chicken meat, shredded.

• 2 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped • 1 green chili, deseeded and very finely chopped • ½ cucumber, chopped • ½ lettuce, coarsely shredded • 1 small onion finely sliced • 1 green pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced • Juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper • Mix together the chicken and all the remaining ingredients in a large sinking bowl

Beef in grandmother style (for six persons)

Ingredients: • 1kg fillet of beef steak, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 5cm cubes • 50g flour • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • 30ml vegetable oil • 50g butter • 225g carrots, peeled and sliced • 225g baby turnips, peeled • 225g button onions, peeled

• • • •

and left whole 1 garlic clove, crushed 450ml chicken stock 10ml tomato puree Very small spring of rosemary

Method Toss the meat in the flour seasoned with salt and pepper, shake off the excess and reserve any flour left over. Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the meat briskly. On all sides, then remove and reserve it. Add the butter, carrots, turnips, onions and garlic to the pan and fry until they are golden brown. Sprinkle in any leftover flour and cook gently for one minute.

Gradually stir in the stock, tomato puree, herbs and seasoning.

Bring to the boil, stirring constant until the stock has thickened and is smooth, then return the meat to the pan. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 11/2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Spiced chicken salad

Accompaniment: This could be eaten with steamed rice and accompanied with red wine Dessert Cream caramel

Cream caramel

World Travel Market 2014 hits £2.5 billion record travel deals

TRAVEL BEATS

Ambassador Heights wins international property award Ambassador Heights, a luxury residential development adjacent to the Moevenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, Ghana, has earned an International Property Award.

In its quest to discover the best developers in Africa, the International Property Awards in London urged development companies to present their finest works.

It said entries were received from companies in 13 countries across the continent. The judging committee chaired by three members of Britain's House of Lords scrutinized hundreds of entries with Ambassador Heights claiming an African Property Award in the category of “Residential Development.”

Expectations are high on the gains of the forthcoming African Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) 2015, scheduled to hold in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital for the second year running.

This optimism was expressed by the government of Ethiopia and organizers of the event, Bench Events at a recent meeting with the local community on the prospect of the two days meeting (September 30 – October 1).

According to Bench Events, AHIF 2015

L-R: Representatives from Kingdom Hotel Investments, Robert Davis (Sales Manager for Ambassador Heights) and Dean Foley (Commercial Real Estate Manager), receive an International Property Award for Ambassador Heights Receiving the award at the award ceremony held in Dubai, the sales manager for the project, Robert Davis, said: “Our team is honored to win this coveted award which further validates Ambassador Heights’ position as the most exclusive and luxuri-

ous residential offering in Ghana.”

The owners of the facility said when completed towards the end of this year, Ambassador Heights will stand as the only true 5-star mixed use project in West Africa.

It has been revealed that last year World Travel Market (WTM), the leading global travel exhibition will generate a record £2. 506,739,121 billion businesses, translating to 13 percent increase over that of 2013.

According to the findings of an independent research, most of the deals will be generated from the contracts signed event or from negotiations with WTM Buyer’s Club members, which will lead to deals signed before WTM 2015.

WTM 2013 facilitated £2.2 billion in business deals, either on the exhibition floor or in the 12 months that followed, which was a 19 percent increase on WTM 2012’s £1.9 billion. WTM 2011 saw £1.653 billion of deals, while WTM 2010 facilitated almost £1.5 billion.

The record increase is credited to the 7 percent increase in WTM Buyers’ Club

High expectations for Hotel Investment Forum will attract a high level of international hotel investors and that they will support the government in seeking investment to develop one of the most important economic sectors, travel and tourism. The managing director of Bench Events, Matthew Weihs, expressed confidence over the success of the event. “I’m absolutely delighted to be

back in Addis Ababa again. The feedback from our event here last September has been very positive – it facilitated thousands of constructive high-level conversations and that made it an easy decision to return. This September, I’m expecting to see more involvement from the local market which will make AHIF more productive, because international

companies are keen to find the best local partners,” said Weihs.

According to the president of Sunshine Business, Samuel Tafesse: "Last year´s event was a great success and I consider it as a great introduction of the Ethiopian market to the international investment world. We are particularly excited that AHIF is coming back again

members to more than 9,100 (9,124).

The WTM Buyers’ Club is the leading business network for travel buyers and WTM facilitates networking opportunities, including the hugely popular WTM Speed Networking sessions.

Last year’s event, which was the 35th edition of WTM also witnessed an impressive 6% increase in overall trade visitors compared to 2013, with WTM overall welcoming almost 52,000 participants over the four days.

Senior director of World Travel Market, Simon Press said: “I am delighted with the amount of business conducted at World Travel Market 2014, which increases each year. This success firmly positioning WTM as a must-attend exhibition for national and regional tourist boards, global brands, luxury and technology companies.’’ this year as it can build on last year´s event and presents the opportunity to provide access to foreign money. It still remains a big secret for me, why a stable country such as Ethiopia, with Africa's best airline in terms of connectivity and tourism arrivals growing by 15 percent, is still a difficult place to attract foreign money. Therefore, I hope the 2015 event will open more eyes and foreign investors will look more closely into this particular country."

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Travel & Tourism

41

TRAVEL PERSONALITY

Lee Hess: Swiss Spirit Hotel and Suites Asaba is setting the benchmark for other competitors that environment because where there is business there is money to be made.

“So, I think that is what they are looking for and the type of people that Nigerians are, they are very business focused and business articulated people and driven entrepreneurs, meaning that brands will definitely flourish in that kind of environment and in that type of market.”

Lee Hess, a South African, is the general manager of Swiss Spirit Hotel and Suites Mardezok, Asaba, Delta State. He speaks with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on his vision for the hotel, hospitality in Asaba, Nigeria, and his career path.

L

ee Hess cuts almost a boyish look, very young, outspoken, energetic and confident. He calls the shots as the general manager of Swiss Spirit Mardzo Asaba, but like most bosses he doesn’t intimidate you with his authority and the power he wades.

Easy-going and gets along with everyone and you could miss him for any of his staff as he was seated in his outer office in the midst of two of his senior staff members having talk.

Just quite unassuming but behind that self enfacing disposition is a thoroughbred professional with a steel resolve and ambition to place his hotel -Swiss Spirit Hotel and Suites Mardork, Asaba on the top chart of Asaba. “We are setting the benchmark in Asaba for other competitors, we are forcing them to change and to bring up their standards to our level of standard when it comes to finishing and services.

So, that is our main objective, to bring up the standard of hospitality in Asaba as a whole,” he says of his focus.

“Being the first internationally branded hotel in Asaba does come with its challenges and with its advantages. Nigerians are brandconscious people, they like good brands, high quality, good finishing and they like things that are easy on the eyes. Giving these to them and bringing something that would have ideally worked very well in cities like Lagos is like bringing a piece of the city to a devalued city like Asaba,” he explains.

Given this development, Hess tells you that: “Our challenge is that we need to break into the market because the market is saturated with independent brands and also when it comes to the level of service we want to also push it up, just bring it up one notch hence we always continuously train our staff, training the locals of Asaba to work in the hotel because the main objective why the chairman has built the hotel is to create jobs for his own people.

“We are aiming to be the state of the art, we want to be the most modern, efficient hotel in the market of Asaba and I do think that we are the best hotel in Asaba at the moment, the most modern and the most chic of all the hotels in Asaba.”

But is there a demand for such a high profile property in Asaba?

“There is a demand for something new in Asaba,” he says without a blink, explaining further that “the demand has been there, we have had a very good influx and I do hope that we enjoy this throughout. The hotel is something special because you don’t have anything like this in Asaba, I can assure you of that. Even up to the small details, like our beds, our beds are of high

quality, from internationally branded property as well.”

I want people to use Swiss Spirit as a landmark “My vision firstly is for Swiss Spirit Asaba to be the best hotel in the city and to stay at being the best and also I want people to use it as a landmark, I will want it to be a landmark like the Tiffel Towers in Paris, France. So everyone knows where it is and what it is about. I need it to be the focus or centre point of Asaba whereby everybody needs to be there, they want to be there. So, this will be a place whereby people come to lodge and come to spend time to enjoy themselves.

“We want to make it a central place for socialising for the people of Asaba. You know in December we were quite busy around the swimming pool, so during weekends we want to make it a family affair and in the evenings of course, we want to make it a social gathering point for the young entrepreneurs and business people to socialise.”

Hospitality runs in the family Hess loves for the hospitality is something hereditary, as he tells you that “I think it is in my blood, it is in my family because my grandfather was the food and beverage manager at Mt Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, it is Cape Town’s oldest five, sixstar hotel. It is in Cape Town’s city centre.”

Growing up in that environment and watching his grandparents and even his parents work in hospitality, it was not surprising that the young Hess decided to follow his heart and first love when it was time for him to cut his career path, as he easily opted for a training in hospitality and schooled in one of the best hospitality schools in his country.

Hospitality business in Asaba is Hess growing With less than four months in the city, Hess has done his research to let you know that business travel is what thrives in the city and that the hospitality sector is growing but certainly not yet developed.

“I have been here for about three months plus and when it comes to leisure travelling it is not as valued but when it comes to corporate travelling the hospitality business in Asaba is growing because there are new hotels popping up in Asaba. We are the only branded hotel in Asaba but there are others coming.

“The hospitality business in Asaba needs a lot of grooming because we are not yet groomed to international standard. And it will be great to have a certain rating system I can assure whereby you can actually rate your hotel with those standards. But it you that is a growing industry in Asaba, I there is can assure you that there is a lot of potential for hospitality in Asaba a lot of because it is a developing city, it is a growing city. potential for Nigeria is a business hub for Africa “What I have noticed over the couple of months is that Nigeria is a business hub for West Africa or the whole of Africa. It used to be Johannesburg but Lagos is becoming a city where everything is happening.

People want to be here, people want to see what is going on in Lagos and people want to see what is happening in Nigeria.

“So, coming to Nigeria I was truly excited. Everyone is coming to Nigeria and I said let me also see what is happening there. I have

hospitality in Asaba because it is a developing city

come to love the Yoruba biggest and I have learnt a lot from the people that I have worked with.

Nigerians won’t need expatriates in few years’ time “My perception of the hospitality industry in Nigeria is that it is truly a developing and growing industry. It is growing faster and faster by the day. Nigerians are learning a lot when it comes to hospitality because there is a burning passion in a lot of Nigerians who are coming to work in hotels, they are learning and experiencing the hospitality culture.

“You need to have a passion for the industry of course, I can assure you that in few years’ time you won’t need experts because Nigerians are getting more interested and knowing how to properly run a hotel.

“I have always invested my time in training the locals, to bring out the best in them to better the hospitality industry and of course themselves.

So, it is a growing industry.”

Nigeria’s market, attraction for international brands “You know Nigeria is one of the biggest and if not the biggest country on Africa continent population wise and you know that brands are seeing the advantages in Nigeria’s huge population. Another perspective to look at is from the business point of view and Nigeria has become a huge business hub while Nigerians are very driven people, they are all entrepreneurs. And where there is business, I can assure you that international brands move to

I enjoyed my time at the Congo Interestingly, Hess moved to Congo just after a few months’ stint in South Africa where he actually honed and perfected his skills.

He was in Congo Brazziville and reveals that: “I enjoyed the Congo people, their food culture and that is where my passion for travel has grown. I learnt a lot of the culture, I learnt some French and the local language. You know they love good traditional food. I used to go to the market on my own. I enjoyed my time in the Congo and I was there for about a year.

Eyes on the apple He left the Congo for Abu Dhabi where he worked with Starwood and his experience of the Congo and that of Abu Dhabi were world apart as he informs that Abu Dhabi was a luxury-induced environment where everything works perfectly whereas that of the Congo was a different story.

He left the Middle East for Nigeria where he worked at Westown Hotel and now he heads Swiss Spirit Mardok Asaba. For him, it has been a jolly journey as he tells you that he has made quite amazing friends from across the bridge and religious divide.

Hess who has cut his teeth in basically all of the sections of operations still has many years ahead of him and looks forward to working in his native country where he has not really established his foothold as a professional.

With deep seated root in the hospitality, he looks forward to heading some of the big brands in hospitality and dictating boardroom politics while hopefully he would retire gracefully into teaching as he is very much interested in teaching and mentoring young people.

42 Travel & Tourism

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A day at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort The beach front

DESTINATION La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort located in Ikegun Village in the Lekki axis of Lagos is a naturally appealing Africanthemed resort with a mix of rustic and sophisticated colourations; traditional and classic entertainment and many more thrown into it. ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA who recently visited this natural sanctuary writes.

I

A jolly ride to the resort t was a Sunday; the weather was at its best element. One set out on the long drive this fateful morning with a little trepidation thinking of the traffic gridlock one is most certainly going to encounter on the route. But surprisingly, it turned out to be one of the smoothest and hasslefree drives one had enjoyed on the route in recent times.

All the way from one’s house, the road was free and not once did one has to break the rhythm of speed, cruising freely all the way and savouring the somewhat fresh, maybe not clean but breezy air of Lagos. Not even the notorious Ajah roundabouts posed any traffic challenge, it was a jolly ride.

The two stops one made were stop over at one of the fast food spots by Jakande Estate roundabout to buy a breakfast pack

and the other at a fuel station after Ajah to purchase engine oil pack as the oil signal suddenly pumped up warning of danger.

Ekaabo treat The first port of call on arrival at the resort is the Ekaabo, the red brick building, which serves as the reception. Colourfully furnished and hugely decorated with African art pieces and textile materials in consonance with the tradition of the resort.

The first treat at the Ekaabo (welcome) centre is the warm and creatively designed hospitality routine - couched in local tradition and a brief introduction to the resort by the welcome team at the reception. On this day, Victor Koffy, Adewale Ogunbadewa, Michael Adenigbagbe and Lulu Dick formed part of the tour guide team.

First is the Wazobia greeting, a specially designed greeting mode for both the men and women. No handshake is entertained at the resort except for this Wazobia greeting, which every visitor is taught and implored to adopt as a breach is normally frowned at and you could be punished if you are in the employ of the resort.

Koffy and Dick took time to demonstrate the greeting mode to visitors at the reception. It was a full house because Sundays is one of the days when the resort plays host to day guests or picnickers who come to explore the many offerings of the resort.

It was time to begin the exploration of the resort and just before we embarked on the enthralling encounter of this natural enclave, an African themed resort, which offers its guests different bouquets of frolicking moment with nature, Koffy explained that there are three means of accessing the resort from Ekaabo.

There is the walk through on the foot-

path or horse ride and then canoe ride.

Neither the horse nor the canoe ride options were available on this day but all the same the group was guided first to the jetty area to have a view of it. At the other end of the resort is a jetty also and normally a welcome party is stationed there as well to receive visitors.

Journeying through the jogging tracks This offers an interesting wilderness experience with the group walking through the forested section of the resort, which according to Koffy, is purposely designed as a throwback to the rural or village setting, which many people in big cities like Lagos had forgotten or never experienced before.

The tracks are well-kept by the beach combers who comb daily through the jungle and the beachfront to ensure their cleanliness. This part of the resort is really refreshing, a natural and peaceful scenery presenting a picturesque view, which no one wants to hurriedly walk through but linger on to savour its natural aesthetics and pull.

For conservationists, this is one part of the resort that they would love to explore to their feel. And to encourage this intercourse with nature, you find such structures as a library (Ile Ikawe) and tree houses (Ile Rigi) with local lanterns where one can relax to watch either the singing birds or sit quietly to feel the calmness of nature or even busy oneself reading a book without any intrusion.

Lion (Ekun) drive This road path leads to a section of the resort called Anago village, one of the settings of the resort, named after the Yorubas.

It comes with its own history and tradition just like the other villages in the resort. It has seven blocks, each made of three bedrooms,

tastefully furnished with a blend of African hard wares, textile and art works as well as different functional ornaments and sophisticated modern amenities.

This upscale and luxuriating setting is what you are treated to by the different chalets the only difference being that the level of luxury and sophisticated appeal differs from one chalet to the other. At the extreme of Anago is located ‘Ile Rimi’ (House on water), with three plush bedrooms and a living room that comes with its own attractions and setting.

Horse (Esin) drive Besides it natural and forest – like setting, part of the attraction on this drive is the popular Sekakomi experience; here you have a traditional hut setting with wooden seats and tables. It is actually a palm wine drinking joint. As explained by Koffy it is very symbolic and a reminder of the local setting where the people come together at the close of the day’s activities to enjoy fresh palm wine, some local delicacies, exchange the juiciest gist in town and get entertained by the local minstrels.

Founder’s camp site This is the spot where the owner of the resort, Otunba Wanle Akinbobye, first set up base when he came on a visit to the forest, trying to work out his thoughts and birth his dream. Today, that dream has grown and continued to grow bigger, attracting hundreds of people from across the globe to this somewhat magical resort where nature is fully at play.

The camp tent used by him in 1984 when he abandoned all the comfort that his rich wallet could had provided and the life style he acquired from America as

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14 FEBRUARY 2015

Barbeque hut

Travel & Tourism 43

Swimming pool

Mechanic village

Ekaabo

Tree house

a dashing 29-year-boy and decided to pitch tent with nature all by himself even to the angst and unbelief of the villagers who failed to persuade him from sacrificing his life to the wild creatures of the forest, still stands even in its weather beaten nature as a reminder of that momentous period in the life of Akinboboye and the resort.

A sign post boldly inscribed with the founder’s campsite 1984 stares at you as you try to absolve the moving story behind the resort as told by Koffy. Just to underscore the dangerous nature of the wild dared by Akinboboye is another sign post with the inscription: ‘Please don’t feed the monkeys.’

How dangerous could it get? This jungle still is home to many wildlife, birdlife and flora. You come across monkeys, antelopes, squirrels and the likes when on early mornings or late evening’s trail of the wild. It is actually from this point that Michael Adenigbagbe took over the narration as he took us through the scientific and conservation aspects of the resort.

Beach front Moving away from the forested end of the resort where you are treated to an amazing wildlife safari, you come to the beach front area, which breathes a different life and breathe of its own.

This is where Akinboboye’s high octave dream and creative ferment totally come to the fore, turning the entire stretch of resort, which is said to span over 60 hectares of land, into nature’s play ground as the chalets and other structures as well as the different activities that have been devised, amidst the

dancing and flourishing palm fronds, to make life here more meaningful, liveable and enjoyable, complement in an un obtrusive manner, the natural platitudes of the resort, which sits as a backdrop to the unfolding dream.

The chalets are well-apportioned and classed into different categories: beginning with Laba (Labalaba - butterfly in Yoruba), they are five in numbers; Kodi village with five chalets; Oso village with six chalets; Adugbo Agba (Elders’ avenue); Obieze village with four chalets; Oba ile rigi; and two tree houses, which are the latest additions to the resort’s accommodation.

Other structures Spread across the palm fronds littered grounds are a number of structures, which lend themselves to different activities, these include -Bole kaja bar - which is made of the popular transportation vehicle years back in the country; a barbeque spot for grills and local delicacies and right in front of this spot is the traditional story telling arena (Ijoko Agba). It takes you back to the traditional setting in the days of moonlight tales where the elders sit with the younger ones entertaining them with tales full of moral lessons.

There is also the Olufunke tent at the beach front, which is a dedicated children’s playground; swimming pool; massage and spa hut; outdoor restaurant; Okun bar for drinks and barbeque and Yoru’bar, which offers traditional setting with a live cooking station and utilises local cooking utensils such as mortar and pestle and grinding stone.

Cultural performances are sometimes

Inside view of one of the chalets

alive here while you busy yourself with your food and palm wine.

Other facilities are the Pabirikoto (conference hall); and Ola Rotimi International Stage as well as King Sunny Ade Stage, which is a largerthan-life multiple stage for musical performances and other presentations.

It has a basement, which also houses a mini theatre or stage, rooms (Okunrere) and sound area among others.

provisions have been made for them within the busy schedule and scheme of activities of the resort. For such people, entry fees are charged the different categories – adults, teenagers, children and groups while for anyone wishing to bring in their foods and drinks corkage are charged per person by the resort otherwise drinks and foods – buffet/ala carte - are offered on request.

Sports and other activities The resort also offers different sporting and leisure activities, the endless list include – badminton, volley and football pitches, basket court, there is also a water sport arena for such activities as boat cruise, canoeing, kaying and hydro-biking; table tennis, snooker boards, aiming the basket, kataput and Ogiejo game.

Time out It was quite an experience to explore the entrails of the resort unhindered and sharing moment with a number of picnickers. It was a particularly delightsome and refreshing period to see such a number of people on time out on a Sunday with their families, friends and dates to explore the beauty of nature and delight in the various offerings of the resort.

A number of the visitors were whites and expatriates but one look forward to such a time when Nigerians would see the need to visit such facilities in their numbers not only to lodge or partake in live performances or group event as it is the culture here but to also explore on their own and have fun at nature’s playground.

Such is always a delightful experience, fun-filled and memorable when you are left to your own devices unhindered. You come away refresh and energised. This is why the resort was set up and the only way to encourage such investment and attract others to our tourism scene, is for us, the locals to see the need to grow it by our unalloyed patronage all year round.

Picnickers’ haven The resort with its array of facilities offer different services from accommodation, conference, retreat, entertainment and leisure (musical and theatrical shows), honeymoon and wedding packages as well as hosting workshops, seminars and such other designated events.

Besides, this is one haven for picnickers who daily patronise the resort particularly on weekends as it was the case on this fateful Sunday when the whole resort’s grounds were taken over by picnickers most of them families.

As explained by Ogunbadewa, the resort management is ever happy to play host to picnickers as

44

Society

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Our first Valentine and how we plan to celebrate today As though the day has no other symbolism aside romance, Valentine’s Day is here again and lovers have returned to the frenzy. LANRE ODUKOYA and ANGELA DAVIES speak to some celebrities on how they spent their first Valentine’s Day together plus how they plan to have a memorable occasion today.

The Oyebades

The Idahosas

Osas and Gbenro

The Ekeindes

T.W.O

Olu and Joke

Imelda J

Rasqie

The Igbokwes

Terry G

I

JOKE SILVA & OLU JACOBS t’s not in a particular way we celebrate Valentine’s Day because we have many Valentine moments throughout the year. And then also we tend not to be together that day anyway, because each of us had mostly been at different locations. We were mostly left with a choice of calling each other and saying, ‘Happy Valentine today, dear’. For this year, we were supposed to have the presidential election on the same day; we were planning something around that mood. We agreed that since we’re going to be in town together, we should attend an event at the MUSON Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos. But they had moved it to last Thursday for the event meant to celebrate Valentine’s Day. What that means is that we would have had our Valentine celebration before February 14.

STEPHANIE OKEREKE & LINUS IDAHOSA The first Valentine’s Day I spent with my husband was really beautiful. It was right here in the house, it was intimate because he had a surprise for me. When I entered the house, there were rose petals everywhere, the house was decorated and he hid gifts in different parts of the house. He was the man in charge because he had to order to check, A, B, C and D to pick different gifts where he hid them. The whole house was lit up with red lights and balloons everywhere, it was fun. It was an adventure right under a roof and I had a yummy Valentine’s dinner cooked. That way, we just surprised each other. But we’re both hiding our plans for this Valentine as usual and that’s why I cannot tell you what’s sup-

posed to be a secret I keep from him as I know he’s also keeping one till today.

CAPTAIN MATTHEW & OMOTOLA JALADEEKEINDE I have been married for 19 years, so, I cannot remember my first ever Valentine with Omotola. But this Valentine, I honestly do not know how it will be spent.

For me all that craze for Valentine is not an issue anymore and that is the truth. It is just not an issue, maybe, for all the young lovers out there it is. But that doesn’t mean I am not going to take Omotola out. I will probably do that, but it is not a big deal.

There is nothing we will do now that we

have not done in 19 years.

hubby and children.

OSAS IGHODARO & GBENRO AJIBADE The first Valentine spent with Gbenro was my most memorable one. It was very romantic and surprising one. He surprised me; he took me to Obudu Ranch in Cross River State. For this year, we will be celebrating Valentine outside the country.

AYO AND THEODORA OYEBADE Our first Valentine's Day together was a blur. We spent the day together; sure, however, we were on the set of our production, Shameful Deceit. We shot an engagement scene at a restaurant. After the shoot, we sat down and had a meal. This year, we will hopefully spend the evening at Basketmouth’s comedy show and have a romantic dinner afterwards.

TUNDE & WUNMI OBE (T.W.O) Wow, that was a very long time ago.

We are talking about February 14, 1988.

We were probably performing at an event.

While Tunde says it’s a surprise and he can't divulge it, Wunmi says at home with

Valentine Unusual Celebrating Valentine’s Day has taken new a dimension Nigeria in recent times. It has gone beyond being celebrated by couples in cosy and relaxed environments. Here are a few of the new twist.

• Teachers and pupils of some private schools celebrate Valentine adorning red top and white bottoms costume to school which depicts love. They celebrate the day with different fun events.

• Equally, some private schools request that pupils bring gifts to exchange with their classmates and friends. While some schools, also, requests pupils to bring gifts for their class teachers. In the same vein, some private schools encourage pupils to make Valentine Cards for their parents us-

•

•

•

ing cardboard and write simple words like, “Happy Valentine to dad and mum” in their handwriting. All these are done to encourage the spirit of giving.

For some adults and teenagers, they spend the day giving back to the society in various capacities such as spending quality times at different orphanages, old people's home, hospitals and others.

Some eateries and relationship match-makers set up blind dates for singles which may or may not lead to real relationships.

Some non-governmental organisations and interest groups spend the day teaching young people how to differentiate love from infatuation and sex so that they don’t fall into wrong hands.

EDWIN & OLUCHI IGBOKWE Well, last year’s Valentine, we were in Dubai together and we had loads of fun.

As for this year, I still don’t know the surprise package awaiting me yet. But I know he will surely surprise me.

RASQIE, MUSICIAN The first Valentine I spent with my wife was in a resort. We had a good time, swam and ate good food. We spent like nine hours together. I would basically be spending this year’s Valentine with my wife and kids too.

IMELDA J, MUSICIAN I will be spending Valentine’s Day at any private beach in Lagos with my family and friends. I don’t like noisy environments.

TERRY G Every day is Valentine's Day to me and my girlfriend. We’re busy putting business together to make our future bright so as to celebrate love and peace of mind forever.

SATURDAY, 14 FEBRUARY, 2015

SATURDAY

Politics 45

Cover

Okurounmu: Jega has compromised INEC to favour north p.48

Business Talk

'CBN should be relieved of some of its functions’ p.53

Personal Finance

Key income concepts to financial freedom p.54

Jega

in the eye of the storm

Since the clamour for the general elections to be shifted became an issue on the front burner, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega has been on the spot. In this piece, Onwuka Nzeshi recaptures the allegations leveled against Jega and how he might be consumed unless he is able to prove his innocence or the forces against him choose to retreat.

F

or several years, Prof. Attahiru Jega had been a popular figure in Nigeria.

Jega came to limelight during his tenure as President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU) and led the union to several battles against the federal government with a view to improving the welfare of his colleagues and creating a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning at the ivory towers. In those days, Jega was seen as a man of principle and integrity for his unwavering commitment to the cause of ASUU and the development of tertiary education in the country.

However, the story is different today.

Jega's tenure as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has further raised his profile but unfortunately, lowered his integrity- rating in the eyes of many Nigerians.

In last couple of weeks, this erudite scholar and trade unionist has been in the eye of the storm owing to the controversies surrounding preparations for this year's general elections. In Nigeria, like in other developing countries, elections are very sensitive issues and anyone charged with the responsibility of overseeing one must be prepared to take the punches. Although, Jega is the referee of the forthcoming electoral contest, the prematch rehearsals which saw him being in the ring with the contestants has left him with more than enough bruises. Jega has been so severely pummeled by a host of political forces interested in the outcome of the contest that he is practically lying helplessly on the canvass and it is becoming doubtful if he could still stand firmly as an umpire in the March 28 and April 11, 2015 polls.

Š Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

The PVC Conundrum The seat has always been hot, but Jega's current trouble began with the unending challenges of distributing Permanent Voters Cards ( PVCs) to about 68 million eligible voters across the country. Saturday Telegraph investigations revealed that contract for the production of the PVCs were awarded in 2013 and the cards ought to had been ready for distribution by the end of that year. However, due to apparent lack of competence on the part of the contractors, the production of the cards ran into a major hitch, resulting in late delivery. There was also a lack of capacity at INEC in the distribution of the PVCs to their rightful owners across the federation.

The result was that two weeks to the general elections scheduled to hold on February 14, about 30 million eligible voters were yet to obtain their cards and were going to be disenfranchised if the polls were not postponed.

In addition to the hiccups experienced in the distribution of PVCs, there were also the unresolved issues of training and capacity building for INEC personnel as well as the thousands of ad hoc staff who will serve as polling officers during the election. The knotty issue was how to ensure that electoral officers were trained in the use of the card readers, the new technological devices that would complement the PVCs in identifying voters on election day.

The Confronation Jega incurred the wrath of Nigerians when he consistently presented the picture of an umpire ready for a crucial election but failed to address the obvious lapses in the system.

In no time, stakeholders accused him of mischievously glossing over the problems in INEC in order to sabotage the polls.

It was the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) that chose to frontally confront Jega on an alleged plot by the top hierarchy of the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) to manipulate the elections to satisfy some regional interests.

At a world press conference in Abuja, the group said, it had uncovered a conspiracy in the preparations for the election and demanded the postponement of the elections.

It also requested the security agencies to arrest Jega for bias, comprise , sabotage and sundry offences.

Chairman of the defunct Presidential Advisory Committee on the 2014 National Conference, Senator Femi Okunronmu who addressed journalists on behalf of the SNPA, accused INEC of registering under aged voters in the northern part of the country.

According to the group there was an urgent need for the immediate postponement of the February 14 presidential elections to allow for the reconstitution and repositioning of INEC to discharge its responsibility of conducting an impartial election. Jega , the SNPA said, should resign his appointment as the Chairman of INEC because, according to them, he had lost the requisite moral rectitude to organise a credible election.

The group accused Jega of "criminally" masterminding the procurement of PVCs for under aged pupils in contravention of the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act, 2000. It also accused the INEC of awarding contracts for the procurement of PVCs without going through the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). They raised issues about the secrecy surrounding the contract awardCONTINUED ON PAGE 46

46

Cover

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Six-week shift and its controversies CONTINUED ON PAGE 45

ed for the production of the PVCs, stressing that neither the cost nor the location of the contractor has been made known to Nigerians. They further accused Jega of being an ethnic and religious jingoist as well as an unrepentant Hausa-Fulani irredentist and a highly tribalised public administrator.

"We are not convinced that an INEC superintended by Prof. Jega would have any iota of impartiality to conduct a free and fair election in this country any more. Prof. Jega 's open romance, either directly or indirectly with elements of the opposition, has compromised his integrity, credibility and moral standing to conduct an impartial, free and fair 2015 presidential elections. He has become a wolf in sheep's clothing, who is not only deeply repungnanrtly clannish but also brazenly corrupt and fraudulent.

Because Jega was gravely intent on protecting the strategies to rig the elections in favour of the Northern candidate, he circumvented fundamental and critical requirement in the Public Procurement Act", the SNPA alleged.

Besides the SNPA, there were mass protests organized by different groups who were disturbed by the rather shabby preparations for the polls. These agitations effectively dragged the political parties participating in the elections Jonathan, Buhari... the major contenders into the controversy. While the People's Democratic Party( PDP) argued that tionally vote for the APC presidential the polls should be postponed because candidate, General Muhammadu BuINEC was not fully prepared, the main hari, are already armed with their PVCs. opposition party, All Progressives Con"The matter is that INEC has failed gress( APC) took a totally different posi- in its responsibility to produce and tion and insisted that the polls must go distribute PVCs to about 34 percent of on as scheduled. registered voters who would require the These divergent views of the ruling cards to vote in the elections. This brings party and the opposition re- echoed at us to the issue of statistics of PVC distrithe meeting of the National Council of bution and collection, which we believe States and subsequently at the broad - Professor Jega, as a person, acting in conbased consultations that INEC had with cert with some forces of retrogression, is stakeholders before it finally decided to playing games with.

"How come that the North East also shift the polls. has 75% collection rate when, in fact, More Salvos three states in this zone-Adamawa, BorIn spite of the decision to postpone no and Yobe- have been under the attack the elections, it appears that those who of Boko Haram insurgents, a developfelt aggrieved about Jega's handling of ment that has led to the displacement the challenges of INEC in recent months of many residents? Did the Internally have not given up. It is now a straight Displaced Persons come back there to fight between him and chieftains of the collect their PVCs? Why is it that North ruling party.

Central zone, which includes states like Last Wednesday, the PDP accused Plateau and Benue that traditionally Jega of partisanship, alleging that he vote PDP, has a collection rate of 48% had all along been working in concert when North East and North West have with the main opposition party to rig between 75 and 80% collection rates?" the election. In their favour. The ruling Fani-Kayode asked. party specifically accused him of holdAccording to Fani- Kayode, the PVC ing clandestine meetings with leaders of collection statistics for states and geopothe APC in Dubai, United Arab Emir- litical zones before the postponement of ates and other un-named cities in the the elections had raised the red flag on world to perfect plans to disenfranchise the suspicion that Professor Jega may 23 million eligible voters who have not had contrived a grand conspiratorial yet collected their Permanent Voters' alliance with APC to fraudulently secure Cards (PVCs). victory in the elections. He raised furDirector, Media and Publicity, PDP ther concerns on how the PVC collection Presidential Campaign Organisation, rates in the North Central, South-South, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, said at a press South West and South East were much conference that the INEC boss did not lower with the highest being 57% wheredisclose to Nigerians the real reasons be- as the North West zone which includes hind the rescheduling of the elections. Katsina (Buhari’s home state) have the According to Fani-Kayode, Professor highest collection rate of 80%.

Jega might have decided to aid the APC He recalled that INEC had told Nito rig the forthcoming elections through gerians as far back as January 2014 that a deliberate manipulation of the produc- the PVC distribution would be done in phases and challenged Jega to explain tion and distribution of the PVCs. He alleged that emerging trends have to Nigerians how Kano, Adamawa, shown calculated attempts to deprive Borno, Kaduna and Katsina, which were some parts of the federation believed to slated for Phase 3 and actually kicked be the traditional strongholds of the off distribution in November 2014, had PDP presidential candidate, Dr. Good- attained a 75-80% PVC collection rate luck Jonathan of their PVCs whilst the whilst many states slated for Phases 1 parts of the country that would tradi- and 2 and even some others in Phase

The matter is that INEC has failed in its responsibility to produce and distribute PVCs to about 34 percent of registered voters

3 are still hovering around the 40-50% collection rate.

He alleged that the PVCs that Nigerians have been scrambling to collect were not in Nigeria and were not programmed to arrive the country any time soon because Jega had strategically delayed their arrival to suit some preconceived political permutations.

The challenge to Jega's integrity or otherwise did not stop there as Fani- Kayode made further demands on Jega saying : "Can Prof Jega show Nigerians proof that the Chinese company printing the PVCs has been paid in full by disclosing the total contract sum and the amount paid to date? Can Prof Jega show proof of arrival or expected date of arrival of all PVCs for the elections? Can Prof Jega tell Nigerians how he could have distributed 23 million PVCs within five days to election if there hadn’t been a postponement?"

Talk Back in a swift reaction to these allegations, Chief Press to the INEC boss, Kayode Idowu , said that INEC does not join issues with political parties because the electoral body is a dispassionate umpire that remains committed to its constitutional responsibilities.

Jega had on its own also defended himself from these allegations when he addressed a world press conference on the the postponement of the elections. He

said there was no truth in the series of allegations level led against him by both the Southern Nigeria People's Assembly ( SNPA) and all other groups that have tended to paint him in uncomplimentary colours.

In the meantime, the campaign against Jega has moved up several notches with some groups speculating that Jega might be forced to proceed on terminal leave on March 1. Conspiracy theorists have posited that the Presidency was fed up with Jega given the events of the last few weeks and the mountain of allegations heaped upon him.

But again, Idowu has dismissed this as a mere rumour, explaining that Jega's appointment was not guided by civil service rules and so would serve out his tenure of office which will expire on June 30, 2015.

Although, President Goodluck Jonathan had also debunked the speculations of the imminent ousting of Jega from the hot seat, these permutations might not cease soon. It would be recalled that a Federal civil service circular, issued by former Head of Service, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali entitled, ‘Three Months pre-retirement/ terminal leave’ made no distinction as to whether one is a career civil servant or a political appointee.

The circular read in parts: "It has been observed that the mandatory notice of retirement for officers who are due to retire is not being observed as provided for in the extant rules. Accordingly, it has become necessary to reiterate the provisions of Public Service Rules (PSR) 100238 which states that officers are required to give three months notice of their retirement from service terminating on the effective date of their retirement” Jega’s predecessor, Prof Maurice Iwu’s tenure was due to expire on June 13, 2010; however, on April 28, 2010, the then acting President Goodluck Jonathan, ordered him to proceed on terminal leave.

Similarly, former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar’s tenure was due to end on July 30, 2014 but he proceeded on terminal leave on May 12, 2014. Would Jega's case take a different turn? Only time will tell.

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14 FEBRUARY 2015

47

Nobody should blame Jega for poll shift, says Nkire

don't see them not doing that because l believe that the is still some sane people among the members of PDP. People who still don't want this country to go ablaze.

I think that sanity will prevail. I don't see PDP going that far.

Chief Sam Nkire, Board of Trustees member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former National Chairman of the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) tells Johnchuks Onuanyim why he disagrees with those who blame the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for postponing the general elections and why Jega would have been sabotaged if he did otherwise.

In the last one week, Prof. Jega has been bashed by Nigerians for postponing the elections. In your opinion, is this bashing justified?

Well, l beg to differ from those who think that Prof. Attahiru Jega is not doing well. I have known Jega for sometime now.

Mind you, l have been a national chairman of a political party - a big political party for that matter - the Progressive Peoples Alliance - which produced two governors, produced Senators, produced members of the House of Representatives, etc. and he had shown me, within this period, that he is a man of integrity. Jega is not a man that is unknown in this Nigeria. Jega has proven that he is a man in the struggle; a man who detests cheating. He headed the Academic Staff Union of Universities and so far, nobody found blemishes on Jega and now that he is saddled with INEC duties, l can't see him failing. He has not failed. As regards the current issue of postponement, you will recall that Jega said time without number that he was ready for the election until the military said they were not ready and that they could not guarantee security and if Jega went ahead with these elections l am sure that he would be sabotaged. We would have found a situation where insurgents would have swooped on National Youth Service Corps members- maiming and raping them - and people would have said Jega failed woefully or that there was no security but you went ahead. Or you could see hoodlums carting away ballot boxes and papers. People would have blamed Jega.

Jega can guarantee free and fair elections but he cannot guarantee security and for an INEC chairman to be ready for elections, he should also be sure that the environment secures voters and the votes. So l don't blame him at all, l blame the PDP, the ruling party that is in control of the military, the police and the SSS. They are up to some tricks.

What you are saying, in a nutshell, is that those calling for Jega's resignation are not being fair to him?

Yes, they are not being fair to him and they appear not to understand the situation; they appear not to understand that the crux of the matter is PDP which has been in power for 16 years but can't see reason to lose an election. They think having not done well and being in control of the security apparatus of this country they could use it and sit tight. But the masses of this country seem to have realised that power resides with them and as the PDP saw that the masses were ready to snatch power away from their hands they struck with this no security issue and that is

Jega is at the receiving end from the two major political parties; What do think is responsible for this?

Let me tell you, as far as l am concerned, this is the best position for an election umpire to be. A situation where no one likes him. If this continues, it is now that Jega would do his job very well. This is the best position and l think Jega himself is savouring this situation he finds himself. No one will blame him and on that day he would lower the hammer where it should go. So why should Jega be praised by either APC or PDP? Jega should be neutral, because everybody is fighting to win the attention of Jega and it is better that Jega is not loved by either party.

Nkire

where we are now.

Jega’s sin, in some quarters, is that he favoured your party against the ruling party. What is your take on that?

Jega to favour the opposition against the man who pays the piper? That is laughable, it is unbelievable. It cannot be true. I wish Jega would go with the opposition that has no more to give; opposition that has no power to give. He would be a fool to join the opposition. A man, who was appointed by president Jonathan and all the money INEC is spending is from them, APC has no more to give anybody.

So that is not true and nobody can buy that lie.

So what you are saying also is that this allegation that the PVCs have been distributed better in the strongholds of the opposition is not true.

I haven't heard this account. The account l heard is the reverse because like l said in one of my previous interviews, PDP holds the power to make war and to make peace; PDP holds the power to conduct elections and botched elections; PDP has the power to command INEC to distribute PVCs at its strongholds more than APC can ever influence INEC. You can see that PDP is in trouble. They are seeing their dream of ruling Nigeria for 60 years without rendering service to the people falling apart and they are fighting like wounded lions and that is just what we are into. But then they got to fail because the people are not ready to take their bribes, the people will still take their money and vote their conscience. They are

l don't blame him at all, l blame the PDP, the ruling party that is in control of the military, the police and the SSS. They are up to some tricks

just postponing the doom day. APC is on its way to the throne Now if by tomorrow the security agencies come to say that they are not still ready. What will be Jega's position?

What can Jega do? Jega has no army of its own; Jega has no police of its own; Jega is not a candidate in the election. If PDP wants to cause constitutional crisis it is up to them. APC has restrained itself from calling the people out and even though you are a journalist you cannot deny the fact that you are a participant observer because you vote. If you want to tell yourself the truth you will know that the game is up for PDP. The people have decided that 16 years is enough for PDP's rubbish.

You can see that if PDP conducts elections, they would be chased out and the people would give it to whoever they want. I

But there is this allegation that Jega met with the members of APC in Dubai.

Are you aware of this?

These are childish insinuations and allegations. There was one allegation that l read last week, where some people alleged that Jega held meeting with PDP People, which he came out to debunk. I think the allegation came from E.K. Clark and some Southern leaders. Jega laughed over it. If you were INEC chairman would you do that? There is no were you hold a meeting that people would not notice.

Hold meeting for what and like l told you l did interacted with Jega for over two and half years. I sought to find out the kind of person Jega is. Jega is one of the best Nigerian leaders as far as incorruptibility and integrity are concern. I speak in my personal opinion, Jega cannot do that and l don't think he did it.

After this election, what do you think would be Jega’s take home?

After this election - especially if the election was deemed free and fair - Jega would go home a satisfied man. He should go home a satisfied man. Jega came to do a job, a job that has a tenure. If he does the first five years tenure satisfactorily, he should go home and rest. He has been a vice chancellor and he has proved his mettle; he has done his country proud.

He should be a proud man and go home and rest and then look for other areas. He has contributed in the Academia; he has contributed in the political space of Nigeria and may be he should go into social works. He has done very well. The last time l was also in the opposition when he gave the match to President Jonathan, you see that the heavens did not fall but the PDP savoured it. But you can see that the chance that PDP got, it blew it. The period during which Boko Haram grew teeth was the period under Jonathan the last six or five years - that was when Boko Haram armed itself to the teeth; that was the time Boko Haram gained foot hold in Nigeria in over 14 local government areas. Boko Haram was like a smouldering fire before but during Jonathan, it blows on because nobody was paying attention to them. So you find that President Jonathan has failed the test that Nigeria set for him and for a young man who has been president of a country for five years, l think he has been given opportunity to serve and l think he should also be a proud man.

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

'Jega has compromised

You are a member of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, which made damning allegations against the INEC and Professor Attahiru Jega. Few days after, the general elections were shifted. Do you think the poll postponement was in the best interest of the nation?

In fact, the poll postponement was in the best interest of democracy and in the best interest of free, fair and credible, democratic elections. Because INEC was not ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections. If the elections were to be held as previously scheduled, the elections would not have been free, fair and credible.

By all standards, Senator Femi Okurounmu cannot be wished away in the politics of Nigeria. The defunct Alliance for Democracy senator (1999-2003), was Secretary-General of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere until 2013 when he was appointed chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference by President Goodluck Jonathan. The elder statesman speaks to KUNLE OLAYENI, on the contentious rescheduling of the general elections and other issues.

What facts do you have to substantiate that?

Jega in his public broadcast announcing the postponement of the elections, announced that only about 66 percent of the PVCs have been distributed. Anybody who heard that shouldn’t even have to ask any further question from anybody before he concludes that there was no way we could have had free, fair and credible elections. Because 66 percent is just around two-third, which means that one-third of registered voters were yet to have their PVCs and that means those one-third of registered voters would have been effectively disenfranchised if elections were to be held under such circumstances. Now, when you have elections in which a third of the eligible voters are disenfranchised, can anybody call those free and fair elections?

But some people argue that in 2011, only 40 million voters participated in the elections. Now we have over 60 million that have registered and gotten their PVCs; therefore, the electoral body ought to have allowed the 60 million voters to carry on with the electoral process…

Well, that shows that our education is declining; people saying that are not educated. There is a world of difference between voter turnout and voter eligibility. Anybody with a secondary school education should be able to understand that difference. The voter turnout is the percentage of those who are eligible to vote and who choose to turn out to vote. That is purely a voluntary matter, nobody can force you to vote. So, if you choose not to vote, that is your own business but you have the right to vote. What democracy can do is to give you the right to vote, it cannot force you to vote. So, you cannot compare the percentage of voters turnout in 2011 with the eligibility in 2015. In 2011, everybody who was eligible to vote had the right to go and vote. They chose not to go if it was only 40 million that voted; that was their choice. People should not argue out of ignorance. In this case, we are talking of the right to vote. When you disenfranchise people, you have denied them the right to vote. So, the one-third I’m talking about, if they are disenfranchised, it is not because they don’t want to turn out. They simply have been denied that right to go and vote.

No single person in a democracy should be denied the right to vote. Our American and British friends would not allow that. In America, they make every effort to ensure that every eligible voter votes, particularly in black communities where some white people may want to deny them the right to vote. They make every effort to make sure that nobody is denied that right. So, if there is anybody who will compare those, he is an ignorant person. And I’m surprised to see some so-called educated people saying that. One out of three people is being denied the right to vote and if you hold such an election, right from the word ‘go,’ it’s a

The circumstances in 2011 are different from the circumstances today. Today, the north wants the Presidency in the north by all means, fair or foul.

Okurounmu

discredited election.

That is not the whole story. If you look at this 66 percent and look at the distribution nationwide, you see that it is skewed in favour of one section and against another section. In North which is mostly an APC-controlled area, fully more than 80 percent of the people have their PVCs. So, they are entitled to go and vote. In the South, which is expected to be Jonathan’s area, less than 50 percent have their PVCs. How fair an election will that be? Between two candidates in one’s area, you have 80 percent of the electorate allowed to vote; in another person’s constituency, you have less than 50 percent allowed to vote. So, when you don’t have your PVCs, then it means you are not allowed to vote. That is another angle to it. The north happens to be APC dominated area, the south happens to be PDP dominated area. So, can there be a fair election? That is why only mostly APC people who are saying elections should go ahead because they know that already the thing is being rigged in their favour in the North. So, if we have such an election, will that be a free, fair and credible election? If you look at the south further, only about 48 percent of people in the South West have their PVCs; which means that more than half of us, the Yorubas, would not be able to vote! Will that be free and fair elections as far as we are concerned? But our APC leaders, they don’t even care if Yorubas don’t vote, the northerners will vote for their APC; that’s why they are all for it.

It shows that they are not fighting for the Yoruba interests, they are fighting for some immediate personal interests. If Yorubas are being disenfranchised, they should cry out that Yorubas are being disenfranchised but they are not. Instead they are crying to say that in spite of the fact that Yorubas are disenfranchised, go ahead with the elections. That does not show they are fighting for our interests.

is a saint or an angel; they think the presidency should be returned to them. And Jega is a northerner. So, he’s colluding with his people to achieve their goal that the presidency must be returned to the north. So, people must think. Journalists themselves must think. So the circumstances in 2011 are different from the circumstances today.

Today, the north wants the Presidency in the north by all means, fair or foul.

Invariably, you are saying that the INEC chairman might have been compromised?

Well, that is why we now went to the press conference by Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly to remove that word ‘might.’ He has been compromised. It is not that he might have been. In fact we have evidence that he has been compromised.

As a way out of this logjam, do you support the agitation in some quarters that the temporary voter cards (TVCs) should be used to vote during the elections?

What I think is that Jega should do everything he can to see that every registered voter has his PVC. Another aspect of the fact that he is not ready is that those PVCs are being printed overseas. Many of them have not been delivered to Nigeria and yet he was saying he was ready and some people are stupidly agreeing with him that he should go ahead. We know he’s not ready.

Let him take possession of all the PVCs, get them to the registered voters. If every registered voter has his PVC, then we can have free and fair elections.

But he conducted the 2011 general elections and got gained worldwide applause for conducting free, fair and credible poll?

Again this is the argument by ignorant people and I will show you why it is argument by ignorant people. Political circumstances change from time to time, from one day to another. In 2011, the cry for the presidency to return to the north was not that loud. Everybody more or less agreed that since Yar’Adua died, Jonathan should be allowed to contest. So, the northerners were not mounting a battle cry for a return of our presidency. But this time, the battle cry from the north is ‘return our Presidency.’

They don’t even want to know if Jonathan

When you said Jega has been compromised, what about the rest of the national commissioners and resident electoral commissioners in INEC some of whom are southerners; have they also been compromised?

Jega is their boss. Once you are in con-

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INEC to favour north' trol of an organisation, you control what happens there. Jega had meetings; we have documents of the meetings he has held with the leaders of the Northern Elders Forum to work out strategies to ensure that the Presidency returns to the north at all costs and they set out the machinery in motion. In fact, it is the Northern Elders Forum who went and bought laptops that were used to register people; they bought 150 laptops for each of the northern states for the continuous voter registration exercise. They employed the northern activist to do the registration for INEC, Jega allowed them. Is that right? Jega allowed them and so, they went and registered everybody regardless of age. Even eight years, nine years, you would see them with PVCs in the north. If southerners are ready to subject themselves to servitude, that is a different thing. If we have free and fair elections, we shall accept anybody who wins. But nobody should enslave us.

When you allowed the northerner youth activist to go and do continuous voter registration, the Northern Elders Forum provided the laptops and then, they registered anybody, you asked them to close their eyes to age and then you registered anybody, and then you give them PVCs which you delivered to the emir palaces for them to go and collect and that’s what Jega did. Is that supposed to be free and fair elections? And should some people in the name of party, just because they belong to the same party as these people trying to the elections, then be enforcing the rest to enslave ourselves? To me, INEC was not ready and Jega has been compromised.

But President Jonathan said during Wednesday’s presidential media chat, that he has confidence in the ability of Professor Attahiru Jega to conduct the elections and that he won’t be fired…

What is the president supposed to say? To say I will fire him? I’m sure the president will not fire him. If the president fires him, you know the shout that people will be saying again. So, the president will leave him to conduct the elections but Jega knows that we have got his game.

The whole country understands the game he’s playing. The president has no right to fire him, so the president will not fire him. If the president fires him, that will be another outcry.

Do you think it is in Nigeria’s best interest to allow somebody that you claimed have been compromised to conduct elections?

This is where the press comes in. The press made the job of the president difficult. If the press comes in and actually does their own investigation and exposes all these facts, then it would be the people themselves crying for Jega’s removal. That would be different. But when the press is colluding with a section of political class so that whatever that political wing does, they are right because they are the one funding you, then that is the source of the malaise. If the press were independent as they should be and they actually do their own independent investigations and expose all these things, then there will be no problem.

Would say the six-week window for the postponement of the elections is enough for all this PVC issue to be resolved?

I think it’s enough because they were being printed abroad. Within the next two or three weeks, if Jega is serious, he should be able to take delivery and get the PVCs to the owners. Originally, the people are to collect their PVCs at the point where they registered; that would be the easiest thing.

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selves to free, fair and credible elections.

They should not try to take short-cuts through rigging as the Northern Elders Forum is now trying to do for APC; that is the only thing that can cause trouble.

What is your take on the refusal of APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, to boycott debate?

In the US for example, if one of the major presidential candidates refuses to take part in a debate, he would have considered that the end of his whole attempt to become president. That would have been his end. Because it means he’s afraid to even discuss the issues; that means he must have something to hide that he doesn’t want the public to expose. But then, that is where elections are based on issues. Here, in this election is not based on issues anymore. It’s based on the northerners, the Fulani people wanting their presidency back. So, if you bring a Fulani goat, that is what they want.

Edwin Clark, Chukwuemeka Ezeife... other members of SNPA who accused Jega of bias

It’s even closer to them than the ward. So, everybody should go to where he registered and collect his PVC. The issue of PVC was just one leg of the argument for the postponement of the elections. The other leg is insecurity.

Do you think that six-week window can guarantee relative security and peace in the north east for the elections to hold?

No civilian can comment reasonably on the insecurity. It’s only the soldiers who know. So, I cannot comment on the security issue. I don’t have inside knowledge of the security situation. I cannot comment on that. I can only comment on the aspect of INEC readiness.

You are a member of Afenifere and your organisation endorsed President Jonathan for re-election recently. Would you say this was in the best interest of the Yoruba going by the fact that the main opposition party is fielding a Yoruba man as the running mate of General Buhari?

If you understand a presidential system, the running mate is going to be the vice president. He’s as good as whatever wants him to be. He can just use all his time reading newspapers in the office. Like Amosun did to his deputy governor. Did you read about it? What was the deputy governor’s complain? No responsibility, nothing! In fact the deputy governor was all the time reading newspapers in his office because the Constitution does not give any role to the deputy whether vice president or deputy governor. So, a deputy governor or vice president is as powerful as his principal wants him to be. And when the Fulani man gets power, I don’t think he wants to share it with anybody. So, saying that a Yoruba man is the vice president or running mate is nothing. It has no value.

And I believe that with the northern cry that they want their presidency back, they see it as their Presidency, and once they get their Presidency back, the rest of us won’t have a taste of it again. We should know that from our history. From the history of Nigeria we should know that.

So, you mean if Presidency returns to north, there is little possibility that it will return to the south?

We are going to have to struggle hard to

Don’t forget that the people who now represent the APC were all opposed to the national conference get it back to return to the south. It’s going to be a Herculean struggle.

With the prevailing situation, what is the place of the recommendations of the National Conference which were meant to address devolution of power and issues that are associated with power in Nigeria?

Don’t forget that the people who now represent the APC were all opposed to the national conference. The core north where the APC is strongest were all opposed to the national conference. So, if they get to power, they will just throw the recommendations of the national conference to the dustbin.

All the reforms that we were trying to bring about, all the restructuring, restoring federalism and so on, they don’t believe in it and they don’t make any pretence about it. They opposed it at the national conference. So, if you now give them the presidency, what do you want them to do? Of course, they would throw it away. That would be the end of that National Conference.

If Jonathan wins the presidential elections, some people are saying there would be trouble. If Buhari wins, others say there would also be problem. What are your own fears about the elections?

I don’t see why there would be problem if Jonathan wins the elections. If anybody who wins the elections wins freely and fairly, there should be no problem. The important thing is to have free and fair elections. Nobody should try to contrive to rig the elections. If the elections are free and fair and credible, we should all go with anybody who wins.

What is your advice for the various political parties partaking in the elections?

They should be willing to subject them-

But there is another argument that in 2011, Jonathan shunned presidential debate; that he debated with himself alone…

Jonathan did not refuse an invitation for debate. It is an outside body, the journalists that organise a debate and invite the candidates. You don’t invite yourself to debate.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo too did not participate in presidential debate and he won the election. As a result, supporters of General Buhari are justifying his refusal not to attend any presidential debate…

Obasanjo did not win the election.

The election was rigged for Obasanjo because he was the one that was anointed by the Fulani people. They didn’t want Falae; they wanted somebody of their own choosing. If they were going to give away the presidency, they wanted to give it to somebody of their own choosing.

They chose Obasanjo; that is why they purposely released him from jail to come and contest because he was the one they wanted. They had already anointed him before they released him from jail.

Would that account for why Obasanjo is apparently supporting the call for power to return to North?

I’m telling you the North gave him power. You remember that even when Obasanjo was there and he wanted to run for second term, they opposed him. They said he has signed agreement with them that he will do only one term. They had the same fight with Obasanjo but Obasanjo fought back and he ran for a second term. They never wanted somebody to stay there except their own man. Maybe Obasanjo now wants to pay them back by saying that they get their power back. After all, Obasanjo is no more contesting. If Obasanjo had got his third term ambition, he would have been president for life; and Obasanjo is a person who believes that everything must dance around him. If he’s not the one controlling the situation, then that situation must be bad. The moment Jonathan refused to be taking dictation from Obasanjo, then Jonathan is a bad man.

But Jonathan has been much better than Obasanjo in terms of his human rights records, in terms of his democracy records. In terms of conducting free and fair elections, Jonathan has been much better than Obasanjo. We never had any free and fair election under Obasanjo; Obasanjo was always do-and-die.

50 Cover Do you feel vindicated that elections were shifted by six weeks?

Was six weeks the time frame that you advocated for while calling for postponement?

Nigerians have been vindicated.

Nigerians, even if not all of them, called for the shifting of the elections for obvious reasons. That there was no conducive atmosphere for free, fair and credible elections leading to a legitimate government. Secondly, INEC was not even prepared for the election and it has been told this for a very long time. They had almost four years to prepare for the elections but they did not. Of Course, the postponement of the election and its national impact, has forced INEC to do what is required for a free, fair and election.

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Why I support postponement of election –Balarabe Musa Alhaji Balarabe Musa, former governor of Kaduna state and presidential candidate of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), was one of the first to demand the postponement of the elections. He tells IBRAHEEM MUSA, reasons why he advocated for a shift of the election dates.

In your press conference under the aegis of Credible Alternative Alliance, you alleged that the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards favoured a section of the country.... (cuts in) We said that the distribution favoured a particular candidate!

But security concern was the only reason that was cited by the security forces which necessitated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)in rescheduling the election. Was your group not just crying wolf about the lopsided distribution of PVCs where there was none?

They had themselves realised that the people that they relied on, have taken them for a ride. How can you imagine INEC which is so close to PDP, will arrange this in such a way that APC is favoured against PDP. How can you imagine? PDP government is in control by law and by practise. How can you imagine a situation that INEC sidelined PDP in the distribution of voters’ cards.

It’s not possible. And if it happened as we reported, it must be for some other reasons rather than siding with PDP. In order words, it was a conspiracy to destabilise Nigeria.

What you have just said is curious.

INEC said that it was ready to hold elections but the PDP said that it was not. And here you are saying that there is conspiracy between the electoral body and PDP. And in your earlier press conference, you said that the distribution of voters cards was favouring the APC presidential candidate. How can you reconcile all these?

This is the foolishness of some people. It was not PDP that called for the postponement of the election.

It was we that have been calling for it for a very long time. PDP must have found it advantageous, particularly because of what they saw as the alleged favouring of APC. That was when they began the campaign for the postponement of the election.

But we started the campaign for the postponement of the election. PDP only came in to support it because of the situation in which it was.

For the records, when did your group start this campaign for postponement of elections?

I think we started it about two months ago, when we saw the way that the issuance of the Permanent Voters Cards was going on. For example, I cited my case, up till now I don’t have a PVC. And I went to my polling station on the first day that the distribution started. All my particulars were there but the only thing that was missing was my Permanent Voters Card. Someone

Musa

is being dishonest. In 2011 election, they say that 70 million were registered and now they are telling us that the registered voters is 68 million. It shows how unreliable INEC is. Does it mean that the rest two million people have died? Let’s assume that it is possible. But the people who qualify to vote from that time till now are more than two million; people have also attained the age of 18. So, how did the figure come down from 70 million in 2011, to 68 million.

among the INEC staff said that he had seen my PVC earlier on. Even yesterday, I went to my registration centre and my PVC wasn’t there. In fact, I was told that no INEC official had come there in the last five days.

I went there with about three people.

What you canvassed at your press conference is utopian. You said that every Nigerian must get a PVC and every Nigerian must be able to vote before elections are held. Do you think that is possible?

That is what the law says! And we are law abiding. In the press conference I held, I even quoted the four sections of the 1999 constitution which says, every Nigerian of 18 years and above must have the right to vote. It’s not me that is being utopian, it is what the law says. All eligible Nigerians have the right to be registered and to vote. All registered voters must have the right to vote. People have registered. According to INEC figures, which is even not reliable, 68 million people have been registered. Those 68 million, each and every one of them must have the permanent voters card.

You mean if one person out of the 68 million voters does not have a Permanent Voters Card, election should not hold?

We are talking of 26 million out of 68 million who will not be able to vote because of inefficiency, incompetence!

INEC has argued that the 2011 election recorded the highest number of registered voters since 1999...

(Cuts in).

No, you got INEC wrong or INEC

But the commission still had about a week before election. Don’t you think that two million people would have collected the PVCs before then?

Do you imagine that those who couldn’t do the right thing in four years can do it within two weeks?

It’s not possible.

It was not PDP that called for the postponement of the election.

It was we that have been calling for it for a very long time

What figure or percentage of PVC distribution should INEC achieve before it conducts the coming elections?

At least 90 percent because we expect problems not from INEC but the voters themselves; they may refuse to go and obtain their PVCs. Yes, we expect that. So, we expect INEC which is very well funded, which has relevant experience, to achieve at least 90 percent.

Do you think that it can achieve this percentage within the six week extension?

Oh, yes. After the issuance of PVCs, there is also the necessary training of temporary INEC staff.

The training can be done within one week because it is just clerical training. And other preparations

can be done within two weeks.

INEC’s operations are supposed to be ongoing. It has been there for a long time. It has not just been established. In the next three weeks, INEC can achieve what is required.

Now that INEC has done the right thing, it qualifies for forgiveness and the support of Nigerians to succeed, particularly the political parties. I now commend them for being realistic and even patriotic for postponing the election for this long. It is now left for INEC to seize this opportunity which it has been given the benefit of doubt in order to perform.

With the benefit of hindsight, people are afraid that this may be a prelude to more shifting of dates like Nigerians witnessed during the Babangida regime. Do you foresee a hidden agenda?

It is possible but let us base our allegations on law and practise. Four sections of the 1999 constitution empowers president to ask the National Assembly to shift date of election.

INEC has its own power and it has used it properly to postponed the election. And the consequences of not postponing are grave. I will give you two examples. Supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan, particularly the Niger Delta militants, have said that if he does not win there will be trouble; Nigerians will be denied oil. Denial of oil borders on treason because oil is the lifeline of Nigeria’s economy. Supporters of Buhari are also saying that if he does not win, there will be a parallel government. This also treason and the person who said it is a state governor. So, we are in a serious situation.

Should we ignore their threats and think this election can go on peacefully? Like we said in the press statement which I signed, people have already relocating from north to south and vice versa, reminiscent to what happened before the civil war. There was no preparation for a free and fair election on the ground at that time.

That’s what people are saying; that even with the postponement and after elections are eventually held, a winner will emerge and whoever is victorious, there may be crisis. Do you foresee this?

If that happens, Nigerians will give INEC and the government support. And that is what was lacking if the election had gone ahead.

You had threatened to go to court if INEC had not postponed the election. People were interpreting the threat in light of Arthur Nzeribe’s Association of Better Nigeria(ABN) which scuttled the 1993 election...(Cuts in).

What’s wrong with going to court if you are aggrieved!? That’s what should happen in a civilised country, even if it’s not democratic. Our decision to go to court was patriotic. That’s the system established for the settlement of disputes. We didn’t say that we were going to start guerrilla warfare like the Niger Delta militants threatened or like those who said that they will form a parallel government.

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postscript

Jega: The rejected cornerstone

A few years back, Prof. Attahiru Jega’s appointment was regarded as one of the best things to have happened to Nigeria in its quest to have an unbiased umpire as INEC chairman, but today some Nigerians are casting aspersions on his credibility, WAHEED BAKARE writes.

A

ttahiru Jega, a professor of Political Science and former ViceChancellor of Bayero University, Kano, came into national prominence when he became the national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the umbrella body of academics in Nigerian universities in the early 90s. Although ASUU was one of the most vibrant unions in the country, the sterling leadership style of Jega endeared him to the hearts of many Nigerians who stood by him as he confronted the Babangida military administration on issues of national importance.

It was not surprising then that Jega found a strong ally in the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Together with the NLC, the Jega-led ASUU formed a formidable team that never hesitated to voice its resentment against what it considered to be anti-people policies of the military junta.

In 2005, Jega was appointed as the vicechancellor of the Bayero University. Towards the tail end of his tenure as the head of the university, Professor Maurice Iwu, the then Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) precisely on April 28, 2010, vacated his seat.

Expectedly, many ‘credible’ names emerged in the media but the nation was kept in suspense as to who would become the INEC chairman.

Like in dramatic work, President Goodluck Jonathan aroused the apprehension of eager Nigerians when he said that he had never met the proposed chairman before but relied on the attestation of many Nigerians that he is a man of impeccable character and enviable rectitude. Many Nigerians had wondered: Who is this man?

On June 8, 2010, President Jonathan unveiled Jega as the INEC’s new helmsman.

Council of State, a body comprising former heads of states, governors and the national assembly unanimously approved him.

Many Nigerians applauded the president’s choice. Even the opposition had no cause to complain. Jega was a beautiful bride. His unblemished records became his selling point. His first major assignment was in 2011 in which President Jonathan won the presidential election.

But barely five years after he was chosen, Jega, the cornerstone, has become a rejected stone. Some Southern Nigerian elders, under the aegis of Southern Nigerian Peoples Assembly (SNPA), have asked the president to sack him and order his arrest.

According to the group at a press conference in Abuja, which had in attendance a former Federal Commissioner for Information, Edwin Clark, former governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife; a member of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Femi Okunrounmu; and a former Information Minister, Walter Ofo-

nagoro and many others, Jega’s credibility is no longer viable and he can no longer be trusted with the conduct of credible elections.

The group, which is peopled mostly by Jonathan’s supporters, warned that with Jega still in charge of INEC, Jonathan can kiss goodbye his re-election bid.

Okurounmu said, “We authoritatively gathered with unassailable and incontrovertible evidence that the INEC chairman, who was away in Lagos for an official engagement, through one of his national commissioners that represented him, met with select leaders of the Northern Elders Forum, led by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, on August 20, 2014, where strategies and modalities for enthroning a President of Northern extraction through vote rigging were discussed and agreed upon.

“The meeting was sequel to an earlier meeting of Northern Elders Forum held on August 16, 2014, at Arewa House, Kaduna, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule where it was resolved that all avenues must be explored towards enthroning a president of Northern extraction in the forthcoming 2015 elections.

“In addition, Jega reportedly directed the release of PVCs in their catchment states to emirs, district heads and top politicians and not necessarily to the voters themselves, a situation that culminated in some voters being in possession of two to three PVCs. “Despite Jega’s public admission that the commission has all funds it requires to conduct the 2015 elections, the group was aware that the Northern Elders Forum obtained and distributed 150 pieces of laptops to INEC for each of the Northern states.

“This accounted for nearly 100 per cent PVC collection rate, especially in the North West states, as compared with less than 50 per cent collection rate in the Southern states. This is the reason why Lagos State, with a sophisticated population of over 5.2 million, has not been distributed more than 2.5 million PVCs.” The group, which called for the postponement of the election, warned that it would mobilise southerners to ensure elections are not held in that part of the country if the Federal Government did not act on its demand.

The PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation on Wednesday, also fired its own salvo at INEC, accusing the electoral body of poor handling of distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to eligible voters.

Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, accused Jega of partisanship and unholy alliance with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to scuttle Jonathan’s re-election.

He said, “We express our concerns today that Jega may have decided to aid the APC to rig the forthcoming elections through the manipulation of the production, distribu-

Jega

Jega is busy preparing for the elections and you are asking about terminal leave. Does anyone planning to conduct elections go on terminal leave? tion and collection of PVCs.” Fani-Kayode said there was an orchestrated plan to disenfranchise Jonathan’s supporters by denying them their PVCs while those in areas where supporters of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari are, are getting theirs.

He accused Jega of deliberately hinging the postponement of the elections on the advice given by the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), rather than the situation on the ground, saying this provided the platform for the APC to accuse the Federal Government and PDP of forcing INEC to postpone the elections.

He added, “Pieces of information at our disposal have shown that Jega has had meetings with APC stalwarts in Dubai and other cities in the world to perfect this wanton conspiracy against 23 million eligible voters.

“Besides, we have information that the PVCs that Nigerians are scrambling for are not in Nigeria and will not arrive before the elections.”

There were speculations that Jega could either be removed or forced to go terminal leave on March 1 thereby precluding him from performing the rescheduled elections slated for March 28 and April 11.

But Jega’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said there was no iota of truth in the speculation, adding, “Jega is busy preparing for the elections and you are asking about terminal leave. Does anyone planning to conduct elections go on terminal leave?

There is nothing like that.”

Idowu had in an interview said Jega’s appointment was not guided by civil service

rules and would serve until the end of his tenure on June 30.

However, to remove Jega, the president requires the support of the two-third members of the Senate.

Section 157 (1) of the 1999 Constitution states that “Subject to the provision of subsection (3) of this Removal section, a person holding any of the offices to which this section applies may only be removed from that office by the president acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct.”

Subsection 2 states “This section applies to the office of the chairman and member of the Code of Conduct Bureau, the Federal Civil Service Commission, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission, the Federal Character Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Population Commission, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the Police Service Commission.”

Although none of the nation’s law gives the president powers to ask the INEC chairman to proceed on retirement leave, he could however want to rely on Part D Section 171, under Public Service Rules of the Federation, to move against Mr. Jega.

Section 171 (1) states, “….Power to appoint persons to hold or act in the office to which this section applies and to remove persons so appointed from any such office shall vest in the President.

According to Subsection 2 such officers include the secretary to the government of the federation, ambassadors and high commissioners, permanent secretaries or head of any extra ministerial department of the government of the federation however designated.

However, the president on Wednesday at a special edition of the Presidential Media Chat dismissed plot to sack Jega. Political observers have predicted that the coming weeks will eventually determine Jega’s fate.

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Perspectives

14 FEBRUARY 2015

When Sambo danced on Yakowa’s grave

W

hen registration of voters for the 1993 elections began, I was apathetic and refused to register. I must however admit that I was politically naïve then. My apathy was informed by the comments of a ‘big brother’ who told me he had an inkling that the elections would amount to exercise in futility. It was a case of since he refused to register, why should I? But as the results of the presidential election between the late MKO Abiola and Alhaji Bashir Tofa were being released, I began to question the rationale behind sheepishly following one of my heroes by not registering and denying myself the opportunity of taking part in that historic election where Nigerians put aside religious and ethnic bigotry and voted according to the dictate of their consciences.

However, my ‘big bros’ who seemed to have gazed into his crystal ball was vindicated. The presidential election, that was described as the freest and fairest in the nation’s history, was annulled by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

During the build up to the election, Abiola, a Muslim from the South-West, and Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, a Muslim from the North, emerged as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Some dismissed such alien combination as arrant nonsense that cannot survive in the political terrain of a heterogeneous society like Nigeria where there is mutual suspicion among the various ethnic and religious groups.

The results eventually showed that the 1993 presidential election was neither about religion, party affiliation, nor ethnic consideration. But the obdurate administration of Babangida made us to miss what would have served as a model or reference point for subsequent elections in the country.

If we had not missed that opportu-

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Waheed Bakare on Saturday 08124877036 (sms only) waheedbakare2003@yahoo.com nity, our Vice-President, Namadi Sambo, would not have made his infamous and irreverent statement of February 3 at the campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Minna, Niger State. If the election was not annulled Sambo and his likes would not be players in our polity today and if they are, they would have purged themselves of the erroneous belief that leaders should be elected based on party affiliation, age, ethnic group or even faith.

At the rally, Sambo said, “When people bring the issue of religion to deceive you, our party (PDP) has more Muslims than APC. Therefore if this is the yardstick, we have an edge.

“Our chairman is a Muslim; the Director General of our campaign is a Muslim likewise. I Namadina Sambo am a Muslim.

It is only our presidential candidate that is a Christian.

“In APC, their chairman is a Christian, their campaign Director General is a Christian and the vice president is a pastor. Now let me ask you, which between the parties has more Muslims?”

I cannot but agree with a public affairs commentator and lawyer, Aminu Gamawa, who described the VP’s speech as the lowest moment of the ongoing campaigns.

Bad enough, the campaign where Sambo made that remark was live on national television as well as some private ones.

When people bring the issue of religion to deceive you, our party (PDP) has more Muslims than APC. Therefore if this is the yardstick, we have an edge Sambo is a lucky politician. If I were in his shoes, I would not carry my luck too far. He was still serving as a governor of Kaduna State when he was picked to become the vice-president in May 2010, a position he still holds. His choice was not because he was seen as a sagacious politician. Rather fate foisted him on us because of the need to ensure political balancing and satisfy certain power blocs.

If I know our politicians well, Sambo will not see anything wrong in his remarks and his supporters may even ask us to excuse him under the pretext that it is within the ambit of the constitution for him to freely express himself, as if freedom of speech should be devoid of decorum and civility. Sambo’s statement is extremely dangerous and unexpected of a statesman.

Men whose acts are not in consonance with

the basic tenets of democracy and the rule of law will retard our growth as a nation and put our democracy at risk.

Unknown to Sambo, his utterance at the rally is like dancing on the grave of the late Patrick Yakowa, his former deputy and immediate successor as the Governor of Kaduna State.

When there were rumours in May 2010 that President Goodluck Jonathan would nominate Sambo, who was still the governor as his vice-president, it was expected that this would pave the way for Yakowa, a Christian, to become the governor. Some Northern leaders reportedly objected to Yakowa’s choice because he was a Kaduna Christian. As fate would have it, Yakowa was sworn-in thus becoming the first Christian of the ethnically and religiously mixed state to become the governor. He later ran for election as governor of the state under the platform of the PDP on April 26, 2011 and won.

On December 15, 2012, Yakowa alongside a former National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoeye Azazi, died in a helicopter crash while flying from Bayelsa State to Port Harcourt. It was reported that when the news of Yakowa’s death filtered into Kaduna, some youths went about town to celebrate Yakowa’s death and expressed their joy that Mukhtar Yero, a Muslim, would automatically become the governor. Up till today, some people still suspect a foul play in the crash that claimed Yakowa’s life.

Whether inadvertently or not, Sambo’s utterance is like a tacit approval of the macabre dance of the frenzied and callous youths who celebrated Yakowa’s death.

It is time Sambo and his likes realised that these coming elections would not be about party affiliation, religion or ethnicity.

Rather, they would be more about personalities. Who cares if an atheist becomes the president as long as he can better our lots?

2019, North and Sule Lamido

ccording to South-West’s Asari Dokubo, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is for today Asiwaju Bolaji Ahmed Tinubu’s candidate. As far as the irreverent ‘revolutionary’ who missed General TY Danjuma’s quirky ‘arrest list’ is concerned, Northern Nigeria will chose its own presidential candidate in 2019 after President Goodluck Jonathan must have completed his constitutional second term. Strange prophecy! But then the Nigerian narrative has accommodated strange prophecies that came true. Many ambitions have been previously trumped on the altar of this quirky reality. While history, providence or both trampled the presidential ambitions of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, MKO Abiola, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and General Buhari (thrice), it leveraged the zero-ambitions of Alhajis Tafawa Balewa, Shehu Shagari, Umaru Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. This is strange but true.

Moving forward, it is the contention of this writer that come 2019, if GEJ upstages GMB on March 28 and concludes his Aso Rock tenancy, Northern Nigeria should look towards Jigawa State for a fitting member of its fractured political intelligentsia to redeem it. Without mincing words that fellow is maverick Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State. Here is why.

Governor Lamido is a key intellectual architect of the internal dissent in the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)

The Nation-State With Louis Achi

achilouis35@gmail.com that willy-nilly led to the emergence of the nPDP, a movement which proclaimed renewal of the parent party. When other rebels of the nPDP, pushing selfish agenda, defected to APC, Lamido held back. It required a significant depth of personality and rare historical insight to break with the rampaging horde and be his own man.

There is more.

Close up, the vibration of energy he emits is reminiscent of an active volcano.

In a sense, he is one. But this dimension could only fairly be applied to his intensity of focus and precision of mission execution.

The former foreign affairs minister who declined running for senate unlike many final-term governors speaks with alarming frankness and navigates with uncommon courage.

His earthiness and folksy charm disarm and readily sucks you into his growing army of admirers. An interview session with him leaves a deep impression of encountering a strategic politician in the mould of First Republic’s Tafawa Balewa.

A thinker also steeped in the populist Aminu Kano philosophy of social change Lamido believes the political tool is a key

pathway to transforming the human condition.

The intensity of his involvement with the initial internal crisis of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which he is a founding member bespeaks the passion that has driven much of his life. Peering back at the history of the ruling party, Lamido reminisces: “I went to prison under Abacha for challenging him. I stuck my neck out for democracy in Nigeria. I was one of the nine pioneer members of the PDP who formed G-9, I am part of G-18, I am part of G-34.

So, when you say I am leaving PDP; leaving PDP to where? Moving out to leave the party to whom?”

This position informs both friends and foes of Lamido that he fights on principle and can only back down on principle. By a curious coincidence, his closeness to former President Olusegun Obasanjo often sends mixed signals to political analysts and politicians who attempt to deconstruct this key member of the Northern political elite.

Respect for Lamido is often mixed with suspicion. Being seen as an Obasanjo protégé often brings along with a healthy dose of antagonism from the political establishment.

But it’s noteworthy that all these did not divert Governor Lamido from scripting a compelling development agenda for Jigawa State, a scenario he could actually hold up as a model for transforming both the regional national political constituency. The quality of the vision, mirrored in the quality of his administration’s projects execution is a terse testimony.

Lamido’s comprehension of governance; his conceptual grasp of this all important human development process is compelling? His words: “The challenge for all societies is to create a system of governance that promotes supports and sustains human development.”

He spoke recently to his Northern kinsmen on the flawed strategy they had apparently adopted for the impending general elections and expressed outright disgust over what he described as the level of threat some northerners were facing for not supporting the presidential ambition of General Buhari. He clearly warned that this type of siege mentality being inflicted on the people was the beginning of the failure of the opposition APC at the polls.

It is beyond dispute that today Northern Nigeria in a tail-spin spawned by decades of misdirection and insincerity on the part of its leaders. Lamido correctly believes that power can return to the North through the instrumentality of the ruling PDP. Clearly, the North needs a man that has the vision, depth and speaks with alarming forthrightness to provide a leadership of redemption.

This is where Lamido comes in. This is a man the ruling party must recognize, appreciate and position.

Business Talk SATURDAY TELEGRAPH 14 FEBRUARY, 2015

53

'CBN should be relieved of some of its functions’ Chris Onalo, a professor of Credit Management, is the CEO of the Institute of Credit Administration. In this interview with Michael Uchebuaku, he talks about the need to make SMEs the pillars of economic growth. He also talks about breaking up the CBN into independent units and establishing a National Credit Guarantee Corporation, among others.

What drives the credit economy?

The credit economy is driven by the yearning of entrepreneurs and citizens to own their own businesses to create jobs and wealth for the country which in turn adds to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. What drives credit very fast is the infrastructural availability that the government may have provided. On the other hand, you have the presence of credit delivery institutions like banks that broker credit availability to those who may want to take advantage of it.

How can government create jobs for Nigerians?

Government is not the job provider. Government only serves as a catalyst to creating the enabling environment for individuals to create jobs and wealth both for themselves and for their country. That is the sign of capitalism. Over the years, successive Nigerian governments have not been able to come up with a definitive economic policy that aims at potential business people.

Are you saying that has not been embedded in the country's economic policy?

Exactly! Government has not been able to propel that growth. The growth that challenges other institutions of business to diversify, capture new markets, envisage new markets and expand their frontiers.

That has never been embedded in our economic policy for a very long time and it is a serious setback for the country. For example, the presence of so many banks in Nigeria has not been translated into a viable economic proposition. Banks do not mobilise fund from surplus ends and retain it in their vaults. Banks mobilise fund from serious surplus ends and rent the money out to the deficient sector. People don't have the opportunity of amassing wealth, let alone having such wealth stashed in their accounts while other people are looking for money to borrow. Banks in Nigeria have not been maximally utilised. Rather, people see banks or banking institutions as enemies of economic development. So you don’t expect a commercial bank to play the role of government.

What should the government do then?

Government should set agenda and then let the economy fly. Further example is absence of a credible institution that supports credit inflow to SMEs, which in any nation of the world is considered the heartbeat of

and conglomerates to small and medium enterprises. In South Africa, multinationals, by law, must patronize SME businesses with a view to getting them back into the market.

First, the SMEs have access to finance, and the next thing is market development support that must come from multinationals and other big companies. Then it also goes forward to look at payment responses to SMEs. For example, if an SME does a supply business for a multinational, you can't delay their payment beyond a specified period of time. But in Nigeria the multinationals pay the bill or settle the invoices of the SMEs within their own payment policy, which means that the SME might not even be able to wait for as long as it takes the multinational to pay, for it to be able to continue in business. These things are serious lacuna in the development of credit business in Nigeria.

Onalo

the economy. But in Nigeria, the reverse is the case. Instead of SMEs, you have multinationals, blue chip companies and conglomerates dominating the economy.

So government is relaxing in the context of not being able to institute a Programme where the generality of the small business owners in the country can be stimulated to the path of growth.

Could you cite an example of where this is done differently?

In South Korea, they have Credit Guarantee Fund, which the World Bank considered the best managed and well established. That serves as global standard. Their mandate is that SMEs should be brought to the economic landscape, contributing to job and wealth creation, because they realize that the country could have problems and blue chip companies could run away but SMEs would not because they are the people that make up the country. So, up till today, the Nigerian government, to my surprise, is still not dreaming of creating that national platform that would support the development of the SMEs. If you have a National Credit Guarantee Corporation set up by government with strong capital base and very robust operating fund, you can be sure that that corporation would serve as collateral and security which people who want to borrow money do not have, that is, the SMEs. Normally, the bank can't give you money if the collateral or normal security is not there.

But the corporation now serves that purpose of collateral and security for the SME to take a loan from the bank.

What is the state of the credit economy in Nigeria?

Credit management in Nigeria is not as healthy as it ought to be. But progress has been made over the years with the advent of the Institute of Credit Administration bringing together the credit givers, credit takers,

Credit management in Nigeria is not as healthy as it ought to be credit managers and trying to align them and their conduct in line with best practices. Credit, which is an issue that deals with human character and sense of response to obligation, must be seen as a mother of all professions. Because whatever you may have studied, whatever career you have, you are going to practice it and you may not have what it takes to go into it, so you have to lean on what somebody else has that you could access, subject to fulfilling terms and conditions; and subject to your ability to keep to those terms and conditions.

Why? Because if you take credit today and you dishonour your obligation tomorrow, you are blocking the sense for the next person to take credit. Government need not to be involved in any form of credit, whether macro-credit or micro-credit, because it would amount to a waste of taxpayers' fund.

We have some of these pocket credit unit situations here and there. In the industrial sector, the Bank of Industry is an agency of government. When the Central Bank wants to fund agriculture, people go to the Bank of Agriculture. That is good for the sector, but there are a lot of SMEs that are frustrated, that need to have access to a nationally oriented arrangement that supports the growth and development of the entire businesses in the country. Also look at the attitude of the multinationals, blue chip companies

How far has CBN’s reforms gone to support Nigeria’s credit economy?

So far, the activities of the CBN have not really created opportunity for massive economic growth. The manufacturing sector is still comatose. And like I said, the SMEs who form the majority of the economic drivers have been consistently neglected, and yet Central Bank is there.

The same Central Bank mobilises funds and situates them in the Bank of Industry and the Bank of Agriculture, but that is not the totality of the Nigerian business operators who need a kind of government support to grow, expand or start up their businesses. So, to that extent, Central Bank is in a way too sectional. You know, addressing certain sectors and neglecting the other sectors. It is not a good thing.

I think that the Central Bank can originate the idea of a robust National Credit Guarantee Corporation. In other countries where the economy is relatively stable and more robust, they have all this on ground which drives economic growth very fast.

Those are the things that are needed to be put in place before you can say we have a resilient economy. Therefore, if CBN cannot come up with such an initiative, government should be able to listen to external voices and galvanise the system in such a way that this can be put in place.

Otherwise, the CBN may not be able to cope with the challenges of moving the economy forward or in the right direction.

Does that imply that the CBN is overloaded with functions?

There are lots of functions that the Central Bank should not be carrying out. The Central Bank is saddled with too many things.

There is need to break the functions of the Central Bank into different independent units without anyone being answerable to the Central Bank so that those units or institutions can function properly and achieve the mandate given to them. What people need is money and the Central Bank is the manager of money. We have all the commercial banks being regulated by the CBN, yet the money is not moving out in the direction that leads to economic growth. So there is need for us to proactively, objectively trim down the monopoly of the Central Bank. We should remove those other functions that should be handled by other independent institutions.

Personal Finance SATURDAY TELEGRAPH 14 FEBRUARY, 2015

F

Segun Edwards inancial independence is one of today's buzzwords of personal finance management and you have probably been engaged with it time and time again. But does financial independence really mean anything to you?

Well, if it's not just a catchphrase but also a financial status that you truly desire to attain, you should be obsessed with how to optimise your earnings potential.

You ought not only to be desirous of achieving a healthy level of income; you should also be keen on the sustainability of your income flow, for a lifetime. You will be excited at any possibility of income you can earn without the rat-race schedule of getting off your bed and house at cockcrow and struggling to beat the traffic for a job that keeps you tensed most times and only permits you to get home late at night.

You may indeed be looking for legacy income opportunities that ensure that even when you are no more, the loved ones that survive you can continue to earn from your effort. Indeed, income comes in various shapes.

Getting to understand the diverse forms of income and their implications may help you take steps that will position you for a healthy income stream. That's why you need to be familiar with the following income concepts: Multiple sources of income This is not in any way a complicated concept, but it's one that not many have mastered in the practical terms of putting it to work. It is also an income concept that holds the key to a stable and rapidly growing inflow of income. Multiple stream or sources refers to the idea of creating diverse, concurrent sources of income for one individual.

Having multiple streams of income means being able to earn from different sources, such that any disruption or slack in one source may not seriously affect you.

Unlike a situation where one is dependent on, say, just the pay cheque, which ceases in the case of a job loss - a frequent occurrence these days - multiple streams says that, in addition to the pay cheque, there could be other incomes in the form of interest from bank deposits, bond holdings, dividend and capital appreciation from stocks, some profit from a business investment, rental income from a property (could be just a shop), some royalty from a book, etc. One's income begins to really firm up when it gets diversified in this way, especially when each source is able to generate worthwhile income.

Passive income Easily integrated into the drive for multiple income streams is the quest for passive income. Passive income is income that you are not actively involved in generating. Better put, it derives from a onetime or earlier effort, which means that subsequent income streams from it do not require the persistent, active commitment of time and/or effort from you. Some bit of attention may not be out of place from time to time, but the results are more on autopilot.

Passive income is best achieved from sources such as property investments (rental income) and intellectual property (royalties from books, patents, licence agreements, etc). It's different from active income, which requires your active effort.

A lawyer in practice earns active income. If he has to be off his practice for six months, say, due to ill health, income from the practice is likely to suffer grossly.

A doctor's practice, where patients are interested in his personal expertise and

54

Key income concepts to financial freedom

Multiple streams of income means being able to earn from different sources style, will even be more vulnerable. He has to be actively present for the business to sustain its income profile. A shop-owner needs to open and run it everyday, attending to customers. An employee must go to work to keep receiving a pay cheque.

These generate active income, which can only be sustained by continuous active personal involvement. The day you cannot, the income source will dwindle and may eventually cease. Not so, for any source of income that is passive. Take property rental income, for instance. Unlike a lawyer's practice, doctor's clinic, worker's employment or a shop, once built, the property may not need any attention for years.

Portfolio income This is another great way to boost your income stream and achieve diversification. Portfolio income refers to income from portfolio investments - securities and other investments that form your investment portfolio. They are not classified as passive partly because a portfolio may be actively managed. If your portfolio management style is passive (aka 'buyand-hold), your portfolio income becomes largely passive. Portfolio income includes dividends and capital appreciation from stock investments, interest from deposits and bond holdings, distributions from a mutual fund investment, income from a REIT, etc.

Portfolio income, while considered active, is usually not too tasking to generate, if you can find the resources to make good investments. Yet those who have learnt to go for it have created a lot of wealth. Most good portfolio investments will continue to yield income virtually endlessly.

Residual income Income that is residual is usually

passive too, so this is effectively part of passive income. Residual income comes strictly from a one-off activity but may flow indefinitely or a series of times from that singular activity. Take a referral commission. The structure may be such that you not only get a commission for referring a customer, but will also be entitled to further commission on any purchases he makes over his lifetime.

That is also the thrust of most multi-level (network) marketing compensation systems. You introduce people who become your "down lines" and you earn commissions from their product purchases and those of other people they introduce, from that point onwards. An insurance agent may be entitled to a commission from the same sale, each time the policyholder renews. While residual income is not about commissions, you can see that commissions easily come in residual form: you do a job once and get compensated many times over. These are income types that add a lot of value.

Legacy income You may often hear of legacy income in today's discussions as interest focuses too on a steady income flow that not only accrues to you on residual basis through life, but also continues to flow to your survivors even when you die.

Legacy income would seem to be the ultimate, because it not only sustains you while alive; it also sustains your dependents when you are gone. Your employment income ceases the moment you die, besides the fact it is difficult to sustain at old age (the employer won't need you).

Your business income may be there when you are gone, but that's only if there is somebody knowledgeable and committed enough to keep it running as you did.

That needs active work. Portfolio income

will continue at death, but if you actively managed the portfolio, that immediately becomes impossible.

Legacy income, in its best form, is most available from network marketing arrangements. The reason is simple: when you build a network, each member of the team (the down lines) does his own business, which they will continue, in spite of you. You however, automatically get your commissions from whatever business activity (purchases) they generate.

That happens to your survivors, too, in most MLM schemes.

Putting it together These important income concepts have a meaning for your financial health if you make effort to apply them. Firstly, the imperative of seeking to diversify income sources (multiple streams) is basic.

Possible options have been highlighted, but only you will know what works for you and what you can efficiently manage.

Generating much of that multiple stream from passive sources is one powerful way of ensuring that you can easily handle it all.

Put some income activities into autopilot and continue to cream them over and over, at most with minimal intervention. Activities that can generate residual income should also attract your interest.

Refer a customer, for example, and get multiple income flows for that one-off action. If you have a family, should you ignore opportunities for legacy earnings?

Your job won't keep them when you are gone, but an income stream from a legacy source, can guarantee their continued well-being. So, don't just seek income - go for an income strategy that expands your income in value and sources and for a lifetime and beyond. That is a rock-solid way of building your income base.

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 FEBRUARY 2015

Eagles, Bolivia clash in Uyo on March 26

Sport Slaming

T

he Nigeria Football Federation and its FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon, have confirmed that the senior national team, Super Eagles, will tackle the senior national team of Bolivia in a grade A international friendly in Uyo on Thursday March 26.

“We have had to work at a pace to seal agreement for this match, after the Brazilian Football Federation opted out at the last hour.

“However, we believe that the Bolivia team will give the Super Eagles a good match, as we continue to work on a second match for the Eagles for either 29th March,” NFF President Amaju Pinnick said on Friday.

The game at the Akwa Ibom Stadium, rated as one of the most magnificent sporting infrastructure on the African continent, will be the first for the Super Eagles A this year as they countenance the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers later in the year.

Adekunle Salami adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only)

Rahaman Bashir of Enyimba (right) dribbling past a Kano Pillars defender in a recent match

Don’t underrate your opponents zz Pinnick tells continental representatives

Murray wins in Rotterdam

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players the chance to exhibit their talents to prove that they are good enough for the Eagles.”

Kano Pillars and Enyimba International are campaigning in the CAF Champions League while Dolphins and Warri Wolves are in the CAF Confederation Cup competition. All the clubs are engaged in the first leg of the qualifying rounds.

In the Champions League, Pillars are up against Al-Malakai of Sudan in the first leg while Enyimba will host Buffles du Borgou FC from Benin Republic. Dolphins have a date in Equatorial Guinea with Leones Vegetarianos while Warri Wolves have Racing Club de Bobo-Dioulasso of Burkina Faso to contend with.

“The teams have the enabling environment to excel. All of them just competed in the Super Four in Abuja.

I believe they are in good shape to do Nigeria proud,” Pinnick added.

Adekunle Salami

B

ritain's Andy Murray beat Canada's Vasek Pospisil 6-3 7-5 in the second round of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.

The top seed was hampered by an ankle knock at the start of the second set but fought back from 5-3 behind to win in straight sets.

Murray, 27, only hit 14 winners to his opponent's 25, but made 17 unforced errors compared to Pospisil's 26.

The Scot now faces eighth seed Gilles Simon of France in the quarter-finals.

The first set went with serve until the eighth game when Murray took advantage of some tame Pospisil serves to break and then he held comfortably to take the first set in 36 minutes.

The world number four then landed awkwardly on his left ankle in the first game of the second set but, despite hobbling and in pain, he took control after breaking Pospisil with a great return down the line to move 3-2 up.

he President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, has charged the four Nigerian teams on duty this weekend in the CAF Champions League and the Confederations Cup not to underrate their respective opponents.

Pinnick said it was important to make an impression at club level on the continent as part of the rebuilding process of the senior national team.

He said: “In the early stage, teams record shocking results because some teams were not taken seriously. We cannot afford to do that. I have sent words to our representatives to take all matches seriously from this first round stage.

“We are looking at good players at club level, age limit cadre and the schools to boost the Super Eagles. The continental games will give some of the

11th AJC: Go for trophy, NFF charges Eaglets

T

he Nigeria Football Federation has handed down a win-thetrophy mandate to the U-17 National Team, Golden Eaglets, as they begin campaign in the 11th African U-17 Championship in Niger Republic on Sunday.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, reflected that as champions of the world, the Eaglets have no business finishing lower than first place at the continental finals.

He said: “The NFF is giving the Golden Eaglets total support to conquer in Niger Republic. Our belief is that we have a team to conquer Africa.

As champions of the world, we have no

Murray

reason not to win in Africa.

“Coach Emmanuel Amuneke and his assistants have been doing a great job. I watched the team a number of times and I could see in the players the hunger to achieve. “ The Eaglets start their campaign on Sunday, as they tango with host nation Niger Republic at the General Seyni Kountche Stadium in Niamey, starting from 3pm.

After playing Niger Republic on Sunday, the world champions clash with Guinea on February 18 and then with Zambia on February 21.

Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and South Africa are in Group B.

GAMES/CROSS WORD PUZZLE Alcoholic Drinks

1

KEY WORDS

BOOZE STOUT SHANDY WALLOP BEER SCRUMPY TIPPLE ALE PERRY POISON LAGER MEAD BREW BITTER MALT LIQUOR ALCOHOL PORTER BARLEY WINE

S W B B T I P P L E D

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S A E L A G E R U A L

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O N L T A W L A C L O L H O O P L I D G E R C S

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8

3

4 7

5

6

9 10

11

12

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14 16 18 19 21

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22

1 5 7 8 9 10 11 12

Opening , (7).

Stake, (3).

Introducing maiden name, (3).

Small song bird, (3).

Things in poor condition, (3).

Jesus of Nazareth, abbr., (4).

Town in Rivers state, (4).

Officer Commanding, abbr., (2).

DOWN 1 Flow out, (7).

20

2 Mean something, (6).

23

3 Indicates movement, (4).

4 Induce, (6).

5 Large furry animal, (4).

24 25

15

ACROSS

16 Belonging to, (2).

17 Ancient Celtic poet, (4).

18 A city in W. Germany, (4).

22 Town in Osun state, (3).

23 2nd Republic Benue Governor, (3).

24 Homosexual, (3).

25 Curved inlet of sea, (3).

26 Controversial Abuja HIV/AIDS healer, (7).

14 Town near Ibadan, (6).

15 Gov. Danbaba Suntai's state, (6).

19 Group sex party, (4).

20 Kind of sausage roll, (4).

21 Pen's writing tip, (3).

6 Metallic element, (3).

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13 Former leader in Sokoto, (7).

See solution on page 20

Elections: Any agenda for sport?

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olitics is in the air and every Nigerian is very sensitive to the ongoing electioneering that has manifested in various dimensions such as news, adverts and rallies.

At a time like this, people take note of the different promises that are made especially by the key candidates and parties using their innumerable techniques. The elections were postponed last week and one hopes the candidates would use this opportunity to address some of the areas yet to be covered in their campaign.

Stakeholders in different fields are monitoring proceedings to grasp issues as they relate to their respective disciplines. Those in the business world are engrossed with the plans of the candidates for the economy in concrete terms just as the ordinary Nigerian is expectant. The same goes for other sectors.

In England, the Labour Party is thinking ahead on the transition of club ownership from the present billionaire owners’ model to fans’ empowerment. MP Chi Onwurah told the Daily Mail: “We’ve got to give power back to the fans if we’re going to reclaim the beautiful game.” Jon Cruddas also said: “Football is more than business. Football clubs are part of people’s identity and sense of belonging."

But in Nigeria, the sport sector has been almost completely neglected by politicians. Major candidates for the elections have not spoken about sport. Ironically, some of the candidates have been using the nation’s sporting heroes to score political points. Sportsmen from various disciplines past and present staged a walk recently in support of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid. When Jonathan first declared his intention to stand for re-election, Austin Okocha, Victor Agali, Joseph Yobo, Nwankwo Kanu and Peter Rufai were among the football icons present.

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, also enjoyed wide publicity when former Super Eagles striker, Obafemi Martins, publicly declared his support for him.

Yobo recently led a rally in Lagos, urging people to support President Jonathan. He also appealed to Lagosians to vote for the PDP Governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje.

Sport is big enough for the candidates to at least mention and tell stakeholders the plans they have for the sector.

Sport is a strong weapon that unites the country and it is unfortunate that the leaders do not appreciate this. Government banks on sport to boost the nation’s image especially abroad. Sport is the opposite of what the country suffers by way of the global outrage on corruption, insecurity and other vices.

The exploits of Nigerian athletes over the years have helped to launder the country’s tainted image. Some foreigners got to know Nigeria via sport. It is not too late for the candidates to state clearly the plans they have for youth development and empowerment through sport.

This is important because this is not a sector to be ignored in this manner.

Oshoala and league top scorers

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he best two strikers in the Nigerian league are now to ply their trade in North Africa. Emem Edouk was involved in a transfer saga as he first went to Norway to discuss a deal before he settled for Esperance of Tunisia.

Mfon Udoh also had discussions with a team in Belarus before coming back to sign for Ismaily of Egypt. Latest reports indicate that Udoh’s case is not yet a done deal.

The attempt to move to Belarus was a sad development. Such desperation! These players do not have good agents and I doubt if they have managers at all.

On the other hand, it was a great feeling when the news of CAF’s best woman player in Africa, Asisat Oshoala, broke.

She moved to England Women's Super League champions, Liverpool Ladies. The player quietly sealed the deal and it was all done before anyone had an idea of the interchanges. It was learnt reliably that Oshoala had a manager who worked so hard to make the deal a reality. This is an example for all the players to follow in both the male and female cadres.

Transfer matters should be handled with tact and wisdom. I am so proud of Oshoala but my heart bleeds for Eduok and Udoh…plus other desperate Nigerian players out there in both the domestic league and abroad.

DESTINATION

A day at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort

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Sanctity of Truth

SATURDAY N150

SPORT

Odiaka attacks NFF over Eagles job, Keshi

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015

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Arsenal hurdle for Omeruo S

Ajibade Olusesan

uper Eagles defender, Kenneth Omeruo, will have his hands full tomorrow (Sunday) when his Championship side, Middlesbrough, file not at the Emirates Stadium for an English FA Cup clash against Arsenal.

Omeruo launched himself back into reckoning at Boro following stellar performances in the 3-1 win over Charlton Athletic and the 1-0 victory at Brentford. Although he was sent back to the bench in their midweek 2-1 win at Blackpool after Daniel Ayala returned from his two-week suspension, he may reclaim the starting place as Ayala won’t be available for selection again this weekend after suffering an injury during the win at Blackpool.

Coach Aitor Karanka has said that Ayala is expected to be out for few weeks and the young Nigerian will be given the chance again this weekend.

Omeruo has played 17 times in all competitions for Boro this season, 16 of them as a starter but he has featured in just one FA Cup match. He was not listed when Boro shocked Manchester City in the last round. The team beat the Premier League Champions 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium and the victories after that famous win would have boosted their confidence as they take on the FA Cup defending champions, Arsenal, tomorrow (Sunday).

The Eagles defender is on the cards in this one but it remains to be seen how the 21-year-old will cope with the power, pace and poise of Arsenal strikers expected to be led by Alexis Sanchez.

Omeruo’s tact and awareness are not in doubt but he has struggled for form in the past months, a situation that cost him regular spot in Boro line-up, so it may be auspicious to see him prove his worth once again in a big tie like this.

He has committed 22 fouls with11 against him; the Nigerian has also bagged five yellow cards but has not been sent off. He has three shots so far but none on target.

Arsenal are aware that Boro are giant slayers after they eliminated Man City, so the Gunners will line up their best legs today. Boro are the major favourites to gain promotion to the English Premier League as they lead the Championship table and are high in spirit after a run of good results.

Coach Karanka has enjoined his wards to show confidence and composure at the Emirates.

“Anything can happen and we will go there the same way we did against Man City. Arsenal are another Champions League team with many great players but we will go there thinking we can win. Man City was a surprise and Liverpool was a surprise but it would not be a surprise to see us win at Arsenal,” Karanka said.

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