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Nkeiru Sylvanus, Nollywood star: My career, Governor Rochas Okorocha and I } 19

pdp leaders to obasanjo

we won’t beg YOU lEx-President is a hypocrite, says

Lagos monarch, Oba Rilwan Akiolu Ndubuisi Ugah, Adesina Wahab, Adeolu Adeyemo, Onyekachi Eze and Kunle Olayeni

S

ome Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders from the South-West, including the Ekiti State Governor, Mr.

Ayo Fayose, have denounced any suggestion that the leadership of the PDP might plead with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to re-

scind his decision to quit the ruling party.

Many chieftains are of the opinion that the “usefulness” of the party’s former Board of Trustees

(BoT) chair was long gone, and that he had “outlived his stay” in the party.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

DANIEL ’TOBILOBA: NYSC, INEC abandoned me after I lost my sight } 10

42 months after, Lagos tenancy law in the bins } 24

CAN’s generalsecretary

N7 bn bribe-for-vote allegation: Our story }6

Fayose: Buhari in London for medical treatment, not Chatham House lecture. ...Don’t delude yourself, says Garba Shehu } 4 FAYOSE

SHEHU

2

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Contents | 21.02.15 INSTYLE

The Flats Have It You may have a wardrobe full of shoes, but the ensemble isn’t quite complete if there are no flat sandals. This comfortable footwear can easily transform just about any outfit

}16

SOAPBOX

Politics of Fashion Beyond the rhetoric of political campaigns, candidates are making fashion statements just as loud as any sloganeering could possibly be

}18

SHOWBIZ

Eyes on the Future A participant in three music talent hunts and securing second place in Project Fame; Patience Edache has put those stories of what might have been behind her with a new single

}22

TV&RADIO

Bella’s Place Showing on ONTV, Bella’s Place is a sitcom that revolves around an upscale unisex hairdressing salon. And it’s giving TV audience a good laugh too

}55

SPORT

Discretion Please Former Super Eagles midfielder, Moses Kpakor, has criticised NFF’s showy attempts to get some Nigerian-born English players to switch allegiance to Nigeria

}25

DESTINATION

Backwaters No More Once derided for its near-zero development and poor living standard of its indigenous people, Abakaliki has today shed that unflattering tag

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

SATURDAY

Comment

Leadership crisis in NLC

T

he inability of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to elect new national leaders at its 11th delegates’ conference in Abuja on February 12, is indeed worrisome, and is a dent on the image of this organisation that had become a body that fights for the generality of the people, and not only its four million members.

The conference was called after the tenure of the national executives led by outgoing President Abdulwaheed Omar, who served two terms of four years, ended on February 6.

However, new leaders could not emerge at the conference, as voting, the last item of the five-day event was disrupted mid-way. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), aggrieved parties hijacked and smashed ballot boxes, leading to stoppage of the exercise.

The NLC gave an account, on its website, of what happened thus: “The 11th Delegates Conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress held from February 8 to February 11, 2015 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja and was attended by 3, 119 delegates from 43 affiliate unions, the biggest in the history of the Congress.

“The voting process, the last item on the agenda, commenced peacefully and in an orderly manner on Wednesday, February 11, and lasted through the night. However, on the morning of Thursday, February 12 at 8:45, a printing error was spotted in a few ballot papers by way of duplication of names.

This error affected four candidates, two each from opposing camps.

“As regrettable as this error by the Credential Committee is, its degree was insignificant and could have been resolved amicably by way of vote invalidation. However, this was not to be as some delegates who held the view that the entire process might have been corrupted, reacted sharply. This led to the suspension of the voting process.”

According to media reports, the election of a new NLC President had created tension among delegates and

split them along partisan lines. This should be expected. What many found shocking however was that an organisation that had been a major player in the people’s struggle for democracy during the dark days of military rule could slip down into such a low that it would be unable to elect its own leaders.

Since the incident, there had been suggestions on how to resolve the crisis and leadership vacuum created as a result of the February 12 incident.

One of those who contested in the election reportedly called on elders and veterans of the Congress to ensure that there is no vacuum, while the Labour Party, which is linked to the NLC, said in a statement that it was a great disservice to Nigerian workers and the nation that the Congress could not hold a successful election.

The party further argued that it was dangerous to leave the union to address the present challenge alone, and therefore offered to assist the union to organise a fresh transparent and rancour-free election.

It is really sad that a body which played in big role in the struggle for the enthronement of democracy and has since been fighting for the interest of the masses could not organise a successful transition of power.

Constituting a caretaker committee as being suggested by a few voices would bring back memories of the military era during which its national organs were dissolved and its affairs placed in the hands of appointed administrators. This doesn’t seem the way to go.

Rather, we believe the crisis could be resolved quickly if all stakeholders, including elders of the Congress and the leadership of the Labour Party, come together and serve as impartial umpires in an a re-run election that should be quickly organised. Members of the affiliate unions of the NLC and the entire Nigerian masses cannot afford a leadership vacuum or a leadership credibility problem in their beloved Congress.

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

I’ve fulfilled my promise on power sector —Jonathan

Ndubuisi Ugah, Adeola Yusuf and Kunle Olayeni with agency report

l Says FG has spent $8.26bn on sector l ‘PDP’s victory will free Lagosians'

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said he had lived on his campaign pledge to Nigerians that he would make the power sector a priority for his administration.

To this end, he said the Federal Government had invested about $8.26 billion in the power sector through the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).

Jonathan, who spoke during the inauguration of the Olorunsogo II Power Station in Olorunsogo, Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, said the power plant was a 750MW NIPP project.

The President, who explained that a total of $650 million of the amount was committed to the Olorunsogo power plant, said there were 10 of such power projects ongoing across the nation, noting that he had inaugurated two in Kogi and Ondo States in 2014.

“I have lived up to my campaign pledge to make the power sector a priority,” Jonathan told the gathering that included members of the Federal Executive Council, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains and traditional rulers from the state.

Jonathan said although it was capital intensive to make a difference in the

power sector, his administration had been tackling it headlong.

He said the short interface between public ownership of power sector to private sector would soon be over.

With that session over, the President said Nigerians would begin to take power for granted in the next two years.

He said: “The interface between 100 per cent ownership of the power sector by government and 100 percent ownership by private sector will soon be over. In the next two years, Nigerians can take power sector for granted like it is obtainable in other countries.”

He said he was confident that Nigeria is moving in the right direction under his watch.

According to the president, his administration will not relent in its determination to drive away darkness from Nigeria.

“I am happy that I have consistently delivered on my campaign promises to transform Nigeria and my administration would leave no stone unturned to achieve its goals,” he said.

He described the power plant as the second largest NIPP power station in the country.

The President urged

P

Police confirm attack on Calabar prison Clement James Calabar

G

unmen yesterday allegedly attacked the Afokang prison in Calabar, Cross River State capital, ostensibly to free some of the inmates.

Though unconfirmed reports stated that an undisclosed number of inmates had gained entry into the armoury of the prison and attempted to escape after a gun duel with a team of security agents, reports, however, said the attack was repelled by a combined team of prison guards and soldiers, who were quickly drafted to the prison to ward off the attempt.

Although an eyewitness, who did not disclose his name, claimed that a warder was feared killed while many inmates were injured, a development which the police refuted.

The police claimed that no death was recorded, while no inmate was freed.

The eyewitness said: “About 11 a.m., we heard

gunshots coming from the prison end. Everybody ran for safety. Within minutes we saw the soldiers coming and the whole place was barricaded. We learnt one warder was killed while many inmates were wounded.”

But the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Hogan Bassey, while responding to enquiries on the telephone, said: “Yes, there was an attempt by some hoodlums to break into the prison this morning but that was curtailed and nobody died as a result. Security men are in charge of the situation and the place is calm.”

On whether the Police have identified the gunmen, the PPRO simply said: “Investigation is in progress.”

When Saturday Telegraph visited the prison, soldiers in full combat gear were positioned at various entry points to the prison while movement into the area was restricted.

Nigerians to support the Federal Government in its desire to improve electricity.

The president pledged that the interface between the government and the private sector on the privatisation of the power sector would be completely sealed by 2017, if voted into power.

He said the power plants in Kogi and Ondo states had already been privatised while that of the Olorunsogo is in the process of being privatised.

Commending the board and management of NDPHC for the successful completion of the Olorunsogo and other NIPPs, the President added: “We are planning two major dams in the North. This is in addition to the plan for massive generation from coal in the South-East.”

Managing Director of the NDPHC, Mr. Abiodun Olotu, said the feat achieved by the agency was due to the support and leadership of the President.

The Olorunsogo II plant, he said, would add 750 Mega Watts to the national grid and this, together with other NIPPs, would go a long way to boost the power generation and supply across the country.

Earlier, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said Nigeria lost 400 Mega Watts (MW) due to gas shortage caused by incessant attacks on gas pipelines.

He said: “The vandals have caused the current decline in power. And it is shocking that anytime we are about to hit 4,500 MW these vandals go and cut the gas pipelines.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan yesterday said in Lagos that victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming general elections would free Lagos residents from oppression.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the president stated this when the leaders of market women groups, known as Iyalojas, in Lagos and environs, paid him a solidarity visit at the State House, Marina, Lagos.

“Our victory at the polls will free all Lagos traders from oppression. You need to be free; we will remove Lagos from bondage,’’ he said.

L-R: Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakili: Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; Supervising Minister of Information, Chief Edem Duke; President Goodluck Jonathan and Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, at the inauguration of 750mw Olorunsogo 11 Power Station in Papalanto, Ogun State…yesterday.

Fayose: Buhari in London hospital for medical treatment Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

E

kiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), travelled to United Kingdom for medical treatment contrary to claims that he went abroad to speak to some international dignitaries.

Buhari had travelled to UK where he was expected to meet some British Parliamentarians and some international groups.

But in a swift reaction, the director of media and publicity of APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), Malam Garba Shehu, said Fayose’s claim was untrue as Buhari was not hospitalised.

In a statement issued yesterday in Ado-Ekiti by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Lere Olayinka, the governor described the medical trip as a vindication of his earlier stand that Buhari was sick

l APC candidate not hospitalised —Garba Shehu and lacked the required capacity to rule Nigeria.

He said: “As against the claim of the APC that Buhari was on a short working visit to the UK, Buhari is being treated at a hospital located at Cavendish Street, Cavendish Square, W2 London West End, London."

He said the claim that Buhari would give a talk at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, London was "a deceit taken too far."

He added: "The event listed on Royal Institute of International Affairs website; http:/ www.chathamhouse.org/events to hold on February 23 and 24 is; 'Security and Defence: Rising powers and the future of defence cooperation' and Buhari’s name is not listed among the speakers.

“For the avoidance of doubt; the event's keynote speakers are; former Brazil Minister of Defence, Celsius Amorin; UK Parliamentary Under Secretary

of State and Minister of Defence, Equipment Support and Technology, Chief of the Defence Staff, UK Ministry of Defence, General Sir Nicholas Houghton; Chief Executive of BAE System, Ian King and Secretary General, Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Dr Abdulatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani.

“Apart from the above listed five persons, 25 others are listed as speakers. So, in which Royal Institute of International Affairs’ event is Buhari participating as a speaker? This is not to mock Buhari or wish him dead.

Rather, it is to expose the falsehood of the APC and desperation of its leaders, especially Senator Bola Tinubu to foist another Yar’Adua saga on Nigeria.

“The truth is that Buhari travelled out on Thursday to seek medicare in UK and he was attended to at a hospital located in Cavendish Street, Cavendish Square, W2 Lon-

don West End, London on Friday. If the APC people are saying otherwise, let them publish the picture of Buhari boarding the plane and granting interview to Aviation Correspondents at the Abuja Airport."

Meanwhile, Shehu in his comment said: “The fact that Buhari is still alive up till today is not pleasing to the governor. From the day Fayose published a Buhari in the coffin, when he announced a death wish for the former Head of State, the governor demonstrated his morbid hatred for Buhari.

“We know it. He is not happy about it. So, he will continue to wish him dead but God gives life and God takes away life. Thousands of Fayose cannot take Buhari’s life if God has not wished it to happen. The General is not in any London hospital. Why will he be in any hospital, except in Fayose hospital? There is no truth in that.”

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Lagos INEC yet to take delivery of 400,000 PVCs –REC

T

Muritala Ayinla he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State yesterday said about 400, 000 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) were still being expected from its headquarters for distribution to their owners.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, said this while addressing journalists in Lagos.

Orebiyi pleaded with eligible voters whose cards were among those still expected to be patient with the commission, assuring them that the outstanding cards would soon be delivered.

“As at the first week of January, the percentage of distribution of PVCs was hovering around 38 per cent, but as at the end of last week, it was 62.7 per cent. But we are still working seriously because we know that quite a number of people are yet to collect their PVCs; we want to make sure that they are able to collect these cards.

“As we speak, out of 5,905, 000 cards for Lagos State, we have distributed 3,654,000, but I also need to say that out of 5.9 million, c o n t i n u e d fo m pa g e 1

Obasanjo had on Monday announced his decision to quit the PDP and directed a party official from his ward to tear his membership card of the ruling party on the premise that he wished to remain an elder statesman.

But Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, while fielding questions from State House correspondents, after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, said PDP stakeholders would beg Obasanjo to rescind his decision.

Lamido, who is the North-West Coordinator of Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign, said Obasanjo remained the father of all, particularly as Jonathan and all the state governors were his "creations".

He said: “Baba (Obasanjo) is more than a party man. He is an icon, a national symbol and a leader and an inventor, a creator of all the institutions today in Nigeria, from the President to the governors who are his own sons.

“And so, when a father is angry with his own children, we will only say we are sorry to him. But then, we cannot be renounced for whatever it is. If you do any political DNA of our blood, you will find his (Obasanjo’s) blood in us. No matter what we are, we may not be able to live up to his expectations.”

However, Fayose while commenting on Lamido’s statement, said those saying they would go and beg

we are still awaiting the arrival of about 400,000 cards.

“As soon as we are able to receive them we will also be able to push them out so that people can come out to collect them. We are expecting additional cards in practically all the 20 local government areas,” he said.

He said the commission had outstanding cards in some polling units in Oshodi-Isolo, Mushin, IbejiLekki, Ikeja, Ifako-Ijaiye, Badagry, Ikorodu, Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Eti-Osa, Apapa, Ojo, Lagos-Island, Kosofe, Surulere, AmunwoOdofin, Somolu and Epe. “Also, in Alimosho, we want to urge our people to continue to exercise patience, especially in Shasha, Akowonjo, Idimu, Isheriolofin, Ikotun, Ijegun, Egbe, Agbojo as well as Ipaja.

“These are the specific areas where we are expecting cards, but we have been given assurance from our headquarters that as early as Monday next week, these cards would start arriving.

“Again, we want to appeal to our people to kindly continue to bear with us and exercise patience; we are working to ensure that these cards arrive in time,” he said.

Orebiyi said the com-

mission was compiling the distribution for the outgoing week, which could be released by next week.

He said, however, that the commission had no fewer than 1.8 million PVCs not yet claimed in the state.

32%

The commissioner urged owners of the yet-to-be collected cards to find time to pick them up before the deadline on March 8.

Orebiyi said the commission would go beyond the local governments and

The percentage of monetary cost as a factor influencing Primary School drop-out in Nigeria.

Source: Nigeria.usembassy.gov

distribute the cards at the polling units on February 27 and 28, March 6 and 7.

He also spoke on the allegation of sidelining some sections of the community from getting their cards.

“There is no intention on

23.35

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Bahrain in 2004.

Source: Itu.int

the part of INEC or any of its officials to deny any single ethnic group, any single community or any single individual of his card. But, if any person has difficulties, he should let us know,’’ Orebiyi said.

12%

The crude birth rate of Northern Europe in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

L-R: Lagos State APC Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe; Governor Babatunde Fashola; Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja, Eze Uche Dimgba and the state’s APC governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, during a solidarity visit to Fashola by Eze Ndigbo in Lagos …yesterday

PDP leaders to Obasanjo: We won’t beg you Obasanjo were on their own.

Speaking on a radio/ television programme in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, the governor said he wished such people the best.

He said: “Grey hair is very good but it does not mean wisdom. I have no personal issue with him.

He is a cancer that needs more than radioactive rays to cure. He became the beneficiary when General Murtala Muhammed was killed and he also benefited when Chief MKO Abiola died.

When a pointer is leading you to Golgotha you are dead. Do you see other leaders behaving like this, there must be decorum.”

Also, the National ViceChairman of the PDP in the South-West, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, said the exit of Obasanjo from the party was good riddance to bad rubbish.

“There is no need to beg him, beg him for what?

Since he felt it was time for him to leave the party, when nobody forced him to leave. The PDP is bigger than any member and we will never condone indiscipline and anti-party activities from anybody.

“Obasanjo ceased from being a member of the PDP since last year. He only formalised his exit from our party today (yesterday) and we in the PDP are relieved

5

now that we no longer have a mole among us.

“In the first instance, he has never contributed a dime to the PDP, a party that made him President. Rather, he has promoted strife and rebellion among members for his own selfish interests.

“It was his selfishness that caused us the governorship election in Ogun State in 2011 and it was his high handedness that led to the exit of key members of the party. We are, therefore, happy that he has finally bid us farewell and we will not miss him,” he said.

A chieftain of the PDP and a retired customs officer, Chief Francis Fadahunsi, said no member of the party would beg Obasanjo as claimed by Lamido.

Fadahunsi in a telephone conversation with Saturday Telegraph, said it was not even advisable to beg Obasanjo, who had compulsorily retired himself from politics to be able to rest.

He said: “Obasanjo is even too old and quitting the political stage this time would help him to rest. I advise him to use of opportunity of his bowing out of politics to rest.

“Obasanjo had dumped PDP long time ago and I think he should be left alone to rest because he has even resigned his membership of the BoT of the party, and had never attended any meeting

called by the PDP. I congratulate Obasanjo because at about 80 years, he needs to rest. PDP will not worry him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not worry him, it is only his conscience that will worry him now.”

Also, Osun State chapter of the PDP said Lamido was only expressing his own view and that there was no crime in somebody expressing his view on a matter.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bola Ajao, said Lamido was only trying to mediate between the party and Obasanjo, hence he did not say it with total affirmation that PDP would beg Obasanjo.

Another party stalwart in the state, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, said Lamido expression was not shocking or surprising as he was Obasanjo’s political son.

Ogundokun said: “It is not compulsory to beg Obasanjo because nobody is an island and he should know that he is a father that should not be too annoyed with a son. God truly used him for Jonathan but that has not said that he should run him down also at all cost.”

He added that: “What Obasanjo did was uncalled for and he should know that whether he runs Jonathan down or quits the party, what will be will be.

Obasanjo should be told that God, the Almighty

one, will do what he will do whether anybody likes it or not. If God ordains Jonathan to be next president, no man can stop or disturb him from being the president.”

Also speaking in an interview with Saturday Telegraph, the state PDP chairman, Chief Adebayo Dayo, described the tearing of the party’s membership card by the former president as “a criminal act.”

He said: “Baba Obasanjo decided to leave the party when he heard from his people that a letter has already been written to the state secretariat from his ward, telling us a lot about his activities and he did not know what was going to come out of it.

And that was why he quickly called an emergency meeting and decided to leave the party in that manner.

“What Baba Obasanjo did is a criminal act and I am going to follow it up; because tearing our membership card would have even been okay if the card was torn by himself and not by a member of APC." However, the leadership of the PDP yesterday said it would continue to appeal to Obasanjo to rescind his decision to leave the party.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in an interview with New Telegraph, said the policy of the party to persuade members who leave the

party is still applicable in the case of Obasanjo.

“Our policy is the same.

We want more people and we will continue to appeal to our members who left the party to come back. Our umbrella is big enough to accommodate everybody especially very important people like Obasanjo. We need him, we worked for him for eight years and we want him back,” Metuh added.

Meanwhile, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has said Obasanjo’s recent accusation against President Jonathan’s administration smacks of hypocrisy.

Fielding questions from journalists at the inauguration of four naval warships in Lagos, Akiolu said Obasanjo illegally withheld the state’s (Lagos) allocation for many months and refused to release it even after the Supreme Court ordered him to do so.

He said: “If I want to do something, I don’t pretend.

God gives many people long life so that they can get enough punishment. Let me tell you something; all the injustices they committed against Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, God Almighty is punishing them now.

“All the accusations former President Obasanjo is making now, he initiated them, nurtured them and masterminded them and now he is complaining. God has a way of doing something. More are still coming.” l More on pages 48 and 49.

6

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

ABAKILIKI ‘Don't use youths for electoral violence’

N EWS I N BRIEF

ST

A group, United Mandate, has warned politicians not to use the youth to cause electoral violence in the forthcoming elections in order to achieve their personal gains.

Coordinator of the group in Ebonyi State, Mr. Ikechukwu Agbo, said at a one-day awareness programme, with the theme “Press Play” in Abakaliki, that youths were at the centre of electoral violence and rigging as they were often used as party thugs to cause mayhem during election periods.

“Violence is never a solution and might only rob the country of stability; evidence suggests that Boko Haram members, who are mainly youths are merely tools in the hands of politicians,” he said.

BALOGUN Lagos begins demolition of burnt Balogun Market

Lagos State Government yesterday began the demolition of the three buildings gutted by fire on January 12 at the popular Balogun Market in Central Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the demolition was being carried out by a firm, Blackrock Construction Company.

Fire gutted the buildings housing about 100 shops and destroyed goods worth millions of naira.

Officials of the company who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity said that it was the government that gave directive for the buildings to be demolished.

€22.92m The total salary and extra winnings made by Alex Rodriguez of New York Yankees (Baseball) in 2013-2014.

Source: Financenews24.com

ENUGU Chime signs N96.7bn budget into law

Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, has signed the state’s 2015 Appropriation Bill of N96.735 billion into law.

The signing of the bill into law followed the passage of the bill by the state House of Assembly recently upon a motion moved by the leader of the assembly, Sunday Ude Okoye and seconded by Deputy Leader, John Kelvin Ukuta.

Speaking at the event at the Government House, Enugu, yesterday, Chime promised a speedy implementation of the budget and the continued delivery of good governance and dividends of democracy to the people until his last day in office.

32,000

64

The projected number of Americans above 65 years with Alzheimer’s in New Hampshire by 2025.

Source: Alz.org

The life expectancy of women at birth in Haiti in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

Indonesia postpones execution of Nigerian, seven others

I

ndonesia yesterday announced the postponement of the execution of a Nigerian and seven other drug convicts on death row for up to three weeks.

The Attorney-General spokesman, Tony Spontana, said the executors surveying the facilities on Nusakambangan penal Island, off Javafound, discovered that it was not ready to handle the executions.

“The execution plan is still on schedule” since the inmates’ clemency appeals have been rejected,” he said.

Spontana said because of the technical reasons, the executions are likely to be postponed for two or three weeks.

“We have not decided on a date yet, but once the

renovation is finished we will immediately transfer them, maybe next week or two weeks,” he said.

Other convicts are from Brazil, France, Ghana, the Philippines, Australia and Indonesia.

They are all expected to be shot by firing squad in the second round of executions this year.

The Australian government had appealed to Indonesia to show mercy to its citizens -Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaranwho were described as ringleaders of a group of nine Australians arrested in 2005 for attempting to smuggle 8.3 kilogrammes of heroin to Australia from the Indonesian resort Island of Bali.

Polls: N7bn bribe allegation baseless, says CAN’s scribe Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

T

Minister of Youth, Mr. Boni Haruna, checking the inscription on the Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), destroyed by the military, during the flushing out of insurgents at Kwarhi, Adamawa State…yesterday PHOTO-NAN

Interpreter's absence stalls Nyanya bomber's trial ARRAIGNMENT

Ogwuche's trial suffers a setback as official interpreter was absent.

Tunde Oyesina

T Abuja

he arraignment of the alleged mastermind of the April 14, 2014 Nyanya bomb blast, Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was yesterday stalled due to the absence of the official interpreter of the court.

Ogwuche is being held in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) alongside seven others for allegedly bombing a popular motor park in Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory in April last year which claimed over 75 lives.

The court however fixed

March 6 for the arraignment.

The trial judge, Justice A.R Mohammed, also called for the cooperation of counsel in the matter so as to give it an accelerated hearing.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, all the accused were legally represented in court but they could not be arraigned because of the absence of the court's official interpreter, Murtala Mohammed.

Ogwuche had, through his counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, had earlier asked the court to compel DSS to pay him N100 million as compensation for his unlawful arrest and detention without trial.

Ogwuche, in an application brought pursuant to Order 2, Rule (1), (2), (3) of the Fundamental Enforcement Procedure Rule and Sections 34,35,36,37 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution, is seeking for the enforcement of his fundamental human

right.

He joined the DSS and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as defendants in the application, but the court latter struck out AGF's name on his request.

Arguing his application, Raji noted that it was based on the request of the Federal Government that the Interpol placed a red alert on the applicant contrary to the impression that it was the Interpol that, on its own placed the red alert.

Raji further drew the attention of the court to the fact that the charge on which Ogwuche was arrested and detained had been struck out by the court for lack of diligent prosecution and added that the charge was the foundation of the extradition order which led to the arrest of the applicant.

He further noted that it was assumed that the state had concluded all its investigations before requesting for the extradition order, contending that, further de-

tention of the complainant in the DSS custody without arraignment is illegal and pre-judicial.

He contended that the ex-parte order which the DSS got to detain the applicant for 90 days was a miscarriage of justice and contended that section 27 of the Terrorism Prevention Act could not override the provisions of Section 35 of the constitution which preserved the right to liberty of every citizen.

Raji, however, urged the court to compel the DSS to release the complainant conditionally or unconditionally, admit him to administrative bail or arraign him within 48 hours of the judgment.

It will be recalled the court had recently struck out the two-count charge bordering on terrorism filed by the police against Ogwuche for lack of diligent prosecution, having been absent in court for two consecutive times.

he Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has debunked speculations that it received the sum of N7 billion from President Goodluck Jonathan to support his re-ekection campaign across churches in Nigeria.

General Secretary of CAN, Rev. Musa Asake, described the allegation as baseless, incredible and worthless, urging the relevant security agencies to investigate it and bring those behind it to book.

“For the avoidance of doubt, CAN has no knowledge of any N7 billion transaction as alleged

by Musa Dikwa, who claims to be the Executive Director of a non-existent group, Voice of Northern Christian Movement. CAN is not a political party, let alone getting involved in partisan politics. Christians who are members of CAN belong to different political parties. It is therefore surprising to hear that CAN is campaigning for one candidate,” Asake said.

He said the allegation would have been master-

minded by those who were not happy with CAN’s recent statement where it denounced the endorsement of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) by a group of people using the name of different Christian organisations to perpetrate fraud.

“We still insist that Buhari has fallen into wrong hands because his endorsement for the March 28 general election by Northern Christian Leaders EagleEye Forum led by Aminchi Habu is fraudulent. We are therefore calling on security agencies to commence investigation of the activities of this Voice of Northern Christian Movement and Musa Dikwa himself to unravel the N7 billion mystery, which is intended by their sponsors to throw the country into serious crisis.

“We repeat for emphasis, that neither Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Bosun Emmanuel and CAN was given any money by the presidency, let alone N7 billion. The allegation is the height of mischief and desperation,” he said.

Boko Haram releases 158 abducted women Chiazor Uduh with agency reports

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error group, Boko Haram, has released 158 women and children abducted from a village in Yobe State.

The state Commissioner for Justice and chairman of the State Committee on Rehabilitation of Victims of Insurgency, Ahmed Goniri, said yesterday that the victims were released by the sect

after three weeks of captivity.

The official told journalists that the women and children from Katarko village have been reunited with their families in Damaturu, the state capital, according to Xinhua news agency.

“The victims were screened by security personnel to authenticate their status while the government provided them with psychological therapy to ease their trauma,” Goniri said.

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Polls postponement saved Nigeria from embarrassment —PDP Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said Nigeria would have been thoroughly embarrassed if the general elections were not rescheduled.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said in a statement yesterday.

According to him, unfolding events, especially the prevalent huge deficit in the distribution of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) have shown that the development rather saved the nation and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a huge embarrassment.

The party noted that even INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, acknowledged the need for the rescheduling when he appeared before the Senate on Tuesday.

The statement quoted Jega to have said: “The pe-

riod of extension has offered us an opportunity to further perfect the electoral process for the delivery of free, fair credible and peaceful elections to the satisfaction of the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

"We hope that all stakeholders will continue to join hands with the commission to turn this disappointment into a blessing for our country. We believe that the effective utilisation of this period of extension will enable INEC to have a flawless and near perfect conduct of elections.”

PDP noted that all lovers of democracy should appreciate those who raised the alarm that led to the postponement.

The party added that any election held earlier than March would have been chaotic and far from fair and credible as over 23 million registered voters would have been disenfranchised for no fault of theirs.

CNN African Voices features Olaosebikan’s anti-malaria strides

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he giant strides of Nigerian anti-malaria campaigner, Dr. Bola Olaosebikan, is the focus of this weekend’s edition of African Voices, the 30-minute magazine programme on Cable Network News (CNN) International, which is sponsored by a national telecoms operator, Globacom.

A statement from Globacom said the medical doctor, writer, founder and publisher of Health Care, Nigeria’s first health magazine, would be the star guest of the programme.

He will discuss the potential of natural ingredients in tackling the disease which claims millions of lives as well as how he is using herbs

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to create products that he hopes can help supplement conventional medicine in combating malaria.

Olaosebikan will also talk about his Healthcare Herbal Products (HCP), and the company’s mission to deliver good health to the people nationwide and globally using scientific and modern methods of manufacturing and marketing to Nigerians, Africans and global clients.

CNN will air the 30minute magazine programme at 4.30 p.m. today and at 12.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. tomorrow. Repeats of the programme are slated for Monday at 11:30am and on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

MAIDUGURI INEC restates commitment on IDPs’ voting

NEWS IN BRIEF

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The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday re-assured Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that they would exercise their civic rights in the upcoming general elections.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states, Col. Mohammed Hamanga (rtd.), said this after a tour of IDPs camps in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Hamanga said, however, that with the successes recorded at the distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to the displaced persons, it was obvious that no one would be left out.

He said that his visit was aimed at assessing INEC’s preparations for the smooth conduct of the polls, especially among the IDPs.

0.91%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Mozambique in 2007.

Source: Itu.int

VICTORIA ISLAND NBCC lauds Lagos for retaining death penalty

President, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), Mr. Adeyemi Adefulu, yesterday commended the Lagos State Government for retaining the death penalty in its statute books.

Adefulu, a legal practitioner, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the decision reflected the peculiar socio-economic situation of the state.

“Our laws must reflect our socio-economic situation and circumstances.

You can’t just import laws from overseas or the values behind those laws into the country. The law of a country is a function of the development of that country. The socio-economic circumstances of countries are not the same,” he said.

IKEJA Adesina, five others vie for AfDB presidential race

Minister of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, and Ethiopia’s Finance Minister, Sufian Ahmed, are among the five candidates who have been shortlisted to contest the presidency of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Bank said yesterday.

The AfDB Board said the selection of the most eligible candidates to succeed President Donald Kaberuka was done by a Steering Committee of the Board of Governors at a meeting held in Abidjan on February 11.

Cape Verdean Finance Minister, Cristina Kamara, currently Vice President of the Islamic Development Bank, Birama Sidibe and Chad's Finance Minister, Kordjé Bedoumra have also been shortlisted for the elections slated for May this year.

52.9%

The percentage of the urban population of Georgia in 2012.

Source: Un.org

2:5

The ratio of children with malaria in Nigeria.

Source: Nigeria.usembassy.gov

INEC, stakeholders divided over PVC, card reader’s functionality SETBACK

Controversy trails INEC's use of card readers for elections.

Uwakwe Abugu

T Enugu

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some stakeholders in Enugu State are grappling with the crisis that has dogged the distribution of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) as well as the apprehension that the commission’s card readers may frustrate the electorate during March 28 and April 11 respectively elections.

The apprehension is said to be the insistence by

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, that there was no cause for alarm even as some stakeholders have expressed concern over the distribution of the PVCs. Whereas a group based in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state, which is canvassing support for Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, led by Mr. Mbakwe Arji and some PDP electoral ward chairmen have expressed worry over the non-availability of the PVCs for some voters.

But the INEC office in the state said it had so far distributed about 77 percent of the cards meant for voters.

However, Arji’s group

yesterday called on INEC in the state to do something urgent to ensure that those still expecting to receive their cards were given the cards as soon as possible.

The group also expressed fears over the possible failure of INEC's card readers.

Speaking at a press briefing during the week by the Enugu REC, a trial of the card reader was said to have betrayed the danger inherent in the machine as attempts to effect a mock accreditation of a photojournalist with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Mike Agada, failed.

In the same vein, the apex Igbo socio- cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, speaking through its President-General, Chief Gary Enwo Igariwey,

equally called on INEC to ensure effective distribution of the PVCs in the South East before the forthcoming general elections.

Arji also expressed concern on the need for all the prospective voters to collect their PVCs before the elections, noting that assurances of the electoral umpire that the card readers would not frustrate voters on the election dates should not be reckoned with.

On this, he explained that the campaign group had embarked on a houseto-house sensitisation visits in the communities and that they intended to cover the areas before the coming elections just as the group has also interfaced with many organisations, individuals and groups in the area.

Heritage Media Network partners Jonathan’s media group Andrew Iro Okungbowa

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s preparations for next month’s presidential election gets to top gear, Heritage Media Network, a media outfit based in Hamburg, Germany, is collaborating with President Goodluck Jonathan Social media Group to organise a three-day strategic summit.

The summit is aimed at properly positioning the president’s re-election bid in the social media with a view to persuading millions of users of the social media on the achievements of the president and the need to support him.

Chief Executive Officer and Editor – in – Chief of African Heritage Magazine,

Mr. Kenneth Gbandi, said the summit, which is bill to hold from March 13 to 15 at Hamburg Educational Training Institute Normannenweg 26, 20537 Hamburg, Germany, was inspired by the important role of the social media shaping opinions: “It is pertinent to state that the strategic importance of the social media group today cannot be over-emphasised.

Nigeria has recently overtaken South Africa as the largest user of Facebook in Sub-Saharan Africa with over 11 million Facebook users.

"This underscores the need to have strategic plans before, during and beyond March election of President Goodluck Jonathan,” Gbandi said.

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Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka (left), with President, Women Arise and Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, at the campaign’s signature on ‘Stop Violence Against Persons’ #Stopvap, in Lagos…yesterday

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21 FEBRUARY 2015

BAUCHI Man gets 15 years imprisonment for rape

N EWS I N BRIEF

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A middle-aged man, Adamu Abdullahi, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Bauchi State High Court for raping a minor. The court was presided over by the state Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar.

The suspect, Adamu Abdullahi, was first arraigned before the High Court on March 12, 2012 by State Director of Public Prosecution, Dauda Yakubu.

The accused was said to have raped a 7-year-old, Fatima Abubakar, an offence which is contrary to Section 282 of the Criminal Law. It attracts life imprisonment.

In her judgment, Justice Rabi said the accused was found guilty on the ground that his voluntary confessional statement corroborated with the oral evidence tendered by the victim.

SANGO-OTA Ogun promotes 83 TRACE Officers

Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) have promoted 83 officers of the corps in a bid to improving its productivity.

Zonal Commander, TRACE in Ota, Mr. Ajibade Adekunle, said this yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Adekunle, who explained that those promoted were in the officers and superintendents categories, said the promotion exercise was to encourage them to put in their best.

Adekunle said those decorated were 50 men and 33 women, adding that some of the officers received awards for their meritorious performances.

124.8m

36

The total number of active mobile (GSM) lines of Nigeria in December 2013.

Source: Ncc.gov.ng

The density (population/surface area) of Africa in 2012.

Source: Un.org

KATSINA Bird flu kills 3,000 birds

About 3,000 birds have been reported killed

by Avian Influenza (aka bird flu), which hit some poultry farms in Katsina State.

The Vice-Chairman of the state Poultry Farmers Association, Alhaji Musa Danhassan, who confirmed the outbreak of the disease to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Katsina yesterday, said the outbreak of the bird flu occurred at Abukur village in Rimi Local Government Area.

Danhassan said the farm of one of its members, Alhaji Garba Dalhatu, was affected by the outbreak, where he reportedly lost over 3,000 birds.

He said specimen from the affected birds had been taken to the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, where it was confirmed.

430 The total area (in sq. km) of Turks and Caicos Islands.

Source: worldfactsandfigures.com

PDP aspirants threaten court action against Jonathan, others Tunde Oyesina Abuja

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ome aggrieved aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday threatened to institute a court action to nullify the candidature of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and all the candidates of the party in the forthcoming general elections.

The group hinged the threat on the ground that the party did not hold primary elections to nominate any of its candidate, rather all the flag bearers were appointed by godfathers.

The group had earlier threatened to work against the interest of the party in the forth-coming general elections if their grievances were not addressed.

The aspirants, who came together under the aegis of PDP Aspirants Forum (PAF), said they were highly disappointed by the manner in which the par-

ty’s primaries were handled across the country.

The aspirants who came together under the leadership of Chief Richard Lamai in Abuja said all the resources they expended on campaigning and wooing of delegates at the primaries must be refunded to them before the commencement of the elections otherwise the party stands the chance of losing out in all the elections.

The forum comprised aggrieved aspirants who lost out in the party’s primaries across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Speaking at the forum’s emergency meeting in Abuja, Lamai said: “We are collectively aware that reconciliation and reintegration has not been effective or non-existent in our party.

The leadership of the party has carried on as if nothing happened and without due regard to aspirants who invested resources and time in building our party.”

APC drags Fayose to NHRC over alleged violence Tunde Oyesina Abuja

T L-R: Bayelsa State Chief Judge, Justice Kate Abiri; Governor Seriake Dickson and Justice Margret Akpomiemie, during a condolence visit to the governor over the death of 11 female politicians along the East-West Road in Yenagoa…yesterday

Robbers kill undergraduate, four others in Ekiti, Benue TRAGEDY

Armed robbers struck in Ekiti, Benue states leaving tales of woes.

Adesina Wahab and Cephas Iorhemen

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Ado-Ekiti/Makurdi

t was a sad day in AdoEkiti, the Ekiti State capital, when a gang of armed robbers shot dead an accountancy undergraduate, Mr. Temitope Ogunleye, and inflicted serious machete injuries on his father.

Similarly, a group of armed robbers numbering over 20 on Thursday in Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, attacked an old generation bank, where after its operation, four customers were feared killed, while scores were injured, including two

l Two policemen, others injured policemen.

The robbers were said to have killed Temitope, a National Diploma (ND) 11 student of the Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti, at his residence in Olorunda, a satellite town in Ado-Ekiti.

Giving details of the robbery incident, Temitope’s younger sister, Yetunde, said the operation lasted about 45 minutes.

Yetunde, a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, said the robbers, numbering 12, besieged their residence about 1.30am and started shooting sporadically.

She added that the robbers had earlier robbed a house owned by a widow, and retiree, Mrs. Adedunke Orire, dispossessing her of valuables items.

Yetunde added that her late brother, their parents, including herself, were the ones at home when the rob-

bers struck.

“We had earlier heard noise coming from the next building which sent a signal to us that robbers were on the rampage. But later they came to our house peeping through the windows and threatening that we should open the door or face the dire consequences.

“They said they were not in our house for a tea party.

They broke the windows and lit the living room with their torches and started shooting sporadically into the inner side of the bungalow when we didn’t open the door on time. It was at this point that I ran inside to tell daddy, who then instructed us to shout and we did that.

“But as we were making the noise, Temitope had already been shot in the stomach and was in the pool of his blood. At this stage, the robbers had already entered

the living room and started beating our mummy and everybody. In fact, when they sighted daddy, they beat him and thought he was dead before they left, still shooting sporadically,” she said.

Temitope and his father were later rushed to the hospital by neighbours after the robbers had left.

Corroborating Yetunde’s claim, Orire said she was the one who contacted the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, via a number sent to her by a neighbour.

Orire stated that the police arrived later in two patrol vans with a promise that the culprits would be arrested.

“They had earlier broken the front door and threatened to kill me should they enter and meet me inside.

But when I raised my voice that I am a widow and that I have nothing, they decided to leave me and turned to Mr. Ogunleye’s house,” she said.

he All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday dragged the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over allegations of unleashing violence on its members and supporters in the state.

This is as the commission restated its determination to ensure that anybody found culpable of promoting violence and hate speech will be prosecuted no matter how highly placed.

In a petition submitted to the commission by APC’s Secretary in AdoEkiti, Omotosho Ayodele, the party accused the governor of sponsoring political violence in the state including the use of thugs

to physically attack and intimidate members of the opposition in the state.

While receiving the petition, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, restated the commitment of the commission to bring the promoters of violence and hate speech during and after the general elections in the country to book.

“The NHRC is home for all Nigerians irrespective of religion, ethnicity and political affiliation. I want to commend you for taking this cause of action and not to take the laws into your hands. Your allegations are against a sitting governor which has consequences, because if they are false, they portend serious consequences, and if they are true they still have consequences."

Bayelsa Judiciary workers call off strike Chris Ejim Yenagoa

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ayelsa State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) yesterday suspended its industrial action and called on its members to resume work immediately.

The national body of the union had on January 5 embarked on an indefinite strike to press home their demands from the Federal Government.

In suspending the strike, it was gathered that the national body had directed its state branches to meet with

their respective state governments to discuss modalities for calling off the strike in the various states.

Briefing journalists in Yenagoa yesterday, the state Chairperson of JUSUN, Mrs. Selepreye Koin, said the body only agreed to suspend the strike, following the inauguration of the said committee in order to give the government sufficient time to address their demands.

Koin said: “JUSUN only suspended the strike action for 30 days. If the executive arm fails to do what they are supposed to, we shall go back to our homes.”

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Edo govt alleges plot to destabilise the state Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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do State Government yesterday alleged that it had uncovered a plot by some anti-democratic forces to unleash a reign of terror on the state by way of high-profile killings ahead of the March 28 and April 11 general elections.

A statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Lious Odion, in Benin City, said the objective of the plot was not only to sow fear in the minds of the supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) but also to make the state ungovernable for Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

Odion said: “The new evil agenda is akin to the one unleashed in 2012 ahead of the governorship election in which the Principal Private Secretary to the Comrade Governor, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, was brutally murdered. Till date, the killers are yet to be brought to justice.

“On the latest hit list are key figures in the adminis-

Gunmen shoot APC gubernatorial candidate's vehicle Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

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ome gunmen yesterday shot and damaged three vehicles on the convoy of Dr. Samuel Ortom, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.

The incident happened at the funeral of a senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Benue State University, Makurdi, late Dr. Samson Sambe. The gunmen also disrupted the funeral.

Ortom was delivering funeral oration when sporadic gunshots were heard and sympathisers started to run for safety.

The elder brother of the deceased and Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Asen Sambe, was said to have appealed for calm as the funeral was hurriedly concluded.

Saturday Telegraph gathered that in spite of the shots which intensified, Ortom concluded his speech before he was informed that three of his vehicles parked near the Magistrate Court, close to Adikpo Comprehensive College (ACC) Adikpo, had been shot at by the robbers.

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tration, APC leaders, a vocal palace chief as well as journalists considered too independent-minded and unwilling to file fabricated stories to promote PDP. “To achieve this, hardboiled cultists, who were contracted to attack and vandalise the Edo State House of Assembly quarters last year, have again been recruited and indeed given mobilisation running into millions of naira and other logistics support from Abuja early this week through a local cleric-politician.”

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DSS arrests eight suspected rapists Tony Okafor Awka

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he Anambra State command of the Department of State Service (DSS), has arrested eight members of a syndicate linked to serial raping and related offences in the state.

The suspects are Joseph Onah (27), Chinedu Ogbodo (30) and Uchechukwu Mgbemena (aka-Fred), who is 36 years old.

Others are Charles

Onyebuchi (aka-Cisco), aged 35, Martin Ugokwe (22) and John Arinze.

Their arrest, according to the state Director of DSS, Mr. Alex Okeiyi, followed series of petitions to the command by some of the female victims in Awka.

Four of their victims, including three students and a worker, were said to have identified the suspects.

Investigation revealed that the suspects operated with two ash coloured Toyota Camry cars with

registration numbers Anambra JJT840AG and JJT294AA. According to Okeiyi, the suspects used various guises including looking for non-existent addresses and spurious business deals to lure the unsuspecting victims to Asaba.

In the process, he said, the victims were dispossessed of their belongings and money.

Okeiyi also claimed that on one occasion, the suspects dispossessed their victims of about N192 million, while some

of them were raped.

While parading the suspects in Awka yesterday, Okeiyi counselled members of the public, especially females on the antics of the suspects to forestall any of them from falling victim.

“It is noteworthy that since security agencies in the state with the support of the state government kept kidnappers and armed robbers in check, undesirable elements resorted to fraudulent practices and other crimes,” Okeiyi said.

SATURDAY

Voices Should a lady assist a suitor to pay her bride price? p.12

Street Diary SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015

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‘NYSC, INEC abandoned me after I lost my sight’ zz Needs N14m for surgery He was a member of the National Youth Service Scheme in Yobe State and was among those to be used for the conduct of the 2011 general elections in the state before tragedy struck. Daniel Adeigba Oluwatobiloba, from Ijumu, Kogi State, graduated in History and International Relations from the state university in Ayingba.

ADESINA WAHAB writes on the ex-Corps member's ordeal.

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hen Daniel Adeigba Oluwatobiloba finished his studies at the Kogi State University, Ayingba and was posted to Yobe State as a member of the year 2010/2011 ‘Batch C’ NYSC scheme with registration number YB10C0610, he looked forward to a bright future and the adventure the one-year compulsory scheme would afford him. Given his humble background, he had acquired some skills in radio programme production while in school, hoping that he could also earn some income from it.

After the orientation programme, he was posted to teach at a secondary school and was enjoying the experience until tragedy struck. Just like the nation is preparing for general elections now, the month of January 2011 was also an election period. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under Prof. Attahiru Jega, had decided to make NYSC members the core of its ad hoc staff for the elections and Oluwatobiloba was among them. As part of the training by INEC, the ad hoc staff were to go for training on the use of Direct Data Capture machines and he and others boarded a vehicle for the venue of the training.

“We were going for the training on the use of the Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machine at the Government Girls College, Damaturu, when I had an accident on my way. The date was Tuesday, January 4, 2011. In the vehicle, we were 18 passengers, and only I and a girl survived although we were in coma for several days. The other lady is called Chukudinaka. We were first taken to the General Sani Abacha Hospital, Damaturu, and from there referred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. It was there that I regained consciousness.

The impact of the accident was that my two optical nerves were damaged and since then I have not been able to see.

The damaged nerves medically cannot regenerate.

“During the period, there was no government intervention, no NYSC intervention, there was no INEC intervention, I have been the one looking for means to survive in life. I sold all my property. I had to treat myself in the hospital. I have spent over N2 million. I sold my landed property, I sold my car, I gave up every-

thing. I went to the NYSC, I didn’t get any response from them. The only thing I got from the NYSC is just my certificate and I didn’t redeploy even after the accident. I finished my service in Yobe State because I swore an oath that I am going to serve under the sun and in the rain.

“But it is so unfortunate that government did not care about me, they did not give attention to me. I am using this opportunity to inform government about my plight and for them to come to my rescue. It is so unfortunate that government did not care about people who fall victim of national calamities.

"So, I am now calling on Nigerians, well-meaning Nigerians to rise up to help me. I am married and have a son, yet, I can’t take care of my home, I can’t take care of my son and even my wife.

I am faced with accommodation challenges right now and I need to continue my medical treatment," he said.

Among the several letters written by experts on his case is one from the Department of Surgery, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital dated March 3, 2011 and signed by Dr. A. M. Waziri.

It said the then youth corps member was “admitted eight weeks ago with diagnosis of traumatic brain injury, total blindness, left facial nerve palsy and closed fracture right humerus secondary to road traffic accident. Admitting GCS was 12/15. MRI showed late subacute cerebral haemorrhage.”

On whether there is hope of him regaining his sight, Oluwatobiloba replied in the affirmative.

“I learnt that if I go to America the situation can be corrected medically. I need about N14 million to treat myself, this will make me come back to my normal life, I am calling on Nigerians to help me. In trying to find a solution to my problem, I have been to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, where nine consultants headed by Prof. Yaao treated me.

“The impact of the accident also broke my right hand, what I have inside it now is just an iron. I have been to ECWA Eye Clinic, I have been to Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, where I had a surgery on the hand, which cost a lot of money as well,” he added.

The embattled Oluwatobiloba added that in the bid to find solution, he has

If government wants to use Corps members they should compensate them in the event of any calamity like this. I am left in a sorry state and in penury also been to many unorthodox doctors as well as private hospitals. He said he lost his father about 15 years ago and was the one taking care of his mother before the poor woman died last October.

The seventh of eight children said his hope of a good life could fade away if nothing is done to help him get out of his predicament.

“I have decided to move on with my life and am not going to resign to fate, but in the midst of these when you have no support either from family or government, one could become despondent. So, I am calling on the government, President Goodluck Jonathan and the people that matter, well-meaning Nigerians to fight my cause for me to get justice.

“I need adequate compensation, adequate rehabilitation, I cannot continue like this. I was on national assignment when this tragic event happened. Therefore, I should be taken care of by my country.

As I am speaking to you, our state allowances for 12 months were not paid to us by the Yobe State Government," he stated.

On the steps he had taken to seek redress from the NYSC, he said after fruitless attempts at the NYSC secretariat in Damaturu, Yobe State, he had gone to the national secretariat of the NYSC in Abuja.

"When I got to the NYSC headquarters, they told me that they were not aware of my problem. They said they were not informed, that nobody told them. They gave me all manners of promises that I should go and get a hospital which will give me a referral letter to travel for treatment and surgery, which I did. They told me to bring the documents of all I have spent which I gave to them. Up till now, I have not got anything from them.

“I got married last year to a lady I met at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, (FRCN) office in Lagos. I met the lady, who came to the place from Ado-Ekiti in

August 2013. The lady is called Adefunke.

She is a newscaster with the Ekiti State Television. She is a contract employee.

“We fell in love with each other and agreed to marry each other. We did the introduction in 2013 and had the the wedding on April 12, 2014, in Ibadan. I couldn’t afford to stay in Lagos any longer, so, I had to relocate to Ado-Ekiti," he explained.

While trying to adjust to life in AdoEkiti, Oluwatobiloba and his family got another shocker. They were ejected from their apartment by the landlord when their tenancy expired.

"We were sent packing through a court order and now I am living with my mother-in-law who is from AdoEkiti. Feeding has become so hard for me, taking charge as a father has become so hard," he said.

Among his other pressing needs, apart from money for medical treatment abroad, is good jobs for him and wife to keep body and soul together.

“I am happy that I served my nation to this level, that made me disabled. My advice to the government using corps members for elections, is that if they know that they would not take care of these other people’s children they have called out to serve their fatherland, they should not even think of using them anymore.

“I am sure if I had rejected the assignment, I would not lose my sight, I will not be in this position I find myself and if government want use corps members they should compensate them in case of any calamity like this. I am left in a sorry state and in penury," he noted.

While Oluwatobiloba is still hopeful of regaining his sight, one hopes the authorities would do the right thing to assist him and not let his case discourage others ready to serve their nation.

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 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

They are hoping that by further inflaming passion with the highly emotive issue of religion, they can revive their shriveling political fortunes. That is why they have devised the latest strategy of pitching Christians against Muslims through the circulation of satanic leaflets. Nigerians should not be taken in by this cheap plot.’ - Lai Mohammed ‘We should stop preparing them (our children) for the factory but prepare them to be innovative and creative. We have to emphasize on that.’

- Jimi Agbaje “The zone will not fold its hands and watch political gladiators using the youth to foment trouble, destroy posters and attack innocent citizens,” he said.

- Bala Hassan (AIG in charge of Zone 10)

Playtime or working for parents? Children hauling wheelbarrow on a Lagos street.

No to divisive politics Dear Editor, I want to use this medium to appeal to desperate politicians to stop using religion to divide Nigerians. Nobody is Islamizing anybody. They should stop using irresponsible arguments to cause conflict and confusion as a ploy to secure the votes of uneducated and uninformed christians. They must stop fueling chaos between Moslems and Christians. I believe that Buhari will unite us as a nation.

- Clem Emereuwa, Lagos.

photo: suleiman husaini

Buhari’s UK visit is a positive development Dear Editor, It gladdens my heart that General Muhammadu Buhari, former Head of State and APC presidential candidate is now on a visit to the UK. That is because his visit appears to be a sign of peace and good things to come if and when he eventually becomes president. It also shows that a President Buhari would engage positively with the international community for the betterment of Nigeria and Nigerians. Beyond electioneering, Buhari’s UK visit is indeed a positive development.

Abdul Usman, Abuja.

What APC represents

Dear Editor, Someone said APC is desperate and my answers to him is that yes APC is desperate.

APC is desperate to make the desired change, yes they are desperate to send these marauders masquerading as government into oblivion where they truly belong.

Yes APC is desperate to challenge degradation, stagnation, under development and lack of vision and scope to take the people out of abject poverty.

Yes they are desperate to fix our energy problems and return sanity to the system. Yes they are very desperate for change!

The situation in Nigeria now calls for positive desperation and that is what APC represents.

- Segun Badmus, Lagos

Don’t use soldiers to rig elections

Dear Editor, The rate at which soldiers and other security agencies of government are being used in this electioneering period is alarming to say the least. If this trend continues, I am afraid that it might result in a military coup. Soldiers ought to be in the barracks and should not be used by politicians according to their whims and caprices. Doing that does not augur well for the nation.

Desmond Aliu, Edo state.

Internal democracy is imperative for democracy to thrive Dear Editor, I feel ashamed every day to hear reports about candidates being imposed by their godfathers on their political parties and on their constituencies. When will all the political parties in Nigeria inculcate the value of internal democracy? We can’t go on like this forever, because without internal democracy in the different political parties, the choice of the people may never be allowed to govern and democracy will not thrive that way. Therefore, we need internal democracy in our political parties in Nigeria, before we can truly develop as a democratic country.

Tamuno Rich, Bayelsa.

The need to abide by peace agreements Dear Editor, I want to commend the Nigeria Police for their effort in bringing politicians together to sign peace agreements in their various states.

However, I would want civil society and religious bodies and leaders to put pressure on politicians to abide by all these peace agreements they have signed so that the country can witness progress and avoid violence after the elections.

- Akpan Thompson, Akwa Ibom.

‘President Jonathan has affirmed that elections will hold on March 28 and April 11 and that there is nothing like Interim Government. Nigerians should ignore the rumours and focus on exercising their rights.’

- Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd. Former Head of State).

‘If Bola Tinubu finds his way into national government, I will be on exile.

He hasn’t the temerity, the calmness of mind. They don’t even know what to do in power. Because the Vice President is his boy, he will just order that Bode George should be picked up.’

- Bode George.

‘We will work with the National Assembly to strengthen the Independent Corruption Practices and other related Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by guaranteeing institutional autonomy, including financial and prosecutorial independence and security of tenure of officials.’

- Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.).

“We will leave no stone unturned to improve the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces; we have improved the technical capacity of the army and we work in harmony with the service chiefs to ensure that the country does not disintegrate.”

- President Goodluck Jonathan.

‘It was N7 billion (from PDP) that was given to the CAN leadership. The money was handed over to the CAN leadership on January 26, 2015. They are now threatening Christians in Borno State that they will deal with anybody who refuses to vote for Jonathan. And the CAN officials are campaigning that if Buhari emerges president, he will Islamise Nigeria, and that Osinbajo collects money from Islamic world, and the same Osinbajo will resign soon after Buhari wins to give way for Tinubu to emerge vice president.’

- Pastor Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa.

SATURDAY

Voices

SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2015

12

Should a lady assist a suitor to pay her bride price?

It's advisable for her to assist When it seems as though the man is acquiring a property instead of marrying a woman, it is advisable she indirectly assists the man or else she will forever be reminded of how much she was bought if an argument arises between them and that is inevitable.

– Eze Lucas, field engineer

Man should be competent enough to pay the bride price It depends on the foundation on which their relationship is built, but if I love him and I wish that we be together then I can assist him. But in real fact the man who wants to get married to a woman should be competent enough to pay his lady’s bride price so he can earn his ego.

– Dolapo Atapa, businesswoman

Both parties should decide I’m in support of that, but it should not be a yardstick for her to disrespect her husband or mock him in the future. I also think that it should be an agreement between both parties because that is why the Bible calls her a help mate and not a devourer.

There is nothing

wrong with it

There is nothing wrong with the wife contributing to the payment of her bride price as long as there is love, though when I got married to my wife her parents gave back to me the bride price I paid. So, there is nothing wrong with it.

– Busuyi Ogidi, teacher

I will contribute to bail him out

It's no more a bride price if she does

If there is love and understanding

It is okay for a lady to support her spouse in paying her bride price, that is if there is strong love, and understanding in the relationship. There is no big deal in that.

– Mercy Njoku, worker

No, it is better for the man to pay his lady’s bride price because it gives him a sense of responsibility in the presence of both his wife and her family.

And if the lady’s family wishes they can return it to the man after he has done the right thing.

– Babatunde Kolawole, entrepreneur

According to the tradition, the man should bear the burden of bride price alone but in some situations if the need for assistance arises, then why not, I will contribute and help him out.

– Love Vincent, student

He may become an object of scorn It is not proper because if care is not taken he might probably be insulted even by the family of the bride and the bride herself most especially if he is not up and doing after the wedding. So, as a man he should endeavour to do the right thing so he doesn’t become an infidel and an object of scorn before his wife and in-laws.

– Alex Otiuere, civil servant

Only irresponsible man will do that

I can assist him if he wants my help

I wouldn’t agree to such an idea because the man is the one getting married to the woman and not the other way round.

Also, in Yoruba tradition, it is the duty of the man to pay the bride price of the woman no matter what the case may be.

– Mrs. Adejoke Adenuga, businesswoman

– Philomena Jackson, businesswoman

I do not think the lady should assist in paying the bride price because a bride price is supposed to be a means of exchange between the groom and the bride. Once a bride decides to support her fiancé then I do not consider it as bride price.

– Ebosele David, service desk analyst

It's the man's duty

It is very okay by me for a wife to support her fiancé in paying her bride price, that is only if the man is financially down. I can assist him and also if he agrees because some men have ego. But for me it is okay.

– Glory Okorie, student

It's wrong for her to assist It is a man’s full duty and not the lady’s and if a lady does that it is very wrong because in future she could use it to blackmail the man.

– Dele Olomu, electrician

Only if her groom is going through financial crisis It depends on the understanding because at that period there might be financial breakdown for the husband. In this situation alone can a lady do such but if it’s not, a lady should not do such because if he cannot pay the bride price how can he take care of the house?

– Mrs. Edukere Susan, housewife

It's a taboo It is okay by me, but it depends on if the woman can be submissive and also keep it as a secret instead of using it to intimidate her man in the future. But because of our customs in Nigeria, it is a taboo for such a thing to happen, so the man in question is expected to pay the bride price.

– Kelvin Cohen, civil servant

I can’t allow my lady do that I cannot allow my lady to pay part of her bride price to avoid insult because to gain respect you have to work hard and pay your bills.

– Gbenga Likoja, banker

compiled by

JOHN EDU, AYILARA DAYO, UDUH PEACE CHIAZOR AND EZEKIEL ADESAWE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015

SATURDAY

WeekendDelight 13

C o n v e r s at i o n

Instyle

EZEKIEL

Rising heat: It’s dashiki print to the rescue p.15

ADAMU

TV & Radio 24 minutes at Bella’s Place p.34

Love & Living ‘He said he slept with another woman because of me’ p.35

Hospitality Dover Hotel makes a promising debut p.39

My dad gave me leverage, not clients Ezekiel Adamu’s entry into the events planning and management industry has given the enterprise a face lift, suffice to say his numerous works are loud testament to this claim.

Ezekiel, the son of popular sports administrator, Amos Adamu, speaks to LANRE ODUKOYA, about his business, family and the ideals that shape his life.

There’s an exquisite marquee at Oceanview, in Victoria Island, Lagos, where D’banj’s anniversary concert held and I was told you own it. Did you make that provision exclusively for the event?

Basically, we do template structures, what you saw at the Oceanview was a partnership between Balmora and Eko Hotels and it’s going to be there for a period of time and it’s going to be used for different kinds of occasion. So, in what you saw, we did a different setting for that occasion and we continue to do different settings to suit all forms of events in the marquee.

You’ve managed to separate your personality from the thriving business so much that not many know your face. How do you run this business without stamping your face on it?

I won’t say I’ve been quiet really; I would just say that I provide a different kind of service. Our services are like tailor-made for our clients. So, we cannot really make noise because our clients know what we do and when they need us, they’d come to us. Our service is about event engineering. Marquee is just an aspect of our events services; we design the inside of the structures the way you want it. We started with marquee but now we extended the tentacles. We can build a club, a stadium, wrestling arena, or any kind of an arena that can be imagined, we will deliver it. We do different events for multinationals and individuals who want unique deliveries.

How long is Balmora now?

It’s nine years now and we’ll be hitting 10 just next year.

Are you going to be celebrating your tenth anniversary next year?

Absolutely! We’re planning something very big.

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Events centres are springing up everywhere

ADAMU around Lagos and in major cities across the country; what makes your company special?

For us, our values basically make us stay ahead in our game. Our values include, first, clients’ satisfaction, employee loyalty is the second and continuous improvement is the last. We try to improve all the time, competition is good and we believe in it. It has even helped us to go stronger. We go out of the country to see what they’re doing in different parts of the world. We imbue this in the service we render and it naturally becomes a feat to beat. We are always ahead

of our game. I remember when we started this events business, a lot of companies had to bring professionals into the country to do set ups, but it hardly happens nowadays.

People now come to us directly and we give them ideas on what to do and they do it.

We’ve reduced the rate at which people relied on expatriates for the purpose of setting up venues for events. We’re not there yet, but we’re work in progress.

Innovation is at the heart of your events CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14

Weekend Delight

| Conversation

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

‘I move on by reading a lot of books’ “Sometimes, if God will move you to another level, he’d try you with some things and it depends on how you react to them”

ing on it for years and then the next thing he told his son was: ‘Do you have anyone who rents a tractor? It’s time to rebuild.’ His son felt like: ‘Dad, are you insane?’ I use that to brace myself. Immediately the inferno happened, I woke the following morning feeling, ‘it’s time to rebuild.’ I move on by reading a lot of books and putting myself in the shoes of many characters.

Do you take some alcohol at leisure?

Of course, but I’m a social drinker.

because I hardly see my kids and wife, so I try hard to spend time with them.

I make my Sundays usually available for them. Maybe when I have to go outside an event, I’d make sure that after the event on Saturday, I’d try as much as possible to return home to spend time with my family. I hang out with friends a lot too.

‘There’s nothing impossible to do,’ Adamu says CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 3

centres, Balmora, The Haven look and other centres under your watch, how did you hone your skills in evolving with ideas to make each have a distinct outlook?

Well, as you’re probably aware, I read a lot of books. Any business you want to be successful in, you must read widely. If you find successful businessmen who read a lot of books, you’d find out that most businesses they’re successful in happen just by accident. People will think that they were born with it, but that’s not mostly what the true story is. Sometimes, when our manufacturers in Germany, see our structures they’d send emails to us that, ‘please can you help us design this and that?’ They are wowed by the fact that we can evolve marquees now to make it look like concrete structures, permanent buildings.

I feel like going for exhibitions and going to manufacturing companies and see that there’s actually nothing out of this world in what they all offer. It’s just a matter of human beings coming together, brainstorming and evolving with ideas they’d put to use.

The more you fail, the more you learn.

Success many times is born out of failure. With Balmora, we tried to change a couple of times but failed because there would be leakages here and there. We got better along the way.

Your company may well be going Pan African because you take your services across the continent...

That’s correct because we’ve catered for the African Union summit and we go to Ghana, Togo, Cameroun and we provide consultancy service for some companies in South Africa.

How do you handle the pressure when you have more than three jobs at different locations?

We have the capacity to do up to 10 jobs in a day at different locations. It depends on the size of the job. A job

might just be one and you need all the hands on deck.

What’s your company’s staff strength?

We have 200 workers, comprising contract and permanent staff. Sometimes we get casual workers and we number about 300.

Has there been any situation that almost sent you out of business?

Business is not easy, I must confess because there are times that even people who are on paid jobs are better than us. To start with, you always have that issue of power, manpower, but people get by it. Finally, you’d look at the situation and see a lot people have survived these whole issues.

I look at the survivors and emulate them. There’s always going to be an excuse for failure.

About five years ago, Balmora Hall caught fire which completely razed the facility in the middle of a major event. In two weeks, you fixed the hall and returned ashes to beauty. What feeling does that convey now?

Looking back now, I think it was a blessing. Sometimes, if God will move you to another level, he’d try you with some things and it depends on how you react to them. I can look back at that incident and say that our growth is born out of that because since then, we’ve never looked back. We rebuilt it in less than two weeks and in less than a year, we built The Haven. We have a new one now and we’ve built different event centres for people around the country. You see what I mean by saying we’ve grown a lot from that particular incident. It has made us stronger and it has made us to know that there’s nothing impossible to do.

Your kind of business rarely allows you enjoy a long leisure time, how do you spend the few ones you get?

That’s very correct. The little time I get, I hang around with my family

Some are already saying that your success in business also credit to your dad, Amos Adamu, who tilled the land for fame and fortune you now ride on, how true is this?

I’ll say yes in a way, but it’s not particularly based on getting me contracts or clients. I get jobs basically from referrals from clients who have been satisfied with the quality of service we gave to them. He has influenced my life, a great man and someone I look up to. He’s gone through a lot and I profit from all he’d been through. He’s someone who always advises me on what I want to do, so I will say yes, he’s been a positive influence on me. Though some people will still say maybe I get all these jobs from him, I don’t think so. He couldn’t have pushed me for nine years. He has helped us along the way no doubt.

How many kids do you have?

I have two kids, my daughter and my son.

How did you meet your wife?

I met my wife when I was in secondary school in Lagos and went our separate ways. We met exactly when we were doing our WASCE. Our path crossed again when we returned to Nigeria after we schooled in the UK and like they say, the rest is history.

Many celebrity marriages pack up too early. How have you helped to sustain yours?

I will say that I’ve learnt that from my dad and my mom. My dad was also very busy with his career and I saw the value he brought. He was always away but he tried as much as possible to make up that time while he was at home with us. It was a very large family. We had a lot of cousins with us in the house.

How do you jerk back to life in times of despair?

Like I said earlier on, I read a lot and I know from experience that people go through this a lot. In any situation I find myself, I put myself in a character’s shoes and survive just as I have read about the person. For example, when that fire incident happened at Balmora Hall, I read a book by Napoleon Hill and it talks about Thomas Edison that invented electric light bulb and he mentioned how the he worked on the bulb for over 20 years, his shed got burnt and everyone thought that he was going to commit suicide. They thought so because he’d been work-

What’s your brand?

Nowadays, I love Orijin.

Do you remember the last date you had with your wife without the kids?

It was two weeks ago. We went to a restaurant, a sea food restaurant.

What has been your favourite Valentine’s gift from your wife?

I can’t place it honestly because it’s been different sweet experiences.

Okay, what was the last Valentine’s gift she gave you?

It was a pair of slippers because she knows I love to wear native outfits a lot. It was a very nice one and I was going to send someone to get it for me, but she surprised me with it.

Men about your age naturally like cars, are you a car freak?

I love cars, honestly I do. I love fast and good cars.

Which one is your favourite?

Porshe is my favourite for now.

Where do you see Balmora in five years?

I see our presence in most of the states in Nigeria.

Growing up, did you have a nickname?

Yes, I was called Easy, my whole family calls me Easy and my friends too. They coined it from my name, Ezekiel. A lot of people don’t even know my full name.

What’s your current state of mind?

I feel very relaxed and blessed.

If you weren’t doing this kind of business, what else would you be doing in life?

I think I got this part of me from my dad. I just constantly feel like adding value to lives. Sometimes, I see some problems that should have solutions in people’s lives and I just wish that I was part of the solution. I just want to make my living and life by solving problems for people. I would be out there solving problems for people in any capacity, but I cannot tell which one in particular.

On a larger scale, would you help to better people’s lives by joining politics?

I feel like you can actually serve people outside politics. There are lots of people who do that. In Nigeria, the most people who influence lives are not even into politics. I would not say politics is the only way to touch lives. I’m not looking in that direction at the moment at all.

What did you study at the university?

I read computer science at the university of Luton an for my master’s degree, I went to University of Portsmouth and studied financial business analysis.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Instyle

Rising heat: It's dashiki print to the rescue

T

Angela Davies

he dashiki print has been around for a very long time.

However, it has made a great come back in recent times as it is being rocked in different styles.

In the past, the dashiki print was only associated with the classic loose formfitting shirt which features intricate patterns along the ornate V-shaped neckline, sleeves and hem. They also have two front pockets.

Nevertheless, the colourful dashiki print from West Africa has gained popularity across the world today.

It has moved from a simple indigenous wear to being a very fashionable piece donned even by celebrities like Rihanna, Chris Brown and Beyonce. And since singer Wizkid wore two different colours of dashiki in his Show You the Money video late year, the interest in this colourful print among fashion buffs has been stirred.

This colourful, busy and easy to wear print are seen worn by women, men and children especially in this extremely hot weather. The print comes in an array of attention-grabbing intricate designs and vibrant colours.

While the men wear the dashiki print shirt with jeans or solid colour trouser, women rock the print in an array of striking styles aside the shirt style the print is originally identified with.

Women opt for chic tops, halter neck gowns, spaghetti gowns, kaftans, crop tops and bottoms among other styles to choose from.

Women wear the loose form-fitting shirt with skinny jeans, jergens, leggings, pants, skirt and short. However, those who are audacious wear the dashiki shirt as a mini shift dress cinched at the waist with a belt to give it silhouette. To wear this style, you

should ensure your legs are straight and spotless.

The colourful dashiki print which is fun and comfortable to wear is suitable for this hot weather to run quick errands and even attend casual gathering. Even children rock the dashiki print in matching pieces like shirt and short in different alluring colours.

When it comes to the dashiki print, there are a variety of beautiful styles and colours to choose from with variation in sleeves to make your fashion statement. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun wearing different colours in one outfit.

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Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Accessories to live for

The flats have it You may have a wardrobe full of shoes, but the ensemble isn't quite complete if there are no flat sandals. This comfortable footwear can easily transform just about any outfit, writes ANGELA DAVIES.

F

lat sandals are versatile and comfortable footwear which can be worn with a wide range of outfits. They offer a balance between comfort and style.

This chic footwear’s can be worn to a variety of occasions. However, for unlimited comfort, it is advisable to opt for flat sandals with soft insole. And ensure the flat you choose to wear is not tight so that you don’t sacrifice style for comfort.

Flat sandals come in a variety of colours and lovely designs which can be worn with different outfits like dresses, jeans, skirts, shorts and tops. For that

extra touch, you should choose and wear flats sandals with some oomph.

So opt for flats in chic colours, timeless designs and lovely add-ons to help jazz up your look.

However, the rule is that if you decide to wear a basic and simple outfit, then, you should opt for trendier and colourful flat sandals to give the outfit some sassiness. And when your outfit is loud, you should tone it down with simple and elegant flats in cool colours and without much embellishment.

But, don't fret, there are lots of trendy flat sandals to choose from to make your fashion statement.

Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

MY STYLE

The wow factor For fashion designer, Etim Gabriel, dressing to look appealing is a necessary fashion rule. ANGELA DAVIES writes.

How would you define your style?

My style can be described as wow and catchy.

What determines the kind of outfit you wear?

It is the cut, fit and catchy details on an outfit. But if the event I am going to has a dress code, I dress accordingly. I like to wear simple yet unique contemporary African tops with complementing trousers most times as they make salient fashion statement.

Which outfits take up the most space in your wardrobe?

You will see shirts, pants, contemporary African wears and casual tops. I love these pieces because I feel comfortable wearing them.

Fashion item you cannot do without?

That will be my wrist watch. I feel incomplete without wearing a wrist watch.

collections are simply unique

Most expensive fashion accessory you have ever bought?

A pair of shoes

Fashion rule you live by Simple but catchy.

Is there any outfit you will never be caught wearing?

I will never be caught wearing T-shirts even though they are tops as well. The only instance I would probably wear T-shirt is if it is a costume. Otherwise, I don’t wear T-shirts.

Best Designer I like Yomi Casual and Chip Odina. Yomi Casual’s designs are captivating while Odina’s

What kind of shoes do you like?

I love casual and flat soles which must be black colour.

Fashion role model You will be surprised by my fashion role model is the late Michael Jackson. His outfits were always catchy.

Signature perfume Although I am not crazy about designer perfumes, I wear Leo for Men and the fragrance is charming.

Best colour I like blue, white and navy blue.

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

Ankara print

T

Facts

Tina Ndidi Ugo, creative director of Didi Creations Limited, dreamt of becoming a medical doctor. But she has always been inter¬ested in fashion and being fashionable since child¬hood. In 2005 she started designing as a hobby, blossoming into a label in June 2012.

The obsession for collecting high-heeled footwear is called Altocalciphilia

The term ‘haute couture’ is French. Haute means ‘high’ or ‘elegant.’ Couture literally means ‘sewing,’ but it has come to indicate the business of designing, creating and selling custom-made high fashion women's clothes.

Back in the 16th century they used strings to hold together the cuffs of shirts.

he fashion face-off this week is between two Nollywood actresses, Olaitan Ogungbile and Bukola Olakanni. Both ladies rocked the same ankara print chosen as aso ebi to the same event but in different styles.

Fair-hued Ogungbile rocked the ankara print sewn into a sleeveless fitted gown to the album lunch of Yoruba actor, Hassan Babatunde Taiwo popularly known as Ogogo. The event took place on Sunday, January 25, at 10 Degrees Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos. The gown featured a front side slit had pink dry lace trimming at the neckline. She styled her look with hoop earrings, gold wristwatch and pink pumps. She sectioned her natural hair into three held in place with bands and completed her look spotting pink lip stick.

Meanwhile Olakanni made the ankara fabric into a sleeveless fish-tail floor length gown. The same pink dry lace was used as trimming in the bodice of the gown. She accessorised her look with gold bracelet, wristwatch, earrings and nude pumps. Spotting red lipsticks, she had her long hair styled to one side to complete her look.

Although both ladies wore the same Ankara print aso ebi to the same event, however, who in your opinion rocked it better? Was it Ogungbile or Olakanni?

Ogungbile

Olakanni

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Soapbox

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Beyond rhetoric of politics, fashion steals the show at campaign rallies

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Angela Davies n recent times, when candidates contesting key positions such as presidential positions tour the six geo-political zones to canvass and mobilise citizens for votes, one thing that is conspicuous is the aso ebi they wear displaying party’s insignia and political ideologies. Even party faithful and fanatics wear them as well to such gatherings. Also attention-grabbing is the different traditional attires they adorn to address the people of the state they visit.

Members of such political parties dress up in the chosen ankara asoebi sewn into different styles to show the oneness of the party. In essence, it has become obvious that in electoral politics, party uniforms or aso ebi as they are popularly called has been manoeuvred as a propaganda medium by candidates contesting key positions not just to influence voters but also create a desired fashion image of some sort for themselves.

The chosen fabric usually displays the party’s insignia and also reflects the party’s political ideologies while party faithful and fanatics who turn out in mass during campaigns in the aso ebi serve as mobile propaganda tools. No doubt, these outfits add spice and a sense of belonging to the gathering aside entertainers who also add dynamism to the gathering with varied melodious tunes and dance steps.

Specifically, the two leading presidential aspirants, President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the past weeks have held huge rallies in the six geo-political zones of the country to canvass for votes cheerfully dressed in the party’s chosen fabrics which is sewn into agbada or babariga style engraved with the party’s logo, which they wear over their outfits.

In some cases, they adorn the traditional outfits of the states visited to emphasise that Nigeria is one. For instance, when Jonathan visited the north, he adorned the babariga attire with simple kufi cap and in some cases when he visited the South-West; he wore the abeti-aja style cap with a combination of red, white and green muffler on his neck, which reflects the party’s colours.

The chosen fabric usually displays the party’s insignia and also reflects the party’s political ideologies Also, when Buhari visited some states, he identified with the people in terms of dressing in their traditional attire, especially in Benin, Calabar, Port Harcourt and, of course, not forgetting to hold what APC is known for - the broom.

Along the line, fashion faux pas is also committed in their different styles of dressing. For instance, men ordinarily should not wear socks with tradi-

tional outfits, but because of the flexibility of fashion today, it has become a sort of norm for some politicians.

Looking back, our past leaders especially in the first and second republic dressed well to party rallies without making any fuss about party aso ebi. During their era, electorate identified them with their varied eye-catching hat styles and individual dress styles. But today, the current

political party aso ebi craze for rallies lump everyone together even though the fabric is sewn in different individual styles.

With the craze for political uniforms for rallies today, the ankara fabrics being used across the country during campaigns are usually contracted out to some of the party’s chieftains who in turn approach pertinent textile dealers to get the desired ankara for the party. Also, they contract sewing of the aso ebi for key politicians to sophisticated fashion designers. What happens to these outfits after this period largely depends on individuals. They may decide to keep it in a place as memoirs or give them out since they have served their purpose. Well, even if the top politicians dump these outfits, loyal fans and fanatics may continue to wear theirs until they fade.

In reality, it does appear that politicians in mass fashion parades are not what the electorate want to see.

They want to know how these politicians would improve their standards of living in general within a realistic time frame. So as these politicians dress up, they should also address pertinent issues affecting the ordinary citizens. With only weeks to the general elections, all what Nigerians are asking for is a free, peaceful and transparent poll.

SATURDAY

Project Fame Immaculate No man can dump me

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JJC Skillz I was stupid; I didn't wear the same clothes twice

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ShowBiz SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2015

19

'I'm not married; don't believe everything you read or hear' Having starred in many movies which have won her fans across the country, Nkeiru Sylvanus hardly needs any introduction. But the directorgeneral of Imo Film Academy is just as popular for the few controversial headlines her tale had inspired. She spoke with ANGELA DAVIES. Which of the movies you've starred in do you consider the most memorable?

That has to be A Cry for Help. The movie tells a story about the trials and tribulations of an orphan girl played by me. It's a touching story about the ordeal of a lonely child and her need for a touch to bring her out of her situation. I acted alongside Clem Ohameze, Andy Chukwu, Amaechi Muonagor and Ejike Asiegbu. The movie was directed by Andy Amenechi.

There is hardly any movie you don’t cry. Are you that emotional?

I can play any role. In reality I'm emotionally strong and I hardly cry.

But before you can see me heartbroken, then I must have been really hurt.

Generally, I'm an emotionally strong person. The truth is that any actor who knows his or her onions must be able to play any role perfectly and that informed my crying role in that movie, A Cry for Help, and others.

Tell us about your movie, The Voice, and the challenges encountered producing it?

The Voice marked my first foray into production. It's a thriller adventure

movie which premiered last year. The challenges are numerous. Of course, it was during the shoot of this movie that I was kidnapped. So it's all in the past now. It is something I don’t want to talk about again.

What is your relationship with Governor Rochas Okorocha?

His Excellency, Governor Rochas Anayo Owelle Okorocha is my boss.

He is a man that believes in development and has this passion for the Igbo tribe. He is always clamouring for them to have a deep voice in the affairs of this nation. So it's a great privilege working with such a man.

There have been mixed remarks about Governor Okorocha’s administration recently; what's your reaction to this?

Like you said, it is a mixed reaction which means the positive and negative from people of the state.

The positive reaction comes from the true sons and daughters of Imo State who are happy with the massive accomplishment of the governor in the state. Under his administration, Imo State has become a tourist haven. Also,

because of his passion for excellence in a short period, he has transformed the state into the true 'Eastern Heartland' it was meant to be. He is also building about 305 public government primary and secondary schools across the state called The City Schools among other things. The people with the negative reactions are the second categories of people who are detractors. If you don't have detractors, then you are probably not doing something worthy. The governor's achievement doesn't need much campaigning about; it is there for everyone to see.

Give us a typical day in your life as the director-general of the Imo Film Academy I'm always busy attending to one proposal or another and also seeing to the best way to develop the youth. I go to the office first thing in the morning and I'm stuck with work till evening.

Many times, I get home very late, but it's all good. The most important thing is that you are touching the lives of people.

What legacy would you like to leave behind?

My dream legacy is simple: I want people to think back and see that Nkiruka Sylvanus changed their lives positively by helping them to achieve their potential. The legacy I want to leave in one phrase is to ‘put smiles on people's faces.’

Would you still have the time to combine your new job and acting or will you give acting a break?

My position as director-general of Imo Film Academy doesn't affect my acting job at all. I love acting so much and it is still my first love. You can't abandon your first love. Interestingly, my new job is still in line with acting because under the Imo Film Academy, we will be releasing many body of works in music, television, films and other related field. So I'm still acting.

It was recently rumoured that you got married to a long time boyfriend and ex-husband of Oge Okoye. How true is this?

I've spoken about this once and I said I'm not going to speak about it again. I'm not married. Don't believe everything you read or hear. People will always talk, but if you know what you really want and where you are heading you will walk on by. Those things won't mean anything to you.

So are you thinking of settling down soon?

Right now, I'm not married. But I could think about marriage very soon if the right man comes.

What makes you happy?

Seeing others happy is the only thing that makes me happy. Like I said earlier, putting smiles on people's face.

That gives me fulfilment.

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Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

SHOWBIZ TODAY

MI throws punches at Etcetera over article

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Stories: Olushola Ricketts hocolate City rapper, M.I Abaga, has broken silence over some articles of Etcetera, a former singer and radio personality. Etcetera, who is now a columnist with Punch Newspapers, has of late written several articles targeted towards the entertainment industry.

But in a recent article where he called some entertainers ‘Political Prostitutes,’ M.I Abaga didn’t take it smoothly. On Twitter, he attacked Etcetera, calling the ex-singer’s album ‘the worst ever released by a Nigerian artiste.’

In the article published in Punch last Saturday, Etcetera targeted the likes of Olamide, Banky W, Don Jazzy, Flavour, Duncan Mighty, D’banj, Mercy Johnson, Ibinabo, Ini Edo, Mama G, Naeto C, Joseph Yobo, Daddy Showkey, Kanu Nwankwo, and Sammie Okposo.

“Some say Afro Candy is a prostitute," he wrote in the column. "Some say she’s not or at least, not yet. A few others say she’s a porn star, which is not in the same league as prostitution. Porn stars are taxed, prostitutes are not. So Afrolicious baybay, you have to up your game to get into the league of prostitutes, if it is what you really desire.

My suggestion would be; instruct your agent or booker to get you appearances in any of the political campaign videos, so you can put to use that floppy behind your mama gave you. And if you are lucky enough, you can get cameos and wiggle that thing around the aspirants themselves. You have to get

Etcetera

your bum (sorry your hands) bloodied to earn the highly coveted 'Political prostitute' tag. Now my Candilicious Afrolistic baybay, these are a few names of the latest political prostitutes in the country: Olamide, Banky W, Don Jazzy, Flavour, Duncan Mighty, D banj, Mercy Johnson, Ibinabo, Ini Edo, Mama Gee, Naeto C, Joseph Yobo, Daddy Showkey, Kanu Nwankwo, and Sammie Okposo. “…I have been asked several times if our celebs should get involved with politics.

MI

But today, let me push the same question in different words to everyone reading this article. Do politicians making affiliations with celebs prompt you to vote for them?

For me, it’s a definite No. Nigerians are not

influenced by celebs to indulge in certain acts because their favourite celeb says so.

For instance, I like Kate Henshaw but expecting me to vote for a candidate she supports in the forthcoming elections is like asking me to start buying a particular milk brand because Don Jazzy endorsed it. Puh-leez, things like that don’t cut it here in Naija. Naija is a different kettle of fish compared to what is obtainable in places like the US.” However, on Twitter during the week, MI recalled a time when he had along with etcetera been hoping that they would someday be in a position for political candidates to seek their endorsement.

“I’m sorry you aren't here with us.

The primary thing an entertainer brings to any platform is eyeballs. Look at views with a star and views without.

The only reason you write your articles is because that's your hustle…Your lack of class and an ethical compass as a writer shows you would probably support Hitler for the right sum. You should be ashamed at yourself that you would criticize anything that puts money in your colleagues’ hands. And here is my opinion since you freely give yours out, your album is quite possibly the worst album released by a Naija artist ever!” MI reacted.

Challenging times for comedian Seyi Law and wife T hings are presently rough for Nigerian comedian, Seyi Law, and wife, Stacy Ebere, as they recently lost their baby shortly after her birth in a hospital in Maryland, United States of America.

Since the couple got married on March 27, 2011, at Banilux Event Centre, Yaba, Lagos, they had been waiting for the fruit of the womb.

Stacy went to USA since December in anticicipation of the birth of her child but lost it last week. She broke the news via BBM, saying, “We lost our baby (daughter) Cossy R.I.P. Thank God for the strength. I am still standing. Please bear with me I can’t explain to you all.”

Seyi Law also mourned their loss on social media, as he posted a blank photo on Instagram with a poem.

The poem captured his mood and the trauma the couple are facing.

It read: ‘My heart is blank, my joy has disappeared, and anger has become my companion. The wait is over with a bitter end. Oh Lord! Why does it have to be me? I am so imperfect and never denied it. The pains of nine months have amounted to

nothing. We believe so much in you.

How do I console her when I can’t find strength myself? I thought my feet will dance this season. I have enlarged my tent in waiting, but my wait has been hit with sadness.

I don’t want to murmur or complain, but my emotions are hurt. Help me to stand Lord. So, I can always be thankful. I want to be stronger in praises this period. I want to hold her hands to comfort her. Help us to pass this season while standing.

Rest well Cossy…”

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Showbiz

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'I was stupid; I didn't wear the same clothes twice' JJC Skillz has over the years left an imprint on the Nigerian music scene, having helped launch the career of artistes like D'banj and Don Jazzy. In this interview with CHIAZOR PEACE UDUH, he talks about his new single and early days naivety. or flavour. Being the first, we made a lot of mistakes and we did not understand the industry or how to make money from it. I cannot really recount all what we did wrong or the challenges right now. But there was no infrastructure and it was a challenge because we had to create the infrastructure. We created how to record our songs, release them and along the way we even created the Alaba network (a large market in Lagos famous for sale of electronics and illegal copies of CDs and DVDs.) because of demands by people who wanted to hear our music. Alaba became very strong and television stations became more creative in their contents.

JJC Skillz

You are always in and out of showbiz; why is that the case?

Whenever I am out of the scene, I am always in the background. Many years I will disappear and come back. When I get back, I would create something. For some years now, I have been a video director. I also started developing certain acts in Nigeria like 2kriss signed under D'banj’s record label now; Tipsy who just did a song with Olamide and another artiste in the United Kingdom called Noni Zondi. I brought all of them to the scene. Some people have called me the “kingmaker” and it is quite an interesting name because a lot of people with whom I had worked have become kings in their own rights. I could find someone who probably does not see himself as a special being and show him the way. There is this guy called Stylo G, though he is not popular in Nigeria but he is the biggest among UK’s reggae artistes. Ten years ago, I signed him the same time I signed D'banj and others. He is a Jamaican. Then, I used to tell him that he would become a known name, but he did not really believe me. He tried several times and failed, but recently he told me he was the headline artiste of a place I took him to perform in 2011.

My eyes were filled with tears.

Are you fulfilled as a musician?

What I enjoy most is doing music. People wake up and face traffic every day, go to their offices and go through different things. They are probably doing what they do not want to do, but since it is paying their bills they have no alternatives. For me, music or entertainment is what I love to do. I love making songs, I love writing songs, and I love chasing the dream.

What was the message behind the song, My Life?

I find out that there is a whole new generation because of how long I have been in the industry. There are sets of people who probably were just born when I started my career and never really got to understand the struggle we went through in the beginning and in the process of creating afrobeat. I am releasing an album this year and I want it to sum up my whole life story. So, the song tells you who I am before you start getting a different perception of me. It is basically my CV and biography.

What were those struggles?

I will say it is being among the first set of artistes to combine hiphop and RnB with African language

Was there a time you wanted to quit music for a regular job?

I think it is necessary to assess and look at your life and try to put things right by yourself. I decided to quit music some years ago because I felt it was not working. I put all my money into the Nigerian afrobeat scene and I didn’t get anything out of it because like I said earlier there was no infrastructure in place then. I got tired of doing pop music and there was no room for African music. Even at a point there was no room for pop music too because the scene changed after a while. If you listen to the song, My Life, I actually stopped music and moved into properties. I started to buy, sell and develop properties. When that did not work I came back to music.

You used to be known as Mr. Skillz, JJC and now JJC Skillz. What informed the frequent name change?

When I was growing up in the UK, a lot of people there called me 'Skillz' because I was shooting videos. I directed, I edited, I produced music and I wrote songs too. But most Nigerians who I met called me JJC because of my accent. So in the UK most people know me as Skillz, while in Nigeria I presented myself to everybody as JJC.

I decided to quit music some years ago because I felt it was not working

What was your parents’ reaction to your decision to do music?

I was able to change a whole new generation and I believe that it is because of people like me we have Wizkid, Davido and a host of others.

Then, parents wanted their children to be doctors and lawyers and today most of my friends are doctors and lawyers. It is a good idea actually because being a musician sometimes could be seen as a waste of time. As a lawyer, you have consistency and you get salary monthly. But I didn’t get to study law or medicine. I am the last of 13 children and in my family we have a doctor, a lawyer and even a mechanic. We have almost all professions in the family. Being the last born, I was allowed to do what I liked

and when I was young it was all about music. I was in a group in Kano and we were always entertaining people.

What are the major things that influence your music?

I would say life and environment.

For me, music is a reflection of life.

When I go out and people are having conversations, I see different opinions.

I take those opinions and turn them into music. I might be in the club too and get an idea after I must have listened to a beat. Life influences me.

How have you been able to handle fame?

A lot of people meet me and they don’t believe I am JJC. On a normal day I am not a performer; I am just Abdul Bello. So if you meet me by chance, outside entertainment, you will probably walk past me. When it is time for the club or interviews, it is business. I have been in this industry for years and I have learned a lot. I became popular when I was about 22 and that was the height of my career.

At that time, I was stupid. I didn't walk on the street, as luxurious cars had to come pick me. I didn't wear the same clothes twice too.

Do you still keep in touch with members of the 419 Squad?

419 Squad members are my friends and we are still cool. I am hoping to do a reunion with them sometime this year. They are scattered around the world, but we are still friends.

What actually happened between you, D'banj and Don Jazzy?

When I came to Nigeria, the media or some certain newspapers wanted to sell and created a scenario. When Backbone Music, the company that developed them, folded up we left on good terms. They went to Nigeria and I stayed back in London because I just had a son. I give kudos to them, as they worked extremely hard to create a new life for themselves using the platform that JJC and the 419 Squad gave them.

They did really well and we are cool.

You talked about your son; are you married?

I am not married, but I am blessed with three beautiful children - two boys and one girl. I have never been lucky in love and I believe my first love is music. I had my children when I was young just like my career and every other thing. Everything started when I was really young because I wanted to experience life in a hurry. I had my daughter when I was 20 and she would be 18 this year. My second child is 15, while my last is 10. My last child is very active on social media. Even in the midst of white people, he is still proud to be an African.

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Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

‘No man can dump me’ At the 2013 edition of the reality show, Project Fame, it took only Olawale Ojo to stop Immaculate Patience Edache from winning the grand prize. She had also featured on two reality shows and came close to winning one. Presently signed under a new record label, she tells OLUSHOLA RICKETTS that she has left the disappointments behind her.

I won’t say I had actually experienced heartbreak, but in that particular relationship there would probably be a point one has to leave

try to give out good music and I have dropped two singles already.

It is exclusive to MTN Music Plus for now, so you can get to listen to me there. I released Shiver and I Like You Boy. Both are love songs; one is cool, while the other is high life and danceable. The songs will be everywhere by the end of the month.

What were the keys things you learnt on Project Fame?

I learnt how to utilise the stage, people and to use musical terms even when I am recording. I learnt all these from Kaffy, Mummy J and Uncle Ben. It has been a whole lot of lessons I learnt and I have been using them.

All the songs you’ve done are about love; does that mirror who you are?

I am a lover of love; I like love.

Go Go Baby is a love song, but in different perspective. In love stories, you get sorrow, joy, struggles, etc. What the song talks about is that love is not all rosy, but you should still find a way to love and share.

You’ve featured on Nigerian Idol and Peak Talent Show; could you tell us the experience?

My first was Nigerian Idol in 2010, but I didn’t get to the top 10. The exercise was technical and strenuous. They would give you a song today and you must perform the next morning.

If you sailed through you will get another song. I see that as the foundation because it taught me how to learn fast and the competitive spirit started from there. It was a great deal for me to be selected among thousands and came back as one of the best singers. In 2011, I went for Peak Talent Show, though I said after Idol I will never participate in any other show.

Why did you then change your mind?

I was doing my laundry when my neigbour, a student, came to call me that they were having audition in my school in Makurdi. She said, “Biggie what are you doing here?” They called me Biggie in school those days. When I used to sing in school, people in the next seven buildings could hear me and everybody knew I sing in school too. She insisted I must go.

I had not done my hair and my cloth was even rumpled. My sisters had to follow me there because they knew I could change my mind on the way. When I got there people said they were hoping I won’t come for the audition. I was just having fun and I got a golden ticket. I came second in the Peak Talent Show.

You’ve experienced three reality shows; how would you rate them?

Project Fame is the best for me. I feel it is more technical, direct and professional.

I also feel it is free and fair; whatever judgment you get from Project Fame I believe you got yourself there. They teach you, feed you and you compete in a very good environment, so why do you want to fail?

Are you saying others have no standards?

This is obvious. When it comes to pic-

ture quality, don’t you see? The advert is awesome, as they give you stories and you will love to watch. It is dramatic and the experience is something different from the rest. We should remember that Project Fame is West Africa, not just Nigeria and people in London and other countries watch too. The projection is just not Nigeria. I don’t care what people say, Project Fame has the biggest reward too. I picked Project Fame first and Peak second.

But why did you put in for Project Fame since you’ve participated in two reality shows?

I went to Dr. Frabz’s studio and I heard one lovely voice when he was playing songs. I asked who she was and he told me about her and the fact that she had refused to appear on Project Fame. It was a week later they wanted to do Lagos audition, so I asked for her number. She was so excited when I introduced myself. Some people knew me on Idol and Peak Talent Show. I told her she must go for the Project Fame audition. On the audition day, I left Apapa to Oshodi and called her to meet me there, which she did. People immediately queried what I came to do at the audition ground and I quickly told them I brought my artiste. I didn’t know two other friends

Have you ever experienced heartbreak?

That is my privacy, but no man can dump me. I won’t say I had actually experienced heartbreak, but in that particular relationship there would probably be a point one has to leave. It is not that anybody would walk to me and tell me it is over. Are you God? It is only God that can tell me it is over.

So, something has to happen for two people to part ways. For me, I would not call it heartbreak; I Immaculate just feel the circumstances warranted it. But love is beautiful, so had plans for me. They went to hint Uncle no matter what happens you still need to Ben that I could sing well, but I didn’t want continue with your life. You don’t need to participate. Uncle Ben came to me and to kill yourself because a man or woman said I must fill out the form. I didn’t even leaves you; we are in the 21st century. know my friends had already done that.

That was how it started.

What is the craziest thing you’ve done for love?

How were you able to combine school I lied to them at home that I was going and with music? to Church, but I went to visit my baby I studied mass communication, so I because he was sick. There must be somewould say entertainment is actually in thing very meaningful for me to take such line with it. I also had lecturers who un- step or lie. derstood what I do and encouraged me.

Whatever they did in school while I was Who do you look up to in the industry? away they gave me the grace to repeat Omawumi is my favourite. She is a them. I was the sparkling girl in school, powerful singer and I like her attitude. so I felt everybody loved me. I was doing my final year project while I was on the Most Nigerian musicians don’t stick to Peak Talent Show. So, I really appreciated their styles; what do you call your style? my lecturers, especially my supervisor.

I love highlife. But the truth is that we are always trying to satisfy the people.

When did you start taking music seriously?

I cannot really say; I just know that while Even against your will?

I was little I used to be called by adults to We are your servants. It is what you sing. I would sing and rap for them. I was people want to listen and dance to we also in the church choir at some point. give, but that shouldn’t affect your own person being on the song. Normally, I like You recently signed a record deal with slow, highlife, RnB, Jazz, etc but in whatVivace Records; what should we expect ever I do you must still see me in it. That from you? is the most important thing and it doesn’t It is work all the way for me. I would change what I do.

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

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I didn’t benefit from producing Olu Maintain’sYahooze –Puffy Tee It’s been a while since you produced a hit song like Yahooze; when should we expect another?

There is no way you will have a child as old as the first born. First born will always be your first and any other child comes after the first. Others could grow taller, finer and have more money than the first child, but they can never be as old as the first.

I also produced Lorile by X-project; Pamugoro by 9ice; Away by VIP from Ghana; I matter by 9ice ftTimaya; Koleyewon by Eedrisft Rugged Man, My way by 9ice ft VIP; Halleluyah by Olu Maintain; Who am I by Jim iykeft 2face; Let me love u by side 1 and a host of others. I am presently working with JJC, Rasqie, 9ice, Ara, etc.

So, we should leave Yahooze and focus on others, but it was my major breakthrough.

What inspired the song?

The beat was inspired by OluMaintain’s ring tune then, which was a Jamaican song. The song was a product of everyone who was around in the studio at that time, but majorly from a guy called Eddy Kim. Olu was a very smart and good singer. It was quite an experience and he had a way of inspiring people. We did many songs even before Yahooze, but we parted ways after it.

Did you know Yahooze will be a hit?

None of us saw that coming. The song even forced itself out. Whenever I do a job in the studio I would copy it into a CD and take it home to listen. My kid brother, a DJ, took the CD from the house and it circulated. I just realised I could not find it again and I thought I misplaced it. So, I was with Olu Maintain a particular day and someone was talking about a song he heard on a radio station in Ibadan. Another person called Olu and asked if he had dropped a new song. We were all confused. From Ibadan, the song moved to Ogun State and later Kwara State.

It then came to Lagos and that was it.

There was no promotion or a deliberate effort to promote the song and there was no internet at that time too.

You used to produce Eedris Abdulkareem too; what happened?

I wasn’t the producer of Nigeria JagaJaga, though people felt I did.

The song was produced by Chris Okoro, but I worked on the album along with Foster Zeno. I did almost all the songs on that album. I also did Letter to Mr. President’s album and his third album. We all have ways of doing things. Sometimes you feel you’ve been together for too long and needed a change. We had our differences and we moved on. Though we still talk once in a while, it is not the way it used to be anymore.

But why is it a common trend for artistes to leave producers that apparently did a lot for them?

Twenty friends cannot be friends for twenty years. What we should all know is that whatever has a beginning has an end and anything that has a manufacturing date has an expiry date too. So, your expiry date with your partner might be short. That is life and you have no need to take it personal. If you are meant to do just one

Temidayo Babatope Joseph was behind the production of Olu Maintain’s Yahooze, but the song ended the once blossoming romance. Popularly known as Puffy Tee in showbiz, he made his debut as a singer on Valentine’s Day. He tells OLUSHOLA RICKETTS why he decided to be a singer. song with someone you cannot do more than that. And sometimes too, things like that happen for a reason.

It happens for you to see how serious people take you or how they love or appreciate your work. We all have issues. That is why I don’t like to get too close with people in the industry because when you do they used that against you. In music,there are no permanent friends or enemies. The only permanent thing is interest because everyone wants to be successful.

What is your sincere opinion about the industry?

To do music is now expensive because you need to pay some money when you visit radio and television stations andAlaba market too. We also have many talents now because there is no grip on the industry and it is now all-comers’ affairs. In some places in the world you just don’t come out as an artiste; somebody has to introduce you to the industry. My landlord could come tomorrow to my studio and make a song provided he has the money for production.

This is the reason we have loads of songs that have no content. We have few songs that can make people to mend their ways, learn to love, etc.

You recently dropped a single; why the sudden change to become a singer after several years?

The first time I thought of releasing a song was in Ghana in 2013. An artiste said something terrible to me and I told myself that I could sing more than him.

He heard it later and I apologised that he didn’t know me so well. I have like 48 songs with me now and I do basically high life. I dropped my first song on the Valentine’s Day – Your Lover.

I did it together with Ara, an excellent singer. She knows her talking drum too much and I really enjoyed working with her, from beginning to the end.

The reason I de-

layed doing my own songs was because of the unease surrounding the life of a musician. It could be taxing to run around for shows, interviews, etc. Ara was actually instrumental in the making of my first song and people should expect more to come.

Ara wanted people to know what I can do.

If it were today I would have made a lot of money from the Yahooze song because I know better

What are your regrets?

I should have reached an agreement with Olu. If it were today I would have made a lot of money from the Yahooze song because I know better. But despite the whole thing that happened, if I was just a bit patient with Olu, I would have still benefited from Yahooze. I didn’t benefit from the song than the fact that I produced a megahit. I used to move away from things quickly if I noticed any strange thing and I did that with Olu. If I had a second chance I would have been calmer with him, but I left too early.

How lucrative is music for you?

It has been the only thing that is keeping me. I don’t do any other thing and it would get more lucrative because I am now a singer. I believe singing brings more money because people don’t really appreciate producers in this country. The young ones do, though. When a young artiste sees a producer who is good he or she does things to make him happy. But generally, producers are not well celebrated and people often forget that we make things happen.

If the foundation is not strong you cannot do anything well. So, when a producer makes your first and second song and you become famous, why can’t you stick to him? If you desire to work with other producers, why can’t you inform your producer? It even favours you because it will make that producer to charge you less. Your producer will also be happy to see that you respect him and things will go well.

You mean you have no other source of income?

I have plans to venture into many things, but I do just music for now. I plan to open a lounge centre, manufacture noodles and venture into events planning. I could as well own a record label, but you have to get somewhere first before you can pull others up.

How did you acquire music production skills?

My dad was an organist and I started playing piano when I was nine years old. You should expect me to be a genius by now. Professionally, my production started since 1997, but I didn’t have a hit song (Yahooze) till 2006.

How was your upbringing?

I am a local boy and I learned things I know today on the street. I only did primary and secondary education, though I later studied courses in music production in Ghana and London. When I tell people I didn’t go to the university they don’t believe me. I just have a way of assimilating things fast. When you know you don’t have some opportunities in life or didn’t do certain things you have to open your eyes and brain to pick up things anywhere you can because you will need it. I am the first of four kids. My dad is dead now, while my mum is still around.

What makes your production different?

I think it is just God and I believe in Him and my ability. I do music the way it comes. When I am working with you I work with what you sing; I don’t set out to do a particular genre of music. If it turns out to be reggae we make reggae and if it turns out to be high life we would do it. I have been around for over two decades, so I know a lot about music.

Puffy Tee

Investigations SATURDAY TELEGRAPH 21 FEBRUARY, 2015

24

Unit of housing in

A typical crowded Lagos single-room tenerment or face-me-I-face you as locals call it

PHOTOS: nigeriaproperties.wordpress.com

Lagos tenancy law in the bins Forty two months after Lagos State Government endorsed the new Tenancy Law, Chinyere Onah, reports that tenants still face nightmare from landlords

Y

inka Offehin had it rough recently with his landlady, Damilola Olaleye, who attacked him at their Popoola Street home, off Abaranje Road in the Ikotun area of Lagos State. His scrotum was allegedly cut off in the process. He is presently on admission in a private hospital where doctors are said to be battling to save his life.

He was sleeping with his family in his room at the time of the incident. He had a disagreement earlier with Olaleye, who had asked him to vacate her compound with immediate effect.

Narrating his ordeal, Offehin said: “I was asked to leave the house immediately, but prominent people intervened and pleaded with her to allow me to stay till the end of August, 2014. But that decision did not go down well with her children as they continued to make trouble with me. I was already planning to leave their house and had even contacted an

Isioma madike

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

An aerial view of Lagos Island

agent when they attacked me without any provocation,” he said.

Offehin is not alone in this anguish.

Another tenant, who simply identified herself as Onyebuchi, a resident at Akinwale Street, Ogba, equally received a rude shock from her landlord freshly.

A native of Nsukka in Enugu State, Onyebuchi said they had recently paid their yearly house rent, which is supposed to expire in July. Then, suddenly, there was a quit notice.

“That was a surprise to my husband and I. I told my husband that we should confront the landlady to confirm that the notice came from her. This is because the woman is usually not at home. This was our plan and we agreed to wait till the coming weekend since that is the only time she is likely to be home,” Onyebuchi said.

This situation inspired her to seek the face of God in prayers the following Tuesday since the notice was served on Sunday evening. “On my return from

PHOTOS: topetemler.wordpress.com

church, I decided to go downstairs. On my way I met the landlady. I greeted her and she replied in her usual casual manner. I made a move to continue on my way but she dragged me back; slapped me three times and hit my head on the wall. I asked her what the problem was. Instead of explanation, she turned around and said I was being disrespectful. This was quite a shock because we never had any misunderstanding before that incident.

“She did not stop at that but went ahead to insult my husband, saying that I married a school boy. This got me infuriated and I retorted by reminding her that my husband is proud of the wife he married unlike her, whose husband reminds her always during their incessant fights that she is a mistake for a wife and how he had not paid her bride price,” Onyebuchi said.

Two days after that encounter, “the landlady brought policemen to arrest my husband. While we were still ques-

tioning the rationale behind this, she ordered them to equally arrest me along with two other people in our compound.

We were taken to Area G Police Station and it turned out that she had reported a different thing to them. We also got to know that was her usual ploy of quitting her tenants.”

Incidentally, Offehin and Onyebuchi are not the only ones facing this rental dilemma. Ifenkwe Victor, who lives at Shomolu, also has his story. He told this reporter that the N50, 000 rent he paid annually on his room for over five years had suddenly jumped to N90, 000. The landlord, according to him, had conveyed this increment through his lawyer, who also acts as the estate agent.

“The most annoying part is that the landlord asked all of us to pay a year ahead. It sounds like madness to me. I knew that under the new Lagos Tenancy Law, a sitting tenant is not supposed to pay more than six months in advance.

So, I was agitated, even as I kept asking if that was what the law, signed by Governor Babatunde Fashola in August 2011, was all about?

“But, before I knew it, the other tenants started paying. When I realised I had no support from the other people, I had to comply since I had no other place to go and hadn’t huge money for a new accommodation. This is the dilemma tenants now face in Lagos,” he said.

For Ademola of Lagos Street, Gbagada, his own landlord though, did not increase his rent, he still pays N350, 000 at once annually on a mini-flat he and his wife and three children occupy. He said, “though, my landlord has not increased the rent for 2015, since he just increased it in December 2013, he prefers to take this lump sum yearly. To him, that is not negotiable, tenancy law or no tenancy law. He reminds us daily that governor did not build his house and as such should not tell him what to do with his property.”

To Chuks Ugonna, who lives at Oba-

Ejected tenant's p

SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2015

SATURDAY

FREE

Sport Splash

All Africa Games Nigeria out for Gabon’s scalp p.27

Interview

Falcons must learn from London 2012 mistakes – Oparanozie p.27

EPL

Liverpool set for Saints showdown p.28

Interview

Female athletes endure more training rigours, says Udo-Obong p.30

The Team Vincent Eboigbe l Assistant Editor Ajibade Olusesan l Correspondent Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

25

My fears over moves to get Ajayi, Akpom – Kpakor F

Vincent Eboigbe

not to play for Nigeria. Even the manager of their clubs can’t be completely trusted.

“Let me give you an example with the case of Danny Welbeck. You know he has a Ghanaian father and a British mother and at that time the Ghanaian Football Association was trying to get the player to switch allegiance to Ghana having represented England at junior level, but then Man United manager, Alex Ferguson, told the player not to even consider playing for Ghana as he would not attain his full potential if he did. That was how Ghana lost Welbeck.

“It is interesting because we have a penchant for seeking so much publicity in matters where there should be some secrecy and hide what should be public knowledge.”

Kpakor however dismissed the views in certain quarters that it was not within the purview of the NFF president to embark on such a trip but that of the coaches of the national team.

He pointed out that it was the federation that was better placed to handle such matters as they are in a better position to liaise with world football governing body, FIFA, who may ask for some paper work in such switches of allegiance.

Alex Iwobi who has also featured for England U-18, had already been invited by Samson Siasia to the U-23 national team.

ormer Super Eagles midfielder, Moses Kpakor, has expressed the fear that the publicity surrounding Nigeria Football Federation’s president Amaju Pinnick’s attempt to get some England-based players to switch allegiance to Nigeria, the country of their birth, may scupper the move.

Noting that it is a good idea, Kpakor however said it should have been done with some modicum of secrecy to protect the quest and prevent it from being thwarted by the coaches of the youngsters who have already featured for England at the junior levels.

Pinnick recently went to England where he met with Arsene Wenger in an effort to convince the Arsenal manager to release Chuba Akpom, who has played for England at the U-16, U-17, U-19, U-20 levels and Semi Ajayi whenever Nigeria extends invitations to them. Both players feature for the Arsenal youth side. Photos of Pinnick and Wenger have since gone viral.

Kpakor who was a member of the Super Eagles team to the African Nations Cup in Algiers 1990, insisted that the whole project should have been conducted away from the limelight.

“Matters like these are always done in secrecy. What the federation should have done is talk to the parents quietly and the parents will discuss the matter. In most cases the father would favour the boy playing for his country while the mother would most likely prefer he represented her own country. But because of their approach in matters like this the parents will also ask for their son’s opinion before taking a decision, Kpakor said.

“My worry is that now that the whole thing has become public knowledge the youth coaches of these players NFF president, Amaju Pinnick (left) with Arsenal manager, in England may try to prevail on the players Arsene Wenger, during his visit to England...recently

Akpom

Ajayi

Iwobi

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Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Nigerian League Rendezvous

Dikko takes over from Irabor as LMC boss Stories by Charles Ogundiya

A Warri Wolves' Osadiaye Joseph

Wolves ready for new season

W

arri Wolves have said they are ready for the commencement of the new league season as they prepare to wrestle the title from Kano Pillars.

Speaking with League Rendezvous recently, the Media Manager of the club, Moses Etu, said the target was the league crown.

“We are back in Warri to continue our preparations, the first thing is to qualify for the next round of the Confederation Cup and then start the league on a winning note,” Etu said.

“We are playing away to Gabros (Ifeanyi Ubah FC) in our first game and it is important we get a good result in that game.”

When asked if government has released funds to the team to prosecute the new season, Etu said they had submitted their proposal for the new season.

He said: “We submitted our budget to the government and hopefully, we should get the necessary funds for the new season.

“Currently, we are using the funds in our reserve to prosecute our Confederation Cup and prepare for the new season, but I can assure you that the government is committed to the success of the team.”

March 7 Week One Fixtures Wikki Tourists vs 3SC Enyimba vs Akwa United El- kanemi vs Nasarawa Sharks vs Sunshine Dolphins vs Kwara Utd Giwa vs Abia Warriors Heartland vs Kano Pillars Bayelsa Utd vs Lobi Gabros vs Warri Wolves FC Taraba vs Rangers

new board headed by Shehu Dikko, will take over the leadership of the League Management Company from the incumbent board led by Nduka Irabor.

The Nigeria Football Federation presidential aspirant was made the head of Nigeria's elite league organising body towards the end of 2014 ahead of the 2014/15 league season, and the new board will start work from March 7, the kickoff date for the new season.

With the appointment, Dikko automatically becomes the 2nd Vice President of the NFF in line with provision of the NFF statutes.

Other members (directors) include: Dr. Ayo Ayodele, Mr. Dominic Iorfa, Hon. Nduka Irabor, Hon. Akin Akinbobola, Salihu Abubakar, and Prince Okey Ibeh.

Meanwhile, Nigeria Premier League Club Owners have charged the incoming leadership of the LMC to work hard to make the league an attractive brand that will attract investors to compete for sponsorship of the league.

The body also commended the out-going chairman, Irabor for the improvements and relative stabil-

Club owners set target for new helmsman

Dikko

ity that the League has witnessed in the past two seasons.

Speaking with Sports Writers recently, Acting Secretary of the Club Owners, Alloy Chukwue-

meka, said a lot still needed to be done to make the NPFL compete favourably with other organised leagues in the World.

"Definitely we expect a better new season and with the calibre of the man in charge now and his board members, I am confident that the board will deliver,” said Chukwuemeka the ABS FC of Ilorin GM. “I want to use this opportunity to urge the new board to consolidate on the records so far and try to make the league an attractive brand for investors to compete for sponsorship and partnership."

Gabros sell slot to Ifeanyi Ubah Utd

L

eague Rendezvous can report that the owner of newly promoted Gabros International of Nnewi, Gabriel Chukwuma, has sold the club to Ifeanyi Ubah.

According to a report, the new owner has adopted a new name for the club in the coming season: Ifeanyi Ubah United.

The new owner, Ifeanyi Ubah, is the boss of Capital Oil and also Director General of the Transformation Ambassador of

Nigeria, a group promoting the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Although there was no official statement on the sale of the club, an insider who spoke with our correspondent said the need to reposition the club and take it to the top of Nigeria football necessitated the change of ownership.

The source also revealed that the former owner, Chukwuma would still be part of the club.

Mathew Etim (left) of Rangers tackles Andrew Abalogu of Enyimba during the Nigeria Premier League match between Enyimba and Rangers last season

Kwara United's Tunde Yusuf

Kwara United drop 17, retain 22 players

T

he management of Kwara United has announced it has dropped 17 players and retained 22 others from the squad that represented the club last season in the Nigeria National League.

The secretary of the club, Dele Oguntokun, in a statement on Thursday said the technical crew had informed the management of their decision to drop the players.

“The technical crew has given us the list of players they want to work with for the new season,” Oguntokun said in the statement.

“We (management) have given the technical crew the latitude to operate and take a decision to ensure they have a successful season.

“We are determined to perform well this season, hence the need to drop these players and move on.”

Oguntokun said the players were dropped because of the ongoing restructuring in the club and not because they were not good enough for the team.

He promised that the club would assist the outgoing players whenever they need the club’s assistance to help their careers.

Kano Pillars start league defence against Heartland

N

igeria professional Football League defending champions, Kano Pillars, will be hoping to make it four titles in four seasons as the March 7 kickoff date for the 2014/15 league season approaches.

In the fixtures released by the

League Management Company during the week, Pillars would be away to Heartland of Owerri in their first game of the new season.

Newly promoted side, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, would be home to another promoted side, 3SC of Ibadan. The two sides gained pro-

motion to the elite side after just one season in the lower division.

The 2013/14 league season runners up Enyimba will have the service of the league top scorer, Mfon Udoh, as they travel to Akwa Ibom, to take on rival, Akwa United, in one of the big-

gest games of the opening week of the new season.

Port Harcourt sides, Sharks and Dolphins will be home to Sunshine Stars and newly promoted Kwara United respectively while Giwa FC will be home to Abia Warriors in Jos.

El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri will continue their sojourn in their adopted home in Kano as they host Nasarawa United. FC Taraba are home to Rangers with Warri Wolves traveling to Nnewi to take on newly promoted Gabros (Ifeanyi Ubah United).

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Sport

27

Falcons must learn from London 2012 mistakes – Oparanozie En Avant de Guingamp of France striker, Desire Oparanozie, in this interview with Emmanuel Tobi warns her teammates to avoid complacency as they prepare to play Gabon next month in their quest to qualify for the 2015 All Africa Games and the 2016 Olympics.

U-23 national team coach, Samson Siasia

All Africa Games qualifier: Nigeria out for Gabon’s scalp

N

Ajibade Olusesan igeria’s national U-23 team will today confront their Gabonese counterparts in the first leg of the 2015 All Africa Games qualifying match.

Nigerian football team missed out of the last All Africa Games which was held in Maputo four years ago, and Samson Siasia will be keen to lead the team to success this time as the race for the ticket begins at the Stade Augustin Monedan Sibang in Libreville.

The team has showed promises with their impressive performance against Tunisia in their playing tour to that country last month. They lost 5-3 to their hosts in the first match

but walloped the North Africans 3-0 few days later.

Siasia sensationally dropped Turkey-based strikers, Aminu Umar and Abdullahi Gero from the 21-man team to Libreville but he can still count on the services of Oghenekaro Etebo and Peter Onyekachi who both scored in the victory over Tunisia.

Enyimba player, Kingsley Sokari, is expected to be the creative force in the middle of the park and will work with Godwin Savior and Tiongoli Tonbara.

The coach assured Nigerians his team would not disappoint today. He insisted that although the team was still a work in progress, he had enough quality to get the job done.

“It's still work-in-progress.

We would be focusing on our performance on the pitch. I believe in this set of players that have been selected for the task that awaits us. We won't make up the numbers in Libreville,” he said before the team departed for Gabon on Wednesday.

“We have to be very sound to get a positive result away from home. We have worked very hard and won't disappoint the fans.”

The reverse fixture will be held in Nigeria on March 7 with the aggregate winners going ahead to confront the winners of the tie between Zambia and Madagascar for a place at the men's football event of the 11th All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville from July 11 to 21.

Hurdlers target medals at AJC Charles Ogundiya

T

he four athletes that will be representing Nigeria in hurdles at the 12th edition of the African Junior Athletics Championship in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, have set their sight on sweeping the medals at stake.

Nigeria will be parading two athletes in the boys’ 110m hurdles while two female athletes will be competing in the girls’ 100m hurdles.

Speaking with our correspondent, Oluwatobiloba Amusan, who won the 100m hurdles for girls during the trials in Lagos, said her target would be to replicate her performance in Ethiopia.

“I want to win gold in Ethiopia. Last year during the African Youth Championship in Botswana, I was beaten to the gold by a South African. This time around my target is the gold medal,” Amusan said.

“I am already working on my start which really affected me the last time, but before the competition proper, I should One of the junior athletes, Ese Brume, during training be ready.”

African youth champion in 110m hurdles, Bashiru Abdullahi, said now that he had progressed to the junior category, he would be targeting the gold again in Ethiopia Abdullahi said: “Some of the athletes I competed against during the youth championship last year will be coming to Ethiopia and I am sure with proper training and dedication I should be able to finish ahead of them again.”

For Temidayo Oshinbajo, going for her first competition outside the country will afford her the opportunity to help Nigeria retain the title it won two years ago in Mauritius.

The other athlete in the boys’ 110m hurdles, Ifeanyichukwu Atuma, on his part said it would be great for Team Nigeria to sweep all the medals at stake in hurdles.

Atuma said: “I am targeting the gold likewise my partner, Abdullahi, and it will be great for the two of us to finish with the gold and silver medals, same thing with the girls.”

Last week your club got a big scalp in PSG, how would you describe that victory?

The feeling is out of this world because beating a great team like PSG in the FA Cup is no mean feat. It was a great match that ended 1-1 after regular time and we edged them out 7-6 on penalties.

It’s a great feeling to be in the quarterfinal and getting double bonus for it just made the win one of a kind.

It seems you have settled easily at the French League, how were you able to achieve that?

France is a very nice place. My teammates and my coaches did their part to ensure I settled well and fast too. The atmosphere has been splendid and I’m work very hard to adjust into the system.

Haven played in Germany and Turkey, how will you described the French League?

It’s true that that I’ve played in Germany and Turkey, but I want to say that the different countries have their different leagues system. The French league is of high standard and among the best leagues in Europe.

How have you been able to cope with communication challenge?

The issue of communication is one big barrier for me, but the good thing is, I have some of my team mates who can speak a bit of English and that has made communication a lot easier for me.

Oparanozie

Nigeria will be in Canada later this year, how do rate the chances of the Super Falcons who are the African Champions!

I've always believed in the Super Falcons because we have a team made up of experienced and youthful players. That was very instrumental to our success at the African Women Championship in Namibia where we emerged as African Champion.

The World Cup in Canada is going to be very tough considering the calibre of teams that will be in attendance. If everything is done rightly, I see us performing superbly in Canada.

Do you have any personal target for the World Cup as a player?

I have personal targets just as everyone else should, but don't you think letting it out now is a little early.

You have been included in the Super Falcons’ list for the All Africa Games qualifier against Mali next month, how are you looking forward to the game?

My inclusion for the qualifier is no doubt a great privilege for me, and we (Super Falcons) as a team must give our best to overcome the Malians. We must do what it takes to qualify so as to avoid a repeat of what happened the last time when we failed to qualify for the 2011 All Africa Games and the 2012 Olympics in London. These two competitions must be taken seriously just as we prepare for the 2015 World Cup in Canada.

S

they could face.

Recent matches between Southampton and Liverpool have a history of goals, so Sunday’s fixture at St Mary’s looks a good bet to produce at least three.

In three of their last four encounters spectators have seen three or more goals fly in and the one occasion that didn’t – in September 2013 – came at Anfield, where Southampton triumphed 1-0.

The corresponding fixture last season – in March – was in the

middle of Liverpool’s storming run for the title and produced a 3-0 romp for Brendan Rodgers’ men, with Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard getting on the scoresheet.

Sterling was also on target in the clubs’ first meeting this season, which again ended in a Liverpool victory – by a 2-1 margin this time, thanks to Daniel Sturridge’s 79th minute winner.

That was the England striker’s last goal before his lengthy injury troubles began, but the

25-year-old has now fully recovered and has been eased back into the Liverpool team via the substitutes’ bench.

He responded with a goal on his comeback against West Ham at the end of January and after being given his first start since his injuries in the thrilling 3-2 home win over Tottenham on February 10, he scored again in last weekend’s 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round victory at Crystal Palace.

He is expected to be a handful on Sunday.

Aston Villa v Stoke Chelsea v Burnley C/Palace v Arsenal Hull v QPR Sunderland v West Brom

EPL Saturday

arma President Giampietro Manenti says the club will play its game with Udinese on Sunday, despite reports they can’t pay for stewards.

It was reported that, with only €40,000 in the bank, the Ducali would be unable to pay for policing and stewards at Artemio Franchi at the weekend, and would be unable to play the Zebrette.

“We talked to the stewards on Monday,” Manenti assured Parma Today.

“We reassured them, we have them convinced and they will get everything that they deserve. Let us work. I know everyone is pessimistic, but I’m not a fool.”

The patron also offered an explanation as to why player wages, promised on Monday, have yet to be paid.

“Due to the technical time required. It’s not easy to transfer a lot of money from abroad.

Manenti: Parma will play Udinese P

play," said the Iceland ace.

"It's the first red card of my career and touch wood it's the last.

"I felt I was unlucky to get sent off. I caught him from the side with the inside of my foot, but the ref obviously decided that I'd lost the ball and lost my head a little bit.

"That wasn't the case — it's just that I am not the best tackler!

"Of course I was frustrated that we were losing to Blackburn, but I was just a bit late after he had passed the ball."

eal Madrid forward Cristiano

Ronaldo considers legal action against Roldán

Dybala

uventus have held talks with Arsenal and Tottenham target Paulo Dybala about a summer move, according to reports in Italy.

The striker has been in fine form this season, scoring 11 goals in 22 Serie A appearances and helping Palermo to 8th in the table.

The Argentine's performances have seen him compared to fellow countryman Sergio Aguero and attracted the interest of several clubs.

Arsenal and Tottenham were linked with January swoops, while Barcelona and Manchester City are the latest sides to be touted as a possible destination for the 21-year-old.

However, according to Sport Mediaset, Juventus have now held talks with Dybala's representatives over a move this summer.

The Serie A champions are desperate to bolster their ranks and are hoping to beat the summer scramble for the youngster by opening talks now.

J

Juve, Arsenal battle for hot striker

Sport

Muller

outhampton host Liverpool on Sunday with both sides chasing a top four finish this season, but it is not for that reason that the game holds such importance this time around.

For it will be the first time Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren will return to St. Mary's since leaving the club last summer.

Although both parties have since moved on from the events of 2014, there is sure to be some trepidation about the reception

La Liga Saturday Saturday Barcelona v Málaga Córdoba v Valencia Atletico v Almería Deportivo v Celta Vigo Sunday Sociedad v Sevilla Bilbao v Vallecano Villarreal v Eibar Elche v Real Madrid

FIXTURES

YLFI Sigurdsson plans to ensure his Blackburn dismissal is the only red card of his career as he prepares to take out his frustration on Manchester United.

The Swansea City star returns this weekend having served a three-match ban following his sending off at Ewood Park last month.

Sigurdsson was given his marching orders by Craig Pawson for a late foul on Chris Taylor as Swansea exited the FA Cup. Garry Monk — as well as opposite number Gary Bowyer — felt a yellow would have been sufficient punishment, but Swansea opted not to appeal because they felt the chances of Pawson's decision being overturned were minimal. And Sigurdsson admits he has been counting the cost of what went on against Rovers for almost a month.

"It's been really frustrating being fit but not being able to

G

Sigurdsson eyes Man United comeback

Global Football Special

Liverpool set for Saints showdown

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28 SATURDAY N 21 FEBR

Sebastian Vettel must beat friend and new Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen in 2015.

That is the claim of former F1 driver David Coulthard, who fears the quadruple world champion cannot afford to lose another internal battle this year.

In 2014, Vettel was humbled by Red Bull newcomer Daniel Ricciardo, amid the German’s struggle to a Coulthard told Germany’s Sport Bild that Vettel cannot afford to be beaten again.

“He needs to be faster,” the Scot said.

“If he’s not, frankly: it’s his career (in jeopardy),” said Coulthard.

Colin Montgomerie is backing Darren Clarke to defend the Ryder Cup title when he leads team Europe at Hazeltine in 2016.

Montgomerie was part of the five-man selection panel that chose Clarke as captain for the next edition of the iconic event, which will be hosted at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota, United States.

"I think he (Clarke) will be a very good communicator, which is most important as captain," the 52-year-old told Sky Sports.

SPORT BRIEFLY

last six matches, have not yet scored in February. But Vincent Bessat did score a hat trick in his side's 3-2 victory in the French Cup last month.

Paris Saint-Germain will be boosted by an impressive performance against Chelsea in the Champions League as they turns their attention to a home match against Toulouse.

PSG battled to a 1-1 draw against the English leaders, with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho saying his team was fortunate to avoid a loss.

Striker Edinson Cavani scored the equalizer and PSG coach Laurent Blanc will again look to him on Saturday, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic struggling to find his best form since returning from a heel injury.

Sebastian Vettel

Lacazette

fter three straight draws, French leader Lyon are hoping striker Alexandre Lacazette will make his return on Sunday against Nantes.

Lacazette, the league's top scorer with 21 goals, has been sidelined since pulling a hamstring muscle in a 2-0 win against Metz on Jan. 25 — a match in which he netted a penalty.

The team has struggled since, drawing three matches and scoring only twice — although two of those games were against Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain.

Lyon still leads the league, two points clear of Marseille and PSG after both drew their last two matches.

Nantes, which are winless in their

Lyon look to Lacazette for timely boost against Nantes A

Ronaldo

Colin Montgomerie

hampions Bayern Munich obliterated Hamburg 8-0 at the weekend and will be looking to produce another ruthless display at Paderborn on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola's men go into the weekend eight points clear of Wolfsburg and will be strong favourites to emerge victorious again, with Paderborn winning just one of their last 11 in the league.

Wolfsburg, meanwhile, will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run to 10 league matches when they host Hertha Berlin on Sunday, just three days after entertaining Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Europa League.

Borussia Monchengladbach who faced Europa League holders Sevilla last Thursday, will visit Hamburg on Sunday.

Lucien Favre's team are enjoying a fine season domestically and a victory will see them consolidate their place in third, ahead of Roberto Di Matteo's Schalke, who have risen from 11th since the Italian's appointment in October.

Di Matteo will be preparing his side for a potentially tough day as they welcome a resurgent Werder Bremen going for a sixth triumph in a row.

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Ruthless Bayern storm Paderborn

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eal Madrid will have to back up from midweek European action when they travel to Elche on Sunday, while Barcelona host Malaga on Saturday in La Liga.

Barca can go provisionally top with a win at Camp Nou, and Real will be battling fatigue after playing in Germany on Wednesday - when they were 2-0 winners over Schalke in their last-16 first leg.

While trying to defend their European crown, Real are also trying to reclaim the domestic title - something midfielder Toni Kroos said was a priority.

"Every game in the Champions League is of the highest international level, against the best players in Europe. Battles like that help you gain experi-

ence and evolve," Kroos told UEFA. Real have won all three clashes against Elche, although their one trip to the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero in 2013 saw them need a late Cristiano Ronaldo penalty to win.

Ronaldo (28 goals) leads the golden boot race in Spain from long-time nemesis Lionel Messi (26).

Messi has scored in nine of his past 12 games in the Spanish top flight - including four hat-tricks and two braces.

The Argentine superstar has not scored against Malaga in his past two league matches against the current seventhplaced outfit, with Barca failing to break through against them earlier this season in a 0-0 stalemate.

Real travel to Elche, Barca host Malaga

McArthur

The latter has returned to training this week after nursing an ankle injury, while McArthur missed last weekend's game with Liverpool.

It is understood that McArthur has a better chance of featuring than Jedinak at this stage but the Eagles will give the Australian a late assessment.

Striker Yaya Sanogo will not be able to feature against his parent club.

Meanwhile, Pape Souare is line for his Premier League debut at left-back, with Joel Ward returning to the right.

P PTS 23 54 23 47 23 42 23 38 23 37 23 35 23 35 23 33 23 32 23 32 23 30 23 29 23 28 23 24 23 24 23 24 23 23 23 20 23 16 23 10

TABLE

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

P PTS 21 52 21 44 21 36 21 34 21 34 21 32 21 29 21 29 21 28 21 25 21 24 21 23 21 23 21 22 21 22 21 21 21 21 21 18

Bundesliga

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

Serie A

P PTS 23 57 23 56 23 50 23 47 23 45 23 41 23 35 23 29 23 28 23 27 23 26 23 24 23 24 23 24 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 19 23 19 23 18

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

PTS 59 52 47 46 45 43 42 38 34 33 32 27 27 26 24 23 22 22 21 17

PREMIER LEAGUE NO TEAM P 1 Chelsea 25 2 Man City 25 3 Man United 25 4 Southampton 25 5 Arsenal 25 6 Tottenham 25 7 Liverpool 25 8 West Ham 25 9 Swansea City 25 10 Stoke City 25 11 Newcastle 25 12 Everton 25 13 C. Palace 25 14 West Brom 25 15 Sunderland 25 16 Hull City 25 17 Q.P.R. 25 18 Aston Villa 25 19 Burnley 25 20 Leicester 25

Ronaldo has found himself on the outs with the club’s fans after photos of his 30th birthday party hit the internet shortly after the club’s shocking 4-0 loss to Atletico Madrid and the scapegoat is likely to be the MC for the event, Kevin Roldán.

According to ABC, Ronaldo is considering suing Colombian reggaeton star Kevin Roldán for publishing the photos and videos of the private event on the internet, in an attempt to further his own career.

Cristiano is also livid by the reaction and subsequent controversy the photos have caused, portraying the three-time Ballon d’Or winner in a negative light, after the Portuguese international has spent years improving his public image.

To make matters worse, Roldan continues to give interviews about the events of the night, which is only causing further damage to Cristiano’s reputation.

It remains to be seen if the forward will take action over the Colombian’s actions, but could see his hand forced to do so, should Roldan continue his publicity tour.

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Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has pleaded guilty to careless driving after hitting two parked cars in the Colorado ski resort in Aspen on December 28.

The authorities confirmed at the time that his girlfriend Anna Hansen initially took the blame in order to save Armstrong from media scrutiny.

According to the Pitkin county clerk's office, Armstrong will not face a court hearing as he paid $238.50 (£154.50) in fines and court costs last week.

Lance Armstrong

rystal Palace duo James McArthur and Mile Jedinak are believed to be in contention for Saturday's clash with Arsenal.

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Grayson Manenti

Wouldn’t the players have put us in default by now if I didn’t have the money?

“They’re safe, they’re aware of what I’m doing and are calm.

Everyone else should be too.

"I repeat: we will not leave, we will continue and we’ll resurrect the club. I’m not running away, I’m working.”

Palace duo set to return for Arsenal test

Bundesliga Saturday Mainz v Frankfurt Augsburg v Leverkusen Schalke v Bremen Paderbornv Bayern Freiburg v Hoffenheim Köln v Hannover Sunday Hamburger v Mö’gladbach Wolfsburg v Hertha

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

Swansea v Man Utd Man City v Newcastle Sunday Tottenham v West Ham Everton v Leicester Southampton v Liverpool NEW TELEGRAPH RUARY 2015

Sport

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Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Female athletes endure more training rigours, says Udo-Obong What informed your decision to establish Udo-Obong Athletics Academy?

Two things I will say motivated the academy, one is to try and build the sport, take it to the height I feel it should be especially after the performance of Team Nigeria at the last Olympic Games in London, a lot of criticisms trailed the outing of our athletes. I realised that the best way to take athletics to the top was for former athletes to get fully involved. When you go round the country you see a lot of athletes training, but I feel it is more than that, we have to educate people about the sport. So I decided rather than having a training centre to have an academy. The academy has a lot to do with knowledge, education, career development and promoting friendship through sport. We will be holding a holiday camp later in the year, during which we will be showing the different schools the great spirit of what athletics is about in the Olympics, the World Championships, and the Youth Olympics. We will bring several Olympic champions from all over the world to talk to the kids, to mentor them, to have breakfast with them and train with them.

What will be the benefits to the athletes?

We have activities lined up so that people will be encouraged. We really want to encourage young Nigerians to take up the sport in the country. People are more interested in academy than the ordinary training centres. I have been the one sponsoring it up till this moment, but we have reached a stage where UdoObong Athletics Academy now has international partners and we will soon go public and launch it formally. Hopefully some corporate organisations can link up with the academy as one of their corporate social responsibility. For now we have the Atlanta 96 Training Centre as our institutional partner and once in a while athletes from the academy at a particular stage will be going there for training free of charge. The training centre will also give us some technical information to help the athletes. Recently I was appointed into the advisory board of the centre, we want to use the opportunity to build relationships between the training centre, the academy and Nigeria as a whole; currently we don’t have a Nigerian at the centre and we want to use the opportunity to bridge the gap and expose more Nigerians to the facility.

What is your take on the state of athletics in Nigeria?

Athletics in Nigeria is growing. It went into a deep sleep and I would admit that, but rather than blame the government, I would say it had to do with the mass retirement of the older athletes. Some of these athletes, like myself, retired before their time due to injuries. However part of the blame must go to the authorities especially in the area of motivation of athletes. After the retirement of old athletes, when you start building young ones, there is a gap in the experience, the knowledge and motivation to compete at the highest level, but gradually we are getting there.

We have started showing signs that we can compete at the highest level in the world again. We reached rock bottom in athletics and we can’t go lower, but you can see that we are already rising.

How do we discover the hidden talents scattered all over the country?

One way is through an academy where you can get some of the talents around

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Sydney Olympic Games gold medallist in 4x400 metres relay, the gold was awarded to Nigeria after US team failed a drug test, Enefiok Udo-Obong, in this interview with CHARLES OGUNDIYA, blames the private sector for the stunted development of Nigerian sports. He also shares his views on other salient issues.

We had more passion for the sport, we trained harder, we ate and dreamt the sport, but athletes are non-committal now, they look for short cuts to greatness

Udo-Obong with world's fastest man, Usain Bolt

the country. Having an academy that has a training centre, and a holiday camp for school students and young people will help to unearth a few that are good and interested. Apart from that we also have scouts that will be going to inter house sports in schools to look at athletes that have potential, try to talk to their parents because this is where we can discover some of the talents. We keep talking about grassroots development, grassroots necessarily means when they are young, when they are not yet mature. Whether in the villages or in the cities, talents abound in the country. We can get them from the schools, but for us to achieve that the schools have to cooperate, the government has to encourage the schools, they have to organise a standard athletics meet regularly in the schools.

Who in your view was the best athlete in 2014?

It will be very hard to argue against Blessing Okagbare because she did very well in 2014, but we also have some unknown athletes that are rising. We had Ese Brume who showed a lot of maturity to win the Commonwealth Games long jump gold medal and the African championship gold medal. Divine Oduduru did very well at the World Junior, we also had someone like Seun Ogunlewe who has been doing wonderfully, he has been improving and hopefully this year he will be mature enough to take it to a higher level. Good athletes, but we have to say that they were all dwarfed by Okagbare.

Failure of male athletes to perform in recent years First, female athletes have more capacity to endure training pains, they train harder, but most of the time, the reason

we have more female athletes doing better especially in Nigeria is due to responsibility. Some of the male athletes start very late and at some point there is so much pressure from home, family, work etc. If you look at some of the female athletes that are doing well, they are either dating their coaches, or married to their coaches, or that their boyfriend was an athlete but decided to put more effort on the girl to succeed instead of training himself. If you check many of our female athletes you will see that they have relationships around the sport, but the main reason is that the male athletes retired in one fell swoop. For the female athletes there is always transition. For example, if you look at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games team, out of the six of us that competed for Nigeria in 4x400 metre relay team I was the only survivor in the next Olympics Games, the other five had already retired. If you also look at the 2004 team in 4x100 metre relay, none of the members of that team was in Beijing in 2008, it was a new set entirely at that competition. You can see where the problem is coming from. To build from the scratch always takes time, but in the female category we usually have those left from the previous competitions and that allows for experience and youth to mix in a dynamic way. The older ones are able to encourage the young ones and develop them. You can see that it took the male team almost three years to qualify for major events in relays again because we had a new team, but with what we saw in 2014, I believe that in Rio 2016, our men will win something again.

What is the difference between your generation of athletes and the current

generation?

We worked harder, that’s the truth.

We had more passion for the sport, we trained harder, we ate and dreamt the sport, but athletes are non-committal now, they look for short cuts to greatness; after a short time at training they put athletics aside and do other things.

In our days, after training, you either see us reading magazines, the internet was not that popular then, now they even have online materials to help their careers, something we didn’t enjoy in our days. We watch video of past competitions, analyse our performances and the performances of some top athletes in the world, we read journals, but I don’t see athletes doing that now.

Is government doing enough to support sports in Nigeria?

What I can say is that the private organisations are not doing enough to support sports. It is difficult to say government, because government is not Father Christmas, government is made up of individuals. I think what the government should do is to put in place incentives that will encourage the private sector to develop sports in the country. I cannot say whether the government is doing enough or not, what I know is that based on the number of events that we have, based on the funds that corporate bodies commit to events, I feel they are not doing enough for sports. Once they start doing their part, we will begin to rely less on government. The government should not be spending too much on sports, sports should be independent and autonomous from government. It is unfair to blame the government for the decay in our sports sector.

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Kane jets to Marbella for Valentine's Day’s tryst

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ed hot Tottenham striker Harry Kane treated his childhood sweetheart Katie Goodland with a Valentine's trip to Marbella.

The Spurs star has already netted 23 goals for Tottenham so far this season and jetted off for some sun as Mauricio Pochettino's side was not involved in the FA Cup last weekend.

The pair dined at Marbella's La Sala, which is part-owned by former Spurs team-mate and good friend David Bentley.

Kane was clearly enjoying his break in Marbella with this Insta-

A

shley Young has had his 'fare' share of criticism in the past and it appears the Manchester United midfielder was in an unforgiving mood after enjoying a night out with his girlfriend Nicky Pike.

The couple shied away from the cameras after being spotted getting into a taxi after leaving the plush Novikov Bar in Mayfair on Thursday.

The childhood sweethearts, who have two children together, were believed to have left the popular footballers' hotspot at around 11pm and looked less than impressed about being photographed after their eve-

Townsend thrills hot girlfriend in Dubai

gram post, 'Happy Valentines everyone' The couple stayed at the 5-star Puente Romano HOTEL FOR two nights as Kane enjoyed some time away from the relentless Premier League campaign and also managed a couple rounds of golf with Bentley.

'He is an amazing guy and an allround professional. He doesn't drink, but he knows how to have a good time,' Bentley told the Olive Press.

'I sorted him and his girlfriend out with a place to stay for two nights and played golf with him too.

Young, partner Nicky frolic in Mayfair's Novikov Bar ning out.

And the early night was probably attributed to Young's determination to return to the United starting line-up following a hamstring injury.

The 29-year-old hasn't featured in the Premier League for the Red Devils since tearing his hamstring in their New Year's Day 1-1 draw at Stoke City.

Young has since made one substitute appearance for Louis van Gaal's side, in their 3-0 FA Cup fourth round replay win at home to Cambridge United on February 3, but started for the Under 21s in their 2-1 win against Chelsea on Monday night.

Lifestyle Do not work harder when the solution is working smarter.

- lifeoptimizer

Stories courtesy Dailymail

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

A

ndros Townsend took advantage of Tottenham's fourth round exit from the FA Cup by jetting out to Dubai with his girlfriend Hazel O'Sullivan.

The 23-year-old's girlfriend uploaded a picture of herself alongside the Tottenham winger with the caption, 'Dinner with my boy on our last night in Dubai'.

Townsend was allowed to soak up the rays in Dubai with O'Sullivan over the weekend due to Tottenham's elimination from the FA Cup on January 24with team-mate Harry Kane also jetting off for a romantic break in the sun in Marbella.

The England international previously showed his support to O'Sullivan during the World Darts Championship back in December.

O'Sullivan, who also posted a snap of herself in the sea, was one of the walk on girls during the London event at Alexandra Palace.

Speculations swirl over Neymar and Katy Perry

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op sensation Katy Perry set Neymar's tongue wagging on Monday night, as he recorded footage of her performing a gig in Barcelona.

Just 24 hours after the Brazilian impressed at the Nou Camp to help his side beat Levante 5-0, he turned his attention to Palau Sant Jordi and the first date of Perry's European tour.

And the 23-year-old seemed impressed by her performance, uploading a video of the gig to his 15 and a half million followers on Instagram.

The video shows part of Perry's routine on stage at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona Neymar appears to have seats directly next to the stage, as the video shows Perry walk in front of the Barcelona star, just metres from the camera.

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

n Amen Estate, Lekki-Lagos photo: mynewswatchtimesng.com

Government didn't build my house and as such shouldn't tell me what to do with my property

property on the street photo: nairaland.com

wole, Iju-Ishaga, “these laws are just in black and white without any serious implications for erring landlords. With price of building materials increasing on a daily basis, I don’t think the government should dictate to landlords how much they should collect on their houses. But they should also be brought to check. How can a landlord charge over N100, 000 for a one-bedroom apartment? I don’t think it’s fair,” he said.

In like manner, Paul Uche of Oyemekun Street, Agege, pointed out that though, the law is good, the government still needs to do more to put erring landlords in check. “I believe there should be a regulatory body mandated to enforce the tenancy law. If the government can successfully ban Okada, then I believe they can do this,” he said.

Mrs. Olufunke Oke, a tenant at OjoduBerger, said the law was just a way of encouraging landlords to increase their rent.

“You can’t tell a landlord not to collect rent in advance and not expect him to increase his rent. What people need is affordable housing that they can call their own.

“I believe the people who are shouting and making noise about this law are mostly real estate agents, who had been driving the housing market into chaos before now and getting most of the money.

I hope the Lagos State government stays determined and makes enforcement possible by properly manning and expediting cases that will come initially, hopefully in the long run, tenants and landlords will see the gains and push the agents out of the way,” he said.

Experts in the housing industry are also speaking. For instance, Jagun Stephen, an Estate Surveyor, said the law has not been effective because demand is higher than supply. “Government is not doing anything because one cannot control what you cannot build. They only end up creating black market. They build houses but did not put those houses on lease. The only way to solve the problem is when supply can commensurate with demand.

“Landlords still collect more than one year and those, who do not because of the

law increase theirs. If you as a tenant come to rent a house, the landlord may choose to collect for a year as stipulated by the government but the cost will be higher. The purpose of the law is to protect the tenants.

Even if the landlord does not collect rent for two years he will jack his rent up,” Stephen said.

Rufai Kunle, a town planner said that the law is more of persuasive compliance than policing compliance. “What I mean is that, some tenants have no guts to take their landlords to court. So, they persuade the landlords and comply with the terms given,” he said.

Akhator Innocent from Edo State is of the opinion that the law is not effective.

“Landlords collect what they like. Tenants are at the mercy of landlords. What the state government should have done instead of enacting all this law is to build low cost housing estate here and there so that people will have alternative. You make law and you don’t have power to enforce it.

Houses are not there so, the landlords now do what they like. Either you beg them to pay the six months or you pay what they want as an existing tenant.

“However, the truth remains that most landlords, for new tenants, 60 per cent of the landlords are collecting one year unlike before when they will say you should pay for two years and above. But for the existing tenants, they still insist on that one year. If any landlord is taking six months, it is not because of the law. It is just because you have established a relationship; you are able to talk to him.

“For those tenants that do not comply with the landlord’s dictate, well, the landlord can always come up with one excuse or the other to say I want to use my apartment and you are given a notice. And the state government cannot do anything about it. The forces of demand and supply determine the price. Because everybody is in a hurry trying to get one flat, the man is bound to increase. He knows that when you go another person will come.

“Look at the ones the government built, two million, three million, how many people can afford that. Just like you don’t like Sprite, you like Fanta, nobody will tell Coca-Cola to reduce price. If there is a vacant house for one year, the landlord automatically will be forced to reduce the price. The issue of housing is not solved by enacting law, we have enough. So, the solution is to provide alternatives,” Innocent said.

Ever since the tenancy law was enacted, things, it appears, have gone from bad to worse. With the law at the back of their minds, landlords now charge double as rent in one year while others deliberately refuse to acknowledge the law. The statement, “did Fashola build my house for me?” has now become a mantra of sort by many landlords. While the government urges Lagosians to know their rights concerning issues of rent and tenancy, landlords continue to reign supreme and challenging them is synonymous to having your things thrown out.

However, the Lagos State Government has urged sitting tenants whose landlords unreasonably increase their rents after the expiration of their advance payment to seek redress in the law court. AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, who gave the advice pointed out that the right of tenants was provided for

Ipaye

Jagun

Victor

Innocent

Investigations

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in the new law to check landlords, who use arbitrary rent increases to unlawfully eject sitting tenants who, in most cases, could not afford such increases.

He reiterated that the tenancy prohibits landlords from collecting advanced rents in excess of one year in respect of new tenants and six months for sitting tenants. The law, he also said, prescribes a N100, 000 fine or three months imprisonment for violators.

This, according to him, includes tenants, who offer to pay more than what is prescribed by the law.

“We are aware that some landlords deliberately increase rents after the expiration of their initial contracts with their tenants as a way of ejecting them to get new tenants, who would normally pay in advance. Most times, these increases are as high as 100 per cent or more,” Ipaye said.

The commissioner pointed out that the state government believes it is exploitative. “We made a provision in the new tenancy law giving tenants the power to challenge such unreasonable increases in court. The courts would now determine whether such increases are right based on some considerations and if not justified, the landlords would be asked to review such downwards,” he said.

Ipaye said the state has, in the alternative, established mediation centres across the state to intervene in conflicts arising from rent increases with a view to achieving amicable settlements. While the state encourages tenants to go to mediation courts as a way of seeking redress, the question of timing comes to the fore. Most mediation cases take a minimum of three months to be resolved thereby leaving the tenant at the mercy of the landlord. Some tenants get so frustrated by the system that they opt to move out on their own, thereby having to face another barrage of high rent from another landlord.

The commissioner also said that government exempted some highbrow areas in some aspects of the law based on the peculiarities of the areas as well as the status of tenants. The law had banned advance payment of rents in excess of one year in Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Ikeja Government Reservation Area (GRA) and Apapa. “Most of the tenants in these areas are companies which, as a matter of convenience, prefer to pay in advance, sometimes 10 years. We don’t want to discourage them and we don’t want to discourage investments in real estate in those areas,” Ipaye said.

In spite of all these, there are still fears that the law, which stipulates punishment for erring landlords, may go the way of others enacted by past administrations in Lagos State. The reason, according to those on this divide, is simple. Private building owners, they say, enjoy absolute monopoly in the rental housing market in the state in particular, and Nigeria in general.

This, they believe, is evident in the reaction of building owners in Lagos to the law. Many others are of the opinion that without competition, it may be difficult to effectively enforce the law that is fast becoming controversial in nature.

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on August 8, 2011 signed the Tenancy and Lagos Parks and Gardens Bill into Law. But, several months after the law came into effect, Lagos residents have said the law has not helped them to secure better or cheaper accommodation as landlords and property developers are still engaged in the old habit of collecting more than one year rent.

Incidentally, this is not the first time attempts were made to regulate rent in the state. In all previous attempts, it has always been difficult to enforce such laws. The first military administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson, introduced Rent Control Edict, but its operation did not last.

Another military administrator of the state, Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa, also introduced the Rent Edict of 1997, which went the way of the first.

SATURDAY

Dear Love Doctor, 'I’m dating my daughter’s boyfriend's father!'

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Love News

Exclusive: Bobbi Kristina was 'high on Xanax and suicidal' when she was found face-down in bath p.36

L ve&Lv ng SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2015

35

‘He said he slept with another woman because of me' Confession

I waited on him, hand and foot, gave him the best sex of his life (he admits to that, along with my other 5 ex's.

Emotional blackmail takes place in a relationship when one party uses fear, obligation, and guilt to manipulate or control the other party.

In this story, instead of sincerely trying to work through his marital problems with his partner, a man chooses to cheat and lays the blame for his adulterous acts on his wife.

As narrated to Michael Uchebuaku

I

wanted to share my story with you, because my husband is constantly telling me that I have no right to be upset or suspicious. I am going to make this as short as possible, so here is my story.

I caught my husband seeing a girl behind my back a few months after moving in together.

I asked him to stop, he said he had. She then e-mailed me and told me he cheated.

He flew off the handle, saying if I believed her that he was going to dump me. I told him I didn't believe him, but that I would stay with him no matter what, and we needed to try to move on from this trauma.

I then caught him with another female. I became furious because of everything we had already been through the first time. He said he didn't do anything (again) and changed his phone number (that was, in his mind, somehow supposed to prove that he only wanted me).

From that point forward (the next two years), I thought everything was great with us. We ended up buying a beautiful small house, loving each other real good and planning a future together.

Then, about three months ago, I found out that he was still talking to the other woman, and even using his official business line to communicate with her.

To add insult to injury, he also slept with her on my couch in our home we bought together, one day when I was away at work, within two weeks of having bought the home. And he gave me HPV infection because he didn't use protection to have sex with her.

When I finally found out about his second extra-marital affair, I was already pregnant again and our son was only seven months old. He keeps telling me to get over it when I break down over it or even if I mention it, and otherwise treats me pretty badly.

I keep asking myself: Am I the happiest person in the world right now? No. I am sure I am difficult to live with because I am so depressed, angry, and hurt over what happened.

But if my husband had simply respected himself and hadn't spent the first year and a half of our relationship destroying the trust I had placed in him, I wouldn't be this depressed.

I still do my best to be happy though, but whenever I can't keep the facade and continue pretending, he gets angry with me. Sometimes his anger gets so bad that

one night he was arrested because he beat me up very badly and I called the police.

My husband says that all our problems are because of me, because I can't get over the fact that he cheated on me with that horrible lady and learn to just trust him once again like before.

He tells me that it was my fault he cheated. I don't know what I did wrong. I waited on him hand and foot, gave him the best sex of his life (he admits to that, along with my other 5 ex's).

I am not tooting my own horn or saying that I am an expert in

sex. And in fact, I am shy talking about myself in bed, but I figure that people will never know who I am since I am telling my story anonymously. So I can feel free to express myself.

I was always there for anything my husband needed, and dumped all of my "friends and acquaintances" which he didn't like, for him so that I could spend 99% of my time with him alone.

Yet in spite of that, my husband said that because I appeared too independent, he cheated. According to him, he cheated on me because I was acting as if I didn't need a man in my life. Therefore, it was my fault that he had sex with someone else.

I didn't know being independent gets you cheated on. I think my husband has a complex. He feels inferior because I have a good job with a bank. I am richer than him because he is selfemployed and makes very little money from his business, compared to my fat salary as a banker.

Am I supposed to hang on to his every word and action? Plan my life around the possibility that he may want me to do something?

Back then, before I had a son (which is when he did all the cheating, according to him), I had friends and family that I saw every so often, and he always had an open invitation to join me.

How does that amount to deserving to be cheated on? The only thing I have asked of him over the last three months is to enroll in personal counseling to resolve his anger and lying issues, and to try to get a new and better job which would be more befitting to him as a graduate and master's degree holder.

My husband's attitude just makes me go crazy. I need support, because he has tried to convince me at times that I am the crazy one in the marriage. I just need confirmation either way. Am I crazy? Is this all my fault? Should I be over it by now and able to restore to him implicit trust? Somebody should please help me out.

36

Love&Living

Love Songs

Janet Jackson

Go Deep We go deep And we don't get no sleep Cause we be up all night Until the early light We go deep And we don't get no sleep Cause we be up all night Until the early light I'm feelin fine cuz I'm dyin to be out tonight I'm startin out makin sure I look fine tonight Call Rene and Boo Gotta meet them soon Tell T to call Shawn I'll be there at 1 When we show up All the guys at the club Tryin get our backs We look good in black We go deep And we don't get no sleep Cause we be up all night Until the early light We go deep And we don't get no sleep Cause we be up all night Until the early light I'm feelin high cuz I'm outta control tonight (feelin high don't wanna stop) He's got me movin DJ groovin and I feel way right (groovin I don't wanna stop)

Love Poem

Beauty

Zlata S. Steere Your lips, your eyes, your soul Are like a work of art, The most creative thing of all Is your beautiful heart.

If you were a painting, No colours could express The beauty deep inside you, A rainbow, nothing less.

If you were a sculpture The clay could hardly make Your figure of an angel Without one mistake.

If you were a euphony No choir could really sing All the beautiful music Your eyes could possibly bring.

So here I am, an artist, With inspiration beyond belief But to capture such rare beauty, I'd have to be a thief.

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

Romantic Joke

Alphabetical Description!

After 15 years of marriage a wife asked her husband to describe her.

He looked at her slowly and then said: "A-BC-D-E-F-G- H-I-J-K".

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"Adorable, Beautiful, Cute, Delightful, Elegant, Fashionable, Gorgeous, and Hot" he replied.

She smiled happily and then asked, "What about I-J-K ?"

He replied, "I'm Just Kidding!"

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Exclusive: Bobbi Kristina was 'high on Xanax and suicidal' when she was found face-down in bath

B

obbi Kristina Brown was reeling from a huge argument with her 'husband' Nick Gordon and likely high on Xanax when she was found unconscious in her bathtub on January 31.

The 21-year-old tragically remains in a medically induced coma in an Atlanta hospital following the incident at her home in Roswell, Georgia.

Her former boyfriend Zach Jafarzedeh, to whom she remained close, told Daily Mail Online he thinks she may have fallen asleep in the tub.

But he said he is not ruling out the possibility she was trying to commit suicide, because of the alarming similarities to the death of her mother, Whitney Houston, in 2012.

In an exclusive interview, Zach – who is the first person from her inner circle to speak about the tragedy – gives a glimpse into her explosive relationship with Nick, and details how she had been abusing prescription medication Xanax since she was 16.

Zach, 24, told how Bobbi used to take the anti-anxiety drug every morning and often used more than she was prescribed.

He also says his ex's relationship with Nick, 25, had suffered setbacks in recent months, leaving the aspiring singer deeply upset.

He said: 'I know they got into a fight a few days before and she was really depressed about that and probably took a few Xanax and bathed and fell asleep.

'She would take more than she was prescribed of the Xanax.

'If you take two or three of them, you will black out and not remember anything.

'No matter who you are, it's going to knock you out, and mixed with alcohol it's a deadly combo.

'Some of it makes me feel like it could be a possible suicide, not even just a mistake. Something symbolic like: "This is the way my mom died, this is the way I want to kill myself too."

'It's eerie how similar that is. It sent chills down my spine and it made me sick to my stomach when I heard about it.'

Xanax is a common anxiety medication which helps calm people and prevent panic attacks. It was one of the substances found in Whitney's body when she was found dead in a bathroom at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles on February 11 2012, shortly before that year's Grammy Awards.

In 2011 Bobbi was pictured snorting cocaine, but Zach says she no longer used that drug and had largely straightened up her act since her mother passed away.

'She did more drugs before her mom died. She was more messed up then. She saw what happened to her mom and wanted to learn from that,' he said.

'She smoked cigarettes but she didn't like to smoke marijuana. She didn't like the way it made her feel.

Cocaine was a very small phase of her life, she didn't do it often. The main things she would do were drinking, Xanax and cigarettes.'

Despite Zach's assertions, drugs were found at Bobbi and Nick's home in a police search. While no charges have yet been brought against anyone over the accident, the police are treating it as a criminal investigation.

However, Zach refuses to believe Nick would be capable of murder.

Love News He said: 'Everybody's trying to make it all "Nick Gordon beat her up" but I don't believe that. I don't believe he beat her up and threw her in the bathtub. That's kind of stupid, why would you put her in a bath if her mom just died in a bathtub?'

In recent days Nick has not been welcome at hospital to see Bobbi, whom he refers to as his wife. The status of their relationship was questioned publicly by Bobby Brown, her father, who issued a statement after her drowning saying she had not married Gordon.

Although he came from a local upper middle class family, Gordon was disruptive as a boy and ran away from his mother and stepfather before he was a teenager, moving in to Whitney's house at Bobbi's request.

Zach says tensions between the two have been high ever since the death of Whitney, who originally saw Gordon as an older brother to her daughter.

He explained: 'Nick has a short temper. And Bobbi can be difficult.

'It was a tug of war, because they are both very stubborn people. Bobbi is very sweet, giving and caring, but she wants all of you, everything. And Nick likes space, that's where a lot of the tension between them came from.

'Nick was getting a little wild. He was getting into car accidents. He's been in about three or four accidents over the last couple of years. He's got a need for speed.

'He's getting these nice cars now the trust fund money is coming in [from Bobbi, sole inheritor of Whitney's estate] and crashing them left and right.

'He had a couple of Chevrolet Camaros. He liked fast cars, BMWs, that kind of thing. He cares, but he wasn't slowing down.

'He was trying to get away from Bobbi and starting fights. I know that Nick could be aggressive. I know he got into fights in high school. But I never saw them fight physically.'

Amazingly Zach says Nick even once pulled a gun on him after he got into an altercation with another friend, but despite the incident they remained friends.

He said: 'He pulled a gun on me.

He didn't directly face it at me, but he

Zach and Bobbi when they were dating

came out with the gun.

'I wasn't scared, Nick and I were too close back in the day, and he wasn't pointing it at me.

'I had heard he had just recently bought the gun, so he was trying to flash it, show it off.'

One of the people keenest to freeze Nick out is Marion 'Pat' Houston, known as Auntie Pat, who was one of Whitney's managers and is married to her brother, Gary.

She already has a restraining order against Nick and is said to think he is only interested in Bobbi because she will inherit Whitney's fortune, estimated at between $12 and $20 million.

Bobbi received the first installment, a tenth of the estate, when she turned 21 last year and is due to receive a further sixth in 2018 and the rest in 2023.

Gordon, a former high school football star, was never formally adopted

by Whitney and was not included in her will.

Pat was further upset by the way Nick and Bobbi went from referring to each other as brother and sister to having a relationship and presenting themselves as married, something which also came as a shock to their circle of friends.

'When Bobbi and Nick got together I was a bit surprised,' said Zach, adding: 'just because the dynamic was always brother/sister before.

'The family didn't like it at all.

They were very, very taken aback like, 'What - I thought she's your sister?'

They didn't care though.

'Auntie Pat – that's what we called her – didn't want Nick around Bobbi, and that's why he's not allowed in the hospital.

'She's no dumb**s. She was in charge of most of the s*** Whitney had to do. She was a real businesswoman.

She was just trying to make sure she was looking out for Bobbi.

'She used to like Nick but she didn't like the fighting after the death of Whitney. And from her perspective, going from brother and sister to husband and wife, she felt there was an ulterior motive. She thinks he's after money.'

When asked if he feels Gordon has any ulterior motive, Zach is silent for a long time before replying. He eventually says: 'No. Because at this point he's stuck with that family for eight, 10 years. That's all he knows by now, he's devoted his life to them.'

Zach's unshaven face and unkempt looks are a far cry from the photos of him and Bobbi, where he has straightened hair and puffs his chest out.

He lives with his pregnant fiancée and three-year-old son in the upmarket area of John's Creek in Georgia, about 25 miles north of Atlanta.

Ultimately Zach says that while he was more clean-cut than some of the other people Bobbi had been hanging around with, he doesn't think if they had stayed together it would have been enough to prevent something like this from happening.

He added: 'I think there was a deep love for me. We had a longer relationship than any of the others, Max, even Nick.

'We got really close. Over the years we were together, the partying started to diminish. Its hard to say if any of this would have happened if she'd stayed with me, because she always took Xanax no matter what.'

Courtesy: Daily Mail.

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Relationships & Love Advice

‘I’m dating my daughter’s boyfriend's father!'

Dear Love Doctor, My daughter is 15. Her boyfriend is 14. They started dating in September. I met his dad in October and we began dating secretly. We both are divorced and have an agreement with our kids that no one is to be introduced to the kids unless it is serious. We are now at a point where a decision has to be made. Do we continue to date or for sake of the kids, stop dating? We both really like each other and enjoy each other’s company. Neither one of us have dated anyone in which we click this well. What should we do? Neither of us like sneaking all round or lying to our kids. Kids are on to us and we have both denied dating the other. Help!

Love Doctor’s Advice: Although this may feel a bit awkward, it’s not insurmountable. To me, it shows that this man raised a good son. You and your daughter both see something in this family that is appealing.

I’m impressed that you and your friend have waited to make sure you are serious before involving the kids. This is wise, regardless of your current situation. Now that you want to move it to the next level, by all means be straight with the kids. You kept it from them for good reason and you can tell them so. Having decided to continue, you certainly don’t want to be role-modeling that sneaky behavior is okay.

One caution: Be sure to caution the kids that because you and your boyfriend are moving

forward, it doesn’t mean that they are locked into their relationship with each other. They are very young. Chances are they are going to change as they grow.

It’s highly unlikely that they will end up together. Indeed, I hope they will go through a number of relationships before they settle on their forever person. One thing to talk about is how they can enjoy each other’s company now without creating a situation that would become very uncomfortable for them if they were to eventually become stepsiblings.

Conversations about the advisability of waiting for sex are definitely in order. Forbidding it would probably go in one ear and out the other. But, please, 14 and 15 is really too young to get sexually involved. I suggest each parent have a frank conversation with your own child to talk clearly about the implications of being sexual at this point in their relationship. Remind them that the rules are different for people who are in their 40s. Urge them to wait at least a couple of years, both to give themselves time to mature a bit more and to see how the current situation sorts itself out.

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Life Experience

'How I almost got duped by an online ‘lover’ in Nigeria'

W

Love&Living

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

here the hell was Abuja?

Apparently, it was in Nigeria. This didn’t sit well with me at all. But he told me the company he was working for was Italian and the Italians were doing a lot of trade with the Nigerians.

It seems the only country, by the look of things. This guy had no problems declaring his love for me. This was a problem because I have never said those words to anyone, ever.

He declared he was serious about pursuing something long term with me and had told his mother about me.

He was so excited that his life was starting to look up and was partly due to meeting someone like me.

Ok, this was moving way too fast.

This was too new for me, my gut was telling me to get out, my heart was saying give him a chance and my head was completely fucked up.

It was three weeks of phone contact with him, when he rang me in a panic. A piece of equipment was wrongly installed and because he was on a retainer he needed to foot the bill for any mess ups.

Of course he asked me if I could spare the money but was not a necessity, he was waiting to hear from his mother.

The story gets better, after he gets the money from his mother and fin-

ishes the job in Nigeria where he rings to let me know he is boarding a plane for London and then back to Australia.

Great I thought, maybe he is legitimate. A few days later I get a phone call from him saying he was detained for not declaring the cheque he had earned on the IT job.

I didn’t get it? I couldn’t understand why an amount of over $300 000 was not electronically deposited into a bank account. He asked for more money to pay the tax needed to clear him from this bind as he couldn’t contact his mother because she was traveling. I, of course, was his last resort, his miracle, his angel.

I told the George Clooney look alike to contact the Italian consulate as there was nothing I could do. Yet a few days later I get an email from a customs official in Nigeria letting me know that he was arrested for not declaring the money and that my help was needed to pay the tax.

This was a scam of ginormous proportions. These slick individuals couldn’t have written a better movie script. Of course, the script was for a Z-grade movie.

The details were incredible, yet I had this sinkng feeling inside of me. What if this person really was who he said he was and I did nothing to help him?

So I emailed the Italian consulate

They say beware of Greeks bearing gifts, if Nigerians are the modern day Greeks, I’m glad I’m Australian

explaining the whole sordid scenario.

I told them I was certain it was a scam but they should really investigate it to verify that one their citizens was not illegally detained.

Needless to say, I eventually received an email back from the embassy stating they have thoroughly investigated the situation and no one of that identity was detained in Nigeria. I’d been had.

The George Clooney look alike had his identity stolen and used for profit by Nigerian scammers. I decided to ring the Melbourne number he had given me again and it connected to someone living in Nigeria.

I gave that person a mouthful, certain he was in on the scam. The problem with these scams is that the Australian federal police have too much to deal with.

They tell you to report it to your local police station. It is clear their resources are limited and the department is under funded. Is this a losing battle?

The worst thing about this, is that I got caught up in the momentum of it all. Although I was not emotionally involved, I let myself to feel wanted and

37

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needed by some other human being.

The thought that someone so good looking, sure of themselves, their certainty of their feelings and their future was a true revelation to me.

I’m a very private person and can always handle most things on my own.

I feel somewhat ashamed and angry with myself by getting duped. It was important to put this into perspective.

A close friend said it quite succinctly. We are all duped at some point in our lives. No matter how educated or street wise you may think you are, there are some decisions in life that are not always going to be the smartest ones you have ever made.

That is how people like us become well rounded, feeling and metered individuals. She did however make a good point; in the event of a blackout all he needed to do was open his mouth and the whole room would light up.

You really got to laugh about it all!!

There are certain encounters that are the down fall of many an online dater.

The overseas connection!! Ladies, you know what they say in life. If something is too good to be true then it usually is.

The internet has been absolutely wonderful for society and has bought the world into our homes, however, there are some parts of the world I could do without in my house.

There are some very nasty characters out there that prey on westerners and their goodwill. I have always promised myself never, never to get involved with guys from overseas. It was hard doing the interstate thing let alone the overseas thing, so I drew the line on long distance relationships.

Culled from: www.trueconfessionsofanonlinedater.com

38

Love&Living

True Story

M

y husband - James - and I have been married for nigh on a decade. My Mother InLaw - Jasmine - has had it in for me from day one and her feelings have barely softened in almost a decade.

She made it pretty clear not long after meeting me for the first time that I wasn't good enough for James, stating to her son that I was the kind of 'pretty girl' who was just after money. James laughingly said that I would have to 'win her over' and I initially tried to take this with good humor.

I come from fairly humble beginnings but I have worked hard all my life and I now make a good living in the executive end of the cosmetics industry. My successes have never cut it with Jasmine however.

James' family are all legal professionals in some form or other and they have amassed a formidable empire. I love James because he is kind, strong and generally doesn't behave like someone with a small fortune to his name.

James' Father is one of those men who has been gradually beaten into submission by his dragon-lady of a wife and therefore says very little in my defense or otherwise.

One of Jasmine's favorite pass-times is 'popping in' unannounced. She often brings with her little things that she says I 'might have overlooked buying'; things like - you know - soap?!

She will often send a house cleaner through at her own expense to 'pick up the slack'.

She treats me like I'm very stupid and - get this - brings dinner for her little boy at least three times a week. I heard her say (whilst eavesdropping on a phone conversation one night) that I 'couldn't cook to save myself' and at that point I fumed.

The worst thing about her making dinner for James is that 2 out of 3 times she stays to eat with us. In the past, whilst we were all having diner she would take the opportunity to reminisce with her boy about 'the good times' i.e.: the period before I entered the scene.

She would list all the relatives she could think of, laughing about all the funny and witty things they would say and then use these examples as a way of denigrating me. For example 'Uncle Jo Jo was such a card, he would always have a hilarious response for any insult anyone could throw at him - maybe you should write some of these down Harriet (this is not my name but a 'pet name' Jasmine had given me). It couldn't hurt to sound sharp once in a while.'

I had become so tired of being put down. James would always stick up for Mummy whenever I aired my feelings so of course I felt utterly alone. I didn't want to confront Jasmine as a) she is a very domineering character and I'm a wallflower and b) James has always been protective of his Mother and it

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

'I sedated my mother-in-law'

would almost certainly cause a rift between us.

My parents were miles away across the other side of the country so although they tried to empathise with me it just wasn't the same as having someone there with me, someone to be on my side.

One Friday night, dreading the promised appearance of Queen Jasmine, I sort of snapped. It had been a dreadful day at work and I just had nothing left in the tank. My Doctor had prescribed me some sedatives a year or so ago when I had told him of my feelings for my home situation. I was fearful of sinking into a depression and he prescribed some anti-anxiety medication.

I was sort of in a haze and I found myself setting the table and pouring the wine that I knew Jasmine would spend the evening complaining about. I crushed a sedative (okay maybe a couple) up between two teaspoons and gently tipping the powder into Jasmine's wine glass.

James was in the bathroom shaving for the second time that day (Mummy likes her boy to look clean) and so I had some time. I poured the wine into the glass (I selected red to be safe) and stirred the hell out of it. There were still some floaty bits in it (this I can tell you is nothing like it is in the movies) and so I ran it from one glass into another through a tea strainer. Success!

The wine looked quite innocent and I couldn't wait until the deed was done.

It wasn't until Jasmine arrived that I started feeling nervous. She breezed in kissing her hellos and I secretly wondered whether she had an allergy to this kind of medication. What if she died?! I couldn't go to prison I just couldn't! I couldn't kill James' Mother no matter how much I disliked her.

I decided to abandon the plan when before I could even make it to the kitchen, Jasmine floated in,

James would always stick up for Mummy whenever I aired my feelings so of course I felt utterly alone

grabbed the glass and downed it in one fluid motion. "Oh mercy did I need that!" she blurted with the usual air of drama.

"A bit young though Harriet, I like it aged way more than that", she added.

Blow it all, I was then glad that I had gone through with my scheme.

We were about halfway through Jasmine's hand-made crab ravioli when she started to nod. It looked like she was just sleepy at first. James asked whether she was okay and when Jasmine answered she sounded a little drunk. James shot me a private glance and I made the 'drinky drinky' motion with my hand. James made a face that indicated he understood and agreed.

Jasmine nodded again and again and then - to my delight and mild horror - her face fell smack down into her ravioli. There was a wet thud and I panicked. Was she still alive?

James dived to her aid and felt her pulse. She was okay.

'I'd better call a Doctor' James said almost in tears. My heart was in my mouth.

While James was cooing over her I had a sudden moment of clarity. I called out that I would grab a cloth from the bathroom for her face. I quickly bolted to the wet bar and poured out about three quarters of a bottle of scotch into the bathroom sink. I poured a tiny bit into a tumbler also and when I returned to the kitchen with said washcloth and also the 'evidence' I had staged. I slammed the scotch bottle and tumbler down in front of James and quickly began wiping Jasmines' face, saying nothing all the while.

'Oh Jeez', exclaimed James in a weary sort of way. Jasmine had been known to overdo it now and again with the booze and this all just fit together as another one of those occasions.

We lay Jasmine down on the daybed and went back into the kitchen.

'We really should keep this low-key', I said to James.'We don't want to embar-

Wedding Date picked by Astrological Sign: China

I

n China, the wedding date is picked carefully according to astrological signs and birthdates, and the ceremony begins on the half hour to cement the couple’s good fortune. The night before the wedding day, the bride is bathed in citrus-infused water to cleanse her of evil influences.

The bride and groom are required by etiquette to make the rounds and toast each table individually to the loud cheers of the group visited. Sometimes members of the wedding party can be

called upon to drink in place of the bride and groom.

Chinese weddings are filled with symbolism and the wedding cake is no exception. It represents a ladder that the couple will climb to success and so it has many layers and is cut from bottom to top. A traditional reception will feature 9-10 courses and will usually include lobster and chicken because they symbolize the dragon and the phoenix respectively.

Courtesy: Irish Central.

rass your poor Mum', I added.

'You're right', James said after some thought.

'Thank you for being so good about this - it's not the kind of thing I ever wanted you to see and I know Mum's hard to get on with sometimes'. This was the understatement of the century but I took it. I felt pretty bad seeing as how James thought I was being so very understanding.

We kept an eye on Jasmine that night and the old girl only woke the next day at 2pm when James’s father came to pick her up looking quite hard done by. She was very sheepish and her memory was scratchy so she believed James when he said she had 'taken liberties' with the scotch bottle. I almost felt bad for her when she kissed me on the cheek and whispered that she was 'so ashamed'.

She didn't bring dinner over for several months after that and when she did finally, she rarely stayed.

I have never told James about what I did that night and I have never repeated it, although I have to say I have been very, very tempted on occasion.

Love Education

What is Fertility?

F

ertility is the natural human capability of producing offspring.

As a measure, "fertility rate" is the number of children born per couple, person or population. Fertility differs from fecundity, which is defined as the potential for reproduction (influenced by gamete production, fertilisation and carrying a pregnancy to term). A lack of fertility is infertility while a lack of fecundity would be called sterility.

Human fertility depends on factors of nutrition, sexual behavior, culture, instinct, endocrinology, timing, economics, way of life, and emotions.

Demography In demographic contexts, fertility refers to the actual production of offspring, rather than the physical capability to produce which is termed fecundity. While fertility can be measured, fecundity cannot be. Demographers measure the fertility rate in a variety of ways, which can be broadly broken into "period" measures and "cohort" measures. "Period" measures refer to a cross-section of the population in one year. "Cohort" data on the other hand, follows the same people over a period of decades. Both period and cohort measures are widely used.

Conception Certain physical conditions may make it impossible for a woman to conceive. This is called "involuntary infecundity." If the woman has a condition making it possible, but unlikely to conceive, this is termed "subfecundity." Venereal diseases (especially gonorrhea,syphilis, and chlamydia) are common causes.

Nutrition is a factor as well: women with less than 20% body fat may be subfecund, a factor of concern for athletes and people susceptible to anorexia. Demographer Ruth Frisch has argued that "It takes 50,000 calories to make a baby".

Source: en.wikipedia.org.

SATURDAY

Travel &Tourism SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2015

Chef's Corner

Chef Silvena Rowe: Japanese cuisine the most bizarre I’ve ever experienced p.40

Travel Personality Sindiso Sibanda: We desperately need to rebrand Nigeria p.41

Destination

Abakaliki: From the backwaters to a modern city p.42

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

39

HOSPITALITY

Dover Hotel makes a promising debut There's still ample room for more hotels in Ikeja despite the already large number in the Lagos capital. Dover Hotel which opened to a loud acclaim proved this recently, writes EZEKIEL ADESAWE.

W

ith the recent entry by Dover Hotel, located on Aromire Street, Ikeja, the business district has once again shown its propensity to expand and welcome new outfits. The new hotel is the latest addition to the strings of hospitality outfits jostling for the attention of residents, visitors as well as businesses in the district and its environs.

Posh and attractive, the hotel which is about five minutes' drive to the local airport and 10 minutes to the international airport is also easily accessible from any part of the city. The trendy outfit prides itself on offering sophisticated facilities, professional and personalised services against the backdrop of a serene environment given that the hotel is insulated from the din that surrounds it.

For the management of the Dover Hotel group, which first recorded its presence in Lagos over a decade ago when it launched the parent arm in Lekki Phase I, the newly opened Ikeja–based outfit is a boutique hotel dedicated to corporate businesses, high profile guests, leisure tourists and other discerning guests with distinctive taste and in quest of exclusive treats.

According to the managing director of the hotel, Gloria Emodi, the hotel is a full service hotel committed to the pleasure and safety of its guests.

“At Dover Hotel we render quality services and our services are more personalised,

we don’t joke with safety, security and hygiene. It’s clean inside out, before any vehicle is allowed to enter the premises, our well trained security operatives ensure that the vehicle is scanned with bomb detectors and for the pedestrians, we use our hand-held scanners to scan them before they enter the

premises too,” she said, adding that the hotel has won the hearts of clients through its quality services.

She described the food and beverage section as one of the unique selling points of the hotel. ‘‘We have an experienced chef that can cook both continental and African dishes very well.’’

Facilities The hotel has 80 rooms with such categories as Superior Standard, Executive Standard, Superior Suite, Executive Suite and the Presidential Suite. Some of the facilities in different rooms include flat screen LED TV, DSTV with local channels, tea/coffee amenities, working desk and chair, deposit box, bath/Jacuzzi and complementary Wifi internet connectivity with drinks and newspapers, among others.

There are memory foams that adjust with body movement.

This is one of the unique features of the hotel's service.

Also, the hotel has a fully equipped gymnasium with trainers to assist guests attain their fitness goals. There is swimming pool for in-house guests with a pool bar, a well– primed restaurant and bar for dining and wining. The hotel has three conference halls with the best of conference amenities.

Other services Other services on offer at the hotel include laundry service, airport shuttle, car hire, and 24 hours room service.

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

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Chef Silvena Rowe Japanese cuisine the most bizarre I’ve ever experienced

CHEF'S CORNER

Bulgaria – born Silvena Rowe is one of the world celebrated chefs who debuted with her restaurant – Quince - in Mayfair Hotel, London last year, which became an instant success and celebrated for its adventurous recreations of classic Mediterranean cuisine. It recently filmed two shows – The Time Machine Chefs, which aired in the US in August last year and Keep Cooking and Carry On series for the 0, which is still in the can, speaks on some of her experiences as a chef. but modern and simple equipment that we take for granted – basics such as a saucepan, knife or chopping board or a fridge and even heat to cook on.

Rowe

You’ve been busy cooking for hungry Olympians at your Mayfair restaurant, Quince, recently. Were they different from your usual clientele?

“I cooked for the US women’s rowing eight. Standing next to those girls even I felt tiny. They were a fine bunch of ladies with great appetites, stunning and full of woman power.

“Unusually for me we were all in the kitchen together. We had a lot of fun preparing lean ottoman lamb cutlets with white truffle sauce, a pomegranate salad, as well as halibut and orange and coriander dressing.

“They still had room for dessert to so we prepared my signature burnt orange baklava and one of the restaurant’s best-selling dishes, the white chocolate cheesecake.

“We’re changing the menu soon for autumn but this favourite is going to stay and is going to be renamed Golden Blondie in honour of this great group of blonde Olympians.”

Chefs?

“There were quite a few: cooking outside, contending with the elements and of course the lack of basic equipment that we take for granted these day. I was most impressed by their use of imagination and resourcefulness. They attempted difficult dishes regardless of their lack of equipment.

“For me as a judge, creativity and vision won every time. One chef who prepared a Peking duck managed to make use of every part of it, brain included.”

What was the biggest challenge that the contestants had to overcome on The Time Machine

What’s the modern kitchen gadget you couldn’t live without?

There is no one particular gadget

You experienced a few different culinary eras in The Time Machine Chefs. If you had to go back in time which period would you choose and who would you like to cook for?

“Without a doubt I would go back to the “Magnificent Century” of the Ottoman Empire just for its pure decadence. I would have loved to have cooked the great Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent and his harem of concubines.”

Apart from duck brains, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Japanese cuisine is the most bizarre I’ve ever experienced. I tried fugu, which translates as river pig and is pufferfish in English. It’s potentially lethal if it’s not prepared correctly but luckily mine wasn’t!

but the Arabic one is strong too.

My favourite dishes are simply roasted peppers and aubergine. Although I’m a big meat eater, the veggie dishes there really are incredible. *Culled from Hello online magazine

You’ve got a jam-packed schedule with a restaurant to run and TV shows in the UK and the US. Do you find to time cook on your day off?

I never have time to cook during the week but I always take Sundays off and that’s a great excuse for a feast in my house.

We either do a big brunch or late afternoon roast. My husband is a hopeless cook but I’ve taught my sons (aged 19 and 24) well.

The other night they treated me to meatballs and a Greek salad which was lovely after a hard few weeks.

Research for your book “Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume” took you on a journey of the old Ottoman Empire. What were your favourite foodie discoveries from your travels?

It was such an adventure, a world like no other. Anything

TRAVEL BEATS

Her creative palates on display

Meetings Africa 2015 opens on Feb 23

Dazaa Dazaa dreams big for Ayaya Carnival 2016 Following the success recorded at last year’s Ayaya Carnival, the organiser of the bi–annual cultural and musical fiesta, Berlin-based singer, Dazaa Aniama, dreams a bigger and richer event for 2016. His optimism stems from the commitment of his Ufuma – Enugwuabo-Ufuma community, host community of the carnival, to participate henceforth by adopting it as a communal event.

According to Dazaa Dazaa, understandably thrilled by the high turnout at the 2014 edition, the carnival which he sponsored with support from a few organisations and individuals, has proved to be a tool for forging peaceful existence, love and unity among the pupil.

involving aubergine out East is a pretty good bet. Syrian cuisine really opened my eyes – it’s on the border geographically as well as gastronomically. The same goes for Istanbul, one of my favourite cities - the Turkish influence is very much present

Dazaa Dazaa with some members entertaining the audience during the carnival last year Last year’s event was attended by the traditional leader of Ufuma, Igwe Chika Uchime Diji 3 of Ufuma with some of his cabinet members; the village leader, Chief Godwin Anyaogu, Rev. Sister Adaukwu Ojukwu, US Army colonel, Anazoba Ekwelum, Chief Wilfred Okafor and Prof. Alex Nduji of Enugu State

University, among others NTA 5 Awka, Sapienta FM, Onitsha, Solid FM, Enugu, and Odenigbo FM, Obosi, were among the media houses which beamed the event live.

The 2016 edition is scheduled for December 29 and planning for the event, he said, has already commenced.

The South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB) has said that plans are at an advanced stage for the hosting of successful Meetings Africa 215, which is scheduled to open on Monday February 23 and ends on Wednesday February 25 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg.

According to the organisers of the annual event, Meetings Africa is Africa’s premier business trade show celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. ‘‘The show is going to be valuable, exciting and vibrant without compromising on its primary purpose or on our strategic objectives,” the organisers said.

“Last year was an exciting and busy time for the industry. Not only did we celebrate twenty years of democracy and the phenomenal growth of the industry during this period, but we also celebrated South Africa’s global business events ranking, big meeting wins and, amongst others, the appointment

of myself and Nina Freysen-Pretorius to prominent positions on the ICCA Board,” said the Chief Convention Bureau Officer at the South Africa national Convention Bureau, owners and hosts of Meetings Africa, Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo.

There is an exciting and informative event programme lined up that organisers of the show, are certain will cater to all in attendance. A new feature includes the first ever AIPC – the International Association of Convention Centres - Africa Summit taking place on BOND day (Business Opportunity Networking Day) BOND day will also feature the third edition of the very successful IMEX MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum, African Association Day to be held in conjunction with ICCA, and the first edition of CEP(Continuing Education Programme) Africa and as well as the very popular Event Greening Forum.

Travel & Tourism

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TRAVEL PERSONALITY

Sindiso Sibanda: We desperately need to rebrand Nigeria Zimbabwean-born Sindiso Sibanda, general manager of African Sun Airport Hotel Lagos, speaks with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on his career, his mission at the newly-opened hotel, hospitality in Nigeria and the need to rebrand Nigeria for a thriving tourism industry.

S

The journey into the world of hospitality indiso Sibanda, a Zimbabwean, is of the general manager of African Sun Airport Hotel Lagos, which opened for business late last year and under the management of the Zimbabwean owned and Hararebased Africa Sun, an international hotel management brand, which is making waves in Africa and gradually making in-road into the Nigerian hospitality sector with over five hotels under its belt.

His foray into the hospitality world was not a planned one; it was an interesting development, which caught his attention then and ever since joining African Sun, Sibanda has soldiered on earning different stripes within the group, which has culminated into his being made the general manager of African Sun Airport Hotel Lagos where he presently dictates the pace.

“I have been an hotelier since December 1990. I have basically worked in front office, food and beverage and all-rounder in the other areas by virtue of doing duty management and also being in the training department of African Sun for so many years,” he says of his tour of duty.

“I bring in experience from the Holiday Inns where we run the Holiday Inn in Harare, Holiday Inn in Bulawayo and Crown Plaza in Harare, Elephant Inn and The Victoria Falls Hotel where we also gain international experience. I come into Nigeria to bring the experience that I have garnered over the years to bear on my new assignment,” he adds.

Sibanda started out with the Holiday Inn, Harare, a building he watched as a young boy being built from the scratch. He was fascinated by the hotel, which opened for business in 1984. “For me, I watched the Holiday Inn, Harare, being built,” he recounts.

If a seer has told him then that six years after he signed for the hospitality business that he would cut his teeth at the hotel, he probably wouldn’t believe but that was exactly what happened when he joined the African Sun in 1990. “I had no idea that six years later I will be working in that hotel as a receptionist,” he calls as he opens up to the beginning of his career path.

“I started from the scratch as a receptionist and became a supervisor in front office, a manager in banqueting and then a manager in front office and also took up a training position in African Sun; helping to open hotels, and setting up the systems there and whenever we needed personnel to assist in running these hotels like dur-

ing the World Cup in South Africa, The Grace in Rosebank Hotel, I was just there to make sure that we run through the World Cup successfully because the hotel was full of guests coming from all over the world for the World Cup." It was a wonderful feeling for me “It felt wonderful to actually walk into a building that you saw being constructed and at the time I never thought that I would be the one who would be working there. So, it was a fantastic experience and then Zimbabwe was doing a lot of tourism and so there were many guests in and out of Harare.

Highlights of his career Sibanda picks out Holiday Inn, Harare and Elephant Inn as two of the hotels which stood out for him in the various hotels that he has worked. According to him, they were the early learning curves and these gave him the base to establish himself in the industry. While the moment he spent as The Grace in Rosebank, South Africa, was very interesting and fulfilling.

In his words: “I think being able to achieve the highest occupancy possible during the World Cup at The Grace in Rosebank and also having to do it in a country that you don’t exactly say I live in because it was in South Africa. Getting in and learning as quickly as possible what happens there such that people actually think that you are from there.

“That was one of the crowing moments for me but there are many others but that for me was quite outstanding.’”

The low point Looking back, Sibanda describes the years when the country was brought almost to its knees as a result of sanctions clamped on it by the international community thus resulting in economic crisis and a plunge in its tourism, as the lowest point in his career. “The dull moment was when tourism took a dive in Zimbabwe and you came to work and all you think of is that I hope the next plane would have more guests in it because we went through quite a long period of low occupancies.

“That for me was the slowest period because the diversity of guests was much less during that time.”

It is an exciting industry However, he tells you that the hospitality sector is an exciting one as you not only learn new things daily but you learn to do the same thing differently daily because of the peculiarity of the

BACKGROUND A member of the African Sun family, he joined the group in 1990 starting out with Holiday Inn, Harare, Zimbabwe, from where he was transferred to Elephant Inn in 1995. He then moved back to Holiday Inn after a year and half, and got transferred to Crown Plaza in 1999. Later, he moved over to the group head office in Harare from 2003 to date, from where he got seconded from time to time to open other hotels. One of the highlights of his over a quarter century career was in 2010 when he was asked to manage rooms division at The Grace in Rosebank in 2010 during the World Cup hosted by South Africa.

Sibanda

guests you deal with. “Otherwise the hospitality industry is always exciting because you do the same thing everyday but with totally different guests every single time.

“So, that goes to add some flavours to what you do and you can plan what you are going to do in a particular day in the hotel industry but be reassured that what you planned to do is not what you are going to do because every guest is different and you learn to treat them differently and that brings about a lot of excitement in the industry.”

It was really good to find that you can feel so safe in Lagos; you don’t feel like I have to watch my back all the time.

You can really relax in Lagos.

I think we desperately need to rebrand Nigeria

It’s fulfilling and colourful For the general manager, the journey has been “fulfilling and colourful, the hospitality industry owns you because your day starts early in the morning and usually ends very late in the evening. For those that want to join the industry they must make sure that their hearts and minds are there otherwise if you are an 8-5pm somebody with weekends and public holidays you will not be able to function in the industry. So, you have to be somebody who is really willing to do the job.

Nigeria is safe but it needs rebranding Sibanda's first time in Nigeria was in 2008 when he came as part of the team which set up Clear Essence Hotel in Ikoyi and ever since has come in and out until last year when he was appointed into his present position. Speaking of his experience, he says the country is very safe, particularly Lagos which is his reference but noted however, that rebranding the country may be necessary.

“The security side of thing was for me a pleasant surprise. It was really good to find that you can feel so safe in Lagos; you don’t feel like

I have to watch my back all the time. You can really relax in Lagos. I think we desperately need to rebrand Nigeria because if you say you are going to Lagos people would say come and let us pray for you. For me, I think that is a very, very unfair thing.”

Nigeria should showcase Obudu to the world as the window to its tourism For Sibanda who have experienced the allure of Obudu Mountain Resort, he describes it as a wonderful place while calling on Nigerians to promote and market it to the world as the window for its tourism industry: “If you go to Obudu you will lose yourself, you want to sing how great thou art. Beautiful place but the airport, they need to find a way that the airport is done so well that is easy for people to fly there and have a weekend and then drive down the mountain and fly out.

“I think that can make tourism take off in a very big way. It is a very beautiful place; you watch the clouds coming through the restaurant, it is like you are watching a screen saver, a life screen saver.

You get four seasons everyday, it is actually wonderful environment to be in and am sure that if access to that place was much better than it is at present, it will make a lot of people want to go there.

“You put in on the sights and sounds of Nigeria and you show the views that people get to see in Obudu it will be full everyday and I am sure that after people get to see Obudu they will be interested in seeing the other places as well that are around the country and then they get to feel the hospitality of Nigerian people they will leave as ambassadors to rebrand the country on their own as individuals.”

42 Travel & Tourism

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DESTINATION

Me

A three-storey hostel blocks at the permanent site of the state university

Abakaliki: From the backwaters to a modern city

A

bakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, is a peaceful, serene, agricultural and limestone rich city. On Sunday, January 11, I had reason to travel to the South-East on official duty. Abakaliki was my last destination. I boarded a bus from Peace Park in Enugu to the city. The advantage of this road travel is that it afforded me the opportunity to view the breathtaking greenery, including several landscapes, in that part of the country. It was night and I arrived in Abakaliki after an hour ride.

The city at night is simply amazing, maybe due to the location I stayed. However, any amiable traveller would know that the best and easiest way to get to know and get a feel of a new city is by forging acquaintances with both the literate and barely literate taxi drivers. Both come in handy on this day. I sat beside the driver, simply to portray and exude simplicity and camaraderie rather than aloofness, when seated at the back. While I was

Once derided by its neighbours on account of its near zero development and poor living standard of its indigenous people, Abakaliki has today shed that unflattering tag, writes ISIOMA MADIKE who was in the city recently. sharpening my relationship by discussing with the driver, I sighted several edifices that stupefied me. I never believed what I saw, given the tales of wretchedness about the state and its people before that trip. It was an opener of sort.

Abakaliki appears to have adorable people that do not wear depressing faces.

The people were simply natural and had the simplest of courtesies to utter pleasantries before you do; something that is very rare in Lagos, where everyone needlessly carves out their own territory on a first meeting, showing off or competing for social relevance.

Aside that, I boarded taxis and realised that taxi drivers are often able to discern

Entrance gate of the new secretariat at Ochudo City

you are from Lagos. This is so because Lagosians board taxis and, instinctively, reach for the seat belt. That gives you away.

Nevertheless, people from the other parts of the country, it thus appear, are mostly in charge of this transport sector in Abakaliki. Without doubt, there seems to be no segregation in this city. For a change, I decided to have a feel of the public transport and so, I boarded some commercial tricycles popularly known as Keke NAPEP. I observed that everyone seems to have a joke to crack including the drivers of this mode of transportation. One in particular took a jibe at a passersby and the lady responded with an even funnier jibe without any abuses flying about. Not so in Lagos. The city also doesn’t seem to have lost its innocence. I left an item in a taxi and the driver who found it returned it to me.

The looks of this city, however, is a departure of how Abakaliki had mostly been portrayed. Before now, many described it as ancient, dusty, suffocating, two-road, underdeveloped city. Indeed, Abakaliki was derogatorily nicknamed “Dust of the Nation”.

But, not anymore. Today, it has proudly renamed itself “Salt of the Nation.” It also seems to have buried its “dust” symbol that had hung over its neck like an albatross as its march to development has changed its destiny. The guinea worminfested province in the old Eastern Region where the inhabitants were seen by

fellow Igbo and others as “second class citizens” has also transformed itself from that stereotype. The people of the area were for very many decades subjected to gross neglect, notoriously “enslaved” and perceived as “inferior species” by their Igbo neighbours.

This was simply because they probably were more fortunate to have been exposed to the western education earlier following the coming of the white man to Igboland.

I was told that Abakaliki used to be a twostreet town: Ogoja road where travellers used to stop to either refuel their vehicles, eat or get their bearing correct and the Gunning Road, which was named after a colonial master. He was reputed to be the first Whiteman who arrived in Abakaliki.

These two roads were tarred under the defunct Eastern Region government. It was like that until the state was created.

Stories also had it that the plight of the Abakaliki Igbos in those dark days of their repression was, really, a story of human shame against the rest of the Nigerian federation and their immediate Igbo neighbours. In the early 1960s, the Abakaliki man was said to have been depicted as “the Stone Age man in the 20th century. They were said to have been seen always naked, carrying hoe and machete, the arch-type bushman, a barbarian, who easily kills at the slightest provocation.”

That, the people said, was never a complimentary remark.

Incidentally, no one did anything to alleviate the dehumanising conditions of the indigenes whose arable lands were feeding the nation with such food items as yam, maize and cassava, cowpeas and cocoyam. They also have crops such as cashew, cocoa, palm oil, rubber, raffia palm, banana, plantain and soya beans.

Every other imaginable tropical fruits

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21 FEBRUARY 2015

Travel & Tourism 43 Destination Notes Kioupouroglou, Eko Hotel GM, named best manager

The dual carriage road under construction

Lecture theatre at the main campus of the University

Pipes Industry at Ezamgbo

echanic village

The general manager of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos Mr. Danny Kioupouroglou, has been named the best hotel manager in West Africa by Africa Travel Quarterly (ATQ) Magazine, the organisers of Akwaaba Africa International Travel Market.

Kioupouroglou, who studied hotel management in Manchester, United Kingdom, before his appointment as general manager of the hotel had served as director of sales and marketing for many years.

Elated by the award, he assured that their customers will continue to have excellent services, pointing out that they are constantly aware of their changing needs and improving services to match them. He also said customer satisfaction is the centre of the operational philosophy of the hotel.

… Why Eko Hotel is top-rated

New secretariat complex located within Ochudo City

like pepper, sugar cane, tomato, ogbono and okro are in abundance too. And because of this neglect and marginalisation, other natural endowments since their discovery have remained untapped. These included bitumen, aluminium, limestone, zinc coal, salt, silica, sand, lead and copper.

The state, according to the chief press secretary to the governor, who gave an insight into how it got its name as well as the circumstances that go with it, Dr. Onyekachi Eni, derived its name from the Ebonyi River. The river, he said, snakes round, connecting the 13 local government areas. The contorting shape of this is a beauty to behold.

Eni was quick to add that the river was an impediment of some sort also. He said that the snaking nature of the great river constituted a hindrance to commerce, relationships and industry for, according to him, next door neighbours find it difficult to relate.

“Ordinarily, you find out that in a particular village, where the river snakes through, the one-minuteapart neighbour will find it difficult to relate. Sometimes people will have to go through Enugu State to access their next door neighbour because of lack of infrastructure. There were no roads and bridges connecting these people; life seemed to be very, very difficult for the people of Abakaliki area in those days,” Eni said.

According to 2006 population census, the people of Ebonyi State are far more than three million, inhabiting 13 local government areas from where Development Centres were recently carved out just for administrative convenience. The people are predominantly agrarian and industrious on their savannah and semi-tropical vegetation. The state lies between 73 degree North Longitudes, 5 degree East with land mass approximated at 5,932 square kilometres. It shares boundaries in the north with Benue, east with Cross River, south with Abia and west with Enugu State.

However, since the creation of Ebonyi State with Abakaliki as

International market complex under construction

Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State

capital, the story of the place and its inhabitants has changed so dramatically. The city has, in the last few years, taking a new status both in infrastructure, and even the quality of life of the people. According to Eni, Abakaliki has undergone tremendous changes, thereby making those freedom fighters, who supported the city as the capital to feel quite justified.

At present, the dusty Abakaliki has to a large extent gradually vanished, giving way to a new-look, clean modern city. “Today, you can

A typical Abakaliki marriage ceremony

get into Abakaliki from anywhere clean and you leave also clean. But that is not to say that the state has got to the highpoint of the dream situation; but much has been achieved in respect to infrastructure development,” Eni said.

A tour round the city actually confirmed this assertion. Dotting the landscape are new secretariat complex located within Ochudo city, running into billions of naira and a three-storey lecture blocks design. The ultra-modern auditorium is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and modeled after that of the University of Florida in the United State of America. It is a 500 people per block capacity that is 90 per cent completed in the permanent site of the state university.

Others are the dual carriage road from the Enugu end into the city as well as the almost concluded Ebonyi State Pipes Industry at Ezamgbo, which was built by a Chinese firm. There is also the International Market complex with 23 segments under construction among many laudable projects that has brightened Abakaliki. For all these, the city by my estimation would only be appropriate to go with the tag of a hidden paradise that needs to be exposed. Indeed, Abakaliki is a city to visit. It just won another regular visitor in me.

Speaking during a seminar on hospitality organsied by Akwaaba, Kioupouroglou, who was a panelist in the team of general managers of top hotels in West Africa, highlighted some of the reasons why Eko Hotel and Suites remains top rated: “It is exceeding guests’ expectations, thus the hotel is constantly working on how to add value to the experience of its guests. These include renovation and expansion of the property and also upgrading to include all the very latest of technological requirement of the international marketplace.’’

Furthermore, he said the hotel constantly seeks to add value and reinvent itself in line with the dictates of the industry, adding that the workforce play key role in the success story of the hotel. “You cannot have a beautiful property and not have good staff,” he said. “A happy and satisfied business traveller is most likely to return to Eko Hotel, and repeat business is the mainstay of any hotel.”

Mr. Danny Kioupouroglou, General Manager, Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, receiving the award from Mr. Ikechi Uko, Publisher of ATQ Magazine, the organisers of Akwaaba Africa International Travel Market, in Lagos, recently.

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NEW TELEGRAPH

Money Line

MONDAY,

JANUARY

Stock Watch

Afromedia: Incapacitated adverse regulation by

37

Interview

Okonjo Iweala, a mismatch economy, says Enwegbara for Nigerian

A

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Feb 14: APC blows hot

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

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Claims: Policyholder’s Leadway conflict with deepens

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Naira walks knocks CBN tight rope as ICAN

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Politics 45

Politics

PDP structure very cohesive for victory – Alkali p.47

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Eddie Mbadiwe: I dumped APC due to betrayal by Okorocha p.50

Perspectives

Obasanjo: Neither Gandhi nor Mandela’s heir p.53

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Inec has reduced uncertainties – Igini

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Edo State, Mike Igini, in this interview speaks on some of the knotty issues bordering on the commission’s readiness to conduct the 2015 elections, the fears expressed by most Nigerians, the use of the card readers, preparations, permanent Voters Card and the rescheduled polls and other issues. CAJETAN MMUTA reports You are one public officer that Nigerians believe is forthright and honest. Could you explain why despite four years window, there is a sudden postponement after INEC's assurances that election would go on to the disappointment of Nigerians?

Firstly, l want to join the Commission to apologize to all stakeholders for this slight changes in the election timetable till 28th of next month and 11th April respectively. We know how we all look forward to getting off our way this whole issue of elections with all the attendant time, resources, emotional investment and all the expectations. Truly and understandably, Nigerians are justified with their expressed displeasure of this slight change in the timetable but we are assuring that ultimately this development would also bring about electoral outcome that would keep our democracy ever young for the good of our country. We should always bear in mind that the political environment in which we operate is a dynamic one; that is why we plan for the rational and adapt our plans to the emergent within the constitutional time frame. Emergent issues are things that are either outside your planning control, or emerge outside projected expectations or emerge from the field where expectations must conform with realities.

The emergent issues currently include huge number of people who were registered during the continuous voters registration exercise popularly called CVR conducted last year at different times many of whom have not collected their PVC and still doing so now. Here we have two scenarios; where INEC has produced the PVC of those who registered in 2011 as we have done and commenced distribution since May last year but some people failed to collect. There is nothing INEC would do but on the other hand, where we are still getting the PVC of those who recently registered available for collection or partly as is the situation here in Edo state and possibly in other states, we have a duty to make the PVCs available and we are doing so to avoid denial and disenfranchisement which is unacceptable unlike the first scenario which is a result of failure of individuals to collect available PVC. Now we have some time to tidy up and ensure that as many people that are willing to collect should be able to do so now.

Unlike issues which were known to us and which we had a strategic and operational plan for in the 2015, all the emerging issues such as the imminent Africa multi-national military operation in the North-East of our country to combat Boko Haram insurgency are issues to which we adapt our robust contingencies to within our allowable time in the constitution as done.

The jury is out there that INEC buckled to orchestrated and unnecessary public pressure over poor collection of PVC even though not everyone would vote . Why? It is wrong to say that Nigerians particularly those who registered during the CVR who want to collect their PVCs orchestrated unnecessary pressure on us, because it is a matter of right in the first place. Where we have produced and they fail to collect, it becomes a matter of choice for which INEC should not be held responsible afterall under our law unlike in some countries like Australia where voting is compulsory, it is not in Nigeria. We have not done badly really on issue of PVC

distribution because that exercise has been on since May 2014 till date except the PVC for the last continuous registration exercise. As I said in many other platforms, most states have distributed quite a huge number of PVCs that surpasses historical voters’ average participation and outcome in most jurisdictions. In fact, if 60% of those who currently have PVCs should present themselves to vote, it will be a milestone in terms of participation in elections in Nigeria. Even though we still continue to strive to ensure that all those who registered and a PVC has been produced for him or her and has not yet gone to collect PVC should CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

46

Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

‘Ethnicity and religion are issues in multi-cultural societies'

which is the submission of the list of party agents which all parties participating in the elections were supposed to submit by 29th January according to the time-table.

As at 29th of last month no party submitted list of party agents and only one party just submitted few hours ago. So we must address objective realities.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 45

do so, it must be noted that the threshold for significant voter turnout has been surpassed by the Commission in almost all jurisdictions. Nevertheless, distribution is still ongoing. As I mentioned above, there are a range of emergent issues that have impacted the decisional process. Nigeria would appear to the world as unserious nation where an African military force drawn from Chad, Niger and Cameroon our immediate neigbhours that we have been accusing of not giving us the needed co-operation to fight Boko Haram now ready to join forces as we have seen in long convoy of military troops on TV and as reported in the papers, if we gave excuses of election not to participate in the operation. This was the dilemma because military operation cannot be on side by side with electoral operations with INEC ad hoc civilian personnel mostly NYSC young men and women that would work in those places. And not to conduct election in the affected states at the same time so as to maintain 14th february would certainly spark off so much controversies and non conduct of election in those places may also affect the requirements of 2/3 and majority of valid votes. We all know that even in peace time, INEC had never carried out electoral operations without security apparatus that provide security services. In fact, l'm one of the contributors to a book titled "Election Security" by Prof. Lai Olurode where various aspects of security components were interrogated and their significance in the conduct of election was critically examined as an important component at this fledging state of our democracy given the "do or die mentality". Given that we are still within our allowable time frame when this operation would be carried out, the regional African military forces should work hard as we pray for a major success given that security is a binary subject.

How would the card reader really change the electoral process especially with regard to desperation to breach it?

The Card-Reader is the “game changer” for this election but the attitude of members of the political class shows that they don't know what is ahead of them judging by their actions and the type of things they are trying to do when there is a procedural change. The Card Reader process will blindside anyone who hopes to undermine the election in the fashion of all previous election riggers. The CardReader will isolate the identity of each voter on the voter’s register making him/ her unique such that unless the individual presents at the polling unit and is authenticated there will be no ballot returned for such a voter. Any which way, a ballot is returned for a voter, that voter must be at the polling unit. This means that the voter is the center of this election and cannot be dispensed with. Every calculation for this election must involve the voter and his/her vote.Therefore, rather run after INEC officials or trying to smuggle in names into our ad hoc personell training program that would be of no help even if they are a contestants brothers, my advice is that they should do everything possible to woo the voters where electoral victory cometh.

But INEC had four years to prepare for this election. Why can't your commission

Again, some people are of the view that opposition is irrational and criticizes everything done by INEC. What is your view?

I think, the word irrational is rather too strong because it also connotes in a sense lack of tolerance and accommodation of those you may not agree with on any matter. You know, l'm of the background of constructive alternative view if any on all issues of public interest for public good.

As I said before, every decision has proponents and opponents determined by interests in the political arena. It is improbable that all INEC decisions are opposed to the interest of any one party. So let us leave the matter and see it as the normal crest and ebb of the political arena afterall, politics is a class contest for power, advantage of interest and access to resources.

By its very nature, it is adversorial and not served ala cart.

Igini

put everything in place to avoid a repeat of 2011?

As I stated above we had rational plans encapsulated in our timetable made known to all stakeholders on the 24th January 2014, but as anyone knows with policy implementation, projections must conform with reality and where new issues emerge that are not avoidable particularly where they are dictated by national statutes such as the right to vote and be voted that could be affected one way or the other we must adapt to them for a win win situation for all most especially the Nigerian people that we must continue to INEC at their service at all times.

Why did INEC fix an early timetable for elections when it is not sure of meeting targets of preparation This is an interesting question and at the same time paradoxical in the sense that when this very time table was announced after INEC meeting in Kaduna on the 24th January 2014, there was a huge debate or should l call it controversies why the election timetable should be released a year to election and the order of the elections even though no provision of the constitution or electoral Act was violated or breached in anyway in relation to any political party like the current adjustment of the timetable still within the provisions of sections 76, 132, 178 of the constitution and section 25 of the electoral Act. We recognized as l did at the beginning of this interview the time, resources and so on that parties, candidates have put in and the desire even of all of us to pull it through but for this slight shift till next month. I have almost come to the conclusion after almost five years in this brief public office that there is nothing done that would be free of some measure of sharp diverse views and opinions. Therefore, as to why early release of timetable, it is always best to plan with ample room for the dynamism

It is improbable that all INEC decisions are opposed to the interest of any one party

of operational environment that could accommodate what has been done now within the ambit of the law than to create a schedule that will not be amenable to new development. I appeal to Nigerians to continue to co-operate with their institution called INEC in order to succeed together in enthroning an enduring electoral system as a people.

This decision to postpone has further polarized the polity. How do you see the reaction of those opposed to this decision and the accusations that INEC biased ?

Again, l will call for understanding of all stakeholders on this matter even though l know that in every policy or decision there are proponents and opponents, who have different degree of resources they can deploy in promoting or opposing such policy. This is why INEC always carry out stakeholder mapping so as to be able to ensure a by-in or co-optation of proponents and opponents on what we do to reach a win-win for all stakeholders. For INEC the most important goal is the outcome of an acceptable election.

Even though INEC will always be on the hot seat and understandably so, are the parties prepared beause as the umpire, we have objective indicators of the preparedness of parties for elections, one of

Unlike the state electoral bodies, Nigerians are just beginning to have confidence in INEC because of your chairman and well known people like you. Can Nigerians still trust the INEC leadership and its independence?

I can assure you that the autonomy of INEC is unblemished. If you recall correctly, after the Council of state meeting and even though all the attendees who spoke after the meeting to the media characterized the meeting in the subjective light of their political interests, they were all unanimous about the fact that only INEC as an independent body could take a final decision on whether election could be shifted . As former and current leaders they are all acutely aware that only INEC by virtue of its status as an independent election management body can schedule elections, so that issue is undisputed.

What is your experience in Edo so far compared to Cross-Rivers and what you intend to do differently to be remembered and may be celebrated as was done for you by virtually all stakeholders in Calabar?

The electoral process is the same irrespective of the geographic location, however one has to deal with new stakeholders, and that has been engaging my attention, because you need to interphase with the traditional and opinion leaders who are the ones that will sell our innovations and goals to the electorates. Otherwise the same principles of impartiality, integrity and professionalism apply.

Since the first republic till date ethnicity and religion have remained the bane of our politics. How can we change this situation?

Ethnicity and religion are problems of multicultural societies, they will not disappear even if we make laws for people not to discuss them. What we must do is to discuss them openly, develop common sense solutions which build trust and tolerance as well as inclusivity and sanction intolerance and discrimination.

Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

The PDP has gone round 35 states of the country and is about to conduct the grand finale in Abuja. From your interaction with the people, what are the chances of PDP to win the election?

When the timetable for the campaign was released, many people were apprehensive given the time constraint. There was this feeling whether it was possible to go round the country within the short time we had and what was the objective we wanted to achieve. But fortunately, when we started, almost two states per day, through the perseverance and leadership quality of the president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu and the director-general of the Campaign Organisation, Senator Ahmadu Ali, and other principal officers of the party and government, we were able to put our heads together, and by God's grace we have been able to go to 35 states as you stated in your question.

We were about to conclude with Yobe and Abuja before the INEC shifted it forward.

For us I believe that the rallies we did were all energy consuming, with all vigour and with enthusiasm. We went round the whole country and frankly speaking, we got massive reception. We are satisfied that we have done a lot. Of course, if we had time we would have done all things, now that we have the time we will do all things that we needed to do.

Here and there we had some issues coming from some states and we used the opportunity to address some of them. Of course, this is a continuous process.

Issues like what?

Politics is all about interest; everybody wants to be part of the journey, the great journey. Nobody wants to be left behind, nobody wants to be on the shoulder of the road, everybody wants to be on the highway. So PDP will offer that opportunity, PDP will offer that platform, will offer that hope to politicians. PDP was formed by the leaders and elders of this country first, to bring back democracy in this country and to also consolidate national unity. I don't believe because having run (the country for) 16 years we are forgetting the main reason why PDP was formed, why we have to work together and work hard.

Therefore, every state of the federation you know, PDP is there.

Since the campaign started almost after the primaries all those who contested and lost out and all those who contested and won, we are bound to have some tensions and some apprehension. This is what the leadership is all about: listen to these issues, address them the way and manner everybody will feel a sense of belonging.

There is an allegation that there was a disconnect between PDP campaign national headquarters and those manning the campaign at state level.

How true is this?

I am not aware of this.

So there is a cordiality between the two bodies?

It supposed to be so. There is no basis for rivalry, there is no basis for competition or conflict. Like I mentioned to you, the various organs of the party, the campaign organisation, the other arms of government that relate to anything concerning campaigns and elections, all working hand in hand. Each and everyone of us must come together to contribute our own in a way and manner that it

47

PDP structure very cohesive for victory – Alkali Professor Rufa'i Alkali, is Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters. Alkali was on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign train that went round the country. He spoke to ONYEKACHI EZE on the chances of the party in next month's general elections.

Before, PDP believed that in every election it will win with overwhelming majority, do you think that will still play out now?

Why not? We have no reason to think otherwise, PDP remains strong.

Even those who are now outside PDP and other political parties, their hearts and minds are inside PDP, and they know it. Therefore, PDP remains very very strong. Our own is not an amalgam of strange bedfellows; it is not an amalgam of convinience, a conglomerate of associations united only for a reason to fight a party. Our structure is very cohesive, it is very strong. Like I said whenever there is challenges inside or outside, PDP is working as a team to ensure that we overcome and celebrate the great day.

In fact, PDP will show to the rest of the world that Nigeria has finally arrived.

Alkali

will be useful to overall journey.

So it is not a question of creating some kind of cells or for individual benefit, no. All of us have a collective reason. First PDP must win all the elections at all levels, to return our president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his running mate, Arc. Namadi Sambo. We want our governors to come back, those who are coming back and those who are contesting for the first time to win, the National Assembly members, the senators and members of House of representatives and even House of Assembly. So that is why we are not looking at one side, we are looking at all sides. Therefore, there is no need for any conflict in this matter.

You mentioned some grievances by people who lost the primaries, what efforts are you making to mend fences?

These are internal issues. We're addressing them and will continue to address them because there are a number of mechanisms to address internal conflict. I don't think it is serving the purpose by coming to the open to be discussing what we are doing. What is important is not no-

The journey of building a modern Nigeria cannot be done over night, and cannot also be done by one person

body is sleeping, everybody is working hard and I believe that despite the grandstanding, despite all the pretentions, PDP still remains the strongest party in this country. It remains the strongest and most viable political party because since its formation, it remains like a solid rock, it remains unwaved despite the challenges often come from people who believe they know better.

Finally, most people who are now in APC defected from PDP, don't you think that this might be a threat to PDP in the elections?

In a political contest you don't take things for granted but we're on course.

We will do our best and I believe that.

Nigerians know where their heart lie, they know that PDP is a way to go, PDP is a party to trust.

There are a number of reasons. First is the president himself has done a lot within a short period of time. A lot of people have wondered whether the president has done this or done that.

And sometime because of political environment everything is reduced to politics to divert the attention of people. Therefore, the good side the president has done is always taken for granted.

Through the rallies, through journeys we have done in the past 40 to 45 days we have been able to show to the world at every level, from the infrastructure, social sector to social reforms, this government has done wonderfully well.

But the journey of building a modern Nigeria cannot be done over night, and cannot also be done by one person. That is why Mr. President always believes in collective responsibility and collective action. And two, he has also offered hope that transformation is not about people who bandy change. Transformation is even more large, more significant and more fundamental than change because change can be an agent; you can move from place to another, and that is change. You have what you call revolving chair. It can move around but without progress, that is change.

But when you say you are transforming you are fundamentally changing the pattern of how things was happening over the period of time.

Now the past leaders have done their own best. He is also trying to build on those so that at the end of it all you will say that Nigeria has also arrived as a major actor at the international system.

48

Cover

D

rama, hoopla, fanfare, exasperating showmanship, etc: all are words that former president, General Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo, GCFR, is not only familiar with, like the back of his palm, but also relishes, in much the same way as he does his famous pounded yam and egusi soup.

As the first and only Nigerian to have twice occupied the exalted position of number one citizen of the most populous black nation, those who know the Balogun of Owu intimately say that the man wears this cherished fact like a prized tattoo, and brooks neither the possibility nor attempt by any one, no matter how well-meaning, to improve upon this feat and record.

Those in the know also say that at the core of the bitter wrangle between the former president and his protégé lies a frightening revulsion that President Goodluck Jonathan might improve upon this record, not only by emerging the first president from a minority ethnic group but also rule longer and , perhaps, more creditably if he manages to secure re-election.

Obasanjo’s penchant for melodrama and attention-grabbing gimmicks, especially attention from the international community, is well-documented. And it was not accidental that most of his vituperations are usually made before klieg lights which betray a maniacal craving maximum attention like the infantile shredding of his Peoples Democratic Party membership card before television cameras in Abeokuta.

The public-tearing of his PDP membership card, insiders say, was a disingenuous move to avoid punishment by the state chapter of the party which accused him of consistently engaging in anti-party activities- euphemism for his closet romance with the opposition party.

The road to the so-called ‘Alawada in Abeokuta’ (theatre of the absurd) may have been tortuous but its arrival was a certainty; a question of when, not if, it would happen because to those familiar with Obasanjo’s insatiable appetite for vindictiveness, legendary capacity for mischief and unquenchable desire to remain in the limelight always, President Jonathan’s consistent rejection of tele-guidance by his overbearing mentor was bound to give, at some point.

Every broadside that the former president has delivered against his successor, including various letters of indictment, were flung from vantage points, like the allegation of squandering $35 billion which OBJ made against President Jonathan before a gathering of market women in Abeokuta.

It is not for nothing that the former president, has always chosen public fora to deliver his vitriolic criticisms of this administration. Accusing the administration of squandering external reserves was his trademark manner of dramatising why the naira slid into a battering lately, in the hope that the traders would instantly connect with monetary dynamics.

“I have no grudges against Jonathan and equally, I think Jonathan has no grudges against me. I’m not quarrelling with Jonathan but all I know is that whatever is good for Nigeria, I am ready to die for,” the former president told the market women who crooned ecstatically.

“I emphasise that whatever is good for Nigeria is what I am ready to die for.

Whoever, I emphasise, whoever says he would not do anything good for Nigeria, I am ready to square up with such a person, even if I have to go ‘konko’ (below) to prove it.”

Bickering between both men have not always been restricted to Nigeria. For example, in a CNN interview during the West African Regional Conference on Youth Employment in Dakar, Senegal, Obasanjo accused President Jonathan of failing to act decisively against insurgency in the country. The former president had

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Obasanjo Statesman or irritant?

Former President Obasanjo is contemptons of his Ameerican counterpart, George Bush's advice that he retrains from criticising President Obama out of respect for the presidency, writes DOMINIK UMOSEN

Obasanjo

relied on the same military which several administrations, including Obasanjo’s, deliberately left destitute without modern tools of warfare, hence Nigerian soldiers initially faltered against the lavishlyequipped insurgents.

“To deal with a group like that, you need a carrot and stick. The carrot is finding out how to reach out to them. When you try to reach out to them and they are not amenable to being reached out to, you have to use the stick,” said the former president who justified his decision to quit the ruling party with the explanation that he needed to devote more time to playing a statesman.

The so-called geriatric rascal must have sensed that his weighty allegations would not go down without a reaction hence he threw in the bit about ‘I am not quarrelling with Jonathan and he is not quarrelling with me’. The reply was provided by the spokesman for the Presidential Campaign Organisation and former minister of aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode.

According to him, both leaders gradually fell apart after President Jonathan rebuffed attempts by the overbearing Obasanjo to teleguide him on virtually every issue. He said: “Only the President can provide the actual details but he has consistently refused to be teleguided and

did so emphatically. The President has accorded his predecessor every respect due to a former Head-of-State, father and mentor. This continued to be the case even after OBJ consistently attempted to undermine his government and ridicule his efforts.”

It is the consternation over these overt attempts to ridicule the president and his efforts that have pushed some hawks loyal close to the Presidency, including the Chairman, South-West PDP Mobilisation and Contact Committee, Prince Kasamu Buruji, to press for Obasanjo’s prosecution, possibly for incitement. In a threepage advertorial in some newspapers, he listed various controversial activities by Obasanjo, vowing that “the party in the South-West will do everything possible to make sure this venomous virus is contained.”

Again, two days after attacking the President in faraway London, Obasanjo, who could be most exasperating in his morbid craving attention, accused President Jonathan of playing "do-or-die" in the run-up to the first rung of the 2015 general elections, which have since been postponed to March 28 (for the presidential election) and April 11(for the governorship elections).

Speaking during the launch of his controversial book, ‘Under My Watch’, Obasanjo, who has, so far, not shown any proof that he has come to terms with the fact that he is no longer a president or that President Jonathan is neither his lackey nor Man Friday, accused President Jonathan of attempting to manipulate the certificate scandal to stop General Buhari from standing for election.

“I was away because of a number of assignments abroad which took me to Morocco, Munich, Nairobi, London and New Delhi. Exactly a week today, we were in Munich for what they call ‘Munich Security Conference’ and suddenly, all the people began asking me questions about what was happening in my country. I refused to make any categorical comment because I wanted to come back home first.

And it turned out that it was a forced decision on the INEC,” the former president said, obviously scornful of the polls shift which became inevitable following security advice.

Those even remotely familiar with African culture know that the "baddest" masquerade, in the pack, will never venture into the village square until the applause is at its loudest, or the frenzy stretched most taut, which is why the President never bothered about these antics of rascality by an old man who has refused to heed the advice by former American President, George W. Bush, that he refrains from criticising his successor, Barack Obama, publicly out of respect for the Presidency.

The denouement to this tale of endless bickering, as it were, was the entry of President Jonathan into the fray after he was accused of squandering foreign reserves that OBJ claimed he built up. He promised to provide statistics of his achievement at the appointed time, including achievements by his predecessors.

“When we start campaigns, we will confront them with what we have done as a government, we will tell them what

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21 FEBRUARY 2015

they did, not what they do when they were Heads-of-State,” he said.

Making reference to the Abeokuta incident, the President said: “Some people call themselves statesmen, they are ordinary politicians. For you to be a statesman, it is not because you have occupied a big office before but the question is what are you bringing to bear on the nation?

“Are you building this country or are you part of the people who tell lies to destroy this country; to create enmity and make people who ordinarily would have been living together to fight one another?

Are you planning to set this country ablaze because you did not get that particular thing you want,” he asked.

Zeroing in on his traducer-in-chief, President Jonathan hollered: “If you are a senior citizen, you will act like one. It is not abuse of the offices we occupy. It is by divine grace and providence that some of us occupy these offices. But what role are we playing to build this country.”

President Jonathan, who succeeded late President Musa Yar’Adua, following his death in 2009, fell apart with his mentor following unsuccessful attempts

by Obasanjo to teleguide him. The former president allegedly presented a list of demands which were rebuffed and the ensuing frustration translated into these acts of rascality.

Gathering market women and so-called motor park touts to rally against this administration derived its roots from this alleged presidential rebuff. Obasanjo’s charter of demands allegedly included the wailing need for President Jonathan to enforce discipline in the ruling party; undertaking decisive action against insurgency and shoring up the comatose economy to address prevailing economic woes.

The next phase of the endless executive brawl shifted to Warri, venue of the 40th anniversary of the call to ministry of the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ayo Oritsejafor. There, Obasanjo again verbally assaulted his protégé, deriding him as a weak leader who lacks the capacity to tackle insurgency with the decisiveness it deserves.

Understandably, northerners in the PDP, who are still sulking over their loss of political preference following the emergence of an ethnic minority as president, encouraged the renegade former president in the selfish desire and hope that this constant badgering would persist and, invariably, transmogrify into renewed agitation for a return of the Presidency to that region.

In November 2014, President Jonathan made a categorical break for independence from his over-bearing mentor by responding to OBJ’s exasperating outbursts. Distancing his administration from the former president’s preferred use of the military to silence critics, he warned that brutal use of force to resolve issues often result in unnecessary bloodshed and loss of lives.

Obviously, consistent disregard for the advice of former President Bush that he refrains from disparaging President Obama out of respect for the office of the President underscores the fact that this Nigerian bull in a china shop is not persuaded by such niceties. Apart from generating a groundswell of indignation against himself, the posture appears to have won more sympathy for the President who is projected as helpless vis a vis his over-bearing predecessor.

Reactions to his melodramatic display of frustration by shredding his party membership card before klieg lights have been savage, with some members of the ruling party describing the action as an insignificant tantrum and others dismissing Obasanjo as a bad loser who has never been known to take rejection or independence of action lightly. A classic example is the case of Slok Airlines which was unilaterally and without reason shut down in September 2004 because the proprietor and former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji

When a father is angry with his own children, we will say we are sorry to him. We cannot be renounced, for whatever it is

Obasanjo

BIO DATA Name: Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo Date of Birth: March 5, 1937 Place of Birth: Owu (Abeokuta), Ogun State National Honour: GCFR Head of State: February 13, 1976

to 1 O October 1979 President: May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007 Traditional Titles: Balogun of the Owu Lineage

and the Ekerin Balogun of

the Egba clan of Yorubaland.

Military Career: Enlisted in the Army in 1958.

Career Profile: Trained at Aldershot, commissioned as an officer in the Nigerian Army. He served at 1 Area Command in Kaduna, becoming Chief Army Engineer, then commander of 2 Area Command from July 1967, which was redesignated 2 Division Rear, then the Ibadan Garrison Organisation. He also trained in DSSC, Wellington. During the Nigerian Civil War, he commanded the Army’s 3 Marine Commando Division that took Owerri, effectively bringing an end to the civil war.

Military ruler, his government embarked on a “Green Revolution”, where seeds and fertilisers were given to farmers to boost agricultural productivity.

Transition to Democracy: On October 1, 1979, he handed power to Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a democratically elected civilian president, becoming the first Military ruler to transfer power peacefully to a civilian regime in Nigeria.

Second Presidency: In the 1999 elections, the first in 16 years, he ran for the presidency as the candidate of the Peoples Uzor Kalu, strongly criticised Obasanjo’s penchant for arbitrariness.

In the heady moments of power drunkenness, Obasanjo never bothered that the airline committed no offence. Neither did the former President give a hoot about the families of workers of the airline who were needlessly forced into the labour market because of one man’s sensational capacity for vindictiveness.

And this enduring charge of arbitrary behaviour against the former President

Democratic Party (PDP). Obasanjo won with 62.6 per cent of the votes. The day Obasanjo took office as the first elected and civilian head of state in Nigeria after 16 years of military rule is now commemorated as Democracy Day, a public holiday in Nigeria.

Honours: Obasanjo also won international praise for Nigeria’s role in crucial regional peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Second Term: Obasanjo was re-elected in 2003 defeating General Mohammadu Buhari and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu by more than 11 million votes.

Post-Presidency: He was Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP. Obasanjo is a member of the Africa Progress Panel (APP), an independent authority on Africa launched in April 2007 to focus world leaders’ attention on delivering their commitments to the continent. The Panel launched a major report in London on June 16, 2008, entitled: ‘Africa’s Development: Promises and Prospects’.

Obasanjo was recently appointed Special Envoy

by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to the wartorn Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has held separate meetings with DRC President Joseph Kabila and rebel leader Laurent Nkunda.

Family Life: A polygamist, he is married and blessed with children. is not without foundation. For example, before his melodramatic exit, which the party’s Board of Trustees chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, dismissed as inconsequential and of no effect, he whined that he could not work with Prince Buruji because the latter is allegedly wanted for drug offences in the United States of America.

But critics have wondered if the former President was not aware of this when he deployed the same Buruji to fight his political wars in the South-West

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as President. Throughout his tenure, Buruji played the role of a ‘Mr. Fix it’ in Yorubaland for Obasanjo, settling what needed to be settled without as much as a whimper from the former President who enjoyed their romance all the way, while it lasted.

The former President’s unmistakable disdain for the advice of the former American president and his apparent insistence on hypocrisy regarding his relations with Buruji as well as his unsubstantiated allegations against President Jonathan, including that of exhibiting dictatorial tendencies like placing certain citizens on a security watch-list, invariably fused into aggravated disdain for his stereotypical personae of a grouchy old man who is not averse to the idea of taking vendetta even beyond the grave.

The latest interpretation of this uncomplimentary stereotype is only just worse, with former External Affairs Minister and Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, adding hilarity to the idiom by attributing Obasanjo’s tantrums to old age. Emerging from a meeting with the President over the Abeokuta card-tearing drama, Lamido told reporters that even with his brash disposition which often proves exasperating, even to those willing to tolerate his antics, the former president remains a father figure in the PDP. “Baba (Obasanjo) is more than a party man. He is an icon, a national symbol and a leader and an inventor. A creator of all institutions today in Nigeria from the President to the governors who are his own sons, are all his creations,” Lamido, who is the North-West coordinator of President Jonathan’s Campaign Organisation, said, adding: “When a father is angry with his own children, we will say we are sorry to him. We cannot be renounced, for whatever it is.”

Prodded further to say whether the party would beg Obasanjo to reconsider his action, he said it was a delicate issue that should not be discussed publicly, adding that “when there is some kind of misunderstanding between a father and a child, you do not go to NTA or any other media to discuss what you want to do.”

Lamido however provided a window for possible reconciliation between the two leaders when he said that regardless of the statement by the party that nobody would miss the former President in the party, there is room for reconciliation, perhaps because Obasanjo emphasised that he was not quitting the PDP for any other party but to concentrate attention on henceforth playing a statesman.

He also hinted that the fact that some party leaders said they would not miss the Balogun of Owu in the party does not imply that President Jonathan, as Obasanjo’s first child, shares this opinion.

“But then, the first child is the President; did he say so,” he asked the reporters, rather rhetorically, adding the stinker “when a man gets old, they tend to manifest signs of old age.”

What was hilarious in the card-tearing drama was not the fact that Obasanjo quit a party that brought him fame and fortune but that he was prodded on the farce by members of the party from his Ward 11, Abeokuta, led by the chairman, Alhaji Usman Oladunjoye. What was laughable in that exercise is the fact that the same supporters who could not muster even a single vote for Obasanjo in the election that brought him to power now joined a son they rejected electorally to publicly denounce their party membership.

Criticisms of hypocrisy against Obasanjo in his vicious attacks against President Jonathan, like calling him a dictator as the former president did in one of his blistering letters, are not without foundation, just as allegations of monumental corruption levelled by critics against the administration of the former president.

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How Rochas Okorocha inspired The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, postponed the general elections earlier scheduled for February 14, citing unabating insecurity in the North East and other factors. This has sparked a groundswell of agitations from the public. As a politician, what is your take on this?

Well, I don't think that the question of agitation should actually come in. There is what I call the Nigerian malaise, which is people's inability to deliver on schedule.

INEC has four years to arrange this thing. So, there is no reason why they should tell us now they want to postpone it. And I think that is a very fundamental problem we have in this country. People don't respect time. That's why contracts are scheduled, with a lot of variations and so on. I think one of the things we must do in this country is to start to respect time. If you are meeting by 9, for goodness sake, be at that meeting by five minutes to 9, so that at 9 you can start the meeting. People are very busy. We cannot grow as a nation unless we change this attitude. In Nigeria, if you fix a meeting by 9, people don't come till 11; and they say this is African time.

There is nothing like African time.

There is no such nonsense; time is time everywhere in the world. Anyway, having said that, I listened to Professor Jega; I listened to the entire interview both the questions and answers, and I believe that he made very valid points. You see, if you go to an election now, you will have what I can only describe as hungup results; hung-up in the sense that it may be so inconclusive that it may even lead to riots. People will go to court and say that this 26 million people who have not collected their permanent voter's cards are their supporters, that they would have voted for them. So, whoever loses will say that he would have won.

And they will have this terrible nuisance of court cases which will drag on. And it will not be good for the country. So, I think what INEC has done is in the best interest of this country, and I want to give Jega a credit for being firm. I think Nigerians should give Jega a credit for that.

Then, the other thing is, do you really want to have an election which nobody will trust?If in the next six weeks people have not collected their voter's cards, it means they are not interested; so, we should go ahead and have

Dr. Eddie Ifeanyichukwu Mbadiwe, who represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State and Deputy-Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Security and Intelligence tells CHUKWU DAVID the implications of postponement of the general elections by INEC; necessity for staggered elections and how Governor Rochas Okorocha’s alleged betrayal inspired him to defect from the APC to the PDP, amongst other issues. our election. And they say there are 970,000 Adhoc workers who will be involved in this election. David, if you are posted to North East, say Maiduguri, will you go? You won't go. So, let's believe that they can create an enabling environment at least in some areas so that people can go.

These people they are sending are not soldiers; and they will not go because you are giving them allowance of thirty to forty thousand naira to go and risk their lives. So, I think Jega made very valid points and Nigerians should believe him and let's work with that. But let's hope that there will be no more postponement.

Are you aware that the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan of manipulating the postponement for rigging?

I dismiss that. Why do people always keep talking about rigging the election. Let's have elections as elections are held all over the world.

In any case, who knows who is going to win the election?

Anybody can win that election anyway. What I am saying is, let us not create the scenario whereby elections will be inconclusive and people will go the streets, start riot-

This postponement will give us a platform to have a credible election Mbadiwe

ing and killing people for nothing. I think this country is too big for that.

Will the security agencies be able to tackle insecurity in the North East within six weeks so that elections can hold in those areas?

We are given enough time now to mobilize all available forces and ensure that the government is in charge of

this thing. I don't even care if they get foreign aids or whatever but there is nowhere a country can be going on and those who call themselves Boko Haram are putting up their flags in local governments, that doesn't make sense. So, let us hope that within these six weeks something different will happen. If they cannot secure the area, then they can secure the polling areas at least so that people can come out and vote.

You see, if the whole place is feeling insecure, nobody will come out at all. That is the problem. And you cannot declare a result unless you satisfy sections of the electoral law, which demands that you will get 25% in two-thirds of the states of the federation. You can finish an election and not be able to announce results.

So, I think this postponement will give us a platform to have a credible election which will give us a government.

Nigeria has been in the forefront of assisting other nations to quell crisis, particularly in African but it appears that not until recently, these countries were not willing to reciprocate help to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency. What do you think causes this?

There is now a Joint ECOWAS Force involving Chad, Cameroun and Niger Republic. But the point is to get this Force working not just on paper because if these four countries mobilize, am sure they will wipe away Boko Haram.

Don't forget there was a time there was insurgency in Mali. France sent just about two battalions and within two weeks they were cleared. There is going to be a commitment. Our people are not fighting with enough commitment, that's part of the problem. So, government has to motivate the soldiers as to why they must fight in the first instance. You have to convince them why they should

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me to dump APC, says Mbadiwe

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go there and face the insurgents at the risk of their lives.

You were a very strong member of the APC, who promoted and projected your party and your governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha until you lost your ticket to return to the House of Representatives this 2015. Why did you suddenly decamp to the PDP contrary to your previous statements that you would remain in the opposition?

The truth of the matter is that Okorocha does not appreciate people, and it is difficult to work with him. At any level it is very difficult. It gets to a stage where you make critical decisions in life. Are you going to sacrifice yourself for one man who doesn't have any kind of feeling for anybody else apart from himself. You are dealing with people who have very little credibility. You can't imagine that you are in a meeting with people and people are plotting against you.

They put people to fight against you.

For people like me, it is impossible to work with him. I believe that there should be credibility in everything we do. If I don't like you I tell you that I don't like you, and I tell you to your face. I will not go and plot against you. If am plotting against you, I won't be meeting with you. I was betrayed by Okorocha. Am not talking about disappointment; I was practically betrayed by Okorocha by the way he set up machinery to fight against some of us. But for me I don't want to go further into that.

Now that you are in the PDP, what is the prospect of the party in the forthcoming governorship election in Imo State?

Well, I am working with Emeka Ihedioha very seriously. We think there should be honour and dignity in politics. Politics is not dirty; it is only people who make politics dirty.

So, for me, I have worked with Emeka Ihedioha in the House here for four years now, and I have known him. I think he is a man you can trust, he is a person somebody can relate with.

So, I think he can be a better governor in Imo state than Rochas; I have no doubt about that at all.

Do you think the PDP has the capacity to defeat Rochas with all his power of incumbency in the next governorship election in Imo State?

We have just finished tours of all the local governments apart from Imo Municipal which was postponed. We have gone round Imo State and I was part of it. The outpouring of people is unbelievable; you need to be there to believe it. There is genuine concern.

People are beginning to see that a lot of what Rochas is doing is shallow.

Take roads for instance; those roads cannot last for two years. I believe if you want to do something, do it properly. I have been to Ondo State where Mimiko is Governor. I saw roads being built with foundation; roads have foundation. For me, it's better to do one kilometer of road than to do 100 kilometer of roads that will not last.

One kilometer of road properly done will last 10 to 15 years. That's the point I am making. So, quality is for me more important than just trying to appease people. Many of the roads constructed by Okorocha are already failing. Go to road from Orlu to Owerri for instance, which is a federal

Many of the roads constructed

by Okorocha are already failing Mbadiwe

road which he is doing, it is poorly done. People deserve value for their money. It is people's money; it is not anybody's personal money. So, for goodness sake get proper contractors, proper engineers and do things properly.

The polity has been so heated up by threats from politicians that some Nigerian citizens of Southern origin resident in the North are relocating en mass to their native homes ahead of the general elections for fear of attacks. How do you see this development?

Yes, it is unfortunate; it shouldn't happen. Nigerians should be secure wherever they live. But again, our past experience showed that you can't always say what is going to happen. So, people are being cautious and I don't blame anybody for it. The polity is being overheated unnecessarily. I have advocated in some other forum that elections should be staggered. It is because you want to hold all elections within a period of two weeks that all this heat is generated. We must work with INEC and devise a means where maybe half of the legislators are elected in one year and the other half elected one year after. That way, the work of government will continue in spite of elec-

tions. Right now you know there is almost a short down of government which is terrible. All the ministers, advisers and other aides are in the field, which is not very good for the country. So, I think for a long term, after this, INEC should sit down with Parliament and work out a modus whereby we can stagger elections so that elections will no longer be door-die, which is why people are prepared to kill themselves.

Apart from the fact that elections are not staggered, there are individual politicians who threatened that they would unleash terror on the people if they did not win in the forthcoming elections. What is your reaction to that?

Those people will start by killing themselves. They won't kill anybody else. This country is bigger than anybody. Let nobody think that he can hold this country to ransom; nobody can do it. This country belongs to all of us, and we must fight to give that sense of belonging to everybody. All these people that are making those careless statements, I don't want to name anybody but they should be terribly ashamed of themselves. If they think that they can hold the country to ransom, they should forget it, they cannot; and nobody can.

The 2015 budget proposal, which is before the National Assembly is being delayed because of the pending elections. In your view, how is this delay going to affect the nation's economy in this fiscal year?

Well, we are coming back on Tuesday, and we should attack the budget and pass it so that government can continue to function. There are other bills of course, which are still outstanding for us to address. So, the postponement of the elections in a way will help to bring back work in government.

Looking at some of the encumbrances facing the budget vis-a-vis falling crude oil price and the confusion with respect to the correct benchmark to adopt, what is the Parliament going to do to avoid serious crisis in budget implementation?

It is the work of Parliament to adjust the budget. The Executive makes the proposal, then Parliament will look at it and all the factors and then do what it supposed to do. That is why you have budget defence and so on. It is not a matter of returning it; Ministries come and we then discuss with them and then agree on what is feasible or implementable to the benefit of the country.

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Day Apollo, god of music, visited child prodigy in Akwa Ibom State Sly Ekpo

P

Isidahomhen

‘President Jonathan has transformed Nigeria' Social Democratic Party aspirant for Edo Central Senatorial District, Idumonza Isidahomhen tells DOMINIK UMOSEN why the people deserve quality political representative at the highest level.

Why are you in politics?

For the assurance of a concise yet comprehensive justice to the question asked, it becomes pertinent to kick start by referencing a citation of renowned Irish political philosopher and arguably the father of modern conservatism: Edmund Burke who opined that 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’ While my generation as much as I had resolved to be spectators and onlookers in the happenings and manifestation within my clan that is Esanland, and of course the bigger picture which is Nigeria, the wrong hands have utilized this privileges of tolerance and apparent indolence to squeeze out what is remaining of the allotment supposedly meant for the enhancement of the people.

These iniquitous hands have snatched development and wretched promising lives through a combination of purposeful ineptitude and outright negligence. These are the triumphs of evil embedded in Edmund Burke words and it has prevailed by and by become some of us had resolved to be mere onlookers and wishful thinkers who would only revolve around the mantle of leadership— fanning or otherwise the amber evil through a collective defiance to the call to duty.

Having been in the media professionally for nearly two decades, I have been quite sanctified with a good knowledge of the scheme of things in our local politics and governance. And needless to add, by virtue of my exposure I also understand what true democratic practice should be. I know what the people ought to and what they actually have. Maybe we all even know this, but we have decided to be comforted by sitting in the stands.

We have been to the rooftops shouting to the heavens until our voiced chocked.

We have been in the pages of newspaper writing critiques and commentaries; the radio and TV have aired documentaries targeted at educating our politician class and encouraging the need to relinquish the old standard. However tasking, these efforts to redefine our democracy have been jettisoned.

At this juncture it wouldn’t be exactly wrong to assume that an overwhelming ma-

jority of those that constitute the political class have deviated too far into the abyss of corruption and ineptitude to be redeemed.

That explains why the onlooker, the tenable ones of course must step out of the crowd of critics and commentators to salvage what is remaining of our nation. That had apparently informed my decision to run for senate.

Specifically, what plans and programmes do you have in mind for your people in Edo Central Senatorial District?

It's necessary to highlight that as a senator in the legislative arm of government, one's main responsibility is that of representation.

And on that regard I thus give my words that unlike what was obtainable in the past where men goes to the chamber for leisure, snoring in deep slumber while deliberations and debates are on. Ours would definitely be a break from that irritating past.

The passion to unearth laudable ideas and drive intellectual discuss is integral; the zeal to ensure the manifestation and redefinition of cerebral, economic and infrastructural development in my constituency is intrinsic. We are not deficient by any measure.

Lately, my team and I undertook a research across the Edo senatorial zone and it appears as it has always being that agriculture is the perennial mainstay of the economy of Esanland. However, cotton farming for export or it otherwise usage in the production for textile materials and other end-user commodities have particularly stood out as even from history as the stronghold of commerce and industry in Edo central. This is a viable economic sector through which the interest of local and foreign investors can be secured and by extension employment opportunities would generated and basic amenities would be boosted. But sadly this enterprise has suffered untold neglect from both the state and federal government.

Also we would consider the possibility of creating an Export Processing zone at Illushi or it environ for the actualization a massively industrialized Esanland. There would be other schemes to complement the vocational equipment of the teeming youths and students alike.

rovidence smiled on a 10-year-old prodigy who has brought joy to music lovers across the country through his talent. Inemesit Ekong, from Akwa Ibom State, thrilled a mammoth crowd, including Gov Godswill Akpabio (CON). Thus, fate rewarded him and his indigent family recently when His Excellency at Onna to welco, who was in Onna to welcome the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel stumbled on the prodigy The rest, as they say, is history.

The sleepy town of Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Monday 16th February was agog as an unprecedented crowd witnessed the coronation, nay, the home-coming of their most influential son and gubernatorial flagbearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming elections. The event was the final phase of the PDP rallies held across the state ahead of the general election fixed for Saturday April 11, 2015.

As early as six in the morning, hundreds of vehicles sneaked their way through the boulevards of Uyo to the office of Transformation Initiative for the Empowerment of Ibom People (TIEIP), the campaign office of Udom Gabriel Emmanuel where they waited patiently to convey their wards to Onna for the day’s event. The State chapter of the PDP and other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and sundry groups also mobilized for the Onna Rally.

Over 1200 vehicles carrying party supporters and faithfuls left Uyo to Onna, venue of the event.

At the venue of the rally, a mammoth crowd gathered, singing and dancing away while the magnificent rostrum hosted masters of ceremony who were busy entertaining the crowd. The crowd at the venue was a befitting tribute to the mobilization prowess of PDP, TIEIP and other support groups as well as the people of Onna who were happy to receive their son, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and his lovely wife, Martha.

Also, the leadership of the PDP wanted to show that it was more acceptable in Onna. Inspite of the pervasive influence of another son of the soil, Bishop Sam Akpan, flagbearer of Accord Party, the rally indeed, showed that the PDP was the Party to beat. Checks by this writer showed that the crowd and the rally combined with all the razzmatazz indicated that the PDP belonged to Onna and Onna belonged to PDP! Chairman of the Board of trustees of TIEIP, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang, a prominent son of Onna, said the rally conveyed a sense of “enthusiasm, passion, faith, belief and conviviality,” and was an indication that victory was in the kitty come April 11, 2015 by the grace of God. If rallies are a signpost to what actually goes on in the minds of the people and how they vote on election day, then we can say with full assurance that the people of Onna and indeed all other undecided voters had reached a decision at that stupendous rally.

A harvest of traditional dances from

He (Oko) lambasted those trying to take the Oron nation into the opposition

hundreds of groups and associations added colour to the rally, especially the ubiquitous Obiokpo which delighted the crowd and the matchet-wielding Ekpo Masquerades who thronged the venue in their awe-inspiring, chasrcoal-black regalia.

The rally also attracted an array of distinguished PDP stalwarts, including Her Excellency, Ekaete Unoma Akpabio; her honour, the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Noble Lady Valerie Ebe; state PDP chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo; the man of the moment, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and his lovely wife, Martha; deputy governorship candidate, Obong Moses Ekpo; Director-General, PDP campaign organization and former military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga.

Other dignitaries included a member representing Onna State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Godwin Oton Charlie; Chairman of Onna Local Government, Hon. Ufot Sunday Akpan; Eket Senatorial District candidate and former speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA), Rt. Hon. Nelson Effiong (Tabasco); House of Representatives candidate for Eket Federal Constituency, Hon. Owodiehe Ekpoattai and a host of other party big wigs.

Members of TIEIP led by their BOT chairman, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang, Barrister Ini Ikott, all State and Chapter Coordinators including the Media Team, converged on Onna for the spectacle. It was a day well spent because the weather was agreeable unlike the slight drizzle that earlier took the shine off the rally at Mkpat Enin.

Indeed, the carnival atmosphere was electrified when Gov Akpabio made a dramatic entry into the venue, after all hope of his coming was lost.

First to address the rally was a youth leader, Mr. Dan Nwa who commended Governor Akpabio for delivering on his promise to pick the gubernatorial flagbearer from Eket Senatorial District. “Akpabio is a promise keeper”, he intoned.

Senator Effiong Bob, a former two-time senator representing Uyo Senatorial District, noted the victory of PDP in 1999, assuring that the feat will be repeated.

A PDP stalwart, Mr. Jerry Oko from Oron maintained that the party signed a document supporting power shift to Eket Senatorial District of which Oron is a member. He lambasted those trying to take the Oron nation into the opposition through unnecessary bickering and assured Udom Emmanuel that they were solidly behind him.

Former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Chris Ekpenyong, in his address said the people of Akwa Ibom State would reap the dividends of democracy and good governance by voting Udom Emmanuel as governor.

Hon. Bassey Dan Abia Jnr, Deputy Chairman of South-South Caucus in the House of Representatives, said the transformation in Akwa Ibom State needed to be sustained by a visionary government to be led by Udom Emmanuel. He lampooned politicians who abandoned their parties when their selfish interests were not accommodated and urged the people to vote massively for PDP candidates in the coming elections.

The NDDC MD, Barr. Bassey Dan Abia, said as a founding member of PDP, he was in support of President Goodluck Jonathan who gave him the appointment through the instrumentality of Governor Akpabio and wondered why anyone would abandon “goodluck” for “badluck.”

•

Ekpo is with the Udom Campaign Organisation

Perspectives

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

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53

Abba, Mbu and the rest of us

he axiom: police are your friends is one that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is never tired of bandying about. However, I became somewhat ambivalent about the propriety of this saying in August 2004 when some policemen in Ekiti State killed a 27-year-old engineer, Muyiwa Fapounda-Popoola, in a cryptic manner and claimed that he was an armed robber.

The policemen, who were attached to Okesan Police Station, claimed that an informant had raced to the police station to inform them that he sighted a member of a notorious gang that snatched a Mercedes Benz from its owner at gunpoint. The pernicious lie of the police was that when they got to the spot, Fapounda-Popoola and members of his gang opened fire on them and in the process, the engineer was felled by their bullets. To justify their ignoble act, the policemen lied that they lost one of their men in the “fierce battle.”

However, all those who knew Fapounda-Popoola likened his gentle disposition to that of a dove and insisted that the affable young man could not even hurt a fly. He was gainfully employed at the time of his gruesome murder by the police and the engineering firm he was working for came out to attest to his amiability. His parents were saddened by the cruel fate that befell their son but they were more saddened by the stigma and the insistence of the police that the young man was an armed robber. The burden of living with such trauma for the rest of their lives was unimaginable.

His parents were dogged in their determination to clear their son’s name.

But the police maintained that Fapounda-Popoola was a wolf in sheep’s skin.

The then Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bashiru Azeez, stood by the overzeal-

Waheed Bakare on Saturday 08124877036 (sms only) waheedbakare2003@yahoo.com

file is always aggrieved and is ready to transfer their anger on the civilian populace. Unfortunately, it is these policemen that Assistant Inspector General of Police, Joseph Mbu, is now instigating.

Mbu, AIG Zone 2 comprising Lagos and Ogun states, had on Thursday, February 12 at Eleweran, Ogun State, told the men under his command that “we will kill 20 (civilians) for each police life lost during elections. If one of my men is killed, I shall kill 20 of them but don’t shoot first. If they shoot you, shoot back in self defence. If anybody fires at you, fire back in self defence."

Mbu seems to have penchant for courting trouble and if there is none within his reach, he deliberately goes out to contrive one. His latest outburst is akin to giving already aggrieved policemen licence to kill. Less than 10 days after he assumed duty in Lagos, he allegedly barged into Ikoyi-Lekki toll plaza on Lane 8 and this led to altercation between Mbu’s police orderlies and some riot policemen attached to the plaza. This reportedly angered Mbu who ordered the arrest of the riot policemen and an employee of the toll plaza who made an uncomplimentary comment against him. His past utterances and conduct, especially when he was the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, have attracted odium and yet he remains

We will kill 20 (civilians) for each police life lost during elections. If one of my men is killed, I shall kill 20 of them but don’t shoot first

ous killer-cops insisting that investigation showed that the young man was indeed an armed robber.

The victim’s parents sent a petition to the state assembly asking the lawmakers to investigate the extra-judicial killing of the young man. Just a few days after a painstaking investigation, the police in a volte-face owned up to their heinous crime. It was a case of extra-judicial killing. The policemen were not instigated, they acted on their own.

Some policemen are never happy with the system. Only on Tuesday, about 15, 000 of them vowed to go on strike and disrupt the elections over unpaid salaries. They accused their bosses of corruption. So, the rank and

arrogant and unrepentant. If Mbu were to be a rank and file policeman, his incendiary statement and overzealousness could be understood since such attributes are common among the rank and file. But it is worrisome if a policeman of the rank of an AIG finds it difficult to understand and uphold the importance of the primary duty of a policeman, which is to serve and protect the citizens and not to kill as being ordered by controversial Mbu. It is doubtful if Mbu would have made such a reckless and irresponsible statement if he had been posted to another zone. He knows his targets and will stop at nothing to throw his poisonous darts at those targets. He has been telling whoever cares to listen about how he tamed Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and he is eager to add to the list of governors who tremble whenever his name is mentioned.

He even encouraged his men to stop governors who tried to play pranks on Election Day. Of course, I expect our governors to display high sense of responsibility on Election Day. But pranks could be relative and based on the perception of AIG Mbu. Although the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has cautioned policemen not to use firearms during the elections “except in extreme circumstances.” But what happens if Mbu claims that a minor disagreement at a polling unit is “extreme” to justify his preconceived machination? His unbridled utterance deserved more than a mere slap on the wrist as done by Abba. Mbu should have been reprimanded to serve as deterrence to other officers like him and to assure the electorate that they will be safe on Election Day. Unless this is done, it might give credence to the speculation that Mbu was brought to Zone 2 for a sinister motive.

Obasanjo: Neither Gandhi nor Mandela’s heir

F

ormer President Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo recently proclaimed himself a statesman. It may be unfair to the ex-general to pillory him over what is essentially an entitlement under a democratic milieu which guarantees freedom of expression. But there is a catch here. Valid statesmanship is not earned by selfproclamation but through enduring merit. Here’s why.

As job descriptions go, ‘statesmanship’ is certainly not one, despite how much we wish it were. But using the term implies recognition that someone has the character and understanding to exercise certain virtues in political or state affairs. In the evolution of nation states and movement of time, especially as it affects the affairs of state, statesmanship is seen as a critical safety factor. These considerations may explain the new urgency on the home turf of turning the spotlight on personalities whom general perception peg as statesmen but are seen as crossing the line.

Aristotle’s “Ethics”, within the context of this discourse should aid proceedings. According to Aristotle, greatness of soul means judging rightly that you are capable of doing great things and worthy of the greatest responsibilities, which can only be the case if you have complete virtue. Practical wisdom requires having the virtues that enable you to desire the right end in every kind of decision and choice, in addition to the understanding of how best to at-

The Nation-State With Louis Achi

achilouis35@gmail.com tain those ends not only for yourself but for a community for which you exercise responsibilities.

Greatness of soul and practical wisdom commonly seen as key virtues of statesmen, appear to have taken flight from the ranks of Nigeria’s fractured political intelligentsia. General Obasanjo’s recent self-promotion to a statesman adds little real value to the disheartening scenario. This clearly portends danger for the stability and unity of the state.

Statesmanship, an asset indispensable for visionary nation building could be said to have been resident in Nigeria in some bye-gone era.

It is conceivable some political historians could stick out their heads and affirm that indeed some aspects of the formation of the Nigerian state benefited from statesmen and statesmanship. This legitimate, if debatable position would readily cite the contemporaneous quartet of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa, Obafemi Awolowo and a handful others as icons and statesmen - of that era. Indeed, they may have their point.

For much of his life, he was favoured by providence. For a folk who does not even know when he was born, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s rise to the apogee of political power in Nigeria (twice) speaks to some special favour from the cosmic. Unfortunately, the management of providential favours by humans appears to be an art in its infancy.

What appears the high (or low) point of Obasanjo’s later-life journey is his recent renunciation of his membership of PDP and public, un-statesmanlike shredding of his party’s membership card.

Renunciation of party membership is of course within his rights but this simple chore would appear to merit a better delivery in sync with his continental status.

Although many of our current politics and politicians are short on statesmanship, history nevertheless shows that the greatest statesmen arise in the moments of most evident crisis. A few historical examples will serve to highlight the point being made here - showing some of the more conspicuous ex-

amples of statesmen who have achieved the rare feat of combining the Aristotelian virtues. Fabius Maximus defended Rome from Hannibal, and made himself a model for men like Cato.

Phocion judiciously steered a muchdeclined Athens through the troubling times of the growing power of Philip of Macedon. Then there is Britain’s Churchill. In America such figures as Washington, Adams, Madison and Lincoln fit the bill. Crises rallied the state around the necessary men.

Obasanjo clearly would need to introspect on Hubert Humphrey’s counsel to aspiring statesmen. “The essence of statesmanship is not a rigid adherence to the past, but a prudent and probing concern for the future.” The strength of public suspicion that Obasanjo’s move smacks of pure selfishness cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand. The suspicion that Obasanjo’s failure to control late President Yar’Adua and later his successor President Jonathan (perceived to be even more malleable) led to his recent ‘surrender’ couched as renunciation of his party and proclamation of statesmanship is worth deep reflection.

Deploying many parameters of measuring statesmanship, Obasanjo ought to be in contention as heir to Mandela on the continent. On the planet today, Mandela is seen as one of the heirs of Ghandhi. But with Obasanjo’s political and perhaps spiritual trajectory, could the former president be seen as heir to Ghandhi or Mandela? Big question!

54

Sport Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

21 FEBRUARY 2015

Eaglets face Zambia in decisive tie

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earn a semifinal qualification and a ticket to feature in the FIFA U-17 World Cup scheduled to hold in Chile in October.

Four teams will represent Africa and so all the teams that scale through the group stage have automatic tickets to Chile for the global meet.

Coach Emmanuel Amuneke was furious with the Kelechi Nwakali

Adekunle Salami

fter one victory and a draw in the ongoing Africa U-17 Championship holding in Niger Republic, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will file out today against Zambia in a decisive Group A tie.

With four points from two games, the Eaglets need to avoid a defeat to

led team for not clinching the ticket outright in the second game in which the team struggled to escape with a 1-1 draw.

“We did not do well enough and we were lucky to play a draw. Against Zambia, we have to double our efforts to get a win. I know a draw could be enough but we will go for a win,” the exinternational said.

Apart from Nwakali,

Super Falcons, Beach Eagles hit camp

Victor Osimeh and Christian Charles are other notable players expected to drive the Nigerian team to victory. Zambia will also be all out because they need a victory to take them to the semifinals and a qualification for the World Cup. With three points the Zambians will fancy their chances and this makes the encounter dicey for the Eaglets.

Okocha elected Delta FA chairman

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F

he Senior Women National Team, the Super Falcons, and the national beach football team will storm their respective camps in Abuja and Badagry this weekend.

Falcons will arrive camp on Sunday, as preparations begin for their 11th All-Africa Games qualifying fixture against the winner of the Mali/ Gabon fixture.

Coach Edwin Okon has already called 36 players, who are expected to arrive at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Abuja, latest Sunday evening with their training kits, international passports and birth certificates.

The camp will also set the tone for preparations for the team’s 2016 Olympic Games qualifying fixture against Mali in May, as well as the 7th FIFA World Cup finals in Canada in the summer.

Also, Coach Audu Adamu Ejo and his beach soccer team crew will head to Badagry, Lagos, this weekend as the team’s camp opens ahead of an African Beach Soccer Championship qualifying fixture against Libya, coming up next month.

Ejo, who led the team to a seventh–place finish at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Ravenna, Italy, in 2011, has called 20 players for this exercise that will also prepare the team for the Power Horse Invitational Tournament in Durban, South Africa, between March 6 and 8.

Nigeria's Golden Eaglets

Nadal through to last eight in Rio

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efending champion Rafael Nadal booked is place in the last eight of the Rio Open after a comfortable straight-set victory over compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta.

The world number three, playing in his first clay court tournament of the season, needed just over two hours to win 7-5 6-3 and is yet to drop a set in Brazil.

In the second set, Nadal took advantage in the eighth game and moved into a 5-3 lead and served

out for the match to set up a quarter-final clash against Pablo Cuevas.

"It was a tough match,” said Nadal.

“I was glad to get the break back when he got to 3-2. At 5-4 I made a couple of mistakes. Then in the second set I was a bit tired from the first to begin with and sought to bring my serve through.

"At 3-2 I tried to get the break and it didn't come off but the next one did. For me every win is important - and especially on clay."

ormer Super Eagles’ captain, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, has been elected chairman of the Delta State Football Association.

At the elections conducted in Asaba on Friday, and supervised by Member of the NFF Executive Committee, Alhaji Babagana Kalli, Okocha polled 26 out of the 27 votes cast.

One of only two Nigerian footballers to play at three FIFA World Cup finals, Jay-Jay Okocha’s club career took him through Germany, France, England and Turkey, and he is presently head of the NFF Technical Study Group.

Okocha, who had served as vice chairman before the elevation, replaces Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, who announced his intention to relinquish the post on the very day he was elected President of Nigeria Football Federation, September 30, 2014.

Okocha

Balotelli showed disrespect to Henderson – Gerrard

S

teven Gerrard accused Mario Balotelli of showing "disrespect" by taking Liverpool's winning penalty against Besiktas ahead of Jordan Henderson.

Balotelli scored from the spot in Thursday's Europa League last-32 tie at Anfield to secure a 1-0 first-leg win.

That came after a dis-

agreement with captain Henderson and Daniel Sturridge over who should take it.

Gerrard said: "Henderson is the captain and Balotelli showed Jordan a bit of disrespect there."

The midfielder, who is currently injured, was working as a pundit on ITV's coverage of the game.

Gerrard said that Balotelli was being "a bit mischievous" after the Italian striker took the ball off Henderson, who was set to take the spot kick.

Henderson stood in as Liverpool's captain against Besiktas, and Gerrard believes he should have taken the penalty.

GAMES/CROSS WORD PUZZLE Countries in the World-5

KEY WORDS

MOLDAVIA IRAN SOUTH AFRICA UKRAINE KUWAIT SWAZILAND ALGERIA CHINA ZIMBABWE MOROCCO KENYA COMOROS TUNISIA MALAWI IVORY COAST DJIBOUTI LIBYA MAURITANIA

M K E N Y A I R E G L

I W A L A M E T D I T S O N U N N D N N I S A A F E A A D L T S O A R J I I O C Y K I Z R R C B U B A U O O I G O W A M R L E U S M O O D W T U J C M A N

C O M O T I A W U K I

A

I

N

S

I

N

U

T

U

A Z I I V M A B D A L B O W M E G D S A H C

I

F

E

1

2

8 11

12

R

18 19

F

21

S

25

15 17

22

ACROSS 1 5 7 8 9 10 11 12

Edible fish, (7).

Blood relation, (3).

Pub, (3).

Offer money at auction, (3).

Final part, (3).

Require, (4).

Recurring click, (4).

Live, (2).

DOWN 1 Home environment, (7).

20

2 Reach a conclusion, (6).

23

3 Not locked, (4).

4 Waste-removing body organ, (6).

5 Upper leg, (4).

24

U O

6

13

14 16

I

T

5

10

C

H

4 7

9

A

A

3

6 Immediately, (3).

26

13 Somebody undergoing training, (7).

16 Former, (2).

17 Party, (4).

18 Release under security, (4).

22 Igbo king, (3).

23 Go at fast pace, (3).

24 Local area network, abbr., (3).

25 Honey-making insect, (3).

26 Inedible part of meat, (7).

14 Be somebody's property, (6).

15 Brightly coloured bird, ().

19 Shaft on which wheel turns, (4).

20 Flightless bird, (4).

21 Sharp point, (3).

See solution on page 20

Sport Slaming Adekunle Salami adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only)

Still on sport and politics

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nly last week, I wrote on the neglect of sports by politicians campaigning for various positions in the 2015 elections. Already, there are developments to further show how politics is affecting sports, especially football, negatively.

Some powerful politicians have been threatening to deal with the chieftains of the Nigerian Football Federation if Stephen Keshi is not confirmed as the coach of the Super Eagles before the end of February.

It is no news that during the qualifying series of the just concluded African Nations Cup, President Goodluck Jonathan played a key role in the reinstatement of Keshi just a few days after he was sacked by the Nigeria Football Federation. He was asked to step aside for poor performance and interestingly, he also threw integrity aside to continue the job. He eventually failed to win the ticket. Even now, Keshi is still shamefully scheming with his powerful politicians to continue the job. Because the NFF is not fully autonomous especially in matters of finances, the body is in a fix on how to deal with the situation. The national team has had no coach for over four months and that is a sad commentary for a country that is rebuilding its senior national team. The technical committee, under severe duress, came out to say that it has tipped Keshi for the job.

Same committee that said no to Keshi some weeks back.

The forthcoming general elections forced the League Management Company to move the kick-off date of the season to March and so after the elections were postponed, it became a big issue for the LMC. The body however insisted that the league would start on March 7. During the week, the chairman of the league body, Nduka Irabor, wrote the state governors controlling 18 of the 20 elite teams in the country. Yes! Only Giwa FC and Gabros are privately owned teams, others are owned by government.

He urged the governors not to ignore the teams due to the ongoing electioneering.

“We know the peculiar environment we operate in, we do not have the best infrastructure and we do not have the best funding system for our clubs but we do hope those who own these clubs make funds available for them,” a frustrated Irabor said. It was learnt reliably that the league body was already thinking of an abridged league because politics was in the air. If most of these teams are privately owned, there will be no delay in take-off time.

A FIFA and CAF instructor, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, was close to tears when speaking on how politics has ruined football in Nigeria. He argued that there was no professional football club in the country.

“FIFA says every club must be administered without any third party influence. The body also stated that all the board members must be duly elected. Let us ask ourselves which of our clubs is complying with these?” he asked.

Again, other sports are gradually dying because of the total neglect by politicians. Pupils and students have no playing fields in their schools unlike before. No sport halls in states for athletes or youths generally to keep fit. It is sad that there is no national gymnasium in the country today. The ones we have are privately owned and they are commercialised. How do we expect the youth to benefit from such? Parents barely struggle to cope with the school demands of their children and cannot even think of registering a kid for gym routine.

My heart bled on Wednesday when a colleague narrated the tale of woes experienced at the national camp of youths preparing for a continental competition. The young athletes are being camped in Sagamu, Ogun State, without attention to their daily needs. There is no electricity in camp as the athletes battle mosquitoes all night. Allowances are also not forthcoming and the athletes train without food. These athletes are preparing for a competition in which Nigeria will file out as the defending champions. However, it was learnt that the athletes were being neglected because of the political situation of the country in which the only issue for now is campaign.

At the National Assembly, there are Sport Bills begging for attention and unattended to by the legislators.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to run sport without government aid. There is need to take sport seriously in the country and invest in it to brighten the future for the huge talents we have in the youth.

TV & Radio with Angela Davies

SATURDAY, 21 FEBRUARY, 2015

55

This weekend AIT

TELEVISION

Saturday 08:30 Destiny Encounter 09:00 Cartoon 09:30 Turning Point International 10:00 Click Africa TV Show 10:30 The warp Trio 11:00 One cubed 11:30 700 club Nigeria

L-R: Felix, Amanda, Onime and Tom

24 minutes at Bella’s Place

B

ella’s Place is a situational comedy that is centred on an upscale unisex hairdressing and beauty salon owned by Bella Daniels. It features all the gossips and intrigues associated with working in an upscale salon of this nature. In particular, it focuses on women and the various issues that they have to contend with in their everyday lives.

Auntie Bella as she is called by her members of staff has two assistants, Gloria and Onome, who help her run the salon because she is not always around since she is also into buying and selling. Although Sir K and Johnson take care of the barbers, Sir K is the manager of the salon. While Johnson who also has the added skill of making women's hair is the darling of many female customers.

Gloria is the most interesting character of the four. She is not only jealous of any lady who comes close to Johnson, but, always ready to do whatever it would take to make some extra money and even look good just to be admired by Johnson.

In Bella’s Place every week presents a new situation to be handled.

In a recent episode, Bunmi a friend of the ‘house’ walked into the salon with a makeover in both her dressing and makeup to the amazement of Sir K, Onome and Johnson except Gloria. She proudly informed them that people kept starring at her all the way to the salon.

While others complimented her new look, jealous Gloria sarcastically asked her the secret behind her new chic look. Cheerful Bunmi revealed that her makeover was courtesy her fashion designer and makeup artist cousin who had come to visit. Johnson who is easily endeared to beautiful women could not hide his excitement about her makeover as he kept telling her that she looked beautiful and even took her out on a lunch date.

While Sir K stated that he didn’t know that Bunmi could look chic, Onome added that Bunmi is a pretty girl who only needed one or two fashion tricks to always look smashing and this infuriated Gloria who was jealous of Bunmi. The next day, while

Onome and Gloria were attending to Lady B, one of their regular customers, she mentioned that she needed a fresh face model for a calendar job. Gloria and Johnson instantly indicated their interest, but she quickly reminded them they would not have time.

As they were still on the matter, Bunmi walks in and strikes a pose which impressed Lady B but made Gloria uneasy. Lady B immediately took an interest in Bunmi and asked if she had done any calendar job. Obviously having no idea of what Lady B was talking about, she kept quiet while Gloria had a good laugh but clearly that did not deter Lady B from deciding to make Bunmi the fresh face of the calendar.

Apparently, Lady B’s choice of Bunmi did not go down well with Gloria so she decided to plan with a man who lives in the estate across the road to approach Bunmi and tell her that he wants to date her but if she rejects his proposal, then, he should demand that she goes back to her old way of dressing. Scared that the man might hurt her since she refused to date him, she had to obey and didn’t even get back to Lady B. After two days without a word from Bunmi, worried Lady B visited the salon to complain to Sir K who assured her that she was doing fine. Minutes later, Bunmi and Gloria walked in and to the amazement of everyone, Bunmi was back to her old self and this made everyone curious.

It was later discovered that it was all

a plan by Gloria who was jealous of Bunmi’s new look and popularity.

When she was confronted, without mincing words, Gloria told Onome, Sir K and Johnson that Bunmi was trying to steal her life and nobody noticed her anymore especially Johnson. However, Sir K, Onome and Johnson did not fail to show their disappointment.

Bella's Place is a 24 minutes comedy to relax with when you want to have a good laugh. But there are always lessons learnt from each episode.

It features Doyin Kukoyi as Bella Daniels, Amanda Mike-Ebeye as Gloria, Felix Omokhodion played Johnson, Tom Godwin as Sir K, Onime Ugbowie as Onome and Bolaji Soliat as Bunmi. It airs on ONTV on Sundays at 8:30 pm.

Programme summary

Health Matters

Channels Saturday @ 12:30 pm Health Matters is a comprehensive health programme that exploits the various dimensions of health related issues.

It focuses on the physical, emotional, social and occupational well-being.

Breakfast in Bed

Smooth 98.1 FM Saturday @ 6am It is a weekend show with a twist. The four hours programme is divided into four gripping segments to give listeners a break from the stress of the past week.

FACE BEHIND THE VOICE

O

Kachi

nyekachi Nnochiri fondly called ‘Kachi’ is a graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Lagos. His foray into radio broadcasting began in 2010 but prior to this, he was second runner up in the Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) season three. He has also been a stage and screen actor television presenter and

a model.

He grew up watching people like Ruth Benamesia-Opia, Yinka Craig, Cyril Stober, and Frank Olize among others on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) news.

Kachi reads the news on Classic FM 97.3 at 6am, 9.15am, 11.15am and 1.15pm every week day.

Kachi

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DESTINATION

SATURDAY

Abakaliki: From the backwaters to a modern city

P.42

N150

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015

Sanctity of Truth

SPORT

My fears over moves to get Ajayi, Akpom – Kpakor

p.25

can Sunderland

handle red-hot

Ideye?

T

Ifeanyi Ibeh

hree weeks ago, Brown Ideye, was not the most loved West Bromwich Albion player.

But when he steps onto the lush green turf of the Stadium of Light on Saturday for the tie against Sunderland, his name would be on the lips of West Brom fans who would be keen to see their former £10 million flop continue in his rich vein of form against the fifth worst defence line in the English Premier League.

Three weeks ago, on transfer deadline day, Ideye was set to leave the club but the proposed a move to Qatari club, Al Gharafa, broke down.

Since then, the Nigeria international has embarked on a scoring streak, finding the back of the net four times in three matches, including a brace in last Saturday’s 4-0 FA Cup win over West Ham. Ideye has attributed his newfound form to self-belief and hard work, a fact that is not lost on West Brom manager, Tony Pulis, who since his arrival at the Hawthorns on New Year’s Day, has given Ideye more playing time than his predecessor did.

“I think it’s confidence,” said Pulis, earlier in the week. “When you score a couple of goals your chest puffs out a couple of inches.

You look a bit bigger, stronger, quicker and more lively. His demeanour and everything about him is different and that’s strikers for you. They live off goals and their confidence grows off it, or shrinks if they don’t score.”

West Brom were two points and three places behind Sunderland when Pulis took over, but have collected eight points from five games under the former Stoke City boss and are now two points and one place above Sunderland in 14th place.

And former West Brom star, Kevin Kilbane, who now works as a pundit for the BBC, believes it’s all down to Ideye’s form.

Kilbane said: “I’ve seen West Brom’s last two games and it’s incredible that Ideye hasn’t been playing sooner when you look at his performances.

“Maybe it’s taken him a bit of time to adjust, but now under Pulis we’re seeing why West Brom went out and paid the money they did for him.”

Sunderland head into the game after two awful back-to-back performances that have seen them lose at home to QPR in the EPL and then crash out of the FA Cup against Bradford City last Sunday. So another loss could spell doom for Sunderland boss, Gustavo Poyet.

But with Ideye beginning to form a good understanding with strike partner, Saido Berahimo, Sunderland’s ageing central defence pair of John O’Shea and Wes Brown may not have enough to prevent the visitors from running away with a share of the points at stake at the Stadium of Light, if not all three points.

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by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Advert Hotline: 01-8541248, Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: Laurence ani.