Saturday, march 14, 2015 by Newtelegraphonline

A media partner of

SATURDAY Saturday, March 14, 2015 Vol. 2 No. 388

Sanctity of Truth

/newtelegraph

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

FELA’S DAUGHTER, YENI: Neither }5 Jonathan nor Buhari will get my vote

atiku’s

dilemma

lTorn between APC’s cold embrace and uncertainty of a return to his old party, PDP, former Vice President ponders his political future

I’m in APC to stay, he says } 47 Apologise over phantom conversation with Moroccan king, APC tells President }7

BANKE MESHIDA LAWAL: What I learnt as Dame Patience Jonathan’s makeup artist } 18 SKALES: My spat with Wizkid now in the past } 23

MASSOB in ‘Jegamust-go’ protests across S’East } 5 We’re investigating incident - Presidency }7

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Contents | 14.03.15 CONVERSATION

Metro’s Breakfast Queen It’s no surprise that Cordelia Okpei has risen to the position of general manager at Metro 97.7FM given the grit and creativity she brought to the job

}13

INSTYLE

Echoes from AMVCA The Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards was essentially a celebration of movies and purveyors of the art. However some artistes still made resounding fashion statements

}15

SHOWBIZ

Out of the Shadows DJ Spinall rose from being an apprentice to an indemand disc jockey through a painstaking artistry and trendblazing dress sense

}24

SPORT

Raring to Go Super Falcons star, Francesca Ordega, relives the joy of reclaiming the African Women Championship and early challenges she had to rise above

}27

TV&RADIO

The Telenovela Spell Airing on AIT, What Life Took from Me is another Mexican soap with a spellbinding grip on the Lagos audience

}34

DESTINATION

Dream in Limbo Conceived some years ago to a resounding acclaim, the Delta Leisure Resorts today seems a dream the Delta State government has jettisoned

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

SATURDAY

Comment

Kidnappers and national security

he fight against insurgency is indeed giving compatriots cause to follow events beyond what they hear from the government. Initially, everyone thought Boko Haram, as a force, would be defeated in a matter of weeks. It is obvious that the North- East became a dangerous terrain, because little attention was paid to the mob that grew into a formidable outfit. We must begin to learn from our past. Prior to full blown war, Nigeria did not believe that Biafra was a real threat. Lt. Col Yakubu Gowon thought police action was all he needed to bring Lt. Col Emeka Ojukwu to Lagos as a rebel. Of course, Biafra had most of the experienced Nigerian military officers on its side and only a crazy policeman would have ventured to the East, in search of the Biafran leader. When Gowon realized the danger posed by the Biafrans, Nigeria fired the first shot, through Lt. Gado Nasko’s artillery unit, in Gakem. For two and half years, millions of Nigerians were slaughtered, many of them innocent civilians, who offered no resistance at all. Another crisis evolved in the Niger Delta. From silent agitations for meaningful deployment of oil wealth to the development of the region, young men and women from the creeks, almost crippled the country until President Umaru Yar’Adua in his wisdom, bought peace with the Amnesty Programme. Today, the nation is grappling with Boko Haram. It is sheer providence that they have not been able to advance successfully beyond the NorthEast. Although, there have been terrible bomb blasts in the Federal Capital Territory and Niger State. Beyond Boko Haram , there is another serious threat, which has not really got the attention of government. Kidnapping is booming in some parts of the country, and like the insurgents, some of the kidnappers have enough deadly arms to confront a military force.

Ransom from victims is used to acquire sophisticated weapons from the black market and since it is a huge money yielding venture, kidnapping is giving rise to gangs of well armed youths. You can never know how much they have in their arsenal until they confront the security forces. When human right activist and lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome fell into the trap of the kidnappers two years ago, he painted a frightening picture of the organizational skills of his abductors. Ozekhome, was lucky to be alive. About four policemen were wasted in the process. Last Wednesday, a kidnap suspect, Bisi Babatunde, also threw more light into the deadly gamble. ”We have offices in Port Harcourt, Lagos and so on. I have been involved in fraudulent activities, by posing to be a herbalist in Port Harcourt. I bought a car with the proceeds,” she said. Her gang had kidnapped Chief Festus Omotosho, a prominent businessman, in his Awe hometown in Oyo State. The bandits got over five million naira in that operation. One of them made 750 million naira in just one day. That is the attraction. Most young Nigerian graduates are jobless, so picking such huge amount in a day, will appeal to so many of them. Even those who have jobs and can only earn close to that in two years, could think evil. We call on government to be proactive. Modern security is all about intelligence gathering. Security operatives should be encouraged to do more than acting only after a crime had been committed. That will be medicine after death. At the same time, government should create jobs to tackle youth unemploymemt. When young men, full of emotional energy, have nothing to do, the next available source of revenue becomes the nation’s undoing. Something has to be done now, before we run into more dangerous security issues after insurgency.

DAILY TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief

Eric Osagie

Editor n Yemi Ajayi

Managing Editor n Suleiman Uba Gaya

Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani

Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

Deputy Editor, Saturday n Waheed Bakare

Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins

Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam

Ag. Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi News Editor, Saturday n Ndubuisi Ugah Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed

Sales/Circulation Manager n Oyebanji Abiodun

Head, Graphics n Timothy Akinleye

Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2015

Adam Eve

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH, 2015

Blessing

Roberts Height: 5.9ft Weight: 79

Mobile: 0703 963 5699

Bust: 34 Waist: 35 Hips: 36 Mobile: 0806 716 5102 Actress/Model

Telegraph Adam&Eve is a page for the young, lively, sexy, cute and daring male and female. If you fit the bill, send your profile, snazziest high resolution image, phone number and email to: ireto007@ yahoo.com; julietbumah@gmail.com; editor.body-soul@newtelegraphonline.com, Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322, by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or our corporate head office, No 1A, Ajumobi Close, Off ACME Road, Ikeja. Enquiries: +234 (0)813-116-1840; +234 (0)811-675-9770.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

MASSOB hits South-East states with ‘Jega-must-go’ protests Uwakwe Abugu, Steve Uzoechi, Charles Onyekwere, Okegwo Kenechukwu, Dominic Adewole and Uchenna Inya

he Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday carried out simultaneous protests in the five states of the South-East zone of the country. They demanded the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, for alleged bias in favour of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the general elections. Three of the MASSOB activists who had joined others as early as 7.30 am in the protest march in Onitsha, Anambra State, were arrested by the police while in Aba, Abia State, soldiers reportedly dispersed the group’s protest march in the commercial nerve of the state just as the police in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, clashed with the protesters and tried to stop the march. No report of bloody encounters was recorded. As the protests went underway in parts of Enugu State, leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, spoke to journalists in Enugu, on the phone, warning

l He is biased, says Uwazurike l Three arrested in Onitsha that if the INEC chairman fails to resign and subsequently goes on to conduct the elections, there would be crisis which could lead to war because it was clear that the umpire would favour the APC. He said: “We are organising the protest against Jega because he is biased and cannot conduct a credible election for Nigerians. We know that he favours APC and if allowed to conduct the elections, he will definitely favour the party and when that happens, there will be crisis and people will die. In Imo State, where the protest march also drew scores of the MASSOB activists into the streets, zonal leaders of the group, Chief Okechukwu Nwaogu (Owerri), Chief Emma Akabekwe (Orlu) and Chief Kingsley Ezeugo (Okigwe), after a protest march along the streets of Owerri, accused Jega of bias in his activities as INEC’s chairman. The MASSOB leaders issued a statement calling on Nigerians of good conscience to rise up and support the call for Jega to proceed on his terminal leave. “The insistence of the North that Jega must conduct the elections when his terminal leave is due suggests that the North has a

skeleton in their cupboard that could spell doom for the nation’s peace and stability,” the statement stated. Although the rally took the members of the group through the major streets of the commercial city of Onitsha in Anambra State and they ended up at the Old Market Road where they addressed a press conference. The arrest of three of their members appeared to dampen their enthusiasm. Leader of the movement in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State said they were calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to as a matter of urgency remove Jega from office for incompetence and show of bias in favour of his kinsmen. On the arrests effected

by the police, efforts to get comments from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Inland Town Police Station, Onitsha, Mr. Cosmas Eze, failed as he refused to speak to our correspondent but rather directed him to see the Area Commander, who he claimed directed the operations. All efforts to contact the Area Commander also failed. However, riot policemen were seen with Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other police utility vehicle loaded with policemen, patrolling the streets of Onitsha as the members of the movement rode around the commercial city chanting “Jega Must Go”! “Jega Must Go.” In Abakaliki, MASSOB members, numbering over

10,000 also staged a protest against Jega despite a minor clash with policemen who tried to stall the march in the state capital. Our correspondent in Abakaliki reported that the protesters, with placards that read: “Jega must go”, “Remove him before election”, “He wants to rig the election in favour of Buhari”, among others, barricaded the AbakalikiEnugu Expressway up to Afikpo Road Junction, singing Biafran songs. Earlier, Ebonyi North Zonal Leader of the group, Gideon Iloke, said: “We are not a member of PDP, APC, APGA or any other political party. But we believe in equity and justice and that is why we are protesting. Jonathan has done well and

should be allowed to rule Nigeria again especially if we consider the number of years the North has govern this country. “We will not allow this to happen and that is why we are calling for Jega’s sack and he must go." Meanwhile, the situation was also the same in Asaba, the Delta State capital, as the group protested the removal of Jega. Led by its Zonal Administrator, Mr. Emeka Okafor, who doubles as the co-coordinator of the group in Delta North Senatorial axis of the state, the group waved their placards with the inscription, “Jega Must Go”, appealing to the Federal Government and National Assembly to ensure that Jega is sacked before March 28.

Jonathan, Buhari can’t get my vote, says Yeni Kuti Angela Davies and Olushola Ricketts

eni Kuti, the first daughter of the late Afrobeat musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has said she will neither vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who is the incumbent president nor for his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in the March 28 election. Speaking on the phone with Saturday Telegraph, against the backdrop of the circumstances which led to the jailing of her father by Buhari during his reign as military head of state in 1984, Kuti said: “I would rather vote for none of them. I am not interested in voting for them.” The daughter of the late Afrobeat king, said: “My view is that the election should come and go,” even as she advised politicians not to see the election as “a do-or-die affair. Nigerians shouldn’t allow politicians to trick them.” On threats that should a particular candidate win

the presidential election there will be no peace in the country, Kuti said: “We shouldn’t allow the outcome of the forthcoming elections to decide the future of Nigeria. Nigerians should wake up and we need to know that politics is not a do or die affair. Nigerian politicians are ‘politrickcians’. Asked if she is planning to take a shot in politics in the future, Kuti said: “I will consider joining politics only if it becomes something honourable. Right now, it is not honourable.” Prior to the arrest and sentencing of Fela, Buhari had promulgated a decree which prohibited anybody from bringing in foreign currency into the country. Offenders were liable to 10 years in jail. This decree was to curb money laundering by politicians and corrupt businessmen. However, Fela had performed abroad, where he was paid cash in foreign currency and subsequently, on his return to Lagos, he was arrested for breaking the law. He was subsequently prosecuted, found guilty and jailed.

See interview on Page 21

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Chairman Civil Service Commission, Deaconess Joans Ayo and Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration, David Parradang and one of the eligible family member of victims of last year's Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise in Abuja, at the presentation of letters of employment to families of the victims…yesterday

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Fashola’s statement on Lagos robbery irresponsible —Presidency Anule Emmanuel Abuja

he Presidency has described as irresponsible, the statement by Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, that President Goodluck Jonathan's visit was responsible for the armed robbery incident in the state Thursday that left three policemen dead. The Presidency also said former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu’s claim of being offered vice-president position in an Interim National Government (ING) was false, misleading. An online news portal, 360nobs Limited reported that Fashola spoke at an All Progressives Congress (APC) event titled: “An Evening for Nigeria”, where the governor said the robbery was successful “because (President) Jona-

than was coming to Lagos, (and) all the vehicles and police in Lagos were sent to be on standby for him.” Fashola, who spoke on the theme, ‘Petroleum sector and mismanagement, the PDP and its rulership, and the vulnerability of the citizens on the day in Lekki’, also said: “There were not enough (policemen) to stop the robbery at (the) Ikoyi-Lekki link bridge.” On the robbery incident in Lagos Thursday, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president, Dr. Reuben Abati, said it was irresponsible and reckless for Fashola to have linked Jonathan’s presence in Lagos to why the heinous crime was committed by the men of the underworld. Abati said: “The comment credited to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State to the effect that the robbery

incident that occurred yesterday in Lekki, Lagos State was due to the presence of President Jonathan in Lagos. And the governor allegedly said that all the policemen who should have been responsible for security in the state had been deployed to serve President Jonathan. “You will all recall that yesterday President Jonathan sounded the gong closing the business of the day at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). “We consider the statement attributed to governor Fashola as grossly and utterly irresponsible. We expect that a man of his status who is governor of a state should speak more responsibly. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever that the entire police formation in Lagos State would be deployed to protect the President of Nigeria.

“The visit of the president to Lagos or any part of the country does not necessitated the depletion of the police force active in that particular state of environment. On Tinubu’s comment, the presidential spokesman said: “A statement from the office of the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, claiming that he had been offered by President Jonathan the position of the vice-president in an imaginary national interim government.” He said: “Except people have not been following the news or they have chosen willfully to play deaf and dumb , they will know and the facts are there that President Jonathan has said again and again, that an idea of an interim national government is preprosterous and to use his exact words also treasonable."

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

IBADAN FCT Jonathan, Buhari to attend Labour Party endorses Town Hall meeting March 20 Jonathan

N EWS I N BRIEF

President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), will participate in a town hall meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja on March 20. The event, which is being convened by the Concerned Nigerian Professionals and Enterprises Forum (CPEF), aims at addressing some critical electioneering issues. Briefing journalists yesterday in Lagos, the Convener of CPEF, Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, said: “For the purpose of a successful and professionally organised general election, we have planned to hold seven town hall meetings in the six geopolitical zones."

€22.92m

The total salary and extra winnings made by Alex Rodriguez of New York Yankees (Baseball) in 2013-2014. Source: Financenews24.com

The National Working Committee (NWC) of Labour Party (LP) has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for presidency in the March 28 presidential poll. National Chairman of the party, Mr. Abdulkadri Salam made this declaration during its National Executive Meeting held at Premier Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State. He explained that the LP had resolved to support President Jonathan after considering candidates of the two major parties, “In our own view of election sensitivity, the presidential election is more sensitive and crucial that we cannot do anything capable of causing confusion should not be used,” he said.

BENIN CITY INEC yet to distribute PVCs in four LGs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said that it had yet to distribute Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in four local government areas in Edo State. The electoral body explained that the PVCs were meant for eligible voters, who registered during the Continuous Voters Registration last year. It said the cards in the affected areas of Owan East, Owan West, Ovia SouthWest and Uhunmwonde, were yet to be distributed because the commission was still expecting the cards. The state Administrative Secretary, Mr. Brown Ulucha, said this while addressing some protesters at the state headquarters of the commission in Benin.

32,000

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

64 The life expectancy of women at birth in Haiti in 2010-2015. Source: Un.org

Boko Haram: Troops discover bomb-making factory in Yobe Ndubuisi Ugah and Emmanuel Onani

with agency reports

he Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday, said troops on cordon and search operation in Buni Yadi Local Government Area of Yobe State have discovered a bombmaking factory, where Boko Haram manufactured the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) it uses for suicide bomb attacks. It said a large quantity of the IEDs, had since been recovered. A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major General Chris Olukolade, reads: “The ongoing cordon and search by troops in Buni Yadi,Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State has led to the discovery of a bomb-making factory, where Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by terrorists were being produced. A large

lDHQ denies alleged use of mercenaries lSect turns guns on Shuwa Arabs quantity of IEDs including those commonly used by suicide bombers were recovered from the site. “The factory, which was located in a fertiliser company, has also converted some of the materials therein for production of all types of IEDs. Troops are still evacuating the materials which include a large quantity of suicide bomber vests from the facility to their base. It is believed that the heavy calibre bomb used in blowing up the bridge between Damaturu and Buni Yadi was produced in the factory. “The terrorists were sacked from Buni Yadi after a military assault that was conducted last Saturday. The troops advance was delayed by the series of IEDs planted on the highway leading to Buni Yadi. Four soldiers died from such IEDs in the course of the operation to clear ter-

rorists from the town. “This discovery is expected to degrade the capability of terrorists in the production of explosives, which they have been using lavishly in the area until they were dislodged from their stronghold.” Equally, Olukolade has described reports in some major international media and culled by local newspapers reporting that Nigeria is deploying hundreds of mercenaries against Boko Haram terrorists as a joke taken too far. Olukolade when contacted on the reports by PRNigeria said: “Sorry, I don’t have anything about that claim. I just know that Nigerian military and security forces are putting in all their resources, training and experience acquired over the years to address the security challenges. “Our neighbours operating under the auspices

of the Multinational Joint Task Force are also backing our efforts from all our borders with them. We also have some offer of training and intelligence assistance from foreign countries. Some of these arrangements even predate the present operations.” In another vein, it was gathered that the sect had started carrying out ethnic reprisals against Arabic speakers in Northern Nigeria, accusing them of aiding Chad's army fighting against the Islamist group, according to military officers and residents sources. Cameroonian military authorities said yesterday that the attacks against Shuwa Arabs, an ethnic group speaking the form of Arabic common in Chad, had forced some 10,000 refugees from Nigeria across the border into Cameroon in recent weeks.

Telecoms: FG may sanction Bitflux $23.2m spectrum licence holder Kunle Azeez

trong indications emerged yesterday that the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), might go tough on Bitflux if it fails in its rollout obligations with its 2.3 gigahertz spectrum licence. Bitflux, a consortium of three companies including VDT, BitCom and Superflex, had won the licence after offering bid price of N23.2 million, above $23 million offered by Globacom, the second bidder, in a national spectrum auction, carried out by the NCC in February 2014. The auction of the Wholesale Wireless Access (WWA) 2.3Ghz spectrum followed an approval by the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) to the telecoms

Emulate Mandela, Oshiomhole tells Jonathan Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

do State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to jettison his second term ambition and do what the late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, did and earn the respect of all Nigerians and Africans. Speaking in Benin yesterday, during a visit by residents and various associations in Egor Local Government Area to thank the governor for the construction and dualisation of the Upper Siluko Road in the state capital, Oshiomhole

said President Jonathan should go beyond empty jingles and truly emulate Mandela who spent only a single term but impacted on the lives of all South Africans. The governor said: “Like in the PDP jingle, the PDP says our president is like Nelson Mandela; it was not easy, but he did it. Then they talked of Martin Luther King, it was not easy but he did it, but they didn’t know Martin Luther was never a president. Then they made another grammatical error, where they said for Obama it wasn’t easy but he did it."

No plan to hound opposition leaders – EFCC Emmanuel Onani Abuja

L-R: Former Ekiti State Govenor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Senator Hadi Sirika and National Exofficio, All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Nasir Danu, during an evening for Nigerians with Buhari /Osinbajo in Lagos…on Thursday

regulator to license the spectrum band for accelerating the deployment of broadband services across the country. Both Bitflux and Globacom were the two companies pre-qualified by the commission out of 27 other companies that expressed interest in the auction. However, 13 months after issuing the licence to Bitflux, industry stakeholders continue to express concerns on what they described as ‘seeming delay’ in Bitflux rollout. Director, Spectrum Administration, Mr. Austin Nwaulune, who spoke at a media interaction in Lagos yesterday, said the NCC was aware of the public concerns being raised regarding the perceived delay in rollout by Bitflux, stressing that the licensee was still within its rollout obligations timeframe.

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described as false a document it said is currently in circulation, purportedly emanating from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, with a purported directive to the commission, to possibly arrest key opposition figures ahead of the March 28 presidential election. The purported document, which was waved during a press conference addressed by the Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, listed the names of prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, including for-

mer vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Rivers Governor and Director General of the APC presidential campaign organisation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, as some of those to be allegedly hounded by the anti-graft agency. The commission stated: “The publication has no basis; we reject it, we condemn it. “There is no such investigation by the EFCC against some leading opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi and others.” This is as the commission took strong exceptions to the allegation levelled against it by the APC campaign organisation, to the effect that the commission owing its staff three months' salaries.

14 MARCH 2015

Apologise to Nigerians over ‘phantom phone call’, APC tells Jonathan

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to apologise to Nigerians for the embarrassment that he has caused them over his phantom phone conversation with the King of Morocco. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said: “In our earlier statement on the issue, we gave President Jonathan the benefit of the doubt by asking him to clarify what happened, just as the Moroccan King has done. Instead, a loquacious spokesman for the president decided to abuse us instead of addressing the issues. That tells us that, indeed, these people have something to hide over the phoney phone conversation.” It said based on the an-

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

tecedents of the Jonathan administration, which had little or no regard for the truth, it was safe to assume that the president did not hold any phone conversation with King Mohammed VI of Morocco, adding, however, that the party would be glad if President Jonathan could prove, conclusively, that he spoke with the King. “Whereas Morocco was unequivocal in denying that its king had any phone conversation with President Jonathan, saying ‘Morocco is surprised at the incredible twist given by Nigeria to an alleged phone conversation that never took place between HM King Mohammed VI and Nigerian president’, the Nigerian presidency has been less forthcoming, instead opting to engage in shadow-chasing."

FCT PDP flags-off volunteer training for Jonathan

NEWS IN BRIE F

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) will today flag-off its volunteer training scheme at the 8,812 wards. The Director of Media at the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Mr. Afam Ilounoh, said this at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday. According to him, the scheme which was launched last week in Abuja is determined to sell the candidacy and showcase the landmark achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan in all the wards. He called on the volunteers to give the training all the necessary seriousness it deserves, stressing that victory for President Jonathan was a collective goal of the PDP, TAN and Women for Change Initiative.

0.91%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Mozambique in 2007. Source: Itu.int

ONITSHA ‘30,000 voters may not vote in Ogbaru’

No fewer than 30,000 voters may not vote in the March 28 and April 11 general elections in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State. Investigation revealed that this number is made up of over 10,000 whose Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) were stolen by hoodlums at the Independent National Electoral Commissions (INEC) office at the local government headquarters, Atani, last year. The remaining are bundles of uncollected PVCs, which a source in INEC office at Atani, said was not less than 15,000 copies as at last count last week.

ADO-EKITI Fed poly reinstates unions’ activities on campus

The Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, has lifted the suspension order clamped on unions’ activities at the institution. The decision of the Council, led by its Chairman, Sir Victor Ebomoyi, to reinstate unions' activities on the campus, was reached at its 95th statutory meeting following the intervention of the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau. The Governing Council, which said the decision was as a result of compliance with the minister’s intervention, had to proscribe all unions’ activities on the campus following what it described as incessant strikes by the workers’ unions and protests by the students’ union in the past three years.

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

We’re investigating incident -Presidency Anule Emmanuel Abuja

resident Goodluck Jonathan has ordered full investigation into allegation of purported telephone conversation with His Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The President yesterday expressed shock over what he described as highly embarrassing the controversy that had erupted over whether or not he had a telephone conversation with King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The President in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, regretted the furore that had developed over the matter and said it was due entirely to misinformation. According to Abati, President Jonathan has neither spoken with King Mohammed nor told anybody that he had a telephone conversation with the Moroccan monarch. “It is true that President Jonathan has been speaking with some African leaders to seek their support for Nigeria’s candidate for the position of President of the African Development Bank (AfDB). He said: “In continuation of his efforts in support of

the candidacy of the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, for headship of the AfDB, President Jonathan indicated that he would like to speak with the King of Morocco, the President of Algeria and the President of Egypt. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was consequently directed to make necessary contacts with the embassies of the three countries and arrange for President Jonathan to speak with their leaders. “Since that directive was given, President Jonathan has spoken with the Prime Minister of Algeria and subsequently sent Vice President Namadi Sambo to Algiers as Special Envoy to follow-up on his discussions with the Algerian Prime Minister on support for Nigeria’s candidate in the coming election for the AfDB Presidency. "The President has, however, not yet spoken with King Mohammed VI and President Al-Sisi of Egypt as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must know." Abati explained that President Jonathan has therefore ordered the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali to urgently undertake a full investigation of the claim which emanated from the ministry that the president spoke with King Mohammed VI.

change of nameS

OLUKO I formerly known as Ogunbiyi Seun Jacob now wish to be known as Oluko Jesukomiyo Oluwamiiseun Elliot. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ONYEBINUSO

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinwe Pauline Ufondu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinwe Pauline Chijioke Onyebinuso. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

L-R: Air Commodore Danladi Bausa; Commander, 75 Strike Group, Nigerian Air Force, Yola, Air Commodore Dayo Amao; Director, Search and Rescue, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Air commodore Charles Otegbade and Director, Relief And Rehabilitation, NEMA, Mr. Eugene Eze, during the presentation of relief materials to families of soldiers engaged in fighting the insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states…yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Re-organise EFCC for efficiency, Clark tells Jonathan ADVICE

An Ijaw leader urges the presidency to overhaul all anti-graft agencies in the country. Tunde Oyesina

Abuja

jaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to re-organise the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for effective discharge of its mandate to investigate and prosecute corrupt Nigerians. Clark, who stated this while addressing a press conference in Abuja, said the anti-graft agency had lost its focus of prosecuting corrupt officials but rather go after those involved in cyber and petty crimes. The Ijaw leader spoke against the backdrop of a recent statement allegedly credited to the presidential

...says Buhari, APC are liars candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, during one of his campaigns that his fight against corruption would start on May 29 when he would have been sworn-in as the president, if he wins the March 28 presidential elections. On whether he wants the Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, sacked, the elder statesman said during re-organisation, anything could happen. Clark, who noted that the implication of Buhari statement was that those who were facing corrupt charges or alleged corruption before May 29 would be pardoned, added it was so because there was already a fight in the camp of APC. He also noted that those funding Buhari’s campaign were beginning to question him whether he would prosecute them when he gets into power, stressing

that it was on that note that Buhari changed the tune of his music as to when he would begin his fight against corruption. “General Muhammadu Buhari has always anchored his campaign promises on two planks: to wipe out insecurity and corruption. With the renewed offensive against the terrorists leading to the killing and dislodgement of the Boko Haran anarchists, the first campaign plank of Buhari has been given a technical knock-out by President Goodluck Jonathan and the whole world is witnessing the reclaiming of all territories hitherto held by Boko Haram. “This leaves him on a one-legged platform. Again on the remaining plank; corruption, General Buhari himself got jittery and gave himself another technical knock-out when he said that he will not probe past leaders. With this development,

Buhari has conceded that he has nothing more to offer the good people of this country. “I am puzzled to hear Buhari say that 'whoever has been indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of his swearing-in would be pardoned. According to him, like a village sports man, he will draw a line, anybody who involves himself in corruption after he assumes office on May 29, 2015, will face the music, while no matter how corrupt a person has been before then, he or she would be asked to go and sin no more. “One wonders if the man, Buhari knows what the law says about corruption. Will General Muhammadu Buhari's proclamation take the effect of law? “The declaration of Buhari clearly shows that he and his co-travellers in APC are bare-face liars, hypocrites, dishonest, insincere and lack integrity simply because they want power and are bent on pursuing to psychotic level."

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

MAKURDI Suswam laments deaths of commissioners

N EWS I N BRIEF

Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, on Friday regretted that he had already buried too many commissioners and prayed God not to allow him face such temptation again. The governor stated this at Tse-Chia in Buruku, Buruku Local Government Area of the state when the state Commissioner for Rural Development and Cooperative, Mr. Aondowase Chia, who died last week, was buried. Chia had on Thursday last week slumped and later died at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, while the governor was on a trip abroad. Suswam said: “I’ve buried too many commissioners; I am very uncomfortable and I completely align myself with what His Royal Majesty earlier said that we must all go back to God.”

124.8m

The total number of active mobile (GSM) lines of Nigeria in December 2013. Source: Ncc.gov.ng

YENAGOA Bayelsa pledges to complete ongoing projects

Despite the dwindling economy and low allocations from the Federation Account to the state, the Bayelsa State Government yesterday said it would not relent in its effort to complete ongoing projects across the state. Speaking to journalists during his weekly routine tour of projects in the state, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ewhrudjkpor Lawrence, said the state government had decided to carry out regular monitoring to maintain standard and quality.

ASABA NPC hails SEEFOR on 6,000 job creation

The National Planning Commission (NPC) yesterday hailed Delta State Government for capturing the objectives of the state Employment and Expenditure for Result Project (SEEFOR) by creating jobs for over 6,000 youths. The commission said the feat had helped the Federal Government in its crusade against criminality and insurgency, and war against poverty and unemployment. Minister of National Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman, who chaired the validation workshop on the Informal Sector and Economic Development of the four states under SEEFOR, in Asaba, said Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had by so doing, not only propelled economic growth and development of the state but Nigeria at large.

The density (population/surface area) of Africa in 2012. Source: Un.org

430

The total area (in sq. km) of Turks and Caicos Islands. Source: Worldfactsandfigures.com

Nigeria’s external reserve drops by $3bn

ollowing the crisis accompanying the sharp drop of crude oil price in the international oil market, Nigeria's external reserve has plummeted further to the tune of $3 billion. This signifies 9.04 per cent drop in March compared to a month earlier, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed yesterday. The reserves dropped to $30.87 billion by March 4, from $33.94 billion in February 4. The CBN had been using the reserves to support the ailing naira, which has been hammered by the falling global oil prices and uncertainty over the delayed presidential election now fixed for March 28. The year begins with gross reserves of $34.49 billion as of January 4 but now within three months, the reserves dropped to $30.87 billion as of March 4. Analysts at BGL Plc had in January said the country’s external reserves

might drop below $30 billion by the end of the second quarter of this year if the oil price fell below $65 per barrel, while on Monday, the Brent crude oil price closed at $59.88 per barrel. The BGL analysts, in their economic report detailing the outlook for 2015, had stated that the unfolding oil price scenario and the consequent exchange rate depreciation would further put pressure on the external reserves over the next few months. In recent times, CBN is taking various steps to curb the fall in naira and safeguard the reserves. The CBN suspended its forex auction windows – the retail Dutch Auction System (DAS) and wholesale Dutch Auction System (w DAS) last week due to the drops in the reserves and oil price at the international markets, the action commended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its Article IV report released last week.

JTF arrests 25 oil thieves in Delta Chris Ejim Yenagoa

T Enugu State PDP governorship candidate, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (middle) pushing a wheelbarrow, during his campaign visit to the Gariki Market, Awkunanaw, Enugu… yesterday. With him is his running mate, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo (right) and other party chieftains…yesterday

We haven’t endorsed any presidential candidate —YCE REFUTAL

A South-West group has denied endorsing candidates for the forthcoming elections. Sola Adeyemo and Adeolu Adeyemo

Ibadan/Osogbo

he Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has stressed that it has never at any forum endorsed any candidate either for the presidential, governor or senatorial seats as erroneously held in some quarters. Instead, the group reiterated that it will continue to stand on its neutral position. The clarification by YCE came on a day the Synod of Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Ilesa, Osun State, called on Nigerians to pray for peaceful conduct of the forthcoming elections, warning that politics

l Methodist Church seeks peaceful conduct of elections of bitterness would disintegrate the nation. YCE in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting on Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State and chaired by General Yinka Adebayo, said: “YCE has never at any meeting endorsed any candidate be it at senatorial, governorship or presidential level. We are a neutral organisation without any political lineage.” Addressing journalists after the meeting, secretary of the group, Prof. Olateju, said: “We had emphasised that we want a free and fair election. Violence of any sort should be avoided. Use of abusive words is done away with because it heats up the polity. Let the people go to the polls with free minds and vote for candidates of their choice. “We oppose the state of violence going on among political parties. Yoruba people had gone into war before and so we don't want

it again. We go against situations where people were being killed like goats. All these should stop and that is the message of the YCE to all Nigerians,” Olateju said. The clarification came against the backdrop that Adebayo had attended the February 26 post- national conference summit convened by the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, for the Yoruba leaders, thereby signifying that such contradicted the group’s position. Speaking further, Olateju said: “Our President attended the summit on invitation as an elder of Yorubaland. It was on the basis of this that he was at the summit. He only advocated peace in the election, but never associated with the group in its endorsement of President Jonathan. He is a father of all. As a man of peace and a Yoruba elder, he was there

for peace to reign. He even prayed for them.” On alleged plan to postpone the general elections, the YCE said: “It will even be difficult to do again because the constitution says six weeks must be left before the swearing in. It remains only seven weeks now and so it cannot be postponed again if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would not go against the constitution.” Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Ilesa Archdiocese, Most Rev. C. Oderinde, who made the call on behalf of the Synod in a communiqué made available to journalists in Osogbo, said with prayer, the country democracy would witness advancement. He said: “We must also pray for God’s intervention and guidance to enable the nation to do well in terms of insecurity, the downward trend in the prices of crude oil and unemployment."

he Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has arrested 25 suspects in six illegal distillery camps, who were carrying out illegal oil bunkering and oil theft along the sector one axis comprising Ondo, Delta and Edo states. The suspects were arrested at an illegal oil bunkering site at Egbokodo, Beneath Island and Otegele in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, where oil thieves operates with 23 pumping machines and 19 cooking pots. Other equipment are 48 Cotonou boats, 50 surface tanks and 10 dug out pits filled with stolen crude oil and illegally acquired Automated Gas Oil (AGO). Also

discovered are 22 pieces of 2000 liters capacity plastic tanks and 162,200 litres capacity drums all filled with substance suspected to be stolen crude. The site and the materials were destroyed and the suspects taken into custody by the JTF for further action. In a statement issued in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State yesterday by the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lt. Col. Ado Isa, JTF said the troops also arrested one Mr. James Ogbe, for attempting to bribe troops with undisclosed sum of money in order to secure the release of illegal bunkering trucks earlier impoundedby the JTF along Eminye Road, Oleh and Agbakoro in Isoko South and Ughelli north local government areas of Delta State.

NSCDC, others kick against election violence Olushola Ricketts

ollowing the aftermath of the 2011 general elections, Real Strikers Security Services Limited (RSSSL) in conjunction with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN), have concluded plans to ensure that the forthcoming elections will not bring about violence. Speaking to journalists at a press briefing to unveil plan for a nationwide awareness campaign and seminar this month, Managing Director of RSSL, Dr.

Joseph Ameh, said it was high time to value lives and property of Nigeria citizens. Ameh said failure of the political class to provide leadership or legitimate intervention had turned various interest groups in the country to become negatively oriented and radicalised. “Security remains a major threat not only to national and socio-economic development but in particular to our political terrain and immediate communities. In view of this, we have called for this seminar and public awareness campaign to avoid all forms of security threats targeted at the general elections,” he said.

14 MARCH 2015

LASU to sanction culprits of PhD certificate scam Kayode Olanrewaju

agos State University (LASU) Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John Obafunwa, has said all those involved in one way or the other in the PhD certificate scam, would not be spared the wrath of the university. He said when the report of the panel investigating the scam was submitted to the university’s Senate, it would be implemented to the letter. The vice-chancellor, who insisted that the university could not award certificates in programmes it didn’t run and could not give what it did not have, said the PhD certificates were withdrawn and to be re-awarded. “I will not be party to sweeping the matter under

the carpet. People must be held responsible for their action. People must be ready to be accountable for their action,” he said. Obafunwa, who spoke during an interactive session with journalists, also debunked allegations by a section of the university that the management was sponsoring another faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the institution. While explaining how the pro tem chairman of a splinter faction of the union wrote the university management that they no longer recognised the leadership of the union, the vice-chancellor noted that the management only wrote back demanding those that were involved, when and where the action was taken.

Supreme Court upholds Wada’s election Tunde Oyesina

T Abuja

he Supreme Court yesterday again in a unanimous decision upheld the election that brought in the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State in the December 3, 2011, governorship election. The apex court, however, dismissed a suit filed by the governorship candidate of the now defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the state, James Ocholi (SAN), seeking an order sacking Wada. Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Kudirat KekereEkun, held that the appeal by Ocholi lacked merit. Ocholi had instituted the suit asking for Wada’s removal on the ground that he (Wada) was not qualified to participate in

the December 3, 2011 governorship election since he (Wada) was not a candidate for the election earlier scheduled to hold on April 26 of the same year. He had contended that the election earlier scheduled for April 26, 2011, was not cancelled but only postponed to December 3, 2011, on the account of a court order. The full panel of the court headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, affirmed the concurrent judgments of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court in Lokoja, which had both dismissed the appellant’s case. The court noted that the Federal High Court, Lokoja, had in its judgement delivered on July 10, 2013, rightly dismissed Ocholi’s suit for lack of jurisdiction.

INEC: 12.9m PVCs yet to be collected Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

ith less than two weeks to the presidential and National Assembly elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said a total of 12, 929,204 Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) were yet to be distributed. Information released yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, said the commission had so far distributed a total of 55,904,272 or 81.22 per cent out of 68,833476 PVCs produced. INEC had recently extended the deadline for the collection of PVCs by registered voters by two

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

weeks; collection and distribution of the cards would now end on March 22, about six days to the election. Zamfara State still maintained the lead with a total of 1,435,452 or 95.97 per cent PVCs distributed, followed by Jigawa State with 1,756,320 or 95.91 per cent. Ogun State occupies the last position with only 904,647 or 49.45 per cent out of its 1,829,534 registered voters. The state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, on Thursday decried the poor distribution of the PVCs in the state and said the government was considering declaring a public holiday to enable workers to collect their PVCs.

MAKURDI Benue APC condemns Adikpo killings

NEWS IN BRIE F

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State yesterday condemned the killing of two residents of Adikpo town in Kwande Local Government Area of the state by some gunmen on Wednesday. The party in a statement by the Media Director of the campaign organisation, Mr. Tahav Agerzua, described the act as unwarranted, senseless, reprehensible and unacceptable to all people who wish the state well. It said whoever carried out the heinous act had no justification whatsoever since human life was sacred and no one had the right to unlawfully take it on any account.

IBADAN Youth groups denounce endorsement of Jonathan

Some Yoruba youths of different groups from the South-West, yesterday converged at Ibadan, Oyo State capital, where they condemned the recent Akure youth endorsement of the second term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan by some youths in Ondo State, saying it was not truly representative of them. The youth in their hundreds, operating under the aegis of the South West Youth Stakeholders Forum led by Babalola Ayodeji, yesterday stormed the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) office, saying those supporting the president did not represent them and the majority of people in the zone.

IKEJA Servipower holds distributors’ conference in UK

A firm, Servipower Company Limited, which is the Perkins authorised distributor of spare parts and service since 2005 in Nigeria recently held distributors’ conference in the United Kingdom. The conference, according to the Head of Engineering of Servipower, Mr. Pius Akpete, is to acquaint distributors of the innovative techniques, which the company has introduced to boost customers’ confidence. Akpete, who represented Servipower at the conference alongside the Managing Director, Mr. J. R. Schaer, both highlighted the roles played by the company in meeting customers’ satisfaction. The forum is an annual event organised by Perkins to meet her distributors worldwide.

0.2%

€62m

2.49m

The annual population growth rate of Western Europe in 2010-2015. Source: Un.org

The estimated transfer cost of Francesc Fabregas of Chelsea FC in 2015. Source: Finance.yahoo.com

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of Algeria in 2004. Source: Itu.int

PDP calls for disbandment of Okorocha’s militia groups BAN

The ruling party in Imo State has called for the ban of militia groups in the state. Steve Uzoechi and Gabriel Choba

OWERRI/Ughelli

he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has accused the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, of grooming militia groups in the guise of paramilitary security outfits, for election purposes. The state Chairman of the party, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie, who fielded questions from journalists, also called for the disbandment of all groups created and funded by the state government. He said: “These militia groups and illegal security agencies of intimidation

l We are delivering Delta votes to Jonathan –UN envoy and harassment were brazenly deployed by Governor Rochas Okorocha to make March 11, a black Wednesday in Owerri, unlike the case in 2011 when the leadership of the Catholic Church in the state had invited the governorship candidates of various parties to a debate.” Declaring the violence that erupted at Wednesday’s governorship debate as a test run by Okorocha of what he intends to showcase in the forthcoming election, Anyaehie said: “The PDP is compelled to imagine what will happen at the forthcoming general elections in the state if a mere governorship debate organised by a church could spark off such level of mayhem unleashed by APC thugs on unsuspecting residents of Owerri.” He urged relevant agencies to decisively intervene in the matter, saying,

“Okorocha has left no one in doubt that he has prepared for war and not election.” Listing such groups as Imo Security Network, Imo Vigilante Group, Imo Security Guard, Imo Watch and many more, he warned that the PDP would resist further attempts by APC thugs and agents to harass, intimidate, maim or kill PDP members. Anyaehie, therefore, urged relevant security agencies to quickly disband the illegal outfits and militia groups before the state was plunged into anarchy ahead of the general elections. Meanwhile, a United Nations Ambassador on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Ambassador Karo Ekewenu, has said stakeholders in Delta State are doing everything possible to deliver the votes in the state to President Goodluck Jonathan on March 28.

Ekewenu said this yesterday at his country home in Ugono-Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area, when he was hosted by the people of the community and the leadership of the PDP in the area. He said the re-election of President Jonathan was imperative to allow him (President) consolidate on his laudable achievements. The PDP chieftain, who has financed the mobilisation of one-million-match for President Jonathan, at Ughelli, also urged the people of the state to cast their votes for the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, on April 11. Ekewenu said President Jonathan had performed very well while the Transformation Agenda had impacted positively on the lives of Nigerians.

Some recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) discovered by troops from a bomb-making factory in Buni Yadi Local Government Area of Yobe State …yesterday photo: defence headquarters

SATURDAY

Voices When last did you write a love letter? p.12

Street Diary SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2015

Three die, 22 shops razed in Mile 12 Market fire disaster

Camillus Nnaji hree persons died while no fewer than 22 shops were razed down in the fire outbreak that engulfed a section of the Mile 12 Market along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, in the early hours of Friday. The inferno, which started around 4:30am, according to eyewitnesses, also burnt a car and five buses before it was put out around 8:30am by men of the Lagos State Fire Service. Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency were also at the scene to provide the necessary assistance. The Director of the fire service, Mr. Razaq Fadipe, said but for the swift arrival of his men, the fire would have caused more damage. Fadipe, who confirmed the death of three persons, said that the fire erupted from an illegal petroleum products depot in the market. He said: “Some people are carrying out illegal oil bunkering in the market, involv-

A scene of a fire incident where two people died and many injured at Mile 12, Lagos…yesterday. PHOTOS: TONY EGUAYE

ing over four storage tanks, over 100 metal drums stored with Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and kerosene. “Three persons lost their lives in the inferno, 22 shops were razed down while one car and four commercial buses were also burnt.

are you the one we are looking for? A fast-growing newspaper needs the services of the following: 1. Online Editor 2. Production Editors 3. Head, Supplement 4. Business Development Executives – South East, South South and North West ONliNE EDitOr: Candidate for this post must have at least a first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and 10 years’ post-qualification experience, four of which must be in the online department of a reputable newspaper. The candidate must have good writing and editing skills, news judgment and be Internet savvy. He must be able to generate content for the web edition of the newspaper. PrODuctiON EDitOrS: Candidates for the post must have at least first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and 10 years’ post-qualification experience, four of which must be in a similar position. In addition, the candidates should have strong computer skill and an eye for details. They should be able to drive the production process in such an efficient manner to ensure that the production deadline is timely met. HEaD, SuPPlEmENt: Candidate for the post must have at least first degree in Mass Communication, Social Sciences or Arts and seven years’ post-qualification experience. He/she must have strong editorial background with good writing skills. He must have proven track record in supplements and event execution and must be able to conceive and execute revenue-generating ideas. Business Development Executives in: i. South East ii. South South iii. North West Candidates for the post must possess a minimum of HND/BSC in Mass Communication, Marketing or Social Sciences with at least 3 years’ post qualification experience in similar position. He/She must have very strong communication skill and must be able to meet required sales target. Such candidates are also expected to reside in zones applied for. interested candidates should direct their applications to tHE HEaD, aDmiNiStratiON, DailY tElEGraPH PuBliSHiNG cOmPaNY limitED, 1, aJimOBi StrEEt, OFF acmE rOaD, aGiDiNGBi, iKEJa, laGOS or newjobstoday2015@gmail.com. The applications should reach the company within one-week of the publication of these vacancies.

Fadipe regretted that his men from Ilupeju fire service station had arrived early enough to put out the fire but were prevented by miscreants who wanted to use the opportunity to loot people’s properties.

“Our men from Ilupeju were attacked by miscreants and their vehicles smashed. We had to reinforce from Ikeja and Alausa divisions to carry out our operation successfully,” he added. Also, the Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke- Osayintolu, said the fire erupted from the section of the market where petrol and gas were stored. While confirming the three causalities, he added that some motorcycles and trucks were also burnt. Oke-Osayintolu said that further investigations were ongoing to determine the immediate and remote causes of the fire disaster. A trader, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent that it had been long since some unauthorised persons started selling petroleum products at the market. She accused the market and government officials in charge of the market of compromise, saying they knew about the illegal activities but chose to look the other way.

Police arrest bus loaded with ballot boxes in Delta

he police in Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday apprehended a bus loaded with ballot boxes. The ballot boxes numbering over 30, it was gathered, were dropped off by a luxury bus headed to the South-East from the North at Onicha-Ugbo Junction. According to a source, the luxury bus had zoomed off before the people in the area could draw attention of the police to the incident, adding that the driver of a smaller bus with number plate Edo USL 832 XL, that came to pick the boxes at the junction was arrested while his vehicle was impounded by the police. The source, who did not want his name in the print, said the boxes had the picture of one of the major political parties’ presidential candidate and his running mate on them. Two months ago, the Oyo State Police Command had announced that a lorry conveying ballot boxes was found in the Yemetu area of Ibadan. The ballot boxes, which were later discovered to belong to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were stored in a 40-feet container. It was gathered that the trailer was arrested on the suspicion that it was carrying contraband items but was later discovered that its contents were ballot boxes meant for elections. The trailer and the consignment were later released after police investigation revealed that the boxes were being transported to Osun State by INEC, the report stated. It was however learnt that the arrest created political tension as politicians made effort to know if the boxes were empty or stuffed with ballot papers.

A source informed that rumour spread in the city that a certain political party had connived with INEC to bring in thumb-printed ballot papers into Oyo State. Also, just last week, police in Kaduna State arrested a woman believed be involved in the business of selling Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). The arrest was made after a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Leader, Hajiya Hajara Mairiga, in Kabala Ward, Kaduna North Local Government Area, had notified the police when the suspect offered to sell PVCs to her. The PDP women leader said the suspect visited her home on March 2, and asked her if she would like to buy PVCs. She immediately alerted the police who came and apprehended the suspect. Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abubakar Zubairu, said the suspect had been detained for further investigation. “The case with us is that in which the PDP women leader of Kabala Costain is the complainant. What happened is that one woman came to her with PVCs for sale and she raised the alarm and called the police.”

Jega

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 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.

Children play in a pool created by a downpour in Lagos that flooded their home

State creation as bait for South West Dear Editor,

In his desperation, President Jonathan is now throwing the state creation bait to the South West. In his new found love for the region, he promised to create Ibadan State out of the present Oyo State; Oduduwa State out of Osun and the latest being Ijebu State out of Ogun. I’m sure many of our Kabiyesis will see through this deceit, and tell their citizens to ‘go and try their best’ at the polls. Who knows when such a Mana will drop from the Presidency again. If our Kabiyesis were deceived, the people of South West are not. It is only in a military regime that you create states with fiat; not in a democracy. Can Jonathan swear (I’m sure in his desperation, he will) that he can single-handedly create states? Will the North and other regions just sit back while his new bride, the SouthWest gets as much as three or four states? Though some of the states proposed are viable, but most of the states as presently constituted are just struggling to survive. So, who is Jonathan trying to fool? Our obas or the South west voters? While I commend him for putting up a fight (though belated) in the six-week window given to him by the security chiefs, bringing back the Chibok girls would have given his campaign a big boost instead of the pilgrimage to churches, mosques, shrines and palaces of our revered traditional rulers. Many voters’ minds have been made up before now. Whether the polls hold in March, April or December, we will patiently wait to make the CHANGE that we desire. And by the way, kudos to the President for the six-week extension for more people to collect their PVC. They will come handy in making the ultimate CHANGE. Dotun Ola, Lagos.

Dame Patience Jonathan and the ICC Dear Editor, I feel sad to see that politics in Nigeria has always been and still is a do-or-die affair. Therefore, when I read on the pages of newspapers that the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, told people gathered at a PDP rally to stone APC members, I was horrified. As a result of her alleged inciting statement, the APC has threatened to drag the First Lady before the International Criminal Court. As a fellow woman, I would advise the First Lady to keep away from making statements that incite people to political violence so that she would not end up in jail like the wife of Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast. As a mother, the First Lady should abhor violence in all its ramifications so that she can be a true model to all women. Ruth Benedict, Benin.

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Buhari and the Issue of Gay Marriage Dear Editor, Following the recent visit of the APC Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, to the United Kingdom, a member of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode has said that Buhari endorsed gay marriage when he visited the UK and that if he is elected president later this month, he would repeal Nigeria’s anti-gay laws to favour Western pro-gay policies. I can remember that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan refused to succumb to pressure from Western powers to allow gays to marry in Nigeria. Gay marriage is alien to African culture. Therefore, I do hope and pray that Buhari’s supposed close relationship with the UK will not turn him into a Western stooge, particularly to the extent of repealing Nigeria’s anti-gay laws. Buhari must not be a Western puppet if elected president. Sunday Nkemna, Delta.

As Dr Aliyu Danburam bows out of Federal Medical Centre, Yola Dear Editor, The best legacy for which an individual could be remembered is when he has done well and tremendously done his very best for the uplift of the place he was heading. It is within this context, that Dr. Aliyu Danburam, the former Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, can be situated. The Chief Medical Director, has just finished his eight years tenure and has bowed out with his head high because of his superlative performance in the medical centre. Infact, most of the staff are regretting his bowing out as he was a team player, who gave each member of staff the chance to put in his best. When he was appointed as the Chief Medical Director of the centre, there were quite a lot of challenges facing the medical centre. But as an insider, who was the Head of the Clinical Service of the medical centre before he was appointed, he confronted the challenges head on and in the blink of an eye, he overcame these challenges. Usman Santuraki, Adamawa.

Q uotes of the week

“Someone out there is using my image, footage and everything I have worked for to make money through advert and campaign without seeking my approval. If an advert is being made with my footage and I am not aware of it, it shows how some of my country men back home can be so selfish, disrespectful and have no regard for people’s privacy.” - Blessing Okagbare, African queen of the tracks. “Over time the president has been doing the best he could and now things are happening in a positive way. The insurgents are being taken care of by the president because over these past few years, he has been able to study the situation and be able to get the right equipment. And being a military General myself, I say kudos to him, because you need a man who is very patient, who is very understanding and who is willing to do it right, to be able to survive insurgent warfare.” - Brigadier-General Jones Oladehinde Arogbofa (rtd), President Goodluck Jonathan’s Chief of Staff (COS). ‘If you expect President Goodluck Jonathan to go barking around like a military dictator then I can assure you that you will be disappointed. He has a consensual style and if you watch him closely you will realise that he wants to carry people along. He is a true democrat at heart.’ - Atedo Peterside. ‘Those managing the president are not doing a good job. They should manage him in such a way that he talks less, and whenever he comes out to talk; he should talk coherently and consistently. We have never had it this bad in terms of election management.’ - Bankole Kayode, a Lagos-based Lawyer. “From what can be gathered through informed sources, the PDP and Jonathan Presidency had recently tried to fracture the APC by offering Tinubu the position of Vice President in an interim government if he would agree to part company with the popular Buhari. Once Tinubu rebuffed the offer to participate in the interim scheme, the presidency decided to change tactics. It would no longer try to entice Tinubu with sugar but would now move to silence and if necessary neutralise him.’ - Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. ‘In Ijebu here, it is not possible for any Oba, not even only in Ijebu, in Yorubaland, to go out and say vote for this, vote for that; that person is looking for trouble.’ - Oba Sikiru Adetona, Awujale of Ijebuland. ‘In our earlier statement on the isue, we gave President Jonathan the benefit of the doubt by asking him to clarify what happened, just as the Moroccan King has done. Instead, a loquacious spokesman for the President decided to abuse us instead of addressing the issues. That tells us that, indeed, these people have something to hide over the phoney phone conversation.’ - Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

SATURDAY

Voices SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2015

When last did you write a love letter? I didn’t but got greeting cards with poems from my husband

It's no longer in vogue

I cannot remember writing a love letter for once while I was dating back then because the way you propose to a lady you like is not the same as it is now. Civilisation has taken over every issue of life now that even a teenager will tell the opposite sex his or her intention without any fear.

– Douglas Eja, businessman

I did when it was trending Yes I did because it was in vogue then. Using it to express your feeling to him/ her in writing and the fellow replies you the same way too after which you both come together and open up to each other. But now the reverse is the case all because of technology. – Angel Ogunlana, businesswoman

Can't remember doing it

I cannot remember. It was 'mouth talk' during my university days. But bbm and whatsapp and cinema, toasting are what is in vogue now as well as Shoprite hangout.

– Damilare Quadri, banker

My husband wrote it to me I have never written one before except for my husband who did write to me when he was trying to win my attention. But I don't know if they still do such now because of civilisation.

– Aransiola Wuraola, civil servant

I did almost a decade ago

If I remember very well, I did it about 10 years ago. Then we were teenagers and hardly had the courage to talk to a girl but now things have changed. – Adejumo Elijah

I didn't write love letter at any point in time but I was given greeting cards with love poems and gifts which signified love from my hubby during our courtship. But those are no more in vogue now since the advent of phone (GSM) and other social platforms people now use, sms, chat, ping, whatsapp and so on. We are now in a more civilised and technologically-advanced world.

– Mrs. Abiola Shogbala, caterer

My husband and I did write love letters Yes I did back then because my man was sending to me and I felt that was the best way we could have expressed our feelings even though we were sometimes shy to say it whenever we met. But nowadays young people don't really go with love letter writing rather they do it their own best way. – Imoleayo Opeyemi, businesswoman

I did when it was in vogue Yes I wrote love letters while I was still courting my wife then because the trend then was through that medium. But now there are some other ways in vogue like the internet, cinema houses, recreation centres and the likes where you can just take your spouse for fun and from there you both can hook up. But all the same, I think that love letter writing is still in vogue. – Babatunde Kolawole, businessman

I write love letter

almost every week

I still write love letters, I write them almost every week. I am that kind of person who loves to write a lot, so writing love letters is never an outdated thing for me. – Adeoye Opeyemi

compiled by

JOHN EDU and AYILARA DAYO

I did when in secondary school It has been long I did that. If I can still recollect it will be about six years ago because then I was still in secondary school. – Animam Felix

What matters is not the medium but the content It depends on what you believe works for you and if that is the one you have tried and it yielded a positive result fine. Though for me, I can decide to use either the love letter mode or social medium but what matters is not the medium itself but the content of what you write via love letter or social media. – Drex Rasaki, computer engineer

I did during my courtship years ago I last wrote a love letter to my hubby not long through sms which is part of what is in vogue now. But as at when I was still in courtship, it was through writing. You don't start speaking in parable like we do now rather you just hold the bull by the horn and spill out the word like ‘I love you, talk your own.’ – Blessing Mutzok, civil servant

That is outdated

I must confess I can’t even recollect the last time I wrote a love letter. It’s now an outdated thing to me because we have phones to do that without stress. – Adewara Michael

I haven’t written any before I have not written any love letter before because I don't really believe it to be a means of wooing a lady. I prefer face to face communication and that is what is in vogue now even though social media and fun centres are all over the place to help. – Oluwamuyiwa Akinbode, civil servant

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2015

SATURDAY

WeekendDelight 13

C o n v e r s at i o n

Instyle Accessorising with gold-plated bangle bracelets p.16

TV & Radio In the grip of another Telenovela p.34

Love & Living ‘She confessed she dated my husband’ p.35

Hospitality Live your fantasies at Federal Palace Hotel & Casino p.39

Cordelia

Okpei

A true chip off the old block

It’s a tribute to Cordelia Okpei’s grit and creativity that she is able to notch a remarkable following for her programme on Metro FM Lagos despite the stiff competition for the attention of early morning audience. So it’s no surprise then that the presenter has risen to the position of general manager. With a retired broadcaster as father, she is indeed a chip off the old block. Okpei speaks with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA about her career, inspiration, dreams and state of broadcast industry.

etting Cordelia Okpei to sit for this interview was not an easy task. The move began around mid-2014, a period that coincided with her promotion to the post of the general manager. Several attempts made proved futile despite promises. This was understandable as she was apparently then trying to settle into her new office. But sometime last month she finally agreed to a date and time for the interview. So on this Monday morning, I headed for the Radio House

in Ikoyi and to Metro 97.7 FM section where Okpei holds sway. Straight out of the studio where she had just signed off from her popular Metro AM Breakfast programme, we sat in one of the outer rooms and for close to an hour she spoke about life as a broadcaster in that very vivacious manner that has won her many fans. Gingerly one headed back to the office with the interview in the can only to discover days later that there had been some technical glitch with the recorder, which is one of the things every reporter dread most. Utterly distraught, I reached out to Okpei

to explain my dilemma and frustration. To my relief, she took it in her stride, showed an uncommon empathy and committed again to another interview, which held few days later. This time, it went smoothly. ‘‘I am from Delta State, born into a family of six children,” she announced proudly, emphasising her Isoko roots. “I was born into a family where everybody has a voice texture that permits music or broadcasting. But my major influence on the job has been my father who himself is a broadcaster though retired.’’ As a child, Okpei’s world had always revolved around the broadcasting world. Hearing her father’s voice on radio was a regular feature of her childhood and she would sometime accompany him to the studio. She would later develop a flair for the microphone. ‘‘I grew into it as it was natural to me,’’ she said. She started out as a child broadcaster, grew into the profession and over the years rose through the ranks. She might have been a natural talent, but becoming a general manager was no CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Weekend Delight

| Conversation

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 3

walk in the park. She is still learning the rudiments, she concedes, and still keeps on with her beat as a broadcaster which describes as her first love. However, her commitment now is how to elevate her station by meeting the expected target and giving it a dignified spot on the pecking order when it comes to ranking radio stations across the country.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

‘People think I’m a bit complicated’ cause a lot of the private stations don’t even take proper care of their staff with regard to training. That means the next set of presenters and producers would depreciate and that means eventually when it comes to content we may have content, but badly produced content. That implies children would be learning bad English from the radio which was never the case before.

A learning process It’s been fine, eventful and a learning process for me because being the general manager, I am no longer just dealing with a department; I am now dealing with the whole establishment. That means I have to learn how to manage people, manage resources, manage talents and you know that talents are not very easy to manage. They could be something else, especially if it is a talent that lacks discipline. But with this you discover that you have to learn and learn from people who know, and I have been blessed with people who know and who have really helped me to understand management, planning and so on. I have bosses who have given us the free hand to run things to meet our targets, so it has been quite a season of adjustments, especially for a station that is trying to pick itself from the dust back to a place of glory. A makeover for the brand The rebranding kicked off since 2013 and that involved changing a lot of things about Metro FM. There was a major rebranding launch. The phase we are in now is that of brand activation and letting more people know that we have changed and even though we have changed that we are still professionals and we are still focused. Also, we are at the point where we are working on being consistent because at a point in the rebranding we were like a reed shaken by the wind. We were moving from one feedback to the other but now we have learnt over the months. So we are learning to also sieve feedbacks and pick the ones that really work with the brand and with the philosophy of the brand. The all flavour brand We used to bear ‘the beat goes on’ tag line and our plan is to cater for all flavours, which is what now gave birth to the ‘all flavours’ tag line. One of the major music formats that we are working with is adult contemporary music and under it you have a lot of genres, virtually all the flavours are there. So you get to hear different flavours when you are talking about music on Metro. That is what we are working with and that is why we say no matter your flavour we got you covered in Metro 97.7 FM. Delivering on high quality programmes Our mission is to constantly deliver high quality programmes and to be number one in the broadcast industry. Part of our vision is to deliver this consistently. We are hoping that in a very short time we would be able to attain that and remain at that point. Meeting the targets My vision and mission really tally with that of the organisation but as a person my vision is that when you are mentioning good stations you must mention Metro and we are meeting our targets. That is my dream and I have a vision that it definitely will become a reality. Drawing inspiration I just deal with my everyday reality. Most of the times, I am sharing my experiences and sometimes those experi-

Aspiring broadcasters should be talented The major thing I will say is be sure that you have the talent first, don’t just think because you like the job, no. For radio and TV, voice is very important. For radio, you may not be fantastic in appearance but your voice should be. If you have the talent growth will be easy. But if you don’t have the talent you’d keep begging people to be given a chance and when you get the chance you may not be able to keep that chance for long because you don’t have the talent that will make room for you there. So, make sure you learn, at least train yourself if where you are they are not training you where you are. But make sure you attend some trainings, make sure you read, make sure you speak right. Speaking right is different from speaking with an ascent.

Cordelia

I’m not a fashionista. As for designer wears, I could buy if I like it. But I am not crazy about any designer at all

ences are similar to what a lot of people are experiencing in Lagos. So, when I share such things somehow people relate with them. Basically, I will say my inspiration is my environment, my people, what I see. It helps me to be myself, I don’t have to pretend to be what I am not. So it is easier for me to flow from English to pidgin. Enjoy broadcasting I love my job; I could be happy there and I could be happy off it too. I am also happy when I am exploring food, so it is not just the studio. By the grace of the most High God from whom happiness flows I can find happiness in other things. But, yes, I enjoy doing the work, in fact, I love doing the work, it is like freedom, I am free like a bird when I am doing the work. I actually grew up in it since my father, like I said, is a broadcaster though retired. It was something that was natural, natural in that we would follow our father to the studio to edit his programme or to record. So I just thought it was a part of life. I just find it as normal, not natural. My father is my coach and greatest critic He is my coach, he gave me the foundation and when I even came to

Lagos, it wasn’t a case of she was a novice, he is a teacher. He is a professional to the core. You can’t tell my family’s story without my mother. When it comes to this profession, my father is very meticulous and he follows the rules. That is why till date I could finish a programme, especially on network, even if it is in pidgin and if he has the opportunity of listening, he would call me and point out the things I did right and those I didn’t do right. Inspired also by my bosses My dad remains my role model and greatest critic on this job. A lot of the people I worked with in the then Bendel Broadcasting Service and Edo Broadcasting Service were professionals and here in Lagos, people like Boma Kalaiwo, Prince Atilade Atoyebi and Mrs. Ndidi Osaka – my bosses before now. They really inspired me, especially Miss Boma Kalaiwo and Mrs. Ndidi Osaka - those were women who understood the job. They always had my back and they have my back till today. So, those two women are serious role models to me and I appreciate the impact they have made in my professional journey here in Lagos. Worries for broadcasting Broadcasting in Nigeria has grown, not doing badly and a lot of people are making money. But my major challenge in broadcasting now is the fact that a lot of people are cutting corners; people are not very professional anymore, people just come on the air from nowhere. For some stations, as long as the person has an accent fantastic. People talk a lot with accent but speak bad English. Speaking right is different from speaking with an accent. It is a sad thing and people don’t get trained be-

Exploring exotic food I like watching good series, I like music, and I like exploring food, exotic food. I like travelling when I am not afraid of flying. I like cultural events too. I like attending events but not all the time. I prefer events to parties. I like discovering international food. For local food, number one - it must be starch and banga soup (yes, I can cook it). Then I like Afang soup. I don’t like pepper soup, I don’t like things that are very spicy, I can’t stand them. Simple... by no means complicated I am supposed to be very simple, but people think I am a bit complicated because they don’t understand me. I like comfortable things, I like pretty things, I like pretty shoes but comfortable. I am one of those people who believe that nobody should dictate to me what to wear. But you can advice me. Not crazy about designer’s wears I’m not a fashionista. As for designer wears, I could buy if I like it. But I am not crazy about any designer at all. I don’t like seeing myself and someone else wearing the same thing. I hate it right from when I was a child and that is why I don’t wear Aso ebi. I like my fashion to be me, just me. If it fits me at that time good. That is why I try not to do things that are in vogue. I love my dada (dreadlock) My hairdo is dada (dreadlock). I like natural hair, I like it that way, and my scalp is kind of tender. That is why I don’t like people touching my hair. That is why I am wearing my dreads. I have been wearing this now for almost 10 years. I am fulfilled I am fulfilled, I am happy because there are lot of people who have grown under me. I have seen a lot of things come and go, but I have been able to survive a lot of the changes in the environment and in the industry. God has helped me and I am able to surf with the wave. I am happy about that. I am fulfilled. I think I have been able to serve my nation while working here. That is a big fulfillment.

Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

EXQUISITE STYLES AT THE AMVCA A

Angela Davies

Genevieve Nnaji

Rita Dominic

Omoni Oboli

Dakore Akande

Toke Makinwa

Zina Anumudu

lthough, the African Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) was essentially a celebration of movies and purveyors of the art, however the artistes still made resounding fashion statement on the red carpet at the event held at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on March 7. Many female celebrities went the extra mile to look impeccable for the event in various glamorous outfits. In trying to achieve a flawless look on the red carpet, some got heads turning for putting together a charming overall look for the evening, while some were the cynosure of all eyes for the wrong reasons from a style perspective. Nonetheless, celebrities at the AMVCA turned up on the red carpet in styles that range from simple to outlandish. Hence, some of the styles that were rocked at the event include - but not limited to - different styles of capes, thigh-high slits, floor length and sheer outfit designed by both renowned Nigerian and international designers to make distinct fashion statements. They also accessorised their outfits accordingly to suit their personal style as well as the outfit. Many of these celebrities wore subtle makeup and spotted beautiful hairstyles that enhanced their facial structure and outfit. Here are some of the celebrities that turned heads on the red carpet and at the event.

Busola Dakolo

Mercy Johnson-Okojie

Funke Akindele

Monalisa Chinda

Lanre Da Silva Ajayi

Joke Silva

Grace Amah

Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Accessories to live for

Accessorising with gold-plated bangle bracelets Gold-plated bangle bracelets are trendy and versatile pieces of jewellery that could be worn with just any kind of outfit for that elegant look, writes ANGELA DAVIES.

angle bracelets are timeless accessories that women could wear on a daily basis. However, many women opt for gold-plated bangle bracelets for special occasions. Many of these bangle bracelets are striking and hence, can be used to accessorise almost any kind of outfits. Although they can be worn with

different outfits, you may consider a gold-plated bangle bracelets style mixed with studs, different colours of beautiful stones or even sophisticated designs to add some accent to your wrist for that evening outing. For an informal event or daily wear, there are lots of simple but beautiful designs you can choose from to accessories your outfit with.

The size, shape and design of goldplated bangle you opt for depends on the event and fashion statement you want to make. But remember that whatever style you choose to accessorise with, it will definitely add some oomph to your wrist and look. So allow your striking gold-plated bangle bracelet do the talking.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

MY STYLE

Edgy and experimental Never one to be inhibited, Oyinye Agu dresses to express how she feels in different styles of outfits. ANGELA DAVIES writes. How would you define your style? My style is edgy. It is about a woman who is not afraid to express herself with what she wears. My style is also direct, if I want to dress laidback, it is laidback all the way and if it is sexy and edgy, it will be all the way as well. What determines the kind of outfit you wear? It depends on how I feel, how I want to express myself and a bit of the event I am attending as well. But it is mostly about how I feel. Which outfits take up the most space in your wardrobe? It is dresses. I have different kind of dresses. Is there any outfit you're unlikely to be caught wearing? I think it is boubou. I am tall and huge so I feel it will make me look bigger. What is that fashion item you cannot do without? It will be an amazing pair of shoes. Can you recall the most expensive fashion piece you have ever bought? It is a bag. What fashion rule do you live by? Life is too boring for ugly clothes. Best designer Internationally, I will say Gucci

Beauty T

he negative space nail art allows your unpolished nails peep through bold polish just like the cut-out dress. No matter the design you opt for, it must subtly flaunt your natural nails. Unlike French manicure, negative space design does not require a base colour. It looks fantastic in any colour and can be done in any pattern of your choice. From complex cut-outs to simple half moon, heart, strip pattern to glittery accents, the choice is endless and it involves the same procedure. Negative space nail art designs look great on both short and long nails. The easiest way to get negative space nail art done is to use striping tape. You can also paint your whole fingernails and then wipe out some areas with a brush soaked in acetone. The look is colourful and easy to do at home. But if you desire a more intricate design, then, you will need to visit the beauty salon for a professional touch. The design and colours you want to use depends solely on you. Just ensure, whatever design you opt for, it is beautiful and proud enough to flaunt. The negative space nail art are incredibly versatile nail design that suits any age and style. Sophisticated and sleek, negative-space nail art is just the update your basic manicure needs.

and in Nigeria it is Toju Foyeh. Her designs are edgy, contemporary and for today’s woman. Best colour I don’t have a best colour. I love mixing and matching colours. Signature perfume For now, I will say it is Amouage. The fragrance is very nice. If you were to be a fashion item, what would you want to be? I will be an amazing purse. What kinds of shoes hold a special appeal for you? I love shoes that are not less than four inches high. I love edgy kind of deep colour shoes. How do you like your makeup? I like it very subtle. How do you like your hair? I do everything with my hair. I could wear green, red and even black hair. I just play with my hair. Do you have a fashion role model? I like Victoria Beckham; her style is amazing. In Nigeria, I will probably go with Genevieve Nnaji because she is classy. What kind of jewellery appeals to you? For me, I like my earrings very tiny and neck pieces elaborate. I love outstanding neckpieces.

Negative space nail art

Instyle

Facts Davida Okpara, creative director of Davida Shirtmakers, is a law graduate who started making classy and trendy shirts in 1998. Davida’s mother bought her an electronic sewing machine in her first year at the Rivers State University of Science, stoking what would later blossom into a commercial venture.

Louis Vuitton is most famous for its printed products, which features the initials LV.

Shoes all over the world were identical until the 19th century, when left and rightfooted shoes were first made in Philadelphia.

Salvatore Ferragamo invented the wedge shoe out of necessity in the 1940s. Due to the economic sanctions against Italy, Ferragamo could no longer purchase steel for his traditional heels.

Instyle | Frontrow

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

BANKE MESHIDA LAWAL

'Being Patience Jonathan's makeup artist was humbling' Banke Meshida Lawal gained prominence with her makeup artistry during her undergraduate days at the University of Lagos. She would decorate her face nicely and friends always rush to her to give their faces a similar makeover. Lawal boasts a clientele that reads like the high society's who's who from the late Mariam Babaginda to the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the likes of Halima Abubakar, Abimbola Fashola and Oluremi Tinubu. She speaks with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS about nurturing her craft and managing the intimidating presence of society's most powerful women. In the beginning As a child, in the primary school, I took art lessons. I have always enjoyed drawing and painting. I see makeup as an extension of fine arts because it is also about mixing colours, sketching and creating designs. I would also say that my parents encouraged the artistic elements in me one way or the other. But I actually wanted to be a diplomat. I used to dream of travelling around the world. For me, makeup came about by chance. I always found myself doing it in the university, so it became natural to make a business out of it. I would wear makeup and people will ask me to help them out. I did that for strangers and friends without hesitation. So, after graduation, I got too busy and booked for makeup jobs. It then became the next thing to do. I enjoy makeup and everything that has to do with beauty.

Creativity in the blood I grew up in Ife. I had fun while growing up and my parents were liberal. They allowed us to do things we wanted to do, but they also instilled values, hard work and discipline. They made us to realise that we cannot always get all what we want in life. We are six children and we have musician, motivational speaker, lawyer and banker. Though my siblings are all artistic, some of them do mainstream jobs. I think we took those traits from our parents who are also artistic. Though my father is an engineer, he plays the violin well. He went further to teach us all how to play the violin and classic music enriches the mind and develops the brain. Coming from such a background helped me to be where I am today. We relocated to Lagos when I was in my primary school. I went to Queens College in Yaba, Lagos, for my secondary education and later proceeded to the University of Lagos.

Life as an undergraduate I would say I have been blessed to do things I enjoyed. I enjoyed reading, so I studied English at the University of Lagos. Since most of my courses were about reading novels and appreciating them at the end of the semester, all I did was to read my works at the right time. So, the fact that I was always helping people to do makeup didn’t affect my studies. The creation of BMpro When I thought of starting my company, BMpro, the truth is that I just wanted to do makeup; I wasn’t thinking of anything. So there were many things I didn’t do at the beginning. I just wanted to make people beautiful when I started the whole thing. I didn’t even think makeup will get to the level it is now. I am very happy with the way

Instyle | Frontrow

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

the industry has grown and I keep striving to give quality. I hear mediocre works but I know that they exist in all industries. So, it is left for you to continue to create and upgrade what you do. My brand is not for the elite alone; that misconception is because people feel that when something is quality, it has to be expensive. And this is because we are used to having poor services around us. You will be surprised that what we charge is as same as or lower than what others charge. But I don’t pay attention to things like that; I just want to position BMpro as the reliable and consistent brand. BMpro means Banke Meshida Professional. I was not in marriage when I started the company, I didn’t want a name that will be hard for people to pronounce or remember. At BMpro, we have a makeup line; we do makeup for occasions, we have a training school and we do advisory too. We also recently introduced an online magazine to showcase what we do and our clients. I have worked with a lot of beautiful women, so it is just a way of showing the world what I am doing and what these women are doing too. I would only rest the moment 10 out of every 13 women have BMpro makeup. Dining with the powerful and mighty When President Goodluck Jonathan came into power in 2011, my studio in Abuja was contacted to do makeup for the First Lady, Patience Jonathan. Though I was not around, my staff members stood in until I returned. I later worked with her for a while and the experience was quite humbling because I met people who were from different backgrounds. Despite all the odds and protocols, you must do a good job. Working with her was a teaching experience as well because I learnt a lot about protocols and all sorts. The First Lady was very simple to deal with; the people around her were often the problem. You know she is the First Lady, so there has to be a lot of drama. You either play by the rules or get out. I learnt that when you strike a deal you must have a good rapport with some certain people to make your job easy. I don’t do makeup for her again. Nothing really went wrong actually; she was too busy and I couldn’t always be available. And like I said, they are always people around them who offer solution to things. I wasn’t new to the experience, though. Prior to that job, I had worked with Mariam Babaginda and Mrs. Titi Atiku. The first job I did that humbled me was the wedding of Halima Atiku Abubakar. I cannot remember the year, but they were in power then too. After the traditional rite in Yola we went to Abuja (Aso Rock) and the entire protocol was amasing. There were many people who wanted to go, but I was among the few that made it into the private jet because I was taking care of the bride. It was a good experience; I travelled a lot during my early days on the job. It also prepared me to run my business today. I still work with many personalities, including Dakore Akande, Lola Omotayo Okoye, Anita Okoye, Oluremi Tinubu, Dame Fashola, Bolaji Balogun, Ara among others. Challenging times Except when I had administrative issues, I don’t think there was a time I wished I had done another profession. The makeup industry in Nigeria today is one to reckon with. The business terrain in Nigeria could be tough, but we have been able to create a makeup industry. You have management problems, rent, electricity supply, etc which are unstable. You would be using a property and the next thing is for the owner to increase the cost without justification. The ability to just switch off has helped me. It is something I had to learn how to do. If I cannot fix something at a particular time, I would just give myself a break and take that thing off my mind. If I have my way now I would love to work in a company before starting a business. I lacked some skills that I had to learn in a hard way. On the job too I have ugly tales. There was a time

my makeup fell or broke and there was a stampede. Also, there was a time I travelled to do makeup and materials didn’t leave Lagos. The airline didn’t carry them, so I had to hurriedly go shopping because I couldn’t let my client knew what had happened. When I was supposed to be dressing up I headed to the mall. All these things destabilise and provoke a makeup artist.

you. Makeup has more to do with confidence too and one should be careful of hypocrites. I, however, admire the tenacity and invention of some of the younger ones; they have decided that they are joining the industry to leave a mark. A lot of my students are doing well too and I feel so happy when I see the work of their hands.

Staff and its headache I have more apprentices than staff because they go and come. I don’t disturb myself about that because if a staff member leaves, I would still do makeup. I see myself as the livewire of what I do, though I have been able to build a fantastic team that I am proud of. I have people who share my vision and ready to help position BMpro to greater heights. So, when some people tell me they love to go, I don’t hold anything against them. The only thing I always tell my staff is that if anyone has to leave it should be on a good note. The major problem with staff turnover is that some will either steal or leave due to dishonesty. Some of them end their careers the moment they leave, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Even if I decide not to do the job again, I have a team that can run things.

Makeup unnecessary for men I only encourage my husband to look polish and tidy; men shouldn’t waste much time on makeup. He uses the right moisturiser and facial wash. But it also depends on the kind of work the man does. If your work has a lot to do with appearance, you might want to go extra miles.

Makeup could either make or mar you Though my brand was still running, I was away two years ago in the United States of America due to family needs and health issues. But suddenly, I started seeing some unpleasant makeup that was gaining ground. People were beginning to accept it. I said this is an industry I and some people worked hard to create and I couldn’t just stay back and allow things to go wrong. You should wear makeup; it shouldn’t wear you. I feel bad when clients say their husbands don’t allow them to wear makeup. But I can actually understand where such man is coming from. Some people wear makeup and you wonder why they look in such a way. I shouldn’t enter a room and the first thing I see is your makeup. Your makeup should compliment you and be a final version of you, not the other way. So, I did my best to make sure that things were normalised by letting people to know how makeup should be. I shouldn’t touch your face and my fingers will form holes on your foundation. Your makeup can actually make you look horrible or beautiful. When it is nicely done, you will also know by the comment you get from people around

My brand is not for the elite alone; that misconception is because people feel that when something is quality, it has to be expensive

Keeping family, job together There are some days I spend entirely with my six years old and 20 months daughters. I don’t work on Mondays, though few cases I do. My man is an epitome of husband; I met him in the university. He is so supportive of my dream and encourages me too. When I don’t get home early he takes care of our kids. One of the high points of my life was getting married to him. Watching my children grow too makes me happy. I am happy when my baby says something new to me or sings a song.

Between marriage and makeup You cannot tell me to choose; I enjoy what I do and my life doesn’t revolve around my husband alone. If I leave my job what would I do? We would probably irritate one another and he would ask me to go back. In this case, however, I would choose my husband but I might be dying inside. I had done some crazy things for love. When we were dating I always spent every single day of the week in his house. I resumed and closed there, Monday to Sunday, Love for fashion Fashion is what you do to project a good exterior of yourself. I like being comfortable and stylish. I go as far as working with fashion advisers and stylists to help me out because I know I might not be able to put together a good outlook, especially when I have events. But on a normal day, I like to wear black dresses a lot because I feel comfortable with them. I cannot do without my music too. Counsel for the up and coming Emerging and young makeup artists should focus on the arm of makeup they want to do and do it well. They shouldn’t try to be someone else because they can never be another.

Society

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Elpis Megalio store opens in Lagos

Angela Davies awyer turned fashion designer, Olufunke Afolabi, on Sunday, March 8, was elated to receive guests, family members and friends at the formal opening of her store, Elpis Megalio located within Lekki Phase One, Lagos. Elpis Megalio, a Grecian name, means hope and greatness combines arts and fashion which Afolabi is passionate about. The store and furniture all tell a Grecian fairytale of her world of hopes and dreams. Afolabi noted that the furniture pieces, layout and decoration gave her the chance to express her creativity to the maximum. “I was lucky enough to work on a real life 3D scale. The store is simply a reflection of my world travels and an insight into my personality.” According to her, “I had a charity fashion show years back where celebrities like Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and a couple of others walked the runway to raise fund. After that I had to go to law school so I stopped designing. In 2012 after law school, I designed some prints and I had to look for where to have it made. However, I didn’t open my store as I have been researching for a while. Elpis Megalio outfits are unique in the sense that when you walk into the store and pick your size, it fits perfectly. Also, the kinds of prints we use are not prints you will see everywhere. It is quality and unique to us alone.” Speaking of what inspires her designs; Afo- A customer admiring an outfit. Inset: The cosmetic section of the store labi says, “I travel a lot so I get inspiration from different places and people I have met. I see Elpis Megalio store having branches all over the world meeting the needs of people and helping other brands grow along with us before five years.” She added that Elpis Megalio online store will launch in a few weeks and they will be doing nationwide delivery before attempting international delivery. Every business has its challenges and Afolabi said she faced the challenges of hiring good staff and had to contend with unsteady power supply. Those challenges did not however dampen her optimism. “If other big brands can keep up, we can as well.” The fashion pieces are mainly Grecian L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Yanga Beauty.com, Jennifer Lisa Uloko; Store style and designed with quality print fabManager, Elpis Megalio, Ayo Kuton; Tobi Balogun, Chief Executive Officer, Elpis ric. The store also has an in-house beauty Megalio, Funke Afolabi; Chief Executive Officer, Kieva-Deswuwa, Temi Afolabi and and cosmetics studio called Yanga Beauty Managing Director, Sentina Ventures, Isibor Nowe Studio as well as a lingerie section called Olannaz World. Elpis Megalio prides itself on catering to a "new generation of trendy fashion forward people on an affordable budget, carrying a range of ready to wear and extravagant bespoke pieces and furniture". Nkiru Odunukwe and Molly Ore

L-R: Ladi Ogun, Adegbite Yetunde and Aderemi Omomukuyo

Dr. Wale Afolabi and Pastor Emmanuel Enefazu-Ossai

Afolabi and Tonto Dikeh

L-R: Olamide Aiyeola, Tayo Ogunbiyi and Shirley Ejiro

L-R: Mrs. Angela Akinyemi, Funke Afolabi, Adetola Adeleke and Mrs. Florence Afolabi

Mrs. Olohigbe Ukadike and Prince Ben Ukadike

photos: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

SATURDAY

Skales My spat with Wizkid now in the past

p.23

Most sought-after singers for collabo

p.33

ShowBiz SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2015

YENI KUTI

I LOVE GOLD... BUT I CAN'T FLAUNT IT AMID POVERTY Yeni Kuti, first daughter of the late Afrobeat musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, remains an interviewer's delight due, in part, to her irreverent take on romance, social and political issues. She speaks in her typically candid manner to ANGELA DAVIES. You are aging gracefully; what is the secret? Thank you, but when I see myself in the mirror, I don’t think I am aging gracefully. There is really no secret, but I try to laugh, play and be happy. I think laughing is one of the secrets and sleeping I guess. We’d be seeing another edition of Felabration later. What is the objective of the annual show? The objective behind Felabration is about celebrating Fela. We are celebrating his legacy and heritage. It is a festival that people look forward to now every year and I hope that even after I am gone, it will continue. I am trying to get it to a stage where younger people will take over because I am almost 54. How long will I be able to last doing Felabration? So we need to get it to a stage where the younger ones can take it over and continue and we would just be like an advisory committee. How would you rate the event since its inception? I will say it gets bigger and better every year. It is an event people both within and outside the country look forward to every year. What do you do to stay in shape? I still dance in form of exercises. I also run a dancing class where I teach people how to dance.

How would you define your style? My style is me. I love to match my clothes and I love beads. I love African clothes. I love Nigerian designers and African designers in general.

pensive designers and I can buy from the high street. I’m a shoe person and I have a lot of shoes. What is your beauty routine? I just use moisturiser on my face in the morning that is just about it.

So, who is your best designer? I am not giving anybody credit. Nobody gives me free clothes.

What makes you proud to be an African woman? I think black is beautiful. You will never catch me bleaching because I am proud of my colour. I am a proud African; we have a rich culture, rich heritage. I am very proud of who I am.

When you see women wear revealing clothes, how does that make you feel? It depends on if you have the figure to flaunt it. I mean I just saw somebody wearing a very beautiful black dress and it’s kind of revealing but I think she looks beautiful. So if it is tastefully done, it is alright. It is when it is not tastefully done that it looks awful. What puts you off in people? I think liars. I hate liars and gossips. You have a unique way of wrapping your hair. How did you come about it? The way I wrap my hair is actually to hide my grey hair. What is your signature perfume? None, I use any perfume I like. And then I will not do any publicity for perfume because it is not free of charge. What kind of shoes do you love? I love all shoes. I can buy from ex-

In a country where so many people are suffering, you don’t flaunt gold

What kind of jewellery appeals to you? I like beads and I like custom jewellery. Not that I don’t like gold, I do but in a country where so many people are suffering, you don’t flaunt gold. I think a lot of Nigerian women with their million naira worth of gold are flaunting them in the face of too much poverty. What is your ideal Nigeria? That everybody will live equally and there will be no poverty. Also children will stop hawking on the streets because their parents can afford to send them to school and everybody will live comfortably. Also, that there will be water and constant light. Why is it that women tend to be

antagonistic towards each other especially in the work environment? I don’t know. I have no idea. I wish I had an idea. What will you say is your most memorable moment so far? Giving birth to my daughter remains the one and only. No woman will go through this and forget about it. So my most memorable moment is giving birth to my daughter. Would you allow her take to dancing? I would but she doesn’t show that. She is a very conservative person. How would you describe yourself? I don’t know. I really don’t know how I would describe myself. What makes you happy? What makes me happy is if I have money. And I love to shop so if I have money, I can go shopping. How is your daily schedule like? I don’t stress myself really. I go to the office and I go to the studio. If I don’t have to go to the office, I work from the house but I try not to stress myself. How do you relax? I play computer games and watch television.

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Enajite laughs last at Airtel Trace Music Star show

irtel Nigeria has empowered youths passionate about music with Airtel Trace Music Star. The competition in conjunction with Trace Urban TV ended on February 28 with a budding singer, Okotete Enjite, emerging the overall winner. The grand finale of the competition held at Oceanview Restaurant, Lagos, with the winner carting away the cash prize of N4 million, a record deal with Universal records and also an opportunity to represent Nigeria at the pan African grand finale with representative from 13 other African countries in Kenya later this month. The show is the first African mobile phone competition; the initiative is for youths across the country to express their music skills on their phone without travelling around Nigeria. Airtel Nigeria, has given this opportunity to Nigerian youths by empowering them with its services to reach and participate in the contest which has eventually produced national champion like Tejiri Odigboro, Omotayo Otitiju, Pearl Awa Agwu and Yetunde Adeyanju who

made it to the final stage of the national competition. Elated Enajite, commenting on her victory said: “I am so excited...truly grace has brought me this far. I wish to say a very big thank you to Airtel Nigeria and Trace Urban TV for this initiative and supporting Nigerian Youths. Also, I thank my family, friends and fans that have supported me all through the competition. I promise to keep the flag flying high and better things to come.” The judges who oversaw the process of selecting the finalists and the winners are broadcaster, Olisa Adibua, producer and song writer, Cobham Asuquo and award winning artiste, Lara George. The event was hosted by Beat Fm and Industry Nite’s host, Jimmie and comedian and on-air personality, Chigurl. Vector Tha Viper thrilled fans to a mega performance at the shindig. And so did artistes like Falz, Joe el and Ice Prince. Also present at the event was Sexy Steel and Adams of Soundcity. Speaking at the event, Maurice Newa, Airtel Nigeria's chief commercial officer said the company has been in the fore-

L-R: Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Maurice Newa; winner of the Airtel Trace Music Star, Najite Peters; Managing Director of Trace Nigeria, Sam Onyemelukwe and Chief Sales Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Godfrey Efeurhobo, during the final presentation of Airtel Trace Music Star in Lagos...recently

front of empowering Nigerian youths through various credible platforms with the sponsorship of top entertainment and talent-hunt projects such as Nigeria’s Got Talent, which has provided opportunities for thousands of youths to take their skills to the next level. The company also recently initiated another music talent show tagged, Airtel One Mic, with the aim of discovering young talents in tertiary institutions across Nigeria. Another platform created by Airtel

Nigeria to empower youth is the yearly Airtel Rising Stars championship which was conceived to discover youths with football talent across Nigeria. Trace, an international media group has deep African roots and a major promoter of African music to the rest of the world. It runs five music TV channels across Africa and currently, it airs videos by numerous a list African artistes in 160 countries globally through its network of music and sports celebrity TV channels.

Tonto Dikeh savours moments in love T onto Dikeh may have hidden her boyfriend’s name long enough. Yes, it’s her business who she loves and to whom she professes so, but isn’t it rather funny that when no one really cared to know, the star actress has decided to reveal the guy’s real identity? How does Poko Lee (currently rounding off a debut video shoot with her music team, the Lee Family’) deny that this unsolicited revelation is not another publicity stunt? Last Tuesday, she tweeted just how happy she is to be dating 'Mr. X' real name Lanre Churchill Oladunni: "Mrs. X, WE SHALL ALL BE HAPPY. WE SHALL BE LOVED FOR THERE IS NO GREATER ACCESSORY ON A MAN LIKE A FINE GODLY WOMAN & VICE VERSA FOR THE WOMEN**#FEELS

GOOD TO TAKE A BREAK FROM PAYING BILLS TO A REAL MAN STEPPING UP". Mr. X has been known to treat Tonto Dikeh to expensive gifts quite frequently, now the Sugar Rush singer has confirmed that he is indeed paying a huge chunk of her bills.

SOLUTIONS TO CROSSWORD PUZZLE O B A F E M I T

U S B

I M T

K P

E I

R K T

A R

I N S

B R A G P

L A M

T E

E M I

T S D

A T

W E E

N O A

A B A S

T S A A

10. EMIR 11. KIRK 12. IN 16. AT 17. TEAK

18. BRAG 22. ABA 23. AIR 24. LAM 25. WEE 26. UGHELLI

T E A K B

ACROSS 1. OBAFEMI 5. ZIT 7. NOA 8. USB 9. IMT

U G H E L L

R F I

DOWN 1. OTURKPO 2. ALBERT 3. EMIT 4. INTENT

5. ZAKI 6. TEA 13. MAKARFI 14. SAGAMU

15. DETAIL 19. ROLE 20. BASH 21. PAW

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

We never really fell out, the relationship we had always been about music, it’s not like we are brothers

with Baseline Records. What did they offer you that you didn’t have at E.M.E? Apart from being an artiste, I also see myself as a businessman. Any investment that is going to take my business to the next level is welcomed. For me I had just set up my own label, OHK, and my whole mindset was just all about the next level. Along the line, I met Baseline and the offer they gave me was really good, it was next level for me and I decided to flow with it. I run OHK Records with some partners whose names I can’t really mention their now. Reports say the offer was worth N200 million; is this true? I really don’t like to disclose details of my contract in public. When it’s done you’ll surely hear about it. With regard to the amount, I think it should add up to that figure if you add up the whole budget.

Skales: My spat with Wizkid now in the past Raoul John Njeng-Njeng, rapper, singer and songwriter with the sobriquet Skales was Wizkid’s label mate before their exit from EME Records. He speaks with LANRE ODUKOYA about his recent Twitter rift with Wizkid, new record deal and forthcoming album. You recently dropped a couple of singles this year. What’s next for you? My album is the next project now. I might drop a single before the main album drops, but really, the way I made my album sound is kind of different. I made everything sound like singles, so it’s from a single to another single.

a plan, I hustled real hard, I went for shows that I wasn’t invited for, a lot of people gave up on me and thought I wasn’t going to make it let alone make a hit song. And suddenly out of nowhere, the whole spotlight is back on me, everybody is talking about me, I’m about to drop an album and people are waiting for it.

How many songs do you have in the album? For now, we haven’t really decided, because we are still confused as to which song should be on the album and which song shouldn’t be on it, but for me, I’m looking at 18 tracks.

When is the album due for release? Right now, the situation of the country with the elections going back and forth is playing a major role in fixing a release date. I cannot be specific as regards a date yet, but in a month or two it should be out.

What's the reason behind the album title - Man of the Year? Well, I thought of that name because of my grass to grace story. A lot of people don’t really know my story, they don’t know my background. But I’ve always been focused, I came to Lagos without

Your next single features Davido; what’s the title? It’s titled Always Always, that’s the single that will be dropped before the album. And of course there’s plan for an album release tour when the album drops, there’ll

be an album concert as well, I can’t give too much details yet, but you can be rest assured that anything I do now will simply be amazing. Your exit from E.M.E last year was rather abrupt. What really went wrong? Well, you know when something is not working you just have to move on to other things. So basically, it was just a mutual agreement that we had. We sat down, had a meeting and decided that since it’s not working, it’s better to just go apart. There was no bad blood, and I’m still cool with everybody, and who knows, they might be on my album. Did you have the meeting when your contract expired or before then? Yes, it was at a time when the contract was about to expire. A few months after you left E.M.E, you signed another deal

How will you compare your time at Baseline to your time back at E.M.E? It’s better than E.M.E. I make decisions now, there’s more money and better team. I'm sure you can tell the difference too. One would think that having left E.M.E, you would also change your manager. Why did you retain Osagie? Well, that’s because we understand each other, and it’s really more than just business; we have a good relationship, we understand each other, we listen to each other and there’s respect. How long has she been your manager? It’s probably been over five years. Let’s talk about your recent Twitter spat with Wizkid; you guys were together at an event some hours before you went online. What really happened? The truth is we were not really together, we were just at the same venue of the same event, that’s all. And really, whatever needs to be said now has already been said on Twitter, so you can pick everything there. Right now, I’ve put the whole episode behind me. I just want people to focus more on my music. It’s life, human beings must always fall out. Let’s go back to your time at E.M.E, what kind of relationship did you have with Wizkid? We were just there, we were cool. For me it was just about making music, that’s what brought us together in the first place, it’s not like we are from the

Showbiz

same family. So, let’s just focus on the music which was what I did, if I had something on my mind I always say it out. At what point did you guys really fall out? We never really fell out, the relationship we had always been about music, it’s not like we are brothers, we are not from the same family like I said, it was just business and music. So we were cool, and even till now we are still cool, I have no bad blood against him, I just want to face my music right now, I’m about to drop my album and that’s all that matters to me right now. How long have you been trying to get Wizkid to work with you? For as long as every other person has been trying I guess (laughs). We know that he’s a busy person and I’m a busy person too, I’m doing my own thing too. The truth is, I really don’t want to talk about it. Will you consider working with Wizkid anytime soon? I don’t know, my fingers are crossed for now. You’ve been in a relationship for quite a while now, are you planning to get married soon? To start with, I don’t have any child anywhere; I made sure of that. I’m still a child taking care of myself. So, I’m not ready to take care of anybody yet. Of course, I’m a human being and I have a relationship. Do you see yourself getting married to her when you are ready? I don’t know, I’ve not thought about it yet, maybe I should start thinking about it now. I’ve never really sat down to think about it. You’ve dated her for over two years now, how did you meet? (Chuckling) It all started out as friendship, we used to talk a lot and we were just cool with each other. What stood her out from your other female friends? She’s a great person; she’s just someone that I can relate with. Like I said, she was my close friend, I tell her stuffs, she gives me advice and, of course, she’s my fan too. She tells me when I’m making poor music. How does she cope with your other female admirers? Well, if you know me well, you’ll know that I’m not a public female kind of guy, once I’m with one person, I don’t have time for anyone else, and that’s why you’ve not heard any baby mama drama or scandal about me. Do you have a crush on any Nigerian celebrity? Right now, I don’t have any anymore, because I’ve not thought about it. It used to be Beverly Naya, but I guess I’m over it now. Back to your album, who are the artistes you featured? I featured a lot of my friends and people that I’m currently feeling their music, I have Davido, Ice Prince, Phyno, Olamide, Reekado Banks and a couple more people on it. As regards producers, I worked with Dj Coublon, Jay Pizzle, Orbit, Drey, Spells and others.

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

What I bring to the table stands me out —DJ SPINALL Popularly known as DJ SPINALL in showbiz, Sodamole Oluseye, has graduated from an apprentice to a sought-after DJ in the country. His trademark, TheCap (traditional cap), is now a trend among Nigerian youths. The graduate of electrical/electronic engineering shares how it all began with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS. How best can we describe DJ SPINALL? I am simple and an easy-going person. I am also God-fearing and focused in whatever I do. How was growing up for you? I am from a fun-loving family. I grew up in Lagos and I am the third child in a family of five. I started disc jockey after I left my secondary school, Lagos State Model College, Meiran. Did you learn the skills somewhere? Yes, I went to DJ Slim’s Academy for DJs at Ojokoro, Lagos, after my secondary education. I got lessons from DJ Hotega and Jimmy Jatt too. Did it ever occur to you that you will be widely known with DJ? When you have passion for something and it is all you want to do, it’s hard to think of that. I just wanted to follow my dream; I wasn’t thinking of the outcome. So, I guess whatever I am today is the reward of the effort I had invested and God’s blessings. I used to be a DJ on Ray Power FM Lagos and Eko FM Lagos. This job has also taken me beyond Nigeria and to many exciting places. Did your parents support your decision to do music? My parents never had any reason to stop me from doing what I wanted to do. I feel I am blessed with the best parents in the world. What were the things that influenced your decision to be a DJ? I simply wanted to use my talent to make people happy. We all know that music brings happiness and unity to the world. You recently featured Olamide on a song and you’ve done other collaboration too; tell us about them. I am currently working on my studio album. I have a track with Burna Boy titled Gba Gbe E, Oluwa with MI and I recently featured Olamide on Attendance. Could you recall your first major job? It was in a church in 2005. It felt nice and I was really glad how things turned out. What makes you a sough-after DJ? Without sounding cocky I think what I bring to the table is different. My brand is strong and my track record over time has proved that I am good at what I do. God has also blessed me greatly. I believe when you are good people will want to work with you. I am not restricted to any specific genre and my style of play has been tagged by many as “fearless” because I bring all kinds of music in one playlist. All these obviously differentiate me from the lots. How did you arrive at your signature, TheCap? Two things gave birth to TheCap.

The first is my dad who loves to socialise and he dresses well too. As a kid I watched my dad whenever he was going out to parties. He would spend some minutes at the front of a mirror and adjust his cap. And I knew he was going out anytime he wore his cap. So, anytime I put on my cap, it means I am prepared for serious business. The second story is that people used to tell me after a performance or show that it was a ‘Crazy Ass Party.’ When you put those words together, it means cap. I also love African prints, though most Africans don’t appreciate them. We have a lot of beautiful African prints, but we still choose to do the Versace Armani. I buy them too, so don’t get me wrong but we should celebrate our own. I use the cap everywhere I go and people, especially foreigners find it very fascinating. They always ask me where I come from and I proudly say Nigeria. What is your academic qualification? I am proudly a B.sc holder in electrical electronics engineering from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State; I didn’t allow my love for music to stop me from studying. I am also a member of the coalition of Nigerian DJs. You’ve been the official DJ of many musicians; could you give us some names? Yea, I am the official DJ for musicians like Wande Coal, Sound Sultan, Mavin records, Tuface, Mo Chedda and many more. I am basically in charge of their stage performances for events and anywhere they go I go with them. I am also the official DJ for the Nigerian music night, otherwise known as the Industry Nite. I have a deep working relationship with many musicians. How has it been with Industry Nite? The experience has been fantastic, challenging and educating too. The organisers of Industry Nite put out words that they needed a DJ. I was then chosen after some processes and retained as the official DJ. A lot of DJs could perform at clubs, but it’s a different thing for concert events like the Industry Nite. Industry Nite has audience that could be difficult to entertain; we have bosses, industry stake-

holders and celebrities. I see Industry Nite as the biggest thing happening to Nigerian music at present and I’m privileged to be part of it. How many awards have you received? I think I have a total of five awards and several nominations. I see all of them as special and reasons to work harder. I’m grateful for the recognition I had gotten so far. Who are the people you look up to in the industry? They are pretty much. On the list I have Tuface Idibia, Sound Sultan, DJ Jimmy Jatt among others. How would you rate Nigerian disc jockey industry? It’s a hard profession everywhere in the world, not only in Nigeria. What most people don’t know is that it takes

a lot of hard work and intelligence to remain relevant in the industry. It was recently in the news that you were set for a tour in the US. Could you tell us about it and the motives? Yes, you are right. It is tagged “TheCap US Tour 2015.” The purpose is to connect with my fans and promote African music. It is happening this month. The tour will feature performance at the SXSW Music Festival in Houston Texas and concludes in the city of Philadelphia. Other cities billed for this tour are Houston, Washington DC, Atlanta and New York City. Considering your knowledge of different sounds of music; should we be expecting you to be a singer someday? No-one knows tomorrow; change is constant. But at present I’m only concentrating on DJ and writing songs. Was being a DJ all you wanted as a kid? No, I wanted to be an engineer and a lecturer. But I have a DJ school now where we are impacting people with the right skills for the future. Apart from DJ what are the other things you do? You need to understand that DJ is not just a fad; it’s bigger than the way people see it and a culture too. I’m sure if I were a banker you won’t ask if I do other things. Is there anything you love to change about yourself given a second chance? I’m okay the way I am. There is no point changing anything about me because I love my life. Was there a time you almost dumped DJ? There was never a time. I might be down some days, but I never considered dumping my love for music. When things looked uncertain, the success stories of others gave me hope. I would say to myself that if they could do it I should be able too.

DJ is not just a fad; it’s bigger than the way people see it and a culture too

SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2015

SATURDAY

FREE

Sport Splash 25

N'Assembly can’t call for Keshi’s sack – Adebajo

Interview

Father and I deceived mother to achieve my football dream – Ordega p.27

EPL

Man United seek response against Tottenham p.28

• Politics made it impossible to relieve coach of Eagles job

Athletics

Africa will rule athletics soon, says Odogwu-Nwajei p.30

News

I want another chance to play for Nigeria – Ujah p.31

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

Vincent Eboigbe tationery Stores’ proprietor, Tilewa Adebajo, has dismissed the call on the Nigeria Football Federation by the Senate and the House of Representatives to sack Eagles coach Stephen Keshi without further delay. The sport committees of both chambers of the National Assembly apparently fed up with what seems an intractable contract negotiation process between the NFF and Keshi, told the federation in clear terms to let go of the coach and that they, the legislators, also had the powers to intervene in an apparent reference to the influence of the presidency in the whole matter. Last week, the NFF gave Keshi a new deal that he dismissed as being a ‘slave contract’ and further negotiations are ongoing. A meeting between both parties on Wednesday lasted for about four hours but did not break the deadlock, further fuelling fears that the uncertainty is likely to linger. “The Senate and House of Representatives are legislative bodies, their function is to make laws. They don’t have any right to insist on the sacking of Keshi,” Adebayo told our correspondent on the telephone. “That is what happens when football has been so politicised. What is the big deal about the sacking of a coach? Something the president of the football federation should ordinarily handle as a matter of routine? “But there is a problem because Keshi has the support of the president and so there is reluctance on the part of the football house to take that decision. It has become a political thing and he who pays the piper dictates the tune.” Adebajo said the whole issue had to do with the problem of lack of proper structures in the running of football in the country. He insisted that the NFF was not a proper entity and that it was the NFA that was recognised by the law. He noted that it was because of this lack of structures that ensured government’s overbearing influence on the game and getting involved in a matter that the board of the football house Super Eagles' striker, Emmanuel Emenike (left) escapes from Argentina's Marco Rojo at the World Cup (inset) Adebajo should ordinarily handle with ease.

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Nigerian League Rendezvous

Clubs need to make air travel priority Stories by Charles Ogundiya

he recent attack on the Nigeria Professional Football League defending champions, Kano Pillars, while on their way to honour a league match in Owerri, has again brought to the fore the need for clubs to travel by air when embarking on long distance trips. Some teams were involved in accidents last season, while others had armed robbery attacks during travels for league matches. Nigerian roads have become death traps in recent years with the players especially exposed to dangers that can end their careers if not their lives. Players of Kano Pillars were attacked by armed robbers on Thursday, March 5, at Abaji, Kogi State, and some of them shot. According to some league followers, it will be great if teams travel by air, something they believe would reduce the spate of accidents and attacks on players. Last season, Sunshine Stars of Akure travelled by air to some league venues at the beginning of the season, before the removal of the coach, Henry Abiodun. Speaking with League Rendezvous, Abiodun, the former NPA coach, said clubs needed to be more proactive and to stop endangering the lives of players. According to him, there is nothing stopping club managements from making bookings for players and officials ahead

of league matches, a cheaper and safer option. Abiodun says the difference in terms of cost between travelling by air and road is minimal. “When you compare the cost implication and psychological effect of travelling by road to travelling by air, you will realise that the latter is more cost effective,” Abiodun said. He however advised the League Management Company to strictly maintain their calendar so that clubs could arrange for their travelling ahead of games.

Crown's Francis Sylvester (centre) trying to go past Akwa United defenders

Kano Pillars begin title defense against Bayelsa Utd

igeria Professional Football League defending champions, Kano Pillars, will today start the defence of their title after recovering from the trauma of the armed robbery attack the team was involved in on their way to honour the first league game against Heartland of Owerri. The team will now start with a home game against Bayelsa United today (Saturday), and according to the team’s media officer, Idris Malikawa, they are ready for the game against Bayelsa. “We have put the incident behind us and are battle ready to defend the title we won last season,” Malikawa said. “It was very tough on us but we have taken it as

WEEK TWO Fixtures Kano Pillars vs Bayelsa Utd Shooting Stars vs Heartland Nasarawa vs Wikki Lobi vs Enyimba PP Rangers vs Sharks Akwa Utd vs Taraba Sunshine vs Gabros Warri Wolves vs Giwa (PP) Abia Warriors vs Dolphins (PP) Kwara Utd vs El-Kanemi

the wish of Allah. Now we have to forge ahead in the league. “All the affected players apart from Gambo Mohammed have since been discharged from the hospital, and Mohammed too is responding to treatment.” League Rendezvous also scooped that the Super Eagles striker might be flown abroad for further treatment.

No.

Team

Pts

Gabros United

Wikki Tourists

Taraba FC

El-Kanemi

Bayelsa United

Lobi Stars FC

Abia Warriors

Akwa United

Dolphins FC

Enyimba

Giwa FC

Kwara United

Sharks FC

Sunshine Stars

Heartland FC

Kano Pillars

Rangers

-1

Nasarawa

-1

Shooting Stars

-2

Warri Wolves

-2

Shooting Stars ready for Heartland

hooting Stars of Ibadan have said they are ready to get their first three points in the league as they tackle Heartland of Owerri, in one of the Week Two Nigeria Professional Football League matches on Saturday, March 14. Speaking to League Rendezvous, the media officer of the Ibadan side, Jubril Arowolo, said the boys were ready for the match on Saturday. “We lost our first game against Wikki Tourists in Bauchi, but now that we are playing before our fans we must get the maximum points to properly kick-start our season,” Arowolo said. “We are already getting into the rhythm of the season because we had played our first

Action between Shooting Stars and Rangers in the NPFL...recently

game while our opponent will be playing their first match of the new season. “We have been training hard since we came back from Bauchi and I thank God all the players are fit for the game against Heartland.” Speaking further, Arowolo said the fans’ support would be crucial in the game against Heartland and for the rest of the season. The media officer said: “We are looking forward to seeing our fans coming out en masse to support us against Heartland. “They were there when we played in the lower division and now that the team is back in the premier league, we are counting on their support again.”

Continental teams to play Wednesday zz As Week Two games take centre stage

igerian club sides on the continent will be playing their Week Two league match on Wednesday, according to a release by the League Management Company. The LMC said: “Due to the involvement of some Nigeria Professional Football League clubs in continental club competitions, the LMC has announced some changes to Match Day 2 fixtures. “We are now going to have some midweek matches on Wednesday and Thursday, March 18 and 19. “Lobi Stars against Enyimba International and Warri Wolves versus Giwa FC will now be played on Wednesday March 18, while Dolphins play away to Abia Warriors on Thursday, March 19. All other games however remain as scheduled.” Meanwhile, league action resumes across various centres this weekend in the NPFL with defending champions, Kano Pillars, playing their first game of the season today (Saturday) against Bayelsa United. The other game on Saturday would see newly promoted Shooting Stars of Ibadan taking on Heartland of Owerri. Five matches will be played on Sunday: Nasarawa United take on Wikki Tourists in Lafia while Rangers will be home to Sharks. In Akure, Gabros (Ifeanyi Ubah United) would hope to continue their Week One performance as they take on Sunshine Stars in their first away match after gaining promotion at the end of last season. Akwa United will be home to Taraba while El-Kanemi Warriors will be away to Kwara United in Ilorin.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Sport

Sometime I look at the way (Lionel) Messi plays and I say ‘oh God I wish I could play like him'

camp now, and we are well taken care of. You are playing Canada and New Zealand in your friendly matches, do you think the two teams are enough test for the Falcons to know your capability? Canada is a strong team, and New Zealand too. In fact there is no small team anywhere now. When we play them we will definitely have an idea of what our World Cup outing will be like. I have this confidence that they will not be difficult to deal with, because we are also doing our own homework here. We train very well and we are also playing with some local teams before the friendly matches, so the Falcons are raring to go.

Father and I deceived mother to achieve my football dream – Ordega

You play your club football in Sweden currently, how can you compare it with other leagues like the English and German Leagues; do you have plans to move in the future? For now I’ve not played in other league. The Swedish League is one of the best in the world; very strong and tactical but by the grace of God I believe I will leave soon, probably next month. To where? I don’t have to disclose it now, you will know when the time comes.

Super Falcons star, Francesca Ordega, relives the joy of reclaiming the African Women Championship and the excitement of looking forward to the World Cup in Canada in this interview with Comfort Chukwu. She also talks about the team’s camp in Abuja as well as her wish to play like Argentina superstar, Lionel Messi. Excerpts…

You were a member of the victorious Super Falcons at the Africa Women Championship in 2014; can you describe your emotions when you won that cup in Namibia? I was happy because the competition wasn’t that easy, it was a tough one but we came out victorious. It was also the second time I was part of the team that won the AWC. When we won I was so happy, very happy because our hard work paid off. How are you looking forward to the World Cup in Canada? For the World Cup, we are not just going to participate; we are going to do something different. We want the world to feel a different Falcon this time. By trying to translate your dominance in Africa to the world stage? Yes, that is our primary goal and we are capable of it. Once we are able to play like a team and put extra effort, we will get to the finals by God’s grace. We just can’t sit and pray for that to happen. With God on our side, I know it is very possible. The Falcons have not progressed beyond the group stage since their quarterfinal berth in the United States in 1999, this must be a source of worry to you? Does this edition provide the perfect opportunity to rectify that? It is our dream; I was there in 2011 but was not opportune to play, we had the opportunity to qualify from the group

stage to the quarterfinal unfortunately we couldn’t, but this time I believe we can although we are in a tough group. We will not be defeated easily I believe we can pass through the group stage. Are you planning to do something differently now that you are going to play and you are in tough group like you said? Anything different that I have to do must be to put extra effort, play like I’ve never done before. The same thing applies to my teammates. No team will be so tough; it is our commitment to the games that counts. This team, a blend of experienced and young players like Assisat Oshoala and old players like returning Faith Ikidi, must give you confidence... Sure it does, What is special about Oshoala? She is strong, she is a good dribbler, and very good on the ball, she encourages those of us that play with her in the front - the attacking wings - she encourages us to fight and to finish well. That motivates us all. You have played abroad for some time now… Onome Ebi, Desire Oparanozie and recently Oshola are also based abroad, how do you think this impacts on your games and by extension the Falcons? Being a professional is everyone’s dream, everyone wants to go out there to play for English teams for instance. You gain more experience but when you

come down to Nigeria it is not always easy to cope with the weather and the rest, but I try to fit in and to make an impact for the coaches and my fans to see the reason we went out there is not because we are trying to make a living, but that we also improve in the process. I try to bring some of the things I learn abroad to Nigeria. Some of your fans think you dribble too much. Do you think that's correct? Maybe that is part of my game. Is it just part of your game or is there something else you want to prove, maybe you want to impress? No, I don’t play to impress anybody, I just want to be me, to play like the Francisca I know. Sometime I look at the way (Lionel) Messi plays and I say ‘oh God I wish I could play like him.’ He is good on the ball, he handles the ball so well and creates chances and also makes good use of the chances. I just wish I can play like him, do one or two things like him. There were complaints even from some of your colleagues that camping for the World Cup did not commence on time, what do you think and what is the situation in camp? It is true we didn’t commence camping on time but I think now that we are in camp it is still a good time. We are training everyday and we are doing well, everybody is committed. There may be reasons why we were not called early, but I know that everything is alright in

How did football start for you? It wasn’t fun at all because my mother was really against it, but my father was really supporting me. He supports me in everything I do. When I was in secondary school he would give me money to go and train with boys, but my mother was never in support of it. Sometimes she would beat me up and tell me I’m a girl and that I shouldn’t play with boys but that I should do something different. When I finished from secondary school I told her that I wanted to pursue my career in football but she was strongly against it. Actually, I left home without my mother’s knowledge. I planned everything with my father, I went to Ebonyi State and it was only when I got there that I called my mother and told her that I’ve traveled and that I wanted to play football. She cried for a long time and asked me to come back home, but my father encouraged me. He was there for me. He said, ‘Francisca go after your dream.’ It wasn’t easy for me at all, but now she is happy. What are your most memorable moments in the game so far? It was in 2012 when I scored a hattrick against Italy in Japan. You must also have moments you don’t want to recall… It was a quarterfinals match at the 2010 U-17 World Cup where we lost against Japan. It was so painful being my first time at the World Cup, we had all the opportunities to get to the finals but we just lost the chances. It ended 7-6, it was so painful that I cried for a long time, even when I got to the hotel I was still crying. Is Francisca Ordega in any relationship? Yes, I’m in a serious relationship and I love the man. Is wedding bells going to ring soon? I don’t know yet.

Time: 5:00pm

anchester United will be eager to bounce back from their 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final loss to Arsenal at Old Trafford on Monday night, a loss which will likely leave them trophy-less for a second consecutive season. After their massive summer spending spree they cannot afford to again fail to qualify for the Champions League. At present they are just two points ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool.

Against the Gunners, United produced one of their better attacking displays under Louis van Gaal as they got the ball forward more quickly and used wingers Angel Di Maria and Ashley Young more productively, with Di Maria setting up Wayne Rooney’s goal with a perfect cross. However, at the other end, their defence was a shambles, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain beating four players before creating the opening from which Nacho Monreal

scored Arsenal’s first goal and Antonio Valencia gifting Danny Welbeck the winner with an appalling backpass. A repeat on Sunday and you can guarantee Harry Kane will pounce and give England manager Roy Hodgson another reminder of his talents. The 21-year-old is in outstanding form at the moment, his double in the 2-1 triumph at QPR last weekend lifting his tally for the season to 26 in all games.

Ronaldo

eal Madrid welcome La Liga strugglers Levante to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, looking to put a challenging few days behind them. Carlo Ancelotti's side surrendered their position at the top of the table last weekend, going down 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao. That defeat allowed fierce rivals Barcelona to usurp them at the summit as Lionel Messi's hat-trick inspired them to a 6-1 hammering of Rayo Vallecano. Real then suffered a second successive defeat on Tuesday, as Schalke triumphed 4-3 in the Bernabeu in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League last-16 tie. The defending European champions were able to edge through 5-4 on aggregate after their 2-0 success in Germany three weeks previously, but the home faithful were quick to show their discontent at the display. "Sometimes you have to suffer and this will make us stronger," said Luka Modric, who made his first appearance since suffering a thigh injury in November. "We have to get back to playing the way we were at the start of the season. We have a lot of quality and I think that we're going to see a much better Real Madrid in the next game." That game sees Real host a Levante side just one place and one point above the drop zone, while Real's rivals Barca visit Eibar, whose run of seven straight league defeats has seen them slip towards danger. Barca, however, are in fine form, with 15 wins from their last 16 outings across all competitions helping them to gain a slender one-point lead over Real.

Embattled Real host Levante

igue 1 is braced for a potentially pivotal weekend in terms of the title race, as third-placed Marseille host leaders Lyon. Marcelo Bielsa's Marseille can cut the gap of Hubert Fournier's men to just one point with victory in front of what is sure to be a boisterous Stade Velodrome crowd on Sunday. Marseille got back on track after four Ligue 1 games without a win by hammering Toulouse 6-1 away last Friday, and Lyon went close to equalling that resounding scoreline two days later as they won 5-1 at Montpellier. Yoann Gourcuff scored the only goal of the game in Lyon's 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture back in October, but Fournier will be without the 28-year-old this time around after he suffered a thigh injury at Stade de la Mosson. Two players who will feature, though, are Ligue 1's two leading goalscorers. Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette scored twice in the Montpellier rout to take his total to 23 goals in just 25 league games this season, while Marseille's Andre-Pierre Gignac has 16 goals to his name after he rounded off the scoring at Toulouse. Hoping for a draw in the weekend's headline fixture are secondplaced Paris Saint-Germain, who are lurking just a point adrift of Lyon.

Lyon, Marseille clash, as PSG visit Bordeaux

Gourcuff

Global Football Special

Man United seek response against tottenham

www.newtelegraphonline.com

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

I've never wanted to win a fight this bad in my life," Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 knockouts) said of the bout at MGM Grand in Las Vegas against record eight-division champion Pacquiao. Mayweather referred to the long-anticipated showdown as “the fight of the century,” and said his mission to stage a fight pitting “the best fighting the best” came down to timing. “We couldn’t choose a better time,” Mayweather said at the news conference. "This is a fight the world can’t miss."

Floyd Mayweather

Though Roger Federer has not won a grand slam singles title since he claimed the Wimbledon crown in 2012, the Swiss master believes he is playing some of the best tennis of his career at the age of 33. He outclassed his long-time rival, Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic, with a brilliant all-round display in the final of the Dubai Championships earlier this month and cannot recall ever serving better. “I feel like I am playing very well. I am serving as good as I ever have, I am playing very good attacking tennis and I am playing very committed, which is maybe something I haven't always done throughout my career.”

Roger Federer

Nico Rosberg says Lewis Hamilton 'has everything to lose' ahead of the 2015 season opener in Australia. The German, who lost out on the 2014 world championship to his Mercedes team-mate, believes that there is "big pressure" on the Briton as he seeks to become "one of the greats" in the sport.

Nico Rosberg

SPORT BRIEFLY

28 Sport SATURDAY N 14 MA

a more conventional knee injury which may keep him out of the side. "Enner has had an accident at home and has cut his big toe quite severely on a broken cup. It has been stitched. "We're not sure if he will be considered for this game. It was a freak accident." "Alex has a bit of a knee problem. It's better he stayed here for treatment."

SG are through to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals after an incredible 2-2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Laurent Blanc’s side progressed on the away-goals rule after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate. The big Ivorian striker Didier Drogba said the loss left a sour taste in his mouth as he hoped to celebrate his 37th birthday with a victory over the French side. However, Jose Mourinho’s men will hope to put the defeat behind them and aim at bagging the three points and consolidate their lead in the English Premier League. The Blues are placed at pole position with 63 points from 27 matches and a win at home against Southampton could relieve them.

anchester City striker Sergio Aguero can pull clear in the race for the Barclays Golden Boot – awarded to the Premier League’s leading scorer – when he faces the second weakest defence in the competition on Saturday evening. The stocky Argentinian drew level with Chelsea’s Diego Costa on 17 goals at the top of the list with his effort in the 5-0 home demolition of Newcastle last month and he will have fewer better chances of netting his 18th than against second-bottom Burnley at the weekend. Only fellow relegation candidates QPR (49) have conceded more goals than the 47 the Clarets have let in this season in the Premier League. That is good news for Aguero, who had a prolific February with four goals in four games – against Barcelona, Newcastle and Stoke – with two coming against Stoke. City’s 4-1 triumph at the Britannia – a notoriously difficult ground to gain any reward – will be the template manager Manuel Pellegrini will be looking to copy as he seeks to eat into the five-point lead held by Chelsea over them at the top of the table.

Aguero set to punish Burnley

fielder Alper Potuk according to Fanatik. The La Liga champions have made successful transfers from the Süper Lig over recent seasons including Arda Turan and Emre Belözoğlu. Malaga have also had a foray into the Turkish transfer market, signing Nordin Amrabat on loan from Galatasaray. Potuk first made a name

for himself at Eskişehirspor and made his debut for the club in 2009. The 24-year-old made

Süper Lig and the Super Cup last season. Potuk has two goals for Fenerbahçe since joining. Fenerbahçe are currently third in the Süper Lig just one point behind league leaders Beşiktaş and Galatasaray who are tied on 51 106 appearances for EsEs points. over the course of four seaThe Yellow Canaries sons before joining Fener- take on Gençlerbirliği in bahçe in May 2013. Ankara next.

Atletico, Malaga fight over Fenerbahçe midfielder tletico Madrid and The Turkish internationA Malaga are keeping al was part of the Yellow tabs on Fenerbahçe midCanaries side that won the

eaders Juventus will gone a long time without play in the other match losing a home game and on Saturday as they visit we must try to stretch our Palermo. advantage over Roma," Juve winger Simone Pepe told Juve's website. Pepe, who has played in his Juventus lead secondclub's past two matches in placed Roma by 11, with all competitions after apLazio, Napoli, proximately two-andFiorentina and a-half years battling Sampdoria injuries, hopes to be completing the involved again. top six. Palermo's 10Roma will game unbeaten run host Sampdoria at their Stadio Renzo on Monday, Pepe Barbera has Pepe wary Lazio will visit Toof Juventus' hosts. rino, Napoli travel to Hel"We need to keep our fo- las Verona and Fiorentina cus because Palermo have take on Milan.

Juve seek to test Palermo resolve

Howedes

which is really annoying," he told the club's official website. "Despite being eliminated, I'm proud of the guys. Everyone gave it their all and showed that we can play good football. "[Wednesday's] game gives me a lot of hope for the coming weeks. We now need to recover as quickly as possible because it was intense." P PTS 26 61 26 50 26 46 26 46 26 42 26 42 25 37 26 36 26 36 26 35 26 35 25 31 26 29 26 29 26 29 26 26 26 24 26 20 26 20 24 11 PTS 62 61 55 54 49 48 41 33 32 32 30 29 29 27 27 25 25 24 22 18

Bundesliga Saturday Frankfurt v Paderborn 3:30pm Augsburg v Mainz 3:30pm Hertha v Schalke 3:30pm Bremen v Bayern 3:30pm H'heim v Hamburger 3:30pm Dortmd v FC Köln 5:30pm Sunday Wolfsburg v Freiburg 3:30 pm M’gladbach v Hannover 5:30pm

P 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26

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

EPL Saturday Crystal Palace v QPR 1:45pm Arsenal v West Ham 4pm Leicester v Hull 4pm Sunderland v A'Villa 4pm West Brom v Stoke 4pm Burnley v Man City 6:30pm Sunday Chelsea v Souton 2:30pm Everton v Newcastle 5pm Man Utd v Tottenham 5pm

PTS 61 50 41 39 38 38 33 33 31 29 28 27 26 25 25 23 22 20

Serie A Saturday Palermo v Juve 6pm Cagliari v Empoli 8:45pm Sunday Atalanta v Udinese 3pm Verona v Napoli 5pm Inter v Cesena 5pm Fiorentina v Milan 7pm Torino v Lazio 7pm Roma v Sampdoria 9pm

P 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24

P PTS 27 63 28 58 28 54 28 53 28 51 28 50 28 49 28 42 28 40 28 39 28 35 28 30 28 30 28 28 28 27 28 26 28 25 28 22 28 22 27 18

PREMIER LEAGUE

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

La Liga Saturday Espanyol v Atletico 4pm Eibar v Barcelona 6pm Vallecano v Granada 8pm Celta Vigo v Bilbao 10pm Sunday Almería v Villarreal 12pm Málaga v Córdoba 5pm Sevilla v Elche 5pm Real v Levante 9pm

NO TEAM 1 Bayern 2 Wolfsburg 3 Gladbach 4 Leverkusen 5 Schalke 04 6 Augsburg 7 Hoffenheim 8 W. Bremen 9 Frankfurt 10 Dortmund 11 FC Cologne 12 Hannover 13 Mainz 14 H. Berlin 15 Hamburg 16 Paderborn 17 Freiburg 18 Stuttgart

Bundesliga

Serie A

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

Sport

Mourinho

Their opponents are placed at seventh spot with 49 points from 28 matches After the loss to PSG Mourinho said in football you win and lose, have good and bad days.

Chelsea shift focus to Southampton tie

am Allardyce has stated that he has a double injury worry with both Enner Valencia and Alex Song doubtful for the Arsenal clash. Frontman Valencia has suffered a freak accident at home where he stood on a broken cup and cut his big toe to such an extent he is now a doubt for the trip to the Emirates Stadium. Song is also a doubt as he has picked up

Double doubts for West Ham

aving come close to ending Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League defence on Tuesday, Schalke return to domestic action on Saturday when they visit Hertha Berlin. While Roberto Di Matteo's side beat the holders 4-3 on the night, Real progressed on aggregate, leaving Schalke with only the Bundesliga to focus on this term. A run of just two wins from their last six league outings has seen Schalke slip out of the top four, although captain Benedikt Howedes - who was almost the hero late on at the Santiago Bernabeu - insists his side can take momentum from the last-16 exit. "I had a good chance towards the end, but unfortunately couldn't get enough power on my shot,

Howedes targets Schalke momentum NEW TELEGRAPH ARCH 2015

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Africa will rule athletics soon, says Odogwu-Nwajei Charles Ogundiya

ormer president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Violet Odogwu-Nwajei, has declared that African athletes will soon rule the world. Odogwu-Nwajei was reacting to the performance of some of the junior athletes at the recently concluded Africa Junior Athletics Championship in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 2nd vice-president of Confederation of African Athletics in an exclusive interview with Saturday Telegraph in Ethiopia said the performance and record breaking feats of some of the athletes had given her the confidence that Africa will rule the world soon. “Africa is trying, improving every day, the championship was excellent. I was really impressed with the organisation,” she said. “We are trying, we are

pushing and very soon Africa will be on top in athletics.” She however said it was not going to be easy due to the abject poverty in some parts of the continent. She said: “We need funds to be able to prepare the continent’s athletes well enough to compete favourably with athletes from other parts of the world. “CAA has been doing a lot of things to ensure our athletes are at the top, but the problem has been the lack of funds. “We have so many undeveloped countries under the CAA that don’t have money and we have been supporting them.” On the performance of Team Nigeria at the competition, the honorary vice president of the AFN said she was impressed with the achievement of the team despite competing in high altitude.

Amusan Tobiloba (right) and Osinbajo Temidayo after winning gold and bronze respectively in the women's 100m hurdles

Dodan Warriors names Ngerem chairman F ormer President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Dan Ngerem, has been named chairman of the management board of the Dodan Warriors Basketball Programme. According to a statement from the club, Ngerem, who is also chairman of the Hensen Trust Group, will henceforth take charge of directing the affairs and policies of the club as the club’s President, Col Sam Ahmed (Retd), by virtue of his office as FIBA Africa Zone 3 President, has stepped aside from the day-today running of the Warriors’ programme.

Ngerem, under whose tenure as AFN boss, Nigeria produced and nurtured to stardom top athletes like Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu, leads a strong management board which includes the CEO of Poosab Nigeria Limited, Elder Toba Oshinkaye; Musa Usman of the Nigerian Police Force, Ada Mike, and music icon, Tu Face Idibia. Joseph Apu is the secretary. While addressing the players at the team’s Ilupeju training base, Ngerem charged the players to remain focused in their drive towards becoming the best.

I want another chance to play for Nigeria – Ujah

Ifeanyi Ibeh C Cologne star, Anthony Ujah, has set his sights on earning a recall to the Super Eagles and winning back the hearts of Nigerian football fans following his unimpressive outing the last time he was called up to the team, at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Ujah, after impressing then Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, in games against Kenya and Namibia was given a chance to cement a place in the team at the eight-team tournament in Brazil. But he failed to capitalise on the opportunities that came his way in the 6-1 win against Tahiti and was subsequently dropped for the games against Uruguay and Spain. Since then, the former Mainz 05 of Germany star has not been recalled to the Super Eagles. But with his current form that has seen him score nine goals so far this season in the tough German Bundesliga for FC Cologne, there have been calls for Ujah’s recall to the Super Eagles. And Ujah, in an exclusive interview with Saturday Telegraph, has vowed to transfer his club form to the national side if given the chance to don Nigeria’s famous green and white shirt again. “I had a good game in Kenya and Namibia and that was why I was given the opportunity to start in the first match of the Confederations Cup against Tahiti, which we won 6-1. But the long flight from South Africa to Brazil took its toll on me,” recalled Ujah. “It's not an excuse as I was not the only player who made the long trip but we are all different. “You would recall that after the game against Tahiti everyone got fitter and sharper against Uruguay and Spain. But unfortunately that was the only game I played and, to make matters worse, it was televised across Nigeria. “But as a Nigerian I know what's expected from players of the national team, which is to deliver when given the opportunity, as I was once a fan of the national team. I still am a fan of the national team and I never miss an opportunity to watch the team play. “But (the Confederations Cup experience) is definitely in the past and I've grown as a player since then, so hopefully I'll be able to transfer my club form to the national team if given the chance.” Asked if he would be able to tie down a regular place in the Super Eagles next time he’s called up, Ujah said: “All powers belong to God as no one knows tomorrow, but I'll surely fight for a place and, hopefully, with God’s help, it'll come true. “Playing for the national team is a big honour and despite not being successful there yet, I still feel highly honoured to have worn the green and white shirt of my country.”

Ujah

Eko Atlantic to host maiden beach Polo tournament

A beach polo player in action

ko Atlantic and the Lagos Polo Club have teamed up to create and host the first beach polo tournament at Eko Atlantic. Beach polo was created and first played in 2004 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The following year the game took to the beaches of South Beach Miami and has continued to grow in popularity. The event scheduled for Thursday, March 19, runs till to Sunday, March 22, and will see a number of Nigerian teams participate in a round robin tournament. This means that every team will play every other team in their pool once. This allows for a wide variety of opponents and each team can be equally involved as opposed to a knock out competition. Each of the four teams in the pools would progress to the finals which will take place on

the final day. Pool winners will compete for the main cup, runners-up will play for the plate, while the third place finishers will play for the bowl; the last placed team will play for the shield. This format will guarantee each team four matches as well as games on each of the three days of competition. Access Bank, Eko Energy Estate and Eko Pearl Nigeria Ltd are headline sponsors of the event. Moet and Hennessey, Samsung and Coscharis are also supporters of the event. To help celebrate this momentous occasion, Access Bank is offering new account openers a chance to win tickets to the prestigious polo tournament at Eko Atlantic. Also up for grabs is a weekend stay for 10 couples in Eko Hotel and a week-long holiday in either Dubai or London for two couples courtesy of Qatar Airways.

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

I'm in school because I can't be an athlete forever – Shittu

Foluke Shittu, a paraplegic proficient in wheelchair basketball and table tennis, who is married to the captain of Nigeria’s men’s wheelchair basketball team, Musibau Shittu, talks about her passion for the sport, her family, as well as some of the problems she and other physically-challenged Nigerians face. She spoke to Ifeanyi Ibeh. Excerpts… How did you get into wheelchair basketball? I actually started out with table tennis. I played in my neighbourhood with able-bodied people and a neighbour who, after watching me play, suggested I come to the National Stadium (in Lagos) to train. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I made the Lagos State team to the National Sports Festival from where someone saw me and suggested I give wheelchair basketball a try. Along the line I also got introduced to wheelchair tennis. But I want to focus on wheelchair basketball as it is not only a team sport but is played professionally in some parts of the world. So my goal is to become a professional. Considering how difficult it is to procure equipment for wheelchair basketball, how have you been able to cope? It has been very difficult. The wheelchairs are quite costly and very difficult for us to purchase. But we have been lucky to some extent as most of the wheelchairs that we have been using to train have either been given to us by corporate bodies or some of our colleagues who are based overseas. There is no way I can afford to buy a wheelchair as it costs a fortune to bring them in from overseas. The average price for a wheelchair was around N500,000, and that was before the devaluation of the naira. Now it costs much more than that as a result of the devaluation of the local currency. But sometimes, especially when there is a tournament, states or companies donate wheelchairs for us to use.

when we have an international competition to attend, the government would not make funds available; at least that is what the federation keeps saying. So, at the end of the day the federation ends up taking only a handful of people instead of a complete team to a competition due to unavailability of funds. And that is not encouraging because most of us don't have other means of income. It is only through this sport that most of us earn a living, but we are not encouraged by such developments. If I was fortunate enough to be based overseas that wouldn’t be the case as I would have all the equipment I need to make it in my chosen field but that is not so at the moment and the government is not doing anything to improve the situation. They are not doing anything to encourage people with disabilities.

Shittu

So how do you cope? I play with the Delta State team. I get paid at the end of every month.

little way that he can. He is a far better player than I am and I try to learn something new from him every time I get to train with him. He has been a pillar of strength.

And your husband, how does he feel about this development? He is also into wheelchair basketball and is also a member of the national team. In fact, we met a couple of years ago through the sport and we have been together ever since and have been blessed with two very healthy kids. One is going to be seven while the other is two. He is very understanding and tries to encourage me in every

How are you able to combine your training with your responsibility as a mother and wife? It can sometimes be tough but God has been good to me in that he gave me a loving husband who has been very kind and helpful. Like I said, he has been a pillar of strength and he helps out in any way that he can. He is my best friend and I am very lucky to have him.

So you don’t have your own personal wheelchair? No, I don’t have one. Like I said, it’s too expensive to get one. I only get to use one whenever there is a national competition or when I am in training with the national team, as I am also a member of the national team. They are put away and whenever there is any competition they are brought out and if there is a need to effect any repairs on them, we do that and then use them for training and for competition. Is this a problem peculiar to wheelchair basketball? It’s not only peculiar to wheelchair basketball, it happens in all the other special sports. In table tennis, besides the National Sports Festival, there is hardly any other national competition for athletes to take part in. Even

Foluke Shittu (extreme right) with other members of the national team at a tournament in Ghana

Nobody wants to employ anyone with a physical disability

Other than sports, are there other things you do to make ends meet? I don’t really have any other thing I do to supplement my income. I am still a student, but I hope to be able to put my diploma to good use by the end of the programme unlike some who are forced into doing other things. Other things like begging on the streets? It’s actually not their fault that they are into street-begging as you would be shocked to discover that so many of those street beggars are actually quite educated. So many able-bodied people out there feel they are lazy and don’t want to work, but the truth is nobody wants to employ anyone with a physical disability. I cannot wear shoes because of my disability but would be employers expect me to come to work wearing shoes. I am in school because I know I cannot be an athlete forever. But I don’t know if I will ever get to work in an insurance firm or anywhere because of what I have heard has happened to so many others like me. Things like what? A lot of nasty things have been happening and continue to happen to persons with disability in this country. We have lots of physically-challenged people who are graduates but they have been unable to secure jobs years after graduating from school. Even when they go for job interviews they are made to feel inferior and the government is doing nothing about it. That does not in any way encourage any person with a disability to go to school.

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Behold

Irina Shayk blasts Ronaldo again

rina Shayk has suggested Cristiano Ronaldo made her feel '' ugly and insecure''. The 29-year-old model - who recently split from the soccer star after five years of dating - admitted she previously thought she had found the ''ideal man'' but things didn't turn out the way she hoped. She told Spain's Hola magazine: ''I thought I had once found the ideal man but it didn't turn out that way. I think a woman feels ugly when she's got the wrong man at her side. I've felt ugly and insecure.'' The Sports Illustrated beauty is now on the lookout for a ''gentleman'' who treats her well. She added: ''My ideal man is

Benzema’s favourite Instagram babe

eal Madrid star Karim Benzema has a girlfriend and is seemingly very happy with her. However, that did not stop him liking a sexy photo of Chey Anderson on Instagram. Don’t blame Karim, as a lot of people like Miss Anderson’s pictures too.

faithful, honest and a gentleman who knows how to treat women. I don't believe in men who make us feel unhappy, because they're boys not men.'' Irina recently revealed her ideal date would include ''a lot of food'' and an ''expensive bottle of champagne, because I'm Russian. I love an expensive bottle of champagne.'' Cristiano and Irina split over the Christmas period and he is rumoured to have already moved on with Spanish TV presenter Lucia Villalon. The Portuguese star recently released a statement confirming their split, adding: ''I wish Irina the greatest happiness.''

Model dumps Sanchez after catching friends filming sex romp

Shayk

Lifestyle Do not accept whatever comes. Do not accept whatever goes. You have infinite power. Exercise your choice. - Amit Ray

lexis Sanchez was reportedly dumped by a former lover after she caught two of the Arsenal star’s friends hiding in a bedroom closet, filming the pair during a ‘sex romp’ according to the Daily Star. The incident, which apparently occurred in 2010, appears to have lingered a while with the Chilean’s ex-Valentina Roth and she seems keen to spell out just how unhappy she was with the striker’s behaviour. Roth has decided to come out on the matter, stating she hasn’t spoken to Alexis since, and is keen to stress just how immature Sanchez’s actions were. “He might be a role model for many people and he’s going to be loved by Arsenal fans all the time he’s scoring goals for them. “But I hate him and I’ll never forgive him for what happened to me that night. “Maybe Alexis thinks it’s funny to film a woman he’s making love to but I bet he’d be furious if someone did the same to his mum or his sister. “Compared to my current boyfriend he’s very average. And he’s someone who’s still got a lot of growing up to do.” added Roth. Elaborating on the incident in question Roth continued: “I was naked and was on top of Alexis making love to him when I heard a noise coming from the closet. “I asked him if he had heard too but he put his hands over my ears although he tried to half-disguise it by caressing my hair at the Roth same time."

Anderson

Fabregas declares love for partner on Women's Day

nternational Women's Day represents the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women and to be thankful for their positive contributions to daily life. Cesc Fabregas was certainly in the spirit of that message, with a romantic Instagram Post dedicated to his partner Daniella Semaan. The Chelsea midfielder is pictured pecking Semaan on the cheek and captions the snap cutely, 'Another year next to you...I love you so much.' The long-term couple already have one child together and are expecting their second later this year. Stories courtesy Dailymail

Fabregas and partner, Daniella

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Showbiz

Most sought-after Nigerian singers for collaboration

This day and age unlike the past seasons of showbiz in this clime, musical collaborations are big deal. Time was when it happened principally for the love of the art; things have since changed with the monetisation of what was hitherto done free of charge for the love of the industry. LANRE ODUKOYA takes a look at Nigeria’s top 10 most-sought after musicians for collaboration and what makes them tick.

rom September last year, Olamide, Davido, Patoranking, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, Don Jazzy, Flavour N’abania, Tuface, P-Square and Timaya are unarguably the most sought-after for musical collaboration in Nigeria- all thanks to their chart-topping songs. As at August 2014, Olamide’s management had announced that the rapper wouldn’t be able to accommodate more collaboration offers because his “hands are full and wants to face his own music.” He had collaborations with Wale, Falz, Illbliss, KWAM 1, Pasuma, Lil Kesh, Patoranking, Phyno, Adol, YQ, Ikechukwu among a host of other famous acts. He’s planning the first ever collaborative album in recent times dubbed, 2Kings, with Phyno to be released this year. Olamide doesn’t charge for collaborations but growing request for that made him introduce N2 million to scare artists who are bent on engaging him. It’s not yet on record that Olamide collected a fee for collaborating with anyone. Davido is hot in demand and it’s understandable. His songs have made waves in the last two years with laurels from far and near. He’s also one of those artists who wouldn’t hop on a song because of financial gratification; he’d rather collaborate with any singer whose work really moves him. And same explains why he agreed to be part of Kiss Daniel’s song, Woju remix, which also featured Tiwa Savage - the only one he’d done this year. “The truth is that it does not take much to feature Davido on any song, but he’s seriously working on his album and he has made every member of the team to understand why he won’t be welcoming any collaboration for now,” his manager, Kamal Adeboye, said. Wizkid has grown his craft impressively enough to attract collaboration from upcoming and long established acts. Same explains why Femi Kuti will defy whatever hurdle to give the singer a hand, professionally speaking. Unlike others, Wizkid differs in belief. He was the one who reportedly demanded N10m for collaboration sometime in 2014. Though the claim was outlandish, it turned out in actual fact that he charged N1.5m for featuring in Saeon’s song, others insist he charges N2m. Tiwa Savage is Nigeria’s lady of songs. Show me the genre she can’t veer into and I will show you the multifarious exploits of this songbird. Tiwa has had

...plus how much they charge

Don Jazzy

Tiwa Savage

Wizkid

collaboration with most A-list singers in Nigeria. For her, the camaraderie is worth more than any fee. Her schedule is the major constraint otherwise she’d be on every upcoming act’s song. She charges no fee but she’s hardly ever available. With the richest kitty of endorsements, the lady is probably content with the blessings enough to offer pro bono collaboration to as many artistes as she can work with.

Olamide

The truth is that it does not take much to feature Davido on any song, but he’s seriously working on his album and he has made every member of the team to understand...

have a fixed fee, “he negotiates well over N300, 000.” He’s the one with the most awards in collaborative efforts in Headies Awards 2014. Don Jazzy shouldn’t have a place here, but he does sing and love or loathe him, the Don’s voice is pleasantly unique. He’d proven that beyond making beats, he would rivet you when he has the microphone. He endeared himself to a lot of fans when he debuted in D’banj’s album, Entertainer. His collaboration in the new song with P-Square titled Collabo is also a loud testament. He doesn’t charge a dime for collaboration and has never had any with an upcoming act apart from Korede Bello, his signee in a song dubbed ‘Godwin’. The Process Depending on the relationship the artists have, a formal letter to the management is required to seek collaboration. After the artist is briefed, he or she requests for the song, listens to it to know if it’s workable or not. He or she gives the nod or otherwise, and a fee may be involved or not. But in the event that the artists have some synergy preceding the request, it mostly happens over a table of cognac. A-list artists had never worked together in Nigeria for a fee.

Davido

Patoranking

Patoranking is a sudden success and that’s because he rode on Timaya’s back and remained loyal. His collaboration with Tiwa Savage in the song titled ‘Girlie O’ brought him the shine and since the industry noticed him, his has been a story of phenomenal rise. Last year, he collected N100, 000 for collaboration from a budding act. But winning the Headies award has taken that out of equation. Today, though he doesn’t

Some of the most famous collaborations of this decade Dare ft 2face - Carry Dey Go, Sound Sultan - Orobo [Remix] ft. Flavour N'Abania, Reminisce ft Davido – Daddy, Illbliss ft Terry G - Aiye Po Gan, Jamixx ft Terry G, 9ice, MI - Omo Naija, Nigga Raw ft Klint de drunk – Obodo, Sauce Kid ft Davido – Carolina, Tiwa Savage ft Don Jazzy – Eminado, Vector ft 2face - Get Down, Molowo Noni by Samklef featuring Ice Prince, Da Prince and Wizkid, Sound Sultan feat 2face - Bush Meat, J. Martins ft Timaya and P square - Good Or Bad, Pere - Mohits stars, 2face ft T-pain - My Rainbow, Chidinma feat Sound Sultan - Jan Kolikoko, Dorobucci - Mavin ft Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Reekado Bank, Korede Bello, Dr Sid and Da Prince, Sir. Victor Olaiya ft 2face - Baby Jowo, Olamide ft Wizkid - Omo to shun, Olamide and Phyno- Ghost mode, Kokoroko - Keffee (RIP) & Timaya, Oleku - Ice Prince ft Brymo, 2face ft Sound Sultan - Enter the Place, Solid Star feat 2face - One in a Million, Dbanj ft Snoop - Endowed remix, MI and Waje - One Naira, P-Square ft Weird Mc - Busy Body, Dj Jimmy Jatt ft Mode 9, Elajoe and 2face – Stylee, P-Square and 2face – Possibility, 9ice and 2face idibia Street Credibility.

TV & Radio with Angela Davies

he captivating story of the telenovela ‘What life took from me’ was set in Aguazul (Blue Water) where Montserrat lives. Montserrat is a beautiful young socialite who is always being intimidated by her mother Graciela whose only concern is their society status, even though the family is financially ruined. Montserrat, who does everything her mother tells her, still secretly maintains a relationship with José Luis of the marina, whom she plans to marry even though her mother has chosen a husband for her. Her mother Graciela chose Sebastian de Icaza, whom Montserrat was in love with as a teenager and they had pledged to get married. But as she grew older and wiser, she decided not to enter into a marriage of convenience with Sebastian. Her mother tried her best to unite Sebastian and Montserrat again, but it was too late as Sebastian left Aguazul. On the other hand, Dimitrio, Montserrat's brother discovered her relationship with José Luis and immediately informed their mother who tried everything she could to separate them through intrigues and lies. At the same time, Alejandro, who has a ranch in a nearby hacienda and one of the favourite ranch hands of Don Benjamin Almonte, learnt the truth about his origins. On his death bed, Don Benjamin, revealed to Alejandro that he is his father. Alejandro did not receive the news well and goes riding on his horse towards the sea, where he met Montserrat who she mistook for Jose Luis. Thinking he was Jose Luis, Montserrat hugs Alejandro and he immediately fell in love with her. Dimitrio who is obsessed with obtaining money to cover his expenses, decides to sell the deed and title to the house where he and his parents live to Bruno, a mobster whom he eventually killed and retrieved the documents after confessing to his mother. Not able to find a solution to their financial problems, Graciela blames Montserrat for everything that has happened, including the heart attack her father suffered. In desperation, Graciela decides that Alejandro is the only solution who can help them out of their financial problems. Alejandro decides to help Graciela financially under the condition that she allows him to woo Montserrat. Graciela immediately accepts, but made Alejandro swear that Montserrat will never find out about their agreement. However, the situation becomes complicated when Montserrat refused to date Alejandro. Graciela decides to tell Montserrat the whole truth about their financial situation, and she eventually agrees to help her family by marrying Alejandro. Meanwhile, José Luis, who was wrongly imprisoned for the

This weekend TVC

What Life Took From Me

Another telenovela casts its spell murder of Bruno escaped from prison and tells Montserrat the truth about everything that happened. But it was already too late as she was already married to Alejandro through her mother’s manipulations. After so much soul searching, Montserrat discovers that her "love" for Jose Luis was merely puppy love, and that she has learned what true love is and should feel that for Alejandro. Although she cares for Jose Luis, she does not love him as he merely taught her how to care for someone. Even though she has moved on with her life, Jose Luis' obsession for her has not. He holds on to the words she told him as a teenager when she was too immature to understand what she was saying, and was convinced that she belongs by his side.

Now Montserrat and Alejandro must fight against the unreasonable obsession that drives José Luis to act against her happiness. In his deep obsession and need to beat Alejandro, he convinced himself that it was now his turn with Montserrat, and he ignores her wishes, feelings, and desires. They must overcome all the deceit and bad temper of Jose Luis and Maria. Maria is a woman who is in love with Alejandro and wants to separate Montserrat and Alejandro as well. So, if you want to know what happens in each episode in this spellbinding telenovela, then, tune to AIT Monday through Friday at 10:00 pm. The programme keeps you glued to your television set.

FACE BEHIND THE VOICE

BellaRose

ella Rose Abisolaoluwa Iyere Okojie is an on-air personality at City 105.1FM. Bella started out early, appearing in her older sister, Benita Okojie’s music videos and became a backup singer cum personal assistant to her too. After her degree at Redeemer’s University, she worked as an associate producer in Africa Independent Television (AIT), and then went on to work with Raypower FM, co-anchoring programmes like ‘Fact file on

the Ultimate Morning Show.’ She later joined Inspiration FM where she co-hosted the Breakfast Jam with Dan Foster on weekdays and hosted the Saturdays and Sundays shows as well. She is passionate about the arts and communication. She loves everything from radio presenting to television hosting, acting, writing and creative brainstorming. She also hopes to become an advertising executive in the near future.

Programme summary

Capital Market Channels

MTV Base STV

It focuses on the activities of the Nigerian stock market, selling and buying of stocks, shares, bond and how it affects the financial economy.

It is a music programme that features a mix of music video playlists and reality lifestyle from famous artistes around the world.

Saturday @ 7:00 pm

SATURDAY, 14 MARCH, 2015

Tuesday @ 6:00 pm

Magic word of the day Magic FM 102.9 Mon-Fri @ 6:15 am

The presenter announces the inspirational magic word of the day. Then listeners call in 15 minutes to the end of the show.

TELEVISION

Saturday 7:00 Hossana Hour 8:30 Boombox 10:00 On The Town 11:00 Between The Lions 11:30 Sports Week 12:00 News 12:30 Video Fashion 1:00 The Big Issue 3:30 Boom Box 4:00 News 4:30 Sports Week 5:00 Boom Box 5:30 Stand by Me, My Beloved 6:30 Dawn in the Creeks 7:00 Nollywood Yoruba 9:00 Silent Noise 9:30 Events Diary 10:00 News 11:00 Wrestling Sunday 7:00 Hosanna Hour 8:00 Nollywood Yoruba 10:00 News 10:10 Nollywood English 11:30 Sports Week 12:00 News 12:30 Nollywood English 2:30 Stand Up Nigeria

3:00 Chapel of Uncommon Grace 3:30 Golden Chance Lotto 4:00 News 4:30 Excellent Leadership 5:00 Hitlist N Cruzin 5:30 Vivid View 6:00 Stand Point 7:00 Nollywood Yoruba 8:30 Ignite 9:15 Boom Box 9:30 Ogun 10:00 News

EKO FM

Saturday 07:15 Morning news 07:45 Music 08:30 Weekenders sport 09:00 Music 12:10 Our circuit 2:00 News update 2:10 Familiar stranger 3:00 Top Ten Countdown 4:10 Woman tori 5:00 National news 5:15 MFM Hour 9:00 World news 10:00 Radio party

Ray Power 100.5 FM Saturday 7:00 Breakfast Show 7:30 Newspaper Headline 9:00 Mega Sports 10:10 Presenter’s D’Lite 10:30 Family Affairs 11:00 Young World 11:50 News Desk 2:00 Saturday Jamz 6:00 Nigeria Today 6:55 Saturday Nite Groove 9:00 Kennis Music 10:00 Tonite@10

STV

Saturday 7:00 Kid Zone

8:00 Castro Comedien 9:00 Winix 10:00 Brights 11:00 Crack in the wall 11:30 UAC Soccer Lafflines 12:00 Music, Video and More 1:30 Boom Town Specials 1:30 Glass House 2:00 London boy 2:30 Boom Town 3:00 Dawn in the creeks 3:30 Ignite 4:00 Local Movie 5:30 Two Sides of a Coin 6:00 MTV Base 7:00 News 7:30 Secrets and Scandals 8:30 Local Movie 10:00 News Sunday 7:00 Covenant Christian Church 7:30 Tom and Jerry 8:30 Brights 9:30 Pastor Chris 10:00 St. Dominics 11:00 Gospel Symphony 12:00 Walking with God 1:00 The advantage 1:30 Love, Dating & Marriage 2:00 Mountain Top Life 3:00 Quantum leap 3:30 Singles and Married 4:00 Chapel of Uncommon Grace 5:30 Clinic Matters 6:00 WWTBAM 7:30 Hour of Salvation 8:00 Real woman 8:30 Local Movie 10:00 News

Sunday 6:00 Divine hour 6:55 Marital bliss 7:15 Morning news 8:10 Tunes this Sunday 10:15 Music 12:00 News summary 1:00 News maker 2:00 News update 2:15 Passing Glance 5:00 National news 5:10 Make It Happen 7:00 African news 9:10 Something For Singles

Sunday 7:30 Newspaper Headline 7:35 Sunday Morning Bliss 9:00 Ward Rounds 10:00 World News 12:00 Ray Power Cruise 3:55 News Trip 4:00 UK TOP 40 6:00 Nigeria Today 6:15 Sports Tonic 7.05 Watch & Pray 8.00 Jazz Hour 11.00 Quiet Storm

SATURDAY

Dear Love Doctor,

Life Experience

p.37

p.36

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I no longer love my husband'

'I was tempted to cheat and I cheated'

L ve&Lv ng SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2015

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;She confessed she dated my husband' Confession

I have been having an affair with your husband, Tony. I didn't know he had a wife and children

Having an affair with a married man is never the best decision to make. However, in life we all make mistakes, but it takes courage to admit one's fault and make amends. In this story, a young woman admits she made a mistake and seeks forgiveness from her fellow woman.

As narrated to Michael Uchebuaku

eing married for almost 40 years is regarded as a huge achievement, something many people envy. If they only knew the truth about my relationship. Tony and I are the textbook case of childhood sweethearts. We met in the university and have not left each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side since. We married young and started a family, having the first of four children before we reached 25. We also started a small business together and worked extremely hard, watching it grow steadily. Our one business quickly grew into one branch, two branches, then three; and before we knew it we owned an entire chain of stores, accumulating wealth beyond our wildest dreams. We purchased a beautiful family home, put our children through private schools and enjoyed overseas holidays twice a year. Although we co-owned the business, it was all in my husband's name. That is just the way things were in those days, because he was the man of the house. I had to pinch myself sometimes to make sure I'm not dreaming, whenever I reflect over the amazing life Tony and I had made for ourselves, considering we both started from little or nothing.

This kind of joy in my heart continued until one day when I received a call at home. The voice sounded like that of a young woman, someone in her twenties and much younger than myself. Almost immediately, the woman began sobbing down the line and gasping for air. I was silent until she stopped crying and suddenly called my name. "Oge?" she said, "I have been having an affair with your

husband, Tony. I didn't know he had a wife and children. "Please forgive me for having an affair with your husband. I broke up with him as soon as I found out he had a wife and children, even though we had dated for two years. I am so sorry. I think you have a right to know." I almost dropped the receiver after hearing her words. I was in shock. I contemplated for a brief moment trying to organize my confused mind.

Holding back the tears I said the following words to her sternly: "If there is one thing you can do for me, do not let Tony, my husband, know you called me." I hung up and I never heard from her again. Although I was devastated beyond belief at Tony's betrayal, when I put my children to sleep that night, I thought of a reality far worse than my husband's cheating. It would be difficult having to confront Tony, leave our family home, penniless and heartbroken. Not to mention the years in court fighting over the custody of our children and the division of our joint finances and assets. I wasn't materialistic but I wasn't ready to let go of everything I had worked so hard for. In Nigeria, I don't think good laws exist to protect spouses, especially women, in these sorts of situations. I realised I could lose everything if I walked away from my marriage because of my cheating husband. With the advice of a close friend who was a lawyer and summoning all my courage, I decided to stay mainly for my children, to preserve the life that they so enjoyed and deserved. I have never breathed a single word to Tony about the call I received that day. I do not know if their relationship stopped there or continued after that. I don't even know if my husband has had other affairs since, but I suspect he has. Over the years things between my husband and I have remained strained from my own angle. I find I can't enjoy his company anymore and I have no interest in being intimate with him. However, every time I think of his affair almost 15 years ago, I remind myself that this is the decision I made and the life I choose to live. I don't have a loyal or perfect husband but God has blessed me with more than I ever imagined. I have more than I could have ever asked for.

Love&Living

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Love News

Love Songs

10TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Too Much Heaven

Prince Charles praises Camilla's charm, charisma

rince Charles has praised the way his wife has tackled the challenge of joining the royal family as ‘brilliant’ ahead of their 10th wedding anniversary next month. The heir to the throne also highlighted the Duchess of Cornwall’s ‘charm and charisma’ in an unusually affectionate television interview. Since marrying the prince in 2005, Camilla – once one of the most hated women in Britain - has gone from being a middleaged mother who lived much of her life out of the spotlight, to taking on a range of charitable patronages and learning about the rigours of royal engagements. In an interview with CNN’s Max Foster ahead of the couple’s joint tour of the US next week, Charles was asked: ‘People cannot believe it's been 10 years. ‘And in that time the Duchess of Cornwall has defined her own public role as well, hasn't she? ‘Has that been a challenge?’ The prince, who was interviewed at Birkhall, his home next to the Queen's Balmoral estate, replied: ‘You can imagine it is a real, real challenge.

‘But she's, I think, been brilliant in the way she's tackled these things.’ The future king, who has rarely spoken publicly in detail about his relationship with Camilla, was also asked about her ‘powerful’ charm and humour. ‘It's a side that doesn't always come across on television, but it's, it's pretty powerful in real life, isn't it?’ his interviewer said. Charles replied: ‘Yes, I think so. ‘It's a peculiar thing ... sometimes the camera ... but also, inevitably perhaps a bit more relaxed when it's, when it's slightly more private or when you're meeting people without being totally surrounded all the time by the dreaded camera.’ Charles and Camilla happily pose for photos after wedding Charles and Camilla began dating in the early 1970s but the prince was said to be ‘heartbroken’ when Camilla married cavalry officer Andrew Parker Bowles after he ‘dithered’ about their future. Charles went on to marry Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 but within a few years their marriage imploded. The prince resumed his affair with his former mistress

The Bee Gees

[CHORUS:] Nobody gets too much heaven no more It's much harder to come by I'm waiting in line Nobody gets too much love anymore It's as high as a mountain And harder to climb Oh you and me girl Got a lot of love in store And it flows through you And it flows through me And I love you so much more Then my life..I can see beyond forever Ev'rything we are will never die Loving's such a beautiful thing Oh you make my world.. a summer day Are you just a dream to fade away [Chorus] You and me girl got a highway to the sky We can turn away from the night and day And the tears you had to cry You're my life.. I can see a new tomorrow Ev'rything we are will never die Loving's such a beautiful thing When you are to me, the light above Made for all to see our precious love

Camilla while Diana turned to a string of lovers including cavalry officer James Hewitt. Throughout the early 1990s the couple undertook a series of carefully planned public appearances designed to cultivate public acceptance of their relationship. These culminated in their wedding in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall on April 9 2005, since when Camilla has taken her place by her husband’s side on the world stage. Aware of continuing public sensitivities to their relationship, however, Clarence House continue to insist she will not

become Queen but instead use the title Princess Consort when Charles accedes to the throne. The couple will travel to the US next week to meet President Obama and undertake a series of official engagements in Washington and Kentucky. During the interview Charles recalled the first time he was invited to The White House with his sister, Princess Anne, in 1970 by President Nixon. He said they – presumably meaning the media – were ‘trying to marry me off to Tricia Nixon’ at the time. Courtesy: Daily Mail.

[Chorus] Love is such a beautiful thing You make my world a summer day Are you just a dream to fade away [Chorus] Nobody gets too much love anymore It's as wide as a river and harder to cross [Chorus - repeat and fade]

Love Poem

Janay

The Perfect One He holds me when I start to cry...

Life Experience

makes me smile with just his eyes...

'I was tempted to cheat and I cheated' T hings had been growing more and more tense in my relationship with my boyfriend. I was becoming someone I didn't like: That woman who constantly starts caring about what the "next steps" will be. He was also becoming someone I didn't like: That man who actually thinks in terms of being "trapped" or "caught" by a potential girlfriend and forced into marriage. I suppose the relationship was doomed from the start in this way. I had once jokingly called him a "perpetual bachelor," and he scoffed at the title because he said this was absolutely not the case. He would occasionally sprinkle into our conversation or our weekend getaways the idea of what it would be like "when we were married" or "when we had kids." But every time one of these mentions was made, my entire body tensed up, and I knew not to say anything else, lest the moment disappear entirely. It was like his hints at matrimonial commitment was a delicate house of cards and one faulty breath from me would lead the entire thing to collapse. After about two years of this

nonsense, I went out to a party to hang with some of my closest girlfriends. I had one martini. Then I had two. You know that old Dorothy Parker expression: "I like to have a martini. Two at the very most. After three I'm under the table. After four I'm under the host"? I made the critical mistake: A third martini. Suddenly I was taking all sorts of pictures with my girlfriends and immediately uploading them onto Facebook with suggestive tags as if a full-fledged Sapphic orgy were moments away. "Tasty drink." "Fun with girlfriends!" "Temptation..." What did I expect? I think I thought my boyfriend would sud-

Suddenly I was taking all sorts of pictures with my girlfriends... with suggestive tags

denly call me and be concerned I was going to go wild and stray from our relationship. Then, in my drunken logic, I figured he would finally see how afraid he was of losing me, and what? Propose? Obviously the plan was not very well thought out. Of course, no phone call came. Nor did any text. My boyfriend and I didn't have any plans that night, but he normally called to check in on me when I was going out for a night on the town like this -- to see if I wanted to come over or ask if I was having a good time. Something. Instead, I heard crickets. "Go over and surprise him," my girlfriend suggested, and I shook my head at the idea. Somehow I figured that I needed to play hard to get for this elusive marriage proposal which especially consumed my thoughts when I was drunk, and which I wasn't even sure I truly wanted anymore. Instead of following her good advice, I decided to walk the few blocks to my home where I could pass out and start again tomorrow. As I was strolling to my apartment, continued on page 38

shares my hopes, dreams, and fears... wipes away all my tears... I love him without regret... I just haven't found him yet.

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

Romantic Joke

Jack or Barbara?

One day Mr. Smith, the president of a large corporation, called his vice-president, Dave, into his office and said, "We're making some cutbacks, so either Jack or Barbara will have to be laid off." Dave looked at Mr. Smith and said, "Barbara is my best worker, but Jack has a wife and three kids. I don't know whom to fire." The next morning Dave waited for his employees to arrive. Barbara was the first to come in, so Dave said, "Barbara, I've got a problem. You see, I've got to lay you or Jack off and I don't know what to do?" Barbara replied, "You'd better jack off. I've got a headache."

14 MARCH 2015

Relationships & Love Advice

‘I no longer love my husband' Dear Love Doctor, My name is Lucy. I married a man when I was 15 years old. He was chosen for me by my mother even though he was twice my age. I have two children for him. I am older now, but we quarrel every day and I feel nothing for him. I no longer love my husband. Please tell me what to do. From Lucy, Kaduna. Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Lucy, It is quite unfortunate that you were married off at the tender age of 15. However, you must learn to live with it and be faithful to your husband and children. The problem you are having now is psychological. You are older now and capable of taking decisions for yourself. So, when you remember how you were sent off into early marriage by your mother without your consent, you feel depressed and begin to feel resentment towards your husband. You now feel that you should have been allowed to grow up and choose

Love&Living

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

the man you love for marriage, rather than being forced into it at an early age. And you begin to see your husband as a man who stole your childhood and put you in bondage. Your feeling of resentment grows and makes you develop a sense of rebellion and you yearn for independence, because you feel that you have been enslaved in marriage for the larger part of your life. You feel that you shouldn’t have married him in the first place. You feel as though you should walk away from it all and get a young man to love. That is why you quarrel every day and feel nothing for your husband. You can get over it by forgiving your mother and your husband and forgetting the past. It might take time for your psychological scar to heal, but in the end you will get over the depression. If you can’t get over it, you might need therapy. Please don’t do anything that will break your home now. There is nothing wrong with being married to an older man as long as you love each other. Think of your children and forgive your mother and your husband. Age is only a number. Therefore, rekindle the love you had before for your husband and stop quarrelling. Look towards the future with new joy and hope. However, make sure you see a psychologist or mental health/marriage counselor near you for therapy if your depression persists over this matter.

H♥♥K UP...find your heart’s desire Women SEEKING relationship/ marriage

MEN LOOKING FOR RELATIONSHIP/ MARRIAGE

♥ Tosin, 43, from Kwara, a Christian, works, 6ft, AA genotype, needs a man between 44-50 years for marriage. 08137398286.

♥ Sani, 49, from Bauchi, needs a responsible, working or business woman of 25-55 years from any part of Nigeria; Muslim or Christian. 08021365991.

♥ Ifeoma, 45, single mother of one, needs a God fearing, comfortable, working widower or single man between 45-57 years for immediate marriage. 08068164088, 08035209738. ♥ Uchechi, 35, a graduate, tall, fair, from lmo, in PH, needs an evangelist or God fearing Igbo man for marriage. 08052366993.

♥ A lady, 34, single mother of two, business woman, needs a mature man of 50-55 years for marriage. 08134634943.

♥ Precious, 25, from Imo, sexy, pretty, needs a man above 30 years for intimate relationship and care. 08170325210.

♥ Cyril, 43, from Adamawa, based in Abuja, needs a responsible Christian or Muslim woman for marriage. 09026554435. ♥ Emmy needs a loving person in Lagos as his online business partner. Text 0704 510 6540 or 08131161840. ♥ Uche, 32, HIV positive, from Abia, wants a very fair, pretty, slim, working girl of 18-24 years who works with any federal establishment. +234 8107968407. ♥ Kingsley, 36, businessman from Anambra, living in Edo, needs a God fearing working or business lady of 23 to 34 years for marriage. 08039318878. ♥ Precious, 28, a young medic, needs a woman within 35- 48 year who wants to explore real romance but she should be ready to assist him financially. +234 8126650955.

Lovers’ Answers Game: The rule: Ask the opposite sex one question about love, and choose your lover from the top 3 answers. A girl whose number is 09098192687, is

asking all men: "Why do some men want to marry virgins, and who will marry those girls they deflowered?" *Call Mike: 07031028714 to send questions or issues.

e've all been told that eating vegetables raw is better for you as uncooked veggies contain more nutrients than ones which have been exposed to heat. But while this might be true of some produce, it's not a one-size fits all rule. In fact nutritionists are now saying that cooking some vegetables frees up more nutrients for your body to absorb. Tomatoes, spinach, carrots, asparagus and mushrooms are five vegetables and fungi which are much better for you when consumed cooked. Mel Wakeman, nutrition expert and Senior Lecturer in Applied Physiology at Birmingham City University told FEMAIL: 'Many of the nutrients found in plants are often less readily absorbed in the gut compared to nutrients derived from animal products. 'The fibre found in plants often binds particularly to minerals and makes them less available for the body to use (their bioavailability). 'Heating can help to breakdown the fibre and so release some of the minerals for absorption, and can often increase the phytochemical content of plants which can provide additional non-nutrient ben-

Blackberry Connection Nkechi, 29, from PH, a graduate and beautiful, wants a man of 32 to 35 years for a relationship that wil lead to marriage. He must be a Christian and working or businessman in the East. BB pin: 293AE0D5.

• Connect with Mike on WhatsApp or BlackBerry Pin: 7ab29e22 or 21978F71 for details on how to send your BlackBerry or Smartphone Connect request. • Call Mike on 07031028714, 08131161840 to link up and for direct hookup.

*Send your comments/stories to Love Doctor. E-mail: ireto007@yahoo.com. For free marriage/relationships counseling, call Love Doctor Mike 07031028714, 08131161840. Visit lovedrmike.blogspot.com.

Odd News

Why eating food raw is wrong efits to our health.' According to Ms Wakeman, heating tomatoes increases the levels of lycopene in the fruit, which has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. However she advises against only eating cooked tomatoes as heating destroys other vitamins. 'Tomatoes are rich in many nutrients but one is of particular interest to men's health - lycopene has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer,' she said. 'Although inconclusive at the moment there are also suggestions lycopene may also improve heart health. Heating tomatoes increases the levels of lycopene in tomatoes. I would advise against only eating cooked tomatoes as heating does destroy other important vitamins (such as Vit C) so simply have a mixture of cooked and raw tomato products.' Spinach is rich in oxalates that will bind to valuable minerals in spinach such as iron and calcium. Both fibre and oxalates can make iron particularly difficult to absorb and we may only get around five per cent of the iron content from many dark green leafy vegetables 'Heating spinach can help but may not

make a significant difference (possibly only reducing oxalate content by up to 15 per cent,' Ms Wakeman explained. However, it is important not to overcook spinach as other nutrients are lost. 'Light cooking or wilting is certainly better than boiling when the nutrients leach out into the pan and get washed away when we drain the veg,' she

added. Carrots are rich in carotenoids which give them their vivid orange colour. Heating carrots can increase the carotenoid content which can provide many benefits as they have powerful antioxidant properties. 'Again, avoid overcooking,' Ms Wakeman advised. 'Microwaving and steaming often help to retain the nutrient content of veg, rather than boiling. Eat a mixture of raw and cooked carrots too.' Heating asparagus may help to increase nutrient bioavailability and their polyphenol content. 'Polyphenols - also found in tea, red wine and chocolate - have strong antioxidant properties and provide beneficial effects in terms of risks of heart disease and cancers for example,' she clarified. Mushrooms contain reasonable amounts of vitamins and minerals. 'Cooking may improve their nutrient value but because they soak up oils like sponges, be wary of the amount of fat you use when cooking,' Ms Wakeman said. Courtesy: Daily Mail

Love&Living

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Love Education

True Story

'My sister gave up her virginity for me'

am one of identical twins. My sister and I were so alike when we were younger that we did the usual twin things like pretending to be each other in class, with friends and even with boyfriends. It was this ability to fool people into thinking we were the other when we needed to that gave me the idea that has become my secret to this day. I say my secret because Joanne, my twin, died 17 years ago on what was our 38th birthday. Part of me died on that day and I still refuse to celebrate my birthday and usually take to my bed the night before and don't surface again until the day after. Although we were physically almost mirror images of each other, Joanne was the more introverted of us. I started dating just after our 13th birthday and, although it pains me to admit, I wasn't as choosy as I should have been. In fact, I was just plain promiscuous. Then, when I was 19 and on holiday, I met Robert. I fell for him like a ton of bricks, as he did for me. Robert didn't even try to kiss me goodnight;

he was such a gentleman, he didn't touch me for the whole two weeks we were together. I showed the first lick of sense I'd exhibited since I was 13 and behaved as demurely as possible; I just knew my usual dating behaviour would have appalled him. As we said goodbye at the end of my holiday, Robert asked for my address; he was to visit my city in a couple of weeks. When we saw each other again it was absolute heaven. Robert became a little carried away at the end of the night

'I was tempted to cheat and I cheated' c o n t i n u e d f r o m pa g e 3 6

however, my brilliant plan was thrown a very sexy curveball. There lingering before me, was a man who looked like a dead ringer for Gerard Butler. He was extremely handsome in an expensive suit and smoking a cigarette outside a hotel near my house. I couldn't resist. I figured I would bum a smoke, and who knows? Maybe I would tell my boyfriend later about this flirtation, and this would be the final pang of jealousy that drove him over the edge to ask me to be his forever woman. "Do you have one of those for me?" I asked the mystery man, somehow finding myself speaking in movie cliche language. Who talked like that? "Yes, in fact, I do," he said, and when he lit my cigarette slowly and provocatively, somehow I knew right then and there that all bets were off. "You're gorgeous," I blurted out. "I wish I was single." "You're the one who's gorgeous," he said smoothly, as we stood outside his hotel. "What could I do to make you single?" My heart started beating incredibly fast, and I could feel my face flush. It was at that moment that every fight, every conversation, every broken promise I had with my boyfriend flashed before my eyes, and I realized that my fantasy of our perfect married life together was never going to happen. I might as well be single for how well the entire relationship was going. I found myself leaning forward, grabbing the back of this

hot stranger's neck and kissing him with a passion I hadn't felt in a long time. He took my hand, led me up to his hotel room, and in that one instant, I stopped being the good girl I had always been in relationships up until that point. After an hour of the best sex of my life, I left his room, and what I had done came crashing down on me like a pile of bricks. Was it worth it? Should I lie? What was going to happen now? "I cheated on you," I told my boyfriend when I called him on the phone the next morning. I knew I had to tell him immediately. I may be a cheater, but at least I'm not a liar. "What?" he asked, not seeming to believe that I would throw our relationship away like this. "This isn't working out," I said. "We both know it." "But why did you have to end it this way?" he said. "Why?" I didn't know. Maybe I was angrier than I thought? Maybe I was even more tempted than I realized? All I knew was that in the moment, everything seemed like the perfect mess of a solution: I would end the relationship in a way that would make a reconciliation impossible, and I would never let myself lay stagnant in a bad relationship again. I've kept true to that promise, too. Every relationship since has been more honest and less game-playing. Maybe that's why -- or maybe it's just the still-fresh memory of that awful feeling when I left the stranger's hotel room -- I have also never been unfaithful again. Courtesy: Cosmo

I asked Joanne to do the biggest favour for me she had ever done; sleep with Robert on our wedding night

and castigated himself for being so un-gentlemanly towards me. The next night he proposed. He said he couldn't wait for long, and could we marry as soon as possible? In record time we arranged our wedding and reception and booked the hotel for our honeymoon night. This night, of course, I was dreading. Robert might be a gentleman, but he was not stupid, he would soon figure out I was not a virgin. What was I to do? This man was the love of my life, so I deceived him for the only time in our married life. I asked Joanne to do the biggest favour for me she had ever done; sleep with Robert on our wedding night. She didn't want to do it. She was saving herself for her own wedding night. But, after 19 years of doing anything for each other, she couldn't hold out for long, especially as she knew how much it meant to me. I suppose what I was asking of her was the next worse thing to dying for me, and she would have done that without blinking. So, my precious sister gave up her virginity for me. Courtesy: nine.com

Wedding Traditions

Lighting a Unity Candle: The Philippines

ne famous Filipino wedding tradition that symbolizes the unity of the couple is the lighting of a unity candle by two separate candles held by the bride and groom to represent the joining of the two families and invoke the light of Christ. The bouquet is not tossed and rather offered to a favorite saint, the virgin, or on the grave of a loved one. Knives and other sharp objects are not considered good gifts because they will lead to a broken marriage. Raindrops are lucky because they bring prosperity and happiness, and when the rice is tossed at the newlyweds it represents the rain. The groom should always arrive before the bride; otherwise it will be bad luck. Courtesy: Irish Central.

What is Heterosexuality?

eterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behaviorbetween persons of opposite sex or gender in the gender binary. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectionate, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex"; it also refers to "an individual’s sense of personal and social identity based on those attractions, behaviors expressing them, and membership in a community of others who share them". The term is usually applied to humans, but it is also observed in all mammals. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a bisexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the heterosexual–homosexual continuum (asexuality also sometimes being included as the fourth). The word is etymologically formed by adding the combining form of Greek έτερος heteros (meaning "different") as a prefix to "sexuality". History and demographics The demographics of sexual orientation are difficult to establish due to a lack of reliable data. However, the history of human sexuality shows that attitudes and behaviour have varied across cultures. The neurobiology of the masculinization of the brain is fairly well understood. Estradiol and testosterone, which is catalyzed by the enzyme 5α-reductase into dihydrotestosterone, act upon androgen receptors in the brain to masculinize it. If there are few androgen receptors (people with androgen insensitivity syndrome) or too much androgen (females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia), there can be physical and psychological effects. It has been suggested that both male and female heterosexuality are results of variation in this process. In these studies heterosexuality in females is linked to a lower amount of masculinization than is found in lesbian females, though when dealing with male heterosexuality there are results supporting both higher and lower degrees of masculinization than homosexual males. Natural selection Much human behavior is considered to be ultimately explainable in terms of natural selection. From this point of view, the variation of phenotypic expression between heterosexual and homosexual desire in individuals has emerged in humans, as is the case for many species, as an apparent better adaptation as there are no documented human populations that are uniformly heterosexual. Heterosexual behaviors in animals Most of the reproduction in the animal world is facilitated through heterosexual sex, although there are also animals that reproduce asexually, including protozoa and lower invertebrates. Reproductive sex does not necessarily require a heterosexual orientation, since orientation refers to a long term enduring pattern of sexual and emotional attraction leading to often long term social bonding, while, reproductive sex requires only the basic act of, often one time, vaginal intercourse. Source: en.wikipedia.org.

SATURDAY

Travel &Tourism SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2015

Chef's Corner

Stephen Etameso: Spice your day with shredded beef the Chinese way p.40

Travel Personality

Kabir Malan: Government needs to devise strategies for tourism growth p.41

Destination

Delta Leisure Resorts: A dream still in limbo p.42

Live your fantasies at Federal Palace Hotel and Casino Federal Palace Hotel and Casino is one of the top-rated hotels in Nigeria. Last year it got a five-star status from the Lagos State government. ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA presents the alluring facilities and services of the hotel.

ederal Palace Hotel and Casino located on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, is one of the oldest hotels in Nigeria and comes with long history and cultural heritage. Specifically, it was built for the celebration of Nigeria's independence as it played host to the high profile events and personalities of the era. Quite a lovely and delightsome place to visit, you never can tell how alluring and fascinating the hotel is until you walk through the glass door into the reception where you are greeted with a breezy and enchanting sight. The mood here is a refreshing and peaceful one. Once within, it's not unusual to wait to catch your breath before attempting to feast on the unfolding scene. Touring the facilities, you would discover the exciting world of the hotel and the effort it makes to give guests the sort of treatment they are likely to get in a palace. It is like living your dream. By the way, the hotel owned by Eko Tourist Hotel is managed by Sun International group, a South African–owned hospitality international chain with one of the largest portfolios in tourism in Africa. Accommodation The hotel boasts 146 rooms, all luxury fitted to exude an enchanting grandeur and panache. It has different categories, all richly furnished with an array of amenities for guests. There are also some added attractions - ample view of the Atlantic Ocean and Lagos Island, especially the night view.

One of the luxuriously furnished rooms

Some of the amenities include king size bed, en suite bathroom, mini bar, tea/coffee amenities, flat screen LCD TV, digital safe, working desk and chair Conference facilities Located in a business environment where you have a number of high brow corporate bodies, the hotel is well suited for business tourism as it has nine richly furnished executive boardrooms for business meetings and related events. Added to this are the Explorer’s Annex and External Ballroom, all fully equipped with classy conference amenities such as data projectors, screens, flip charts, partitioning board, pens and paper, food and beverages, IT facilities, public address system, sound, mic and audio visuals. There is also an executive business centre for full service secretariat offerings, making the hotel a rich hotel for business and social events of all sorts. The upscale and posh setting adds colour and pep to any event. Pool Club You could call this the fivestar offering of the hotel. This, in

HOSPITALITY

Pool deck restaurant

fact, gives it the poise of a resort because here you are welcomed to a world of leisure and entertainment of different options to explore. Some of the features that offer a fun-filled experience include: A large salt-chlorinated Olympic-size swimming pool, mini water world of fun complete with water slides and children's pools, children's play park equipped with trampolines, jungle gyms and swings, two tennis courts, outdoor exercise circuit, games room, 18-hole adventure golf course, scenic jogging track and Pool Deck Restaurant and Food and Beverage Kiosk offer-

ing different menus and drinks. It is a membership club and the members are entitled to different services alongside their guests who are also expected to pay some fees while walk-in guests are also allowed the use of the club’s facilities on payment of the specified fees. Casino The hotel is also noted for its franchised casino services such as the following: American Roulette, Black Jack and Casino Hold’em Poker. While the casino learners’ night caters for neophytes in the trade. They are offered the opportunities of learning gaming etiquette, skills, tips and how to savour the best of the game. Dining/wining The hotel sure offers one of the best and delightsome dining and wining services in Lagos with its first class Ancestors Spirits and Wine Bar. Explorers and Pool Deck restaurants offer not just the best in African and continental dining, but also a very rich and enticing environment to dine and share some lovely moments with loved ones.

NEW TELEGRAPH PARTNER HOTELS B E N E F I TS 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

ABA

FESTAC, LAGOS

LAGOS

ABA

Panda Hotel Suites & Lounge

Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

CHEF'S CORNER Stephen Etameso, chef of Jerome Garden and Suites in the Opebi area of Ikeja, Lagos, speaks with CHIAZOR PEACE UDUH on his passion and shares some of his special recipes.

Stephen Etameso: Spice your day with shredded beef the Chinese way

Background hef Stephen Etameso hails from Edo State and has been the chef of Jerome Garden and Suite from its inception on November 8, 2014. He studied at the Dof Institute of Catering and Hotel Management, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos State. He graduated top grade in many of the specialised courses, which earned him numerous job offers even before he graduated. But rather than take up the job offers, he opted for a two-year diploma course to deepen his knowledge and hone his skill in the culinary world. He worked for Entice thereafter for a year, set up an outdoor catering outfit and late last year joined Jerome Garden and Suites. Specialty Etameso displays uncanny passion for his work. He comes alive when in the kitchen experimenting different recipes, he explained. But he is more at home with cooking continental dishes even though he excels also in African dishes. Some of his specialties include beef stroganoff, shredded beef in Chinese style, shredded chicken, fish in barter, grilled chicken and French fries and various African dishes, both simple and complex. His favourite meal, he says, is Jamaican Curry Shrimp, but for readers' delight, he offers Shredded Beef in Chinese style because most of his guests seem to love it.

TRAVEL BEATS

Tour Brokers International Easter offers Tour Brokers International, one of Nigeria’s leading tour firms has rolled out exciting Easter tour packages to some of the enchanting destinations around the world. The list include: Easter in Cape Town - It is an inconclusive package - Meet and Greet at Cape Town International Airport; Return airport transfer; Four Nights hotel accommodation; Half day Cape Point Tour; Return transfer from hotel to V&A waterfront; Hop on - Hop off Tour; and Private Atlántico Tour – Helicopter Flip (1 – 3 Seater). Easter in Sun City - All inconclusive – Meet and greet at O. R. Tambo International Airport; Return airport transfer; One night hotel accommodation at the Johannesburg airport; Return transfer from airport to Sun City Resort; One Segway tour – Lake glide; and return economy class ticket on RwandAir. Easter in Durban – Also all inconclusive and features – Meet and greet at King Shaka International Airport; Return airport transfer; Four nights hotel accommodation; Half day Ushaka Marine World tour; and Half day Durban city tour. All the tour packages are valid till April 30 Contact: holiday@tourbrokersinternational.com

Shredded beef palate. Inset: Chef Etameso

Ingredients zz zz zz zz zz

Water Beef Pepper Carrot Butter or groundnut oil zz Dark soy sauce zz Ground ginger/ garlic

zz Onion zz Flour zz Seasoning cubes zz Salt zz Green pepper

Preparation zz Shred beef zz Heat butter or groundnut oil in pot over light heat. (Preferably butter) zz Add sliced onions to the heated butter or oil. zz Put shredded beef in another pot, season with ground ginger, ground garlic, ground pepper, salt and seasoning cube. zz Add dark soy sauce to meat and fry in heated butter and groundnut oil

zz In a bowl, mix flour with water. Control the water so that the mixture is not to thick or too watery. zz Add shredded carrot and green pepper to shredded beef and allow to steam. zz Add flour mixture. (Serve with white rice, basmati rice or French fries - chips).

Yvonne Bassey claims AMVCA best documentary of the year The producer and presenter of Through the Eyes of an African, a travel magazine programme on DSTV has clinched the best documentary award for the year with her work, The Gift of the Nile at this year’s Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA). Beating her contender, Katman Dayil, who also had two of his works nominated for the same award category, Bassey’s Gift of the Nile also beat her other two works nominated in the same category – Shashamane, Southern Ethiopia and Massai Mara Adventure, to emerge the winner. Elated Bassey who have over the years won series of awards on the night of the award described her work thus: "The story of Africa has been told, retold and continues to

be handed down in different ways. But of the many versions told about Africa’s frightening beauty, the tales re-counted on Thru The Eyes of An African compels its viewers to really see Africa, not through a prism of misconceived notions, but in its true and glowing colours, while revealing to all the strength of the African people, which is their culture." Through her TV documentaries, she paints with vivid words, the continent’s Yvonne Bassey with her 2015 AMVCA award colourful cultures, exotic forests and games reserves, beautifully rolling hoisted up to unbelievable heights to Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards is landscapes,a strong and distinguished build an enormous empire through the a prestigious annual event organized people wealthy in potential and pascombined strength of Egyptian slaves by Africa Magic and Maisha Magic, in sionate about their homeland… and have remained amazing testimopartnership with Multichoice Africa The winning entry, Gift of the Nile, nies to man’s incredible engineering and is aimed at recognizing excepbrings back to life an era in Egypt skills and physical endurance at a time tional talent in the African television when gigantic stone boulders were when machinery was not in existence. and movie industries.

Meetings Africa 2015 to promote Africa as MICE destination

Derek Hanekom, South Africa Tourism Minister (right) in a handshake with an exhibitor during the Minister’s walkabout at the just concluded Meetings Africa 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Meetings Africa 2015 is to be dedicated to the promotion of Meetings, Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destinations in Africa even as it is forecast to contribute over $91 million to the economy of South Africa in the next two years. These were part of the fallout from the just concluded Meetings Africa held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The gathering celebrated a decade of marketing of Africa and South Africa, the host country and originator of the forum as the preferred MICE destination and this focus is expected to be at the front burner of the forum. Over a hundred exhibitors and 184 hosted buyers from across the world attended the event this year with products and services displayed said to represent the latest trends in the business travel industry and

comparable to the optimal standards across the globe. In his message at the opeing session, South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom, highlighted the importance of Meetings Africa and its contribution to the South African economy. According to Hanekom, “It is estimated that the business generated by the 184 qualified buyers at Meetings Africa 2015 could bring 54 000 convention delegates worth nearly USD100 Million in revenue to our shores in the next two years.” He pointed out that the three top source markets for qualified buyers at Meetings Africa 2015 are India, the USA and Canada, and China with a total of 66 percent of the qualified buyers being new to the market, which testifies to the major pull of what is on offer at Meetings Africa.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Travel & Tourism

TRAVEL PERSONALITY

Kabir Malan: Government needs to devise strategies for tourism growth and development. To get this right, we must position key technocrats who are interested in the industry.”

Kabir Malan is the managing director of Grandtrack Tours Limited, a tour company based in Kaduna. Malan, a former president of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), member of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) and board member of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, among others, speaks with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on tour business and the state of the Nigeria travel and tourism trade.

M Background

alan Kabir, 57, holds a post graduate diploma in Public Administration. He is married and has four children (two boys and two girls). He worked for about five years with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) between 1991 and 1995 before resigning to set up his travel and tour business in Kano. His focus, he says, is on tourism as he is “interested in making the tourism industry vibrant rather than selling tickets,” adding that this was what ignited his first bold move in the early days of his business when he single-handedly organised the first and only leather exhibition in Kano in 1998. His interest then, he says, was not just in exhibiting the leather product which was very popular and world acclaimed but to use the forum to stimulate travel thereby, bringing business to the doorstep of the people. “By so doing, it would stimulate movement and create the necessary attention and bring visitors to our land. Thus, as tour operators, when and if visitors come, we would be gainfully engaged,” he says. Malan, who few years back relocated his business from Kano to Kaduna where now he holds sway as one of the leading operators, says his relocation was informed by the need to strike a balance in his business. “The choice of my relocation from Kano to Kaduna was not informed by economic considerations. I was comfortably operating in Kano. I also have many contacts in Abuja. Kaduna has been like a family city, where most of my family members are residing, including my mother. So, to strike a balance between Kano and Abuja, Kaduna became the obvious choice.” Motivation and dream Having learnt the rudiments from NTDC, he reveals that his dream as a tour operator is to drive tourists to the country and push the country to the top rung of destinations in the world. “As a tour operator, I was hoping to make Nigeria surpass most African countries and be among the 10 must see destinations in the world.” This dream appears to have been inspired by the fact of the huge potential of the country, as he explains thus: “you know Nigeria is a unique country in the world. Being the most populous black nation, with its over 250 ethnic nation-

NTDC's board intervention Reflecting on the intervention of the board of NTDC in tourism, he reveals that it is grappling with a myriad of problems but the most fundamental is that of funding, as he informs that NTDC “is grossly underfunded.” However, on the flip side, he discloses that “our policies and strategies may begin to manifest soon. We have taken bold moves to appreciate the problems and proffer solutions. But policies do not deliver themselves. Nigeria is very good in theories, but when it comes to practice it is another ball game.”

alities, with beautiful and colourful festivals all year round, with alluring landscapes, if only we get our acts together, we can position Nigeria as a top tourism destination.” This body of knowledge and awareness, he attributes to his short stint at NTDC. “My brief stint in the NTDC made me to realise the potential of the industry. It exposed me to the immense economic benefits the tourism industry offers. I realised that it was a richly blessed industry, where you can make money and be happy. It is a very exciting industry with fulfilling challenges.” Challenges faced as tour operator If there is one thing that Malan has discovered about the tourism industry and which has informed his total commitment to the industry and his clients, it is a service based industry requiring one’s humility. “I have realised tourism as a service industry one needs to be humble and accommodate varied interests. It is an industry that exposes you to new challenges everyday. It deals with human beings. The complex nature of the human beings requires you to be innovative and meet the demands of your clients.” However, he says there are challenges that one needs to cope with in order to succeed in the business. “The challenges are enormous. As tour operators, we are faced with many issues related to regulations or lack of it. The government needs to put its act together and translate its tourism dreams into concrete reality.” Tour business in the north growing but it could be better Malan describes the tour business in the northern part of the country as a growing concern, insisting that more needs to be done to open up the space. “One can comfortably say that much need to be done in this part of the country. More activities need to be created to stimulate and encourage travels in and outside the region. There is the need to package our numerous festivals and tourist attractions.” He laments the fact that a number of these events, which used to attract huge following, are almost dead, adding that the insecurity in the region is signing the death knell of tourism. “Unfortunately the much known festivals like Sallah, Durbar and Argungu Fishing Festival are simply in comatose. To make matters worse, the activities of Boko Haram have virtually crippled many economic activities,

tourism inclusive, especially in the three states (Adamawa, Borno and Yobe) that are affected most.” Urgent government intervention needed While acknowledging the fact that tourism is private sector driven he, however, posits that the government needs to create “the enabling environment for it to thrive. Therefore, there is the need for government to take bold steps and come out with concrete plans and strategies with a view to stimulating tourism activities.”

Government needs to put its act together and translate its tourism dreams into concrete reality

The problem with Nigeria tourism Aside the problem of tourism in the north, former president of the NANTA (March 2006 - March 2008) and board member of NTDC, says the Nigeria tourism industry is an ailing one. The fact that despite the vast and rich resources of the country, tourism is still in the woods, he says, should be the concern of everyone, including government and the private sector. He advocates a commitment to domestic tourism as the key to unlocking the industry: “If only we can concentrate on domestic tourism alone we can bring about the desired results of accelerated tourism development. It can serve as viable option from which the market economy can expand and flourish. We must have a shift from overdependence on oil money. While we all know that oil can disappear or become less valuable, as it is happening now, tourism if nurtured, grows and mature with time.” He calls for “a deliberate policy, government must come out to support the development and sustainability of the sector. Tourism is already a global phenomenon, which has received wide acceptance as a key to sustainable economic growth

Legacy as NANTA president Looking back at his years as president of NANTA, Kabir says it was one of the most important eras of his career as his acumen as both businessman and administrator were at his wit end because he assumed leadership of the association at one of its trying moments when interest waned and was at its lowest ebb. However, he succeeded in turning around the fortune of the body and placed it back where it belonged – the top range. “Bad enough that a founding president looked at me and said I would be the last president of NANTA. He saw no future in it. But look at it, as at the time I was leaving, NANTA was healthier, more members joined, old ones renewed their memberships and unprecedented impressive financial positions were recorded. “The Annual General Meeting (AGM) that I handed over to my successor was attended by many notable members and stakeholders in the industry. There were renewed interest and participation. These are indicators to show that things have changed, changed for the better. The most significant achievement was the introduction of the Bank Settlement Plan (BSP) in Nigeria, which was an issue for over two decades. “I understood the politics involved and I pursued the issue with vigour until we were successful. The rest is now history, even though we live in a country that behaves as if we have no history. This was during my tenure as president of NANTA.” The future “The future of tourism is tied with the future of Nigeria. We cannot really single it out. There is a lot of work to be done. With the right policies, committed technocrats, and good funding, the sky is the limit.” I am a simple and private person Malan is a very simple and selfeffacing person, always calm and easy to approach, rendering help and advice whenever requested. Smart looking, sport enthusiast and relaxes by playing Scrabble. “I am a simple private person. I will like to be remembered as someone who gave his best in all that I do. I take every responsibility very seriously.

42 Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

DESTINATION

Delta Leisure Resorts: A dream still in limbo When the Delta Leisure Resorts was unveiled some years ago, it inspired hope. DOMINIC ADEWOLE who visited the projects sites recently writes that the projects have long been abandoned and in limbo while the people lament what seem like a failed enterprise.

elta Leisure Resorts was a child of promise. To many then it was an audacious dream project by the state government which planned to execute the tourism enterprise with a private sector firm of international repute. So it seemed then. Interestingly, it was one of the major projects unveiled by the Delta State government as part of the Delta Beyond Oil initiative of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, aimed at diversifying the economic base of the state. Given its huge potential and multiplier effect as well as global allure, tourism was considered a veritable platform to launch the state into a new era. In this wise, Delta Leisure Resorts was conceived as a privatepublic partnership initiative and sold to the people of the state by the state government and its collaborators, Sarner Limited, a UK firm with an African arm - Sarner PFM Limited chaired by the late Chief Abel Ubeku, a Delta indigene and former managing director of Guinness Nigeria Plc with Prince Abiodun Oyefusi as the managing director and face of the company in Nigeria. The formal presentation and ground breaking ceremonies of the twin tourism project - a theme park resort located in Oleri Village, Udu Local Government Area of the state, near Warri, about 20 minutes drive

Prince Oyefusi

from the Warri airport and wild life park resort located in the natural wild of Ogwashi – Uku, Aniocha Local Government Area, some 20 minutes drive from Asaba, the state capital and Asaba International Airport – estimated to cost $317 million (N49 billion) were well celebrated events with the state governor, Uduaghan leading government officials, the project partners, chiefs, business moguls, the showbiz personalities and even the governor of Cross River State, the only state in Nigeria whose economy is anchored on tourism, Senator Liyel Imoke, present to lend some credence to the project. Work on the twin project was expected to begin in 2011 while formal public presentation and openings were slated for 2014. From the beautiful models and exotic presentations made to the public at this occasion held at the mega event centre in Asaba, the details and features of the project gave some good cause for optimism. Here are some of the features Water theme Park in Oleri: This alluring water theme park modelled after world class facilities have among others such facilities as roller coaster ride, tall tower plunge, pirate ship, traditional carousel, fantasy playground, water park featuring wave pool, lazy river, children’s

Mofe-Damijo

Model of Delta Leisure Resorts

The wildlife park is affiliated with animal game facilitators in providing research and breeding programmes for the animals within their various enclosures at the park. The park offers day and night safari adventures you will remember forever.

Wildlife Park site

splash pool and fabulous flume ride. Also conceived were different levels of hotels from three to five-star with magnificent and stunning chalets to reflect different culture and rich blend of upscale tastes. Complementing these are also different classes of entertainment and leisure facilities such as cinemas, casinos, night clubs, restaurants, shopping and amusement arcades offering different experiences and flavours. Then there is an enchanting water fall, offering iconoclast scenery, family picnic area, mountaineering and barbeque areas. There is also a whole section devoted to African theme and a huge parking lot for cars and bikes. Wildlife Park This wildlife park designed to offer a rich blend of wilderness experience and ample safari for lovers of nature and wildlife featured a rich collection of fauna from across the world to mix and roam the equally rich natural habitat. According to the profile of the park, its offerings is described among others to include rare and endangered species to exotic birds, big jungle cats, apes and elephants. And with nature trails, teaching and research facilities and a wildlife educational centre, visitors can learn about native species and the importance of protecting them and their natural environments.

The government participation For the government, this was one project that was meant to change the fortune of the state and put its economy on a fast pace growth outside oil. He boasted that the state would in no distant time become a truly sough after tourist destination as he described the project in glowing terms, saying it’s the first of its kind in Nigeria and within the West Africa coast. Optimistic of the potential of the project, the government as part of its equity participation provided the two lands in Oleri and Ogwashi-Uku measuring about 500 hectares, constructed the bridge and link roads leading to the Oleri project while amount totalling N50 billion was alleged to have been released from the state coffers for the project. The state commissioner for culture and tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo, in his annual briefing held on September 12, 2013, at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, painted the state of work and financial commitment when he stated that the project was initially financed by the foreign partners to the sum of $250,000,000.00, maintaining that, “in view of the above, the state government has almost completed the construction of a bridge and access roads to the project site. Similarly, sand filling and dredging of the swampy areas of the site is almost completed. In the same vein work on the beautification of the Delta Steel Company expressway median from Effurun Roundabout to the proposed site is in progress (he was talking about the Leisure Park in Oleri).” Uncertain fate With the time scheduled for the delivery of the twin project (2014) already gone there is agitation by the host communities and disquiet among

Travel & Tourism 43

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

'We'll take back our land if project fails' The Ozoma (mouthpiece) of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, Prince Lawrence Okolobi, speaks on the state of the project.

L-R: Deputy governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, Governors Liyel Imoke, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Richard Mofe-Damijo, late Abel Ubeku and wife, Mrs. Ubeku during the projects' presentation held in Asaba...admiring the model.

Oleri bridge under construction

the people. They worry over the fate of the project given that the government and its partners have failed to deliver "despite the huge amount of money already put into it by the state government". It is not clear as to the exact amount so far put into the project by the state government and also the amount mobilised by Sarner, the partner to the project, which conceived and designed the project and are supposed to source funds for it execution as well. Efforts made to speak with Prince Oyefusi and Mofe-Damijo proved abortive while the permanent secretary and other officials of the ministry failed to respond to any enquiry as well, insisting that it is only the commissioner that has the authority to speak on the matter. A visit to the project sites at Oleri and Ogwashi–Uku showed that no work appeared to be ongoing barring the fact that the place is fenced and the gates manned by security men who refused to entertain any question from the reporter and also denied him entrance to the sites. But the government has attributed the failure to complete the project as promised to the global economic downturn. The state commissioner for information, Chike Ogeah, said: “Besides that access to international credit militated against the government of the state from really executing some projects to the letter, especially the Leisure Resorts at Oleri and Ogwashi-Uku, events and changes in the economic situation across the globe have overtaken our calculations. “It pained my heart when projects of such magnitude, projects that are capable of turning over the fortune of the state positively are being subjected to petty politics. I must confess to you as well that ineffective budget cycles, coupled with the dwindling oil revenue, also distorted our plans.” Distraught communities The two communities hosting the twin projects are not happy with the

Stages of development and timeline for the project Master Plan completed and approved zz Site cleared - December 2011 zz Topographical Survey completed and approved – December 2011 zz Geotechnical Survey completed and approved – December 2011 zz Full construction to commence on site - April 2012 starting with Land Reclamation zz Staff Quarters construction in Oleri and Ogwashi Uku commence - April 2013 zz EIA completed - July 2013 zz Construction of Director's Lodge at Aladja commence - July 2013 zz Construction of Self-Catering Villas at Oleri commencing - September 2013 zz Earth Works and Landscaping at Asaba site (Ogwashi Uku) commence September 2013 zz Animal Purchases commence September 2013 zz Fencing of Oleri and Ogwashi Uku sites to commencing - October 2013 zz Audio visual design stage to commence - November 2013 zz African Cultural Museum design stage to commence - November 2013 zz Child's Play Zone design to commence November 2013 zz Waterpark design to commence November 2013 zz Ticketing Systems concept design to commence - November 2013 zz Rides And Amusements Procurement to commence - November 2013 zz Canal, Waterfalls and Water features design stage to commence - November 2013 zz Construction of 5-star Chalets in Asaba site (Ogwashi Uku) to commence January 2014 zz Theming Works design stage to commence - January 2014 zz Signage and Wayfinding design to commence - February 2014 zz Unveiling of Branding and Operators - To be announced zz Entire park design and construction documentation completed - December 2014 zz Official Opening Date - To be announced

state government over the state of affair. They are, as a result, not only clamouring for the land to be given back to them since the government had failed to execute the project for which the land was given, but are angry that what is happening to the projects is a pointer to the neglect the government has visited on the people. According to one of the youth leaders in Ogwashi-Uku, Feyi Akeem Kareem, many youths in the community are unemployed and they have looked forward to the project bringing hope and succour. But such hope has been dashed. ‘‘Majority of the youths are idle. No economic development. Many banks refused to establish their branches here because the community is not developing,’’ he lamented. Mr. Odia Hope, an elder citizen in the community also decried the slow pace of work. According to him, “the state government is not funding the project completely. As you can see visitors are not coming into the town. The economic life here is poor. ‘‘That was what such project is meant to address. But as it is now, the purpose is defeated because the governor (Uduaghan) is almost on the last lap of his tenure in office. I doubt if that project was really awarded and funded as it should be. It is lying fallow in the bush there.’’ But the council chairman of Aniocha-South Local Government, Chief Isaac Anwuzia, hailed Governor Uduaghan's vision in siting such project in the community. He blamed the non-completion on the dwindling revenue from the federation account, which he said has affected virtually all ongoing projects across the state, even the allocation to the council areas. Anwuzia who harped on the counterpart funding, said the contracting firm handling the project has vowed to expedite action on the contract immediately the 2015 general elections are over.

What is the level of work at the leisure park? Ogwshi Uku is a town that does not know how to live their communal life. If they know, the state government wouldn’t have taken them for granted as it did in the name of the Delta Leisure Park. The project you are talking about is something that the community should be involved in but I can tell you authoritatively that the community today does not know whatever they are doing there. When they brought the idea initially, we welcomed it. We thought it was a thing that will materialise immediately during Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. But, unfortunately, the way they started was shoddy. We don’t have access to the project site. Personally, I have tried to see the commissioner for culture and tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo, to iron things out with him about the project but to no avail. But as a politician now, what they say here is not what they say and mean there. Whatever they are doing there the community does not know. On several occasions, I have gone to the project site to query what they are doing there. I have challenged them over the secrecy involved in the project, how they don’t want the people of the state, even the host community, including the palace, to know about it by barricading the entrance with soldiers. We are just waiting for the appropriate time to claim back what belongs to us. We will take back the land. Even the length of the land they took there, we don’t know. Why we are worried about the size of the land is that, often times, politicians will come through the back door and take Ogwashi-Uku land in the name of siting industries but later share it among themselves. How is the people and the palace taking this state of state? The irony of the whole thing is that the people are so happy that the government of the state brought a project to their community and is not funding or executing it. If you talk, some persons will mobilise thugs from the community to come and attack you and tag you a troublesome person. They told us the project would create employment for us but today we are lying idle. Most of the people working there are non-indigenes. My pain is that Uduaghan has few months to go and the next thing is that the project will be abandoned. The soldiers at the entrance to the project site in collaboration with the contractors and the state government have turned the whole thing to a hide-and-seek game. What does the people intend to do about it? We cannot do otherwise for now. Since they have come, we took them by their words. If at the end of the day they derail from the donors’ intention, then we will have no other option than to take back our land. We gave out our land as collateral. We didn’t sell it neither did we collect compensation for it. When they came they promised us job opportunities, wealth creation and other things they never did. If at the end of the day, as we are seeing it now, that nothing will come out of it, we will deploy the means we have used in the past to recover our land.

Okolobi

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

SATURDAY, 14 MARCH, 2015

SATURDAY

Politics 45

Cover

Atiku: Torn between two extremes p.47

Politics

Sad memories of Ibadan post-confab summit p.48

Cover Extra

Card reader, still dogged by controversy p.49

ÂŠ Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Some people are trying too hard to potray Buhari as a dunce, says Tony Momoh Prince Tony Momoh, former Minister for Information and a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) speaks with MICHAEL UCHEBUAKU about Buhari's experience in governance; the financial and other factors that caused his defeat in 2011 and his conviction that the APC will emerge victorious this time around. The allegation is that former members of the defunct ACN and PDP have seized the APC, shoving aside former CPC and APGA members like you and Governor like the CPC, ACN, and a faction of APGA Rochas Okorocha. Is this true? There is only one party, the APC. You do not want to look at people who came in before it became a party. There were over 100 groups that came together as PDP. These included the G34 and others. Many groups like the CPC, ACN and a faction of APGA, fused into the APC. If you analyse the APC through those constituent parts, you would be making a mistake. So I don't understand what you mean by former CPC members being sidelined.

Should General Buhari apologize for rights abuses during his rule as head-of-state, instead of merely acknowledging such abuses? What do you mean by human rights abuses in a military regime? The first duty of a military regime is to suspend the law-making arm of a democratically elected government, and that is what happens everywhere. And do you know that during the 80s, only a few African countries were not under military rule and lots of former leaders were executed as in Ghana. In Nigeria, instead of executing former leaders, the military government that came in and which was headed by Buhari, in its wisdom, set up a military tribunal to pacify the junior officers who wanted them executed. Unlike Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, Buhari refused to execute former Nigerian leaders. What I am saying is that a military regime affects the human rights of its citizens. But now that we are in a democracy, anybody who wants to hold office will do so by obeying the laws or abiding by the provisions of the constitution. Then, there was a constitution, only that the constitution was amended, suspending certain pow-

ers that the legislature exercised. And then the Armed Forces Ruling Council took over. Buhari's government didn't break any law, only applied them stringently. Is the argument right that Buhari performed well then because as a military head of state, he was not encumbered by the finesse imposed by democracy? You see, the buck stops on the desk of the president. Even though Buhari was the head of State, fact is that then, the law-making arm was the Supreme Military Council that made laws which the head-of-state executed. It is just like the National Assembly making laws which President Goodluck Jonathan has to execute. Buhari followed the due process of executing an amended constitution during his time as a military Head of State. Under this democratic dispensation, he will also follow the due process of executing the provisions of the constitution. Now, this man who operated as a former military ruler is the same man who went to court in 2003, 2007, and 2011. He operated under dictatorship then and is now operating under the laws of democracy. Awolowo and Buhari have enriched electoral laws more than any other person in the history of Nigeria. Awolowo went to court once and said he won't go again. Buhari went to court thrice and contested thrice, following due process each time. Tell me, who can be more lawabiding? Did Buhari slight Nigerians by going to Chatham House in the United Kingdom to lecture on why he wants to be president, instead of participating in scheduled presidential debates? Is the presidential debate the only way you reach out to the people? If you look at the make-up of the reach-out, you will see that you reach out to people who will vote for you. Out of 36 states, General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd.) has visited 35. It is only Yobe that he has not visited. He has held town hall meetings with different groups namely labour, students, petty traders and so on and so forth. If not for the postponement of the election, it was part of his reach-out programme to connect with international friends in the US, South Africa, Germany and other places. As part of his campaign reach-out strategy, Buhari was meeting ambassadors and other interests inside NigeCONTINUED ON PAGE 46

Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nigeria is filthy rich but people make us poor'

you react to this? That is not what I think. The Federal Government set up a Lemu Panel. And Lemu brought everybody together to make presentations. We went to make our presentations like everybody did, and at the end of the day, Lemu said that Buhari was not the one that instigated the violence and that he himself was a victim of violence because three of his vehicles were destroyed and some of his drivers were hospitalized.

C O N T I N U E D f r o m PA G E 4 5

ria. Are they saying that it was wrong for Buhari to go to Chatham House and that the only way for him to reach out is through presidential debate? He has had interviews on radio, television and newspapers. Going to Chatham House was part of his programme of meeting people inside and outside the country. Has our president not been to U.S., UK, South Africa, Germany and other places before? Who questioned him? And concerning the debate, Buhari didn't say he wasn't interested in the debate. What he said was about the people organizing the debate. In the view of the APC, the people organizing the debate were not independent enough. Look at, for instance, some of our television and radio stations, the kind of things they carry about the man (Buhari). They distort the facts. They distorted the facts in their documentaries and other things they aired about Buhari. You and I know that in journalism, facts are sacred. All these facts are there but they still went ahead to distort the facts in order to portray Buhari as a wicked person or dunce. But some people just want to portray him as wicked. If he decided that he shouldn't take part in the so-called debate, it explains the other fora that he participated in. And let me tell you, there is nobody who can beat Buhari in a debate. Why?. All they (PDP) do is insult the personality of Buhari in their campaigns, but the man has man has never insulted anybody or used any negative word against anybody throughout his campaign. If you wake him up, he can speak from experience on any issue in Nigeria. What sort of thing is this? Is it because somebody is contesting an election? So far, assess the media coverage of the campaigns of the two leading candidates and their parties? The media is a business, so if you bring an advertisement and pay, it will be published. They earn money from such advertisements. But there is something called editorial consideration for anything you publish. If someone writes libel and you publish it, you cannot say that the man indemnified you, because the decision to indemnify is between you who published what someone has brought, not the person who brought it. So someone it affects will sue you independently of what arrangement you had with the man who brought the advert and said he would indemnify you. That is what many people don't understand. Concerning your professional judgement as a professional, under Chapter Two of the Constitution, you have an obligation to monitor governance. The person who owns the medium has a responsibility under Section 39 of the Constitution to inform people who are willing to be informed. The economy is pushed to the brink by some factors, including the naira which now exchanges at N227 to a dollar. Can Gen Buhari manage the economy better than President Jonathan? All that is happening is because of indiscipline. Buhari will instill discipline and I can assure you that things will be

Tony Momoh

streamlined faster than you think. One of my relations in Abule-Ijesha is a petty trader. Her share of the money they gave them in Lagos was N50,000. She doesn't get up to N10,000 a month in return for her business, yet they gave her N50,000. This is the money they brought for market women to share in Lagos. Imagine! How can all these be happening in this country? When we were in CPC, someone brought 28 buses as our campaign buses and asked Buhari: "What is there for me if you get there?" And Buhari said: "I have my own pension. That is the only thing that belongs to me. If I get there, what is there belongs to the people and I can't give it to anybody or promise to give it to anybody outside due process." After hearing Buhari's reply, the man took away 10 buses. So I'm talking of discipline. The example you set in Nigeria is what Nigerians follow. So, once you restore discipline, money will be available to meet all our obligations as a country. The PDP say that the APC is only deceiving Nigerians by saying they will create massive employment in their manifesto. How is the APC going to create jobs for Nigerian youths? Do you know that agriculture is there? Less than 13 percent of all the land that is arable in Nigeria is farmed. Imagine able-bodied Nigerians being sent to farms or mines. Oh, you want to cry when you see youths wasting away. Imagine over 600,000 people going into a stadium and dying there (the botched Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment exercise in 2014). Corruption everywhere! Abuses everywhere! And all these people are there unemployed. These are the people who want change. It is not just the APC who want change. If the APC now says

They are jittery, that is why they are putting off the elections. But change must come

it doesn't want change, they will be stoned. And change must come. I'm telling you that there are lots of opportunities for people to work. Look at Nasarawa state for example. The former government said they could not pay N7,500 a month as minimum wage. But when the present governor, Al Makura got there, they were paying N7,500 a month and borrowing N750million a month to meet that commitment. But when Nasarawa plugged all the loopholes, they started paying N18,900 monthly, without borrowing a kobo to do so. All you have to do in Nigeria is plug the loopholes. They brought water and light everywhere, including arrears left behind by the former governor. That's why Al-Makura is an icon in Nasarawa state. Nigeria is filthy rich but people make us poor. I can assure you that if Buhari is elected today, corruption will be reduced by at least 50 percent; because he is not a corrupt man. Some people accuse Buhari of instigating the political violence of 2011. How do

What exactly went wrong for Buhari and the CPC in the 2011 presidential election? Was the election rigged as alleged? Now you go and queue and then you vote. At the end of the day, the vote you cast is counted and then sent to a place for collation. During that period of collation at the ward level, at the local government level, at the state level, strange facts start to emerge. They use a computer programme to deduct everybody's vote by 10 percent and 20 percent. And when you count manually and discover the difference, they now claim that it was a mistake, that there was 10 percent deduction across board. But 10 percent of 1.4 million is different from 10 percent of 100,000. So, what they did in 2011 was to ensure that general votes were reduced in the North, and that Buhari did not get 25 percent of votes anywhere in the South. And even where Buhari had some votes, they removed the votes because we didn't have money to put agents there. So the South-South and SouthEast were locked up for Jonathan and results were written up and announced. That cannot happen now because the South-South and South-East have been unbundled. We (the APC) have two states in the South-South (Edo and Rivers). In the South-East, at least, we have one state (Imo). So, even the socalled automatic ticket for Jonathan in the South-East is a problem now. In the 2011 election, Buhari had less than 400,000 votes in the whole of the South. But now, it is going to be different. First, the South-West is a key zone in the APC. The North are mostly APC states. So tell me how APC can lose. They are jittery, that is why they are putting off the elections. But change must come. Is APC now bigger than PDP? Yes, we are bigger than PDP. I saw the president the other day on television saying that PDP is bigger and that it has representation in all the polling units. He doesn't know that there is no Polling Unit Organization in PDP. Only APC has a Polling Unit Organization and I want to tell you that we have generated at least a hundred people in each polling unit. For 120,000 polling units across the country, that is 12 million people which we first generated before we started populating our organs, 14 organs. And now we are bigger than PDP. In other words, our presence in polling units all over Nigeria is more in total than that of PDP. We even have polling unit agents who are natives of the polling units. So election is a very serious thing. PDP had wanted to stop APC. But they have to face APC with issues, and it's too late now to stop the APC. The APC is going to sweep the election. We will win.

Cover

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Atiku: Torn between two extremes Former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is locked on the horns of dilemma: staying in the APC or returning to PDP. DOMINIK UMOSEN writes.

he saying that the rich also cry, to all intents and purposes, may have been invented solely for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former vice president and one of the money bags who have placed the totality of their jaw-dropping resources at the disposal of the All Progressives Congress' presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd). Apparently determined to convince his colleagues in the opposition party that he harboured no ill feelings after losing the party’s presidential primaries to the ascetic former head of state, even willing to throw in all resources required to reinvent the electoral chances of his new party, the politically-ambitious former vice-president, plunged headlong into the project, even when a huge wall of cynical jeers and sneers greeted his altruism. This suspicion, a source within the party told Saturday Telegraph, explains why no tangible role commensurate with status was planned by the opposition party for the former vice-president and former presidential aspirant. "There is the substantive thinking within the party, especially among those pulling the strings, that Atiku came into the party for one objective and must constantly be checkmated so that he does not destabilize the party with his enormous resources," the source volunteered. Thus, for Atiku, began his free fall from grace within the party hierarchy, culminating in the current dilemma whereby he is mostly tolerated within the party, a far cry from the mass jubilation and carnival mood with which he was received into the opposition party when he sensationally jumped ship from the ruling PDP. According to insiders, the cold shoulders Atiku has been getting lately in the party is so distressing that the former vicepresident, barring pride and ego, may have returned to the PDP which he co-founded but dumped after failed bids to secure his pet dream - the presidential ticket. "Atiku, sorry to say, is more or less an outsider who is merely tolerated in the PDP. His absence at most of the rallies by the party or its presidential flag bearer is not only instructive but, essentially, a reflection of the suspicion with which he is held within his new party," the reliable source further volunteered. Atiku’s dilemma in the APC (or what some has uncharitably referred to as aggravated humiliation), Saturday Telegraph learnt, is so intense that the former vicepresident has often considered returning to his former party, though his spokesman who also doubles as the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation's media director, Mallam Garba Shehu dismissed this suggestion. According to him, "Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has already issued a statement in this regard, re-affirming his faith in his party, APC. As far as we are concerned, that issue is closed as our position on it is well-documented’, he told Saturday Telegraph on phone yesterday. Notwithstanding Shehu’s rebuttal, Saturday Telegraph learnt that the situa-

tion is so bad that the former vice-president has shunned APC presidential rallies, especially in his North-eastern part of the country, but also elsewhere. According to our source, a strong and unmistakably strong indication that there is a fundamentally bad situation on ground in the opposition party, is the fact that even though he has not reneged on his pledge to fund the presidential campaigns of General Buhari, he has done so perfunctorily and without sufficient passion. Perhaps, a definitive indication that things are no longer at ease within the opposition party, in spite of all the propaganda, is the fact that General Buhari has often refused to pick calls from the former vice president, allegedly forcing Atiku to advise his political disciples that anyone who so wished was free to rejoin the PDP. "Turaki (as the former vice-president is fondly referred to by his multitude of admirers), has been in politics long enough to know when smiles of camaraderie are not genuine," another source told Saturday Telegraph, adding that "it is now a regular occurrence for his calls not to taken by General Buhari." Another source who is familiar with this charade among big wigs in the party also said that even after swallowing the bitter pill of his defeat in the party primaries, certain forces that now call the shots "have refused to acknowledge that it is only natural for anyone who has committed his resources to feel angry and used if he is treated with disdain as Atiku is being treated in the APC now." Atiku is reputed to have funded Buhari's campaign especially in the North-East, except in

What manner of individual would collect money from another to sponsor his political campaigns and still refuse to entertain calls from such a benefactor?

Atiku

Borno State where campaign have been limited. But in his emphatic denial of any misgivings, Shehu reminded skeptics of the statement issued on the issue by the former vice-president, saying that the statement ought to lay to rest the issue of whether the Turaki is disenchanted or not in his new party. Shehu did not want to be drawn into further controversy on the issue, except to re-affirm that "as far as we are concerned, there is nothing more to discuss or say on this issue". Also commenting on the alleged predicament of the former vice-president in the APC, a chieftain of the party from the Middle Belt who pleaded anonymity, added a new dimension to the raging debate, saying that "if Gen Buhari could be enjoying the patronage of an individual and still treat such a benefactor with unadulterated disdain and disrespect, it speaks volumes about his strength of character". "What man-

ner of individual would collect money from another to sponsor his political campaigns and still refuse to entertain calls from such a benefactor? This is a sign of ingratitude", he said. The same source also revealed that Nigerians may have been hoodwinked into presuming that everything was normal and comfy in the party since Shehu, who has been the Turaki’s long-standing image manager, was appointed to head Buhari’s media campaign. "Shehu, if Nigerians must know, was not even Atiku’s choice for the media appointment. His choice was facilitated by the fact that Buhari's preference was for someone with a similar ethnic background as himself for such a sensitive position, hence the erroneous impression that he was loaned by the Turaki to the party," the source said, adding that the former president would have since returned to the PDP but for fear of possible jeers and humiliation he may be subjected to by former colleagues in the PDP. "But that is a child’s play, considering what he is going through and made to endure in the opposition party," he further said. The suspicion which Atiku stokes among APC stalwarts stems from the fact that he had quit the Action Congress on whose platform he had run for president in 2007, a move that riled Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Atiku found solace in the defunct AC after his presidential ambition was truncated in the PDP.

Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

SOLA ADEYEMO reports from Ibadan that, from their hospital beds, two stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have been wondering how thieves masquerading as Good Samaritans took advantage of their plight. Ijabadeniyi (left) and Orimoloye after the elevator accident

Sad memories of Ibadan post-confab summit

...54-year-old hotel lift crashes

f anybody had advised Mr Supo Ijabadeniyi, the Akure-based, nurseturned lawyer and politician against attending the Thursday, February 26, 2015 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Post National Conference summit held at Ibadan, Oyo State capital, where many prominent Yoruba leaders endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for second term, he might have felt slighted or simply shrugged. As the South West zonal Legal Adviser of the ruling party, who was formally invited to attend, with a hotel room also booked for him ahead of the summit, Ijabadeniyi had every reason to believe he was a factor to be reckoned with in the Ondo PDP- the reason he was checked into Room 214 of the prestigious Premier Hotel, Mokola Hill, Ibadan on the eve of the summit. His Treasurer colleague, Lanre Orimoloye, was also lucky to be in the team, but none of them had the premonition that they would become patients at the University College Hospital (UCH) the following day from their hotel rooms. While Orimoloye was lucky to be able

to limp into a vehicle by himself, Ijabadeniyi was carried up and helped into the vehicle as he had been rendered immovable, having fractured his left knee, among others. The unfortunate accident happened after the summit that was convened by the Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and chairmaned by Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Yoruba leader. Both men were neither involved in a car crash nor a fall but a car crash and neither was it a fall, but a rare elevator crash. Encouraged by a staff of the Premier Hotel to ride in the staff elevator, the duo had no way of knowing that the one reserved for the customers was dysfunctional, leading to the crash. Narrating his ordeal at the Private Suite of the hospital, Ijabadeniyi told Saturday Telegraph that when they were checking out of the hotel, "we got to the entrance of the elevator and we pressed the button but it was not forthcoming. So, we waited. At a point in time, I told my colleague, as if I had the premonition, why not use the stairs? As I was saying that, a staff of that hotel

whose name I do not know because he was not wearing a tag, said:"Why don't you use this other elevator? But I said the other time I was in this hotel. they said it was meant for staff only, and he replied, "Not your calibre. You can as well use it and we saw it as a sign of respect. "So the two of us went in and then three other people who were waiting to join the other elevator saw it as an opportunity. They now asked the guy if they could join and he simply replied yes. We were five in the elevator, which I think there was no case of overloading. We pressed the button and in a jiffy, there was a bang. If you ask me to describe it, it was like a disaster in the air. But I will call it an elevator crash. First, we heard a very loud noise and before we could say Jack Robinson, we were hitting our heads on all sorts of objects. The glass in the elevator got broken, and one of the pieces pierced my hand, puncturing it and forcing blood to gush out. Then I fell on the ground, right inside the elevator and struggled to stand up but could not lift my leg again, just like my friend, Lanre Orimoloye. We had broken our legs

in the process. "It took rescuers about 15 minutes to open the door of the elevator. By then, I could not stand on my feet again. The first thing I realised was that those who rescued us took away my mobile phone and other personal belongings, including money. I remember I had over 70,000 naira on me at the time of the accident. They were gone. I retrieved my line only yesterday. "After the rescue mission, we were rushed downstairs and in excruciating pains, I couldn't recollect where I was. Later, I heard that Governor Mimiko, directed that we should be taken to the UCH". Ijabadeniyi, however, lamented that what baffled him was that almost two weeks after they had been admitted, "a tragedy of such magnitude happened and was not reported anywhere. We are human beings; I am relatively successful. As far as Ondo State is concerned today, I am a force to reckon with. I have my chambers flourishing in Akure, and I also have my clinic functioning". He claimed that he had spent close to a million naira in the hospital, aside being assisted financially by the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, to offset the surgical operation charge of N650,000. Ijabadeniyi however lambasted the management of the Premier Hotel when he said that "One would have thought that, whatever arrangement, even to the last cotton wool that would be used for our treatment, they would have made arrangement with the management of UCH to take care of it. All they do is to come here and say:"Hello sir, we are sorry o", But they do not know that I am a lawyer and that I know how to make claims. They came here this morning, trying to beg me and saying: "We are thinking of waiting till the time you will be discharged to know what we shoulda do". What about if I die before being discharged? The only thing they have been doing is to bring food for my wife who had been staying with me", the party legal adviser said regrettably. The other victim, Orimoloye, corroborated this narrative, adding that he learnt the 54-year-old elevator collapsed some years ago, injuring a foreigner who was equally managed at the UCH before being flown overseas. He said that about N70,000 was also removed from his pocket by the socalled Good Samaritan who rescued them from the collapsed elevator. The management of the Premier Hotel, reacted through Mr. Victor Ayetoro, the Corporate Affairs Manager, Odu'a Investment Company Limited, the corporate owner of the subsidiary, saying: "The Managing Director of Premier Hotel, Mrs Tola Ajayi, told me that the elevator collapsed because it was overloaded. It was meant for staff and that only four people were allowed to use it at the same time; but there were five people in it at the time of the accident". He nevertheless said that the management of Premier Hotel offered to foot the bill of the injured persons after their treatment. A compassionate Governor Mimiko, who visited the victims on their sick beds on Monday, was full of consolatory words for them, pledging to do more in terms of financial assistance. Asked the nature and extent of the injuries sustained on his knee, Ijabadeniyi disclosed that he had a fractured knee with blood clot in it. "The CMD, Professor Temitope Longe ,who personally handled the surgical operation, assisted by about five other consultant surgeons, had to open up the fractured part, removed the clot, and fixed some metals in place. If the clot had not been removed, i blood could have been prevented from flowing to the lower part of the leg, resulting in gangrene and, subsequently, to amputation", he recalled. He therefore praised the CMD, who was himself at the Premier Hotel' s confab summit before the accident occurred later in the day.

Cover Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Head, ICT Unit, INEC, Kwara State, Mr Yomi Bolorunduro, conducting practical training on the use of Card Readers for Adhoc Inec Staff in Osi, Ekiti Local Government Area, Kwara State

Card reader still dogged by controversy

Despite the field testing of Smart Card Readers (SCRs), which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) intends to use in the general elections, controversy has never departed from the new technology, reports ONYEKACHI EZE

or journalists who came to cover the meeting between the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and the management of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday, March 11, the presence of a group of youth demonstrators at the premises of the commission was not a distraction. The protesters, the Middle Belt Concerned Youths, was ranged against the planned use of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and the Card Readers for the elections. Mr. Yunusa Yusuf, who led the group, noted that "judging from what transpired during the exercise, it has been proven that batteries of these Card Readers do not function for more than three hours. The question therefore is, what happens if the battery fails dur-

ing the election proper, especially in the rural areas? "In as much as we appreciate the steadfastness and enormous innovations institutionalised by INEC to bequeath free and fair elections to the nation, it is still the contention of majority of Nigerians that such efforts must not be sacrificed on the altar of a fool-hardy insistence of proceeding with the use of PVCs, despite the glaring imperfections inherent in them. Insisting on using them for the elections will only end up disenfranchising a huge segment of Nigeria’s voting population. "We frowned at this orchestrated plot to disenfranchise a high preponderance of eligible Nigerian voters by INEC as epitomised in its determination to go ahead with the use of PVCs and Card Readers regardless of the genuine concerns expressed by relevant stakeholders in the polity, a development that is likely to compromise the integrity of the elections," Yusuf stated. INEC Assistant Director (security), Victor Egbo, who was later handed over the protest letter, was prevented by the protesters from addressing them as the youth insisted that it is only the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega that could address their fears. The commission had, on Saturday March 7 held a mock accreditation exercise in 12 states of the country to demonstrate the workability of the Smart Card

Jega

Readers (SCRs). The exercise took place in Port Harcourt City (Rivers), Abakaliki (Ebonyi), Ado Ekiti (Ekiti), Gassol (Taraba), Kumbotso (Kano), Bunza (Kebbi), Kokona (Nasarawa), Shiroro (Niger), Ikeja (Lagos), Aguata (Anambra), Oshimili South (Delta) and Jama’are (Bauchi). Mixed reactions have trailed the states in some states. Although, there was reported low turnout of voters, the machines, contrary to the promises of INEC, failed in some instances. The commission had promised that verification of voters would take an average of one minutes but in some circumstances it took between five to 10 minutes. There was equally reported cases of rejection of fingerprints even when it accepted the PVC was that of the owner. Most noticeable was in Ebonyi State where INEC said it has launched investigation into what it described as "high rate of the SCRs failure to authenticate voters’ fingerprints". A repeat of the exercise has been ordered today in the state. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has been opposing the deployment of the machines for the forthcoming elections, said the shortcomings have vindicated it.

In a statement last Saturday, the party, through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, expressed worry over the reported lapses which include but not limited to non-verification of voters’ fingerprints even after authenticating their PVCs, slow accreditation process as a result of poor internet server operations in some locations, and apparent inadequate knowledge of the card readers by both INEC officials and voters. “Our response to the emerging problems and challenges from Saturday’s testing of the card reader is ‘res ipsa loquitor’- the fact speak for itself. The PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians await INEC’s official response and/ or its final decision after such defining challenges,” the party said. The party Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, also disclosed that PDP has submitted its observations on the mock accreditation exercise to INEC while it intends to meet with the officials for further discussions on the matter. Despite some observable lapses in some states, INEC said there is no going back on the use of the cards. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the commission expressed the belief "that CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

50 Cover Extra C O N T I N U E D f r o m PA G E 4 9

the use of SCRs in the 2015 general elections will add tremendous transparency and credibility to the accreditation process on Election Day." It listed four objectives for deploying the SCRs, which are: to verify PVCs presented by voters at polling units and ensure that they are genuine, INEC-issued (not cloned) cards; to biometrically authenticate the person who presents a PVC at the polling unit and ensure that he/she is the legitimate holder of the card; that the SCRs provide disaggregated data of accredited voters in male/ female and elderly/youth categories – a disaggregation that is vital for research and planning purposes, but which INEC until now had been unable to achieve‎; and that the SCR sends the data of all accredited voters to INEC’s central server, equipping the Commission to be able to audit figures subsequently filed by polling officials at the polling unit and, thereby, be able to determine if fraudulent alterations were made. For the first objective, the commission scores itself a 100 per cent and for the second, it noted that it had a 59 per cent voter authentication but with a proviso that "the Commission, in agreement with registered political parties, had provided in the approved guidelines for the conduct of the 2015 elections that where biometric authentication of a legitimate holder of a genuine PVC becomes challenging, there could be physical authentication of the person and completion of an Incident Form, to allow the person to vote." It concluded that: "INEC is satisfied that the use of SCRs in the 2015 general elections will add tremendous transparency and credibility to the accreditation process on Election Day. The commission hereby reassures the public that it will do everything necessary to ensure that the processes of the elections are seamless, free, fair, credible and peaceful." With this statement, nobody was left in doubt that the SCRs will be deployed for the elections.

Delta: Mixed reactions as INEC test runs card reader

In Delta State, the exercise was conducted peacefully in Ward 04, comprising 14 units, which spread across the Asagba Primary School and Niger Mixed Secondary School, Asaba, in Oshimili South Local Government Area of the state. No fewer than 20 per cent of the 10,000 voters who have collected their PVCs in the ward, where about 13,000 voters registered, turned out for the exercise. The exercise commenced as scheduled with officials of the commission manning their various units while eligible voters started trickling in to witness the performance of the card readers. Several failed attempts in capturing biometrics of prospective voters coupled with delayed attempts by the machine to successfully complete an exercise, all contributed to hitches posed by the arrangement. The exercise was adjudged as generally successful in the state, as it, in most cases, took a maximum of 30 seconds to accredit one voter. The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Ajuyah (SAN), who represented Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan lauded the exercise but urged INEC to work on the machines in order to eliminate incidents of failure of the biometric capture on election day proper. The chairman of the Association of Registered Political Parties (ARPP) in the state, Hon. Moses Abeh, said “INEC should proceed to use the card reader machines.” But Governor Uduaghan’s Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah,

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

John Odigie-Oyegun, APC chairman

The card reader

warned Nigerians against putting their eggs in one basket, querying the unpreparedness of the commission if the election was conducted on February 14. He said: “From this mock trial of two states per zone, we hear it (card reader) functioned well overall but the bigger question is what if the election had held on February 14. However, we must be careful not to put all our eggs in one basket as the time is short.” The state chapter of the Labour Party (LP), represented by its state chairman, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, and the party’s governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru, who earlier called for the test running of the machines, said it was impressed with the outcome of the exercise. “With what I have seen so far, the machines are working. But they would have demonstrated how data collected is being transmitted to the head office in Abuja to remove the doubt that the data is being stored here at the pulling unit,” Ezeagwu said. It was a different stroke for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, which does not want to know whether the exercise went well or not but insisted after monitoring the exercise that the smart card readers “must” be used for the general elections. The state treasurer of the party, Akpedafe Edewor, who represented his chairman, Prophet Jones Erue, said: “INEC has done a perfect job and APC is ready to abide by the rules guiding the

The card reader proved efficient only during verification which is done within a minutes

use of the card readers for the election.” Lending his voice also, the former state chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in the state, Comrade Emeka Nkwoala, described the exercise as “very successful.” Reacting to the low turnout, the Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniedi-Abasi Ikoiwak, commended those who came for the exercise, explaining that it was only a demonstration exercise in which the votes were not meant to count. The REC stated that the exercise was conducted in the upland for more people to witness the demonstration, assuring that the state office of INEC has received card readers that will be more than enough for the 3,624 units. His words: “We have 3,624 units in Delta State but we have 5,816 card read-

ers. That means we have allowance to take care of any mishap. There is also provision to decongest any polling unit, if need be, so that accreditation will be concluded within the allotted time

After huge failure, fresh mock exercise today in EbonyI

Today, INEC will hold another mock exercise for the card readers at Ibii/Ozizza and Izzi Unuhu in Afikpo North and Abakaliki Government Areas of Ebonyi State. The commission fixed today for the continuation of the exercise after the one held on March 7 recorded huge failure. Head, Voter Education/Publicity of the Commission in Abakaliki, Andy Ezeani, said the continuation of the field test exercise was a reflection of the desire of the commission to ensure it gets it right in the upcoming election. “The continuation of the exercise will hold in two registration areas; Izzi Unuhu Registration Area 10 of Abakaliki Local Government Area where the demonstration also held last Saturday and Ibii/Ozizza Registration Area in Afikpo North Local Government Area. “INEC in Abuja decided on further field demonstration as a means of finding out why the authentication of voters’ fingerprints substantially failed in the first in exercise in Izzi Unuhu.” After the March 7 exercise, rligible voters in Ebonyi State have continued to express worry over the authentication

Cover Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

CAPTIONS 1. INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ebonyi, Dr Lawrence Azubike (middle), addressing stakeholders, during the test-run of Card Reader at Nkaliki-Unuhu Primary School Abakaliki, Ebonyi State 2. A House of Assembly candidate, People Democratic Party (PDP), Mushin Local Government Area, Mr. Lekan Fijabi (second left), with others testing the workings of Card Readers in Onigbongbo Ward, Ikeja LGA, Lagos State 4. Field test of INEC Smart card Reader at Onigbongbo in Lagos 5. Some under aged voters participating at the INEC mock election to test run the card reader in Egwa-Gwada ward, Shiroro LGA, Niger State... PHOTO: DAN ATORI 5. Official of INEC checking the thumb of a physically challenged voter, during the testing of smart card reader at Horare ward and Jogel Polling Unit in Jama, Are Local Government Area of Bauchi State. PHOTO: NAN

PDP chairman, Adamu Mu'azu

controversy of the card readers for use in the forthcoming elections. Residents of the state also called on the electoral body to jettison the idea of using the machine to avoid disenfranchising prospective voters in the state. The exercise was marred by slow authentication process of PVCs by the card readers in the areas designated for the exercise, especially at Izzi Umuhu in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state. Apart from the poor authentication process, which takes over 20 minutes, the card reader proved efficient only during verification which is done within a minutes. The exercise that was carried out in 24 polling units in Umuhu ward 10, witnessed appreciable number of voters, large turnout of security personnel including police, Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) INEC officials among others as accreditation commence by 8a.m. and ended by 1p.m. At Nkaliki Echara primary school 003, the registration officer, Mr. Iheanyi Okiyi, who expressed dismay over the delay experienced by the card reader to carry out authentication of PVCs belonging to voters in the polling booths, however, commended the device for its efficiency in terms of verification of the PVCs. Another challenge posed by the card readers was the inability to verify fingerprints of voters, who register during the 2011 general elections. The Ebonyi State Resident Commissioner, Dr. Lawrence Azubuike, who briefed news-

men after the exercise, acknowledged that the authentication process by the card reader was very poor. He added that such anomaly among other challenges would be corrected as reports emanating from the mock election would be sent to INEC headquarters immediately after the exercise.

Ekiti: Low turnout, huge success

Forty-six polling units in Ward Nine, Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Saturday March 7 were used to test the efficacy of the controversial card reader machines through the conduct of a mock election by INEC. The ward is the largest among the 177 wards in the state and is also the most populous. According to INEC figures, it had over 60,000 registered voters and as at the beginning of the month, over 41,000 of the voters have collected their PVCs. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Sam Olumekun, said the ward was chosen because of its size for the exercise. INEC and security officials arrived their polling units before 8a.m., the kick off time for the exercise. At the polling unit in front of Christ's School, Ado-Ekiti, the Presiding Officer (PO), Aderoju Taofeek, said there were two voting centres and that it took less than five seconds to accredit some voters. CONTINUED ON PAGE 52

Success, lapses trail INEC mock election in Rivers Emmanuel Masha

Port Harcourt

he mock election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State recorded mixed results. Despite the large turnout of participants at the designated centres, and their successful participation, there were equally challenges related to the use of the card reader. The card reader worked very well in capturing the data of most voters. Voting started some minutes after 8a.m. in some centres, with INEC staff setting up shop around some minutes after 7a.m. But there were places where the card reader did not work well, because it hanged occasionally, and sometimes for minutes. There was a surprise as INEC detected that an individual came to vote with a cloned Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC). The State REC, Gisela Khan, who confirmed the incident, said that it would be very difficult for anybody to vote with a PVC not issued by INEC, noting that the mock election was a success. She warned those who had snatched or stolen PVCs and those involved in cloning cards to abandon the plan of using them during the polls, as it would not work with the card readers. Officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) capitalised on the incident to accuse each other of planning to rig the forthcoming general elections. A team of United Nations (UN) observers that monitored the exercise, said the technology INEC introduced for the election was successful. Mrs. Eno Udensi, the team's leader, who spoke at the State Primary School, Orominike, however, observed that even though there were some minor challenges in the exercise, it would not affect the use of the items during the elections. At a centre with three units located at No 10 Ohiamini/Wonodi Street, off Olu-Obasanjo Road, more than 30 voters were not captured by the card reader after placing their index fingers on the capture machine. At around 11a.m. when the state's Resident Electoral Commissioner

Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State

The minor lapse does not in any way mean that the exercise has not been successful

(REC), Dame Gesila Khan, arrived the centre with other top INEC officials, the card reader did not capture the data of 17 voters out of 108 voters that had participated. She and other INEC staff moved round the centre, taking notes and briefs from other INEC staff directly handling the election, and quickly left to check proceedings at other centres. Voting had started at 8:15a.m., with a team of police officers, who stayed away from the three units, monitoring the movement of people. An INEC official said that some of the voters were not captured by the card reader, because they turned their index fingers upside down, when they registered, explaining that it was difficult for the card reader to capture them without repeating the same method. “The issue is that some of the voters did not follow the right procedure when registering, which is why they were not captured while trying to vote. The minor lapse does not in any way mean that the exercise has not been successful. “We have also observed that a few voters who turned out for this exercise left their place of work without washing off the dirt in their hands. There was a case of a man who the card reader did not capture, but after washing his hands, it was successful.” At another centre located at MOPOL 19, Port Harcourt, it was equally the issue of card reader as some voters could not vote. Some that could not vote, were peaceful in their conduct, and left the centre quietly. At a centre located at Prefab Close by Okilo Barracks, it was the same card reader complaints.

Cover Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Despite optimism, some C O N T I N U E D f r o m PA G E 5 1

At the voting unit by State Hospital Road, the PO, Mrs Omotayo Olufunke, said INEC officials got there before 7a.m. and described the exercise a huge success. At Dallimore Polling Unit II, there were two voting points and 35 persons had been accredited as at 9:44a.m. in one of the voting point A. The Presiding Officer, Mr. Demiola Akinwale, said 19 people had also been accredited at Voting Point B. Among the lapses noted were the poor turnout of voters and that in some instances, the machine took a long time to capture the data of some voters. The Head, Electoral Operations, Ekiti INEC, Alani Oduntan, blamed the poor turnout of prospective voters on the fact that it was not real election. "This is not an election per se. It is a test run exercise and it is voluntary on the part of the voters. We still have more hours for the exercise. This is 9:15a.m. and it will end by 1p.m. and we hope that more people would still come out," he said. On the inability of the machine to capture the data of some voters or taking long time to do so, Oduntan blamed it on a number of factors. "Some people, after the last registration of voters, maybe because of the type of job they do, such as farmers, may have damaged their fingers or the flesh becoming very hard or harder than before, that may make their fingerprints to be difficult to capture by the machine. "For such people, during elections, they will be manually identified and given a form to fill and allowed to vote," he explained. Commenting on the exercise, the REC, Olumekun said the outing was a good one for the commission. "We have had a good outing. The turnout could have been better and we would have appreciated that. But we have achieved our aim of seeing how workable the machine is. “We are going to take a mean of how people were accredited. Some had accreditation for less than three seconds. Nobody is going to be disenfranchised in the long run. "If there is anybody who cannot be accredited for some reasons, some people might have sustained injuries on their fingers after registration and the machine not been able to capture that, such a person will be identified from the manual register and will be given a form to fill on Election Day and allowed to vote," he added. At Unit Nine, European Union observers, Rumiana Decheva and Uros Urstja, said they were only to monitor the situation and not give a public assessment of their findings. "We are two monitors here and we are impressed with the conduct of the exercise. The use of the machines will provide the legitimacy of the voters. From our observation, it takes an average of five seconds to a minute to accredit a voter. It is our mission in Abuja that will decide whether to speak on it or not," Urstja said. Decheva, in her remarks, said credible, free and fair poll was vital to the sustenance of democracy in the country. Two voters, Mrs Taiwo Ojo and Mr Olanrewaju Peters, who spoke to our correspondent at Dallimore Unit II, lauded the exercise, saying it would make elections more credible. A former Commissioner for Tourism in the administration of former Governor

"We shall work together with all security agencies, journalists and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to ensure hitch-free election. All the problems that came up are the problems that we expected; we expected that some people cannot be easily verified due to their trade, farming or blacksmith," he said. National Commissioner, Hajia Amina Zakari, said the exercise was successful in Kebbi State. Garba Salihu Abubakar of Africa Centre for Leadership Strategy Development Centre, Abuja told Saturday Telegraph that the exercise went well. "We did not witness any challenge except in a few cases where fingerprints of some male voters were rejected," he explained. Briefing journalists shortly after the exercise, the Chairman, Bunza LGA, Alhaji Bunza Mohammed, commended INEC for the exercise. The exercise then ended at about 5:30p.m. without any violence. The exercise was also monitored by Sokoto and Zamfara RECs, technical staff from INEC headquarters, civil service organisations as well as domestic and international observers

In Nasarawa, exercise holds amidst tight security

President Goodluck Jonathan

Kayode Fayemi, Alhaji Ayodele Jinadu, and ex-Chairman, Ado Local Government, Mr. Sunday Ibitoye, described the exercise as a huge success. However, the turnout of prospective voters was poor. In most of the polling units visited, less than 60 voters showed up. The highest turnout was at Dallimore Voting Unit I where 57 people took part in the exercise.

Credible, free and fair poll was vital to the sustenance of democracy in the country

Kano records 60 % success

In Kano State, about 60 per cent of those captured for the mock exercise were successful while 40 per cent have difficulties detecting fingerprints. The exercise which was conducted at Danmaliki Ward of Kumbotso Local Government area of the state which covered the municipality and rural areas saw hundreds of voters comprising women, youths and elderly persons trooping out as early as 5:30a.m. to 7a.m. to be accredited. Ahmad Illiya, a 20-year-old voter whose fingerprints was not captured by the card reader, lamented that he tried more than 10 times but to no avail. Mohammed Kabir Adam, leader of the Nigeria United for Democracy, Kano wing, told reporters that the turnout of electorate from the Danmaliki Ward was marvellous. He said findings by observers showed that the card reader worked with 60 per cent success of those captured with 40 per cent failure due mainly to the fact that some of them are farmers and that some of the women had decorations in their hands. Representative of the PDP, who was a former governorship aspirant in the state, Dr. Umar Mustapha Maimistaleta, observed serious problems with the exercise. He said in the 32 polling units,

several voters were rejected by the card reader machines. He said with the development, hundreds of eligible voters could be disfranchised if the anomalies are not rectified. However, APC representative during the mock exercise, Hakeem Baba Ahmad, expressed satisfaction with the exercise. He urged INEC to address some identified lapses in the process, especially on identification of voters. The state REC, Munkaila Abdullahi, noted that the card reader is a huge success. He gave an assurance that identified issues will be addressed.

Kebbi records pass mark

Also, Kebbi State was among the selected states for the mock election. The mock exercise took place in Raha in Bunza Local Government of the state. Raha ward has 6,383 registered voters. The accreditation exercise commenced at 8:02a.m. Some of the hitches experienced during the mock exercise is non-identification of some of the voters. But the Kebbi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Jibril Ibrahim Zarewa, said measures are being taken to address the minor problems.

In Nasarawa State, Garaku was the choice of Saturday March 7 mock election conducted by INEC, to test the workability or otherwise of the card reader. The exercise, which started with accreditation of registered voters at about 8a.m. till 1p.m., was monitored by both local and foreign observers including INEC National Commissioner, Dr. Abdukadir Onyeaya, and Resident Electoral Commissioners from Plateau and Kogi states amidst tight security. The delay in verifying fingerprint of registered voters by the card reader for several minutes during accreditation at the mock election was one of the serious challenges posed to the mock election. In some of the polling units visited by our correspondent, at Garaku primary polling unit code 001 and Garaku primary school polling unit code 002, out of the 10 registered voters accredited four people were successfully captured, but it took between three and 10 minutes for the card reader to capture the fingerprints of other accredited voters due to the delay of the card reader in verifying their fingerprints. The situation was similar at Otutu primary school polling unit, Fegen Angwa polling unit, Agwan Gimba polling unit and Agwan Takwa polling unit and Kurmi Shinkafa polling unit and Kubere polling unit and Kofar Magaji Alade and Agaba polling units amongst others. Some of the voters interviewed during the exercise, including Dangoje Mohammed, Gaya Umar Rico and John Dangana and Ahmadu Garkowa, complained of the time they spent during accreditation. According to Gaya Umar, “when they placed my voter’s card on the card reader it was correct but when I placed my finger on the machine, it was saying verification failed many times. I spent more than five minutes in verifying my fingerprint.” The voters appealed to INEC to do away with the use of the card reader, or reconfigure the machine in order to speed up its performance. Commenting on her experience on the use of the card reader, an INEC staff at the Garaku primary school polling unit, Sarah Yame, explained that in case the card reader is unable to verify fingerprint of a registered voter, the voter’s name could be cross-checked on the manual voter

Cover Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

doubts still linger register and if verified, the voter can vote during election. Saturday Telegraph gathered that INEC was faced with logistics problem during the mock election and few vehicles were available to convey officials to different polling units within Garaku town and environs during the exercise leading to delay in the accreditation which was supposed to commence by 8a.m. Commenting on the exercise, an INEC National Commissioner, Dr. Abdulkardiri Oniyange, who monitored the exercise, told journalists in an interview that the exercise was satisfactory. He said: “Many people have now realised that it is nothing really complicated. It is not difficult and it is best for the country.” Also speaking to journalists at Otutu primary polling unit, the Nasarawa State’s Commissioner for Information, Hamza Elayo, expressed satisfaction with the use of the card readers, but was quick to add that the accreditation was quite challenging among the voters and INEC staff. According to him, “the initial hiccups were that the card reader will read the PVC of a voter, but failed to authenticate the PVC when the voter places his or her finger on the panel. Therefore, INEC should perfect its plan for the general election.'' Commenting on the exercise in an interview with journalists at Garaku primary school, Director-General Tanko Al-makura Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Musa Ilu, expressed satisfaction with the workability of the card reader. According to him, with the use of the card reader, all forms of rigging in the 2015 election is foreclosed. “My party is not afraid of the use of the card reader. With the use of the card reader there is no hope of rigging,” he said. The card reader worked very well in capturing the data of most voters. Voting started some minutes after 8a.m. in some centres, with INEC staff setting up shop around some minutes after 7a.m. But there were places where the card reader did not work well, because it hanged occasionally, and sometimes for minutes. There was a surprise as INEC detected that an individual came to vote with a cloned PVC. The State REC, Gisela Khan, who confirmed the incident, said that it would be very difficult for anybody to vote with a PVC not issued by INEC, noting that the mock election was a success. She warned those who had snatched or stolen PVCs and those involved in cloning cards to abandon the plan of using them during the polls, as it would not work with the card readers. Officials of APC and the PDP capitalised on the incident to accuse each other of planning to rig the forthcoming general elections. A team of UN observers that monitored the exercise, said the technology INEC introduced for the election was successful. Mrs. Eno Udensi, the team's leader, who spoke at the State Primary School, Orominike, however, observed that even though there were some minor challenges in the exercise, it would not affect the use of the items during the elections. At a centre with three units located at No 10 Ohiamini/Wonodi Street, off Olu-Obasanjo Road, more than 30 voters were not captured by the card reader after placing their index fingers on the capture machine. At around 11a.m. when the state's REC, Dame Gesila Khan, arrived the

The device worked perfectly and accurately as no PVC was rejected by the card reader

Taraba

APC presidential flag bearer, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari

centre with other top INEC officials, the card reader did not capture the data of 17 voters out of 108 voters that had participated. She and other INEC staff moved round the centre, taking notes and briefs from other INEC staff directly handling the election, and quickly left to check proceedings at other centres. Voting had started at 8:15a.m., with a team of police officers, who stayed away from the three units, monitoring the movement of people. An INEC official said that some of the voters were not captured by the card reader, because they turned their index fingers upside down, when they registered, explaining that it was difficult for the card reader to capture them without repeating the same method. “The issue is that some of the voters did not follow the right procedure when

registering, which is why they were not captured while trying to vote. The minor lapse does not in any way mean that the exercise has not been successful. “We have also observed that a few voters who turned out for this exercise left their place of work without washing off the dirt in their hands. There was a case of a man who the card reader did not capture, but after washing his hands, it was successful.” At another centre located at MOPOL 19, Port Harcourt, it was equally the issue of card reader as some voters could not vote. Some that could not vote, were peaceful in their conduct, and left the centre quietly. At a centre located at Prefab Close by Okilo Barracks, it was the same card reader complaints.

Mock exercise, huge success in

Taraba State was among the 12 states chosen by INEC for the mock election with the use of Smart Card Readers. The Taraba exercise was conducted at Mutum-Biyu II registration area (ward) in mutum-biyu town, Gassol Local Government Area. The registration area had 16 voting points. The mock exercise was conducted in all the 16 voting points, which recorded a large turnout of eligible voters. According to the commission, Gassol Local Government was selected to test the card readers, because it has the highest number of registered voters in the state with the Mutumbiyu as the highest registration centre with 13 voting points. The mock accreditation started at 8a.m. as scheduled and the device was tested in two categories, the category of PVC authentication as well as voter verification and it worked perfectly well. In authenticating the PVC, the device worked perfectly and accurately as no PVC was rejected by the card reader, but while verifying the voters, the card readers failed to recognise the fingerprint of some electorate. However, those that the device refused to accept their fingerprints, the commission verified them through its manual registers. The exercise was monitored by INEC National Commissioner in charge of Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba states, Alhaji Nuru Yakubu. At the end of the exercise, Yakubu described the exercise as successful. He said the commission recorded 100 per cent success in authenticating the PVC of the electorate, while the finger verification recorded 60 per cent success • Additional report by Dominic Adewole, Asaba; Charles Onyekwere, Abakaliki; Adesina Wahab, Ado-Ekiti; Muhammad Kabir, Kano; Emmanuel Masha, Port Harcourt; Abubakari Abdul, Birnin Kebbi; Cheke Emmanuel, Lafia and Sabiu Mustapha, Jalingo.

Mock exercise, huge success in Taraba Sabiu Mustapha JALINGO

araba State was among the 12 states chosen by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the mock election with the use of Smart Card Readers. The Taraba exercise was conducted at Mutum-Biyu II registration area (ward) in mutum-biyu town, Gassol Local Government Area. The registration area had 16 voting points. The mock exercise was conducted in all the 16 voting points, which recorded a large turnout of eligible voters. According to the commission, Gassol Local Government was selected to test the card readers, because it has the highest number of registered voters in the state with the Mutumbiyu as

Those that the device refused to accept their fingerprints, the commission verified them through its manual registers the highest registration centre with 13 voting points. The mock accreditation started at 8a.m. as scheduled and the device was tested in two categories, the category of PVC authentication as well as voter verification and it worked perfectly

well. In authenticating the PVC, the device was worked perfectly and accurately as no PVC was rejected by the card reader, but while verifying the voters, the card readers failed to recognise the fingerprint of some electorate. However, those that the device refused to accept their fingerprints, the commission verified them through its manual registers. The exercise was monitored by INEC National Commissioner in charge of Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba states, Alhaji Nuru Yakubu. At the end of the exercise, Yakubu described the exercise as successful. He said the commission recorded 100 per cent success in authenticating the permanent voters’ cards (PVC) of the electorate, while the finger verification recorded 60 per cent success.

Perspectives

14 MARCH 2015

Social media and social responsibility

erhaps, one of the greatest innovations that define the 21st Century is the advent of social media. Through this indispensable technological breakthrough, we now use Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp among several others as means of communication with people from all walks of life. More importantly, it affords us the opportunity of reconnecting with old friends, making new ones across the globe, doing businesses and even getting employment. People who were not trained as journalists can now tell their own stories or those of their communities through the social media, a feat which qualifies them as citizen journalists. The social media has reinforced the maxim that the world is, indeed, a global village. But despite its pervasiveness and importance, there are downsides to the social media. For instance, it has become an avenue where some unscrupulous Nigerian youths defraud their overseas online friends and this has painted Nigeria in bad light in the comity of nations. Also, one cannot forget in a hurry the tragic end of beautiful and radiant Cynthia Osokogu who was killed by her Facebook acquaintances. However, more worrisome is the use of social media to recruit young men and ladies by terrorists’ groups. This has fuelled the debate over the propriety or otherwise of parents monitoring what their children do online. If you ask me, it is culturally expedient at least in our clime for parents to show interest in what their teenage children do online. For professionals, the social networks are a necessary evil. But as important as they are, they can embarrass imprudent professionals as we have seen in the cases of two national newspapers that picked photos of different countries from social network, put them on their covers and claimed that they were photos related to

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Waheed Bakare on Saturday 08124877036 (sms only) waheedbakare2003@yahoo.com iota of positivity is now common on social media. Or, while will one put it online that one is bereaved only for some friends to click the 'like' button on social media? Is it not strange to say you liked that someone died? About two weeks ago, it took me a while before I could convince a neighbour to disregard what he read on social media concerning the purported arrest of former president Olusegun Obasanjo after he tore his Peoples Democratic Party’s membership card by proxy. The raison d’être we had pre or post-election violence in the past could be traced to unbridled statements by politicians. Why this has even intensified rather than abated, happenings on social media have shown that some supporters of politicians now use the platforms to launch diatribe against perceived opponents. Such supporters throw caution to the wind and their dexterity on the keyboard is used mainly to spread rumours, lies, deceit and to use expletive words against those who disagreed with them on issues. Some of them are even puerile in their thinking to the extent that they threaten to ‘unfriend’ those who disagree with them on issues as if their friendship on social media is all that important. Some social media friends are liabilities rather than assets. So, how many assets and liabilities do you have as contacts? Although nobody regulates what goes on in the social media, participants can

We sometimes share information that is not only irrelevant but also lacks modicum of decorum and decency on social media insurgency in Nigeria. Even after those successive blunders by the two prominent newspapers, which were at variance with the ethos of journalism, known journalists and bloggers still post unsubstantiated information on social media with great elan. It exasperates one that some of the bloggers do not even find reason to carry rebuttal after it has been established that they had earlier misinformed people through their platforms. We sometimes share information that is not only irrelevant, but also lacks modicum of decorum and decency on social media. For instance, of what relevance is it that you went to a market, bought condiments and share such information on your friends’ timelines? What I also find irrational is posting of very graphic photos even by journalists who should know better. Such proliferation of arrant nonsense that lacks

regulate themselves by ensuring that they avoid posting incendiary remarks and falsehood on their platforms. It is our social responsibility to do so. This is very important in view of the forthcoming elections and their feared aftermath. Before you post your views, ask yourself if what you are about to post portrays you as a responsible citizen. Military culture on our roads On my way home recently, I saw two motorists engage in altercation on Acme Road in the Ikeja area of Lagos. From the positioning of their vehicles, the Toyota Camry behind had slightly scraped the one ahead (also Toyota Camry, but a higher model) by the side. The man, who drove the higher model of the car quickly alighted from his car while the other man was still seated in his car. A heated argument ensued between the two men. I wouldn’t know what the man seated in his car said, but the man whose car was scraped became more agitated, dashed to his car, brought out a horsewhip and wanted to use it on the other man. I was miffed by this uncultured attitude of this man whom I guessed should be in his 70s. The other man should be in his late 40s or early 50s. He was smart enough to seize the horsewhip from the older man before two other motorists alighted from their vehicles to plead with both men, particularly the older man who displayed a belligerent attitude unexpected of a senior citizen to sheathe their swords. From his gait and general conduct, something told me the older man was a retired military personnel. The culture of carrying horsewhips in vehicles is an inheritance from military rule, which was pervasive in the 80s and 90s and it is still common on Lagos roads. Such military mentality ought to have been lowered into the abyss now that we have over 15 years of uninterrupted democracy. I think this area should interest the National Orientation Agency.

Tinubu: King-maker or King-in-waiting?

is Awoist’s cap and round eyeglasses are intended to communicate an ideological and intellectual kinship with the late Yoruba icon. At a deeper level these are rather debatable credentials. But what he lacks in sheer cerebral depth and erudition of Yoruba’s preeminent sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, he makes up with penetrating insight, fetching braggadocio, and folksy élan. Versed in the complex political intrigues and intricate survivalist nuances of his native turf, he is a generous friend to make but a feisty enemy to confront. Deploying astute political calculations and a massive financial war-chest he clearly has cut an impressive political swathe through Yoruba land and appears to be in total control. Meet the Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the Jagaban. How Ekiti and Ondo states escaped the Asiwaju’s dragnet with some irritating internal dissent brewing are stories for another day. From emerging consensus, the Asiwaju is currently playing the ultimate game of his life. He has boldly written a compelling script whereby he is aspiring to simultaneously anoint both the president and vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and fundamentally mainstream the Yoruba’s decades-long isolationist conclave politics. A recent key test of his revamped kingmaking strength was his anointing of Alhaji Tambuwal as Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, against the design of the ruling party which had anointed a Yoruba candidate for the position. Thereafter, Tambuwal’s dodgy politics at the national parliament until his recent defec-

The Nation-State With Louis Achi

achilouis35@gmail.com tion to APC is sufficient testimony of his loyalty to the Asiwaju. This demonstration of a new ability to anoint candidates from outside his regional turf is a key precursor to unveiling the game of his life: the anointment of General Muhammadu Buhari as president – on the cards. But the key poser here is what’s the Asiwaju’s real design? This is where conspiracy theorists are running riot. A version gaining ground is that Tinubu is eyeing the nation’s presidency from the backdoor. Cut to the bone, the Asiwaju is allegedly secretly trying to morph from a king-maker to king. A significant dimension of what is playing out hinges on the alleged uncertain health status of General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of APC. But both the APC and General Buhari himself who just returned from London have told Nigerians for the umpteenth time that their candidate is fit as a fiddle. On the other hand APC’s vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo continues to vehemently deny claims by the rival President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation that should his party win the coming presidential elec-

tion he would honour a secret deal with the Asiwaju, quit after six months in office and hand-over to the Tinubu with General Buhari’s green-light. This scenario will automatically position the Asiwaju to constitutionally succeed Buhari should the lanky Fulani prince become unable to continue in office. Prof. Osinbajo is seen as a very loyal protégé and stooge of Tinubu. In all this scenario building, it would appear that the PDP antagonists may be missing a fundamental point that if the scenario being painted were to be true – so far it is process-driven and not extra-constitutional – Tinubu may soon be joining the pantheon of Yoruba heroes. There is more. According to the PDP, “Senator Tinubu, according to our information, has compelled Professor Osinbajo to swear to an oath and sign a resignation letter that after six months in office, he would quit as the vice president, in the unlikely event that their party wins. The wicked plot, as laid out by them, is to force Professor Osinbajo to resign for Senator Tinubu to be nominated by General Buhari as his replacement.” Not folks to allow grass grow under their feet, the APC fired back through its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed

and Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPO) vehemently denying the charge. According to Mohammed, the allegation was designed to divert attention from “the runaway success of the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, at the Chatham House in London recently. But the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), apparently privy to a well-kept secret insisted that Tinubu plans to replace Osinbajo six months after, if the APC wins the presidential election. The APCPCO, in its own statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, denied any iota of truth in the claim first raised by his PDPPCO counterpart, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. To give an unnerving believability to their allegation the PDP enlisted what transpired between the revolutionary cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare, the ACN and CPC in 2011. A coalition initiated by the Asiwaju Tinubu’s ACN with General Buhari’s CPC floundered when Bakare (Buhari’s running mate then) declined to write and sign a resignation letter that would have brought in Tinubu as vice president should the coalition have won the 2011 presidential poll. Significantly, in what appears a proactive strategic response to these allegations swirling around Tinubu’s agenda, segments of the Northern political elite are reportedly reaching out to President Goodluck Jonathan to cobble a deal and properly position the region come 2019. Although daunting variables requiring a super computer’s calculation litter the way of this ‘project’ the question remains – is Asiwaju Tinubu a king-maker or a king-inwaiting?

Sport Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

14 MARCH 2015

Flying Eagles tackle junior Elephants •Awoniyi, others may be rested Ifeanyi Ibeh

A Flying Eagles Taiwo Awoniyi being tackled by two opponents

Eagles job: Tijani Yusuf faults FG over delay

Nigeria not to be able to name a national coach in nine months. This is pure politics. Government should have taken a stand on this since the NSC controls all sports. It is sad. “Government should leave football to stand on its own. If the enabling environment is there, sponsors will embrace football because it is a big business on its own. “We play all manner of politics with the game from the league to the national teams and so Nigeria is yet to fully benefit from the game. People think the game cannot survive without government but that is not true. “

Adekunle Salami former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Tijani Yusuf, has blamed the Federal Government for the current imbroglio over the employment of a new coach for the Super Eagles. Yusuf, now a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, stressed that it was a shame that the national team has not had a coach in the past nine months. The contract of former coach, Stephen Keshi, expired during the World Cup last year in Brazil and till date has yet to be renewed and no new coach has been named for the senior national team. The football administrator argued that the involvement of government in football was the major bane of the country’s problems in the round leather game. He said: “The situation in the Super Eagles is so disgusting and too bad for our football. There is no explanation for

s the Flying Eagles file out against Cote d’ Ivoire in their last group match of the ongoing Africa Youth Championship in Senegal, the coaching crew have concluded that top players in the team will be rested. The decision was easy for the Manu Garba led-crew because Nigeria after two games are on top of the group with six points. Interestingly, the Ivorians are second with two points after posting two draws so far against Congo (1-1) and Senegal (2-2). Nigeria defeated Senegal 3-1 in the first match and Congo 4-1 in the second round of games. Assistant coach of the team, Nduka Ugbade, noted that it was important to take things easy in the last encounter to avoid losing key players in the semifinals. Taiwo Awoniyi, Ifeanyi Matthew, Benard Bulbwa, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi and Musa Muhammed are some of the players tipped to be rested. “Some players suffered knocks here and there in the last game and so we are likely to rest them especially the key players. Win or lose, we already top the group and so we have nothing to fight for, said Ugbade.” A win for Nigeria against Cote d’ Ivoire could be a blessing for host Senegal if the Junior Lions win their game against Congo.

Enyeama happy over NFF plans for century cap

incent Enyeama has expressed speaking with me and I have folhis joy over plans by the Nigeria lowed the publicity they have genFootball Federation to honour him erated about it. It is a delight. I am on the occasion of his 100th sealso excited by the fact that it will nior cap for Nigeria. happen in Uyo, my hometown. The Super Eagles’ goalWhat a great honour!” Of his 99 caps so far, the three keeper and skipper, currently at 99 caps, will notch his cen–time FIFA World Cup star tury when Nigeria takes picks the Nigeria/Argentina FIFA World Cup match on Bolivia in an international friendly at the at the Ellis Park Stadium, Akwa Ibom Stadium Johannesburg on June 12, on Thursday, March 2010, as his best so far. “Yeah, I can tell you 26. “Nothing matches that is one match I being recognised by will always rememyour own country. I ber. I was highly Enyeama inspired, and alam very excited at the prospect of reaching though we lost, I was selected the 100 caps, and more so Man of the Match. at the decision by the We lost 1-0 but Lionel NFF to honour me on Messi did not score. the day. “The NFF media That was some sort of department has also been joy for me.”

Pistorius loses appeal challenge

scar Pistorius's lawyers have failed to block an appeal by prosecutors against the South African Paralympian's acquittal on murder charges. He was cleared of murder last year but was sentenced to five years in jail for the lesser charge of culpable homicide. Prosecutors are seeking a murder conviction after he shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. On Friday, the Johannesburg High Court rejected the application by the defence team to stop the prosecutors' appeal. After a short hearing, Judge Thokozile Masipa said procedure did not allow her to grant or refuse the application.

GAMES/CROSS WORD PUZZLE States in Nigeria-2

KEY WORDS

KANO YOBE PLATEAU RIVERS NIGER SOKOTO KEBBI OGUN TARABA KOGI ONDO ZAMFARA KWARA OSUN KATSINA LAGOS OYO NASSARAWA

K A T S L A G O S E V

A U A E T A L P N F G

D F D K A T S I N A Y

U N I A E S G B K N O F A W A I A D A S B W A R F B A Y A R E R R N W K A R I N U S O G V U S D E P K A Y R E

A M F

T A G T S A M R S A E B D A U G E R E P D R

L Z D O T O K O S O G

P V

8 11

18 19

21 25

15 17

ACROSS 1 5 7 8 9 10 11

Town in Ogun state, (7). Skin blemish, (3). National Orientation Agency, abbr., (3). Universal Serial Board, abbr., (3). Inst. of Mgt. Technology, abbr., (3). Hausa King, (4). ___ Franklin, US Gospel Singer, (4).

DOWN 1 Town in Benue State, (7).

2 Watch chain, (6).

3 Give out, (4). 4 Intention, (6). 5 'Lion' in Hausa, (4).

R A

14 16

4 7

12 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 26

Within, (2). Indicating position , (2). Very hard wood, (4). Talk boastfully, (4). Town in Abia state, (3). Sky, (3). Escape, (3). Small, (3). Town in Delta state, (7).

14 Town in Ogun State, (6). 15 List fully, (6). 19 Actor's part in a play, (4). 20 Hit violently, (4). 21 Animal's foot, (3).

6 Beverage drink, (3).

13 Ex. Kaduna State Governor, (7).

See solution on page 22

Sport Slaming Adekunle Salami adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only)

A voice for junior athletes, Super Falcons

vents in Nigerian sports can be highly demoralising. There is generally no clear-cut policy in sports and so in most cases, athletes swim in the ocean of oblivion when a big event is fast approaching. Football is the sport that gets the attention in the country yet it does not mean all is well with the game. Repeatedly, I cry out often on the need to empower other sports but the administrators will not listen. The junior athletes who represented Nigeria at the just concluded Africa Junior Athletics Championships in Ethiopia were simply amazing. The athletes won the competition with 12 gold, eight silver and seven bronze medals. It was a repeat of what the country’s U-20 athletes did in Mauritius two years earlier. It means Nigeria is blessed with young and talented athletes good enough to make tomorrow brighter for the country in global sports. However, these athletes are not receiving the attention they deserve. At their Sagamu camp in Ogun State, the condition was absurd as it took one week before the athletes had electricity in the camp. They were not feeding well and they had no national kits throughout their camping period before their departure for Ethiopia. Motivation was at the lowest ebb in Sagamu such that followers of athletics feared Nigeria might not be able to retain the number one position. But the athletes through determination were able to use their natural talents to boost Nigeria’s image yet again. After the event, the athletes arrived Nigeria like orphans. Officials of the National Sports Commission were not at the airport to welcome the country’s future champions. We forget easily. When ‘things’ were working well in Nigeria, stars like Mary Onyali, Olapade Adeniken, the Ezinwa brothersDavidson and Osmond, Yusuf Alli and a host of others started like this. They were highly encouraged and sent to athletics schools in the USA. They only come home for competitions as International Junior Athletes (IJA). It was not a surprise that crop of the athletes emerged the golden generation. For about 10 years or more they were consistently outstanding at continental and global events. Those who won in Mauritius and Addis Ababa can be groomed to be future super stars. However, I am worried that the athletes are currently complaining of neglect and apathy from government. It was expected that a reception be held for them but nothing of such so far. In football for instance, the Flying Eagles are always lodged in a good hotel, they feed well and they collect their kits as they arrive camp. Why can’t similar attention be accorded the U-20 athletes? It is most unfair not to appreciate athletes working hard to give the country a good name while those who will record poor results without remorse (male footballers) will still get all the attention. The plight of the junior athletes is similar to that of the Super Falcons. The national women team went to Namibia last October to regain the African Women Championship title. The players were determined and they fought hard to beat all the teams. In the final Nigeria defeated Cameroun 2-0 to win the title. The team came back to Nigeria and there was no reception or show of appreciation from the government. Between October last year and now, the Falcons are yet to be honoured even though the team was received apparently because of the trophy. Again, I can recall the way the Super Eagles were showered with gifts at national and state levels after the 2013 Nations Cup triumph in South Africa. The Falcons are currently in Abuja preparing for the World Cup slated for June but the preparation has been poor. The team only arrived camp two weeks ago and Nigeria is not part of the pre-World Cup friendly tournaments taking place in various parts of the world. The South African team is in Cyprus for one of such competitions while the three group opponents of Nigeria-Sweden, Australia and the USA- are in Portugal for another one. How do we expect these players to perform magic at the World Cup? Already, the players are feeling inferior to their colleagues who are having adequate preparations. My heart bleeds for the Falcons and these junior athletes. How can a country be so insensitive to the needs of these promising athletes only to glorify failures? God bless Nigeria!

DESTINATION

Delta Leisure Resorts: A dream still in limbo

P.42

SATURDAY N150

Sanctity of Truth

SPORT

N'Assembly can’t call for Keshi’s sack – Adebajo

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2015

p.25

Ifeanyi Ibeh

Kane

set to compound United's woes

anchester United have to quickly forget their recent FA Cup loss to Arsenal and focus on how to get a good result on Sunday against a Tottenham Hotspur side complete with the sensational Harry Kane. There is currently no striker in the English Premier League in better form than the amazing 21-year-old who, last weekend, continued to confirm his status as one of the world’s best finishers by scoring both goals for Tottenham in their 2-1 victory over Queen's Park Rangers. The brace brought his EPL tally to 16 this term and 26 goals in all competitions; figures which were undreamt of just a few months ago considering the fact that the youngster didn’t score his first Premier League goal until November 2, in a 2-1 win at Aston Villa, and didn’t get to start a Premier League game until a week later. Kane’s form has propelled Tottenham up the table and given them a very realistic chance of finishing in the top-four at the end of the season. On Sunday, he would be hoping to carry on with his fine form against a Manchester United side keen on qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League. With 16 goals, Kane is just one goal behind Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa who are currently leading the Premier League charts with 17 each. But the Manchester City and Chelsea players hit the ground running this season and had scored 13 and 14 goals respectively by January. Since the start of the year though, both Aguero and Costa have only scored seven goals between them, whereas Kane has found the back of the net 11 times. Only Lionel Messi, with 15 goals, has scored more than Kane in Europe's big five leagues this year. Four of Kane’s goals have come from headers, and against a Manchester United side that, according to statistics, has only won 49 percent of headed duels this season, chances are that Kane could use his towering frame and good leaping ability to punish the Red Devils and further compound the woes of Louis van Gaal’s side. Kane is also closing in on Robin van Persie’s record for scoring in the most consecutive away matches in Premier League history after his match-winning brace at QPR. Kane has scored eight goals in his last six away games in the Premier League. Only van Persie has surpassed that achievement in the Premier League’s 23 seasons when he scored in nine successive away matches from January 1 to May 22, 2011, during his time at Arsenal. Kane is also on track to becoming the first Tottenham player in the Premier League era to break the 30-goal barrier. Germany legend and current USA national team coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, managed 29 in all competitions during the 1994/1995 season for Spurs, and Kane, who has 26 in all competitions so far, needs just four more from the remaining 10 games to beat that.

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