Saturday telegraph binder1 by Newtelegraphonline

SATURDAY Saturday, July 11, 2015

Sanctity of Truth

Vol. 2 No. 457

/newtelegraph

N150

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

I’m done having babies } 11

} 10

- Woman abandoned after third set of twins

VILLAGE HEADMASTER’S DEJUMO LEWIS

CORRUPTION

more ex-govs Ben Murray-Bruce and my retirement TO BE ARRAIGNED from NTA lEFCC takes steps to prevent those under watch from leaving country lCourt admits Nyako, son to N350m bail each

Our Correspondent

}13

NEWS

Ex-Law School DG, Muiz Banire, 19 others make SAN list

}53

here are strong indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will in the coming days invite more former governors, which is more or less a step to charging them to court over alleged money laundering, abuse of office and other offences. The move is consistent with the anti-graft agency’s resurgence in the last few weeks after a long lull which led many observers to conclude it had lost the will to fight corruption.

This week saw the dramatic arraignment of three ex-governors at various courts across the country. Before their separate appearances before Federal High Courts sitting in Abuja and Kano, respectively, operatives of the commission had quizzed former governors of Adamawa, Jigawa and Imo states. Saturday Telegraph learnt that it’s only a matter of time before a new batch of ex-governors are arraigned. “It is apparent that more of the former governors who may have cases to answer upon thorough in-

vestigation, will face trial over their past records in their various states, as a way of discouraging corruption in the body polity,” an EFCC source who would rather not be identified, explained. The paper was also informed that the commission was working with other security agencies to ensure those under its searchlight do not go beyond its reach which may be the case if they travelled out of the country. SEE FULL STORY ON PAGE 5

50% salary cut for President Buhari and Osinbajo }4

}

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Contents | 11.07.15 CONVERSATION

Kabiyesi’s Pains Dejumo Lewis’s role in the rested Village Headmaster may have earned him accolades. But there are a few pains which are making the actor anything but a happy man

SATURDAY

Comment

New deal for ex-militants

new wave of insecurity stares the Federal Government in the face following the disengagement of erstwhile militants from duty as pipeline guards }13 and monitors.They were contracted by the Goodluck Jonathan regime as Diamond on Your Soles part of the Amnesty programme initiAre you looking for that classy ated by late Pressident Umaru Musa shoes with an iconic logo that Yaradua. will easily get you noticed? Recently government terminated the Then, think of the Billionaire agreement reverting the surveillance of shoes handmade with real such essential facilities to the Armed leather lining and soles Forces and police. And following this }16 development, many of the former millitants have joined the labour market. In Director’s Call a country where jobs are hard to come One of Nollywood’s earliest by, there is cause for concern. directors, Fidelis Duker, talks Two weeks ago, sea pirates conabout running the Abuja Film fronted the Nigeria Navy in Calabar Festival and plans to launch a radio killing some officers.In a related develand television stations in October opment, pirates struck in Port Harcourt }20 last week visiting mayhem on Marine policemen. In the daring attacks, the Candid Shot pirates gave more than they got and Super Falcons star, Asisat Oshoala, talks about her lifestyle, ended up killing the security operatives . They went beyond that. Rifles meeting with Mario Balotelli belonging to the victims were taken and Yaya Toure and relationship by the invaders and gunboats seized. with team mate, Onome Ebi This happened while there are plans }30 to disengage more militants from government security jobs. There are fears Art to the Rescue that sea piracy could rise if the militants Lagos-based art shop, do not get an alternative means of surQuintessence Gallery, organises vival from government. Having received a raffle exhibition to fund the a lifeline, many of them abandoned the medical expenses of ailing artist, creeks annd struggle to embrace peace! David Dale, who suffered a stroke with promised opportunities. recently It is the constitutional role of the Armed Forces to protect our territo}34 rial integrity. We support any action that is aimed at giving the military Kano’s Lost Allure their place of pride . However, due to With its ancient monuments, recent national political and economic Kano was once a tourist’s concerns,the same government offered delight. But the allure has amnesty to militants which included all but faded, no thanks to guarding some pipelines in their reperiodic bomb attacks and spective areas of influence. successive government’s lack of At a time when there is trouble enthusiasm with Boko Haram in the North-East, }42 government cannot afford to create disquiet in the Niger Delta .The security implications of throwing up more Plus: Street Diary 10 | Perspectives 50

INSTYLE

SHOWBIZ

SPORT

THE ARTS

DESTINATION

unrest in the oil rich region will be too hot to bear.While attention is concentrated up north, government does not have the capacity to open another front down south. Due to maladministration, all the country’s eggs, are in one basket. Oil is the mainstay of our economy. Fluctuations in the international oil market have reduced an erstwhile rich country to a beggarly nation running from one agency to the other for loan. Creating instability in the region that produces the black gold will further devastate the economy. This we cannot afford. It was tough for the Eastern and Central Naval Commands to curtail piracy even when the militants had a job doing. Now that they have no source of income, criminality will not be ruled out as an attractive alternative.Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy. If our high seas become unsafe, many ocean going vessels will look beyond our shores to do business. Government therefore, must not abandon the militants after giving them hope since the Yaradua days. They are Nigerians who are eager to earn a living. Our oil wealth should be able to offer them living space in their country.The Amnesty Programme was initiated by he Federal Government. President Buhari promised to do more for the Niger Delta region. The best way to keep trouble away is not just to cancel pipeline surveillance contracts. It also involves giving the disengaged militants something that will not simply keep them busy but something that will yield income at the end of the day.There are millions of idle young men and women who have no hope for tomorrow and do not mind creating an atmosphere of terror in return. Nigeria has enough inurgency at hand. The suicide bombers seered by Boko Haram have turned the NorthEast to a ghost region in terms of opportunities and investment. Rocket propelled grenade wielding militants in the Oil Rivers coast may turn our beloved country to another Somalia. Let this not come to pass. Government must avoid it.

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

Funke Egbemode

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 TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

South-East governors, Senate Caucus back Ekweremadu Ndubuisi Ugah and Chukwu David

l Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Aka Ikenga warn against removing him

espite came the way of the embattled Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu as the South-East governors and the South-East Caucus of the National Assembly yesterday condemned what they described as an orchestrated attempt by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to malign and undermine Ekweremadu. While it was gathered that the South-East governors may have concluded plan to take a “resolute stand” on the alleged forgery/amendment of the Senate Standing Rule (2011), which was raised by 32 senators of the ruling APC in the Senate, the South-East Caucus in a communiqué issued in Abuja yesterday, also passed a vote of confidence on the Deputy President of the Senate. Saturday Telegraph gathered that the governors “were already reaching out to one another on how to take a definite position as regard the allegation” since it bothers on a “distinguished son” from the South-East geo-political zone. A source close to one of the governors, who confided in Saturday Telegraph

yesterday, said: “I can tell you that the governors (South-East) are already looking into the issue in order to take a stand since it affects a true son of the soil. Everybody is concerned because since Ekweremadu assumed office as the deputy senate president, there have been all manners of scheming to discredit him (Ekweremadu) because he is not a member of the ruling party. This action is totally unacceptable and that is why the governors are equally bothered.” Asked when the meeting was likely to hold, the source said: “All I know is that the meeting is going to hold soon. He is our brother and there is no way we would keep quiet since he has come out to defend himself too.” It would be recalled that Senator Kabiru Marafa had on behalf of 32 APC senators who missed the inauguration challenged the amended senate standing order given to senators at the inauguration alleging that the new order was forged since there was no time such an amendment took place in the 7th Senate of which he was a member. However, the police authorities had denied any plan to interrogate Ekweremadu, while the APC dis-

tanced itself from any petition written against him. But the South-East Caucus, which is made up of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives from the geo-political zone, alleged that some politicians out of rabid desperation and malice, had gone as far as fabricating baseless allegations against Ekweremadu in order to achieve narrow political interest over and above the larger interest of peace and equity in the country. Consequently, the Caucus stated that nobody outside the National Assembly could oust Ekweremadu as deputy president of the Senate, expressing satisfaction with the ability and performance of the Enuguborn politician. The communiqué reads: “The South-East Caucus of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, comprising Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, rose from a crucial meeting on July 7, 2015 in Abuja, where we noted with a deep sense of concern the orchestrated attempts to malign and undermine the highly esteemed person and Office of Ekweremadu. “We also noted in partic-

ular, that some politicians out of rabid desperation and malice have gone as far as fabricating baseless allegations against the Deputy President of the Senate to achieve narrow political interests over and above the larger interest of peace and equity in the country. Meanwhile, an Igbo think-tank group, Aka Ikenga, has warned that no amount of threats or intimidation will make Ekweremadu to resign his position. President of the group, Mr. Goddy Uwazurike, in a

chat with Saturday Telegraph, said Ekweremadu’s election must stand since he was duly elected on the floor of the Senate by his colleagues. Uwazurike warned those he referred to as “meddlesome interlopers” to steer clear of the affairs of the lawmakers, stressing that the senators calling for Ekweremadu’s resignation were being sponsored by some individuals outside the senate for their personal ambitions. Similarly, an apex Igbo socio-cultural organisa-

tion, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, also warned that Ndigbo would resist any attempt to malign Ekweremadu over his election as the Deputy President of the Senate. The Secretary General of the organisation, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, who said this while reacting to media reports, said Ndigbo were fully prepared to defend him. He said: “We are watching closely what is happening at the national level and we want to let the world know that we are solidly behind Ekweremadu."

Buhari, Osinbajo accept 50% salary slash Anule Emmanuel Abuja

resident Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, have agreed on a 50 per cent cut of their monthly salaries. The two leaders with this development will only take home on a monthly basis, 50 per cent less than what former President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice, Namadi Sambo, received as salaries during their tenure. A statement yesterday by the special adviser on media and publicity to the Presi-

dent, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the decision to take a 50 per cent pay cut had already been conveyed to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for immediate action. However, the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr. Nebolisa Emodi, has transmitted a letter to the office of the SGF in this regard. The letter reads in part: "I write to forward the completed IPPIS registration form of Mr. President and to draw your kind attention to Mr. President's directive that only 50 per

cent of his salary be paid to him," Mr. Emodi wrote in the letter with reference number PRES/81/SGF/17. The current annual remuneration of the President of Nigeria as published by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission is N14,058,820.00. "Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has similarly given up half of his official remuneration," the statement added. The slash in the pay of the two leaders is in line with President Buhari promise to reduce the high cost of governance in the country.

11 JULY 2015

Kalu commends Buhari on states’ salary bailout

minent industrialist and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving intervention funds to states as bailout to fulfill their obligations, especially the payment of staff salaries, which had been a challenge for most of the states. Kalu, who is currently on a business tour in Europe, said this on Thursday at an interactive session where he was received by the officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Berlin as well as in Poland, including members of the Nigerian community who came out en masse to welcome him. Kalu, who is also chairman of Slok group, while speaking at the session with the Nigerian business community in Poland, poured encomiums on President Buhari for urgently listening to the appeals of poor workers who had been owed for several months. He noted that the approval of N1.2 billion sourced from the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) funds and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) loan as directed by the President would aid the affected states to discharge their responsibilities. The former governor noted that the President’s directive would remain evergreen in the minds of Nigerians, while also urging state governors to plan ahead and spend judiciously to avoid such unbecoming inability to pay workers salaries as and when due. Kalu, who said during his eight year tenure as the governor, he ensured workers salaries were paid on the 25th of every month, condemned the current trend of wasteful spending of some governors which has not only resulted in setting their states backward in terms of development but also inflicted pain on the citizenry. He added that governors should trim down their security vote to 30 per cent if it could not be fully abolished. “Buhari could have ignored the cries of the workers and insisted on the states finding ways of resolving their internal challenges, but contrarily and as the father of the nation, who 'belongs to everyone’; he waived every excuse to save the workers,” he said. On late appointment of ministers by the President, he said: “Nigerians are so impatient, Nigerians should be patient with President Buhari and score him after a year in office. He is still busy taking stocks with the various permanent secretaries on a daily basis since he assumed office, we should allow him

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

do this work.” The Nigerian Business Community in Poland is charged with the duty of scouting for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or strategic partnerships between their host community and Nigeria so as to add value to the effort of the current administration to better our economy. The business mogul praised former President Goodluck Jonathan for accepting defeat and ushering Nigeria into a peaceful political environment. Kalu who was sighted with the Managing Director of Bende Export Import Limited, Mr. Benjamin Kalu and their Polish business partners, was expected to arrive Innsbruck, Austria on July 11.

MAKURDI FCT IKEJA Lafarge bids to supply Ortom orders payment of June salary Dariye’s election upheld A Jos Federal High Court yesterday the Benue State capital, was yesterday Nigeria’s electricity grid Makurdi, upheld the participation and election of agog following the directive by Governor Samuel

NEWS IN BRIE F

Lafarge Africa yesterday said it had applied to Nigeria’s energy regulator for a license to generate 260 megawatts of electricity to supply to the country’s grid. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is licensing so-called embedded power companies to try to end electricity shortages, one of the biggest constraints to investment and growth in Africa’s largest economy. The embedded power companies are not primarily power generating groups, but generate extra power from their operations and can sell the surplus to the grid or distribution companies.

Ortom to the Ministry of Finance to immediately commence the payment of the June salary to civil servants. He said all payments should be in full and not half or quarter salary as was the case in the twilight of former Governor Gabriel Suswam’s administration where workers’ take-home pay was reduced to either half or quarter. The governor’s pronouncement caused excitement with civil servants who clustered around trees and drinking joints jubilating over the governor’s directive, describing him as "a caring governor who has been deeply touched by the plight of the people.” Already, the governor who had briefed Benue people on the condition of things in the state's treasury had paid the May salary to workers, saying though he had thought of carrying out staff audit before paying the June salary, such arrangement would go on in accordance with the payments.

179.97m

The total number of connected mobile (GSM) lines of Nigeria in September 2014. Source: Goal.com

Senator Joshua Dariye as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Plateau Central Senatorial District in the December 7 party primaries. A former Special Adviser to former Governor Jonah Jang, Mr. Alexander Mwolwus, had challenged in court the eligibility of Dariye in taking part in the PDP senatorial primaries held in Pankshin. Dariye had left Labour Party (LP) and joined PDP where he won the primaries after beating five other aspirants, including Mwolwus. In his affidavit, through his counsel, J.S. Iliya, Mwolwus, prayed the court to quash the election of Dariye at the primaries on the ground that he was not formally re-absorbed but was granted waiver by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja.

The sex ratio of women to 100 men of Cuba in 2012. Source: Un.org

0.95%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Benin Republic in 2004. Source: Itu.int

Alleged corruption: EFCC to arraign more ex-governors

Our Correspondent here are indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will soon invite more former governors, preparatory to charging them to court over alleged money laundering, abuse of office and other offences. The EFCC has revvedup its anti-corruption fight since May 29, when the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government was inaugurated. Before their separate arraignments before Federal High Courts sitting in Abuja and Kano, respectively, operatives of the Commission had quizzed former governors of Adamawa, Jigawa and Imo States. Also interrogated shortly after May 29, were former governors Ali ModuSheriff (Borno) and Martin Elechi (Ebonyi).

A highly placed source at the EFCC, who spoke with Saturday Telegraph on the condition of anonymity, said the Commission was set to prosecute more former states chief executives that may be found wanting upon investigation. According to the source,

“it is apparent that more of the former governors, who may have cases to answer upon thorough investigation, will face trial over their past records in their various states, as a way of discouraging corruption in the body polity. “I also want you to

know that investigations against some of the accused ex-governors already in court have been concluded. Nigerians will renew their confidence in the EFCC very soon, because we are determined to go the whole hog.” When prodded to dis-

close names of some of the former governors in the aforementioned category, the source declined comment, saying “just be vigilant.” The Head of Media and Publicity of the Commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comment.

...court admits Nyako, son, others to N350m bail each Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday admitted a former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, his son, Abdulaziz and two others who are standing trial over alleged money laundering to bail in the sum of N350 million. The court also held that the accused persons should produce two sureties each or in the alternative, a surety who is not less than a Di-

rector in the Civil Service. The accused persons were also asked to drop their international passports and travel documents with the deputy registrar of the court. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Wednesday arraigned Nyako, alongside three others on 37- count charge bothering on money laundering. The accused persons had pleaded not guilty to all the charges. When the matter came

up yesterday, counsel to the defence, Kanu Agabi (SAN) brought an application for bail dated July 10, which was filed on the same day, stressing that the application was predicated on Section 118 (2) Criminal Procedure Act and Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution. Agabi argued that what the prosecution emphasised in their opposition is that the accused will not come for trial if granted bail. He said the accused persons are happy to stand

L-R: Director, IKKA Limited, Poland, Mr. Lukas Kraszewski; Chairman, Slok Group, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu; Director, IKKA Limited, Poland, Mr. Piotr Sliwinski and Managing Director, Bende Export Import Limited, Mr. Benjamin Kalu, after a business meeting in Poland …yesterday

trial because it is an opportunity to clear themselves of all suspiciousness, adding that nothing should be done to stigmatise them pending their trial: “They should not be committed to prison before the court declare them guilty.” He, however, prayed the court to grant them bail on lenient terms. While opposing the bail application, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacob (SAN) filed a counter affidavit praying the court to discountenance the argument of the defence. He said the granting of bail was at the discretion of the court and in so, it must be done judicially and judiciously. He further noted that the applicant had not place before the court sufficient materials to warrant the grant of the application. Jacob, also drew the attention of the court to the fact that Nyako and his son had once ran out of the country, but only came back when they were declared wanted by the anti graft agency. He, however, urged the court to grant accelerated hearing instead of admitting the accused persons to bail. The court later adjourned till September 29, October 22 and 23 for hearing. see n e w s e x t ra o n pages 5 1 - 5 4

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

POWER

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

GOVERNMENT OF EBONYI STATE OF NIGERIA OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE GOVERNOR ON INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE MINISTRY OF FINANCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ABAKALIKI JULY 10, 2015

INVITATION TO TENDER The Government of Ebonyi State, being desirous of improving the revenue profile of the State, wants to award the following contracts: a. Consultants for the revenue enumeration of Ebonyi State, b. Tax Audit. c. Collection of Internally Generated Revenue (revenue heads/items shall be made available to the bidder while collecting the bid documents). 2. Tenders are therefore invited from interested Companies/Agencies to bid for any of the Contracts. 3. Tender documents can be obtained from the Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Central Payroll Block, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Abakaliki, with evidence of the payment of a non-refundable tender Fee of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) only for (1a) and (1b), and Ten Thousand Naira (N10,000) only for (1c) above, payable into approved Ebonyi State Government Account at any Bank. 4. Qualifications All interested Companies are to submit their profiles, including the following: a. Evidence of Registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) b. Evidence of Tax Clearance for the last three years. c. Evidence of Registration with Ebonyi State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development as a Contractor/Revenue Agent. d. Evidence of payment of the Tender fee e. Evidence of satisfactory execution of similar project/services in the past. f. Any other supporting evidences that can prove that the bidder has the capacity to deliver. 5. DISCLAIMER The office of the Special Assistant to the Governor is not in any way bound to choose the lowest bidder or any tender. 6. Collection of Tenders, sealed in envelope will close by 4pm on Friday, 24 July, 2015 and opening of all the bids will hold on Tuesday 27th July by 12 noon at the Budget Room of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Abakaliki. 7. For further details, contact office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Internally Generated Revenue on phone nos: 08039484004, 09029537775,or www.atsuenyim555@gmail.com.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

INVITATION TO TENDER The Ebonyi State Government through the State Ministry of Water Resources is desirous to undertake the water pipeline reticulation of some sections of the Abakaliki Capital City covering a total distance of 130 kilometers. 2. Tenders are hereby invited from interested reputable contractors who wish to bid for the project. Tender documents for the project can be obtained from: THE OFFICE OF THE HEAD OF DEPARTMENT PLANNING, RESEARCH AND STATISTICS, MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, ABAKALIKI EBONYI STATE. after the payment of non-refundable deposit of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only, in the Accounts Department of the State Ministry of Water Resources, Abakaliki. Issuance of the tender documents will commence on Wednesday 22nd July, 2015. 3. The Tenderer is mandatorily required to enclose along their tender the following documents; i. Company's certificate of Incorporation. ii. Company Registration with the Ebonyi State Ministry of Water Resources Contractor Registration Board in Category â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. iii. Tender processing fee Receipt. iv. Cash flow programme and Projections, v. Experience/Similar projects executed. Note: Evidence of ownership or access to PE pipe factory will be an added advantage. 4. Completed tender documents are to be signed, sealed and delivered to the office of the Head of Department, Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Water Resources, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, not later than 12.00 Noon on Thursday 13th August, 2015. 5. The Ministry is not bound to accept the lowest tender. 6. All tenderers are invited to witness the bids opening which will take place by 1.00pm shortly after the close of tender, at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Water Resources, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Signed:

Engr. (Dr.) Francis U. Orji, fnate, mnse. Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Water Resources

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST for Public Private Partnership Scheme for Potable water supply and management in Ebonyi State. 1.0 Introduction: The Ebonyi State Government of Nigeria, following its interest in the welfare of its citizenry and conscious of the Water Supply needs of the people intends to rehabilitate and upgrade all the existing water supply systems in the State through the State Ministry of Water Resources. Ebonyi State presently have seven (7) existing Water Schemes; and one currently under construction, all located at different parts of the state as stated below: S/NO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

NAME OF SCHEME Ezillo Regional WTP Abakaliki Old Urban WTP Ogberhi Regional WTP Unwana WTP Uburu WTP Akeze WTP Oferekpe WTP Ukawu WTP

LOCATION Ezillo Abakaliki Afikpo Afikpo Uburu Akeze Ikwo Onicha

INSTALLED 45,000.00 15,000.00 10,000.00 5,000.00 5,000.00 5,000.00 100,000.00 100,000.00

CAPACITY M3/DAY Operating 20,000.00 5,000.00 1,200.00 200.00 3,000.00 2,000.00 50,000.00 Under-construction

Proposed 45,000.00 15,000.00 15,000.00 15,000.00 5,000.00 5,000.00 100,000.00 100,000.00

The Ministry hereby invites reputable infrastructure multidisciplinary Engineering firms, with all necessary standards to bid for the proposed PPP Scheme. 2.0 Description of Service: The services shall cover but not limited to; • Complete rehabilitation/expansion of the existing Water Treatment Plants; • Operation and optimal utilization of the Treatment Plant Facilities; • Pipeline extension to new areas presently not served and replacement of damaged ones; • Management of the newly-built and existing Water Treatment Plants including the laboratory operations. • Establish a financially sustainable water supply system, operating on a sound commercial and customer focused principles threading the path of profitability in a socially responsive manner. Note: All prospective applicants must show evidence of experience in a related PPP arrangement. 3.0 How to Submit Your Proposal: Interested investors should submit their proposals within twenty-one (21) days from the date of this publication and addressed to;

Engr. (Dr.) Francis U. Orji, fnate, mnse Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Water Resources

The Director, Planning, Research and Statistics Ministry of Water Resources Water House Town Planning Road, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

SATURDAY

Street Diary SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2015

Taiwo Jimoh minat Akanni, the 24-yearold woman, who kidnapped her husband’s four-yearold daughter, strangled and dumped her into a canal and was awaiting trial for the crime last year had been confirmed dead in Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos. Akanni, who was arraingned at Yaba Magistrate’s Court 1, told the police during interrogation that she killed the little girl because of her husband’s nonchalant attitude towards her and her son. After her arraingnment, she was remanded at the female section of the prison on November 11, 2014, while waiting for the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution. But she died on December 3, 2014, at Ajeromi Ifelodun General Hospital, Lagos. She had a four-month pregnancy as at the time she passed on. The Chief Medical Director of the prison, Dr. E.M. Adegbulu , an Assistant Comptroller of Prisons, on behalf of the deputy comptroller wrote a letter to the husband of the deceased to inform him of her demise. The letter reads: “I regret to inform you that the above named Aminat Akanni Moshood awaiting trial female with charge No A/92/14, Prison No. G 812, who was admitted into this prison on the 11/11/2014 charged with murder, died at the Ajeromi General Hospital (Maternity Section) December, 3 2014.” The prison authority in the letter further requested from the family members to arrange for an inquest on the deceased and then forward the duplicate of the proceedings to its office as soon as possible. The copy of the letter was also forwarded to the comptroller of prisons, Abuja, the assistant comptroller- general of prisons, Zone ‘A’ Lagos, the commissioner of police, Homicide Section, Yaba, the divisional police officer, Kirikiri, Lagos and the chief magistrate court 1, Yaba, Lagos. The husband of the deceased, Mr. Moshood Mubo, who spoke with our correspondent said he had no knowledge of his wife's death until he received the letter from the prison officials at his Lagos Island residence. Amidst tears, he said: “The content of the letter was read to me by the prison official who brought it. That was then I knew my wife was dead. Nobody called me from the prison that she was sick until she died. “I was surprised when the officer who brought the letter asking me to come and pick her corpse for burial. How did they expect me to claim the corpse of someone who killed my daughter all in the name of jealousy? “I have gone through a lot since the death of my daughter. I cannot concentrate on my work and it has affected my business. “My life is ruined, I could not take care of the little boy the deceased left behind. I have given the boy to a care giver. My first wife also left me and took away my children.” The death certificate signed by the doctor stated: “I hereby certify that I have medically attended to the deceased who was apparently or stated to be 24 years. l saw her on December 2, 2014, that she was suffering from severe Anaemia and Cholecyst, that she died as I am aware or informed on December 3. “To the best of my knowledge and be-

I was surprised when the officer who brought the letter asking me to come and pick her corpse for burial Akanni

Woman awaiting trial for killing her stepdaughter dies in Kirikiri prison Lagos Island. My initial plan was to see lief as herein stated viz: primary cause of her death was Cardiopulmonary Failure my husband. I wanted to ask him why he was harsh to me. But on getting to the while, the secondary cause is severe Anaestreet where he resides, I saw his two kids. mia and Cholecyst in pregnancy till death. They were the kids of the ‘senior wife,’ Mubo, a resident of 305, Church Street, Funmilayo Mubo. Lagos Island, had on October 3, 2014, “They were playing in front of their about 8pm reported at Adeniji Adele Police Station that two of his children were residence. They know me as their stepmissing same day when they did not remother and that made it easy for me to deturn home after they went to buy biscuit ceive them. I lied to them that their mother on the street. asked me to bring them to her shop and they followed me. I took them to Ibadan, Police spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, Oyo State, that day to spend the night belater identified the misscause it was already late. About ing kids as Lateef Mubo, 4:30am the following 7, and Nosifat Mubo, 4. I killed my stepdaugh day, I took the girl who Nwosu said that ter becaus dad negle cted me, s e her Akanni was arrested was four years old to ays stepm other an abandoned storey with one of the missing A building. children, Lateef, at CMS “The ground floor Bus Stop while she had killed Nosifat. was always flooded because there was a canal When queried, she behind the house. Some said she felt dejected and neglected by Muslims use the upper her husband after floor for prayers. On gethe failed to provide ting there, I held her hands money for her and and legs, and threw her into the water. I watched her son to celebrate her slowly gasp for breath, the Sallah festival. struggled and died. I later She said: “The following day afrushed back home". Unknown to her husband ter the festival, I that she was the mastermind, didn't know what he called and informed her came over me. I that her step children had quickly headed to SATURDAY

1 NOVEMBERNEW TELEGRAPH 2014

Street Dia ry

John Edu

minat Aka kidnappe nni, 24, who four-yea d her husband’s r-old daug hter, her in the strangled and of Lago carnal at the dumped Orile area s fessed her State, has final reaso ns for com ly conthe crim e. mitting Akanni, killed the a hair-dresser husband little girl beca said she use of her nonc hala wards her nt attitu and her de toson. She said: “I never the little mean girl, titude push but my husb t to kill and’s ated me to glected do me and my son.” it. He neA Lago hood Mub s Island resid ent, Mos at Aden o, on October 3, iji Adele reported two of Police Stati his since 6pm children were on that missing same went to buy biscu date when they it alon Poli ce spok esm g the street. Nwosu, an, Ken later neth kids as Late identified the Mubo, 4. ef Mubo, 7 and missing was arres Nwosu said that Nofisat ted with children, one of the Akanni Investiga Lateef, at CMS missing Bus had kille tion revealed that Stop. d Nosi Akanni Recalling fat. how her Moshood husband, National Mubo, a mem ber of the Workers Union of Road Tran (NURTW) Akanni fueled her sport said: anger, a day befo “I called my him how re Sallah festiv husband al, he expe son to celeb cted me asking and my rate he had refused the festival since to give He hadn us mon ’t sent mon ey. while. I was surp ey to us for he react a ed. He rised at the way was hars sisted I should not call h and inHe said him he and wou didn’t have any again. then switcld send when he money hed off his has. He She said phon celebrate she had no choice.” the e but to festiv dejected and negl al alone, feelin called my g ected by “a man husb I She cont and.” inued her “The follo narr I didn't wing day after the ation: know wha festival, I quickly t came The initia headed to Lago over me. band. I l plan was to see s Island. wanted my husto ask him was hars h Akanni the stree to me. But on why he t, he resid getting to kids, a boy es, I saw of the senio and girl. They his two in the build r wife, Funm were kids “They to pray.” ing where Mus ilayo Mub lims used o. They knowwere playing Accordin lied to them me. I deceivedoutside. foun g d the corp to her, people should bringthat their moth them. I but she prete se alerted the who er said I them to police, nded lowed me like othe her. r resid to be shocked Oyo Stateand I took them They folFew hour ents in the area. just to Ibadan, night beca , that day; to from Mos s later, she recei spen use it was hood, expl ved 4:30am already d the how an the aining to call the girl who following day, late. At his two unknown perso her abandone was four-year- I carried to be kids. Moshoodn kidnapped old to an vigilant d building. begged with her “It’s an she had her son, for him. which the grou abandoned build “I told nd floor ed. Som was alwa ing and a thing him no one could try e floor for Muslims use ys flood- bring with my son. such the prayers. I I held her On getti upper drop the boy back to decided to her into hands and legs, ng there, kidn him right at the Lagos and and threw apped him the wate spot wher slowly r. and e I she I watc his little gasp for added. sister,” and died breath, hed her Akanni struggled said she was getti . When I noticed action, regre adding home andng lighter, I rush the day her that Devi tted her to still sleep I met her elder ed back was kill the little girl. l pushed not in my She said: that the ing. Later that day,brother, kille d that child right senses when“I corpse of a girl was I heard been . If my husb I fair found and had wouldn't to her and my only son, had nurs I ed such evil inten -

I held her hands and legs, and her into the threw water. I watched her gasp for bre slowly ath, struggled and died.

pregnant . so I told I didn’t want an her abortion, that I wou to keep the preg the baby ld take care of nancy .” decision, Immediately he her and rented a Mubo went to took the mini Orile and didn’t wan flat for her, “bec wife here t her to live with ause I on my first He adde Lagos Island.” the apar d: “After I had tment for rented thrice in her, I most of a week to see go there her. I stay the time because s my busi on Lagos Islan ness is at market.” d Idumota Mubo discovere also explaine d Orile and d that shuttling that he and thus Lagos Island wasbetween told Ami tasking shop whe nat never she to come to his for her upke needed money ep. Part was that of the ebration, on every Eid-el upkeep Kabir celhis two to avoid clash wives, he betw or a cow would kill een women. and share it betw a ram een the Mubo del Kabi added that two days to r, Eiers in his he was busy with demandi shop when Ami customnat ng for her son. money to buy called, cloth He said: ing to a “I was atten es customer dher. She and I shou followingdropped the phon ted at day, e. The whic of Sallah, she calle h was the eve for the mon d me again ey. to ask “I prom come to ised her that which washer house on I would Satu tion and the Eidtold her el Kabi rday carri I would The griev ed out the act.” come with r day. I clothes.” the boy’s Funmilayo ing mother Mubo , have aske of Nofisat, “Where d rhetorical he went said that on Frida do to ly, other baby you expect me bic scho Nofisat and Lateey night, ol around f’s husband like Nofisat? to get anAra8pm to see The kids When my as my co-wintroduced Ami rushed them. and aske out of nat to me d when she ife, I welcomed He said: what he bought the class “That was for police thatwas arrested, sheher. Even money to how I gave them. told the fend her. Nofisat and I them the stree go and buy biscu did not t. ofdid she My question is kids left, A few minutes its along kill my this; why their mum after Moshood daughter?” after them came and my said it was wardness asked show them. She said she wanted his daug that led to the his waythe cloth for them. hter. es she boug to death of In a chat ht “I told Moshood with our corre cuit. She her they went to spondent led to the said: “My way , them, becadashed out to buy bisward search for He said death of my daug ness to the housuse it was late. he was hter.” We went livin with his e where buy the first wife g comfortably they wen biscuit, before he at Aden t but us the they woman to had his secon met Aminat who iji Adele told when they gone.” Mub d wife. became o said that could not He reca they locat left for e Lagos Islanlled: “I met Ami seek trad Ilorin, Kwara the kids, lationshi d and we start nat on was still itional intervent State, to in courtshipp. Two months ed a rethat Latee Ilorin when he ion. He into , she told got a call f was seen me she our wife at CMS with was Bus Stop his second arrested. and she was

been kidnapped and urged her to be vigilant with her son. When the bubble burst, she said: “I was not in my right senses when I killed that child. If my husband had been fair to me and my only son, I wouldn't had nursed such evil intention and carried out the act.” Her husband Mubo, had said it was his waywardness that led to his daughter’s death. He recalled: “I met Aminat on Lagos Island and we started a relationship. Two months into our courtship, she told me she was pregnant. I didn’t want an abortion, so I told her to keep the pregnancy that I would take care of her and the baby.” Immediately he took the decision, Mubo went to Orile and rented a mini flat for her, “because I didn’t want her to live with my first wife here on Lagos Island.” He added: “After I had rented the apartment for her, I go there thrice in a week to see her. I stay most of the times on Lagos Island because my business is at Idumota market.” Mubo also explained that he discovered that shuttling between Orile and Lagos Island was taxing and thus told Aminat to come to his shop whenever she needed money for her upkeep. Part of the upkeep was that on every Eid-el Kabir celebration, to avoid a clash between his two wives, he would slaughter either a ram or a cow and share it between the women.

Feature

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

‘My womb has been sealed to prevent me from having more twins’

family or your husband’s? There are twins in my family, my husband is a twin, my father is a twin and my uncle’s wife also gave birth to twins twice.

Ruth Uche, the mother of three sets of twins abandoned by her husband, said the man needs to return home and take care of his children. She spoke with TAIWO JIMOH.

So, you were not surprised when you had your first set of twins? I was not surprised. Was there any secret behind your having three sets of twins? Although my husband has twins in his family, if I had not married him, I would still have had these sets of twins. I had my first menstrual period at the age of 13. Two weeks after it, I had another one. Even though I was not experienced at that time, I knew it was strange to menstruate twice within two weeks. I told my mother about this strange discovery. She cried and thought I had been raped. But I told her nobody raped me. She confided in a friend who advised her to take me to a native doctor. The native doctor allayed my mother’s fear and told her it was a sign that there would be twins among my children whenever I start procreating. However, I did not know that I will give birth to three sets of twins. After giving birth to these present twins my doctor warned me not to conceive again because the chances are that I may still give birth to another set of twins.

How did you get the idea of taking your children to the Governor’s Office? Were you advised to do so? Nobody advised me to go to the Governor’s Office. When I went to the health centre for ante-natal, a woman saw me and pitied my condition. I told her what I have been going through and she promised to assist me by taking me to the Governor’s Office provided I am willing to do that. She felt I could be assisted there. Thereafter, she gave me her phone number. I later called her and we agreed to go there on a particular day. At the agreed date, I called her repeatedly before I left home so as to inform her I was on my way but her phone was not going through. Despite this, I left home with my six children and headed to the secretariat, Alausa, hoping that I will run into her. I took the initiative because I could no longer cope with the situation we are in. After wandering on the premises for some minutes without seeing the woman, I became dejected and was crying. A mobile policeman noticed and approached me to find out what the problem was. After I had explained my predicament, he decided to take me round some offices within the secretariat and explained my plight to the workers. A lot of them gave me money. Some journalists also saw me as the man was taking me ground. They interviewed me and I think it was their publication that made the governor to be aware about my plight.

What is your plan on the doctor’s advice? Immediately I delivered these twins I asked the medical doctor to seal my womb so that I cannot become pregnant again. I don’t want my children to go through what I went through in life. Have you heard from your husband? My husband ran away because of our living condition. He could not cope with the suffering. Since then, I have neither seen nor heard from him. I am using this medium to call on him to return home. I want Nigerians to please appeal to him to come back and take care of his children. Since he left home, my children have been asking after their father’s whereabouts.

Were you aware that you were carrying twins when you were pregnant? Yes! I had a scan which revealed that I was carrying twins. Considering that you already had two sets of twins, what was your reaction when you saw the result? I was dejected. I said to myself ‘twins again. After how many twins?’ Do you have twins’ lineage in your own

Did anybody contact you from your home state? Yes, someone called me from Imo State and informed me that the governor asked him to get my details after reading my story in a newspaper. I thank the Lagos State Government for what they have done for me and my family.

Uche with her three sets of twins

Experts say high twin rate, genetic, common among blacks Appolonia Adeyemi

he story of Ruth, 34, who was abandoned by her factory worker husband, Uche, after she was delivered of the third set of twins, has brought to the fore the debate whether there is medical explanation for high twin rate genetic among humans or not. Although the furore generated by Uche’s disappearance and the assistance that have been pouring in from the government and individuals to the abandoned wife and kids is on, questions are also being asked on the mystery of having three successive twins. Prof. Boniface Oye-Adeniran,

Head, Department of Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said in reproductive health, successive delivery of twins is 'familia', meaning that it runs in the family. “If one belongs to a family with twins or multiple births, the chances of the fellow replicating such is high”, Oye-Adeniran said. Citing the example of IgboOra in Oyo State, which has the highest rate of twins in the world, according to a study, the consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist said food could also be a factor in having twin birth. According to him, since the study shows every family in Igbo-Ora has twins, medical

researchers concluded the food being taken in the town could be a factor. Besides, he said with the use of the Invitro Fertilisation (IVF), multiple births would arise from the implantation of more than one embryo. Also, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Tope Ojo, said high twin rate is an African issue. “It is not a new thing. It is genetic,” he added. He called it a racial issue, saying it was not likely to happen among the whites. “Twin is more known to the black race,” he said. Explaining further, Ojo said there were some areas where goitre (swelling in the neck) was common.

He added, “Fibroid, a disease of black women, is also common in some areas. In like manner, there are some diseases that are common with white women. “Twinning is a nogroid thing. It is rampant in the Yoruba part of Africa, especially in Ijesha and Ibadan. It is not common among caucasians.” Ojo said there was nothing strange in a woman having multiple twins, adding that having twins more than once could be natural. According to him, fertility drugs can also aid having twins. “Some women who abuse Clomiphene citrate, which is a drug that can make women ovulate each month,

can have twins. He noted that some women even go as far as injecting themselves with clomid. “Some women come to gynaecologists to say they want to have twins”, he stated, saying “in this day and era when taking clomid is common, women who take this drug may release more than one egg.” “That is why when women do assisted reproductive technology like IVF, the rate of twin pregnancy is more. That is why when we are treating women who cannot get pregnant naturally, fertility drugs are administered on them and the tendency for them to have multiple pregnancies is higher. All those drugs cause super ovulation,” Ojo said.

Street Diary

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

IKORODU ROBBERY

‘I took part in three robberies’

Why did the police arrest you? I was a fisherman before things turned bad. There were no fish again to catch and my boat was stolen. Sometimes I go and dredged sand. One day, my friend, Monday Akpan, called me. He said fuel bunkering was going on at Abule-Isha. He invited me and I joined him in the illegal bunkering.

Which robbery was that? It was the Lekki robbery. The instruments that used for the robbery were packed into the boat. Later they changed into army uniforms.

Tell me about the robbery. One day, a friend of mine, Emma said we should go and board a boat.

Were they in army uniform? No! There were also some young boys assisting them to work. The young boys were assisting to load fuel. Million and his men were also into oil bunkering. They asked me some questions and discovered that I’m an Ilaje man. They asked me where I live and I told them. Before I left that day, they gave me two kegs of fuel. They said I should go and sell it. They said I should use the money to buy kegs for myself. I want to know your part in the robbery. One day, they called me that I should come. I quickly ran to meet them. Who called you? It was my friend Akpan. I followed him to the creek. I saw many people. They were having a meeting. They collected my phone from me.

Why did they kill the three policemen? I don’t know. I stayed at the waterside

and we ate. Around 3:30pm, we all entered a boat. I was the boat rider.

What happened next? We usually get the fuel on credit. After selling, we return the money to those who gave us the fuel on credit. One day, Akpan said we should look for money to buy kegs and start our own bunkering business. I had no money because I had used the money I saved to pay for my house rent.

Board a boat to where and for what? We went to where we used to do oil bunkering. It was there I met some men. They were many.

Yes, I heard the gunshots.

Omolaje Omoboye is a 39-year-old father of five kids. He was a fisherman who later took to oil bunkering. He is one of the robbery suspects arrested in connection with the Ikorodu bank robbery. He spoke with JULIANA FRANCIS.

Omoboye

Was it at night? No! It was around 2pm. I asked my friend if he knew the man that collected my phone, he said the man’s name was Kakadu.

At what point did they put on the army uniforms? They carried knapsacks. It was after they entered the boat that they opened their bags, brought out the uniforms and changed. They didn’t give me any uniform. When I asked what was going on, they said I should shut up. It was Kakadu that showed me the direction to take on the water. When we got there, we waited at a corner until 5pm. They left and soon we heard gunshots. Didn’t you go with them? No! We were instructed to wait at the jetty with the boat

What were they discussing in the meeting? I don’t know. They were speaking in Ijaw language. Later Million came to meet me. He said he was the person that instructed Kakadu to collect my phone

Did you carry gun? No.

What’s Million’s real name? I don’t know. But everyone calls him Million. I asked him why he ordered that my phone should be collected, he said nothing. He said I should wait. Kakadu came to meet me. He said we would be going somewhere. I asked where, he said I shouldn’t worry. He said we would be going to Maroko. I asked why. He said there was no problem, that he would explain everything to me. Later they brought food

Are you saying you didn’t know it was a robbery? Honestly, I didn’t know.

How many of you waited in the boat? Kakadu, Akpan and me; No, no! We were four. There was an Ijaw guy with us.

When did you realise they were armed robbers? It was when I saw Million and others loading bags of money into the boat. Didn’t you hear gunshots before they arrived with the money?

They must have discussed the operation as you people rode away in the boat. I was the person handling the boat. The engine noise didn’t allow me to hear anything. Once we got to hinterland, they entered the bush to share the money. They did not allow me and Akpan to follow them. After they finished sharing the money, they came to where we were asked to wait and gave us our share. How much did they give you? They gave me N400, 000. What did you use the money to do? I gave it to a woman to buy kegs for me, so that I could be using them to work. I gave her N370, 000. I’ve neither seen the woman nor kegs till date. How were you arrested? I was at home when someone called me on the phone. I reside at Igbogbo area in Ikorodu. Who called you? Ata called me. He said I should come and pick my car. I just bought it. But you said you gave all your money to a woman to buy kegs for you. Where did you get money for the car? No! The money I gave to the woman was from the first operation I went with the gang. How many operations did you go with them? I went on the three robberies with them! You went on three robberies? Yes! The first robbery was the Lekki one, the second one was the Ijede robbery and the third one was around garage at Ogolonto, Ikorodu.

‘I was invited to repair a faulty boat’ Monday Ikuesan, 37, is a robbery suspect. He is married and has two kids. In this interview with JULIANA FRANCIS, he says that he didn’t know he was embarking on a robbery operation. What brought you to SARS? I’m here because I went for the Lekki bank robbery. Do you do any other work and did you go to school? I’m a fisherman. I dropped out in secondary school and took to fishing as my occupation. Did you come from Ondo State to rob in Lagos? No, I’m from Ondo State, but I reside in Lagos State Which side of Lagos do you live? Itoke, Ikorodu. How many times have you taken part in armed robbery? I went only once. It was only the Lekki robbery I participated. They called me to bring a boat.

Like how many people were in the boat? We were up to 14. I knew only three people among them. Immediately I got there, they collected my phone and switched it off. They were in army uniforms. They moved from their faulty boat into the one I brought. We drove to Epe River. I noticed that three among the men were making calls.

Who called you to bring a boat? It was Vikan that called me to bring a boat. Who is Vikan? Vikan is an Ijaw man. It was he and Kakadu that called me to bring a boat. Did Vikan go with the gang for the bank robbery? No, Vikan didn’t go with us, but Kakadu did. It was Kakadu that called Vikan, and then Vikan called me. I went to meet them at the creek. There were many men there. We entered a boat. They collected my phone and said they didn’t want me to make calls.

Ikuesan

Did you know they were going for robbery? No, they didn’t tell me anything. The boat belonged to Vikan; maybe that was why they called him and he called me because he’s my friend.

fault on the river. He said I should go with three boys that came with Kakadu and meet them on the water, where their boat had stopped.

What were you doing before Vikan came to meet you? I was sleeping in my house when Vikan came to call me. I use to buy fuel from him in Ikorodu. He sells black market. When did he call you? He called me around 4am. He wanted to know where I was. I told him I was at home. He said I should come to the waterside, that Kakadu told him that his boat developed a

Who were the people making calls? It was Kakadu and two others. They were speaking Ijaw. I didn’t understand the language. I’m an Ilaje man. We got to the place around 4pm.

Who were the people Vikan told you to follow? I don’t know their names, I only know one person. How many people did he tell you to follow to the water side? We were only four, including me. When we got there, we saw many people in the boat.

You said that they called you around 4’oclock in the morning, how come you’re saying around 4’oclock again? It was around 4am they called me and around past 5-6am we left for the big river. We drove to the big river and berthed in one corner throughout that day. Around 4pm, they ordered Baba Ibeji to start the boat’s engine. We now headed towards Lekki-Ajah. When we got to Ajah, they ordered me to stay in the boat with Baba Ibeji, Kakadu and one Ijaw man. Do you know Baba Ibeji? I know Baba Ibeji. It’s only Baba Ibeji and Kakadu that I know. Baba Ibeji is an Ilaje man. He is my friend. When I got there, their boat wasn’t working and they moved to Vikan’s boat.

SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2015

SATURDAY

WeekendDelight 13

C o n v e r s at i o n

Instyle Keeping it smart and casual p.16

TV & Radio In the Trip of another telenovela p.18

Love & Living ’I found my soulmate at a supermarket’ p.35

‘KABIYESI’

minutes DEJUMO with LEWIS

Dejumo Lewis’ role as “Kabiyesi” - the monarch chief with an exaggerated swagger - in The Village Headmaster has sealed his memory as one of the true greats of television’s golden era in Nigeria. But it’s not been quite a rosy tale for the man whose inimitable acting style brought joy to many living rooms across the country in the early ‘80s as he recounts in this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA.

It’s unfortunate that people played politics with Village Headmaster as popular as the show was.

Hospitality

Holiday Inn Accra Airport Hotel: A Presidential treat p.41

Lewis

In The Valley Between, one of your most recent soaps, there seems to be an uncanny synergy between you and Yomi Obileye; have you been cast to act together in the past? (Chuckling) Yes, Yomi Obileye is like my brother, I’m slightly older than him though. We have

been acting for many years even back then in the university; but we never met - neither on stage nor on the screen. It’s the first time we’re playing against each. That’s the thing about good movies- the first thing is getting appropriate casting, getting actors and actresses to play certain

roles that’s not their person in real life which they can carry convincingly. And I think Tunji Bamishigbin who is the executive producer and director has a great achievement in this. The kudos should go to him. The death of Femi Robinson

now brings to two - the other being Justus Esiri - the number of individuals who once starred as the “headmaster” in the famous series; what kind of emotions do their memories evoke? These are great actors and playing the role of the headmaster in Village Headmaster successively is also something rather remarkable about the two of them. Femi Robinson was the second actor to play that role, he came after Uncle Ted Mukoro who is about 85 now and still going strong and very much alive. Both Femi and Justus are much younger than the pioneer actor of the headmaster, but that’s the irony of life. Justus Esiri came to take the headmaster’s role from Femi Robinson and, of course, I had played the role of Kabiesi from the beginning to the time the show was finally rested. In 2012, you granted an interview where you spoke of attempts to revive the Village Headmaster. Why didn’t the efforts come to fruition? Was there a fundamental disconnect between the actors of your generation and those to be brought on board? No, there’s no disconnect at all. The good thing about Village Headmaster is that it’s like a family programme. Whether you were part of the beginning of the programme or you came in later in the middle or around the time it ended, we regard ourselves like a family. Even those who had to stop for one reason or the other at a point to play whatever roles they were given, we still regard ourselves as one. And when things happen, for instance, when somebody is getting married, celebrating or in the case of those we’ve lost, we all come together to play our roles to be part of whatever ceremonies. It’s a family programme not just for the audience but for us too. It appealed to the young and old. And we all from the front of camera to the crew, we still relate well even though the programme has been rested since 1989. It’s unfortunate that people played politics with Village Headmaster as popular as the show was. There were some CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

‘My retirement by Ben Bruce a callous act’

Lewis is optimistic he would bounce back into reckoning CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

elements within the top management and government at the time that could not stand Village Headmaster because it was critical of government policies and programmes. I had the honour not only playing the role of Kabiyesi because I was trained in film production and television and I was a staff of NTA. At a point after it was rested for a couple of years, I had to be called upon to revive it. So, I brought Village Headmaster back as the New Village Headmaster. And incidentally, I cast Justus Esiri as the headmaster in the New Village Headmaster which I handled for about four years before handing over to Tade Ogidan. It was more of a challenge that we had with the administration and management and with the government. On the other hand, there were a few people from the government who loved it. During the time of Gen. Yakubu Gowon, he was a great fan of Village Headmaster. It was reported that sometimes when they inadvertently fixed the Supreme Military Council meetings at the time the programme was airing, the man would attend late and blame Village Headmaster and everyone would start laughing. It was during his time that we were invited to Dodan Barracks for a special reception. We had people in government who actually appreciated it for the values they found in it. In my time, it was my policy to use Village Headmaster to stir editorial comments on lots of government policies and programmes. That is a major problem with reviving the show. There was top management staff of NTA who had pretended to be willing to revive it. Who was the person? I can’t remember his name now and I’d rather not even mention it. He’s not the current director general of NTA; he’s the immediate past who was in acting capacity for two years and he wasn’t confirmed. He talked with me enthusiastically, particularly at Ambassador Segun Olusola’s night of tributes. He said: “oh, great, it’s so good that the Kabiyesi is still alive; he was the actor who produced and directed the show at a time. The ball is now in his court.” After the ceremonies, we took

photographs and dined together. And he said we must get this show back only for me to realize that they were trying to bring back something else in place of Village Headmaster. It was very unfortunate, but of course, it didn’t last because if it’s not Village Headmaster, there can’t be anything like it. That’s the kind of things we had to deal with particularly those of us who were on the cast and the crew. Are there no other ways to source sponsorship for the show to return? The show had no sponsorship problem. At a time there were two GSM companies vying for sponsorship of the show to return. It’s purely administrative and management issue. There were very negative approaches from some members of the top management staff and others from above. There’s a story about how you were due for promotion at NTA but Ben Murray-Bruce allegedly thwarted it when he became director-general. You reportedly grieved over this particularly given that his father was said to be your friend. Is that correct? Well, his father was much older but he was my friend. We were living in Yaba area and attending the same church, Saint Dominic’s Catholic Church and it was at his 70th birthday party that I knew Ben Bruce. He served me drinks and he was warm and called me “egbon” (big brother). Peter Igho was just my boss and I was always stepping into his shoes right from the period of the first television drama festival before NTA was founded. He was an extraordinary man and when he speaks to you about production, you would think that’s the only thing he knows. And there was no protocol in dealing with issues; if he met you on the corridor, he’d address you - wherever. He was also great at critiquing works. He was so knowledgeable about almost everything and would handle tough matters in very informal ways. And here was Ben Bruce who had no knowledge at all about television productions. Peter Igho and I helped to put him through, to teach him the ropes and even to popularize his beauty pageant - that was where he started from. He’d be dis-

cussing and we would give him ideas. He had no experience about television production, management or administration. He had at the time a radio station but even at that, he was still learning on the job. He was appointed DG and for some reasons that I couldn’t understand, it happened that he was the DG when I was forcefully retired. The annoying thing was that when I got a letter of re-assignment from NTA Ibadan back to the headquarters, I saw him as I was walking in and I called him by his first name. I respected him as the DG, he didn’t call me by my first name, he’d say, “egbon”. All along before then, I was so used to calling him Ben, so I called him and he knew it wasn’t out of disrespect. It was how I called Peter Igho, he was my boss but I called him by his first name. I told him “I’ve been brought back o, you have brought me back. What do you want to do with me?” He said, “yes, egbon, you’re a production man and I need you here at the headquarters.” I went back to Ibadan to do my handing over note for someone else to succeed me. I came back and I was handed a letter of retirement. That really pissed me off. How can people be that callous! I challenged the director of programmes in his office (unfortunately, he just passed on). He was another fantastic television person, Jimi Atte. I went to him and said, “what is this?” There were one or two people with him that day and he replied, “this is what we’re just discussing.” He knew nothing about it. He dipped his hand into his drawer and did what he ordinarily wouldn’t have done. He brought out the list of people that were to be “rationalised”. And then, I looked at it, my name was not originally on that list. It was handwritten at the top. So my name became number one. There was no number to my name, it was a last minute arrangement. Two weeks ago, there was a pathetic report that Lari Williams was dying, homeless, going blind and was soliciting for help from the public. What do you make of that? Hmm, that’s a man who had a distinction at the University of Port Harcourt where he taught, I think. He

Where we are holding this interview is where I live and where I’ve been working for the past four or five years.... Even right now as we speak, I’m owing the hotel management a lot of money was made a chief in the land where he taught. It’s that bad, that’s the kind of neglect some of us suffer. Where we are holding this interview is where I live and where I’ve been working for the past four or five years. What brought me here was a similar thing. Even right now as we speak, I’m owing the hotel management a lot of money. Well, people will say, “why are you there? Shouldn’t you have had your house?” Some of us refused to join the bandwagon of corrupt people in this country. I can tell you that Lari Williams is one of us. Of course, we’re going through hell for doing the right thing. Thank God that some of us have other things we’re doing; I’ve been writing a book, do some other productions and cultural research. I have a master’s degree in communication arts, so this office is a consultancy firm. You starred in the movie, Agogo Eewo, and acted alongside Prof. Akinwunmi Ishola, late Dr. Larinde Akinleye and Pa. Adebayo Faleti. What was it like? When I was taking part in Agogo Eewo produced and directed by Tunde Kelani, he treated me very well. He paid me what we agreed for the deal. It was a fantastic outing for me to act with these men you just mentioned. I honestly consider it one of my highpoints in the industry and particularly watching Tunde Kelani on set.

...On the set of Labo (Life is a Journey) which also features, Doris Simeon, Yvonne Hayes, Olivie Eze, Amazing Theodora

Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Keeping it smart and casual 10

Angela Davies

ressing smart casual requires dressing in ensembles that bridge the gap between dressy and informal. The key look is a chic, put-together ensemble. This look allows flexibility for personal taste in fashion. That is why the look fashionably combines different clothing pieces and accessories to achieve the look. Here are some tips to a smart casual look. Jeans and top: Jeans and a top is the commonly accepted smart casual outfit to wear to any event. However, your jeans should be clean, crisp and dark. You can elevate your jeans and top to smart casual using dressy accessories like strappy sandals and pointed-toe heel shoes and bag and you are set for just about any occasion. Skirt and top: A skirt and top is another excellent and common choice for a smart casual look. You could opt for a bit loose and flowy or pencil skirts. Ensure your skirt hits just at or slightly below your knees. But avoid wearing a skirt that is too shirt. Combined with a nice blouse and a great pair of flats or strappy sandals you have your smart causal look. Print top and pants: You could also pair a cute print top from your wardrobe and pair with tailored pants for a smart casual look. If it is a sleeveless top, add a jacket and also accessorise appropriately to complete your look. Dress: Dresses are easy and reliable outfits. Most women feel pulled together when wearing one. No matter how simple a dress is, all you need to take it up a notch is with lovely accessories and other components like scarf. You can opt for a print or solid colour dress depending on your style. Pants: If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to wear jeans, then, opt for leather, three quarter, wide-leg pants or stylishly cropped pants paired with a beautiful top, button-down shirt and pair with some fab heels to ensure your look isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too casual. Jacket: If the weather is cold or might get cold later, ensure you have a cute leather or denim jacket to complete your look. Choose a jacket that is slightly fitted and not too long or short. Accessories: Smart casual is all about looking well put together and accessories play a major role. However, choose accessories carefully so they co-ordinate and complement your ensemble. When it comes to accessories, playing with colour is another excellent way to turn your smart casual look up a notch. Remember, you can combine varied pieces to achieve that smart casual look you desire and stand out.

Captions: 1. Idia Aisien 2. Nicole Chikwe 3. Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi 4. Amaka Destiny 5. Beverly Naya 6. Nikki Laoye 7. Kaylah Oniwo 8. Ann Ogunsulire 9. Oge Agu 10. Toke Makinwa 11. Sharon Ojong

1 9

Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Accessories to live for

The Billionaire shoes Are you looking for that classy footwear with inimitable crested logo that will easily get you noticed? Then, think of Billionaire shoes, ANGELA DAVIES writes.

illionaire shoe was designed by Italian entrepreneur, Flavio Briatore to complement billionaire lifestyle which features a strong sartorial ethos. This shoe style is distinctive and shows the mark of luxury from Billionaire couture. They add a sense of style to any outfit and are comfortable. What differentiates this slip-on shoe is that they are crested with the Billionaire logo in front, thus, giving them that splendor that only comes with the Billionaire Couture brand. And this shoe is perfect for every occasion. Billionaire shoe could be designed with suede or leather. And they are handmade with real leather lining and soles. This shoe comes in varied colours and unique designs to select from to complement your ensemble. Nevertheless, the leather designs will give a dressier look than those made with suede material. Interestingly, this shoe can be worn with contemporary African as well as English outfits. But your choice depends on the occasion. Leather Billionaire dressy shoes can be worn with suits and other corporate outfits to spice up your look. The suede designs can be paired with contemporary African attires and casual outfits to add joie de vivre to your appearance. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be a billionaire to wear this exclusive and endearing shoe. So, slip into one for your next event.

11 JULY 2015

MY STYLE

A subtle kind of elegance On-air personality and ex-beauty queen Bamidele Vien Osagie’s style maybe somewhat subdued, but it is nonetheless eye-catching. ANGELA DAVIES writes. What words best describe your style? My style is easy, calm, catchy but not too loud. Is there a philosophy behind the kind of outfits you wear? I would say the weather, mood and event. What outfits take up the most space in your wardrobe? You will see more of pencil skirts, jeans and t-shirts and dresses. What is your ready-to-go outfit? I like to jump into a jeans, nice t-shirt and wedge boots. Is there any outfit you’re unlikely to be seen wearing? I will never be caught wearing a net outfit. Do you consider any fashion item indispensable? I don’t wear wristwatches, so my bracelet is indispensable. I wear different lovely styles, sizes and colours of bracelets that complement my outfit. What kinds of shoes hold a special appeal to you? I love wedge boots, it is comfortable. I also love pointed-toe and strappy high heels shoes. As well as my regular canvass. If you were a fashion item, what would you rather be? I would like to be a pencil high-waist skirt because whether a woman has shape or not, when-

Osagie

Beauty U

Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

ever she wears this skirt style it flaunts her silhouette. What kind of jewellery appeals to you? I love simple but beautiful necklace that blends well with my outfit like silver chain and pearl necklaces. I also love cute tiny cocktail rings that goes half way the finger.

Facts Ebenezer kilani creative director of Big Ben Kilani officially launched the fashion brand for the modern man in November 2011. His endless passion for artistic and unique designs of looking different from others and standing out from the crowd made him decide to pursue a career in fashion.

Most expensive fashion item ever bought It is a pair of Christian Louboutin high heel shoes.

During the different eras, women applied colour to their faces by various means. In Cleopatra’s time, berries and other natural ingredients were used as makeup to enhance the face.

Best designer In Nigeria, it has to be Dennizz Fashion. The brand is new but they have outfits for my kind of style. Aside that, they play with colours. Signature perfume I love all the Calvin Klein collection but right now I use Calvin Klein Summer. How do you love your hair? I love hairstyles that make my face glow whether it is braids or weave-on. But I am specific about colours. So whether it’s braid or weave-on, it has to be black, wine or gold.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens better known as Mark Twain invented the bra strap clasp.

How do you love your makeup? On a normal day, simple and subtle makeup does it for me. But for a red carpet event, my makeup is a bit loud. Best colour I love blue, white and a touch of yellow.

Makeup tips for the office

ndoubtedly, many would love to make an impression by the way they dress and apply makeup especially at the workplace. But, what kind of makeup is suitable for the office? When it comes to office makeup, you don’t have to overdo it with loud colours or glitters and become a distraction or topic of discourse. Here are some makeup tips to help you look your best at work. • In the work environment, your makeup should be subtle and not too loud. • Eyes are the focal point of contact when you speak at work. So, ensure you use a good primer, foundation and concealer combination. • Choose nude lipsticks or opt for those with matte effect to look gorgeous and beautiful. Go for lipsticks that last throughout the day and need minimum touchup. Avoid using dark tones and try soft cheer colours.

A simple tip is to use a lipstick that matches your blush. • Choose matte finish foundation to look fresh and smashing all day. • Choose an eye shadow colour that will emphasize your eyes. Go for colours like grey, bronze or brown. Stay away from glitters, they are a distraction and more suitable for night events. • Use liquid eye liner to accentuate your eyes. Grey and brown are good options. Avoid dramatic eyes with bright coloured liners. Also, use mascara that does not smudge. • Add a hint of blush on the cheeks but nothing too dramatic. Use a shade close to your skin tone or a neutral pink tone. Heavy makeup at the work place is a big turn off. So, your makeup should be subtle but make you look beautiful, confi-

Liquid eyeliner

Variety of sheer colour lipstick

Eye shadow palette

Men were the first to wear jewelry as a status symbol and as good luck amulets to aid them in battle.

TV & Radio with Angela Davies

In the grip of Avenida Brasil

venida Brasil is a Brazilian telenovela that tells the dramatic story of Rita, a joyful and cheerful young girl whose life was ruined by her cruel and ambitious stepmother. She returns years later under a new identity to seek revenge. After the death of Rita's mother, her father marries Carminha, a conniving and gold-digging woman who acts like a perfect stepmother in front of her husband and changes her personality when he is not around. Rita overhears Carminha having a conversation with her accomplice and lover, Max, about fleeing with her husband’s money after he sells the house they live in. Rita warns her father who later confronts his wife. In the turn of events, while walking down the “Avenida Brasil”, Rita’s father gets run over by Tufao. He tries to tell Tufao that his wife is a bad person. However, Tufao, a friendly, famous and rich footballer believes he is trying to tell him to take care of his wife but he soon dies. As a result, Tufao looks for Carminha and she makes him believe she is a sad widow. Meanwhile Carminha and her lover, Max, sends young Rita to live in a landfill, so that she does not stand in the way of their plan to get rich. At that time, she seduces Tufao and later tells him she is pregnant. This forces him to break up with his girlfriend and marry her. At the landfill, Rita is subjected to child labour under the control of a terrible man, named Nilo. But, luckily she meets Batata, a boy, who becomes her best friend and true love. He takes her to live with other children under the care of loving Lucinda in another house at the landfill. Fortunately, Rita is soon adopted and moves to Argentina with a nice family who changes her name to Nina. Rita/Nina’s adoptive father loves her very much, treated her well and makes sure she had good education. And soon, she becomes a famous chef. But Rita grows up with resentment towards Carminha for the death of her father as well as all the bad things she has done. Her adoptive father always advises her to give up her mission of revenge against Carminha and Max and forges ahead with her life. Rita’s friend best, Batata, is also adopted by Carminha and Tufao and they renamed him Jorgito. Jorgito is adopted by his biological mother years after she abandons him at the landfill as a toddler and it is not a coincidence. However, Jorgito despises Caminha but he doesn't know why. When Nina’s adoptive father dies, she masterminds a plan to take Carminha down and unmask her in front of her whole family. So, years later, motivated by vengeance, she moves back to Brazil under her adoptive name and infiltrates Car-

SATURDAY 11 JULY 2015

This weekend AIT

TELEVISION

ONTV

Saturday 8:30 Destiny Encounter 10:30 Sports File 11:00 One Cubed Naija 11:30 700 Club Int’l 12:30 Security Watch Africa 1:00 Shakatawa

minha’s family by becoming their personal chef. Nevertheless, she must face the bitter consequences of seeking revenge against those who hurt her the most. Meanwhile Carminha’s husband, Tufao, is unaware of her many lies and manipulations. They live with his garish relatives in an unrefined suburban mansion and, deceitfully, she makes evil Max her brother-in-law by making sure he gets married to Tufao’s annoying sister. Together, Carminha and Max continue to carry out their atrocious plans to get ahead while continuing their love/hate affair in the same house as their unsuspicious spouses. Nina becomes so engrossed in her single-minded goal to inflict suffering and punishment on those who

wronged her that her own happiness is jeopardised. The only thing Carminha and Nina have in common is their sincere love for Batata/ Jorgito, who is Carminha’s biological and adoptive son and Nina’s childhood sweetheart. Avenida Brasil is exciting and packed with numerous engaging scenes and every episode tells a better story. So do you want to know how Rita/Nina will confront her past, how far she is willing to go to exact revenge on her ambitious stepmother and evil lover, Max and if she will finally get back with the love of her life, Batata? Then, tune into ONTV or ONTV Max channel 257 on DStv Monday to Sunday at 10:00 pm and catch up with all the exciting episodes.

FACE BEHIND THE VOICE

On the Beat with Maria Okanrende

aria Okanrende popularly known as Maria Okan joined the Beat 99.9 FM in July 2012. She auditioned while on vacation in Lagos, and after getting a call back, she has not looked back. She co-hosts “The Morning Rush” from Monday to Friday between the hours of 6am and 11am. After studying English Literature, she had the opportunity to do her first internship at the United Kingdom’s most popular radio stations, Global Radio, then Capital FM and Choice in 2009. Since then, she has had the pleasure of working with the BBC, MTV and Dropout UK as well as interviewing a

wide range of celebrities outside and within the country. Okanrende played the role of 'Foye' in season three of MTV's Shuga. She loves food and clothes. She is a blend of intelligence, talent and funny with a sexy voice to go with it.

Programme summary Saturday Morning Cruise (Beat FM ) Saturdays @ 7:00 am

It is designed to cruise listeners through the afternoon, playing hit songs of all genre. Listeners also call in to make requests. It is hosted by Chris da Razor.

1:30 Gbedu On The Move 2:00 Ojemba 3:00 Best Of Sports 3:30 Activating Success 4:00 World News 5:00 Fashion Video 5:30 School Hunters 6:00 Trends and Rachel 6:30 True Nigerian 8:00 News Hour 9:00 Oasis 10:00 Taste Of Love 10:30 Beautiful liars Sunday 9:00 Catholic Mass 10:00 At Thy Word 10:30 Gospel Rhythm 11:00 Nollywood English 12:00 African Journal 1:00 Impact 360 1:30 Gender Agenda 2:00 O & M Sunday Show 3:00 Mini Jojo 4:00 World News 4:30 Turning Point Int’l 5:00 Personality, Places and Events 5:30 Our Ladies, Our Pride 6:30 The LovelynClair Show 7:00 Kids Say The Darndest Things 7:30 Jenifa’s Diary 8:00 News Hour 9:00 Tales of Eve 9:30 Nectar

Saturday 7:30 Crocadoo 7:30 The Indomitables 8:30 Pocahontas 9:05 Arambara 9:30 Village Square 11:05 Be Careful With My Heart 12:00 Soundcity Top Choice 1:00 Hitz 1:30 Pavitra Rishta 2:40 Village Square 4:10 Movie 5:35 Los Rey 6:20 Spice Most 7:10 Footprints 8:00 Pulse 234 8:30 Spider 9:00 Spice Specials 9:30 On The Couch 10:00 Avenida Brasil 10:30 Omnisport Sunday 7:00 Legend of Sleeping Beauty 8:00 Hutos 9:05 Arambara 9:35 Village Square 11:05 Be Careful With My Heart

12:00 Sunday Paparazzi 12:30 Soundcity Top Choice 1:00 Hitz 1:30 Pavitra Rishta 2:40 Village Square 4:10 Movie 5:35 Los Rey 6:20 Glam Mamas 7:10 Before 30 7:30 Knorr Taste Quest 8:00 House Mates 8:30 MTN Project Fame 10:00 Avenida Brasil

RADIO

Rainbow 94.1 FM

Saturday 7:30 You & Your Marriage 8:00 Whispers 9:00 Sports Tackle 10:00 Family Life 11:00 Kids on Radio 12:00 Hot Gist and D Spot 2:00 Up Comers, Shout Out & Request 4:00 Wazobia Flavour 6:00 Request and Shout 11:30 Icon Saturday

Sunday 6:30 I Declare 7:00 Yours Sincerely 8:00 The Word with Interaction 9:00 God bless Nigeria 10:00 Rainbow Gospel Gig 11:30 Story Story 4:00 Chat Room 5:00 180 Degrees 5:30 House party mix 8:00 Afro Classic 9:00 Akamara (Yoruba)

Radio Continental 102.3 FM Okanrende

Kakaaki (AIT)

Mon- Fri @ 6 am Kakaaki is a three-hour news and current affairs magazine programme that brings to light current matters that are important to the nation. It features a potpourri of interesting segments.

Saturday 7:30 Papers Today 8:00 Box of Goodies 9:00 Who's Getting Married 10:00 Saturday Sports 11:30 World Beats 12:00 World News 1:00 Fan Zone 2:30 Music 317 4:00 Me & You 5:00 World News 6:00 Entertainment Unscripted 7:30 Afrobeat Tonight 9:00 Single Life 10:30 Old School Groove

Sunday 7:30 Press Report 8:00 Church without barriers 10:30 Think you know the Bible? 11:00 Country Music 1:00 Chart Busters 2:30 Palaver 4:00 Studio 102 5:00 World News 6:00 Youth Connect 7:00 Woman's Own 8:00 Sunday Evening Groove 10:00 Music

SATURDAY

Fidelis Duker

Juliet Ibrahim

Abuja Film Festival would become as big as Cannes Festival p.20

ignores fan’s rant over skin lightening cream advert p.22

ShowBiz SATURDAY 11 JULY 2015

Yemi Alade: If Phyno and I were dating, marriage would be a possibility Yemi Alade’s bright chance at bringing home BET award for the Best International Act Africa got dimmed last week as she lost it to a Ghanaian singer. Despite that, she tells LANRE ODUKOYA that her fledgling career would still blossom How would you describe the music industry in Nigeria since your debut? It’s been very entertaining, very endearing, very challenging sometimes and it’s full of a lot of opportunities, and I am happy that somehow I have been able to, let’s say find my sound and for my sound to be accepted, that’s a huge deal for me, a very big deal. Music has been described as a spiritual form of communication; what’s your take on that? That’s a very big yes. Isn’t it crazy enough for one man or woman to go into the studio and record a song, you put it out there and millions of people are relating to it? Some people start crying at the sound of the song and some people make it their favourite displacing their old favourites. All of a sudden when they listen to the song a tough decision becomes very clear to them, you know. I believe it is very spiritual. How do you feel losing BET Awards especially when expectation had grown remarkably? I feel great. I want to thank the people that were rooting for me and the fans on social media and off social media; they are the award plaque I need. Were you ever scared you might lose to someone else? The BET Awards or any other award is not an entitlement, I was not scared, I am never scared. We are all winners, being nominated alone means you are a winner, I try to pick the positive out of any situation and move on quickly. Your new works are enjoying massive rotation on air as usual, let's talk about this. It is God. I just released a music video for Pose which features Mugeez of R2Bees off my debut album King of Queens. The video is doing well as usual; the album has produced many hit singles and bagged numerous awards and nominations. It is the God factor and hard-work, you do not get to the top by chilling and having drinks; God blesses the fruits of our labour. Fans should also expect new music soonest.

Your latest album is entitled King of Queens; what inspired this title? King of Queens is an album that focuses on empowering those who might be going through troubled times, it also is an album that focuses on just giving, giving the listener’s strength- it is an empowering album encouraging people who are settling for less to up their game and go for the best, and also stating the fact that gender should never be a restriction in whatever choice of career that one chooses. Did you also grow up in the barracks like most children who had a parent in the police? No, I did not grow up in the barracks mostly, but we moved around a lot due to my father being a commissioner of police at the time. Changing of schools, neighbours and all that happened back then. (When asked about what memories she holds of her dad who died earlier in the year, the songstress wouldn’t budge, so we moved on). You were quoted to have said you wouldn't mind dating Phyno; do you have a crush on him? (Chuckling) It was a fan's request and I as the "Mama Tangerine" would not mind making the wishes of the fans come true. Phyno is a very goodlooking and talented gentleman nonetheless. You both seem good together especially with regard to your approach to music; would you marry him if he

The BET Awards or any other award is not an entitlement, being nominated alone means you are a winner

appears serious about it? If Phyno and I were dating, in love and serious marriage is a very possible reality. Music is an art and we are both on the same page regarding that, so we treat the music with great respect to ensure that the world gets the best. Some say you've successfully filled the shoes of late Goldie Harvey; do you find such comments flattering? May her golden soul rest in peace. It is flattering that people compare me to a super strong woman, a warrior that stood for what she believed in, a rebel and an icon. Where are you taking music? You’ve been so unstoppable lately. I am taking my music out of this planet earth if possible. Thankfully, my music has travelled across the globe; there are videos online from fans in Russia, Netherlands, and Sweden to name a few. I look unstoppable because of God; God blesses not man, not forgetting my hardworking team and record label. When you have people who believe in you behind you, impossible is nothing. Understandably most works of burgeoning artists like you often tend to be experimental, but on the contrary, Johnny seems excitingly detailed. Does that say anything about the subject you chose to sing about? Everybody has a Johnny in their life at a point in time, or must have experienced a similar situation. But the thing is that even though I mentioned only three names in the song, in my own case, it’s a book full of names. You performed at the APC convention, is that an indication you're a member of the party? My job is to entertain, I love entertainment. It’s what I do for a living. In a country like ours where we have so many gifted artists, when I am called upon to render services, I would render. Fortunately and unfortunately, there are assumptions that I am aligning with APC. I am not a person of political party or parties; I go with what I do. It has nothing to do with APC or any other party. I have not pledged allegiance to any particular party and I probably never will.

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Abuja Film Festival would become As one of Nollywood's earliest directors, Fidelis Duker has many movies to his credit. He is also the founder of Abuja Film Festival. In this interview with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, he speaks about opportunities in film festivals and plan to launch a radio and television stations in October. When did you shoot your first film? It was in 1992, though the film didn’t see the light of the day. I decided to make a film with some friends, but money became a challenge inbetween the making. We didn’t give up, however. On the first day of the making, robbers also came to the location and went away with all the equipment. Though there were no casualties, the incident made me to lose interest in the film. I felt it was a bad omen. The first was funding and then robbers came to operate in that particular location. Since I had made up mind then that film was my interest, I didn’t allow the disappointment to keep me down for too long. I took a little break to reorganize myself and since then I haven’t had any cause to look back. When was the last time you went on set? I went on set last in 2007. It doesn’t mean I am not making films; the last time I made a film was some weeks ago. I have gotten to a stage in my career I can’t just do everything or be everywhere. If I had left law school in 1992 I would have been a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Of course, I would be sending junior lawyers to handle cases. I would only go for cases that will need my maximum attention. That is the same kind of experience for us filmmakers. If I continue to go to locations too, the younger filmmakers will never have a chance. What are your other plans? Recently, I just got a license from the federal government to run a radio and television stations. We plan to start with the radio station in Calabar by October 1. Lagos is a bit cosmopolitan, though we have plans to come down there. It is called Fad Radio. The focus is not strictly entertainment; people often ask me if it would just be about Nollywood. It is not possible to run a radio station 24 hours on Nollywood alone. On the radio, we plan to do everything that has to do with the society, including politics, entertainment, sports, among others. It is basically a general interest station. After two years, we would introduce the TV station. Don’t you feel the radio and television stations might struggle to live up to expectation? I have grown past that stage. The most difficult stage was getting the approval from the government. If you get past that stage, other stages are just secondary. For me, it is a way of creating employment, empowering the young ones, improving the level of broadcasting in Nigeria and contributing my part to the journalism profession. It is very important that most of us get involved in this sector and I have a background in the media. I have a post graduate diploma in journalism and I used to be a broadcaster. So, it is basically an area I have interest in. I have spent my last 20 years in the film industry; I was in NTA in 1986-87. So, I don’t think it is a wrong step, it is another area of my life. When I started

the Abuja Film Festival, I ran it for 12 years and stepped down for another person (Fred Amata) to come in. It is the same thing I would do with the radio and television stations. I would develop them and build to a point where another person could continue from where I stopped. How did the idea of the festival come about? The first festival in Nigeria was the National Film Festival in 1992 which was done by Federal Government in Lagos. After that, it took 12 years for the government to have another Festival in Lagos in 2002. Later, I felt there was need for us in our little way to do something. I also found out that most of the festivals in the world were introduced by filmmakers. So, I said we can also create a platform where we can exchange and share ideas. There was the Abuja Film Festival in 2004. At that time, there were no cinemas so we had to make do with hotels. But we were very optimistic that the industry will get to a point where we would have cinemas and it has happened. It was at the festival people saw the talent of Yinka Edward who shot October 1, Figurine and most of Kunle Afolayan films. That is why I tell people that the festival is a platform for young people to express themselves. Also, we saw it as a platform for distribution and we invited those people who were into film distribution. That was challenging too; what distributors understood was to get the master copy from the producer and put them on their shelves at Idumota, Lagos. But we were able to convince them that we should go to a proper environment where we could discuss the business better. What we found out in that last 12 years is that the festival has given rise to more people coming into the

business. It was through the festival that Silverbird Cinemas and others felt there was need to start the cinema business. What we have today is more operators coming into the business. We must support our local market; that is the bottom line. For 12 years now, we’ve not had a break. How do you select films for the festival? It is a process and it is very simple. We call for entries, but because of elections we extended it to June. It gives us time to screen a large number of films. As I speak to you, we have close to 254 entries. By July 1, we had close to 500 entries. We have a committee to see through entries and we look at sound, content, clarity among others. I m not involved in that process; I am just speaking as the founder. But basically they would screen it down from 500 to 150 and the jury will now look at them and pick the first 70. We have limited time, five days and we must screen all these films. However, we make sure that short films from the young filmmakers are given priority because the intention is to give them a platform to express themselves. Also,

the feature films will end up getting to the consumers but nobody wants to get short films. In the last 12 years we’ve screened over 6,000 local short films. Who are members of the jury? It is made up of established filmmakers who have no entries. We've had a different jury in the last 12 years. I have always complained that we don’t have film critics in Nigeria. The last we had was the likes of Afolabi Adesanya in the 80s. I would not call a guy who reports entertainment or music to be in the jury; it is a big anomaly. It is so annoying that I would send out a press release and see the same report in the newspapers. People say we fear critics, but I am looking out for that. When Jeta Amata did Black November, the local media saw the film as the biggest thing but a lady in America compiled close to about 45 articles from Hollywood reports and put them on his wall. What that tells me is that we don’t have critics in this country. How about funding? At the beginning of the festival, the intention was not to make profit. Like I said earlier, we felt that there were no platforms to showcase our films and people continued to make films. The whole idea basically is to stay away from location and do something different. So, it has been through self-funding to a large extent. Though government comes in sometimes, they only do when they see it as a vehicle to pass a message during the political periods. But you know that they

We were very optimistic that the industry will get to a point where we would have cinemas and it has happened

Duker

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Showbiz

as big as Cannes Festival want something in return, the need to vote them in. We have never considered funding as a major problem. The beauty is that we have a venue for the last seven years that we get at a discounted price. We must get to a point where the festival could be big as the Cannes Film Festival where we have close to 300,000 people yearly. Though funding is always a challenge, it cannot stop the festival from holding. When we started in 2004, we had close to 10 festivals in this country but the issue of funds has paralysed most of them. What is different about this year's edition? We’ve done different themes, from conventional films to the evolution of Nollywood. This year, we are targeting tourism. We want to see how we can begin to annex the potential in the Nigerian tourism industry. We desire to help develop a strong tourism base for the country. It holds in September. In terms of entries, how would you describe the response of filmmakers in Nigeria? As a matter of fact, 70 per cent of the entries often come from outside the country. People do not understand the importance of film festival. Nigerian filmmakers just do films and put them out; they don’t know that festivals create exposure for films. If one comes to a festival and sees that you are good, he can tell one or two persons about you. One of the things that sold 30 Days in Atlanta was word of mouth. People watched it and went ahead to tell their friends that the film was funny and those friends looked for a way to see it too. That’s the challenge here in Nigeria, but the foreign filmmakers understand the importance of their films going to festivals. Also, you know that film festivals have been in existence in Europe and America many years ago. We are just beginning to understand it here. But we won’t stop running the festival because we believe things will get better. It has even improved; we used to get less than 10 per cent from Nigeria and now it has gotten to 30 per cent. We are hoping it gets to 40 per cent this year. So, we hope that as the year moves Nigerian filmmakers would get to understand the importance of festivals and participate more. I think it is important for us to look at the industry as a business.

Film is business globally. The government should provide infrastructure and the enabling environment to operate while filmmakers go out to source funds. You cannot remove government entirely from any process. But I have my reservation when government gets too involved in private sector initiative. Last year, the former President Goodluck Jonathan rolled out some money for Nollywood and people concluded that it

was given to support his presidential campaign. It is our right if we demand for it and we get it, not because we are supporting his campaign. How would you describe your days at NTA? I did everything from production assistant to production manager and even as an errand boy for my bosses. When I think about all these, it has not been rosy. But I look back with excitement, I am happy to

see that I have come this far. How do you ensure that your engagements do not affect your home? It is important to understand that in life you must have a balance. That is what I have always done. When it is time to be the father to my three kids, I am with them at home. When it is time to be at work, I am at work. So, I have been able to put all my activities in their different departments.

Duker

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Juliet Ibrahim ignores fan’s rant over skin lightening cream advert

Don’t joke about Men of God, Oyakhilome warns comedians I

t’s time to watch it! From the pulpit comes a warning to Ali Baba, Basketmouth, Julius Agwu and their gang in stand-up comedy. For your information, the General Overseer of Believers’ Love World aka Christ Embassy, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome, has given a prophetic message to comedians to be careful what they joke about in his first Sunday of the month sermon which held last week. According to the cleric, men of God occupy sacred positions and warned that they should not be used as a joke material. In his live transmission aired around the world, Oyakhilome said, “For those of you who are comedians, try all you can not to make fun with pastors in your comedy because you are going to see some comedians whose lives would be a comedy. This is what the Lord said I should tell you because a lot of them who do such will have their lives reduced. Which means you are going to see them and say: is this you? Is this what your life has become? Don’t joke with sacred things. Pastors occupy sacred place. You must know what to joke with and what not to joke with.”

hollywood actress, Juliet Ibrahim, whose enchanting beauty and amiable nature has endeared her to numerous fans across Africa has been ridiculed by those who are against her recent billboard advert. The divorced mother of one was spotted adorning the billboard advert of Carotone, a popular skin lightening creams in Ghana. Chris Vincent of Ghana Celebrities, one of those who felt bad about the development, penned his discont on the matter. “It’s pathetic to come across a bleaching celebrity but for one to boldly become a poster girl for a bleaching cream; that is diabolical, insensitive and grossly callous, considering the fact that we have a large population of uneducated Ghanaians who would just buy these products for the mere fact Juliet Ibrahim is on there." As though there was more to the angst than meets the eyes, the obviously enraged columnist added: “I don’t know how much they paid Juliet Ibrahim and I do not care to know else, I would have asked her. However, I am offensively disappointed to see a mother of one, a well-established name with several young followers having seemingly relegated her conscience into the gutters, for the sake of money.” But the actress has refused to react to the acerbic lines of the man who's already getting a near overdose of lambasting as he's tagged “attention seeking idler” by fans who have risen in defence of the actress.

Akpororo acquires Range Rover sport A

little over one month after his heavily criticised performance at the Presidential dinner in Abuja and days after being unveiled by Airtel as its brand ambassador, Akpororo has joined the league of showbiz stars who have acquired the expensive Range Rover Sport SUV. The weird comedian posted photos of the new toy on Instagram a few days back with the caption: “If no be God, e for no funny @all. Dats my new machine.” Now you know what he means when he said only his account balance can truly determine if his performance at Abuja was funny or not.

Juliet Ibrahim

Oyakhilome

OJB Jezreel, Bukky Wright star in new Yoruba movie A

Bukky Wright

OJB Jezreel

ce musician cum producer, OJB Jezreel, has featured in a new Yoruba flick, Anjola, produced by actress, Sophie Ejiga, and directed by Bimbo Ogunsanya. OJB Jezreel, who has obviously recovered from a post surgery relapse is making his film debut with this fresh effort. He starred in the film alongside Bukky Wright, Muyiwa Ademola, Shaffy Bello, Sophie Ejiga, Kelvin Ikeduba, Toyin Afolayan, Bigvai Jokotade and many others. We learnt that the "high budget" movie shot in Lagos and Oshogbo will be showing on July 18 and 19 at LTV 8 in Ikeja, Lagos.

A message to my daughter: ‘Somebody Loves You’ -JJC

opular singer, Abdul Rasheed Bello, better known as JJC, keeps the visuals coming from his recently released album SKILLZ, as he continues to shine and show off his talents through his repertoire. Following his re-emergence after a career lull which led to a standing ovation, at the industry night a few weeks ago, the afro singer has returned with the music video for the pulsating number; “Somebody loves you.” The video which was directed by

Director Q was shot at Bormouth beach in London and featured lots of JJC’s family members. ‘Somebody Loves You’ is a tribute written specially for JJC’s daughter named, Tamira Bello, as he promises her of his undying love, care and affection. In a brief chat with Saturday Telegraph, the ace musician who recently turned 38 gushed about fatherhood, expressing his fulfilment as a father of an 18 year old girl. “My daughter turned 18 years in

February. I have really fought and suffered for my kids. They are my full responsibility. I love my kids so much, that’s part of the reasons I dedicated this song, ‘Somebody Loves You’, especially to my daughter, Tamira. He also expressed how he feels turning 38 and has as so far achieved a lot in the Nigeria music industry. “Right now, I feel I am finally home. I have been home since 2011, but this year, I feel like I have finally been accepted.

Investigations SATURDAY TELEGRAPH 11 JULY 2015

Euthanasia: End to bad dream

egina Nwabuya lay on her back in the delivery room of a private hospital in Lagos, as she laboured to give birth to her first child sometime in 2011. Incidentally, that was the last. She never again got up in her life, neither was she able to eat, drink nor talk. She could not also cry over her pathetic, numbed state. Something went terribly wrong. Instead of the epidermal anaesthetics administered during childbirth, easing her pains, it transformed Regina from a young woman with a great life ahead of her, to a vegetable, paralytic and completely dead to the world around her. She lost all nerve and muscle functions, which made her incapable of doing anything that sets the living apart from the dead. For all two years, she remained in this immobile state. Her hands contractured while her arms and legs curled up in a fixed position.

Isioma madike

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

There are times keeping a sick person alive at all cost may not be a kind gesture, particularly when the patient is distressed from an incurable or a very deadly disease, suffering pain and having no prospect of improving. In that instance, can help be sought in ending such lives? Would it be considered an act of mercy? Is there really a right to death? These are questions this report by ISIOMA MADIKE attempts to answer

During the period, her husband, Franklyn, told the doctors to ensure that his wife had her life back. He assured the hospital’s medical director and his team that he would regularly replenish her medical supplies, which included special food, and large-sized diapers to hold faeces, urine and menstrual flow over which she had no control. The advance payment of N180, 000 for nursing care agreed at N6, 000 a day convinced the hospital staff that her husband was capable of taking on the burden, of medical costs. A year later, that burden amounted to approximately N2.2 million, as Franklyn disappeared, never to be seen or heard from. By that time, the visits by other family members had reduced from what used to be a monthly affair to almost never. However, a source close to the hospital that admitted her, who begged not to be named, told Saturday Telegraph that her relatives should not really be blamed. “What good was

in visiting someone who you cannot hold a conversation with and who was totally unaware that you were even there,” she questioned. Though, from observation, according to another source, it appeared Regina could see and hear but could not respond. “Whenever her family visited and approached her bedside, her head tilted slightly and her eyes would dart back and forth. Her mouth would drop open and then she would start grunting, spewing mucous from the tube that was permanently inserted in her throat. “From all indications, it seemed she was trying to say something. Perhaps, she was tired of living a life that was marked only by breathing,” the source added. Could she have wanted to die? No one ever got an answer to that. But many hospital-bound patients, faced with physical handicaps, unending pains and condemned to living their lives totally dependent on respirators and other medical machinery, have,

over time asked their doctors to help them die. Yet, Regina, whose consciousness was greatly impaired, could not talk. Franklyn, her husband, was her voice for those horrible years. He was the one that took decisions concerning her care. And, perhaps, Regina’s husband, either desiring it himself or sensing his wife’s yearning to end her life, may have set out to kill her by abandoning her in the hospital. But, even if Regina could herself express such a desire to die, the hospital, Olaitan Soyannwo, a consultant and professor of Anaesthesia and Head of Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital (UCH) emphasised, would have had nothing to do with it. According to her, “it goes against the ethics of the profession and the law of God.” Nonetheless, such step was practically inconceivable. There was an approximate N2.2 million unpaid bill and doctors, the world over, have withheld treatment on account of unsettled bills. “There is an understanding that one must pay for the treatment he or she receives,” concedes Soyannwo, “but this was a peculiar case. Refusing treatment would have amounted to condemning her to death,” the professor clarified. Euthanasia, she explained, raises many ethical questions though, which make it difficult to draw a line. “You also need to ask what the capacity of CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Investigations

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

CAPTIONS: When there is no hope that anything will improve...

PHOTO CREDITS: 1. Getty Images 2. www.dailymail. co.uk 3. rt.com 4. www.hanscal meyer.com 5. national mirroronline.net

‘In Nigeria, it’s criminal

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

the person wanting to end his or her life is. If a patient is really sick, and there is no sign of improvement, the family may decide to save cost and ask that the patient be allowed to go,” Soyannwo said. She, however, added that the decision has to be something the patient desires. For instance, “if a patient has to undergo surgery, he or a family member must sign a consent form. Without that document, the doctor cannot perform the surgery. And if a patient or his family does not refuse, say a respirator or other life-sustaining treatment, the doctors are duty bound to apply it. “So, if a patient has a right to accept or refuse treatment that implies that he has a right to his life. Even so, a patient wanting to die has to be evaluated to determine his or her capacity to make coherent decisions. In most cases, this cannot be determined, especially if such patients can’t speak. “So, right to life has its limits and its loopholes. Though, there is a legislation against suicide but the constitution does not really set out conditions on mercy killing,” she said. Perhaps, this may be why most women, who just delivered but discovered that their babies have one form of deformity or the order would approach medical personnel in hospitals to help them “pack” such babies. “Yes, it happens frequently these days. Most mothers would be ashamed of such babies and they would pay anything to get rid of them. In most instances, the nurses are the ones who ‘finish’ such jobs without even the consent of the doctors,” a nurse, who does not want her name in print, said. She added: “Others approach doctors to help end the sufferings of their aged parents so as to save cost.” This was the case of Madam Eunice, who lived with her last child at Magodo Estate in Lagos. She had asked, according to her son who refused his name in

print, to be helped to die. This was in 2013. She had leukemia (cancer of the blood) which had dragged on for about three years. “Because she was aware of the fact that it was a terminal illness, she started complaining after sometime of being tired of ingesting drugs. In many instances, she openly begged us to relieve her of the pains. “When that became an anthem of

some sort, I had to summon my siblings; we deliberated on the issue and arrived at a conclusion that it was better to grant her wish. We then approached a doctor friend who helped to do the needful. It was a painful decision but it was also soothing as that not only saved us cost but helped in ending what seemed like a perpetual agony for her,” the man told this paper. He also acknowledged that many

Osu

Soyannwo

Adewole

Enabulele

people do it in Nigeria nowadays but would not want to talk about it because they feel it is a taboo and against the laws of the land. A consultant and professor of chemical pathologist, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Taiwo Adewole, will not support euthanasia, for any reason. He recalled how the debate over mercy killing and the right of people to decide their own mortality raged in the United Kingdom some years back. One British doctor, who frequently administered euthanasia, was in the news. The doctor did not feel remorseful about it because he felt he was helping his patients, even though the British medical associations did not, at the time, endorse it. But, Adewole believes that no Nigerian doctor would do what the English doctor did. He thinks one reason why doctors abroad, breach the ethics of the profession and kill their patients is that “culturally, they have always been emotional. Even when a dog doesn’t feel comfortable in its kennel, they feel for it; they feel concerned.” In his opinion, it is not really surprising to see some doctors abroad helping their patients die, out of pity for them. But, “it is bad,” he concludes. Just like Adewole, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, Vice President, Commonwealth Medical Association and immediate past president, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), frowns at euthanasia, which he described as a painless death from an incurable disease. “Basically, it is still considered illegal in Nigeria. To that extent, any practitioner found wanting in that direction will be made to face the law.

SATURDAY 11 JULY 2015

SATURDAY

FREE

Sport Splash

Olympic qualifier Siasia unleashes Awoniyi, Saviour on Congo p.27

News

Criticisms may force Messi to quit Argentina p.27

Interview

My life, Omeruo and I – Oshoala p.30

Lifestyle

Mikel introduces Russian girlfriend to Nigerian foods p.32

Footballers' fall from

riches to rags M

any retired footballers have not only fallen on harsh financial times but to compound it all some are also contending with ill health. Although a lot of them made huge sums of money during their playing days, flamboyant living and poor management combined to deplete much of their fortune. There were others too who did not make so much as they played before the era of big money in the modern game. But whatever the case, many members of the tribe are wallowing in abject penury so much so that they find it difficult to meet the smallest familial obligations. The Nigeria Football Federation has consistently argued that it cannot possibly take care of the many ex-international who have fallen on hard times, insisting that the footballers are the ones who have the primary duty to sort out themselves. Although there is no gainsaying the strength of this position, the federation can still do well to assist the very bad cases, something the football house has, in fairness to it, done in the past. Today’s story is about these ex-players who were literally worshipped in their heyday but who are now mere shell of their former selves. Several of them paint a sad tale of deprivation and neglect in this gripping piece. SEE STORY ON PAGES 28 & 29

The Team

Vincent EboigbelAssistant Editor Ajibade Olusesan l Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

Chidi Odiah

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Nigerian League Rendezvous I will make Kogi clubs shining examples – Sule

SHORT TAKE Warri Wolves, Sunshine players swap jersey It is a common thing in European football to see players exchanging jerseys after games but an unusual occurrence in Nigerian football. On a rare occasion on Wednesday, Warri Wolves player Abu Azeez exchanged his jersey with former teammate Nojeem Olukokun who currently plays for Shooting Stars. One of the reasons adduced for the inability of players to swap jerseys is the fact that some of the clubs don’t have enough jerseys. The players hardly use more than one jersey for the whole seasons and usually washed the jersey immediately after each league game in readiness for the next matchday. Club officials in need of proper education There is need for club officials to be properly educated as some of them behave abnormally during games, sometimes inciting the fans. When a call is made against a team, it is wrong for the officials to summon the players to the side-line and in the process delay proceeding. Warri Wolves officials called their players out during the week in a rescheduled league game away to Shooting Stars in Ibadan when a penalty was awarded to the home team, delaying the game for some minutes. Also Warri Wolves goalkeeper, Okiemute Odah, was often feigned injury leading to more time wasting. It should however not have come as a surprise to the team when the centre referee added 16 minutes of extra time to the game during which Shooting Stars scored the winner. Matchday 17 Wikki Tourists vs El-Kanemi Heartland FC vs Dolphins Shooting Stars vs Giwa Nasarawa Utd vs IfeanyiUbah Kwara Utd vs Sharks Abia Warriors vs Taraba Warri Wolves vs Enyimba Sunshine vs Bayelsa Utd Rangers vs Lobi Stars Akwa Utd vs Kano Pillars

Top Scorers

9 GOALS Bright Ejike (Heartland)

8 GOALS Ibrahim Shuaibu (Giwa FC) 7 GOALS Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors) Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars) 5 GOALS Esosa Igbinoba (Nasarawa Utd) Ibrahim Mustapha (El-Kanemi) Ocheme Edoh (Giwa FC) Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves) Adamu Mohammed (Kano Pillars)

hairman of the Kogi Stateowned clubs, Abdul Sule, has declared his intention to make Kogi United and Confluence Queens examples for other professional club sides in the country to emulate. Speaking with League Rendezvous in Abuja recently, the former Super Eagles player said it was important to be professional in everything. “We have been doing a lot of work to make the two clubs properly-run with good organisation,” he said. “We want to get to the highest level in Nigeria; although we are not there yet, we are getting there gradually. “It should not be the results on the field of play alone, but what we are putting in place in terms of players welfare, security, future of the team and so on.” Speaking further, the chairman said he was optimistic that Kogi United would be promoted at the end of the season while also promising to support Confluence Queens in making an impact in this year ’s Federation Cup.

Shooting Stars' Alaba Osawe (left) vying against Ifeanyi Ubah's Stephen Chukwude

Warri Wolves, Enyimba in grudge battle Stories by Charles Ogundiya

arri Wolves will welcome Enyimba International to the Warri Township Stadium in what promises to be a big cracker in one of the Nigeria Professional Football League matches this weekend. Both teams are coming from a demoralising defeat recorded during the week: Warri Wolves lost a rescheduled NPFL game against Shooting Stars 2-1, while

Enyimba were dumped out of the Federation Cup by a club from the Nigeria National League, Remo Stars. Warri Wolves will have to be at their best to neutralise the attacking threat posed by Enyimba led by Christian Obiozor who has already scored five goals since playing his first game for the dethroned Federation Cup champions. The silent worker for Warri Wolves this season, defensive midfielder, Ichul Lordson, must be at his best throughout 90 minutes of the game by providing shield for the

back four led by Super Eagles player, Azubuike Egwuekwe. The game between the two sides is always hard to call but while Enyimba will be looking forward to extending their unbeaten 10 games run and cement their position on the table, Warri Wolves will be hoping for the three points so as to improve their standing on the table. A goalless draw will not be a bad result for both sides but Enyimba may likely win this with one goal given their form in the domestic league this season.

Abdulquadir urges Kwara United to raise game Idris Idris former chairman, Kwara United Football Supporters Club, Idris Abdulquadir, has urged the management and players of Kwara United to raise their game so as to prevent the club from going down again. Speaking to League Rendezvous, Abdulquadir who was the chairman when the club featured in the Nigeria National League during the 2008/2009 season, said the state could not afford not to have a club in the top flight - the Premier League. “We are just like Arsenal fans, we will never leave Kwara United for another club,” he said. “But the team has to make us happy by winning games. “If Kwara United were relegated, God forbid, then the state will have no team in the Premier League because rivals Kwara United's Hammed Jimoh contending ABS United currently play in the lower for the ball with Shooting Stars' Suraju Sodia (right) in a recent league match cadre.”

Sule

NPFL LEAGUE TABLE

No.

Team

Sunshine

Enyimba

Wikki

Giwa FC

IfeanyiUbah

PTS

Heartland

Kano Pillars

Abia Warriors

-1

Rangers

-1

El-Kanemi

-4

Nasarawa

-2

Warri Wolves

Shooting

Akwa Utd

-6

Lobi Stars

-5

Bayelsa Utd

-6

Kwara Utd

-6

Dolphins

-4

Taraba FC

-7

Sharks FC

-8

11 JULY 2015

Olympic qualifier: Siasia unleashes Awoniyi, Saviour on Congo

Ajibade Olusesan ational U-23 team coach, Samson Siasia, will bank on Taiwo Awoniyi and Godwin Saviour to supply the goals when they confront Congo in the first leg of their 2016 Olympic qualifiers at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, today (Saturday). Siasia drafted three of the players that crashed out with the Flying Eagles at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, namely Awoniyi, Saviour and Musa Yahaya who are expected to play a key role as the U-23 team begins quest for qualification for the Rio Games. Nigeria team was not at the 2012 Olympics in London and having picked the ticket to the 2015 All Africa Games, the side would be keen to add the Olympic ticket. Awoniyi played a huge role in the qualification for the Congo 2015 Games

after he bagged a brace in the second leg of the match against Zambia in Lusaka few months ago and the coach will expect the former Golden Eaglets star to repeat the feat this time. Saviour formed a telepathic understanding with Awoniyi at the World Cup but it remains to be seen if Siasia would hand the duo starting roles against the Congolese. Assistant coach, Fatai Amoo, has already expressed confidence in his team to beat their opponents. “The players understand the enormous task ahead and are proving in our trainings that selection for the game will be a bit hard. "The players are injury-free and I'm very happy about that. Congo will not be easy of course, but the players are in good shape and we are ready for the game even if it's now," Amoo stated.

AFN, athletes ready for final Golden League Charles Ogundiya

he Athletic Federation of Nigeria is set for the final leg of the 2015 edition of the AFN-organised Golden League. The meet scheduled for Saturday, July 11, inside the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Sports Complex, will see more than 100 athletes competing for honours in track and field events. Speaking with Saturday Telegraph, the secretary of the federation, Olumide Bamiduro, said they are expecting a record number of athletes. “Some of the athletes that were not part of the first two legs of the Golden League will want to be part of this final one,” Bamiduro said. “Apart from those that missed the last two editions, some of the athletes will want to meet the standard for the National Trials later this month in Calabar, hence the expected record number of athletes.” Two top sprinters, Nicholas Imhoaperamhe

Bamiduro

and Nkem Ezealah, who won the top spots in the 100 metres at the second leg of the AFN Golden League meeting in Abuja in June, would be expected to re-enact their rivalry in Akure, the Ondo capital. Also expected are Oluwatosin Adeloye, winner of the women’s 400 metres in the first two legs and Orukpe Erayokan, who also won the first two legs in 400m men’s event. Speaking with Saturday Telegraph, Imhoaperamhe, who is vying for the share of the AFN N1.5m jackpot, said he would be going for the top prize in Akure. “My main target in Akure will be to qualify for the World Championship and All Africa Games,” he said. “I don’t want to wait until the National Trials before qualifying for the two championships.” On her part, Ezealah said she needed to improve on her timing as her target would be to finish the race lowering her Personal Best which currently stands at 11.5secs.

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Awoniyi

Diamond League

Powell warns Gatlin, others

head of the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Jamaican sprint star Asafa Powell has sounded a warning to American rival Justin Gatlin. Powell said: “I have been running very well this season. I aim to run fast just the same on Saturday. Justin Gatlin unbeatable? I don’t know who this guy thinks he is, he is the fifth fastest man so clearly he can be beaten” “Big races like these are what people pay to see. I am happy to have an early run with the best guys before the big one in Beijing.” “Races like these are important, you get to fix the minor problems. Running against the top guys is always good, it helps you to improve.” “The head to head competition is not something that place

Powell

heavily on my head. The idea is to go out there, keep my composure and run my best.” “I am running faster times this year maybe because of the rest from last year. Also I am training with mv brother now and it

is going really well. I am comfortable.” Powell, now aged 32, seems to have been around forever. The sprinter has Olympic and World Championship 4x100m relay gold medals and is not fazed by the sport's young guns. “To me age isn’t a number or reason why we are doing well. We are just simply running faster than the younger generation and those guys will have to wait until we are done.” “I am going out there to see what part of the race I need to work on. I want to keep my composure and run like hell!” “My start is back, but I can’t give you guys everything all at once, I have to keep surprising you and make you wonder what’s coming next.”

Criticisms may force Messi to quit Argentina A rgentina is gripped by a debate over superstar Lionel Messi, who was devastated by losing the Copa America final and has withdrawn into a shocked isolation. Some observers in his home country say criticism fired at Messi could force him to take a break from national duty. The 28-year-old football genius left the pitch ashen-faced after Argentina lost the Copa America to Chile in a 4-1 penalty shootout in Santiago on Saturday. The scenes were reminiscent of last year's World Cup final when Germany beat Argentina in extra time. Then 'Leo' left in tears. Messi first tasted a major defeat in 2007 when Argentina lost 3-0 to old rivals Brazil in the Copa final. Messi finally posted a statement on his Facebook account late Monday. "There's nothing more painful in football than losing a final," he said.

"But I don't want to leave it any longer to say thank you to everyone who has always supported us and continued to during the tough moments." Some observers have warned that Messi could walk away from the national side. "Desolate after another lost final, and especially by the tough criticism, Messi could take a break from the national team," the Ole sports daily reported. Television talk shows are now dominated by what is wrong with Messi and the national football team. Why does he not dazzle for Argentina like he does for Barcelona. "One day this boy is going to get tired and will not want to come to play for the team," former Argentine international Matias Almeyda, now coach of the Banfield club, told Fox Sports television. "He was criticised for not singing the national anthem. He is

always being criticised for something," Almeyda added. "He's the best player in the world and he is not treated in the way he deserves." Argentina Football Association president Luis Segura has been shocked by the suggestions. If Messi left, Argentina could lose out on key earnings from friendly internationals in which he is often under contract to play.

Messi

Sport

SATURDA 11 JU

Footballers' fall

Ajibade Olusesan here was nothing that suggested he once played for three different clubs in Europe when our correspondent met Femi Opabunmi a few days ago. The pair of blue jeans, a blue shirt with white stripes he wore and the almost worn out shoes in his feet, were telling. The sight pathetically painted the picture of gloom and distress the former Super Eagles striker is undergoing at the moment. Although he still appears youthful, the face of a typical 30-something-year-old but it is a visage that is a mix of despondence, despair, depression and hopelessness. This young man is filled with anger not only because of his ill health, but also by the way he feels his country has abandoned him after serving her meritoriously. With a bland expression, Opabumi who is now partially blind told this writer the terrible turn life had taken since a strange illness ended his career prematurely. He has been blind for many years. No one, except the grassroots people at his Ibadan hometown, knew or heard about Opabunmi before he mesmerised the world with his skills at the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He was not supposed to be Nigeria’s number one striker but the injury to Collins Osunwa made Coach Musa Abdullahi to rely on him. He never disappointed as he netted six times including a hat trick against Australia to help the country to the final of the competition. He emerged the second highest goal scorer and was named the third best player at the Trinidad and Tobago tournament. A star was born and the then 16-yearold was ready for the journey into the world of fame and fortune. His performance prompted interest from big clubs like Manchester United, Lyon and Celta Vigo but Swiss side, Grasshopper, eventually signed him up. A year later, he was drafted straight into the senior national team, creating yet another history by being the youngest Nigerian player to feature at the World Cup when he played a part in Nigeria’s goalless draw against England in the third group match of the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan. But four years later his world came crashing down when he felt a sharp, strange pain in his eyes during a training session. “It was during training one day in December 2006 when my vision suddenly became blurred. I could not even see the ball anymore and quickly rushed to see an optician,” he recalls. But despite undergoing surgery in France he still could not regain his sight. There was no time to think about football, he was only thinking of the restoration of his sight. He came back to Nigeria and after moving from one place to the other seeking help, he discovered suddenly that he could see again but with just one eye. With his savings dried up, having lost his father three years earlier, the mother he relied on now financially exhausted and no one to help, it was bleakness all the way with no ray of light anywhere. He attempted to revive his career but who would engage a one-eyed player? With no income to cater for his young family, he practically resorted to begging. According to him, Nigeria that he represented in the past had abandoned him at this critical period of his life. “I have gone through a lot; there was a time my children were driven out of school because I could not pay their fees until someone helped. I am not happy that my country has abandoned me. If not for my condition maybe I

We spent our active days serving and I think it is proper for our country to come to our aid

Opabunmi

INVESTIGATIVE Series

would still be playing for this country. But my country has not done anything for me since my problem started. Anytime I think about this I weep,” he said. Opabunmi’s travail is not different from the gory tales many retired Nigerian footballers tell every day. Many of them who made money from football and those who came at a time football had not become the moneyspinner that it is are wallowing in abject poverty today. These were stars in their days. They were cult heroes among Nigerians; they brought joy, happiness and national pride and honour, but today ailment, deprivation, poverty, depression and even death have become their lot. Investigations revealed that sev-

eral of them are battling with debilitating ailments which are further compounded by suffocating penury. Falling ill could be a normal occurrence but the lack of access to treatment due to poverty could mean the difference between life and death for these former stars. Some of them are dead but some are still hanging on with ever-diminishing hope that succour could come one day. The list is endless: Sunday Eboigbe, Peter Fregene, Christian Madu are all suffering from different ailments. Some, such as Rashidi Yekini, Kenneth Olayombo, Thompson Oliha, Wilfred Agbonavbare, Yomi Peters, Willy Bazuaye have all ended in the graves. Even Samuel Okwaraji who died on the pitch representing Nigeria has since been forgotten with nothing worthwhile done in his memory. “No one cares about ex-internationals,” former super star, Etim Esin, said. “I am sad that soccer stars that represented this country are dying in penury. No one reckons with us because they see us as illiterates who don’t know anything despite what we did for this country.” Another ex-Eagles star, Friday Ekpo, decried the neglect they have suffered and said if not for providence some of them would have considered suicide long ago. He said he was find-

ing it so tough until former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, gave him a job as a stadium manager. “We suffered for this country, we spent our active days serving and I think it is proper for our country to come to our aid. Many ex-internationals are really suffering, many are sick and if not for former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola who has helped a lot of us, things would have become so bad. I know of how he helped Bazuaye, Fregene and even Peters and so many others who were suffering from one ailment or the other,” he said. Former Eagles winger, Felix Owolabi, said what ex-internationals are suffering is a reflection of decay in the society. He said there is a structural lapse where welfare programme is not institutionalised. He argued that the lack of commitment noticed in the attitude of modern footballers is a result of the anomaly they have observed in the welfare system. “For instance, Stephen Gerrard knows that there is a commitment to him from England for representing the Three Lions and for this he will be dedicated and loyal to the country. What our players do now is money ‘for hand, back for ground’. No one wants to commit, no one wants to show dedication because of the way those before them were treated. Welfare programme for ex-international should be institutionalised,” he counselled. While there are complaints over the condition of those players who actually did not make much money in their active days because football was not money-spinning then, it is also pertinent to highlight those who actually made good money from the game but frittered away the fortune and are now struggling to make ends meet. They made millions in foreign currency but today they are living from hand to mouth. Their situations regrettably mirror those of some international stars who fell into dire financial strait. Former heavyweight boxer, Mike Tyson, who made $400m in earnings, his rival Evander Holyfield, George Best, sprinter Marion Jones, former Liverpool star, John Arne Riise, are some of international stars who have become bankrupt. They slipped into a selfinduced calamity due to ostentatious lifestyles and financial recklessness. For instance, the bankruptcy story relating to former Chelsea star, Celestine Babayaro, was well celebrated. Babayaro earned £25,000 a week at the peak of his career but by 2011 he had creditors hot on his heels after being declared bankrupt. The former Super

Sport

AY TELEGRAPH ULY 2015

from riches to rags Eagles defender however denied ever being bankrupt. Victor Agali played in Germany, France and Saudi Arabia but he is alleged to be struggling with his finances now. A source told our correspondent that the former Shalke 04 player is putting some of his property up for sale in order to keep up the standard of living he had already set. Joseph Enakharire who featured in both 2004 and 2006 Africa Nations Cup for Nigeria is said to be financially handicapped in Belgium where he lives with his family despite spending close to 15 years playing in Europe. Ifeanyi Ekwueme was a regular in Eagles squad at the 2006 Nations Cup and played his football mostly in Europe, but our correspondent learnt on good authority that the former player is also struggling so much so that his wife, Clinton, abandoned him and went away with their only child to settle down with an Abuja-based businessman. This writer also learnt that ex-Eagles defender, Chidi Odiah, allegedly resorted to working as a cab driver abroad after his former Russian side, CSKA Moscow, terminated his contract. Investigations also revealed that many of these ex-stars decided to stay abroad to avoid the shame of living below the high standard Nigerians expect from them. A colleague related an encounter he had with a popular former Nigerian player who begged him for taxi fare when both of them met at a function recently. Initially, the shocked journalist thought the ex-football was joking because this was a player who played in three of the biggest clubs in France and Italy. “I eventually parted with something before the guy would allow me go,” he said. There was even a member of the technical crew in one of the national teams who had gone completely broke despite making mega bucks before being rehabilitated with the national team job. He was living so big while still playing, he allegedly even bought a private jet but after a few years things became tough. Although some pundits have expressed no sympathy for these stars who failed to save for the rainy day, Owolabi said despite frittering away their fortune, these ex- stars should not be abandoned. “Paul Gascoigne made so much money a s a professional player but he ran

Pinnick

INVESTIGATIVE Series

There was a time my children were driven out of school because I could not pay their fees Agali

into trouble, and the whole of England rallied round him, they did not abandon him. I think Diego Maradona too had issues and Argentina supported him to come back on his feet. Retirement is reaping the fruit of your labour, no matter how much you made; no matter how these players mismanaged their resources, they should still be compesated for the services they rendered this country, they should not be forgotten in their days of trouble,” he said.

Ekpo

“We really did not make money during our time,” Monday Odiaka who scored the fastest goal and won the Golden Boot at the Moscow 1985 World Youth Championship said.” We played the game for the love of country. I cannot say I mismanaged my money because even though I was one of the highest paid players during my time I was able to train my kids with the little I made. There was little to invest, and it will be hard if we do not get the right assistance to keep body and

Esin

soul together.” Some of the players howbeit were lucky because they successfully combined education and football during their time. Segun Odegbami; former Director General of the National Sports Commission, Patrick Ekeji; Adokiye Amiesimaka, who is a former Attorney General in Rivers State; Owolabi, who has a Doctorate Degree; Folorunsho Okenla among others, are some of those who are doing well because they have academic qualifications. But Owolabi said: “All of us cannot be the same. You can see that the majority of professional footballers even abroad don’t have degrees.” “It’s difficult combining education and sports. You will have to choose one,” Esin retorted. Meanwhile, another ex-international Clement Temile said he and his colleagues are suffering because they do not have a common front to fight their cause. He said the polarisation and the crisis in the footballers’ union have prevented sustainable efforts aimed at projecting the rights of the players. He said that is the reason he is championing the struggle to restore peace in the family. He said they had almost completed the process of unifying the warring National Association of Nigerian Footballers and Association of Professional Footballers of Nigeria. “We believe that both bodies will come together very soon because they don't know what they are losing. “There are some funds that the International Federation of Professional Footballers should have given to Nigerian players’ union, this money is from transfer of Nigerian players to Europe, but FIFPro will not release this money because there is no peace in the players’ union”, he said. In fairness to the NFF, it has done something to rehabilitate a lot of these stars by engaging them as coaches and technical experts. Stephen Keshi, Dan Amokachi, Ike Shorunmu, Christian Chukwu and Austin Eguavoen Alloy Agu have worked as Super Eagles coaches. Current U-23 coach Samson Siasia, Manu Garba, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nduka Ugbade and Emeka Amadi have handled various national teams. Chukwu, Victor Ikpeba, Austin Okocha, Garba Lawal are also in the Technical Committee of the federation. Although the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, said players were expected to plan for their future rather than blame the federation after their active days, he added that: “the condition of ex-players is of concern to the current board of the NFF because we want current players to see their older colleagues and be inspired. We have good plans for them to be match readers and match commissioners.”

Odiaka

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

My life, Omeruo and I – Oshoala

11 JULY 2015

Super Falcons star, Asisat Oshoala, talks to Emmanuel Tobi, who was in Canada, to cover the Women’s World Cup, about her lifestyle, meeting with Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure; her relationship with team mates especially Onome Ebi. Excerpts… What has been your experience in Liverpool? It’s been great for me. Liverpool are a great club and it is good I am there. It’s really down to my game at the club, my style of play and other things but settling down has not been that difficult for me. What do you miss most about Nigeria? Well, it’s normal to miss some things. I missed everything about my country, going out and mingling with people and all. But it’s been good all the way, I can’t complain; that’s what makes you a professional player, you have to adapt anywhere you find yourself and not miss home too much. You met with (Mario) Balotelli, (Yaya) Toure and others, during the African Heritage Day at Anfield; how was the experience? It was a good one, when you sit with such big stars they share their experiences with you, they advise you as a young player just coming up. You know it was a good experience sitting with them and having a little chat. During the World Cup you met with some of the best players, what was it like mixing with some these stars? Nadine Kessler is a very nice girl. She is a good person and it was really motivating to mix with the German current world women’s footballer of the year. She has really helped me, sharing her experiences with me and making me realise that there is nothing you cannot achieve if you set your mind in it.

Who is the most gentle? The most gentle player in camp is Onome Ebi. Now to Onome, what’s your relationship with her? You hail her as big sister often, what would say you benefit from her? It’s always good when you sit with a senior player, she tells you things. She is someone who has experience in the game and given that, it’s always good to sit with her. She always tells me my mistakes on and off the pitch, it’s good to have someone who can guide you away from home. When you are not with your parents, you always need someone who can talk to you and advise you on decisions you want to take. You unwind with some of the entertainers especially AY (Ayo Makun) and some of the other big people; do you see yourself going into the entertainment industry in the future? Well, I don’t have any intention going into the entertainment industry, it’s always good when you are with big people, they motivate you, they talk to you. AY is a very funny person and it is fun to be with him, he is just like my small dad. Finally, let’s talk about your big brother (Super Eagles defender, Kenneth) Omeruo; some people say you are dating him. Is that correct? Kenneth? I don’t want to talk about him and I won’t say anything about him. Is he your big brother? I don’t know.

How will you describe your relationship with Flying Eagles striker (Taiwo) Awoniyi? Awoniyi is a great player, a young player who is just coming up like me; he’s my brother, a Yoruba boy and I feel free talking with him. I chat with him anytime. If I watch his game and I see mistakes I tell him. He too watches my game and tells me my mistakes also. He is a good friend of mine. Who is the funniest player in your camp? I will say… I can’t really tell but Esther Sunday is a funny person; it’s fun to be with her. Who is the player that does the craziest things in the camp? The craziest person in camp I would say is Josephine Chukwunanya whose nickname is Alinco. ... with Liverpool striker, Balotelli

Oshoala

11 JULY 2015

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Global Football Special

Wenger: Sanchez wants to win titles at Arsenal A

rsene Wenger says Alexis Sanchez wants to win everything with Arsenal after helping Chile win their first Copa America. The 26-year-old scored the decisive penalty against Argentina last Saturday with a cool Panenka-like kick to secure the historic trophy for his country. The forward enjoyed a stunning debut campaign at Arsenal last season after joining from Barcelona in a £32m, topping the club's scoring charts with 25 goals. And while he is expected to miss the start of the season as Wenger gives him an extended break, the Frenchman revealed Sanchez is already focused on bringing more silverware to the Emirates. "I texted him [after the final] and he texted me back," Wenger said. "He was already focused on next season with Arsenal and wants to win everything with us. He was thrilled and very happy. "They had quite a comfortable lead when he took the penalty but I was a bit worried because he missed one with us. "He has shown again that he is scared of nothing. He took the ball and chipped the keeper. It was quite audacious but I was of course over the moon to see him bring the trophy to a country that has waited for such a long time. "It is an historic achievement and when you're a football player, you want to do that, so I'm very happy for him."

'Chelsea fair to Cech’

Neymar

Neymar better than Messi , Ronaldo, says Roberto Carlos

elhi Dynamos' newly-appointed player-manager Roberto Carlos on Thursday acknowledged the brilliance of leading world footballing duo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo but rated compatriot Neymar as currently the best exponent of the "beautiful game.” The former Real Madrid star defender said both Messi and Ronaldo have their individual attributes to marvel

on but Neymar has the potential to overtake the duo in the coming days. "Messi and Ronaldo are both great players. But for me, Neymar is the best. I believe soon he will become the best. He is very talented and has a bright future," the left-back said. The 42-year-old former Brazil star also said that Messi is at present "a little ahead of Cristiano" because of the contrast in the playing styles of their

respective Spanish clubs -- FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. "Barcelona play around Messi. Their game is revolved around Messi to get the best out of him. But in case of Real Madrid, it is different. They don't only concentrate on Cristiano with several very good players like Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Marcelo, contributing. But Cristiano is still a top player."

x-Chelsea defender Graeme Le Saux believes his former club's decision to sell Petr Cech to Arsenal was the correct one. Cech, who is no longer first choice goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge, recently left the club for the Emirates in a £10m deal, thus ending his 11-year stay at Chelsea. However, former England full-back Le Saux - who enjoyed 10 years with the Blues over two spells - has applauded the club for showing respect to a player who had given them great service and loyalty in return. Le Saux told Sky Sports News HQ: "It was a very grown up thing for Chelsea to do. It shows the huge respect they have for Petr. "He still has a massive amount to offer and they were willing in the end to sell him to one of their main rivals. "So that's Chelsea repaying his loyalty to the club as he was the best keeper in the Premier League, if not in the world, for a long period. "He’s a fantastic ambassador for the sport as well and he’s still got a lot to offer, so he’s a great signing for Arsenal too. "He’s in a key position for them. Arsenal have strengthened their squad, still have a few positions to fill, but are title challengers."

Cech

Silva hails attack-focused Pellegrini

avid Silva has asserted his faith in ‘attackminded’ Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini. The Blues boss received widespread criticism as his team finished second to Premier League champions Chelsea last season after winning the double of title and Capital One Cup in his first campaign in 2013/14.

And there was strong speculation the Chilean would be sacked before club chiefs gave him their backing for another season. Pellegrini led a squad of experienced first-teamers and young hopefuls on City preseason’s tour to Australia and Vietnam on Thursday. And Silva, who will join the party in a week after playing and scoring in Spain’s 1-0 Euro

qualifier win over Belarus, is delighted the manager is still at the helm. He said: “He’s been our coach for two years and he is a coach who likes to play attacking football so for the attacking players it is very good and we want to keep playing that way.” City face an early test when Chelsea visit the expanded Etihad Stadium on the second weekend of the new season.

Silva

TRANSFERs Monreal linked with Athletic Club

Sanchez

n one of the more common stories of recent windows, Nacho Monreal is again being linked with a move to Athletic Club. According to Tuttomercatoweb.com the Bilbao-based club are still chasing the Arsenal left-back and a move isn’t out of the question. Monreal established himself as Arsène Wenger’s first choice left-back last season, playing 39 games in all competitions which included a brief stint at centre-half. The defender technically has two years left on his contract, as Arsenal have the option to extend it by a further year, and it is clear that the player is happy and the club has no reason to sell.

Michu wanted by former club

eports in Spain are linking Michu with a move to his former club, Real Vallecano who they bought him from three years ago. Michu spent a year at the club, scoring 16 goals in 37 games, before the Swans snapped him up as one of the bargains of 2012 when they paid just £2m for a player who went on to be one of the leading scorers in the Premier League the following season. But in the last 18 months it has not worked out for Michu though injury, loss of form and some rumoured attitude issues and his time at Swansea looks to be over.

Newcastle move for Mitrovic

ewcastle United are lining up a £12.9 million transfer offer for Anderlecht striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Toon Army are desperate to add quality to their squad this summer and Steve McClaren has reportedly identified the 20-year-old as someone who can bring goals to his side. Reports in Belgium claim Newcastle are in talks for the Serbian international, who started his career at Teleopik and has also played for Partizan Belgrade.

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

style of Sportsmen

Life

Mikel introduces Russian girlfriend to Nigerian foods

t seems Nigerian International John Obi Mikel is ready to take his relationship with his Russian girlfriend Olga Diyachenko to the next level and has been introducing her to some Nigerian cusines. Diyachenko posted a photo of herself on Instagram enjoying some Nigerian foods. There were a host of local Nigerian delicacies laid out on the table in-front of her as she

Diyachenko

Anderson

Man City star, Demichelis, to marry Playboy model, Anderson

aving played in Argentina's Copa America final defeat to Chile on July 4, on the back of a trophyless season at Manchester City, Martin Demichelis is having more joy off the pitch. The defender will wed his long-time partner Evangelina Anderson in a Buenos Aires ceremony weekend. Anderson, a former Play-

boy model, is gearing up to tie the knot with her 34-yearold partner, whom she has been with since 2007. The pair linked up while Demichelis was plying his trade at Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich, and they have two children together - six-year-old Martin and two-year-old Lola. 32-year-old Anderson has posed nude for several Argentine magazines,

including Playboy, and is a former actress and dancer who became a notable name on Chilean television. Demichelis, who lives with his family in Cheshire, has signed a new one-yeardeal at the Etihad but will retire from international football following his country's Copa America final penalty shoot-out defeat to hosts Chile.

Ogu completes multi-million Naira home in Owerri In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. - Bill Cosby

uper Eagles midfielder, John Ogu, has completed a multimillion Naira house at his home town in Owerri, Imo State, Pulse Sports has learnt. The edifice said to be worth over N50m will be opened by the Hapeol Be-er Shvea of Israel midfielder later in the year. The just completed mansion is located at the Aladinma Housing Estate in Owerri. “Ogu has been putting finishing touches on the house since he returned to Nigeria from Israel and it is now 90 per cent completed," Pulse Sports quoted a source as saying. "This was made possible be-

Beckham, Griner, others strip for iconic ESPN Body Issue

Griner

enjoyed a place of rice and stew. "Chopping that pounded yam with some egusi this lazy Sunday! #NigerianFood #PoundedYam #egusi #EfoRiro have a Yummy Sunday everyone ," Mikel's girlfriend Diyachenko wrote alongside the photo. It seems Mikel prepared the local dishes for his girlfriend as he had previously advised men to always cook for their women.

ome of the biggest names in sport have bared all for this year's ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue. The annual tradition has been around since 2009 with the likes of Venus Williams and Michael Phelps being asked to strip down for the American public. The 2015 issue features six different front covers with NFL star Odell Beckham Jr, WNBA star Britney Griner and American heptathlete Chantae McMillan three of the famous faces to have posed in the nude while performing some trademark moves.

Despite his solid physique, New York Giants wide receiver Beckham Jr revealed that he doesn't hit the gym as much as fans may think. He told ESPN: 'I don't really care so much for the off-field workouts. I'm not going to go into the weight room and put on like 600 pounds and try to squat it. 'I'd rather do something that applies to what I do on the field than straining myself in the gym. I want to do field work - anything that I can apply to the sport.' Stories courtesy Dailymail

Beckham

Ogu

cause he splashed a lot of money on it when he came home for holidays before rejoining his club in Poland for their preseason. "Hopefully, he may move-in in December or even before then as the case may be.’’

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Life is about choice, death should be about choice also

offence, only when it fails’ “Apart from that, it negates the professional ethics doctors sworn to. Even world medical associations frowns at it as well. It is evil and should not be condoned in whatever guise. Personally, I would never offer any assistance on that because the whole essence of the profession is to assist and not to take life. “In medicine, you are expected to do good and not to do any harm. This is why I also do not think the profession should go the way of mercy killing. If patients know that euthanasia is an option, it puts a doubt on the practitioner. Everything must be done to preserve the sanctity of the profession and not to erode the confidence reposed on it by patients. That is my position on this matter,” he said. However, some of Adewole and Enabulele’s colleagues in the medical profession may not agree with them. They will argue among other reasons that a time comes when treatment is useless; when such treatment cannot halt the eventuality of death. “What use is it keeping someone who ultimately is going to die from a terminal disease?” a doctor, who declined to be mentioned, asked. In her reaction, president, Women Arise and Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, believes the issue of assisted suicide in the Nigerian context is not that straightforward. “Are our country’s hospitals sufficiently equipped to keep people alive?” she asked. According to her, one can only talk of keeping people alive where there are sufficient medical resources. “If someone is in agony, say of cancer, ours is a society where nothing positive can be done for such a person anyway,” she argued. Euthanasia may amount to loving

enough to let go. When it happens between man and wife who have vowed to be there for each other “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health,” it puts it in another light. A Chinese, Liu Shabo, years back reportedly killed his wife by giving her food containing pesticide. So much in love, the couple had been together for 30 years and he could not bear to see

his wife, who had incurable liver cancer in terrible pain. She too had reportedly asked that he help her end her suffering. Yet, he still went to jail, as Chinese law holds that helping someone to commit suicide is murder. “The man had received punishment meted out by man. He should get that of God’s.” For, according to Monsignor Gabriel Osu, Director of Social Communications,

Ali

Edeme

Okei-Odumakin

Felix Adler, the first prominent American to argue for permitting suicide in cases of chronic illness

Investigations

Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, life is so sacred to God’s creation and no one is entitled to take what he does not create. “Anyone who takes life, which does not belong to him,” as in euthanasia or mercy killing, “has not allowed God’s natural plan to run its course and will face punishment,” Rev. Father Osu said. He added that there is an end to everything, even suffering, according to the will of God. “When you terminate that which you do not create, you have done your own will instead of God’s,” he said. Osu’s position corroborates religious stance on the right to die. The official Roman Catholic Church is against euthanasia and says it is a crime. Protestants toe this line while Hindus think that, even though helping a person end a painful life may be good, it interferes with the cycle of death and rebirth. In Islam, all forms of euthanasia are forbidden as well. For Rev. Josephine Edeme of God’s Word Ministry, Sapele, Delta State, the Bible is the standard for living a righteous life. “So, it prescribed that no man shall kill. Therefore, assisting someone to die is unacceptable to God. And if that is the standard, it means then that such act is also not acceptable to man and should not be encouraged in any form. Those that are involved in this will surely receive their punishment both from man via the constitution and from God on the last day,” she said. Yusuf Ali, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) told Saturday Telegraph that in Nigeria, it is a criminal offence, only when it fails. “Right to die has no place under the Nigerian law. But, from a personal perspective, I do not support it because no one has the right to take what does not belong to him. If anybody applies or seeks euthanasia, it simply means taking what belongs to God. That will not only offend man but God’s sensibilities as well,” he said. Like other terms borrowed from history, euthanasia has had different meanings depending on usage. The first apparent usage of the word belongs to the historian Suetonius, who described how the Emperor Augustus, “dying quickly and without suffering in the arms of his wife, Livia, experienced the ‘euthanasia’ he had wished for.” The word, however, was first used in a medical context by Francis Bacon in the 17th century, to refer to an easy, painless, happy death, during which it was a “physician's responsibility to alleviate the 'physical sufferings' of the body.” In current usage, euthanasia has also been described as the “painless inducement of a quick death”. One country that sees nothing wrong in “assisted suicide for the dying” is Australia, which believes that people should take life and death into their own hands. “Life is about choice, death should be about choice also,” said Jeff Kenneth, one-time Australian Victoria State premier. In some other countries, there is a divisive public controversy over the moral, ethical, and legal issues of euthanasia. Those who are against it may argue for the sanctity of life, while proponents of euthanasia rights emphasised alleviating suffering, and preserving bodily integrity, self-determination, and personal autonomy. Jurisdictions where euthanasia or assisted suicide is legal include the Netherlands, Colombia, Switzerland, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Estonia, Albania, the US states of Washington, Oregon, Montana, Vermont and, recently, the Canadian Province of Quebec. • Additional report from Betty Sobo.

SATURDAY

The Arts SATURDAY 11 JULY 2015

From Quintessence, a lottery exhibition for ailing Dale

Moses Kadiri

s an artist, David Dale is renowned for his dexterity in working in different media. He is a tireless artist, a master in oil paint, beads, glass bead works, water colour, gouache, wrought iron, etchings, mosaic, lino prints and many others. But the renowned artist, born to English father and a Nigerian mother, had a stroke in 2013 as a result of the effects of prolonged use of araldite, which he inevitably inhales whenever he was working on some commissioned project or the other with beads. Though in 2010 he had to do some medical evacuation to safeguard his health, but he is still suffering from stroke. During the early stage of the sickness he was in coma for 12 days and was hospitalized at the General Hospital Lagos. He was later recommended to go abroad for further treatment. Recently Lagos-based art house, Quintessence Gallery, organised a lottery, raffle exhibition to raise fund for the versatile artist who has contributed to the art sector in diverse ways, to enable him pay his medical bills for the treatment. The event which was held at Quintessence Gallery, Park View, Ikoyi, Lagos, was graced by art lovers, friends, well-wishers who came to bring the smile back to Dale's face once again. He could not believe what he saw, the reception, and hospitality was mind blowing, and he also could not hide his feelings. He recounts his experience: "l had a major stroke sometime ago, which left my speech twisted and slurred," he said. Dale whose commissioned works include stained glass at Our Saviour’s Church, Onikan; Mosaic at St Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland; his murals at MTN building in Ibadan; State House Marina, Lagos; Shell headquarters; Nigerian Stock Exchange, Lagos, thanked Quintessence Gallery for the hospitality and for organising the exhibition for him. "l thank Chief Aino-Okpaku, and Moses Ohiomokhare for their great kindness," he said. "When l was in the hospital some three and half years ago, Quintessence was the first to send money to me. They have supported me ever since," he disclosed. "Quintessence had put a raffle in place for me. The result we are witnessing today. Many thanks once again and may the mercy of God be with them. Very many thanks to those people who bought the raffle tickets; this will enable me to go for my medical treatment abroad. God bless you all. And very many thanks to the artists who donated works to this cause, may God bless you all." Unrelenting in his love for the art, and producing mind blowing works, Dale is still doing what he loves best. He took guests down memory lane in the 70s and 80s newspapers printed by monotype system before the advent of computer. He explained, "Monotype system consist of etched plate and let-

Reflection with

Tim Akinleye 08098668480

timwriteswell@gmail.com

Farewell on the Skybird Here comes the time, The much-awaited hour; Moment of impaired joy When flying to fortune, Our hearts reek in painful pleasure! Time ticks me away from my Juliet Expansive seas sweep past my feet, Your love quietens my turbulent mind, Leaving an array of colourfully memories. But my finest thoughts are stained By willies of rough fields ahead Lonely searching the greener pasture. Needs and seas may keep us apart, Hope shall knit them again. For time and tide our wounds shall heal. Soon, fortune shall worship them!

Dale and Quintessence's founder, Aino-Okpaku, displaying one of the exhibited works

Very many thanks to those people who bought the raffle tickets; this will enable me to go for my medical treatment abroad ters arranged and then locked to keep everything in place before printing was done. With my experience in etching on metal, this was an advantage for me," he said. "Newspaper companies came to me and asked if l could do etched plate for them. l chose to work for some of them. The complimentary copies of what l did during this period is what l am about to put as Metal Art. l will use all materials that l have collected to do this. Though done in the 70s and 80s, l have just started to mount and gild them and therefore l would put 2015 as the starting date on them," Dale said.

A lot of art collectors cherish his works. His works are coveted by collectors, the largest collection of which is said to be owned by the Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation. As at July 1967 when he made his debut in Lagos, Dale has had about 70 exhibitions. Dale studied art at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State, and was a graphics consultant at the African Architectural Technology Exhibition for FESTAC ’77. He also taught Visual Communication for 13 years at the Department of Architecture, University of Lagos. He is a recipient of medals such as gold medal (1964), silver cup, 1965; second place, National Festival of Arts 1965; Human Education Institute of Africa, formerly of Dares Salaam; First Class Star Award, for Contribution to contemporary art in Africa; Diamond publication bronze medal for contribution to the development of art in Nigeria. He has also featured in exhibitions worldwide. Countries he has exhibited includes Nigeria, United States of America; United Kingdom; Canada; former USSR; Germany; Spain; France; Holland; Sweden; Brazil; Japan; Australia; New Zealand, among others.

Dearest one, purest flower, Pretty Blooms in my desert! The only light that glows In the darkest bends of my life, That Separation comprehendeth not. Oh sweet Sweetheart, Let our love get a rebirth For happy times are coming. Let’s keep our comforting embraces, Warmest breath and soft kisses None ever shared but we. For every vicissitude of life, God intends for a lesson, To make us better for His glory. Copyright © Timothy July 10, 2015

SATURDAY

Dear Love Doctor, ‘Which man should I follow?'

p.37

Life Experience

‘My father lied about his cancer'

p.36

L ve&Lv ng SATURDAY 11 JULY 2015

‘I found my soulmate at a supermarket' Confession I advise spinsters to marry men that give them peace of mind, rather than placing too much emphasis on money

In this story, two Muslim adults meet and fall in love at a superstore. However, in addition to the chemistry they share, their unity of faith seems to reinforce the bond of love that holds them together.

Michael Uchebuaku llah has created men and women as company for one another, so that they can procreate and live in peace and tranquility according to the commandments of Allah and the directions of His Messenger. The Quran says: "And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts. Undoubtedly in these are signs for those who reflect." [Noble Quran 30:21] "And Allah has made for you your mates of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best." [Noble Quran 16:72]. These verses of the Holy Quran clearly show that Islam considers marriage as one of the most virtuous and approved institutions. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) declared: "Oh, you young men! Whoever is able to marry should marry, for that will help him to lower his gaze and guard his modesty." Modesty was regarded as a great virtue by the Prophet. He said, "Modesty is part of faith." The importance of the institution of marriage receives its greatest emphasis from the following Hadith of the Prophet, "Marriage is my sunnah. Whosoever keeps away from it is not from me." My name is Hafsat and I am a Yoruba Muslim woman married to a Northerner. I met my husband in Maiduguri when I went shopping in a supermarket. At that time, Maiduguri was very peaceful. It wasn’t the kind of violent place that it is now known for. While shopping at the supermarket, I had a lot of things on my mind. I was not concentrating on what I was doing because I was deep in thought about family matters. I didn't even realize that I had lost concentration as I was walking until I knocked a man down by accident and all the stuff he was carrying fell to the floor. As we picked up his things, I

apologized profusely and his eyes met mine and there was just a spark. We held each other’s eyes for more than a few seconds and it was simply love at first sight. During our conversation, I found out that he was a Muslim like me and from a very responsible and popular Muslim family. He acted like a complete gentleman and a good Muslim that day. He told me that he would like to know me more intimately because his mind had told him that I was the one for him. The chemistry between us was just perfect for a love that would last a lifetime. When he visited me at home, he was very respectful to my parents and he told them that he was asking for my hand in marriage. My parents were very glad to hear that a good man and a Muslim at that, was asking for my hand in marriage. They put everything in the hands of Allah and told me to go and pray

about it. I thought and prayed about it. To be sure of the kind of man I was going to marry, I started telling some Muslim brothers and sisters to advise me on the issue of marriage. After that I asked people who knew my man to tell me about the way he behaved. The result was positive. So I made up my mind to marry him. I wanted to marry a handsome, religious, kind, caring man with a good personality and a man who could take care of a wife. And Hassan, my man, fit perfectly into the picture I had conjured in my mind. He also had a great body and was very fit and healthy. I was so happy that I had met a Muslim man of my dreams. And our unity of faith made me love him more. In fact, I noticed that Hassan loved Islam just as much as I did, and our mutual love for our religion brought us closer to each other. In spite of what some people may think about my religion, the consent of both the man and the women is an

essential element of marriage, and the Quran gives women a substantial role in choosing their own life partners. The Quran clearly states: "Do not prevent them from marrying their husbands when they agree between themselves in a lawful manner." [Noble Quran 2:232] However, some of the great Imams of the Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence give a slightly stricter interpretation to this verse and make the choice of partner by a Muslim girl subject to the over-ruling power or ijbar of her father or guardian in the interests of the girl herself. However, to crown it all, Hassan had a good job and was perfectly capable of taking good care of me and our children to come in future. Even though he wasn't so much of a millionaire, he was comfortable enough to start a family. Marriage is forbidden (Haram) to a man, according to the Hanafi school, if he does not possess the means to maintain his wife and children or if he suffers from an illness, serious enough to affect his wife and progeny. It is also not desirable (makruh) for a man who possesses no sexual desire at all or who has no love for children or who is sure to slacken in his religious obligations as a result of marriage. We got married two years ago and ever since, I’ve not had any cause to regret. We have a baby boy. I believe that dreams come true because it happened to me. My husband is not too rich, but the most important thing to me is my peace of mind. I’m so glad that I finally found and married a man that gives me peace of mind. I advise spinsters to marry men that give them peace of mind, rather than placing too much emphasis on money. Many Nigerian girls are not happy today because they went after money, instead of love. Happiness is the most important thing in marriage, regardless of whether the couple are rich or not. To this day, we still live in Maiduguri and God is protecting us from the hands of the terrorists.

Love&Living

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Love News

William and Kate giggle affectionately as they cheer on Andy Murray at Wimbledon

he Duke and Duchess of Cambridge proved they are still very much in love as they cheered on Andy Murray to his win against Vasek Pospisil on Centre Court. The couple, who were seated just in front of adventurer Bear Grylls and close to both Sophie Wessex and Prince Albert of Monaco, looked longingly into each other's eyes and shared some private jokes in between sets. Kate, who has long been a tennis fan, was elegant in a scarlet dress by L.K Bennett and looked relaxed and happy as she chatted to her 33-year-old husband. The duo, who also wore matching Ray Ban sunglasses, were given a round of applause as they took their seats and happily waved to the crowd of cheering tennis fans.

Love Songs 'For Your Love'

All the gold in all the world Is nothing to posses If all the things that it can bring Can't add up to one ounce of your happiness Refrain: And for your love I would do anything Just to see the smile upon your face For your love i would go anywhere Just you tell me and I'll be right there A diamond that shines Like a star in the sky Is nothing to behold For miniscule is any light If it can't like you brighten up my soul

Later, when the match got underway, an animated Kate produced a series of Kim Murray style grimaces and was clearly feeling the tension as she watched the British No. 1 in action. William and Kate's appearance on court comes a week after a memorable visit from the Duchess of Cornwall, who was left smiling after being presented with Murray's sweaty wristband. She was joined on the day by her sister Annabel Elliot and Kate's mother Carole Middleton, with the three ladies seen enjoying a friendly chat between matches. This week has also seen the tennis tournament play host to other members of the Middleton clan after 31-year-old Pippa made an appearance on Monday while James, 29, took his seat yesterday and

brought girlfriend Donna Air with him. Like the rest of the Middleton family, William and Kate have become frequent visitors to Wimbledon in recent years and were both on court to see Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in last year's men's singles final - an event also attended by a host of big name celebrities. Among the stars on show on that occasion were Victoria and David Beckham, Chris Hemsworth and his Spanish wife Elsa Pataky and British actress Kate Beckinsale. The Duchess' main competition in the style stakes came in the shape of Kim Murray, Andy's glamorous 27-year-old wife, who looked stunning as she arrived to watch the action, and an elegant Sophie Wessex. Courtesy: Daily Mail.

Life Experience

‘My father lied about his cancer'

should be angry, and I’ll admit, initially, I was. Something happens when someone tells you they have cancer. Something innate and uncontrollable. Even if you don’t want this thing to happen, because it can be against your will and painfully tentative and borderline unthinkable, it does. It just, does. And the happening of this thing, even if it is horribly unwelcome, arguably makes you a better person. For better or for worse. When someone tells you they have cancer, you forgive. The “c” word is powerful, capable of erasing years of abuse or neglect or violence or any number of reasons why you’d categorize a person as a horrible human being. When something is eating away at a person from the inside, shutting down their organs and spreading with emboldened purpose, people tend to forget. From the monumental to the minuscule, their transgressions cease to exist as all focus shifts towards health and prolonged life and a sense of happiness that everyone deserves. So when I answered my father’s 23rd phone call on a seemingly normal, sunny Saturday, I didn’t realize that I, too, would forgive him for his reprehensible actions. I was sitting on the recliner I had dragged through my sliding door and onto my apartment balcony. I was sans pants, tanning my legs while reading a book and carelessly sipping on a cold Corona. My body was relaxed and my head was inside a stranger’s and my goal of forgetting that my father had recently beat my mother severely enough to

Stevie Wonder

finally convincer her -- after 20 plus years of marriage -- to leave, had been reached. He had been calling for days, relentless in his attempt to explain what we both knew was unexplainable. This was far from the first time his fists had met my mother’s face or his hands had wrapped around her neck or his force had thrown her to the ground. In fact, the frequency with which violence was exercised in our house made leaving for college nearly impossible. I desperately wanted freedom and safety and security, and felt horrendously guilty that it was available to me and not my mother. Why I decided to pick up the phone after 22 phone calls on that otherwise perfect day, is beyond me. It wasn’t annoyance or remission or even curiosity. The closest educated guess I could possibly surmise is that, eventually, I started to pity him. My mother had left, I knew he was alone, and the thought of even him spending any significant amount of time by himself, made me sad. I guess I just felt sad. I answered with a deliberately short greeting. He was kinder than normal, sweeter

than ordinary, and quick to the point. He thanked me for answering and told me he had something to tell me. I cut him off, cold and insensitive, explaining that I had already talked to my mother and knew what he did. There was a short pause before he explained his recent savage aggression was not, in fact, what he wanted to discuss. “I have colon cancer.” My pause was not as short. In fact, it wasn’t so much of a pause as it was an immediate, silent cry. I felt guilty and heartless and cruel. So cruel. How long had he been sitting alone in the living room, flipping through television channels and unable to comprehend the weight of his current situation? How long had he been afraid, dealing with the possibility of death, alone? How many times had he silently pleaded that I answer the phone, so he could tell me what was eating away at him? I apologized profusely through sniffles and sobs, asking him for additional information and if I could help in any way. He was kind and comforting and promised he would share more information if and when he could. He asked that I let my mother know, as she was ignoring his phone calls as well. And I did, without hesitation. A month or two later I was back at home, determined to guide my mother through a divorce and my father through treatment. I loaded my shoulders with the burdens of two parents who shouldn’t have lived together, but should have the chance to keep on living. With each additional, loaded worry came an inescapable, detrimental inability to sleep. continued on page 38

Refrain: I could have never fathomed this Such joy love and tenderness That you give to me For the love I feel inside It's so wonderful I can't hide And i glow I glow With just the thought of you I do I do I do I do I do I do

Love Poem

Michael Uchebuaku

Time Stops Whenever I Think of You Time stops whenever I think of you, Because loving you for a life time would be too short, if it doesn't last for eternity. And loving you with my whole heart would not be enough, if I don't give you the world. Like the deep blue sea and the waves forever in love, Like seashells on the seashore, Me and you, together forever.

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

Romantic Joke

Grass Sandwich

At a local college dance, a guy from America asked the girl from Sweden to dance. While they were dancing, he gives her a little squeeze, and says, "In America, we call this a hug". She replies, "Yaah, in Sweden, we call it a hug too." A little later, he gives her a peck on the cheek, and says, "In America, we call this a kiss". She replies, "Yaah, in Sweden, we call it a kiss too." Towards the end of the night, and a lot of drinks later, he takes her out on the campus lawn, and proceeds to have sex with her, and says, "In America, we call this a grass sandwich". She says, "Yaaah in Sweden, we call it a grass sandwich too, but we usually put more meat in it."

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Relationships & Love Advice Dear Love Doctor, I am a 35-year-old lady. Me and my boyfriend of six years were having major problems for about three of those years. Then I ended up meeting a man from another state and we have been talking for about six months now. I believe that the other man and I are soul mates. But recently, my boyfriend changed back to being the man I met and fell in love with. So now I don’t know what to do. I think I need to meet my potential soul mate first in order to make a decision on which man or which relationship to follow. So should I go meet the other man? From Ruth. Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Ruth, By all means, go meet him. But please, keep yourself safe. You apparently only know this guy from the Internet at this point. Yes, people absolutely can (and do) meet their soulmate on the Web. But people also sometimes find that the soulmate via chat is either a dud or even dangerous in person. As a 30-something, I expect you know how to make sure that such a meeting occurs in a way that doesn’t make you vulnerable. Why do I think you should meet? Because if you don’t, you will always wonder “what if.” Every time you and your boyfriend have a disagreement, he’ll be competing with your fantasy of the other man and you will probably start

Blackberry Connection Nkechi, 29, from PH, a graduate and beautiful, wants a man of 32 to 35 years for a relationship that will 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.

Love&Living

Odd News ‘Which man should I follow?' Marriage is on the increase

after a 40-year decline

...New figures show numbers of married couples has increased to 51.2% of over 16s

regretting why you didn't pursue the other man. So, the thought of the other man who could or could have been your soulmate will prevent you from committing yourself as deeply and truly

as you should if you choose to stay with your boyfriend. Keep yourself safe my dear. Meet the other man then make your choice and follow your heart.

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.

♥ Cyril, 43, from Adamawa, based in Abuja, needs a responsible Christian or Muslim woman for marriage. 09026554435.

♥ 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.

♥ 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.

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.

he popularity of marriage is rising again after 40 years of decline, official figures revealed yesterday. They showed the proportion of adults who are married has started creeping up from the historic low reached at the beginning of this decade. In 2011, married men and women were almost a minority in England and Wales at just 50.7 per cent of the adult population. However last year 51.2 per cent of people over the age of 16 were found to have tied the knot. The Office for National Statistics said that the share of the population that is married has been ‘stabilising over the last three years’. Explanations for the changing trend include suggestions that partnerships are increasingly stable because couples are choosing to marry later. Official recognition of socalled ‘pre-nup’ deals is also thought to have had an effect, as it means couples are more willing to risk a wedding. Other factors could include the impact of immigration, which is bringing into the country people with a greater attachment to marriage than many of the existing population. The ONS figures found 51.2 per cent of people over 16 in England and Wales were married in 2014. The figure went up to 51.5 per cent when civil partnerships were included.

It compared with 54.8 per cent of adults who were married in 2002. The report showed that cohabitation continues to grow in popularity but mainly among young people. Those under the age of 30 are increasingly likely to choose to cohabit rather than to marry, and fewer than a quarter of all those aged between 25 and 30 were married men or women last year. Around one in eight of the adult population are now cohabiting with a partner. Three quarters of the cohabitees have never been married. Cohabiting relationships are highly unstable compared to marriages and those that do not lead to a wedding are at least three times more likely to break up than a marriage. Harry Benson of the Marriage Foundation think tank said: ‘One of the paradoxes of our modern approach to marriage is that marrying later on tends to be more successful. 'But starting later means that if your marriage does go wrong, you’re less likely to marry a second time because you’re so much older. ‘Of course that doesn’t stop older people marrying. It just becomes less common. In both cases, inertia plays a big part in making older marriages work and much older people less likely to remarry. Courtesy: Daily Mail.

Love&Living

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

True Story

'Her worst crime is that she loves me'

am torn between following my responsibility and my heart. I grew up in Vietnam knowing I would always follow in my father’s footsteps by marrying the daughter of one of his associates and becoming a partner in his business within the next 10 years. For the first 24 years of my life this was acceptable, it was in fact the only reality. Now everything has changed. I came to Sydney on exchange to finish my last 2 years at university. My parents said I needed to be educated about the world and see how lucky I am to have my life established for me. It was believed that I would see the example of people wasting their lives in Sydney on drugs and fleeting pleasures and appreciate how hard my father has always made me work and the control needed to be successful. Instead I was accepted immediately by an amazing group of people and for the first time in my life I controlled my time, my money and I was able to choose who I was friends with without worrying about my parents disapproval. With them so far away it was easy to forget the life that has always been waiting for me and enjoy every moment of my life here in this wonderful country. I never questioned that I would return to my real life eventually, the duti-

ful son earning his father’s approval by following his example completely. My time in Sydney has been a dream with none of the history of my country and my family forcing me to act and think a certain way. My dream became even better when I met Anna on campus early last year. She is everything my parents would hate, she works at a bar, she loves to argue and has opinions about everything and she doesn't know what she wants to be doing 10 minutes from now, let alone 10 years from now. I know that her worst crime in my parent's eyes is that she loves me.

‘My father lied about his cancer' continued FROM page 36

I was slipping into a depression I didn’t know, recognize or fully comprehend. In order to manage what had quickly become unmanageable, I made a doctor’s appointment, and that small, self-serving action would reveal the true depth’s of my father’s depravity. Our doctor was a family doctor who'd seen my family since before I was born. We knew him and he knew us so the professional lines of doctor/patient confidentiality were somewhat blurred. Or, in this case, altogether erased. I asked him about my father: How was he doing? Which doctor did he refer him to? Has he started treatment? The look of complete confusion told me everything I should have known, way before his words did. My father didn’t have cancer. Continued instances of avoidance and fictitious doctor appointments and fabricated circumstances confirmed that it was, in fact, all an elaborate lie. He wasn’t dying. He didn’t have cancer. In fact, he was eating healthy and losing weight and probably in the best shape of his life. He wasn’t a sad, lonely and terrified cancer patient. Not then, not now, not ever. My father had told me he was sick in an attempt to guilt my mother into coming home. He knew that something happens when you tell someone you have cancer, and he was hoping that something was powerful enough and culpable enough and unavoidable enough, to bring her home.

I should be angry, and I’ll admit, initially, I was. However, the more I thought about him lying, the more I felt somber and compassionate. I even had a few, scattered windows of opportunity in which I could have confronted my father, but I chose not to. Forcing him to somehow face his lies would have, arguably, been just as ineffectual as our many attempts at forcing him to face his violent actions. Any legitimate argument or common sense accusation would have been met with manipulative answers; carefully crafted to somehow turn his actions into our transgressions. I wanted to be mad, but I couldn’t. Just like that phone call on that seemingly normal, sunny Saturday, rage gave way to pity. Imagine the utter hopelessness a man must feel in order to lie about something so serious and life-threatening. I can only assume he was desperate and lonely and remorseful and when his attempts at another apology were dismissed, his frantic determination grew. I know there are things a person just cannot take back, no matter their intentions, and coming to grips with the powerlessness of circumstance can be difficult if not impossible. I felt bad for him. I feel bad for him. He is lonely and regretful and that is no way to live your life, sick or not. See? When someone tells you they have cancer, you tend to forgive. Even if that cancer is a lie. Courtesy: go.com

I didn't realise how much I loved her in return until I received a letter from my parents two weeks ago containing a cheque for my final term of tuition at university and extra money to buy a ticket home at the end of July. Suddenly my time has run out and I have to wake up from my dream. My time in Sydney has changed me and I am scared that I cannot go back to the world I once lived in and I can't imagine being away from Anna. "My parents mean everything to me, but I worry that if I give up the life I have now I will never be happy and always wonder how my life could have otherwise turned out." I have not told Anna about my parents or their plan for me, only that I come from a very traditional Catholic Vietnamese family. I don't think she will appreciate the difficulty I have in choosing whether to abandon the life I have always worked for and anticipated. I know it is selfish but a part of me isn't sure her love is enough for me to give up my family and my future. I also do not want her to stay with me only out of guilt. How do I make this decision that I feel could change my life forever? Courtesy: nine.com

Wedding Traditions

Switching wedding rings to the right hand:Greece

n the wedding tradition of the Greeks, when the groom proposes, he is expected to ask the father for the daughter’s hand in marriage before the bride. A betrothal service is held when the engagement becomes official and the rings are blessed by the priest, they are later blessed once more during the marriage ceremony because they are usually the same rings.

During the engagement, the bride and groom wear their rings on the left hand and after they are married, the couple switches their rings to the right. Before the ceremony, musicians accompany the groom and his attendants to the church and then they make their way back to pick up and accompany the bride. Courtesy: Irish Central.

LOVE EDUCATION

What is ovulation? O

vulation is a phase in the menstrual cycle. It occurs at about day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle. Specifically, ovulation is the release of the egg (ovum) from a woman’s ovary. Each month, between day six and 14 of the menstrual cycle, folliclestimulating hormone causes follicles in one of a woman’s ovaries to begin to mature. However, during days 10 to 14, only one of the developing follicles forms a fully mature egg. At about day 14 in the menstrual cycle, a sudden surge in luteinizing hormone causes the ovary to release its egg and begin its 5-day travel through a narrow, hollow structure called the fallopian tube to the uterus. As the egg is traveling through the fallopian tube, the level of progesterone, another hormone, rises, which helps prepare the uterine lining for pregnancy. How Will I Know if I’m Ovulating? Most women experience signs and symptoms before ovulating. Some symptoms may appear several days before ovulation, while others won’t happen until the day before or day of ovulation. Signs and symptoms that occur before ovulating include: • Increase in sexual desire • Increase in cervical mucus (You may notice more discharge on your underwear, which resembles raw egg whites.) • Softening and opening of the cervix • Ovulation pain (Ovulating is not usually painful, but some women feel a cramp or sharp pain in their side.) • Signs and symptoms of ovulating that occur on the day or days after include: • Decrease in sexual desire levels • Decrease in cervical mucus, changing from wet and abundant to dry and sticky • A rise in body basal temperature • Breast tenderness (usually several days after ovulation, sometimes mistaken as an early pregnancy sign) • Wondering if you’re having ovulation symptoms now? Call the Fertility Specialist.

SATURDAY

Travel &Tourism SATURDAY 11 JULY 2015

Travel Personality Olannma Ojukwu: My dream is to make GOTA number one in West Africa p.40

Hospitality

Holiday Inn Accra Airport Hotel: A presidential treat for the asking p.41

Destination

Kano: A once buoyant enclave in a state of reversal p.42

CHEF'S CORNER

Chicken Noodle Soup

his meal is highly nutritious and recommended for the family and trying out this special recipe would surely be a good start to your weekend. It promises to be an exciting and fulfilling experience for you and your household or guests as well. Ingredients: • 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced • 1 small carrot, thinly sliced • 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced • 2 sprigs fresh thyme • 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley • 6 cups chicken broth, homemade or lowsodium canned • 1/2 cup water • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1/3 pound egg noodles (preferably wide ones) • 1 1/4 cups shredded cooked chicken (meat

from about 1 breast) • 1 tablespoon whole flat-leaf parsley leaves, and/or 1 tablespoon fresh dill fronds, for garnish

Preparations: Put the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, parsley, chicken broth, and water in a medium pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Simmer until the vegetables are almost tender - about five minutes. Then add the noodles and cook until it tender for about five to eight minutes (depending upon the size of the noodles). Add the chicken, warm through, and then adjust the seasoning, if necessary, with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with parsley and dill. *Courtesy: Food Network

Chicken Noodle Soup

TRAVEL BEATS

Ethiopian Airlines commences flights to Dublin, Los Angeles In continuation of its expansion bid, Ethiopian Airlines has commenced flights operations to Dublin and Los Angeles. The thrice weekly schedule flight is operated with Dreamliner Boeing 787, offering passengers the most modern of services, luxury and comfort. The new operation by ET is the only direct connection between Africa and Ireland and the west coast of the United States as well. With its extensive network covering 49 destinations, ET has successfully created a viable link for the travelling public in the affected regions of the world. ‘‘Our new flights connecting Addis Ababa, Dublin and Los Angeles will play a critical role in the expansion of trade, tourism investment between the fast growing continent of Africa and the United States and Ireland,’’ said the Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines Group, Ato Tewolde Gebremariam. According to him, the new operation will bring closer the two cities to Africa while

ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA Editor, TRAVEL&TOURISM iroandy@ymail.com

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines Group, Ato Tewolde Gebremariam, was recently awarded the 2015 International Grand Prix special award at a colorufl ceremony, which took place in Rome. The award was in recognition of his achievements and various strides in developing and transforming the Ethiopian into one of the fastest growing airlines in the world. Gebremariam described the award as a testimony of the excellent performance of the airlines and its global appeal. ‘‘It is an “It is an honour to receive this award and a very good opportunity to showcase to the world that we have been awarded by an independent and largest

helping to bridge links and ties as well as foster businesses. He also revealed that in line with the 2025 strategic roadmap of the airline, it is expanding its network and deploying the most technically advanced aircraft as part of its commitment to customers to provide them the best possible travel experience and connectivity options.

With the introduction of these two new fights the airline has now expanded its international network to 87 destinations across five continents. ET operates the largest network and number of flights in Africa and said to have the youngest number of fleet as well in the continent with an average of less than seven years. It operates over 200 daily departures.

Ethiopian Airlines' CEO Ato Tewolde Gebremariam (middle) receiving the award

... CEO wins international Grand Prix special award media group in Italy for our excellence in Africa. We at Ethiopian have achieved greater milestones as one family. I want to dedicate this Award to my colleagues: more than 9,000 brave men and women around the world who are always working hard to position Ethiopian as the global carrier of choice." The Ethiopian CEO has also won a number of awards including Professional Excellence Award by Planet Africa and the Regional Leadership Award by Airline Business Magazine for his excellence in leading a carrier which provides strong transport links in its geographical

region. He is also recognized for realising the Pan Africanism vision of Ethiopian Airlines by implementing a multiplehub strategy in Africa with its partner airlines ASKY Airlines in Lome, Togo and Malawian Airlines in Lilongwe, Malawi. GrandPrix Advertising is an international multimedia publishing group based in Italy. It is a showcase of Italian excellence in the field of communication, culture and institutions. The GrandPrix Advertising Award is the most prestigious award dealing with brands and brand communications in Italy.

Reed Exhibitions chairman bows out The Chairman of Reed Exhibitions, Mr. Mike Rusbridge, is to retire from his position at the end of this year after many years of service with the organisation, which has witnessed various strides. Rusbridge joined Reed Exhibitions as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Europe in 1988, becoming President of Europe and Asia in 1994 and appointed Chairman and CEO in 1996. The company, which organizes travel trade exhibitions across the world with the World Travel Market (WTM) in London its flagship product, has during his reign grown from a $400m to $1.5bn company and today organises 500 events in 43 countries, across 43 industry sectors with over seven million participants. “I find the events industry as exciting and stimulating today as I first found it 36 years ago! Reed Exhibitions’ achievements have been driven by a great management team and a very talented group of people. I am very proud of what we have created and leave the Company in the extremely capable hands of the CEO, Chet Burchett, who has worked for RX for the past 11 years in the Americas. There is strong continuity of management and we are now realising significant advantage from behaving as one company worldwide. RX has a very exciting future as we develop a digitally enabled data driven business, creating powerful business relationships for our customers.” said Rusbridge. Rusbridge will continue as Chairman until December 2015.

Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

TRAVEL PERSONALITY

OLANNMA OJUKWU My dream is to make GOTA number one in West Africa Mrs. Olannma Alvanis Ojukwu is a qualified marketer, trained air hostess and aviation professional of many years. She is the Managing Director of God’s Own Travel Agency (GOTA), which is based in Cotonou, Benin Republic. In a conversation with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA at the recently held Accra Weizo, she spoke of her mission and issues affecting travel in West Africa. What are the areas of focus of God’s Own Travel Agency (GOTA)? We are into e-ticketing and tourism. Because today travel agency business is now going into tourism business, we try to develop tourism products. We have been carrying out in bound and out bound tours for about four years now. We receive people in Benin and make them visit all the tourist sites in Benin and we are able to take them outside Benin too. What we do is that we initiate tours, we plan tours and we get people to buy into them and we take them outside and within the country. We just came back from Israel in April. We take people every Easter period to Israel. By the end of this month, we will take people to Turkey. We are partnering with the Ambassador of Turkey in Benin to put this together. We are trying to develop that of Nigeria. It was a great opportunity that we met with the owner of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort here. So we would be bringing people to Nigeria because a lot of people have been telling us that they want to get to Abeokuta and as we are the first Nigerian travel firm in Cotonu they want to get to Nigeria through us. I thank God for this programme (Accra Weizo) because it has really given me the opportunity to meet with some of the key actors in the industry.

Ikechi Uko and that gave me the opportunity to visit Nigeria and to network with the tour operators and Nigerian travel agencies also. Most times they send me people from Nigeria. People want to come to Benin but they don’t know who will be able to understand them because it is a French-speaking country. But we are able to make them experience the best of Benin. How can we facilitate travel in the west coast? The way I think that we can advance it is through this medium -Accra Weizo- through the media and when we organise workshops like this one you are able to meet the ‘who-iswho’ that you cannot ordinarily go to their offices and see them. The last time in Akwaaba I met Mr. Femi Adefowope and with him I was able to do a lot of things with Uloma Egbuna (Tour Brokers International) in Lagos. I think the best way to really get this message across is by organising such programmes where we can network and synergise because we are on the ground here. We are able to receive people and make them have the best of experiences.

How challenging was it for you setting up and operating in Benin? For me, it wasn’t difficult at all. I am a trained air hostess and when I stopped flying in 1999 I came to Benin with my husband and I had to train as a ticketing officer and started working with the then biggest travel agency in Benin – Phines Tours. I worked with them for many years before West Africa Airlines called me and I was with them until after a year when American Airlines came into Benin and invited me to work with them. I represented American Airlines for six years but when they had challenges with the French countries and they had to leave Benin and Togo that was when GOTA was born. It wasn’t really difficult for me because I have been in the system for many years and switching over or starting my own business was not difficult at all.

How do the Beninoise perceive Nigerians living in their midst? Before now the perception was not really a good one but I thank God for our ambassador, Dr. Lawrence Olufemi Obisakin, he is doing a great job. He was able to integrate Nigerians and showcase Nigerians that are in good businesses because everybody always thought that Nigerians were just ‘market people’ -traders and that they don’t know anything else. The Beniniose have always had this feeling, ‘don’t try Nigerians they will kill you because they are into all sorts – robbery and all that.’ But thank God for this ambassador as he was able to make the people to understand that we have elite, we have people who are doing great in other businesses. He was able to showcase Nigerians who are doing great things and because of this, the Beninoise government and the people began to change their mind-sets about Nigerians and what they think about us.

How would you describe the experience of running a travel firm in the last four years? It has been awesome and because we are the first Nigerian travel agency in Benin I was able to get into Akwaaba (Travel exhibition held annually in Lagos) and got connected with Mr.

What are the areas of interest to Nigerian tourists visiting Benin? The tourism areas that interest most Nigerians are historical tourism and educational tourism for the children and also discovery tourism. We have a lot of Nigerians when they have long holidays or weekends they come here

Ojukwu

profile Mrs. Olannma Ojukwu started her career in Nigeria as an air hostess after undergoing the mandatory training at the Nigerian Aviation College of Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna. For her, working in the aviation industry was an innate passion and since the day she signed up she never looked back until when she got married and relocated to be with her husband in Cotonu. Hers is the only owned Nigerian travel firm in Benin Republic. She is married, has children and, a translator and fluent in French language.

and they discover a lot of things about the country. We also have what we call weekend Francophonie with GOTA voyage, a product of GOTA where we wait at the border on Fridays to pick Nigerians, we do the border’s protocol for them and make them spend the weekends here. In Benin we don’t have electricity problem, we don’t have traffic problem and we also don’t have security issues. So they come in for the weekends, they feel very free and happy as they discover a lot of things about the country and they go back to Nigeria as we drop them off by the border on Sunday evening and they go back refreshed. Is that why Nigerians are now coming in droves to school in Benin? Now we have a lot of universities coming up in Benin and a lot of Nigerians are coming over because when you go to a university in Benin you are sure if you want to do a four-year course, you are going to finish in four years unlike what we have back at home.

That is why a lot of people are sending their children to Benin to school. What is your advice to Nigerian parents who are sending their children to universities in Benin? I want to say that we have the mushrooms here but we also have very good universities. The advice I want to give to Nigerians who want to send their children to school in Benin is that they should come down and get to know these schools better. A lot of people now know that Nigerians are sending their children to Benin so 'every Tom, Dick and Harry’ is opening universities. To tell you the truth a lot of parents are falling victims because some of the children only hear their friends talk about some schools and the next thing is that they just come to enrol in such schools. At the end of the day after graduation, you will discover that they don’t have anything to show for their four years. Where do you want GOTA to be in the next five years? Where we want to take GOTA in the next five years is to make it the number one-stop shop in the travel and tourism industry in West Africa. How I intend to achieve this is by what we are doing already. We have to get into partnership with all these tourism organsiations in West Africa. We started with Akwaaba and we go to Indaba in South Africa every year, World Travel Market (WTM) in London and then the Zimbabwe expo and there is also this other exhibition that we do in the French- speaking countries and we are there every year trying to work with all the tourism organisations in those countries and also talk to them about what we do. So far it has been wonderful and we know that we are going to get there in few years’ time.

11 JULY 2015

HOSPITALITY

t is a luxury business hotel quite alright. But once you walk through the door held open by a curtsying doorman and steal a quick glance around the expansive reception area as the smiling guest receptionist looks through your reservation profile, you get a sense that you're in for a much grander experience than you had imagined. That is even before you begin to explore and experience the hotel which, besides its splendour and elegance, truly has much to offer. Historically, Accra’s first internationally-branded property, a member of the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG). It was the hotel that hosted President Barack Obama when he visited Ghana in 2009. So it's no surprise then why the hotel holds a lot of attraction for people. It was a delight to be quartered in one of the premium rooms for three nights and be pampered with luxury. In the course of one’s stay one also had the opportunity of a tour of the hotel’s facilities and a chat with the general manager, Bruce Potter, a Scot. who certainly knows his way around and a core professional with vast experience in the hospitality sector. He sees himself as an insider because he is married to a Ghanaian and so he easily spun tales about the country and the whole range of development in the travel and tourism industry of the country. Besides, Potter’s passion for the hotel is not disguised in any way as he comes alive when it comes to talking about the hotel and his vision to take it to greater heights. Having been around from the outset, he tells you that the hotel has done pretty well even though the business in Accra is experiencing a downward trend now as basically all the hotels are struggling to keep their businesses, but he is confident about the Holiday Inn Accra Airport Hotel, which he has nursed to adulthood, more or less. Potter explains that his is a bed and breakfast hotel because it is a luxury business hotel just a shouting distance from the Kotoka International Airport. Nonetheless, they strive to provide everything else in-between in order to drive more traffic from the locals, visitors and expatriates. For seven years now, he says his focus has been service and that will hopefully not change given his conviction that excellent and professionally delivered service is key to staying afloat. Another is the level of the facilities, and in this area, he rates his hotel top, noting that on a regular basis the facilities are upgraded while the building is painted always to give it the desired ambience. They are also working on improving the services, especially the in-room facilities with focus on the entertainment aspect as they plan to have room video

Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

HOLIDAY INN ACCRA AIRPORT HOTEL

A presidential treat for the asking

It's not often you find a sheer magnificent showpiece of luxury business hotel with well apportioned facilities that offer maximum comfort and entertainment for the guest, writes ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA who spent some nights at the aforementioned hotel recently.

Sunday brunch is a splendid affair at the hotel with many visitors streaming in to experience the rich blend of its local and international delicacies. To emphasise how much the people cherish the affair, Barbara, the guide, explained that Safari bar and even the Terrace bar sometimes are laid out for the over flow guests. on demand and also improving on its technology base with each room having dedicated wireless service, ordering for room service on your TV and a fully equipped and technologically driven reservation system.

One of the rooms. Inset: Hotel's facade

with Senator Florence Ita–Giwa. You never can tell what the outcome might be. But one wishes Holiday Inn Accra Airport Hotel all the luck. Guest room The hotel boasts 68 rooms, consisting of Presidential suites, Executive suites, Deluxe and Standard. The Presidential suites on the fifth floor, which housed President Obama during his stay in the hotel, are the star attractions with all the opulence, enchanting and luxurious treats. One could not help but linger awhile at the suite and even lying on the bed for a brief moment fantasising. Free morning newspapers are offered guests.

Eyes on the Nigerian market The moment he realises that one is a Nigerian, the discussion takes on a new level with an evident excitement on his face. By the way he has visited Nigeria as he has been to Lagos, Abuja, Calabar and Obudu Mountain Resort. He is quite impressed with the country and Nigerians. Quickly, he tells you that he is beginning to focus more on the Nigerian market, wishing to have many more Nigerians visit, especially for holidays and weekends. ‘‘I have been looking at the Nigerian market for some time now and I just have to move into it because it will be fine to have Nigerians here for the weekends,’’ he says. Well, for a start he seems to be doing well with regard to his quest because he was, along with his team, all over Nigerians during the Accra Weizo event. Even the owner of the hotel, Patrick Fares, was a special guest at the event and one espied him exchanging notes

Dining/wining There is the Wiase The world restaurant which is the main restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then there is the La Cabana, which is by the outdoor pool, a good spot to dine and wine and savour the bliss of nature. There is also the Terrace bar overlooking the swimming pool and the Safari bar, which is just before the restaurant. It is an easy-flow bar for cocktails, wine, beverages and champagne.

Conference As a business hotel, it has a number of conference facilities with its banquet hall, Volta - sitting over 250 persons and boasts five meeting rooms of different sizes. These are – Tano, Oti, Sene, Ankora and Densu. There is also a business centre which complements the conference facilities. Wellness The hotel also promotes wellness with its gymnasium, which is fully equipped to serve the in-house guests only. There is massage available. Entertainment/leisure Although not heavy on leisure, it offers an appreciable level of leisure packages for its clients. The poolside with its ample sit–out area and the La Cabana is the spot to visit especially on Fridays and Saturdays to enjoy live bands and the best of drinks and foods from the kitchen where you can experience live cooking. Other services/facilities Airport shuttle, private limousine, technical concierge, dry cleaning/laundry, 24 hours lounge, porter/bellman, bureau de change and shops as well as parking space, among others.

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

REE DANIELS HOTEL AND SUITES

ABA

Panda Hotel Suites & Lounge

42 Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Kano: A once buoyant enclave in a state of reversal

DESTINATION

With its ancient monuments and pristine landscape, Kano was once a tourist's delight. That seems like ages ago as the allure has all but faded, no thanks to incessant bomb attacks carried out by Boko Haram and a lack of enthusiasm towards tourism displayed by successive governments. MOHAMMED KABIR writes.

Journey to the tourism world ano is one of the states in Nigeria and northern Nigeria with a distinct record of huge interest from people of different climes and make up. Kano, the capital city is noted as a legendary city with an interesting history. It was largely a centre of learning whose commercial activities drew traders from across Nigeria and beyond. Over the years, the city which is over a century old may have suffered a loss of influence, however a resemblance of its once historical and commercial greatness is evident. One of the areas where the state's greatness is not only affirmed but visible and to a large extent the envy of many of its neighbours and states across the country is its tourism industry. Its landscape teems with a number of tourist attractions both tangible and intangible. Added to this was its peaceful and alluring environment with night life something to behold in the city while the old city was a treasure trove for visitors. The halcyon days of its tourism development could be said to be the 1970s when the former military administrator of the state, the late Audu Bako, put the state on the global tourism map with the construction of the Baguada Lake Hotel and Conference Centre, an edifice of international status with standard conference hall that was fully equipped to host international conferences and gatherings. There was also the Rock Castle Ho-

Horsemen parade during a Durbar event in Kano. No one is sure when the next Durbar will hold as it has been put in the cooler for years now

tel, built at the fringe of Tiga Dam with Tiga Dam itself another tourist attraction of note. The hotel, which is a classic structure then was intended for Queen Elizabeth 11 who was expected to visit but did not eventually make the trip. There was also the hotel by the state government, which in its early days was booming and a place to visit. Some distance away from this hospitality home that is on Bompai Road, which also houses Central Hotel and a number of restaurants - is Kano Tourist Village, a facility which then boasts of restaurant, accommodation, offices, theatre as well as open camp site was perhaps one of the attractions that announced Kano to the world as a tourist destination to be taken seriously. The village yearly attracted expatriates and other visitors particularly from Europe who made the tourist village their home whenever they were in town. Yankari National Park in Bauchi State was another favourite site of these European visitors. Besides all these facilities, Kano was also heavy on cultural tourism and festivals with the Durbar celebration the height of its offerings. With its colourful horse parade across Kano's inner city, its aristocratic culture, rich influence, opulence and affluence of the people were on display for the whole world to see. The event held twice in a year alongside Muslim festivities. Foreign visitors and Nigerians from different parts of the country often mingled with the lo-

cals to partake in the though religious but now communal feast of the people. The commercial nature of the city was also of interest to the visitors to the city with Kurmi Market, a large and unwinding market where a first time visitor is most likely to miss their way unaided. Its comely sight and expansive nature as well as the vast products on display, particularly its textile section, jewelleries and souvenirs made the market one of the must visit locations. The city walls and gates which are as old as the city itself were also attractions for people given their sheer magnificence while the arts and craft were part of the rich blend of tourism offerings. Gidan Makama Museum, which was the former home of the emir, warehousing the rich and diverse arts and historical trove of the people was certainly another place to treasure and visit. Perhaps the apogee of its many mixed attractions is the sprawling palace of the emir of Kano, located in the old city. It is a rich blend of the artistry of the Hausa and Arabian heritage of the people. A visit to Kano city then without an exploration of the emir palace, especially during the Durbar when the emir opens the doors to the rich arts and trophy collection for visitors to savour would not be a totally complete experience. For a glimpse of a colourful social life, the Sabon Gari end of the city offers a window. It's a section of the city designated for strangers or nonâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;indigenes

to dwell and carry out their various businesses. The thriving night life here makes it a huge favourite for visitors. With all of these places and interest shown by the state government and even the private sector, tourism experienced boom in Kano particularly the city, which attracted a lot of players and operators. Kano Airport was one of the best around the country then and perhaps the busiest in terms of human and cargo traffic. The city was the first home of British Airways with many travel agents and tour operators having foothold in the city. Hotels and other social amenities sprang up in the city with some branching out of the Sabon Gari area to other parts of the city. Parks and gardens were not also left out of the mix. The commerce and industrialisation of the city also received a boost thus elevating the profile of the city and the state to a most enviable one. Decay sets in With Audu Bako out of the scene, the tourism curve of the state began to witness a downward slide, especially with infrastructural decay and dampening of the enthusiasm displayed by his government as subsequent government failed to cash in on the vision and run with it. A clear example of this was the decay and abandonment visited on what many regarded as the dual facilities which symbolized the tourism appeal of the state. These were the Bagauda Lake Ho-

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Travel & Tourism 43

Rock castle hotel

Emir's palace

tel and Conference Centre and Rock Castle Hotel in Tiga. For years, these two facilities were left in the lurch until few years back when the federal government through the state government took over Bagauda Lake Hotel and Conference Centre and converted it to Law School (Kano). Although the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality (NIHOTOUR) took over the Rock Castle Hotel as a model training school hotel, despite this development, the two facilities are still a shadow of their former glory. Nothing much has changed in their outlook and except for the fact that they now play host to human activities on a regular basis. It is the same fate that was visited on most of the facilities and activities that once made Kano a real tourist destination for many people. In this league is the tourism village in Bompai Road, which today is struggling to stay afloat. For years it was abandoned and as a result, foreign visitors and others who once patronized it turned their attention to other areas. The result is that efforts made in the recent past by the government and the state tourism authority to bring it back to life seems not to have yielded the expected result. The death knell While the state and city were still grappling with its tourism downward slope, especially fighting to get its facilities and tourism groove back to appreciable level, the city of Kano has witnessed a series of suicide bomb attacks carried out by members of Boko Haram who have for long held sway in the country's north-east. This act to many was what sounded the death knell for the tourism industry in the state. Many operators and observers in the state believe that one of the most visible areas of the fall of tourism in the state is in the failure of the people to host the Durbar in the last four years or thereabout. A situation which the Kano Emirate Council, the state government and the Kano State Tourism Board, all agencies responsible for the staging of the annual religious and cultural tourism showpiece, attributed to the state of insecurity in the state. According to a source at the Kano Emirate Council, staging the event in the midst of insecurity arising from the bombing of the emir palace a few years ago and other parts of the city, particularly the Sabon Gari area and the threat to life and property daily by the insurgents may make the city even more vulnerable to attacks. This informed the decision to put the event in the cooler despite the

disquiet that greeted such decision. With the Durbar in the cooler many visitors over the years have not seen the need to look in the direction of the state or city because it was one major attraction for them. With the staging of the event twice yearly, the city usually came alive with all sorts of activities built round it. Hotels, eateries, vendors of all sorts, motorists and cyclists and many more befitted from the thriving economy created by the event while a number of the tourist centres were kept busy, especially Gidan Makama, Kurmi Market and the emir palace among others. Even textile dealers, horse keepers and minders, tailors and others have all been put out of business as a result. And today, they all count their losses lamenting the poor state of their economy as a result of this event not holding anymore. Some of the workers at Gidan Makama expressed sadness over this development, stating that most days they just idle away at the museum with no visitors barely show up during public holidays and festival periods. Now they contend with the few locals who still find the time to visit and the occasional tourists who show up unexpected and most times are in a hurry to get out of the museum without going through all the exhibits and sections. They look forward to when the museum would once again bounce back to life and when that would be is not yet in the horizon. Commerce in the city is also said to be at the receiving end with many of the traders visited, particularly those in the textile section complaining of low patronage. For instance, they say the festival periods with the Durbar event rated as the highest, are normal the time of the year when they make the highest sales.

Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II

Checklist of tourist attractions zz Kano city walls (Badala) and gates zz Gidan Makama zz Dala hills zz Durbar event zz Emir palace zz Kofar dying pit zz Tiga dam zz Kano tourist village zz Rurum tourist centre zz Kurmi market zz Kanawa complex zz Kano history and cultural bureau office But since the Durbar has been rested, they have noticed significant drop in their sales level as the people no more patronise them. Many traders attribute the drop in sales to the fact that there is a significant decline in the number of visitors to the city. Hospitality homes, eateries and other social spots such as the parks and gardens have also sad tales as they complained of heavy decline in patronage. A situation, which they said is due to the absence of outdoor events in the city to drive traffic to their facilities. Hoteliers say many of their regular clients have long ceased using their facilities while few who still do have reduced their visits to the barest minimum level. Night life in Sabon Gari The Sabon Gari axis of the city perhaps presents the best gauge to feel the pulse of

Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje

Chris Azuka, president of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Kano

night life in the city because here is where everyone actually go to harvest fun. It is known as the entertainment enclave of the city as it is where most of the hotels, eateries and other leisure spots, such as night clubs are restricted to in the city. With sections of the enclave subjected to suicide bombing and explosions, life in the area has taken on a different meaning. The once lively and boisterous Sabon Gari has long been put in check with the people carrying about their daily chores with an air of suspicion and in measured steps looking over their shadows and afraid to venture into crowded setting. Days gone by, from Enugu to Ibadan then to Niger streets among others, you can hardly separate the day from the night with the areas on hyper activity round the clock. Those areas with transport businesses and hotels and night clubs were the busiest of the areas. But a recent visit to some of the areas revealed how tempered life has become for many people and businesses. Day time is a drab while night life is almost non-existent anymore and where people gather most times to drink and dance they do so with a feeling of trepidation, looking furtively all around them for strange faces and objects. The fun and excitement of coming to Sabon Gari is long gone, so lamented Abdul Suleiman, a regular visitor to the area at night to catch fun with his friends. For some years now, he said, he has become wary of visiting and whenever he does he is extremely careful and mindful of the spot he visits. He also explained that he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay late or spend the night out as was his routine years back. The story of other visitors to the area is not different from that of Suleiman while for the residents and businesses, fear has become their constant companion while watching helplessly as their business nosedive. The president of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Kano, Chief Chris Azuka, is not so happy with the present state of affairs, blaming the fate visited on his people and other nonâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;indigenes that are mostly residents of the area on the government. He said the government had for long neglected the area in terms of development as there are hardly adequate facilities in the area. He said the people now suffer a double tragedy with the current insecurity, adding that there doesn't seem to be any solution in sight as the government has so far proved helpless in curbing the menace which has decimated the ranks of his people and greatly destroyed their families, businesses and social life.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

SATURDAY, 11 JULY, 2015

SATURDAY

Politics 45

Hawkins

Politics

Ekweremadu’s battle for survival p.46

FaceOff

PDP, APC trade tackles over bail-out p.50

Politics

There’s pervasive corruption in Nigeria – Obidigbo p.49

Scrapping NYSC is victory for Boko Haram

After about three years in Nigeria as the Consul-General of the US Consulate General, Lagos, Jeffrey J. Hawkins moves on to assume the position of the US Ambassador to the Central African Republic. In this interview, he tells EBERE AMEH about his experience and what he will miss about Nigeria. After almost three years in Nigeria and now moving on to a higher responsibility, you must have stories to tell about Nigeria. Tell us about your experience working in Nigeria? I arrived a little less than three years ago, in September 2012, and because I cover southern Nigeria, I had the opportunity to travel all over the southern part of the country. We cover 17 states and I have been to every one of them, many of them multiple times. And so, at least for the part of the country we covered, I feel I have a good sense of those places. What having a good sense for the place means is understanding the richness and diversity of the states. Understanding the incredible natural

and human resource wealth that this country has and how much depth there is here. Understanding things like the depth of faith in Nigeria and the sense to which Nigerians are a religious and focused people, understanding the entrepreneurial spirit of the people of this country and giving a sense of all of the tremendous amount of work that gets done here at the basic level and the tremendous business leaders in Nigeria. It’s just been a remarkable experience and I’m so honoured to have served here. You must have had your fair share of challenges working in Nigeria. What were the

major ones you had to grapple with? Challenges are everywhere and I don’t focus too much on that. Instead, what I want to talk about is how great the opportunities were. I have worked in other places where maybe, the affinity is not quite as deep, and where we were in a position often, as diplomats, having to sell US position or culture, or sort of prove to the host nation that cooperation with us is a good thing and that has never been the case here. The opportunities have been tremendous. Americans and Nigerians are very similar in some very deep ways. We share language, we have so many Nigerians that are so deeply familiar with the United States, we have so many Nigerian that have been so successful in US and we have so many shared interests - government to government and people to people. Forget the challenges – okay, electricity is not as good as it should be, the traffic sucks, that’s all there, but I have served in other places where we had those same challenges but we didn’t have the opportunities that we have here. And so that is what has defined this assignment for me. Having been in Nigeria for quite a while, what impression of Nigeria are you going with? Here is a country that has got weight. The thing that keeps coming back to the world is weight. It’s like some really big planet, or a really big sun that has gravity to it. The economy is so big and the talent pool is so big that it can do things in Africa that other places I’ve worked haven’t. Not like it’s a contest but my last African assignment was in Angola and they have about exactly the same oil production as Nigeria so if that were the measure of things, we’d put all of them in the same place but Angola has a 10th of the people and its economy is nowhere near where Nigeria is. And in some ways, it doesn’t have the same diversity that Nigeria has. And so Nigeria is so much weightier. There is so much more that can be done. Its presence is felt so widely in the region and a particular concern for me as an American diplomat is that its presence is felt very much in Washington. So in terms of the amount of attention that my boss and those in the State Department and in the Whitehouse pay to Africa, a lot of that attention is to Nigeria, and so for example, that President Buhari is going to the White House next month is a function of that weight and of that importance. You have talked about the opportunities in Nigeria and how weighty the country is, but in

Hawkins

CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

Politics

Ekweremadu

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Ekweremaduâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

battle for survival

Onwuka Nzeshi

he day began like one in which everything had been divinely programmed to fall in pleasant places for the All Progressives Congress( APC), the party in power at the centre. It was June 9, 2015, the day chosen for the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly in Nigeria's Fourth Republic. In line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, President Muhammadu Buhari had issued a proclamation letter mandating the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa to conduct the inauguration ceremonies slated for 10.00 am on that fateful day. The APC looked forward to the day with some excitement. Why not? Weeks before then, it had won majority of the seats in both chambers of the National Assembly and was confident that it would clinch the leadership positions with relative ease. Some leaders of the APC, gloating in the historic victory of their party at the polls, had lined up Senator Ahmad Lawan and Senator George Akume as their prefered candidates for the positions of Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively. It was a choice designed to consolidate power. Although these same party leaders were aware of the crack within the party, they felt that the ambitions of Senator Bukola Saraki and Senator Ali Ndume for the same leadership positions would

be easily taken care of when the push got to the shove. In order to make sure that the recalcitrant duo and their band of rebels were effectively caged and prevented from thwarting the will of the party elders, an emergency meeting was scheduled for 9.00 am on the inauguration day at the International Conference Centre. Every legislator elected on the platform of the APC was expected at the meeting, a last ditch effort to mobilise support for the party's preferred candidates. In the calculation of the mainstream APC, their arch rivals in the People's Democratic Party ( PDP) had been decimated and vanquished, having lost the general elections. It would appear that these APC chieftains thought very little of the PDP legislators and presumed them no more relevant than spectators in the parliament. Even when the former ruling party rose from a crucial meeting the previous night and endorsed the candidature of Saraki for the election, the APC dismissed it with a wave of the hand. When the APC proceeded to summon a special meeting of its members on the day of the inauguration of the parliament, they did so with confidence. They believed that as the ruling party at the centre and in majority in parliament, the inauguration could not go on until they were comfortably seated in the chambers. In addition, their meeting was to be addressed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and nei-

The arrogance of power set the stage for the most hilarious political drama in our recent history

ther the APC lawmakers nor the PDP lawmakers could dare try anything funny until their meeting was over. It was this arrogance of power that set the stage for the most hilarious political drama in our recent history. The political strategists at the APC never expected what later played out in the two chambers of the National Assembly. Indeed, it was APC's under-rating of their political opponents (PDP) that produced Saraki as the Senate President without the rigors of voting and counting of ballots. While the APC was still struggling to recover from the initial confusion of losing the coveted seat to Saraki, it got a double-barelled punch in the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, candidate of the PDP as the Deputy Senate President, this time from the valid votes of a cross section of parliamentarians in the red chambers. The election of these two presiding officers was interpreted in various circles as victory for the PDP, a party that was thought to have been knocked out of the unfolding political equation.

Fight Back

One month after that incident, the APC lies sprawled in disarray and unable to come to terms with the reality. What transpired on June 9, 2015 appears to to have been extracted from a drama piece written by a master playwright. It may have been scripted like a comedy in which funny things

would happen to expose the flaws inherent in some characters, but the APC is not finding any of the scenes in this drama funny. The play has been laced with so much intrigues and suspense moments that the APC leaders are beginning to understand that they have not only been outsmarted but have literarily been caught in their own snare. While still reeling in the shock, some APC members lived in denial of the situation and treated Saraki and Ekweremadu like unwanted babies that must be flushed from the home. A few others saw it differently and cautioned that these "unwanted babies" were actually products of a constitutional system that would be difficult to reverse. Out of frustration, the Senate Unity Forum, a faction of the APC loyal to Lawan, launched a ferocious attack on the process that led to the election of Saraki and Ekweremadu. The group caused to be written, a petition to the Inspector General of Police alleging that the Senate Rules used during the election of the presiding officers of the Senate were forged. The letter to the IGP, Solomon Arase was signed by the Secretary of the Senate Unity Forum, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi ( APC/ Kaduna North) in which the group alleged that some principal officers of the

Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

7th Senate changed the Senate Standing Orders 2011 and created a new Senate Standing Order 2015. The letter read: “We write to bring to your attention, the existence of the fraudulent introduction of a 2015 Senate Standing Rules, as amended. We wish to attach the original and authentic Standing Order for 2011 that was used by the 7th Senate, Annexure A. “We again annex hereto, a purported amended Standing Orders 2015, which was used by the Clerk to the National Assembly (along with the Clerk of the Senate) in inaugurating the 8th Senate on June 9, 2015, Annexure B. The so called new Standing Orders purports to allow for secret instead of the open ballot system that has been prevalent in all Senate elections as permitted by the extant rules. “This infraction, among others arise from the fraudulent production of the Rules without an approved consideration by the 7th Senate. At no time was the Standing Orders of the Senate amended during the entire life of the 7th Senate neither has the 8th Senate sat for long enough to produce the rules now being circulated and in use. “We therefore appeal that you use your good offices to investigate and bring to justice all persons who may have been responsible for this fraud which has led to the undue political crises and abnormalities in the politics.”

Police Investigation

Armed with this letter, the Police commenced its preliminary investigation by visiting the National Assembly to confer with both the bureaucracy and the political leadership. They were at the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly where they met with Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa for about 25 minutes. There were reports that the detectives had wanted to meet with Ekweremadu but he was not available. However, the most curious thing about this visit was the media hype that preceded it. Some media organisations had heralded the visit of the police with banner headlines of a purported police invitation that was extended to Ekweremadu, a story that portrayed the Deputy Senate President as the principal suspect in the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules. As if this initial picture was not damning enough, some media organisations reported that Ekweremadu was actually quizzed by the police detectives during the visit, reports which the police later refuted.

Rescue Mission

It was the PDP that first came to Ekweremadu's rescue. The party addressed a media conference during which it fingered the leadership of the APC as the masterminds of the petition and accused them of trying to unseat Ekweremadu who, according to the PDP, emerged Deputy Speaker in a legitimate and fair contest. The PDP Governors Forum followed in the same direction when it condemned the purported invitation of Ekweremadu by the police. The governors blamed the saga on the APC, describing the move as a calculated attempt to humiliate Ekweremadu and hound him out of office.

as an act of intimidation which would not be tolerated. They said that no amount of intimidation from the APC would compel him ( Ekweremadu) to abdicate his seat and constitutional responsibilities. In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, the embattled Deputy Senate President vowed that the 8th Senate would do everything within the ambit of the law to protect the independence of the Legislature. The statement reads: "TheDeputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has received numerous calls and messages from well meaning Nigerians, elder statesmen, Governors, Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members of the House of Representatives across party lines, concerned members of the international community, youth and women organisations, royal fathers, and Civil Society Organisatons, among others, who have continued to express utter dismay and concern over the unfolding drama in which his life and liberty are being threatened by desperate politicians. "Senator Ekweremadu wishes to assure all Nigerians and concerned members of the international community that everything is under control and that all democratic steps are being taken to preserve the nation’s democracy and protect the independence of the legislature. The Deputy President of the Senate further wishes to assure Nigerians that necessary steps are being taken by the security agencies to beef up security around him. "He appreciates the nation’s security agencies for their professional handling of the situation so far, and acknowledges with a deep sense of gratitude the numerous youths across the country who have volunteered to provide additional security around him. "In all these, however, let it be known that no amount of intimidation or harassment will deter Senator Ekweremadu from carrying out the constitutionally prescribed duties, which on June 9, 2015, PDP and APC Senators willingly elected him in the full glare of the world to perform."

The party in power lost it when it retreated from the battle field

Ohuabunwa's Caution

Meanwhile, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP), Abia North, has also joined the fray, urging his colleagues in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly to be cautious in addressing the alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules 2015. Ohuabunwa also urged the Police to exercise restraints in the manner it wades into matters concerning the internal workings of the Senate in order not to violate the autonomy of the

Self Defence

So far, Ekweremadu has refrained from making personal comments on the saga. Instead, he has been speaking through his aides and political associates and they have described the disingenuous move to manipulate the police against him

Ekweremadu

legislature. "I think the Police should be careful in handling this matter because I know that the law is clear that all activities that take place at the National Assembly or on the floor of the Senate or in any of the chambers of the parliament cannot be used as evidence against any Senator. This is why when you speak or when you see people fight on the floor, the police is not involved. If any thing happened, the police have a division at the National Assembly, there is the bureaucracy, the National Assembly management headed by the Clerk to the National Assembly. They can direct their inquiries to these places," Ohuabunwa said. He argued that since copies of the Senate Standing Rules 2015 was handed over to Senators at the commencement of the inauguration of Senate, it was wrong to accuse any Senator of having played a role in producing that rule book. "The whole issue is unfortunate. Some of us do not really understand what is happening. But some of these things might be politics. Don’t also forget that since the emergence of the Deputy Senate President, the ruling party has been very uncomfortable. It is quite unfortunate because there is nothing untoward in the eyes of those behind the petition that the Senate and Senators cannot resolve. "If you are talking of the rule, it is the rule of the Senate as at today because we have been inaugurated. So if there are amendments, you raise the amendment on the floor and it will be debated.There is nothing sacrosanct that says that 2011 rule must be used for 2015. "It should also be noted that at the end of the 7th National Assembly, the bureaucracy takes over. It is the bureaucracy that swears in the presiding officers. Until you are sworn in, you have no powers. Whatever that may have happened should be a responsibility of the bureaucracy. Ekweremadu should be able to answer questions on what happens after his inauguration, he should not answer question on issues that took place when he was not even a senator at the expiration of the 7th Assembly," Ohuabunwa said. He said that the controversy could be resolved amicably if the aggrieved

senators would understand that the bureaucracy had the prerogative to make the preliminary rules before the inauguration of a new parliament while the rule book becomes a working document which the newly sworn in legislators have the power to amend when and where necessary. Ohuabunwa said: "Somebody is faulting the emergence of Ekweremadu based on the rule book, it means that every other Senator that was inaugurated using the same rule should be involved. If you are faulting the rule, it was based on the same rule that all of us were inaugurated. It was the same rule that brought in the Senate President. So if you are faulting it, it means that all of us have not even been inaugurated. And if you have not been inaugurated, you are not even supposed to speak as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

Way Out

Although it is becoming apparent that this alleged forgery may have its roots in the political rivalry between the two dominant parties, the police authorities should go ahead and do the needful. The public expects a dispassionate investigation of the allegation to unravel the truth and lay this controversy to rest. However, it is obvious that the APC has been beaten in its own game and this explains the current tension and rancour within its ranks. The party in power lost it when it retreated from the battle field on a crucial day to hold meetings and presumably perfect it's strategies to defeat its enemies. Unfortunately, it forgot that it was dealing with a party that has been in power for sixteen consecutive years. At the end, the APC fell into an ambush laid by the PDP and it's "militant arm", the New PDP which has been cohabiting with the APC in a marriage of convenience. With what has happened, it is apparent that the NPDP elements in the APC are more at home with their kits and kin in the PDP than in their new found apartment where they are perceived as squatters. Ekweremadu and Saraki were in the same party for at least eight years before the crisis that rocked the PDP in the build up to the last general elections. It will be difficult, if not impossible to oust this leadership or separate this team that has constituted itself into a counter force to repel the attacks from a common enemy. The PDP has shown that it would not surrender its acolytes to be sacrificed at the altar of party supremacy. For Saraki, Ekweremadu and the PDP, it is a tripartite battle to remain afloat in a sea of troubles.

FaceOff

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH 11 JULY 2015

States bail-out is APC’s creativity, says Ngofa Oji Ngofa is the Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former Local Government chairman in Rivers States. He tells Johnchuks Onuanyim in this interview why the APC government embarked on the bail-out of states. Excerpts: The Presidency recently announced that it met empty treasury and it has just given bail-out to states. As APC chieftain, how do you relate the bail out with empty treasury? You know that the money accruing into federal government is meant to be in the Federation Account. That is what the President referred to when he said he met an empty treasury. Now all the hullabaloo of PDP about the bail-out, l am sure you have seen what the Presidency has read out in terms of bail-out. Apart from the $1.7 billion Excess Crude Account (ECA), the presidency has said, the bail-out is from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) dividends. Others are funds that would be provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with an understanding that the states can withdraw and pay salaries and apart from that, restructure their debt profile. For instance, if you have engaged a bank with heavy debt profile you reduce the amount that you would be paying and stretch it over a long period of time so it reduces the burden of debt obligation. So, you can free some funds to deal with development and salary issues in the state. That is simple. So, what is the issue? When the Presidency was talking about empty treasury, did he not consider the Excess Crude Account? Everybody knows that the ECA has $2.1 billion left but the money that was given out to the state governors as bailout is not from there. I am sure you are clear on that. So, when they said that they met empty treasury, they were not referring to the ECA because it is not in the Federation Account. It was supposed to be a savings kept aside apparently for the raining day. So, when the President said that he met an empty treasury, what he meant was that the monies accruing into the Federation Account were not remitted. That was even one of the problems the former CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had with Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s government. Let us look at the bail-out. How important is that to the APC government? Well, l think that every responsible government, especially in the midst of this economic crisis where states are unable to pay salaries, unable to meet the basic needs as you and l know that most of the states in this federation are not industrialised. They are what in the local parlance are referred to as civil service states and you know the multiplier effect of what that will be on families. I am sure you are following what is happening in Osun State. So, every responsible government anywhere in the world - even in the United States - give bail out. I am sure you are following the debate going on in Greece, where the issue of bailout or no bail out is causing crisis. So, every responsible government at one point or the

other steps in and intervene to cushion the effect of lack of liquidity in the states. I think that is a good development. Should it be like a Father Christmas thing? No, l don't think it should be free. There is need for the state governments to set their priorities correct because any state government that has set its priority well, you will understand that the first line charge is to cater for the salaries of workers. There is no if about it. The moment the labourer has put in a labour, he is entitled to his wage. All the states need to do now is to reset their priorities, live within their means and carry on projects that are within the resources available to them but there should be no compromise on the payment of salaries. It shouldn't be a situation whereby Federal Government should see itself as Father Christmas or charity organisation to keep bailing states out. Otherwise it would affect the capacity of states to be creative and do things for themselves and at the end of the day it would lead to inflationary situation. Let us go back to the ECA. PDP is saying that they should be appreciated for that Account because if everything had gone into the Federation Account the states would have shared it all. Are they right in that sense? I fail to see how PDP wants to take any kind of praise in this whole scenario. I fail to see it because in the other hand they should even be held responsible for depleting the ECA without solid explanation of what the monies have been used for. Don't forget that ECA is not a product of legal instrument; it is a product of consensus to save some money that can be used during the raining day.

No, Jonathan left the bail-out money – Metuh

Olisa Metuh is the National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He says in this interview with ONYEKACHI EZE that his party is convinced beyond doubt that the bail-out fund President Muhammadu Buhari doled out to state governors to pay salary arrears was from the money left by former President Goodluck Jonathan. Excerpts: What convinced your party that the bail-out fund was savings from the previous government? The fact speaks for itself. There are evidences to support it. The Accountant-General of the Federation confirmed it, that money was left behind in the Excess Crude Account. And during the previous administration, governors wanted everything to be shared. That was a proof that some monies were left behind. Secondly, the former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has been very much aware of how much he left. The Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) has a dividend savings of $5.6 billion but he never touched it. He felt that the new government should know what to do with it. We know that in one of the Federal Allocation Committee (FAC) meetings, the economic managers wanted the money to be used for something else, especially in terms of difficult finances they were having but he (Jonathan) insisted in leaving it for the incoming administration. What we expected is for this present government to acknowledge that they met some money on the ground or they keep quite. But the CBN Governor said there was a rebound in the external reserves since Buhari took over. Could it not be possible that the bail-out money is generated within this period? What would I say? That he is a magician, a government without a cabinet after many weeks. It is possible that if you don't make expenses you have savings. There is no cabinet, no award of contracts, nothing is working. The CBN Governor is doing his routine duties; this is what we have saved, that is what we have but that doesn't mean we have a magician. We started having the problem of unpaid salaries before Jonathan left office. Why did he not also try to bail-out the states? That was the arguments of some ministers then, that he should release that money as a kind of bail-out to the states because of the dwindling oil revenue. But the (former) president felt that the incoming government should decide how best to manage the affairs of the country. We should give him credit for that because we don't want him to decide for the incoming administration.

Ngofa

The accusation against the previous government was over bloated cabinet. Would you say the present government is thinking towards a

Metuh

lean cabinet? Well, I don't know the magic President Buhari is going to make. But constitutionally, he must have 36 ministers and the FCT. Whatever context he uses, he must have Secretary to the Government of the Federation; he must have Chief of Staff. Even if we support the argument that he is taken his time to select members of his cabinet, he has been around, he went round the country during the campaign and he know a lot of people. He planned to be president, he campaigned to be president. I believe he doesn't just want to answer the name. In any case, whatever steps he takes, PDP is ready to support him, we will not abuse him. PDP will support him to solve the security problem we have in the country. What do you have to say about his rejection of N400 million bullet proof vehicles that were to be bought for him? Sometime, I don't know whether the people around the president understand that governance is a serious business. They think that government is about acting a stunt. I think they should go and join Nollywood. Politics is a serious business. For them to go to the public to say that the president rejected N400 million vehicles is childish, immature and inconsequential in the affairs of the nation right now. These are not issues to be discussed; they are simply planning to enhance the image of the president. The presidency is about the intention, the capacity and the capability to move the nation forward. Those around the president just want to give him cheap publicity.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Interview

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pervasive corruption in Nigeria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Industrialist How would you evaluate the Economic Policies and Programmes of the Federal Government in the Industrial sector, particularly on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy prohibition of some products through foreign exchange sales? I have some mixed feelings about the recent decision by the CBN to prohibit access to foreign exchange for the importation of some products, about 40 products in all. However, it is a welcome development, even though, such bans are not totally new in Nigeria. First of all, some of those products that are placed on the banned list are not always bought and brought into this country with official foreign exchange. Some of them were brought through unofficial means. If you look at that list critically you find out that some of them are already items that are on the banned list, which is to say they are not supposed to be brought into the country because they have already been banned. For example, soaps, cosmetics and biscuits were already banned. So, whoever was bringing them into this country never takes the through official legitimate routes. Placing them on this list is, therefore, not totally correct in the first instance. Secondly, I would agree with them that the recent ban is to reduce the pressure on our limited available foreign exchange. As at today we have less than $29 billion as our foreign reserves going by what we were told. So, this ban will help to reduce the pressure on the foreign exchange. Another reason they advanced was that it would help indigenous manufacturers to grow their businesses. I think altogether that is not correct, because even if you place complete ban on all of them without just limiting the ban to just access to foreign exchange, it would not help matters for two major reasons. One is due to the total absence of needed infrastructure and presence of an environment that is not supportive of the productive sectors of the economy. What would be the major setback as well as the prospects? In Nigeria we are facing very stiff and crippling competition from goods that are produced elsewhere and brought into this country through the backdoor. Products that were made in an environment where there is surplus energy supply, water, accessible roads, raw materials, and where there is law and order as well as necessary facilities to produce anything at any time and in any quantity within any given time and space. These are products brought into the country through the backdoor and it has compounded matters because they don't pay duties on those products. These are areas of corruption that the government must pay serious attention to. When the government says they are banning policies they must not only enforce the ban but also create the enabling environment for indigenous manufacturers to operate. But in Nigeria today, if you ask me I would tell you that manufacturers face the highest cost of production. I have travelled quite a lot and have seen other manufacturers and industries and I know that in Nigeria we have the highest cost of production. Even when the cost of manufacturing is already high, we face a market flooded with goods that are made in an environment where the cost of production is very minimal without paying appropriate duties. However, the ban is to some extent okay but it would be most beneficial if the pressure also goes to the government to provide electricity, secu-

Dr. Chike Obidigbo, a foremost industrialist is the chairman of Hardis Group of Companies, manufacturers of personal and environmental hygiene products. He tells Okegwo Kenechukwu in this interview that Nigerian manufacturers are facing stiff and crippling competition from goods that are produced elsewhere and brought into the country through the backdoor. Excerpts:

Obidigbo

rity of lives and property. If government can provide these things and enforce the ban, then manufacturers could breathe a sigh of relief. In what way do you think manufacturers have been short changed in this process? When considering the products to ban I am sure the CBN did not consult indigenous manufacturers, and because they did not consult them, they included products that could harm the local manufacturer. I give one specific example, the plastic goods. The plastic goods have all along been on the banned list with the exception that those with less than 150 milliliters (mls) could be brought into the country. Those who made that decision took into consideration the fact that we don't have facilities to produce those smaller quantities of plastic in this country. These sizes of plastic products are usually used in pharmaceutical production, which requires accuracy and precision in their production. We don't have efficiency in that area at all today. Anywhere you go for plastic manufacturers to below 150 mls, 100, 50 or 10 mls, you will be told it is not available, and where they could be found, they are usually disproportionately exorbitant. So, if you cease funding them through the foreign exchange market, you are increasing the already high cost of production in Nigeria. And at the end of the day they would come in to meet a market that is awash with goods produced elsewhere under good environment. But, whatever economic blueprint CBN designs should conform to the national economic policy. If they ban all the products coming into the

A typical indigenous manufacturing company in Nigeria would prefer manual intensive system of production which requires more materials than machinery country and Nigerians are not significantly empowered to produce those products, it would only encourage more smuggling activities. As such the CBN cannot act in isolation; every effort should be geared towards strengthening local production. This is a veritable way of making Nigerian made goods to become competitive not only within Nigeria but also outside the shores of the country. But, most indigenous industries wind up easily. What would you say is responsible for this? Most of them do not have PHCN lines to their factories. They have their turbines that they run 24 hours. Nigeria manufacturers depend on generators as such the cost of doing business is so high. So, let us start now to channel attention to those areas that could help us get our local manufacturing companies going, which in turn will grow the economy and provide security. Do you think there is possibility of periodical review of these policies? There is, but first of all they should have

consultation with the local manufacturers to know which products could benefit from the prohibition. Products to include and then they could embark on periodic review to find out how the step taken has impacted or benefited the economy or how it is hurting the local manufacturers. Are you suggesting that the prohibition is a unilateral perspective of protecting just the foreign reserve instead of growing the economy? That is what I pointed out at the onset because I believe their primary aim is how to preserve the little foreign reserve available and use it for what they consider more strategic areas than allowing the manufacturers use it for imports. Like I said, this is a welcome development if they are able to preserve the foreign reserve. But if they don't support the manufacturing sector in other areas, it would not make sense. It will only encourage more imports of these goods produced where the environment is conducive, with available facilities and cheap labour to compete with already high cost of local goods in the country. The banks are directly or indirectly involved in the production process across the globe. Why is it that most indigenous manufacturers do not meet up with the banks demand on their facilities? Nigeria banks do not cooperate with manufacturers. Sometimes you think the manufacturers are enemies of the commercial banks. Most of the time they believe it is better and more lucrative to fund trading activities than to promote manufacturing. That brings me to the N300 million the CBN says it is injecting into the productive sector of the economy. My worry is that if care is not taken, it may go the way other such funds set aside for this sector had gone. The problem of the bank is to find out whom to give the money; that is to say there must be genuine efforts to find those who genuinely needs that fund and who are genuinely prepare to utilise it to achieve the purpose for which it was set aside. How would you like to see the banks disburse the money? They should disburse the money as quickly as possible and in line with the thinking of the industrialists, not the template produced by the CBN, which would prefer that a higher percentage of such loans should go for machinery and equipment. A typical indigenous manufacturing company in Nigeria would prefer manual intensive system of production and this requires more materials than machinery. This is because you cannot talk of machinery where you don't have energy or where you do not have competent Nigerians to operate the machines. What we should be looking at are companies that are geared towards massive production using manual system. To me that is what they should be thinking about and encouraging, after all no Nigerian investor wants to be Israel, SmithKline Beecham or Nestle; he wants to be himself and then to grow small within his own capacity. So, they should start thinking like that over these problems and having serious interactions with the industrialists, who they want to help because they would in turn help the economy. It is a two-way traffic. If you help them to grow, they would help the economy to grow because they are holding down the economy.

Perspectives

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Boko Haram, Buhari and G7’s promise

mmediately after President Muhammadu Buhari was declared the winner of the March 28 presidential election, it seemed there was lull in the unholy activities of the terror group Boko Haram. The perceived appeasement of Boko Haram supposedly engendered by Buhari’s electoral victory gave room for some churlish remarks suggesting that the vampires’ bestial monstrosity was put in abeyance because “one of their own” is now on the throne. I find such cynical utterances heavily laced with idiocy appalling. There should be a distinction between constructive criticism and cynicism. Now that Boko Haram has stepped up its vicious attacks resulting in the killings of over 300 people since May 29 when Buhari was inaugurated, we need to ask whether the predators are no longer happy with “one of their own”. It is also disturbing to hear that the President said Nigeria is winning the insurgency war? How? Maybe in the esoteric world of military intelligence, Nigeria is winning the war. But how do you convince those of us who are laymen that a country which lost at least 140 in one fell swoop to Boko Haram last week is winning the insurgency war? Even in war-torn Syria, Iraq and Libya, I can’t remember the last time people were killed in that large number. Almost on a daily basis, they strike leaving sorrow, tears and blood. They have taken desecration and profanities to churches and mosques. On June 10, members of the G7 group comprising the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan had pledged to back President Buhari in his quest to end the insurgency. According to a statement by the president’s Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity), Shehu Garba, the industrialised nation acknowledged “the way and manner of his (Buhari’s) emergence and the tremendous challenges faced by the government he leads, not of his making, especially in its efforts to combat Boko Haram.” Going by the antecedent of the G7, it will be wise for Nigeria not to put its eggs in one basket because the industrialised nations cannot be relied on when it comes to keep-

Waheed Bakare on Saturday 08124877036 (sms only) waheedbakare2003@yahoo.com ing promises. For instance, in July 2005 in Geleneagles, Scotland, following persistent campaigns by the civil society groups in Africa, the G8 (including Russia) announced total debt cancellation for poor countries. Besides, it pledged same year to double annual aid to Africa to $50 billion a year by 2010 and spend 0.75 per cent of its member countries’ Gross Domestic Product on aid by 2015. Among the beneficiaries of the debt cancellation gesture, 18 were from Africa. In September 2005, the IMF and the World Bank approved the debt package. Although Nigeria was not among the beneficiaries, it nevertheless had 60 per cent of its $30 billion debt totalling $18 billion cancelled by the Paris Club of Creditors, after the country had struck a deal with the creditors and paid $12 billion. However, contrary to the total debt cancellation promised by the G8, the beneficiaries got 65 per cent. Besides, there were reports at that time that 22 countries indeed qualified for debt cancellation through the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) but 18 benefitted from the gesture. In spite of this, the beneficiary countries were compelled to agree to some strict economic conditions imposed by the international financial institutions before they became eligible for debt cancellation. In other words, what G8 gave with the right hand, they took with the left hand. Many observers believe and for me, rightly so that the industrialised nations will always take something in return for whatever assistance they give to countries in need. This is why Nigeria should explore different approaches to solve the Boko Haram insurgency. One of such approaches should be to

If negotiating with the predators will bring back our Chibok girls who have been in captivity for over a year, should we not do it? negotiate with the Boko Haram. Opponents of negotiation will always argue that negotiating with terrorist groups will embolden them to continue with their horrendous acts of violence. But for me, it is preposterous to say government should not negotiate with terrorists and it is high time we lowered the mantra “don’t negotiate with terrorists” into the abyss. If negotiating with the predators will bring back our Chibok girls who have been in captivity for over a year, should we not do it? The only caveat is that no nation worth its salt will negotiate with terrorists from a position of weakness. I must admit that negotiating with terrorists is always a tough choice, convoluted, painful and controversial but at times, it is worthwhile. Some Nigerians never hesitate to hold up America as a model in almost everything, even though I see such blind adulation as vestige of colonialism, it will interest such people to know that America had at different times negotiated with terrorist groups or what they sometimes euphemistically call guerilla groups. Here are a few instances: In 1973, the Viet Cong in South Vietnam captured 1,300 US soldiers during the US/Vietnam war. The US used intermediaries to negotiate with

the Viet Cong. To America, leaving 1,300 soldiers on the battlefield is an act of cowardice. Hence, the move became necessary. Although at the end, only 400 of those soldiers were released. Again in the ‘80s, the radical Shiites in Lebanon took some American hostages. To secure their release, the Ronald Reagan administration not only negotiated their release with the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini but also stole T.O.W. anti-aircraft ammunition from Pentagon warehouses and shipped them to Tehran, the capital of Iran, as part of the deal even though Iran paid for it. At that time, Khomeini and his government were listed as terrorists by the State Department and selling weapons to Iran was highly illegal. In 1985, the Reagan administration also appealed to Israel to free 700 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Americans that were taken captive on a hijacked TWA flight. In 2007, a British IT consultant, Peter Moore and his bodyguards were ambushed by Shiite militiamen in Afghanistan. They were in captivity for 900 days. To get Moore released, the US agreed to free a high profile detainee, Qais alKhazali, a former spokesman for the fiery Iranian Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Before the negotiation was completed, Moore’s bodyguards had been killed. Interestingly, Moore is a civilian and not a military man. The Israelis also did a prisoner swap at 1,000 Palestines to one Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on October 18, 2011. And after five years in captivity in Afghanistan, in 2014, the US let go five Taliban Guantanamo detainees in exchange for US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl. The Obama administration tried to rationalise this negotiation by saying “the Taliban is an armed insurgency” and not in the same league with ISIL, a terrorist group. Insurgency or terrorism is a matter of semantics except if there is a difference between half a dozen and six. If negotiating with Boko Haram will give us peace, President Muhammadu Buhari should consider the option now. Enough of bloodletting!

Politics

‘I’ll miss the people of Nigeria, their humour and hard work’ CONTINUED from PAGE 45

spite of all that, the country is still lagging behind and is not faring well in the comity of nations. What in your opinion can be done to make Nigeria as great as it ought to be? The key issue for me is unity and the sense that I think Nigerians struggle with putting aside local, ethnic and religious differences and seeing themselves as Nigerians. The Nigerian project like the American project is work in progress and this country has gone through and survived some real challenges, particularly the civil war in the 60s. Nigerians were fighting each other but were able to come together the same way that we were after the civil war and repair things and move forward. One of my favourite institutions in Nigeria is the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). This idea that you will send young Nigerians all over the country and they will get to know regions that they wouldn’t know otherwise is a great one. I have heard so many great stories from young Nigerians about their experiences with that. Somebody from Lagos was telling me last night that he has done some service in Katsina and that kind of blew my mind. That is a part of the country

that they hardly knew anything about, they’d never even been to Abuja before and all of a sudden they were in this remote part of their own country. And so building those national institutions with a sense of national identity and the patriotism that goes with that is a very good idea. So if you really believe in Nigeria, you are not going to steal Nigerian resources for your own personal enrichment, you are going to use the resources to develop the country and all the things that go with that national identity. That’s the real challenge I see, otherwise everything is there for this country. It’s got the size, the people and the resources that all it needs is to harness them. Talking about the NYSC, there is a Hawkins call by many for the scraping of the programme because of the Boko Haram having them serve people from different crisis that has led to the death of many regions seems to me to be a wonderful youth corps members in the north. Do idea and I will be very disappointed if you subscribe to that? that didn’t continue. No. I think that will be having Boko Haram win. I am not making decisions On the Boko Haram crisis, what do you about the national youth service corps think can be done to arrest the situabut again I see this as a really viable intion and restore normalcy to the north stitution. Of course the ‘corpers’ should east? be protected and kept safe when they do I’m not an expert in Boko Haram’s their work. But this idea of mixing peoideological or historical origins, alple from different regions together and though it does seem to me that the

group has changed and metastasised a great deal. Even in the short time that I’ve been here, we have seen different Boko Harams coming to the fore. Partly it’s regrettable but partly, it’s a bit in the international environment also. There are all these organisations, whether on the African continent we talk about alShabaab or ISIS that have managed to really twist some fundamental Islamic principles into something that I can’t believe is the original intent of this faith. And that has a certain attraction and I don’t know what we can do to change that. But in Nigeria, there are a few things we can do to weaken Boko Haram. Part of that is security approach and combating them on the battle field as Nigeria is doing and law enforcement approach - hunting down bomb makers and arresting and prosecuting them. But some of it is a much wider engagement with the people in the north east and making sure that those people feel like the government cares about them and is trying to take care of them and as much as possible, providing economic opportunities for them. Those are some ways but not a profound statement on my part, but they are pretty basic but I do think that’s the way forward and will go a long way.

11 JULY 2015

EFCC slams N1.2bn money laundering charge on Oronsaye, others Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday slammed a N1.2 billion money laundering charge against a former Head of Service, Mr. Steve Oronsaye and two others before the Federal High sitting in Abuja. The sum was alleged to have been laundered when Oronsaye was the Head of Civil Service. The other accused persons in the 24-count charge are Osarenkhoe Afe and Frederick Hamilton. Also, a company Global Services Limited was charged alongside the three accused persons.

The 24-count charge among others alleged that the accused persons connived to commit procurement fraud in the biometric enrolment job allegedly awarded to a company, Innovative Solution Limited, without following due process. A source close to the antigraft agency who prefers anonymity told Saturday Telegraph that the accused persons may be arraigned on Monday, adding that the accused persons are presently in the custody of the commission. The source further disclosed that one Abdullai Maina who was supposed to be charged alongside the accused persons is now at large.

Kalu distances self from fake text, email, Facebook messages

ormer governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has again, dissociated himself from some unscrupulous persons using his photographs and other means with the aim of defrauding innocent people. Reacting to the ugly development yesterday, Kalu’s Special Adviser, Prince Kunle Oyewumi, said: “The attention of Dr. Orji Kalu, former Governor of Abia State, has been drawn to the illegal use of his name and pictures by some unidentified persons to defraud the unsuspecting public. “My principal is not in the know of the requests and actions of the faceless persons who are sending

text messages in the name of Orji Uzor Kalu to seek financial assistance from his friends, associates and business partners. “Just recently, Dr. Kalu’s phone numbers were cloned and his email was hacked by fraudsters to perpetrate criminal acts. It is saddening that people could be this lazy and wicked to engage in such a disgraceful and deceitful behaviour as a means of livelihood in a land of legitimate opportunities. “We are by this statement urging the innocent public to ignore these messages so as not to fall victim of scammers while advising the perpetrators of the wicked acts to desist.”

Ondo tribunal dismisses five APC petitions Babatope Okeowo Akure

ive petitions filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidates in the April 11 election against the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates were yesterday dismissed by the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital. The APC petitioners who have their petitions struck out were Akingboye David of Ilaje 1, Smart Omotadewa of Idanre, Akintunde Folajimi of Ondo West 2, Olamide Adesanmi of Ondo East and Olumuyiwa Ojo of Akoko North-East state constituencies. They were challenging the victory of the PDP candidates who were declared winners in the election.

News Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

They PDP candidates who were declared winners of the elections are Abayomi Akinruntan of Ilaje 1, Akintehinwa Tuyi of Idanre, Ifedayo Akinsoyinu of Ondo West 2, Siji Akindiose of Ondo East and Fatai Olotu of Akoko Northeast state constituencies. Justice Anthony Ogar-led tribunal struck out the petitioners’ cases on the ground that they failed to follow the due process of the law and thereby breached the 2010 Electoral Act as amended. The tribunal stated that the petitioners hurriedly applied for pre-hearing notice when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was one of the defendants, had not filed in its defence. However, reacting to the ruling, Counsel to the APC, Dr Tunji Abayomi vowed to challenge the tribunal's decision at the appellate court.

UYO MAIDUGURI Heads of LGs take over A’ Maiduguri airport re-opens Commercial flight resumed yesterday at Ibom councils the Maiduguri International Airport by

NEWS IN BRIEF

Following the dissolution of local government councils by the state House of Assembly, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, yesterday directed Heads of Local Government Service (HOLGS) in the 31 area councils of the state to take charge of administration of the councils pending the constitution of a transition committee to oversee the affairs of the councils. This directive which takes effect from yesterday warned former council chairmen to comply and work with their various HOLGS for a smooth hand over of government, urging them to return all government property in their care.

352.5m

The estimated total population of Northern America in 2012. Source: Un.org

Med-View airline, after it was closed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the military following the Boko Haram attacks on the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base on December 2, 2013. Speaking at the resumption of flights yesterday, Governor Kashim Shettima, said: “This a very great day for the people of Borno State, as their airport has been finally re-opened by authorities of FAAN to resume full local and international flights, including the airlifting of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. “This bears testimony to the cordial relationship between the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari and the state government. It was quite regrettable for over six million people to be denied flight services because of the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East."

$577m

The estimated brand value of Liverpool in 2015. Source: Goal.com

IKOYI Ambode promises creation of jobs in hospitality sector

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday said his administration would take advantage of the potential available in the hospitality sector to create jobs for youths in the state. Ambode said this at the official opening of The George Hotel, a hospitality centre in Ikoyi, Lagos. He said the government would expand the frontiers of the hospitality industry in the state so as to attract investment. According to him, the current economic realities in the country have made it necessary for the state to develop the non-oil sector to ensure sustainable revenue source. “This occasion has reaffirmed the status of Lagos State as the first choice destination of investment. It also confirms the untapped opportunities in tourism and hospitality sector,” he said.

114,347

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of Bahamas in 2000. Source: Itu.int

'Iyaloja’s killers disguised as politicians' PROMISE

The police have vowed to unmask killers of 82-year-old Elewuju . Kunle Olayeni

Abeokuta

resh facts emerged yesterday on how the killers of the late Iyaloja-General of Ijebuland, Alhaja Sadiat Elewuju, was murdered at her Itorin-Sabo-Molode residence in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State on Wednesday. Saturday Telegraph gathered that the assailants, numbering six, had disguised as politicians who had come to discuss some political matters with the 82-year-old woman. It was learnt that the unsuspecting market leader did not recognise her visitors but notwithstanding, welcomed them warmly. According to family sources, the unknown visi-

tors asked the late Elewuju to give them some food and she obliged. The Iyaloja-General was said to have directed her driver to immediately fetch the food items at the market because no one else was at home to run errands. It was after the driver's departure that the assailants hacked Elewuju to death and subsequently escaped from the scene. It was further learnt that the deceased, until her death, was an active player in the politics of the state and wielded tremendous influence among market women. Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, who assumed duty barely 48 hours ago, yesterday vowed to unmask the killers of the late Elewuju, after he visited the Ijebu-Ode residence of the slain Iyaloja. He was accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation and

Intelligence Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, Shina Olukolu; Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Bello Makwashi, and Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, among others. The new police commissioner arrived the house of the deceased at Sabo about 10:20a.m. He observed that the way and manner the Iyaloja was murdered was unacceptable, adding that this prompted the police authorities to launch immediate investigation. He assured the family members of the deceased that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would be fished out and brought to justice. Ali promised to apprehend the culprits within one week, saying all hands would be on deck to unravel the killing. He also ordered the deployment of additional anticrime teams, including anticultism and kidnapping, anti-robbery, Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) and

Operation Safer Highway. He said: “It is an unfortunate incident that has happened and I'm here on behalf of the Inspector General of Police and the entire police force to commiserate with the family and to assure them of the police on the incident. “This is to reassure the family and the entire people of the state that our investigation and intelligence network has been spread across the state. Very soon, we will make headway. I'm assuring you that as soon as those behind the crime are caught, we will let you know.” Responding, the younger brother to the deceased, Alhaji Gani Sote, expressed appreciation to the police command for its prompt response. His sibling, Mr. Omololu Lawal, also commended the new police commissioner and the entire command for its professionalism and assurances of arresting the culprits.

Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of Daily Telegraph Publishing Company, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, presenting a copy of New Telegraph to the Chief Executive Officer, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Mr. Christophe Penninck, during a courtesy visit by Egbemode to the company in Lagos…yesterday PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

News Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

IKOYI Buhari will do well, says Ademowo

N EWS I N BRIEF

Bishop Emeritus of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rev. Adebola Ademowo, has said he knows President Muhammadu Buhari will do well in spite of the impatience among Nigerians. Ademowo, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday, said Buhari was only being thorough in view of the fact that change was a gradual process. “They (Nigerians) shouldn’t be impatient at all because the man is just going from one step to another and I know that he is going to do well. President Buhari is a very thorough person, he is as straight as a ruler, and he has started work, so, the man is going to take us out of the woods."

GUSAU Zamfara spends N9.6bn on MDGs

Zamfara State Government yesterday said it had spent about N9.6 billion under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) intervention programmes in the last 15 years. The state’s MDGs Focal Officer, Alhaji Rilwanu Zurmi, said this at a stakeholders meeting in preparation for the MDGs exit by the end of the year organised by an NGO, Save the Children, in Gusau. Represented by Alhaji Abdurrazak Moriki from the MDGs office, Zurmi said the sum was made up of over N4.6 billion accessed from the Federal Government. “The MDGs in the state also constructed 363 hand pumps, 62 solar-powered boreholes and three semi-urban water supply schemes,” he said.

43.09%

The percentage of international football players in France in 2009-2010 season. Source: Football-observatory.com

33.9

The number of mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of the world in 2005. Source: Itu.int

ENUGU Ugwuanyi, deputy undergo bio-metric data capturing

Enugu State Governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, have undergone numerical bio-metric data capturing, which is in line with the state’s public service directive to be eligible to earn their salaries. They were captured at the State Treasury House, Office of the Accountant General, Ministry of Finance, Enugu. Shortly after undergoing the compulsory exercise, Ugwuanyi expressed delight over the exercise, noting that he and his deputy were now eligible public servants that could be earning their salaries along with other workers in the state public service. In his remarks, the Accountant General of the state, Mr. Pascal Okolie, said the governor and his deputy were now eligible to earn their salaries monthly, adding that the arrears for the month of June would be paid along with that of July.

N236.8m

The IGR realized from other revenue sources of Niger State in 2010. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

NCC hails New Telegraph, congratulates new MD Mojeed Alabi

he national regulatory agency for the telecommunications industry- Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC), has congratulated the Managing Director and Editor-inChief of Daily Telegraph Publishing Limited, publisher of New Telegraph titles, Mrs. Funke Egbemode and pledged its readiness to partner the newspaper to build a just society. This was conveyed in a congratulatory message addressed to Egbemode and signed by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs Department, Mr. Tony Ojobo. Ojobo said the new MD was a round peg in a round hole as she was expected to bring her wealth of experience to bear in the manage-

ment of the newspaper. The statement reads in part: “I write on behalf of the board, management and staff of the NCC to congratulate you for a welldeserved appointment as Managing Director of Daily Telegraph Publishing Limited, a member of the fast growing media empire of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.” The director, who described Egbemode as a humourist, said with her writing style, she has touched serious human issues and has “built in laughter a weapon to ease tension despite perceived human feelings.” “We at the NCC are happy to associate with you and your newspaper and want to assure you of our readiness to partner with your fast growing national daily,” the statement added.

INEC releases Kogi, Bayelsa guber elections Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

L-R: Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. Samia Zekaria Gutu; Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, during Gutu’s courtesy visit to Saraki in Abuja…yesterday.

Pipeline explosion kills 12, injures three in Bayelsa Chris Ejim

A Yenagoa

t least 12 oil workers have been reported dead following a pipeline explosion which

occurred on Thursday at Agip’s oil fields in Azuzuama in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Saturday Telegraph gathered that three others were injured in the explosion at

PUBLIC NOTICE

HEALTH CAREINTERNATIONAL AND SUPPORT ORGANISATION SEAT OFSENSITIZATION AMAZING GRACE MINISTRY This is to inform the general public that the above named ORGANISATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for incorporation under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990. THE TRUSTEES: 1. BABALOLA MOJIBOLA ARINOLA - CHAIRMAN 2. BABALOLA IFEOLUWAPO AYOMIKUN - SECRETARY 3. FASAN EMILY OLURANTI 4. JEJE ADUNOLA FLORENCE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote awareness and sensitization on healthy living. 2. To provide free healthcare for the weak, feeble and aged. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, District Abuja, within 28 days of this publication. Signed: TRUSTEES

an oil spill site operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) where a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was ongoing. Officials of NAOC, representatives of the host community and the state Ministry of Environment were investigating the cause of a recent oil spill in the area since Eni has a joint venture with Nigeria's state oil company. A statement issued by Eni’s spokesman, Mr. Filipo Cotalini, which is the parent company of NAOC, said the cause of the explosion was being investigated. “Eni informs that an explosion occurred yesterday (Thursday, July 9) late afternoon, at the site of the repair works of the Tebidaba-Clough Creek line, an oil pipeline in Nigeria’s onshore Niger Delta, previously damaged by acts of sabotage. “The explosion resulted in the death of 12 members of the maintenance team of

a local company oil services, with three others being injured. The causes of the incident are still under investigation by both Eni and the local authorities. The company expresses its deepest condolences to the families involved in this tragic accident,” the firm stated. Meanwhile, an environmental activist, Morris Alagoa, whose colleague had travelled to the scene, yesterday said the authorities were still combing the area for bodies. “Four bodies were seen floating on the river today as the search continues,” Alagoa told Reuters. Commenting on the incident, the state Commissioner for the Ministry of the Environment, Iniro Wills, said the cause was still being investigated and one of his staff was still missing. “Three victims rescued are now at the hospital. Two were severely burnt,” Wills said.

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States on November 21 and December respectively. The commission also fixed the commencement of political campaigns in Kogi state from July 24 to November 19 while in Bayelsa State political campaigns will start from September 6 to December 3. In a statement yesterday by Dr. Chris IIyimoga, chairman, information and voter education committee, said: "Formal notices of the elections shall be issued on or before August 23 and September 5, respectively, in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended)."

The statement said: "Campaign by political parties shall commence on July 24 and end on November 30 in Kogi and September 6 terminating on December 3 in Bayelsa State. "Political parties are to note that campaigns outside these periods are unlawful and violators are liable to prosecution. "The political parties and aspirants are to further note that the conduct of the party primaries to nominate candidates for election shall be between August 25 and September 15 for Kogi and September 7 and 30 for Bayelsa State, while the last day for submission of the list of candidates (CF002) and the personal particulars of such candidates (CF001) for governorship and deputy governorship candidates, shall be November 14 (Kogi) and October 7 (Bayelsa)."

Stakeholder calls for science, technology devt

he Coordinator, Ehbun Educational Services, Mr. Uwagboe Eghosa, has called on the federal government to intensify effort in the development of science and technology in order to reduce the rate of the country’s dependence on foreign nations. He said this during the organisation’s second edition of quiz competition in mathematics, science and technology for primary schools held on Saturday, at Agbede, Ikorodu, Lagos State. Eghosa said lack of adequate funding, recognition, appreciation and patronage of locally-made equipment had been the bane of development of science and technology in the country. “Lackof funds, recognition and Nigerian govern-

ment not having confidence in the country’s professional engineers have been a major problem in facilitating the level of technological development. “Will involve funding, encouragement of stakeholders from all walks of life, even from our schools – primary to tertiary institutions should be adequately funded,” he added. Speaking on the quiz competition, Coordinator, Human Resource Development Consult, Daniel Ojeomogha, said there had been an improvement in the performance of students this year compared to that of last year, but said a lot should be done to enhance quality in the teaching of mathematics and science-based subjects.

11 JULY 2015

Work hard, Saraki urges National Assembly management Chukwu David Abuja

he President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, has called on the management of the National Assembly to uphold the principles of merit, fairness and hard work in all their undertakings. The President of the Senate gave the admonition at an interactive session with the National Assembly management, led by the Clerk, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa. Saraki explained that he offered the advice because of the imperativeness of rewarding hard work and being fair to all in order to increase productivity among the staff. He said it was important for the bureaucracy to bring their experience to bear on their activities in

support of the 8th Senate's determination to deliver on its mandate to Nigerians. The Senate President said: “Our success depends on your cooperation, support and commitment. We appreciate your role and contributions to this institution. Many of you have been here for many years and have been contributing your own quota to national development. “We are at the beginning of our tenure of four years and it is our hope that we can work together as partners in the interest of the progress of this great country of ours." “I think we have all seen from the last elections that the desire of Nigerians all over the country is the need for change, the need to move away from the business as usual habit and the need for us to try and reposition this country."

Ex-Law School DG, Banire, 19 others make SAN list Tunde Oyesina Abuja

he immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Law School (NLS), Dr. Tahir Mamman, the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire and 19 others were yesterday announced as having made the list of lawyers who would be conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Presenting the list to journalists in Abuja, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, who also doubles as the Secretary of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, Ahmed Gambo Saleh, said a total of 124 lawyers applied for the post. Others who made the list are Edward Kunav Ashieka, Benson Sopulu Nwankwo, Joseph Sunday

Bamigboye, Patrick Ocheja Okolo and Professor Maxwell Micheal Gidado. Also on the list are Dr. Akinpelu Theophilus Onigbinde, Ibrahim Kanje Bawa, Samuel Otseilu Zibiri, Adeniyi Ayodele Adegbonmire, Aderibigbe Ade Adedeji, Emmanuel Chinwenwo, Emeka Benson Etiaba and Abimbola Ibironke Akeredolu. Others are Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Gordy Uche, Uchechukwu Valentine Obi, Kehinde Kolawole Eleja, Professor Paul Oboarenegbe Idornigie and Dr. Oladapo Olumide Olanipekun. Out the 21 lawyers qualified, three are from the academia, while 18 were into advocacy. Saleh, however, said the swearing-in of the new SANs would come on September 21 at a special court session to mark the new legal year.

Ebonyi govt appeals to workers

he Secretary to Ebonyi State Government (SSG), Prof. Benard Odoh, has appealed to workers in the state to be patient with the administration of Governor Dave Umahi, stating that he has their good at heart. Odoh, who made the appeal while inaugurating the committee on Labour Salary Resolution yesterday, at the Government House, Abakaliki, said it was sad that the state was indebted to its workers. “We are not happy with the non-payment of workers’ salaries for the past two months. It is not our fault either. The dwindling revenue from the Federal Allocation has dropped significantly. What we have as our wage bill for

News Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

LG is N1.8 billion whereas our allocation is N1.3 billion. So, we have N500 million deficits. The truth of the matter is that everybody has to face the reality of the moment. The real and hard fact is that what comes from the FAAC is not enough to pay the current wage bill.” The SSG noted that the challenge was not only peculiar to the state but to about 22 States of the Federation, which were owing more than four months salaries to their workers. The committee has among its terms of reference to dialogue with all the relevant stakeholders in the state and local governments to ensure that salaries of civil servants were paid promptly among others.

ASABA ABEOKUTA Tribunal dismisses MPPP Ogboru drops motion to inspect election materials petition against Amosun

NEWS IN BRIEF

The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the just concluded governorship election in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru, yesterday made a dramatic u-turn during proceedings at the state governorship Election Petition Tribunal when he withdrew a motion on notice seeking to inspect election materials. Ogboru, through his counsel, Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN), had approached the tribunal urging it to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make available and allow for inspection of materials used in the conduct of April governorship election in the state.

490,000 The projected number of Americans above 65 years with Alzheimer’s in Texas by 2025. Source: Alz.org

The Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta yesterday struck out the petition filed by the Mega Progressive People's Party (MPPP) challenging the electoral victory of Governor Ibikunle Amosun in the April 11 governorship election. Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Henry Olusiyi, while ruling on three motions on notice filed before the panel challenging the competence of the MPPP petition, ruled that the petition was incurably incompetent. The three motions were filed before the tribunal by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Amosun and the Deputy Governor, Chief Yetunde Onanuga.

APAPA 37 ships laden with petroleum products berth in Lagos

Thirty-seven ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected in Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos from July 10 to 25, up from 29 ships which berthed on Thursday. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said yesterday in Lagos that the ships contained general cargo, crude palmoline, bulk salt, bulk rice, buck wheat, diesel, petrol, bulk gypsum, frozen fish, bulk sugar, bulk gas and containers. NPA said six other ships had arrived the ports waiting to discharge bulk rice, diesel and petrol. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 22 other ships at the ports are discharging buck wheat, general cargo, base oil, bulk urea, bulk rice, containers, petrol and diesel.

418,590

The total number of votes scored by APC in the South South zone in the presidential election of Nigeria in 2015. Source: INEC

The sex ratio of men to 100 women in the 60+ age group in Croatia in 2012. Source: Un.org

Edo lost N10bn in revenue under Jonathan –Oshiomhole

Anule Emmanuel

G Abuja

overnor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State yesterday revealed that his state lost about N10 billion in revenue over the past four years under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. He said the monies did not accrue to the State because of the failure of government then to share proceeds from the Federation Account. Speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja Oshiomole said the loss in federal revenue suffered by Edo State, and others was because the Jonathan government did not share with the states all federally collected revenues as required by law.

The governor had met the President along side former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi. Oshiomhole gave the example of the $1.6 billion remitted last Month by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) firm and smaller amounts by Shell and others as taxes, and which were only shared for the first time as bailout to the three tiers of government. According to him, if the remittances had been done under the Jonathan administration, with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the finance minister, the money would not have gotten to the states. He concluded that his state alone, which he described as one of the lowest federal revenue earners, would have received up to N10 billion over a period of the last four years if NLNG taxes were shared

out to states. The governor commended the new approach to transparency and respect for regulations adopted by the new administration of President Buhari, a reason the governors are happy with him. "It is not just about the bail-out but it is completely a new approach that anybody who is a stakeholder in the matters involving the funds of the federation can see through everything. "What was extraordinary is that the NLNG has over the years been remmitting funds to the federal government but the federal government illegally refused to transfer these funds to the consolidated revenue fund which belongs to the three tiers of government. "All that President Buhari has done, in line with his commitments to ensuring that all funds and monies accruing to the federa-

tion account are so remitted, is that he has directed the CBN to transfer the funds to the consolidated account. "And our commissioners along with federal officials met last week to share those funds in line with the revenue allocation formula. If this money had come under the last President, it will have gone the same way as in previous years. The governor said: "The NLNG is not starting fresh to remit. It has been doing that every year plus taxes paid by, I think Shell, amounting to about $500 million added to the amount of $1.6 billion from NLNG that total to the amount of $2.1 billion. And that was the money that was shared. "That was why the correction was made when a section of the media reported that we have collected money from Excess Crude Account."

Former Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi (left) and Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, during their visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja… yesterday PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

News Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

OSOGBO 'Gay marriage is demonic'

N EWS I N BRIEF

The Diocesan Bishop of Osun North East Diocese, Church of Nigeria, Rt. Rev Humphrey Olumakaiye, yesterday said gay marriage was demonic and therefore, warned President Muhammadu Buhari against its introduction and approval in the country. He also said gay marriage was anti-Christ which should not be legalised by any government in power in the country. Olumakaiye, who said this while speaking with journalists in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, said gay practice, was against the will of God. He warned that gay marriages should be abolished and discouraged in any sane society, saying it was unbiblical. “We are not partners with churches, denominations and sets that involve themselves in this act for it is demonic. Those people already in the act are already influenced by demonic spirit and all efforts should be made to bring them out of the demonic bondage.

2 The number of penalty goals scored by Colombia in Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Fifa.com

IKEJA APC flays Ekweremadu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said what Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu interpreted as the worsening cases of Boko Haram attacks under the current administration are actually the desperate pangs of a dying monster. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said if the distinguished Senator had leveraged his high office to get the necessary information from those involved in the Boko Haram fight, especially the Nigerian military, he would not have made the kind of partisan and incautious comments attributed to him and which he has not denied.

ABEOKUTA Primus Torchbearers elects officers

The Primus Torchbearers, Abeokuta, a socio-cultural association, has elected new officials to look after its affairs with Mr. Soji Amusan as the president while Prince Wole Adeyanju is the vice-president. Other elected officials include Sunday Sofolahan (general secretary), Babs Ogunleye (assistant general secretary), Mr. Femi Sofela (financial secretary) and Alhaji Gbolahan Sheteolu (treasurer). Others are Chief Sofolahan Adesoye (auditor), Chief Mutiu Soremekun (social secretary) and Wale Sotunde (welfare officer). The club is aimed at making positive contributions to the social and economic welfare of the people.

N332.55m

384

The total capital importation value of the Telecommunication sector in 2011. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

The number of refugees in South Africa at the beginning of 2010. Source: Blatantworld.com

N8bn CBN scam: 'Suspect has hole in heart' Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

here was a devastating revelation yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital when Justice Olayinka Faaji of the Federal High Court, Ibadan Division, was told that one of the suspects in the N8 billion mutilated currency fraud suit before him has a hole in the heart. The N8 billion case involves some staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other commercial banks who were alleged to have diverted the mutilated sum meant to be destroyed. Yakubu Ruba, who is the counsel for the suspect, Oni Dolapo, told Justice Faaji that his client was diagnosed with hypertensive heart disease at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and was unable to make it to the court because of his ill health. He tendered a letter from the hospital stating that the hospital had no facility to treat him immediately. Ruba also made oral application, praying the court to allow his client to be taken to Lagos for treatment. Oni Dolapo, Afolabi Olunike, Ademola Adewale

and Omotosho Abimbola, who is now at large, who are standing trial for economic crime involving N1.7b are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Faaji, however, frowned at the oral manner the application was brought by the counsel, saying he was not informed that Dolapo was being taken to the hospital for treatment and diagnosis by the prison management. To him, there was no point seeking his approval for his transfer to Lagos. Ruba told journalists after the proceeding that his client deserved the best treatment to stand a chance of continuing with the trial. He said: “My client is seriously sick with a hole in the heart in prison custody, but the court insisted that we should come properly and unfortunately the court is going on vacation today until around September 15 before the court resumes.” In another instance, Justice Faaji has ruled against the prayer of one of the counsels for the accused persons, Olalekan Ojo, who indicated his intention to withdraw from the case on the ground of bias.

International tourism records 332 million visitors in Q1 Andrew Iro Okungbowa

G L-R: President, Campaign for Democracy and Women rsie, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; former National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and President, Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), Mrs. Hasfat Abiola-Costello, after a solidarity visit to Kanu in Lagos…yesterday

Ex-militants petition Buhari over non-payment of allowances Chris Ejim

Yenagoa

cores of ex-militant leaders from the nine states of the Niger Delta region yesterday sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged cases of disenchantment and threats to the existing peace accord by some aggrieved youths over the delay by the Federal Government to pay allowances and tuition fees to beneficiaries of the amnesty deal. The ex-militant leaders were led by one Pastor Reuben Wilson, who is popularly known as General Pastor in Bayelsa State. He said though series of complaints and prayers had been sent to President Buhari over the deplor-

able conditions of some of the amnesty beneficiaries in Europe, United States and South Africa without response, he added that the delay in payment was throwing up security issues and disenchantment among the ex-militants. According to the letter sent to President Buhari and made available to journalists in Yenagoa, the ex-militant leaders said the letter sent to the President was to draw his attention to the issues in the region and the urgent need to address them through the Presidential Amnesty Office. “Worst of their situation is the unpredictability of when their nightmare will end while hunger and deprivation have put them in a very bad state of mind. Your Excellency, you will recall that this programme

had within the last few years brought relative stability to our region and by extension this country. This we owe to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who in his wisdom proclaimed amnesty for exagitators and drew a plan of action towards ensuing lasting peace in the region through various training programmes. “Thus with the acceptance and commencement of the programme our production of oil drastically increased from a paltry 900,000 barrel a day to over 2,000,000 barrels a day while issues of kidnapping and pipeline destruction became minimal. This upsurge brought increase in our national income. “As parts of the programme, some of the exagitators have been suc-

cessfully trained in various skills, other are still engaged in trainings while others in formal education are in higher institutions of learning in Europe, Nigeria and West Africa."

lobal tourism has continued its remarkable growth as international tourist arrivals (overnight stay) records 332 million in first quarter of the year (January/April). This is 16 million more than the figure recorded in the same period in 2014 and translating into four per cent growth rate with all the regions of the world befitting from the growth. Americas led the growth rate with +6% while Africa recorded a decline. This development was reported in the latest United Nations World Organisation (UNWTO) Barometre result, a body which is charged with tracking the performance of the sector globally.

UNWTO Secretary General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, in his response described the performance as not only the continuous historic growth of the sector over the last one decade but also a testimony of the resilience economic factor of tourism. “It is encouraging to see the tourism sector consolidating its excellent results despite security concerns and unrest in many parts of our world. This underscores that tourism is a surprisingly resilient economic sector which increasingly contributes to development in many countries around the globe,’’ he said. He added that: “For national governments, it is a reminder that tourism can be part of the solution to foster socio-economic development and job creation.”

Pensioners dissociate self from crises in Osun

group of pensioners in Osun State under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Pensioners Triangular Group (NUPTG) have distanced themselves from what they called the antiGovernor Rauf Aregbesola’s protest rally in Osogbo over the unpaid workers’ and pensioners’ salaries. The pensioners at a press briefing said it was necessary to dissociate themselves from politically motivated protest said to be embarked on by some people alleged to be pensioners.

The group headed by Mr. Rotimi Adelugba, said all those who were protesting on behalf of the pensioners were a group allegedly sponsored by the opposition parties in the state. The pensioners’ boss said with the bailout announced by the Federal Government, the state would soon get out of the financial lockjam. “We dissociate ourselves from the politically motivated pensioners' protest in Osun. The protesting group is alleged to have been sponsored by some opposition

political parties who do not want the state to be peaceful. We appreciate the good governance and the developmental strides of Aregbesola in the past five years. “We make bold to say that he has been fair to the pensioners, having implemented 142 percent increase in pension from N200 million monthly to N520 million. We express solidarity with the governor and pray that God will help him to steer the ship of the state safely and successfully,” he said.

Sport Extra 55

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

11 JULY 2015

Iloenyosi backs Oliseh for Eagles Sport � Says Keshi deserves what he got Slaming

Adekunle Salami

former international, Chikelue Illoenyosi, has thrown his weight behind the Nigeria Football Federation over the plan to engage Sunday Oliseh as the head coach of the Super Eagles. The NFF gave Stephen Keshi the sack just a week ago and the football body is in advanced talks with another former skipper of the team, Oliseh, to take charge of the national team. Iloenyosi, who knows the two coaches very well said on Friday that the decision of the NFF was good for football development in Nigeria. He said: “Oliseh is going to work hard not only for today but the future of the team. We are tired of the average results and inconsistency in the Eagles. I believe Oliseh with get it right because he has integrity and will not compromise on merits. “What we need to shape Eagles is a coach with strong personality and discipline. Oliseh has that and I am very optimistic of a good tenure for him.” On the circumstances that led to the sacking of Keshi, Illoenyosi, a former Eagles defender said the former Togo coach deserved what he got. “He was not listening to other

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

Don’t cry for Keshi

I Ahmed Musa (left) of the Super Eagles during a match

coaches or his colleagues who played together with him. That is very funny because nobody can know everything. When Samson Siasia was there, the former players were free with him and they were making input to help the national team. “Keshi sees us as people who know nothing. I cannot weep for him. He deserves it by not following the

Baba-Ali charges management, coaches to save Kogi Utd

presidential aspirant under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming Kogi State election, Suleiman Baba-Ali, has charged the management and coach of Kogi United to safe the team from relegation. Baba-Ali stressed that all efforts should be made to ensure the team either gain promotion to the elite league in the country or at least retain its status in the Nigeria National League. He said: “The people of Kogi are lovers of football and they deserve better that what they are getting in sports generally. “It is totally unacceptable that the team is now bottom of the table in their group. There is need for urgent response to save

the team. I am so worried.” A former international, Abdul Sule, was named chairman of the team recently while a former coach of Supreme FC Abuja, Fatai Osho, was also named the coach only two weeks ago. “I can see the effort of government in trying to save the team and so the handlers should work hard together with the players to get us the right results,” Baba-Ali added.

Baba-Ali

terms of contract. After his sacking, we are going to make progress with Eagles because the new man will not apply sentiments and he will listen to his colleagues,” he added. Oliseh has already picked a Belgian, Jean Francois Losciuto, as his foreign technical assistant as the NFF prepares to unveil him next week in Abuja.

Olabiyi joins Houston Dynamo Charles Ogundiya

hooting Stars of Ibadan midfielder, Rasheed Olabiyi, has teamed up with Major League Soccer side, Houston Dynamo, for an undisclosed fee. The club announced on its official website the signing of the Nigerian midfielder, but the terms of the transaction were not disclosed. He will be added to the Dynamo roster as a discovery immediately. The central midfielder represented Nigeria at the

Under-17, U-20 and U-23 levels and was a 2014 Nigeria Premier League Best XI selection. A native of Ibadan, Olabiyi was a two-time MVP (2006, 2007) of the Lagosbased Pepsi Football Academy, which featured Chelsea midfielder Obi Mikel and Monaco defender Elderson Echiejile in its youth ranks. “We’re pleased to welcome Rasheed to the Houston Dynamo,” Dynamo vice president/general manager Matt Jordan said in a statement.

Djokovic through to fourth Wimbledon final

he defending champion, Novak Djokovic, defeated Richard Gasquet 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4 Friday on Centre Court to make his way into the championship match at the All England Club for the third straight year. Djokovic handled Gasquet's fantastic backhand well enough to keep the 21st-seeded Frenchman from pulling off another upset. Gasquest eliminated fourth-seeded Stan Wawrinka in the previous round.

Djokovic

In Sunday's final, Djokovic will face either Roger Federer or Andy Murray.

Diamond League: Gatlin beats Powell,Gay

merican Justin Gatlin ran the joint secondfastest time of 2015 to beat Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay in the men's 100m at the Diamond League in Lausanne. The 33-year-old, who has served two doping bans, ran in 9.75 seconds ahead of next month's world championships. Powell and Gay both ran 9.92 seconds, while Usain

Bolt was out injured, although the Olympic champion plans to defend his world title in Beijing. Gatlin's countryman Gay and Jamaican Powell have also failed drug tests. Gay, 32, served a oneyear ban after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid in 2013, while Powell, 32, served a six-month ban after testing positive for a banned stimulant in 2013.

Gatlin, who set the best 100m time of the year with 9.74 seconds in May, had an eight-year suspension halved to four years after testing positive for testosterone in 2006, five years after first failing a drugs test in 2001. "I love this track," he said. "Last year I ran 9.79 seconds, and this year there was more competition. "It's always good to face

the best - it's like a heavyweight boxing match. That's what I want to do."

Gatlin

n life, it is important to tread with caution and be meek. Position notwithstanding, humble people are appreciated in the society. After the sacking of Super Eagles Head Coach Stephen Keshi last week, the reactions that trailed the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation were shocking. Those expected to stand up for the coach never did and so generally, his exit was a case of good radiance… Many of his colleagues came out openly in support of his sacking. The football coaches association headed by Bitrus Bewarang blamed Keshi for being the architect of his own downfall. The body accused Keshi of alienating himself from his fellow coaches. “He is not a member and because he never wanted anything to do with the coaches association despite several attempts to make him join the body, we cannot fault the NFF for its action because we do not know the terms of Keshi’s contract,” Bewarang said. There were two major sins that led to the termination of Keshi’s contract. Keshi’s offence Number One: A ‘strange’ player was on the bench during the Nigeria, Chad match. The player, Gabriel Okechukwu of Water FC Abuja, also wore the iconic No 10 jersey and when Keshi was verbally asked how the player became part of the team, his response was said to be unconvincing. This was a clear case of racketeering. The player was said to have exhibited great skills at training but he shouldn’t have made it to the bench when he was not part of those listed for the match. Offence Number Two: The name of the 'Big Boss' was in a 60-man shortlist released by the Ivoirian football federation for the Elephant of Cote d’Ivoire job. Keshi denied ever submitting his CV for the job. When he appeared before a disciplinary panel, he again vehemently denied applying for the job either in person or through his agents. However, the disciplinary committee of the NFF went as far as travelling to Cote d’Ivoire to get documents that indicted the Eagles Head Coach. It was confirmed that Keshi applied and also attempted to withdraw his application when there was heat on him over the emergence of his name on the shortlist. The first offence was unprofessional but I still believe the issue of applying for a job could have been better handled if all was well between the federation and the former Hawks of Togo coach. Keshi played into the hands of the NFF chieftains cheaply. It was clear from the start that the current board was not comfortable to work with Keshi. He waited for nine months to get the job even when many people felt he should have walked away from the job. A former Director General of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Patrick Ekeji, who was also a former international, said he was not surprised that Keshi got the sack. “It was obvious the NFF had no confidence in him and it is difficult to prove otherwise. NFF should have taken that decision long ago to save us all the drama and suspense,” Ekeji said. Unknown to many Nigerians, the contract Keshi signed with the NFF states that he must not attempt to get another job without telling his employers about it. This particular aspect of the contract was used to nail the Big Boss as the federation felt the coach was not committed to the job. It was also believed that Keshi was trying to get another job with a plan of slapping Nigeria in the face with a resignation letter after getting the nod from the Ivoirians. I felt sorry for Keshi but it is obvious he lost his job due to his arrogance and idiosyncratic disposition. At his level, he is supposed to have friends even in the Glass House and on the board of the NFF but that was not the case with the former Eagles Skipper. After former President Goodluck Jonathan lost his re-election bid, it was obvious his friends in the corridors of power will no longer be able to save him. Rather than tread with care, he again played into the hands of his employers who were happy to get rid of him. Keshi is the architect of his own misfortune. However, with the exit of the Big Boss at a time the country should be concentrating on the AFCON qualifiers, the NFF should be ready to carry the cross for any failure.

DESTINATION

Kano: A once buoyant enclave in a state of reversal

P.42

SATURDAY

Perspectives

Sanctity of Truth

Boko Haram, Buhari and G7’s promise

p.50

SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2015

N150

serena

slam on the cards

Adekunle Salami erena Williams is on the verge of becoming the greatest ever female tennis player in history. In concrete terms she has all it takes to achieve this. With 20 Gland Slam wins, she is in the third spot on the list of all-time winners. She trails only Steffi Graf (22) and Margaret Court (24). In the Open Era, she is second behind Graf. It is amazing that at 33 Serena is getting better rather than declining. Serena has won the last three Grand Slam tournaments (US Open 2014, Australian Open 2015 and French Open 2015) and has a slam winning streak of 22 consecutive matches. Today, if the American wins the Wimbledon title, it will mark the second “Serena Slam” of her career . She achieved the first between 2002 and 2003. Winning the four Grand Slam titles consecutively is referred to as personal slam tagged to the player’s name. It is interesting to note that in the ongoing Wimbledon, Serena met sister, Venus in the fourth round and won 6-4,6-3. Against Victoria Azarenka in the quarters, she came back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. In the semifinal on Thursday, Serena easily defeated Maria Sharapova in

straight sets of 6-2, 6-4. She was thrilled to reach her 25th Grand Slam final, saying: "I'm so excited. I got a bit nervous because it was a semifinal and it's a long time since I've been this far." She now has 18-2 advantage over the Russian in the head-to-head table. It is always a grudge match between Serena and Sharapova apparently because the boyfriend of the Sharapova, Grigor Dimitrov, was formerly Serena’s lover Serena is very good with big serves which sometimes lead to double fault. She is also good with ground strokes, precise volleys and amazing passing shots. Above all, her calmness on the court is a big plus as she uses the maturity to get herself off difficult situations. Today, 21-year-old Garbine Muguruza of Spain will be standing between Serena and her attempt to complete another Slam with a Wimbledon win. It is the first Grand Slam final for Muguruza but she cannot be underrated after getting this far. She was the one who sent Serena out of French Open last year. So, it not impossible for her to be a spoiler today. The two finalists are quite hot on current form but the American has enough experience to achieve the Serena Slam! One more thing: The winner of the Wimbledon takes home £1.8m.

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: (Lagos 09029281425), (Abuja 08055118488) Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: Laurence ani.