Sunday, september 18, 2016

Lagos community where }8&9 cows live with men

Frozen $31m: Dame Patience }13 can be prosecuted -Senator, CSO

SUNDAY Sunday, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 Vol. 3 No. 942

Sanctity of Truth

/newtelegraph

N150

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

nnamdi Kanu critically ill -IPOB ‘This condition started while in the DSS custody, when he lost a lot of blood through the nose as a result of the physical and mental torture he was subjected to’

‘We don’t beat inmates; we have close to sixty-eight thousand prisoners in our custody’ }4

Reign of terror

Nine landlords, trainer, kidnapped lFarmers, six-month-old abducted in Lagos }3

NURSE TITI

Why I didn’t act nude }41

NEWS PDP forced our girls into prostitution abroad -Edo APC Women }7

Nigeria now more divided than ever -Musdapher }3

2

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Contents | 18.09.16 BODY & SOUL

Defending financial ethics CEO of Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Mr. Jim Obazee, shares his thoughts on the state of the economy and fond memories of his childhood

}17

POLITICS

Change and national rebirth Despite its controversies, President Muhammadu Buhari’s “Change Begins With Me,” reopens a new vista in the clamour for patriotism and nationalism

}21

BUSINESS

Budget funding Analysts say Nigeria can double its public tax revenue if every Nigerian and corporate organisation pay their tax as required by law

}43

FAITH

Operation Crocodile Smile

SPORT

Wake up call

Continued military action in Niger Delta while some eminent Nigerians are working to broker peace with the militants leaves much to be desired

}32 National team legend, Mutiu Adepoju, calls on Super Eagles stars to wake up from their slumber in order to help raise the standard of the national team

}29

Magazine

Living with cows Why residents of Oko-Oba, the host community of the biggest abattoir in Lagos State, may continue to dwell with cattle and the attendant pollution and vices they attract

}8&9

SUNDAY

Editorial

O

Another look at the economy

ne of the things the Federal Government has consistently preached is diversifying the Nigerian economy.

At several fora both Nigeria and abroad, President Muhammadu Buhari and top officials of his administration have spoken passionately about diversifying the economy. Not left out of the diversification campaign has been the private sector. The economy’s slide into recession occasioned by falling oil prices and the attendant foreign exchange supply crisis have forced Nigerians to begin to think of new ways of generating revenue. Interestingly, Buhari was recently quoted as saying that falling oil prices had made Nigeria a poor country.

Buhari, who spoke while receiving the United Nations Population Fund’s Executive Director and Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, had said that the sharp fall of oil price from $100 to $37 and now floating between $40 and $45 had made Nigeria to suddenly become a poor country.

Expectedly, his comments generated mixed reactions from Nigerians. Many wondered why the president hinged the wealth of the country on the price of oil.

They were worried that the president failed to appreciate Nigeria’s diverse potential in different sectors. That the president based his outlook on the economy on the price of oil raised a strong challenge for his administration to now begin to walk its talk in its avowed quest for diversification.

There are actually nations that do not have petroleum resources but are among the leading economies of the world.

In the early days of his administration, Buhari had urged Nigerians to embrace agriculture as a viable means of supporting the economy. Speaking while receiving the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Kanayo Nwanze, in Abuja in August 2015, Buhari was quoted as saying: “It’s time to go back to the land. We must face the reality that the petroleum we had depended on for so long will no longer suffice. We campaigned heavily on agriculture, and we are ready to assist as many want to go into agricultural ventures.”

But one year later, it seems the president has lost enthusiasm about agriculture as a viable means of attaining economic prosperity. At the meeting with Osotimehin, he was quoted as saying that commitment to accountability and transparency by his government had made Nigerians not to know that there was “severe shortage.”

What Nigerians had expected to hear was how his administration had diversified the economy by opening up new areas of prosperity. The Buhari administration ought to take the recession as an opportunity to seek out innovative ways of boosting the economy. In a nation of over 150 million people, talents and workable ideas cannot be in short supply.

In fact, the president’s party, the All Progressives Congress, had during electioneering, rolled out a document it titled ‘APC Manifesto: An Honest Contract With Nigeria.’ In the document’s section on agriculture, APC had listed 19 promises through which it pledged the revamping of the Nigerian economy. So far, a number of those promises have not been met.

A report by Forbes recently warned that China had identified Africa as the most viable place for agriculture and was investing heavily in agribusiness on the continent. While declaring open the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) a year ago, Buhari had vowed to make agriculture a business.

“Agriculture must cease from being treated as development programme; agriculture must be treated as business. Our goal will be to pursue government supported private sector agriculture value chain to make agriculture more productive, efficient and competitive. To provide enough food for domestic supply and create jobs through agriculture value chain,” Buhari said.

Director General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze, had in July 2016 told a distinguished gathering of the Lagos Business School Alumni Association at a dinner in Abuja that government would treat agriculture as the ‘new oil.’

Akabueze, who listed agriculture and solid minerals as the most viable alternatives to oil, had lamented that less than half of Nigeria’s over 79 million hectares of Nigeria’s arable land mass was being cultivated. He gave an example of Ethiopia as an economy built on agriculture.

Akabueze, who said Ethiopia’s economy was growing at an average of 11%, said the East Africa country had surpassed Nigeria in many aspects of agriculture.

Nigerians await the realisation of Buhari’s pledge to drive economic growth through agriculture. It is no longer fashionable to lament the nation’s fortunes. It is time to use agriculture as a key tool of diversifying the Nigerian economy. The time to act is NOW!

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

Funke Egbemode

Managing Editor, Business & Strategy n Yemi Ajayi

Managing Editor, Publication & Operations n Emeka Obasi

Managing Editor, South n Emeka Madunagu Managing Editor, North & Abuja n Laurence Ani (Leave of Absence)

Editor n Ayodele Ojo Editor, Sunday n Juliet Bumah Editor, Saturday n Waheed Bakare Deputy Editor n Tunde Sulaiman

Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam Asst. Editor, News & Politics n Biyi Adegoroye

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed Sales/Circulation Manager n Oyebanji Abiodun Head, Arts & Creative n Ugochukwu Nnakwe Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

3

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Juliana Francis, Kunle Olayeni and Taiwo Jimoh

S

hock wave swept through Isheri and Ogbodu Isiwo communities in Lagos and Ogun states during the weekend, after some suspected militants struck, abducting 13 persons, including a six-month-old baby.

The first set of abducted victims are three women and the baby; the women are said to be farmers.

They were said to have been kidnapped along Igbodu Isiwo Road area of Epe, Lagos State, on Friday morning. They were kidnapped along with the baby.

The second set of victims were nine in number -all landlords of Garden City Estate, Isheri North Local Development Council, Lagos State. They were abducted yesterday, at about 7am. One of them is said to be a medical doctor and another, a lawyer.

The kidnappers were said to have come from the creeks and shot sporadically into the air, forcing everyone to scamper for safety.

According to a commercial bike rider in the estate, kidnappers, two months ago, abducted two landlords in another estate, in the area.

The landlords were on a morning exercise with their trainer, when the gunmen appeared from nowhere. The landlords were allegedly kidnapped along with their trainer.

The abduction of the men, however, occurred in an area, where the Lagos and Ogun states shared boundary, forcing both police commands to work together in pursuit of the

Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

F

ormer Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, yesterday bemoaned the emergence of various restive groups across the country, said the nation cannot afford the cost of another “genocidal implosion.”

Musdaphar, who spoke as guest lecturer at a special public lecture to mark the 75th birthday of Chief Suarau Alani Bankole, father of the former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, expressed regret that the nation continues to face more divisions more than a year after the 2015 election.

The event, held in Abeokuta, was attended by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; his Deputy, Lasun Yusuf; Governor Ibikunle Amosun; former governors Olusegun Osoba (Ogun) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Deputy Minority Leader of

Panic as suspected militants abduct farmers, baby, nine landlords •Police raid farmlands fleeing kidnappers to rescue the victims.

The farmers were three women and the baby. Two among the women were owners of farmlands; the third, a farm worker.

The farmers were identified as Oluwatoyosi Aboderin, Ogechi Maku and the farm worker, identified as Togo. The baby belonged to the sister of Aboderin.

The exact spot, where the women were kidnapped remained uncertain.

One version of the story says they were abducted along the road, another version insisted they were kidnapped on the farmland. There was also another argument on whether the women were abducted under Lagos or Ogun state’s soil. What is however certain, is that the women were abducted on Friday morning.

Speaking on the abduction of the landlords and their trainer, a source said: “Yes. The landlords were doing exercise this morning (Saturday), when some armed men, came out and kidnapped them. We heard that the landlords were eight in number, but four escaped.”

When Sunday Telegraph correspondent got to the estate, it was crawling with policemen.

Attempts made to speak with some of the residents proved abortive as they looked at the reporter with

suspicion. It was gathered that the landlords used to jog every Saturday morning. Thus, the kidnappers knew this Saturday jogging routine and laid ambush for them.

A bricklayer, working in the estate, who identified himself as Tunji, said: “The gunmen came through the creeks. They started shooting. Everyone ran in different directions. Seven landlords were kidnapped. A medical doctor and lawyer

are among the kidnapped landlords.”

It was gathered that the Lagos State Police Command, following on the heels of the kidnapped women, deployed detectives in the area where the women and baby were abducted, to carry out a raid.

The raid led to the arrest of some suspects.

Determined to check further occurrence in his domain, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police,

Mr. Fatai Owoseni, had ‘radioed’ every area command under his watch, alerting them to start sensitising farmers in their jurisdictions about the latest gimmick of kidnappers.

The area commanders were expected to pass the message to the different Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) under them.

When the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, was called on

the abduction of the landlords, he insisted it happened under the Lagos State Police Command jurisdiction, thus he couldn’t speak on it.

The Zonal Police Public Relations of Lagos and Ogun states command, Muyiwa Adejobi, also refused to comment on the matter, stressing that image makers for both commands should react on the matter.

Continues on page 5

Former US president, Bill Clinton, (middle); President, Dangote Group and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote (right); Executive Director, Dangote Group, Halima Dangote (second right); Chairman of Heirs Holdings Tony Elumelu (left), and Mimi Alemayehou of The Blackstone Company (second left) at Clinton’s star-studded 70th birthday celebration held at The Rockerfeller Plaza, New York City at the weekend

Nigeria cannot afford another genocidal implosion, ex-CJN warns

House of Representatives, Chukwuma Onyema; former World Court judge, Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), former Minister of Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Nojeem Awodele and Mr. Kola Abiola.

Other dignitaries include the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, Oliwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, Timi of Ede, Oba Muniru Lawal, religious leaders and government functionaries.

Delivering his lecture titled, “The question of Nigerian unity,” Musdapher observed that tribalism, nepotism, religious bigotry, violence and corruption had made national unity a mirage.

He said despite various mechanisms created to deal with Nigeria’s socio-political

ailments, the country’s unity had continued to be threatened with negative implications for its citizens.

The former CJN noted that it would require a modicum of unity for Nigeria to make necessary policy interventions that will turn its economy around.

He said Nigerians cannot afford to sit and wait for one region or political party to conquer another in the bid to maintain a unified country.

Musdapher stated that there was need to address some of the injustices and grievances that aggravated the schism in the nation.

He said: “The 2015 presidential election was marked by demarcations along ethnic, regional, partisan and religious lines, schisms that have yet to heal or lift, more

than a year after the election even with a well-received congratulatory message encouraging peace and unity to the victor from the former President.

“A nation of over 180 million, with great potentials and aspirations for greatness, cannot afford the cost of a genocidal implosion. As the seventh most populous nation in the world, such disaster will also negatively impact the global community, especially Africa and countries in the immediate environs.”

The former CJN stressed that the slogan ‘one Nigeria’ must be materialised beyond rhetoric, adding “proactive and deliberate action is an urgent necessity for the reconstruction of a national psyche.

He said: “We cannot afford

to sit and wait for one region or party to conquer another party or region in the bid to maintain a unified Nigeria.

Any solutions for unity and nationalisation will demand that Nigerians sit and negotiate the definition of what it means to be a modern Nigeria.

“We must be brave in addressing the grievances and injustices committed on all sides that have pervaded our society and rendered null our attempts at unification. We must acknowledge our past history, speak truthfully and comprehensively about our present circumstances in order to come to a place where we can as a nation, work together and move forward.”

Musdapher urged the media to ensure proper in-

formation dissemination and resist the temptation of causing disaffection with their reportage.

In his remarks, Osoba described Chief Bankole, a former National Chairman of defunct All Peoples Party (APP), as a detribalised Nigerian.

“Alani Bankole is a cultural person, a consistent person; courageous, determined. He doesn’t forget his friends and he has never deviated from his political ideology. He has shown us that politics should go beyond ideological differences,” the former governor said.

Amosun, in his goodwill message, commended the commitment of the celebrant to nation-building and peaceful co-existence of Nigerians.

4

SUNDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

NEWS

Nnamdi Kanu critically ill after torture by DSS -IPOB

Steve Uzoechi, Owerri and Emmanuel Onani, Abuja

T

he Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm over the life and deteriorating health condition of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu in Kuje prison, Abuja.

The group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, who spoke with our cor-

respondent said: “We got information from Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor concerning the state of the health of our leader. He elaborated on the severe ill health of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, noting that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is having severe abdominal pains and occasional tightening of the chest because of persistent coughing. There is no medicine at the prison’s medical

facility and the health workers there are not qualified to diagnose the ailment due to poor facilities.”

In a statement from IPOB signed by Emma Powerful, the group inferred that the Department of State Services (DSS) is behind the life-threatening health condition of Kanu.

“This condition started while in DSS custody when he lost a lot of blood

through the nose as a result of the physical and mental torture he underwent. DSS has it on record about the bleeding which prompted them to send in an external doctor to examine him while in their custody.

“Nnamdi Kanu nearly had a stroke because of the ordeal and as the doctor told him, had the blood not drained from his nose he would have had a blood

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule (2nd left), flanked by member, House of Representative, Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Hon. Babajimi Benson (left); Ayugburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi (middle); Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade (2nd right) and Sole Administrator, Ikorodu North LCDA, Shukura Okeowo during the commissioning of the 114 roads across the local governments in the state...yesterday

Army warns militants, agitators over economic sabotage, kill 23 in gun battle Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

T

he General Commanding Officer (GOC) of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru, has revealed that 23 militants were killed while 38 militant camps and 91 illegal refineries as well as bunkering sites were destroyed during the operation in the Niger Delta region.

He also added that the just concluded exercise tagged ‘Crocodile Smile’ was aimed at stemming growing restiveness in the region The GOC, who briefed newsmen in Enugu yesterday, also disclosed that four casualties were recorded by the army and warned that the Division would continue to halt the myriad of security threats cum economic sabotage within its area of responsibility.

The GOC, who noted that the Army Division would continue to maintain operational tempo to consolidate on the gains it achieved during the exercise, reiterated that the Army for-

mation would continue without hesitation to defeat any attempt at brazen attacks on national critical infrastructure, oil and gas resources and overall strangulation of the socioeconomy of law abiding citizenry by any group of militants or criminals.

According to him: “The exercise Crocodile Smile ended not just as a training exercise but also as a way of demonstrating the capacity and efficacy of the Nigerian Army to secure lives and property in the Niger Delta

and South-East Nigeria.

“Unfortunately four among our own troops got drowned in the general area of Brass in Bayelsa State due to a boat mishap while another one was killed in action elsewhere around Obiozunmini near Obite in Onelga, Rivers State in a fire fight with the criminals/militants.

“Most importantly the Division is ever committed to the strategic direction of the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defence Staff and the President and Commander-

In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He recalled that as part of the exercise, the Chief of Army Staff and his entourage visited the governors, prominent traditional rulers and other relevant stakeholders in Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers states, stressing that the Army Division in collaboration and synergy with the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force as well as other security agencies remained vital.

Flood takes over Second Niger Bridge site

Okegwo Kenechukwu ONITSHA

T

he 2nd Onitsha Niger bridge project may have suffered yet another set back following the recent increase in the volume of water in the River Niger, which has over flown its banks and flooded the little areas already covered by the Julius Berger construction company at the beginning of the project in 2013/2014 before the company demobilised from the site.

Sunday Telegraph reporter, who visited the project site, reports that all the entrances to the site are flooded even as a security staff of the company on the site told our reporter in confidence that all the heavy equipments likely to be destroyed by the flood have been removed to the company’s yard at the Bridge head for safety.

The security staff, who did not want his name mentioned in this report, expressed regret over the

neglect of the bridge project by the Federal Government, adding that the amount of money wasted in the take off of the abandoned project ran into billions of naira.

“You see, Oga, the money wasted here no be small.

We know what had been done when we started, but see the flood has taken over the entire thing. “Although government get money, but it would be very difficult to complete this time, I tell you,” he said.

clot in the brain resulting in paralysis. DSS are aware of all these. Any journalist can contact them to confirm it,” the statement read in part.

The group averred that the DSS is deliberately covering up the true state of Kanu’s health condition from Nigerians while doing nothing significant to treat his ailment.

Continuing, the statement said: “No wonder the DSS and the prison authorities are no more allowing anybody to visit Nnamdi Kanu again in the prison, so that people cannot ascertain the health condition of our leader. The health condition of our leader is deteriorating so bad that he doesn’t eat the food given to him anymore.”

The statement, however, maintained that Nnamdi Kanu remains undaunted and focused on the restoration of Biafra and praying for other IPOB members outside not to relent or stop the quest for the restoration of the Biafra nation.

However, the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) yesterday, denied IPOB’s claims, insisting Kanu, was “hale and hearty”, contrary to reports of ill-health.

There were reports that Kanu had bled through the nose yesterday, consequent upon alleged beating by officials.

But, the spokesman of the NPS, Mr Enobore Francis, maintained that the Service does not beat inmates in its custody across the country.

In a telephone conversation with Sunday Telegraph, Francis said: “Kanu has never been beaten by anybody, and he is hale and hearty.

“We don’t beat prisoners or inmates; we have close to sixty-eight thousand prisoners in our custody across the country.”

According to him: “Where a prisoner develops any illness, we do our best to provide medical attention.

“Ours is to provide care and support to those brought to us.”

The Director of Radio Biafra is facing a six-count charge bordering on treasonable felony, maintaining unlawful society, among others.

He has remained in custody since October 2015, when he was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Lagos.

Recession: NASS to take position after reconvening - Dogara Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

S

peaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said the National Assembly will formally take a position on the recession ravaging Nigerian economy when the lawmakers reconvene.

He disclosed this on Friday evening in Abeokuta shortly after paying a courtesy visit to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State.

The Speaker expressed delight that the Federal Government was already taking steps towards finding a lasting solution to the economic problems facing the country.

Speaking against the backdrop of the call by the Nigeria Governors Forum for the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to declare the economic recession a national emergency, Dogara noted that tackling the problem is a “collective responsibility” of all Nigerians.

He said, “I’m happy that certain steps are being taken. I was told that just yesterday (Thursday), there was a retreat in the Presidency about the challenges we are facing in the country. These challenges are not novel; a lot of the societies in the past civilisations have

passed through this kind of challenges.

“But it is always men and women of those generations that always stand up to the challenges and make sure that they solve them. So, it is our collective responsibility - citizens of this nation - to combat these challenges.

“I thank God that there is this clarion call from governors. I believe that the National Assembly will have a position on it. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag.

But I know that we will have our own position as soon as we reconvene.”

Earlier, Dogara had commended Governor Amosun for his sterling performances and monumental development of the state under his leadership.

“I know it is that spirit of excellence that you garnered while serving as a distinguished senator in the National Assembly representing the state that has propelled you to deliver the kind of quality governance that we are witnessing in this state,” he said.

The Speaker assured that the House of Representatives would continue to identify with performing governors in the country.

In his remarks, Amosun lauded Dogara’s commitment to nation-building.

5

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER, 2016

NEWS

Army: Troops arrest suspected ‘militant kingpin’, 3 others Emmanuel Onani Abuja

T

he Nigerian Army has announced the arrest of a suspected ‘militant kingpin’, one Victory Benjamin, and three others.

A statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, said Benjamin, who goes by the pseudonym ‘Abuja Daddy and G3’, was arrested in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, as he made an attempt to collect ransom from a kidnap victim’s relation.

“Troops of 13 Brigade, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, have in a coordinated operation arrested a suspected high ranking militant kingpin Mr Victory Benjamin (aka Abuja Daddy and G3) and 3 others.

“The kingpin was arrested at Saint Joseph Hospi-

tal, Ikot Ene junction, Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State while attempting to collect ransom from one of their kidnap a victim’s relations,” Usman said.

On the arrest of three other suspected militants, the DAPR noted that “troops of the same formation have also arrested three militants with locally made pistol and some cartridges while robbing victims around Refugees Camp at Efut Isigi in Bakassi Local Government Area, Cross Rivers State.”

He further disclosed that: “Troops have cordoned off the residents of the most wanted militant kingpin, Alias G1 still at large, as already the arrested militants known as ‘G2’ and ‘G3’ are providing useful information that would assist the military to track other criminals in the region.”

Suspected militants abduct farmers, baby, nine landlords Continues from page 4

Speaking on both incidents, Owoseni said: “There are conflicting reports on the exact area where the women were abducted. Some people are saying, it’s Ogun State, some are saying Lagos State. But wherever it happened doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me, is that some people were kidnapped. That’s the paramount thing for me. We’re already on the case.”

Speaking further on the abducted landlords, Owoseni said the incident occurred on a boundary between Ogun and Lagos.

T

he Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Friday, justified President Muhammadu Buhari’s bid to get the approval of the National Assembly for some emergency economic powers, saying, “unusual times need unusual measures”.

The minister stated this while briefing journalists on the efforts made by the Federal Government to navigate the country’s economy out of recession, adding that Buhari was in a hurry to get the economy out of the recession.

Adeosun, who pointed out that the government was aware of the pain Nigerians were experiencing, said, “It is a tough time.

But, there is hope for Nigerians.

“Government is doing everything to ensure the country comes out in a sustainable way so we never get back here, by address-

He added: “We’re jointly hunting for the kidnappers, since it’s a border land. What we gathered was that when the kidnappers came, majority of the landlords scampered in different directions.

The landlords have, however, started coming out from their hidings. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in charge of Isheri Police Station, Lagos State and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in charge of Ojodu Abiodun, Ogun State, have been combing the bush since morning.

The landlords have started coming out and returning home.”

L-R: Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris; Director-General, Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, at a news conference on the state of the economy, in Abuja …at the weekend. PHOTO: NAN

Blame Gowon for Nigeria’s woes -Clerics

•No, he complied with AU resolution -Diplomat Biyi Adegoroye and Tai Anyanwu

F

ormer Military Head of State and founder of the Nigeria Prays, General Yakubu Gowon, has been asked to render a public apology to all Nigerians for bringing divine curse upon the nation when his regime severed diplomatic relations with the nation of Israel in 1973.

Some prominent clerics described the decision as the height of spiritual shortsightedness that smacked of disrespect for divine instruction in the Holy Bible, which says that all nations of the world will be blessed through Israel and that

whoever blesses or curses Israel will attract blessings or curses, accordingly.

They said that such antagonism against Israel is tantamount to flouting the law of God and only opened channels for the woes subsequent governments brought upon Nigerians through bad governance.

The Senior Pastor of God’s Kingdom Christian Centre, Dr. John Kome, said: “Gowon should apologise for severing diplomatic ties with Israel.”

Kome said that by his action, Gowon flouted divine words that “those who sever relations with Israel also severs relationship with the God of Israel.”

Why we want economic emergency power -Adeosun ing the infrastructure challenges.

“The government has a very credible plan. It’s going to result in an economy not dependent on oil, and not subject to the boom and burst of oil price. When oil price is high, we are happy, and when low we are sad.”

Identifying the challenge of infrastructure as government’s biggest problem, the minister stated that the long procurement process must be cut down drastically to speed contract awards.

According to her, the procurement process was put in place for normal times – advertise, give three months, send in bids, evaluate bids and so on and so forth.

Adeosun noted that there were some provisions in the procurement process for emergency situations.

“That emergency process means you would not necessarily have to advertise and wait,” she stated.

She said that what the government was asking for, “which is why there is discussion about seeking emergency powers, are some of these things we have to look at now.”

In view of the peculiar situation of the economy and the need to get basic infrastructure in place to drive economic recovery, Adeosun noted that the government could hardly afford advertising for jobs for 12 weeks.

“That’s what government is seeking for. But, we need legislative approval to do so. Given where we are, that’s one thing the National Assembly would happily grant us the ability to do.

“It’s still important we should have open procurement. Open procurement would give the best pricing and the best opportunities to Nigerians who do not know anybody in government.

“What we need is speed.

That is why we want the National Assembly to help us. We don’t have the powers to truncate the law.

These are unusual times, which need unusual measures,” the Finance minister said.

He added: “Although successive governments may have revised the situation, Nigeria may not have publicly acknowledged the severity of the Divine Decree and as well publicly offer an official remark to that intent. We must realise how God works. You may take His Decrees for granted and consequently suffer for years until such individual, people or nation acknowledges the supremacy of His word.”

Speaking in the same vein, the Presiding Minister of Motailatu Church of God, Lagos Headquarters, Rev. James Akinadewo, insisted that any country where God’s laws are broken with impunity will be under a curse.

“Bad governance is the bane of Nigeria. Gowon said then that we are rich but our problem is how to spend the money, grave events followed. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo brought idols to Nigeria, evil followed. I can go on and on. As they refused to imbibe knowledge of God, reprobate mind will come and evil will take over, says the Lord,” Akinadewo added.

Though calls and text message to General Gowon were neither picked nor replied, a diplomat and research fellow at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, Dr. Segun Bolarinwa, said Nigeria, like all African countries, severed relations with Israel in 1973 in compliance with an Organisation of African Unity resolution, after the Yum Kippur War between the Arabs and Israel.

“After Israel defeated Egypt along with the all Arab nations, which fought

on its side in the war in 1973, the OAU, as it then was, held an extra-ordinary session, and implored all African countries to severe relations with Israel. So, General Gowon had no choice but to comply.

“While it opened its borders to these African countries for pilgrimage and education purposes, Israel, which established diplomatic office in Nigeria in 1961 after independence, closed down 80 per cent of its foreign missions on the continent,” Bolarinwa said.

Even at that, he said, Israel failed to severe relations with African countries, and in 1991, during the Gulf War, it reopened its mission in Nigeria, during the visit of its Foreign Affairs Minister, David Lieberman to Nigeria, while the latter reciprocated by opening a Nigerian mission in Tel Aviv, the then Israeli capital. Till date, Israel has less than 10 missions in Africa.

However, Kome insisted: “Nigeria’s problem goes beyond political, ethnic or economic. There’s a religious dichotomy in Nigeria haunting her from progressing.

Nigerian elders and spiritual authorities know what I am talking about. It’s just that people are being economical with the truth in order to protect sectional, religious or ethnic interests. And for as much as we pay lip service and pretend, we will keep moving in circles as a people while other developing nations are progressing.”

He advised President Muhammadu Buhari to seek God’s help to enable him turn Nigeria’s situation around for good instead of seeking emergency powers.

6

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

news

Four pastors arrested for child trafficking, abduction Uchenna Inya

F

ABAKALIKI

our pastors of a new generation church, Glorious City Assembly in Amaokpu Amaisiri Community, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, have been arrested by the State Police Command for alleged child trafficking and abduction.

The pastors, Calistus, Agustine, Joseph, Ugochi and another, who is on the run, were said to have abducted children between the ages of two years and seven months.

They were said to have

also taken some pregnant girls in the area to their base in Abia State where they were delivered of their babies and sold them off to their clients.

They were said to have abducted the victims three months ago, causing panic and tension in the area as the villagers searched for the victims but to no avail.

The suspects were nabbed when they came to abduct another child in the area after neighbours raised the alarm. An eyewitness, Okpara Kingsley, told Sunday Telegraph that during interrogation, the pastors confessed to being behind the disap-

pearance of the children and some pregnant girls in the community.

A mother of two victims, Mrs. Gloria Okpara said her daughters; Blessing and Chinazaekpere and their kids; Mmasinachi (two months) and Tochukwu( one year and three months) got missing two months ago and have not been found since then. ‘’They told me that pastors came to our place and took my daughters and their kids away. Since two months, I have been restless; I have not seen them.

I am begging the pastors to release them to me,” she said.

A sister to one of the victims, Nkechinyere Mbeh also demanded the release of her sister Nkeiruka and her seven-month-old baby also abducted.

When contacted, the state Police Commissioner, Mrs. Peace Abdulahi, confirmed the report, but added that she only had sketchy information on the arrest. She said investigations are going on at the realm of allegations because the matter has just been transferred from Afikpo North Divisional Police Station to the State Police Headquarters.

One of the pastors was reportedly seen with six ATM cards of different banks.

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, during his interaction with some children who were among the 566 detainees found in Boko Haram camps, shortly after their release by the GOC 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, in Maiduguri…at the weekend.

PHOTO: NAN

Niger, Chad armies kill 38 Boko Haram fighters

S

oldiers from Niger and Chad have killed 38 Boko Haram fighters during operations that followed attacks by the Nigerian Islamist group on two border towns in southeastern Niger earlier this week, Niger’s army said on Saturday.

Two soldiers from the bilateral force were lightly wounded in the operation, launched after clashes in the village of Toumour, near Lake Chad and the Nigerian border, on Monday.

The Nigerien and Chadian forces also seized large quantities of weapons and ammunition, according to the army statement read on national radio. It said soldiers were continuing to pursue Boko Haram fighters in the area.

Boko Haram has killed thousands of civilians and displaced some 2.4 million people across Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad during a seven-year insurgency aimed at establishing an emirate based on a radical interpretation of Islamic

law, reports Reuters.

In a related development, Somalia’s Islamist militant group al Shabaab attacked a town in a region near Kenya’s border, killing at least seven Somali soldiers, the group and Somali officials said.

Al Shabaab, which regularly attacks Somali forces in its campaign to oust Somalia’s Western-backed government, pulled its fighters out of El Wak overnight, residents said on Saturday.

“We captured five military vehicles and killed several members of the government forces,” al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters after the assault was launched on Friday afternoon.

Somali Major Mohamed Jimcale told Reuters by telephone from the nearby Somali town of Baardheere that government forces had retreated to another town where there is a base for the

African Union’s AMISOM force.

“We lost at least 7 soldiers and two vehicles,” he said.

Accounts and figures given by the officials and al Shabaab often vary.

Residents and government troops said al Shabaab had cut offer communications to El Wak before the attack. Al Shabaab fighters often stage raids and then withdraw before government forces have a chance to stage a counter attack.

Kano State loses 2 pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

T

he Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has confirmed the death of two pilgrims from the state in Saudi Arabia during the 2016 Hajj.

The Public Relations Officer of the board, Alhaji Nuhu Badamasi confirmed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kano.

NAN recalls that the National Hajj Commission had announced that 18 Nigerians

lost their lives during this year Hajj.

Badamasi said the two male victims from Kano died after brief illness in Mina and Mecca respectively.

He said one of them hail from Kano Municipal Local Government Area, while the other came from Gaya Local Government Area.

Badamasi said the deceased had since been buried in accordance with the

Islamic rites in Mecca.

He said the board had concluded arrangements to begin the transportation of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria, from next week.

“This is expected to begin hopefully on Wednesday or Thursday next week according to the flight schedule,’’ he said.

No fewer than 5,808 pilgrims performed the 2016 Hajj from Kano state.

Industrialist blames recession on non-portfolio billionaires

M

r. Peter Chieshe, Nigerian industrialists and President Newland Group, has blamed the economic recession on the rise of Nigerian billionaires who has no business establishments.

Chieshe, who had diversified interests in the agricultural value chain, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi on Saturday.

He said that the growing increase of Nigerian billionaires without a single productive business was responsible for the current recession.

According to him, lack of productive businesses in any country ultimately leads to economic recession.

He said that the source of wealth of many Nigerian billionaires was questionable as their only businesses were what he termed “at best their long finger in the public commonwealth.

“Nigeria produces billionaires who have no productive businesses, all that they have at best are their long fingers in our commonwealth,” he said.

He said that governments over the years had consistently failed to pursue particularly beneficial economic development policies to make the economy strong.

“The Private sector has always been touted as the engine of growth by the government; unfortunately, this has been more of rhetoric than in action.

“Government policymakers have never paid enough attention to the manufacturing sectors which offers great opportunities to economic prosperity.

“Rather government chooses to undermine issue that will stimulate growth of the economy for a predatory rentseeking economy that has relegated industrial production to the side alleys and made corruption the centre stage.

“Our governments have made less than satisfactory efforts to smoothen the path of its would be private entrepreneurs thereby neglecting a crucial lesson from the post World War II experience of today’s developed and rapidly developing countries.

“Our government also refused to develop a robust light manufacturing industry to take care of both the domestic market and export-led manufacturing that will have earned us forex.

“We lost track; we derailed,” he said.

He also said that the world was about global exchanges of products and services that make for the economic prosperity of nations.

“For any state or nation to be prosperous, it must make and sell to the world, what the world needs; we have no other way around this.

“Nigeria must undergo structural economic transformation from traditional agriculture toward an industrial economy which will begin with light manufacturing,” he said.

Deliver or face sanctions, Ambode warns contractors

G

overnor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Saturday urged contractors handling the 114 road projects in the state to speed up work or be sanctioned.

Ambode, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, made the call at the inauguration of one the roads in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the government planned to inaugurate all the 113 roads between September 19 and 24.

Ambode commended the company, DC-Engineering Ltd., which handled the Jimoh St., project for completing the road within the stipulated six months.

“We have chosen to inaugurate the road here to appreciate the diligence and seriousness of the contractor for being the first to complete the project within the stipulated six months.

“I congratulate the contractor for this exemplary feat while I urge others to emulate the good example or face sanction,’’ he said.

Ambode said that the ongoing road projects had added

56.1 kilometres, and 112 kilometres of walkways and covered drains to the state’s total road network.

“At a time the national economy is facing challenges, our administration injected N19 billion to the economy of our state, stimulated employment and engaged the business sector.

“As we hand over these roads to the communities, I urge residents to guard jealously the infrastructure provided by the government,’’ the governor added.

Also speaking, Alhaja Shukurat Adewunmi-Okeowo, Sole Administrator of the local council, thanked the governor for fulfilling his campaign promise.

He said that the road would make life better for residents, and promised that the affected communities would take full ownership of it by ensuring its proper maintenance.

Contracts for the 114 roads were awarded on Jan 12, at the initial cost of N17.5 billion.

The roads are spread across the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

7

News

Prostitution: APC, PDP women in war of words in Edo Cajetan Mmuta

T BENIN

he All Progressives Congress (APC) woman leader in Edo State, Dr. (Mrs.) Aisosa Amadasun, yesterday, blamed the over 10 years of bad leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the mass movement of women from the state to overseas to seek for greener pastures and engaging prostitution in the process.

She said the misfortune was brought to the state and it’s people due to the bad leadership of the PDP while it presided over the affairs of the state, adding that the PDP’s administra-

tion brought untold hardship and destruction to the state, which in turn, forced many of the young women to travel abroad in search of white collar job, while others engaged in prostitution.

Dr Aisosa stated this at a press conference in Benin the state capital. She reiterated her support for the wife of the APC governorship candidate in the September 28 election, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, who blamed the reported prostitution by Edo women in Europe on the misgovernance of the PDP administration in the state for the past 10 years.

She said, “PDP destroyed the fabric of our society and that was what forced a lot of our young women into traveling abroad in search of

greener pastures, while some ended up in prostitution.”

But in reaction, former Executive Director, Poverty Alleviation and Women Mobilisation in the state, Chief (Mrs.) Evelyn Igbafe said, “Sequel to our demand for an apology from Mrs. Betsy Obaseki for alleging that the PDP government forced Edo women to flee abroad for prostitution, what we got was further insult from saying Mrs. Amadasun said “what Mrs. Obaseki said was the truth about the PDP’s administration”.

Igbafe wondered why Mrs. Obaseki is refusing to apologise to women even after her agents have confirmed that she, indeed, called Edo women prostitutes.

She also said, “September 28 is our date with history in Edo State. On that day, the people of our dear state would troop out to reject a dictatorship known for telling his people to “go and die”. They would reject a candidate, whose wife refers to Edo women as prostitutes.

They would reject a political party, whose so-called woman leader would denigrate hard working women of our state as prostitutes.

They would reject double taxation of innocent people.

They would reject persistent unwarranted insults of Edo men and women who worked hard to earn their income and high status in life. Yes, enough is enough,” she stated.

Ooni moves to attract tourists, keep Ife clean Adeolu Adeyemi Osogbo

O

oni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi yesterday launched a sanitation programme christened “Gbafe mo” (Keep Ife Clean) to ensure total cleanliness of the length and breadth of Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba nation.

Speaking at the programme which was initiated by him at the town’s Palace, the monarch assured that, he would do all he could to see that, dumping of refuse indiscriminately by residents of the town is discouraged to give the town a face-lift and make it clean.

To make this more practicable, Oba Ogunwusi disclosed that, “200 volunteers, who will clean streets across the town have been selected, while five refuse vans that would pick refuse that would be placed in strategic positions have been bought.

He said, “Large expanse of land in Mokuro area of

Ile Ife that have been acquired as dumping site, would be useful for the purpose while efforts to recycle the refuse dumped at the site into useful material will be intensified”.

The royal father explained that, “Gba’fe mo” is designed to get the town ready for expected rise in the number of tourists that will be visiting the place any moment from now.”

“Before launching the programme, I had experimented it within the palace for 8 months while my efforts to bring in tourists to the town are already yielding positive results.”

He however charged people of the town to work hand in hand with him to make the dream a reality.

Earlier, the coordinator of the programme, Tunde Awoniyi commended the monarch for the initiating the programme and disclosed that, those that volunteered to clean the streets of Ile-Ife had been trained and equipped with all necessary tools that would enhance their job.

Minister flags-off control of migratory birds, pests Abubkar Abdul Birnin Kebbbi

T L-R: Edo politician, Princess Theresa Kadiri; Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Dr Aisosa Amadasun; former APC governorship aspirant, Mrs Tina Agbara; Woman leader, Mrs Theresa Ihediora at the press conference over the weekend in Benin City.

Chijioke Iremeka

T

he Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief New Telegraph Newspaper, Funke Egbemode, who is also the President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), with other media gurus have joined the faculty of Media and Communication of the Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), a Lagosbased Graduate School.

Also, former Special Adviser, Media and Spokesperson to President Goodluck Jonathan, Reuben Abati and a host of other media practitioners joined the Centre to address the issue of employability of Nigerian graduates and professionals.

Other top practitioners that joined the CIAPS as adjunct and visiting lecturers include Deputy Editor, Nation on Sunday, Olayinka Oyegbile; leading broadcaster and General Manager Metro FM, Corde-

Egbemode, Abati join CIAPS faculty lia Okpei; ace investigative journalist and Premium Times reporter, Nicholas Ibekwe; and Publisher of the Western Post, Tunde Rahman.

According to a statement on the centre’s official website, which was confirmed by its Director, Prof. Anthony Kila, CIAPS Outcome Based Educational (OBE) Programmes are built on research and inputs from organisations about recruitment needs, their employment and development strategies.

The statement noted that rather than focusing on theory and academic curriculum, CIAPS is working with businesses and employers to establish the kind of graduates they need, as well as the skills and knowledge the graduates should possess, saying, “This way, graduates will be trained for a real job and career rather than just a cer-

tificate.”

The programmes will also help aspiring professionals familiarise themselves with the working environment.

A fundamental part of their study at CIAPS will be their work-experience, workplacements and other various kinds of internships.

According to industry experts, many of the companies eager to employ cannot find the right people, as a large number of graduates are not adequately prepared for the work environment.

“CIAPS’ plan, through its fast track programmes, is to bridge this gap by providing very practical training for graduates and help them reach employers. To achieve this, we identify and work with the best professional hands that do not only have bright minds but love to share ideas and knowledge,” Kila said.

Also, speaking on Abati

joining the team, he said, “The Centre is very delighted to have Dr. Abati on board the faculty as the Centre commences its fast track graduates professional programmes in October.”

“Dr Abati will be part of CIAPS teaching, research, and projects, and students will greatly benefit from his wealth of academic knowledge and professional experience.

“Reuben Abati is not new to teaching as he had been a lecturer before. His experience in the private and public sector makes him a major asset for the OBE Programmes. The big idea is to put students in touch with top professionals from every sector of their learning. We want our students to engage and learn from top professionals so that they will be inspired to be even better professionals,” he said.

he Minister of Agr i c u l t u re , Chief Audu Ogbe on Saturday flagged--off the control of Quela birds, grass-cutters, Locusts and other pests migrating into the country from Niger Republic through its border with Sokoto State.

Delivery his speech at the flag-off of the aerial spray of pesticides to prevent the advancing birds and pests area, the Minister said the Federal Government acted swiftly to stop the birds, grass-cutters, locusts and other pests from entering Kebbi because it is one of the frontline states that was strategic to its agricultural programme.

He further explained that the representatives of the Federal Government were in Kebbi because of the complaints made to them that pests from neighbouring countries were threatening rice and wheat farms in the state and were endangering the expected bumper harvest.

“The President asked us to take action immediately and so we are here.

We have organized some chemicals to engage the pests and birds today” he added.

It would be recalled that

the state’s deputy governor, Captain Samaila Yombe Dabai (retd) last week raised alarm over the Quela birds from Niger Republic. He said they were spotted at Goroyon in Sokoto and were already advancing towards Kebbi.

The minister said agriculture was the number one component of this administration’s policy of diversification of the nation’s economy. He said presently there was urban hunger in the country but there is no hunger in Kebbi because people there are into agriculture.

He then urged other states to emulate the state in order to overcome hunger in the country.

“If only 20 states in the country could do what Kebbi is doing today Nigeria will be a major food exporter by tomorrow morning,” he said.

In his remark, the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu commended the Federal Government for its effort over ensuring food security in the country.

He said, “What is being witnessed today is an important element in safeguarding the investment of over 300,000 farmers in Kebbi State to achieve food security for the nation”.

8

The Sunday Magazine

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Life in Oko-Oba where •You’ll see a new abattoir in a few months – Agric Commissioner

The possibility of relocating the Oko-Oba Abattoir in the Agege area of Lagos State to a proposed new site at Imota, Ikorodu, may not happen so soon despite calls by residents for its relocation. Sunday Telegraph’s investigations reveal that instead of relocating the abattoir, the Lagos State Government has finalised plans to upgrade the facilities to meet the much clamoured international standards CHIJIOKE IREMEKA reports

D

isturbed by the pollution and unpleasant odour oozing from the Oko-Oba Abattoir in the Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State, the community wants the state government to relocate the facility to a vicinity with less human activities. But the government has a different opinion as it said publicly that it is impossible to relocate the facility from Oko-Oba at the moment, insisting that they would rather upgrade the facility to a modern one.

This decision sparked off a controversy, which the administration of former governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, managed throughout their tenure.

The present administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has maintained the status quo, insisting that the idea of relocating the abattoir from where it is now, is not in their plans. The government’s stand was reiterated by the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Oluwatoyin Suarau, who said it’s not possible to relocate Oko-Oba Abattoir, as it’s the state’s major abattoir.

Suarau noted that the government won’t relocate the abattoir instead it would rehabilitate it to make it more friendly and hygienic.

“The Lagos State Government is embarking on full rehabilitation of the abattoir to bring it to a desired standard. Oko-Oba is the major abattoir in the state and cannot be relocated, especially with the massive facilities in place there.”

He added: “Government will upgrade the standard to ensure treatment of red meat is done in a more hygienic way using ultramodern equipment. These are the things we are putting in place and definitely not relocation.

“While we are doing that, there is the need to re-orientate those businessmen and women, and other stakeholders in handling the value of red meat with high level professionalism and standardisation.

“The government is doing a lot to make Lagos more comfortable for the people.

You are going to see a new abattoir in the state in another few months. I, therefore, advise the stakeholders at the abattoir to work with the state government in the renovation process about to take place. The government will not relent in putting up a standard abattoir for Lagosians.”

However, it was leanrt that the issue of facility upgrade came about after a team of experts from the state’s Ministry of Agriculture visited Kenya and Zimbabwe, where they toured ultra-modern facilities ahead of the planned upgrade of Oko-Oba abattoir in Lagos. Before the trips to Kenya and Zimbabwe, the Oko-Oba facility was upgraded for mechanised operation.

But shortly after this, it was shut down due to high concentration of filth in the community. This indicates that the issue of filth in the abattoir still remains a big problem yet to be tackled headlong by the state government.

One of the residents in the Oko-Oba community, Mr. Dare Olufemi, told our reporters that he made frantic efforts on behalf the people to ensure the state finds a lasting solution to their plight. He added that the only thing that would gladden the hearts of residents is when the abattoir is taken out of the community.

He said: “Recently, we heard, though

unconfirmed, that the government is planning to relocate the abattoir. We are praying this happens. It is very offensive to have an abattoir in a residential area; rather, it should be located where there is little concentration of people.

“We believe the relocation of the abattoir will become a reality someday, we still have to channel our complaints to the appropriate quarters. It’s the government that determines what happens there.”

Meanwhile, Sunday Telegraph’s investigations revealed that when the idea of having the Oko-Oba Abattoir was conceptualised, the community was not as developed and populated as it is today.

Abattoirs are not meant to be sited in the middle of cities. That was why the government initially contemplated moving the facility to the outskirts of Lagos, when the petition for relocation was much, before

the sudden turn around.

It was learnt that the government, under Fashola, contemplated relocating the facility to Imota in Ikorodu. But all efforts to relocate the abattoir and its operators proved abortive.

Following the state government’s failure to relocate the facility, the residents of Oko-Oba were advised at a time to take their personal hygiene more seriously. The Abattoir itself is seen as a community in itself with its own rules and regulations.

It has its leadership. The wild life and unhygienic lifestyle in the Abattoir call for government’s attention too.

When Sunday Telegraph visited to the area, men of the Nigeria Police Force were seen at the facility but this didn’t stop some young boys in groups seen around smoking Indian hemp at the abattoir.

The large volume of waste running into

the drainages at Oko-Oba Abattoir, according to the residents, has been threatening the health of the people. It is believed that government has the responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of the citizens that is why the Lagos State Government is planning to put the Abattoir in a better condition.

Mr. Daniel Olasukanmi, another member of the community that wants the facility relocated, said: “If the abattoir is taken out of Oko-Oba and relocated to a less populated community like Ifako-Ijaiye, you will realise that the health hazard associated with Oko-Oba will be minimal. A proper Abattoir can't be built here because it is meant to be sited where you can have effective discharge of waste and not a make-shift drainage, the type we have in the OkoOba, Agege area of the state.”

Sunday Telegraph’s visit to Oko-Oka

9

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Sunday Magazine

cows live with men

he enjoys the unusual ambience of the community despite the absence of infrastructure.

“I live in this community with my people.

We do not have problems here except for the little protest we had the other day. But if the government decides to relocate us from here, it should be a place we can adapt easily,” he said.

Lawal revealed that he has been living in the Oko-Oba community with his family for 17 years. He noted that by right, he is supposed to have become a citizen of Lagos. “All my five children were born in this community. What the government is doing is good but let them provide us with an alternative community, so that we will not be like other displaced people or Maroko.”

Another resident, Mr. Johnson Adeola, said government should provide the dwellers with good infrastructures and ensure sanity of such community.

“Our community may not be so beautiful, but we love it that way. Government could only make it better. I’m happy, living here,” he said.

Aside from the cattle seen around in the Abattoir, there were quite a number of camels there too. It was gathered that camels are killed and sold to those who desire the meat. The live ones are also sold to those who want them as a means of transportation of goods.

Apart from selling camels for transportation, a number of transport companies are located in the community for movement of domestic animals from the northern part of Nigeria to Lagos. The Kebbi and Sokoto states Transport Companies are well positioned here.

According Jubril Garba, cattle feed seller, at least 20 camels and over 500 cows are slaughtered daily at the Oko-Oba Abattoir.

This exercise starts as early as 5am every morning. After the slaughtering, air conditioned Eko Meat vans provided by the state government come in their hundreds to transport the meat to butchers in markets in Badagry and other parts of the state, where they are sold.

Garba added that separate vehicles are dedicated to conveying camel meats, which is called Thilib Geyl in Saudi Arabia. “Not everybody likes eating camel, which is why the meat is separated from cow meat. Some people come and place order for camel meat and others go for beef,” he said.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Lagos State, Hon. Suarau

Photo: Chijioke Iremeka

community, the host community of one of the major abattoirs in Lagos, revealed that the facility has degenerated into a slum where cows are reared for commercial purposes. Manufacturing of livestock feed also go on at the Abattoir.

For the Oko-Oba Abattoir dwellers, large scale sales of 'ice block' for refrigeration of unsold meat and transportation of other meat within a controlled temperature are some of the other activities here. Sale of firewood, food vendoring, tailoring, local stove-making, axe and knife-smiting also characterised the lifestyle of the dwellers.

Assemblage of commercial motorcycles (okada) and battery charging among others are what the community is known for.

Apart from few areas within the Oko-Oba community, such as Sina Ongunbambo Street, where neat bungalows were sighted, other areas of the community are ridden in serious environmental degradation.

The community is in a deplorable condition. There is absence of basic infrastructural development of any kind. Some of the

residents live in huts, especially the Hausa cattle herdsmen. Most of the huts have big sitting rooms, where a number of them converged and sleep after the day’s work.

Flies were seen everywhere in the living rooms of the dwellers. The preoccupation of the male dwellers is largely the sale of ‘Suya’ meat, while their wives are food vendors.

At the Oko-Oba dwellers community, cattle are seen as co-residents. They are also friendly with the strangers. This is a sharp contrast with the cattle one sees outside the setting. Traders of animal feeds also have their section. They stay in wooden houses covered with black polythene sheets to prevent water from coming in when it rains.

In its entirety, the Oko-Oba community has a serious ecological problem. The access roads have been badly damaged by heavy trucks moving in and out of the community to offload cattle from the northern part of the country and Niger Republic.

However, due to the fact that the residents are low income earners, the environment

The reign of filth in abattoir In September 2014, the Oko-Oba Abattoir and Lairage were shut down, for the purpose of periodic upgrade by the state government. The government argued that the abattoir was in a mess and unhealthy condition inimical to the health of Lagosians and Nigerians as a whole.

The then Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, said the slaughter house was shut down to enable the state carry out a thorough clean-up of the environment so that meat emanating from the facility would be healthy for consumption

by Lagosians and Nigerians at large.

He noted: “The Oko-Oba Abattoir was temporarily shut to enable the government carry out massive clean-up. It is a place where our cattle are slaughtered. We must make sure the facility is hygienic.”

On the filth at the Oko-Oba Abattoir, the former Commissioner said the total cleanup of the facility was regularly done by their administration. "We did drainage clearing Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode among other," he said Sunday Telegraph also confirmed that seems not to have attracted any form of some of the drainages at the Oko-Oba comdevelopment except few streets that have munity have been cleaned but there are still security here and there. The community much to do, especially at the section where also play host to many young and elderly blood meals, animal feeds, are processed. people.

These were some of the reasons the Abattoir However, according to one of the resi- was shut, but today, there are still traces of dents, Rasheed Lawal, from Ondo State, filth in the Abattoir again.

10

News Sola Adeyemo

A Ibadan

side the menace of bumpy rides and long windy manoeuvring by motorists, who sometime try to avoid some roads with damaged bridges and potholes during the dry season, many Oyo State residents are now at the mercy of gridlock whenever it rains and the roads are flooded.

In many areas of the state, it is now a common phenomenon for people held up in traffic to get to their destinations and homes late into the night while some are used to sleeping at neighbours’ homes to avoid being swept away by floods that most times submerge their bridges. This manageable condition is, however, a better scenario to what obtained in August 2011 when scores of people were killed in the flood that ushered in the first term administration of Senator Abiola Ajimobi. The condition is not as terrible now because the government had taken proactive step of clearing and dredging many of the major streams and rivers which were hitherto sources of the flooding.

In spite of this effort which has reversed the incidents of deaths from flooding, the major agony of many residents these days is unpleasant rides due to bad roads and collapsed bridges in many communities across the state.

For instance the two bridges that link Adekola Ogo-Oluwa community with Sekunderin Church at Alakia Isebo/Adegbayi areas of Egbeda Local Government in Ibadan, for example, is now a source of nightmare to the residents as they have to pass through Ona Ara area instead of the normal Alakia Road before getting to the metropolis.

When it rained heavily for hours last week, it was a tale of woes for many residents of Amuloko and Olunloyo areas along Akanran community in the Ona Ara Local Government Council when the stream that traverses the Ariyo Bridge from Onipepeye to Olunde community, overflowed and prevented pedestrians and motorists from plying the route to the axis from Olorunsogo.

Many could not get to their homes till the early morning of the next day. Those who could afford it had to detour right from Orita Aperin where the gridlock started, only to find alternative routes or go to sleep in hotels or relatives’ houses.

Though there were no casualties, the flood washed away many vehicles at a mechanic’s workshop close to the Ariyo Bridge as well as Tioya, damaging their engines. The fence of a storey building beside the damaged section of the road close to the bridge also collapsed as a result of the flood. Rice sellers at the Ariyo Market had to rush to evacuate their goods, many of which had been soaked.

Angered by the recurrent agonising experience, many residents of the communities have called on Governor Abiola Ajimobi to urgently repair the damaged sections of the road to ease their movements and free them from incessant disturbances whenever it rains.

Residents of Moniya in the Akinyele Local Government are now literally cut off from the Ojoo Community due to the fact that the Abata Kan Bridge, which links them, had collapsed early this year.

Residents of the communities at Moniya now take the Ibadan/Oyo Express Road from Ojoo, branching at Shasha before they can get to their destinations.

When Sunday Telegraph spoke with some of the residents and spare parts dealers around the area, they lamented the hardship they were going through as well as security breaches being perpetrated around the collapsed bridge, particularly at night.

“This bridge is causing a lot of havoc here.

We have not been able to ply the road since last year. Hoodlums now have a field day, especially at night, as pedestrians passing through the bridge are attacked at will. We thank Hon. Temitope Olatoye (a.k.a. Sugar), the House of Reps member for Akinyele and Lagelu who has taken the repair of the bridge upon himself. We pray he completes

SUNDAY September 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Residents, commuters groan as craters take over Oyo roads As NUJ decries state of South-East roads

Oki- Orogbangba Bridge before Ipari Oda at Lagelu Local Government Area

Abata Kan Bridge linking OJoo with Moniya in Ibadan

it on time,” a trader, who identified himself as Henry, said.

Motorists that ply Iwo Road to Olodo in the Egbeda Local Government Area are not spared the agony of bad roads in the state.

The dualised express road is now a death trap at Oki Bus Stop area as some very deep potholes now force motorists to crawl at a snail speed, causing traffic jam particularly during rainy periods. Many motorists even complain of unnecessary damage to their vehicles due to the bumpy ride occasioned by the potholes.

The story is not too different in many other zones of the state like Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke Ogun and Ibarapa towns as many residents complain that Governor Ajimobi has not embarked on any infrastructural development since his second term victory.

A Saki town resident, Akinwale, could not hide his displeasure towards the government when he said: “I swear; it is just as if this government decided to go to sleep since it won the second term election last year. More than a year running, residents of this area have not felt any action from the government. Salaries running into five to six months are being owed workers, yet road constructions and other infrastructural developments have since ceased. Even though the government complained of paucity of funds and shortfall in Federal Government monthly allocation, the state of affairs in Oyo State presently portrays the negative effects of second term administration which was never ever experienced before this government. May God help us.”

Generally, the complaints from very many

residents of Oyo State should be a wake-up call to Governor Ajimobi as his second term administration enters into its second year.

And the situation is not much different in Enugu State where Zone C of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has also decried the grossly dilapidated state of the roads in the South-East region of the country, while

calling on the federal and state governments to declare a state of emergency on them.

The was contained in a nine point communique signed by the Vice President, of the zone, Mr Chris Isiguzo and Secretary, Mr Kenneth Ofoma and issued at the end of the zonal working committee meeting of the union held in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Erosion menace: Enugu sends SOS to FG Charles Onyekwere

T

ENUGU

he Enugu State Government has sent a Save our Soul (SOS) to the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the gully erosion at Amauzam, Enugu Ngwo Community in Enugu North Local Government Area of the state, saying that its gravity was enormous for the state government to handle alone.

The appeal, which came on the heels of the recent incident which has been threatening to sack some homes in the area, was made by the Enugu State Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Amb. Fidel Ayogu, who visited the site in company of the Chairman of the Council Area, Hon. Isaac Igwe and the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the governor on Special Project, Dr. Josef Umunnakwe Onoh.

Ayogu, who disclosed that they were at the site on the instruction of the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to take a comprehensive survey of the erosion site for urgent intervention, noted , the menace had been in existence prior to the inception of the present adminis-

tration. He stressed that the incident requires the intervention of the Federal Government through the ecological fund or other related interventions for adequate control and management, adding that, the huge amount of money required to tackle the problem was not within the resources of the state government.

While sympathising with the people of the community on the ugly development, the commissioner assured them that the state government would do all that is required to ensure that the problem was tackled for safety of lives and properties Also speaking, Hon. Igwe said that the enormity of the threat posed by the erosion was not something the local and state governments can handle alone and equally called on the Federal Government to come to the rescue of the people of the area.

He commended the prompt response of the governor in sending his commissioner for environment and other top government functionaries to the site for proper evaluation of the menace for necessary action, adding that, the state government is already intervening in the matter.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

OPINION 11

‘Time to overcome Civil War trauma and focus on industrialisation of Igboland’ Primus Igboaka.

I

gbos around the world have been urged to overcome the psychological distress of the Civil War and channel their energy and resources in technology innovation and industrialization of Igbo land as a means of developing, and providing job security to growing number of unemployed youths, as well as improve the lives of the people in the country.

Already the Igbos as a group of people have all the human resources, education (the knowledge) and skills, in addition to abundant natural resources including fertile land for agriculture. It is time the state governments in the five states that comprised Igbo land started developing infrastructures that will ensure that innovation, an attribute that in the DNA of the Igbos takes off. This is the way out to make Igbo land a powerful sustainable region in Nigeria that will attract people, investors, businessmen and women from all over Nigeria and around the world to Igbo land.

The immediate past president and the chairman, board of Directors of Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), Dr. Nkem Chukwumerije made this appeal at the 9th Annual Iri-ji and Igbo cultural Festival hosted by the Nzuko Ndigbo of Northeast Ohio (NNINO). The NNINO Special Guest of Honour disclosed that governments in the five states in Igbo land must start creating an enabling environment and emulate the industrialization policies that is already working in Nnewi and ensure the pattern are adopted and repeated across the states.

Dr. Chukwumerije remarked that since the Igbos are already very industrious and educated people, “we do not need much

brainstorming and foundation to start thinking afresh in the direction of technology innovation and industrialization.”

However, he warned that governments in the region must strive to initiate policies; create conducive and enabling environment including infrastructures that will enable innovation, industrialization and the people thrive.”

He observed that one of the reasons why Igbo are often reluctant to cite industries in Igbo land is because of lack of infrastructure and security problems. According to him, Igbo have the penchant of building mighty homes in the villages, which regrettably nobody lives. However, he assured that had the villages been secured, people would have liked to stay in these big and expensive properties.

Dr. Chukwumerije recalled a discussion he had with in his businessman and a friends. He disclosed that the Igbo friend had consulted him to assist him (the businessman) to establish healthcare facilities (hospitals) in Lagos and at Abuja.

He explained that when he asked him “Why Lagos and Abuja and not Enugu or Umuahia?”His remarks were very disturbing even as he (Dr. Chukwmerije) could feel the investor’s disconnect with locating the hospital facilities in Igbo land. He was, however, was quick to remind the investor-businessman that he understood that the location of businesses matters in terms of patronage and profit maximization. He agreed that there are no adequate infrastructures to support business, there is no constant supplies of electricity and water; they are no good roads or transit transportation; as he agreed in theory with the investor, the establishment of the facilities in Enugu and Umuahia may not be a

good business idea since patients – who could afford the cost of the services, may not be available; but in practice, he said, locating the facilities – just like locating any industrial complex in Igbo land is possible and lucrative as well.

He explained that our role should be always to dismiss the myth that opening huge businesses in Igbo land would not be profitable. He dismissed the fears of the business friend, for example, by pointing out that if Igbo as innovative as they are, and provide services that others could get nowhere, they (patients and customers) will definitely travel to Igbo land to get their products. To him, buyers - retailers and wholesalers will continue to look for where the facility is located and travel the distance to patronize the businesses. In essence, the location will not be an inhibition to their patronage.

Dr. Chukwumerije used the example of Cleveland – an “unknown city” tagged at one time as “a city by the burning river” – when a tanker carrying oil leaked and set fire on the river as it was transporting oil from petroleum –rich city of Cleveland to New York in the 60’s destroying the entire city’s main source of revenue. Since Cleveland Clinic – owned by Cleveland Clinic Foundations became the number one hospital in heart and liver transplants in the world everything about Cleveland changed.

“Everybody from around the country and the world want to be in Cleveland.”

He disclosed that he once worked at the Clinic before securing another job and relocating to California. He asked a rhetorical question about the rise of Cleveland and Cleveland Clinic to a city and hospital that is recognized around the world. Igbos, he remarked could and became the center of

innovation and industrialization learning based on Cleveland and Cleveland Clinic innovation models - on how an organization and a city could thrive from unknown to becoming the center of attraction to the Americans and more than 80 countries that patronize the Clinic from around the world.

He asked: “We are here in Cleveland…

Alright!” And the audience responded with sound ‘yes’ and an applause. “Cleveland Clinic thrives despite being in Cleveland.

Right?” Another loud yes. “But Cleveland is not the most populated city in the United States.” No….the audience replied. “Yet, Cleveland has one of the most rated hospitals in the U.S and the world,” he said.

He disclosed that Igbo people can build their own Cleveland Clinic…they could build their own technology innovation and industrial centers that will motivate or compel others to come and patronize them or for whatever patients or customers needed?

He informs that education is the key to the success of any society or nation. Knowledge is power, he reiterated. This power he remarked Igbo have in abundance at home and in Diaspora. “Therefore as we have witnessed this night and as the theme of our event, this evening has said It all “Generational Excellence,” we must ensure that we revive education and continue to create generations of educated minds. This is because “Education is power, education creates innovation and innovation creates jobs, improves the lives of the people and develops the society.”

Primus Chuks Igboaka, PhD. is a professor of Communication at Lorain County Community College, Elyria and Kent State State University, Kent, Ohio. He resides in Cleveland Ohio.

Dog naming, lopsided appointments and its repercussions Carl Umegboro

O

GUN State Police Command’s arraignment of Joachim Chinakwe Iroko over alleged attempts to cause ethno-religious violence for naming/labelling his dog ‘Alhaji Buhari’ believably after President Muhammadu Buhari and paraded in a community largely dominated by northerners has generated uproar in the society.

Apparently, no offence was committed by mere naming of a dog after President Buhari or any other persons. Usually, animals are named based on traits. Characteristically, a fighter-dog could be named after a renowned soldier. Suffice to say, no mischief was done to the President by the act. However, the locus situ (place of the event), inferred intentions and the manner it was done could competently make it constitute a crime in law, particularly attempt to cause a breach of public peace. If the accused only named his dog without deliberately parading it in a Hausa-Muslim community, his arrest by the police would have amounted to false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and breach of his fundamental rights available to all. The police is duly vested with powers of ensuring a peaceful society. Commendably, the arrest of the suspect and largely the situation as a preventive security is a desideratum beyond the reactionary security, particularly his arraignment in court strictly within time.

Interestingly, the court is the temple of justice

and the focal point of the judiciary; the last hope of the common man. Hence, if truly the president is linked, he still deserves no condemnation since the cardinal purpose of a court is justice.

However, Buhari should be disassociated from the matter since it isn’t a civil matter.

For the fact the accused was charged to court timely should be viewed extensively as a dividend of democracy knowing that both parties will be accorded fair-hearing which is sacrosanct in a court of competent jurisdiction. Hence, to label the President a tyrant over a civic responsibility, is regrettably a misnomer, rather it affirms him as a democrat who believes in the rule of law and equality before the law; the hallmarks of democracy.

Admittedly, Buhari avidly prepared for a positive change in leadership, but unconsciously threaded a wrong track by his extreme lopsided-appointments which clearly favoured the north with almost all key positions. Regrettably, this action, apart from working against the laid down concept of Federal Character in the 1999 Constitution poses a threat to his good intentions to reciprocate the trust reposed by Nigerians on him.

Insentiently, the one-sided appointments stands strappingly to frustrate the doctrine of transparency and accountability which are pivotal to eradicating corruption in the society; the President’s core policy.

I still believe the President should freely appoint a dependable team for impressive

service-delivery on account of the havocs perpetrated on the economy by the squandermania-PDP governments for 16 wastedyears.

No doubt, the 1999 Constitution allows exercise of discretions on some positions since it didn’t specifically enlist some for its application, however, its emphasis on ministerial appointments ought to serve as a guiding principle on all putting into consideration that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic society. I thus disagree with the position of the presidency that Buhari has not violated the Federal Character principle. This is because, by commonsense, the Constitution couldn’t have endorsed a situation where most of key positions of a central government of a country with diverse ethnic groups are lavished on a particular ethnic group at the detriment of others except ministers.

I believe these anomalies could be controlled if the Federal Government is more philosophical in reflecting the federal character in its appointments as the mindfulness of having all key positions manned by fellow tribesmen is rationally to a section, a stimulus to trample on the rights of others.

Reasonably, how could average northerners submit to the laws guiding their relationships with other tribesmen when only their relatives respectively head the Presidency, Army, Navy, Police, Airforce, Security Adviser, Judiciary and even the Office of the Secretary of the Federation? Grossly, this is a blunder, aberration and nonsequito. Above all, in-

distinguishable from British historian, Lord Acton’s statement, “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

The over dominance of a particular tribe in the central government invariably will send wrong signals to the average class pointing to exercise of absolute powers similar to “all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others” in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, hence, a tendency of bitterness among the intimidated section.

As a solution, let the President reorganize his cabinet strategically to invoke the spirit of oneness, such that culprits will be made to squarely face the consequences of their actions irrespective of ethnicity. Until justice is done, injustice will naturally triumph, therefore, continued heinous attacks on helpless citizens even while asleep as are now repetitive in Enugu State and other parts of the country.

Similarly, citizens’ actions must reflect neighbourhood principles. Aimless actions capable of hurting another should be overtly discouraged knowing that where the rights of one ends is where another’s starts. Anarchy doesn’t know boundaries or relatives, and could destroy beyond imaginations.

Prior to some actions, self-scrutiny for merits or demerits in the interest of the society at large is necessary, meanderingly, a core concept of community-policing.

Umegboro, public affairs analyst and publisher of Pinnacle info Gallery, writes from Igboekulie

12

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sunday Mail

@

EMAIL

thesundayletters@gmail. com and sundayletters@ newtelegraphonline.com

MAIL BAG

* Letters to the Editor

The Sunday Telegraph

Pastoral terrorists on the rampage

Kunle Rotimi, Lagos.

Of Chicago and Ibadan Dear Editor, There are interesting coincidences between Chicago in the US and Ibadan City in Nigeria. Chicago and Ibadan were both founded in the 19th century and they are both the third largest cities in the US and Nigeria. Chicago is the capital of mid-west United States and Ibadan is regarded as the political capital of South West Nigeria. Chicago is the printing capital of the U.S. and relatedly Ibadan is the publishing capital of Nigeria. Chicago was crucial to the development of jazz music in the US. and Ibadan, highlife music in Nigeria. Interestingly one of the highlife greats in Ibadan was named Roy Chicago. Chicago is the home of the world’s first skyscraper and Ibadan is the location of the first skyscraper in Nigeria Cocoa house.

James Abram Garfield, a lawyer and classicist, who got his nomination for US Presidency in Chicago, was assassinated, whereas James Ajibola Ige, a lawyer and classicist, who lost his nomination as a presidential candidate in Ibadan, was also assassinated. In Chicago and

Traders waiting for their prospective customers at the Oyingbo market, Lagos.

Ibadan, we had Frank Lloyd Wright and Demas Nwoko, both described as evolving an entirely new architectural identity for the US and Nigeria respectively.

In Chicago we had Oprah Winfrey, media proprietor, broadcaster and talk-show host once described as America’s most powerful woman for, among other reasons, the number of viewers of her TV programme whereas in Ibadan we have Folake Solanke, first Woman Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), former chairperson of the Western Nigeria Television Broadcasting Corporation and described as Nigeria’s most powerful woman on account of being the first non-Caucasian President of Zonta International Worldwide, a professional and business women organisation which incidentally had its first world headquarters in Chicago.

Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth wrote from London, England

Will Africans be ever free?

Dear Editor, I wonder if Africans and especially Nigerians can ever free themselves from their colonial master’s apron strings.

Why do we still run to these former masters asking them to intervene in our local or national affairs? Are we still so immature that we cannot settle our own misunderstanding ourselves? Recently the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu wrote a petition to the United Nations, European Union, United States and other foreign missions over

an alleged witch-hunt of opposition leaders by the Federal Government. Sometime ago some Ekiti State legislators did something similar. What type of ‘people’ are these, representing us? What type of ‘leaders’ do we have? Are there no courts in Nigeria? Why can’t Ekweremadu go ahead and prove his innocence, instead of resorting to shenanigan? I hope all those petitioned threw the petitions into the dustbin which is where they deserve to be. All these petitioners, our so called ‘leaders’ owe all Nigerians an apology for ridiculing the country. Pretty soon we shall be petitioning these foreign missions to settle our family and domestic disputes. Giant of Africa indeed.

Bode Falomo, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State

Security challenges in Kaduna State Dear Editor, The level of insecurity in Kaduna State is beginning to get from bad to worse. The people of Kaduna State no longer sleep well as insecurity has become a very disturbing issue. The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State should deploy his men to every corner in the state. All the security personnel should be involved to tackle these current security challenges of cultism, robbery, kidnapping and the one-chance boys.

From Abuja junction to Kakau through Kaduna Toll Gate, from Command Junction to Sabon Tasha, from Sabon Tasha through Refinery to Maraban Rido, from Romi Junction to Trikaniya bye pass, from Kawo

through Zaria Road, these boys station themselves strategically to rob innocent people of their belongings. For Kaduna State to be peaceful again, the state government and all the security agencies need to work tirelessly to tackle the security challenges.

John Mark, Mass Communication Student, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State

Adesina, Nigeria and the money problem Dear Editor, In his column titled “Nigeria and the money problem” in The Guardian, Monday, July 25, 2016, Debo Adesina attacked the current dishonest relationship between the Federal Government and the state governments, structure wise.

According to Debo Adesina, “It is not the revenue formula but the form of the supposed federal relationship. And no amount of money made or shared under the current dishonest relationship form will engender any meaningful development for Nigeria.” Debo Adesina should know that Britain, our former colonial master is a unitary system of government, yet it started industrial revolution and it has a diversified economy. Most of the European countries are unitary states and yet they have industrialised economy. Nigeria has two major problems: Nigeria and the money problem. And Nigeria and the education problem.

Putting money into good use or putting money into good work is our biggest problem. We don’t know how. Also putting education into use or into work is another biggest problem for

SMS

08037613380 Normal message fees apply

The battle of FM radio stations Dear Editor,

Dear Editor, Cows are cantankerous animals with cankerworms in their brains! Cows can go mad and destroy any living or nonliving thing in sight! If dogs, goats, fowls and other domestic animals are prohibited by law from being let loose in the communities, why should the Federal Government play dead to the menace of cows which roam in peaceful communities dangerously?

Apart from the health hazards and dangers posed by loose cows that deposit dung and scabies anyhow in their trail, the herdsmen have become murderers, farms’ destroyers and kidnappers in recent time!

Cattle rearers now carry unlicensed arms and ammunition to terrorise and victimise agrarian communities provocatively!

Their cows on major roads at times break cars’ windscreens and mirrors with their horns!

Why do the Fulani herdsmen engage in impunity and act dangerously as if Nigeria was a jungle and lawless society?

If anyone desires to rear cattle, why not confine the herds to their kraals and ranches instead of constituting nuisance and danger in this modern society!

Let the Federal Government act in the national interest and enforce the law against these pastoral terrorists on rampage!

(

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

us. We don’t know how. I agree with Debo Adesina that “Local government is supposed to be an autonomous structure for people’s participation in governance at the local level but the state governors have never allowed this autonomy.”

We should start the restructuring with the state-local relationship. Let us start from the bottom. Let us start with the local government autonomy.

After restructuring state-local relationship, we can move to restructure federal-state relationship. The restructuring is about ownership and control of natural resources. In this restructuring, both federalstate and state-local relationships, “accountability would be guaranteed by the direct participation of the people in their own resources generation and governance.” People first!

In another of his articles titled “Carter to Buhari: Leadership in times of crisis” in The Guardian, Monday, August 8, 2016, Debo Adesina fumed that: “The hunger in the land at the moment, a real and present danger, should be seen as the equivalent of war against which he (the president) cannot deploy second-rate guns.” and Debo Adesina added, “And in fighting the war, the guns being deployed in ideas and personnel seem BB, not AA!” what prevents the governors and local government chairmen from deploying AA guns in pipe borne treated water, sanitation, agriculture, manufacturing, just to mention a few.

Is the “fraudulent structure”?

Blaming fraudulent structure is a lame excuse.

Omohakpor Enaye. Oleh, Delta State e-mail: enayeomohakpor@gmail.com

The battle of the F.M. radio stations, especially in the South West region of the country and specifically in Ibadan is becoming not only more and more interesting but also comical.

Incidentally, a new station is soon to begin operation. They spew out all sorts of slogan to boost their ego and increase their listenership? These claims include being the first in Nigeria, the first in the Western part of the country, being the most listened to in the world, being at the top of the ladder and setting new standards in broadcasting. Unfortunately, there is nothing much to write home about many of them.

Their programmes are very similar, with many being copy cast. Their programming often coincides and their wavebands are so close that they sometimes overlap.There is a bright side to more F.M. Stations, however, than the creation of jobs in the broadcasting sector.

Unfortunately, pronunciation and sentence construction by many of the presenters are atrocious and very discouraging even among the so-called popular ones. Many do not know the difference between “O” the alphabet and zero “O” the numeral when giving out telephone numbers. Nor do they know the difference between “t” and “th.” “Ask” is pronounced “axe”, “world” is pronounced “word”, “salt” is pronounced “sort”, “mother” is pronounced “moda” or “murder” and you hear “talkless of” instead of “not to talk of,” etc. Yes, it is true that English is not our mother tongue but do we have to murder it? Furthermore English is still a compulsory subject in WASCE and NECO and other examinations. Students writing these examinations listen to these presenters and they can be adversely influenced and confused. The situation among the Yoruba and Pidgin English broadcasters/presenters is in no way better, and could be regarded as even worse. Many make no attempt to learn how to pronounce foreign (nonyoruba) names and word.

Bode Falomo, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HEARD! SEND YOUR LETTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO THESUNDAYLETTERS@ GMAIL.COM. LETTERS SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN 200 WORDS AND MUST HAVE THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE SENDER

13

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 18, 2016

News

Kaduna earthquake put at 2.6 magnitude Clem Khena-Ogbena

T Abuja

he magnitude of the recent earthquake at Jama Local Government Area of Kaduna State has been put at 2.6 on Richter scale, even as the Federal Government has commenced efforts to ascertain the source of the natural occuring incident.

The Federal Government, through the body, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), expressed this resolve in view of the enormity of the incident.

In a press statement, Head Media and Corporate Communications, NASRDA, Dr. Felix Ale, explained that the source would soon be determined, after the completion of another on-going thorough and further investigation of the incident by

experts in the space agency.

NASRDA’s Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics, Head of the Seismology Division, Dr. Ofonime Akpan, in a telelision interview put the figure at 2.6 magnitude.

Ale added that the reports had established that the incident were recorded in Kwoi and neighbouring villages of Nok, Sanbah and Chori in the same local government, where the incident had occurred on Sunday 11th and Monday 12th September, 2016.

The current findings, according to him, were the outcome of a preliminary report by the team of experts immediately deployed to the affected communities from one of the activity centres of the Space Agency, the Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics, for on the spot assessment and implementation of a

survey and investigation on the incident.

The team, which was led by the Head of Seismology Division of the Space Agency, Dr. Ofonime Akpan, was able to establish that the Seismological Station of NASRDA located at Kujama in Kaduna state accurately recorded the incident which made it easy for collation of data and early release of preliminary reports on the quake.

He said, “The analysis showed that the first event occurred at 12:28:16.50 seconds GMT on Sunday 11th September, 2016 and the event has an epicentre located Latitude 9.825N and Longitude 7.885 E, while Local Magnitude was 2.6 and Moment Magnitude was 3.0 and Focal Depth was 10km.

“The report further revealed that the second

one occurred on Monday 12th September, 2016 at 03:10:48.80 seconds (GMT) with Local Magnitude of 2.6 and Moment Magnitude of 2.9 with Focal Depth of 10km, while the epicentre was Latitude 10.879N and Longitude 7.188E. This was followed immediately by another event at 03:11:20.00 seconds (GMT) located at an epicentre of Latitude 9.927N and Longitude 7.297E, Local Magnitude 2.9 and Moment Magnitude 3.0.

“Ale said: in the face of these unfortunate developments, the Space Agency, therefore, appealed to residents of the various communities to remain calm as no stone would be left unturned by the Agency to unravel the situation, as more data were aggressively being collected from other seismological

stations.He stated that the Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics located in Toro, Bauchi State, is one of the activity Centres of Excellence of the Space Agency located in different geo-political zones of the country, adding that the Centre was charged, specifically with the mandates of crustal and coastal deformation monitoring, seismic hazard evaluation and monitoring as well as research in natural hazards such as earthquakes,

volcanoes, landslides and subsistence, among others.

“It has also established what is globally known as the Nigeria National Network of Seismic Stations, located in Abuja, Kaduna, Ile-Ife, Awka, Abakaliki, Minna, Ibadan, Nsukka and Oyo town.”

This, according to him, was meant to improve Seismic data acquisition and encourage more research activities, regarding Seismicity in Nigeria, particularly in times such as this.

Recession: LG bosses charged to diversify revenue sources Sabiu Mustapha JALINGO

T

tion account, we need to come up with ideas on how to generate internal revenue,” he said. He noted that if appropriate measures are not taken to explore various ways of generating funds, the dwindling revenue to local governments from the federation account would slow down development.

“As Tarabans, We must work collectively to move the state forward, the era of over dependence on the federation account is over, it is high time we start to think of how to create things out of nothing,” he said.

According to him, what the state always gets from the federation account at the end of every month cannot pay one quarter of workers salaries.

He explained that the drop in crude oil has greatly affected the entire system, adding that, an alternative means to explore other areas would be the only option.

L-R: Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Usmam Malah; Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Council Member, Internet Protocol Version 6, Mrs. Mary Uduma; Chairman, Nigerian Council on Internet Protocol Version 6, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta and Muhammed Radman during their courtesy visit to the Commission, recently

he Permanent Secretary, Taraba State Bureau for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Bello Yero has charged council chairmen in the state to explore various areas to generate revenue for the development of their areas.

The Permanent Secretary stressed that in this era of economic recession, fund accruing to local governments from the federation account cannot even pay salaries before talking of projects execution.

Yero, who made the call yesterday in Jalingo while speaking with Sunday Telegraph said it has become necessary for governments to look inward to ensure diverse revenue sources as well as reduce the wastages of the past.

“As it is, we are faced with the truth of the dwindling allocation from the federa-

Interrogate Dame Jonathan, CSO tells EFCC

Glo-sponsored African Voices engages African fashion stars

Temitope Ogunbanke

T

he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to immediately invite Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan, for interrogation over allegations of money laundering involving herself, her aides and some Skye Bank officials.

The Executive Chairman of the Coalition, Debo Adeniran, in a statement issued yesterday, said: “It is beginning to appear like the EFCC is disposed to ‘pampering’ some suspected corruption criminals in our country though the Act that established the Commission gives it constitutional powers to carry out its duties without fear or favour.

“The case of the wife of former President Jonathan epitomizes this reality. With

the whole lot of confusion, allegations and counterallegations and media war among others that are attendant to the Mrs. Jonathan’s case, what else does the EFCC need to invite the person who is at the epicentre of the whole episode for questioning and clarifications?”

The anti-corruption crusader added: “We are impressed by the efforts of the EFCC so far on Mrs. Jona-

than’s case including the arrest and ongoing prosecution of some the aides and the bankers involved, yet, we cannot help but ask whether indeed EFCC is being hindered from using the shortest cut to resolve this corruption imbroglio involving the wife of the immediate past President by inviting her?

“The truth is that, Dame Jonathan is a Nigerian, like every other one, that must

abide by the constitution of the country. What are the fears of EFCC? Does the EFCC handle ‘lesser’ Nigerians in one corruption case or the other in this mode? If we are serious about fighting corruption, we must not consider some people as ‘untouchables,’ particularly when such people have been ‘cornered’ like the woman in question as long as the rule of law is not violated!”

Row over 58 suspected cultists Chris Ejim Yenagoa

T

he authorities of the Bayelsa State Police Command yesterday sparked off controversy following its decision to arraign 58 suspected cultists at the State High Court on a two count charges of conspiracy and membership of a cult group in the state.

Over 106 suspects, including four minors, were arrest-

ed last week during a special police raid of some alleged black spots in the state capital, Yenagoa and 58 charged to the State High Court sitting in Yenagoa.

The presiding Judge, Justice Naiyi Aganaba, after listening to the arguments from the counsels to the applicants on bail and the concession by the Police Prosecuting Counsel, James Amate, granted bail to the

suspects with conditions to show proof of innocence and non-membership of the secret cult.

Also listed as conditions for bail are N100,000 and a surety for bail bond which must be signed by a Senior Civil Servant from Grade Level 7 and must be resident in Yenagoa.

Justice Aganaba, however, adjourned the case till October 20, 2016.

T

he ever boisterous African fashion industry this week received a pat on the back on African Voices, a programme of the Cable News Network (CNN) sponsored by grandmasters of data, Globacom, as outstanding fashion icons on the continent are featured. This is against the backdrop of the rave reviews which Africa’s fashion styles and designers have received consistently in all the fashion capitals of the world.

Moreover, Africa’s fashion industry is reportedly worth over $31 billion, thereby underscoring the focus on it by the leading news channel, CNN. The 30-minute magazine programme comes on air on CNN International at 10.30 a.m. on Fridays, while repeat broadcasts hold at 2.30 p.m. on Saturdays, as well as at 12.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. on Sundays. Globacom said viewers can also watch the show on Mondays at 11:30 p.m. and on Tuesdays at 5.30 a.m. The network added in

a press statement that this weekend’s edition of the programme would be exciting as it would give viewers insight into the activities of new trendsetters in the continent’s prosperous fashion industry.

CNN explained that those to be featured in the programme are Jenke Ahmed Tailly, Karim Tassi and KatherineMary Pichulik.

“We will start with a fashion icon out of Ivory Coast who is hoping to shake up the industry with his African heritage. And then we head to Morocco where a fashion designer is imprinting his city’s rich culture on crafty clothing, while also being inspired by international elements,” CNN said The Ivorian icon is Jenke Ahmed Tailly, one of the most influential stylists in the industry. He is a fashion editor, stylist, and consultant, and works with heavyweights such as pop icons Beyonce and Kanye West, as well as reality TV star, Kim Kardashian.

14

Science

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 18, 2016

08035624538

9/11: 15 years after

11 numerologies about 9/11 The destruction of the magnificent imposing structures of the world’s most famous financial towers – the World Trade Centre (WTC) on September 11, 2001, in New York City, happened exactly 15 years ago last Sunday. As the world remembers this sad occasion, Science Writer, STANLEY CHIBUIHEM AMALAHA, writes about the numerology associated with the date ‘9/11’, the complexity of New York City and the circumstantial losses the world encountered •

The tragedy occurred on the date 9/11…9+1+1=11

•

September 11 was the 254th day of the year …. 2+5+4=11

•

The airplane that hit the north tower was flight 11

•

The flight had 92 people on board …9+2=11

•

The airplane that hit the South tower had 65 passengers …6+5=11

•

The Twin Towers resemleded the number 11

•

In ‘New York City’ has 11 letters

•

The incident occurred on the 11th day of the month.

•

The name of the US President then ‘George W . Bush’, has 11 letters

•

Osama bin Ladin was killed on May 1, 2011 …….. 11 involved

•

The US President that killed him ‘Barack Obama’, has 11 letters

World Trade Centre (WTC) before destruction

•What really happened?

In the morning of 11th September 2001, 19 men affiliated to al-Qaeda, an Islamic terrorist network seized the controls of four US commercial jet aircraft. Two of the planes, which had been flying from Boston to Los Angeles, were crashed into the northern and southern towers of New York’s World Trade Center at respectively, 8:46 and 9:03a.m. Fully fuelled for a long journey the two planes were now effectively incendiary bombs and both towers, which had stood 110 floors high, collapsed in flames. A third plane, deflected on its flight from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles, crashed into the southern side of the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia by 9.40a.m.

Another plane seized on its journey from New Jersey to San Francisco was probably intended for a similar attack on the US Capitol in Washington DC. Passengers resisted the flight’s takeover and the terrorist crashed this fourth plane into a field in southwest Pennsylvania at 10.03a.m. Almost 3,000 people died as a result of the attacks including approximately 2,750 in Manhattan. The bodies of over a thousand of the New York dead could not be identified because of the destruction’s intensity. Black smoke billowed over the world’s most cosmopolitan city in a scene emblematic of sophistication’s vulnerability to barbarism.

•Importance of New York City The famous city of New York can be arguably regarded as the capital city the world, as it houses the headquarters of the world’s highest ruling body – the United Nations; and that of the world most famous of all financial towers – the World Trade Centre (WTC), among others. New York, the most ethnically diversified, religiously varied, commercially driven, famously congested, and in the eyes of many, most attractive and influential urban centre in the world, experienced one of the deadliest act of air piracy on September 11, 2001 – the destruction of the most famous of all financial towers - the World Trade Centre. No other city has contributed more images to the collective consciousness of Americans than the city of New York. Wall street, means finance; Broadway, is synonymous with theatre; Fifth Avenue, is automatically paired with shopping; Madison Avenue, means advertising industry; Greenwich Village, connotes bohemian lifestyles; Seventh Avenue, signifies fashion; Tammany Hall, defines machine polities; while Harlem, evokes image of the jazz age, including African - American aspirations and slums.

Indeed New York City is the home for all as there are more Jews in it, than in Tel Aviv, Israel; more Irish, than in Dublin; there are more Italians in New York City than in Naples; and more Puerto Ricans than in San Juan. Its symbol is the Statue of Liberty. The metropolis itself is an icon; the arena in which Emma Lazarus’ “tempes-tost” people of every nation are transformed into Americans and if they remain in the city, they become New Yorkers.

•The Complexity of the WTC The imposing structures of the World Trade Centre (WTC), designed by American Minoru Yamasaki (1912 – 1986), and built in 1972, was a complex of buildings around a central

WTC in flames...after the attack

plaza in the City of New York. It was located in the South Western tip of Manhattan, near Wall Street, and built by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a central facility for business and government agencies involved in international trade. Until 2001, the Complex was noted for its huge twin towers, each of which had 110 stories. One of them was 1,368ft (417m) high, and the other 1362ft (415m).

They were once the world’s tallest towers until when they were surpassed by the Sears Towers in Chicago. The Complex had earlier sustained a major terrorist attack in 1993, where six people were killed and some 1000 injured. However on September 11, 2001, the deadliest act of air piracy to date, hit the towers when suicide bombers believed to have been masterminded by, Osama bin Ladin, simultaneously hijacked four airlines in the United States and crashed two of the planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre, and one into the Pentagon building in Washington D.C, while the fourth plane was crashed outside Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.

•Numerology Careful numerological studies carried out by Science Telegraph, shows that the number 11 in the date 9-11-2001, is generally considered to be one of the master numbers as shown: • The tragedy occurred on the date 9/11…9+1+1=11 • September 11 was the 254th day of the year …. 2+5+4=11 • The airplane that hit the north tower was flight 11 • The flight had 92 people on board …9+2=11 • The airplane that hit the South tower had 65 passengers … 6+5=11 • The Twin Towers resemble the number 11 • In English expression “New York City” has 11 letters • The incident occurred on the 11th day of the month.

• The name of the US President then ‘George W. Bush’, has 11 letters • Osama bin Ladin was killed on May 1, 2011 …….. 11 involved • The US President that killed bin Ladin, ‘Barack Obama’, has 11 letters •Destruction effects On that day, the earth quaked, and the world stood still

George W. Bush... 11 letters

Barack Obama... 11 letters

as the hands of The Clock refused to move. Everyone was cold, business activities were stopped and, animals ran for cover. Fire flames and smoke rose to the sky tremendously.

Educational activities were totally incapacitated. NASA’s gadgets and even the activities of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), refused to function. Satellite technology and other space scientific instruments could not detect the invisible ogre. The world has had series of air strikes but none had brought so much trauma, anguish and pain, indeed none has exposed the globe to a sneering ridicule like this.

The destruction of the World Trade Centre was a scientific destruction for all as many scientists and engineers both born and unborn from different nations of the world died. About 3,000 lives were wasted and more than 6,000 wounded. Virtually every nation was represented. Every religion had a painful take, every culture was involved. The old, the young, and even the unborn died. There was no gender or racial discrimination. Every blood group mixed, and all major ethnic groups of the world had a bite. Every socio-economic strata had a share. That terrorist attack was more than just a tragedy; because to lose a soul is a tragedy, but to lose 3,000 souls is a calamity.

•Delay is Dangerous Human flaws which is inevitable, however, came into play on and before that day.It was one of the things that contributed to the destruction of the World Trade Centre. A special report in front page of the Time Magazine of August 12, 2002 emphatically stated: “Nine months before 9/11, the US had a bold plan to attack al-Qaeda. It wasn’t carried out until the towers fell”. (Pages 24 – 37) of the same edition told the whole story how on the first week of January 2001, the White House debated taking the fight to al-Qaeda because of their previous attacks, but by the time they decided, it was too late.

•Obama’s Speech on Osama’s death The indivisibility nature of the US, is worthy of emulation. President Obama’s speech on television on May 1, 2011 (the day Osama bin Ladin was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan) read in part “….and tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet, today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people. ….let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation under God indivisible with Liberty and justice for all...”.

•Courage and determination Never in history will such happen again in the US. September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre, however, did not make the importance of New York to wane. The city still remains the host city of the United Nations, the pride of the Americans. It continues to be America’s most international city and the world’s most cosomopoltan, attractive and influencial urban centre with more of skyscrapers than any other city in the world.

15

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

SUNDAY

Body Soul S U N D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 6

Upstage monochrome stripes

16

Body&Soul

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Here Beyond Fierce knee-high gladiators

StyleSta ker

Bolanle Olukanni

Stunning starlet

Vanessa Okwara

A

s fun as these sandals are, gladiators are definitely a big trend this season. These stylish pieces have been around for a few years now, and they undoubtedly continue to be worn for a while yet as they are comfortable, versatile and look good; especially for a hot date night or day outing with friends.

Gladiator sandals come in and out of trends and presently, it has made a huge come back.

These statement sandals come in forms of heels, flats or knee high heels.

Traditionally known for their flat soles and thin straps that wrap around the foot and often the leg, today’s gladiator sandals come in many different styles, heels and materials; absolutely the perfect ones for your wardrobe.

The key to styling these sandals is to pair them with simple minis, dresses or shorts so they don’t overwhelm your outfit. They look good on denims as well. Put in mind that gladiators are great for showing off the legs and it may be a bad idea to style your gladiators on long jeans.

Vanessa Okwara

M

edia personality and TV Presenter of ‘Moments with Mo’ on DStv TV, Bolanle Olukanni is our style guest for this week and this lady sure know how to slay!

Bolanle’s life has indeed been a colourful one. Raised in Nigeria, Israel, Kenya and America, she has seen a fair bit of the world but finds there is no place like home.

She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with Honours in a double degree, of BA Communications and BA International Studies.

During her time in Chicago, she took acting courses and participated in an on-campus radio show.

After graduating from Loyola University Chicago, Bolanle moved back to Nigeria to do her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), where she spent her service year working for a non-profit or-

ganization in Ekiti, Nigeria.

Bolanle began her presenting career with ‘Moments with Mo’, now called ‘Moments’.

She still co-hosts the show alongside Toke Makinwa and Michelle Dede on EbonyLife TV. She also co-hosts the hit reality music show ‘MTN Project Fame West Africa’ alongside the handsome Nollywood actor, Joseph Benjamin.

Every bit the charming and stylish co-host, with a smile that lights up screens all over West Africa, Bolanle Olukanni is the epitome of a fashion savvy beauty. Week after week, fans of MTN Project Fame stay glued to the show for more than just the competition. Her style stays chic with no hassle!

Styled by Jane Michael, Bolanle smoldered in a black cut out sheer panelling slit dress

by Weiz Dhurm Franklyn at the premiere of Project Fame Season 9. She also chose an upswept wavy hair style and a daring make-up.

17

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Body&Soul Tell us a little bit about your childhood and education.

I was born in Benin City in the 60s. I attended St. James Anglican Primary School, Benin, which is now known as Agbado Model Primary School and I did my Secondary education at Edogbolo Grammar School also in Benin City. I did my First Degree at the University of Benin, afterwards, I moved to the University of Lagos. I started lecturing shortly after my National Youth Service (NYSC); the University retained two of us after our graduation. I went back to the University of Lagos for my Master’s Degree programme on scholarship. Thereafter, I wrote my professional examinations and became a qualified External Accountant. It was during my working days that I went to Harvard University for a programme in Strategies and Analysis of Business Evolution.

In September 1993, when the universities went on strike, the Nigeria Accounting Standard Board needed somebody to take over from its chief executive officer who was leaving the organisation. They approached me and I accepted the offer because all the universities in the country were shut down.

So I resumed with them in April 1993 and then resigned at the University of Benin as accounting lecturer. I came in there as Senior Manager, Technical and rose through the ranks to become the CEO in November, 2010.

Within seven months, my first assignment was to ensure that the law that set up the organisation was changed because there were a lot of noticeable inadequacies. It showed lots of weaknesses in financial reporting in Nigeria that I addressed and within seven months, the financial reporting of Nigeria was brought out and I continued working as the Chief Executive of the board.

Can you recall any childhood prank that landed you in trouble?

My father was a headmaster and the value system then was different from what we have now. We shared values and what was called collective ownership. What I mean is, if you did something wrong and another parent saw that you did something wrong, he would flog you and take you to your house and tell your parents what you had done wrong and they would also flog you.

So as you went from house to house to play, everybody was your father and mother because it was a village setting. While growing up, it was only one person that owned a television, black and white TV then, and there were some popular programs on TV then like ‘Hotel the Jordan’, ‘Ichoku’ and we had to find a way to watch these programmes.

If you went there, you had to stand by the window to try and watch TV and when children were many and anybody coughed, the owner would ask us to leave and we would not be able to watch the programme. There was also a popular show that was organised by the Ministry of Communications; they did it at some primary school compounds then. They come and advertised some products and showed some John Wayne films.

They would announce it way ahead but we needed to go there in the evening because the film show only took place when it was dark, and at that time you’re supposed to be either reading at home or filling the water tanks in the house. On the day the films showed, we would ask to go to the public tap to fetch the water because you can’t be reading when the water drums are empty. Once we get there, we leave our buckets and head to the primary school premises to watch our ‘John Wayne’. After watching the film, we would go back to the tap to get our buckets of water.

As you came back home, your parents would welcome you warmly; at that time, you already knew that you were in trouble.

My father would say, ‘Drop the bucket and your elbows on the ground’. You know when you kneel down with your elbows on the ground, your back will be up and very stressful. He would not flog you at once; if you were taking 12 strokes of the cane all at once, the pains will be as if you are taking injection so he will flog you one at a time.

I spend money on female perfumes –Jim Obazee Mr. Jim Obazee, CEO of Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRN), oversees the monitoring and enforcement of financial reporting standards and corporate governance practices both in public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy. He shares his thoughts on the state of the economy and fond memories of his childhood in this interview with EDWIN USOBOH But since you were satisfied watching the film show, you won’t mind even if you were flogged till the next day. This was the prank we played while growing up. My father never got to know what we did because he never followed us there.

What is success to you?

I believe in telling people that success requires you to believe in what you are doing.

Do only things you are ready to die for and ensure you direct people into the same vision that you intend to pursue. Do only things you believe you can die for. What you believe in can either be negative or positive. So, my definition of success is doing that which you are ready to die for and ensure that people are part of that vision.

In the light of the prevalent economic recession in the country, what’s your advice to the government?

I will say in a statement that the government should just stop playing the game and change the game. Because what the government is doing now is currently playing the game. Is it compulsory to have a certain number of ministers because the constitution said so? We must drive these objectives because there are certain requirements that say so. Why can’t we just go ahead and do constitution review and say we don’t want this number of ministers. We have part time legislators; they said the law does not provide for that but we can establish it. So it means you are changing the game, a lot of Nigerians are calling for restructuring that means we are changing the game because currently, we are playing the game.

We say we are selling crude oil and we meet every month to share the money given to the states. Why don’t we change the game and say we are looking at areas of competitive advantage. If you know a state that has fertile lands for tomatoes, we support them and allow them to grow it, and sell tomatoes to the rest of the country. We want our Military and Paramilitary to dress well, why are we still importing their uniform? Why can’t we insist that Nigeria’s textile should be used and no school in Nigeria should import uniform, it must be made in Nigeria? By the time we are doing that, textile will employ a large number of people, the uniform may not look attractive initially but overtime we grow in it.

With your busy schedule, how do you have time to relax?

Well, I relax by picking up a financial statement and reviewing it. I also unwind by reading something outside of my profession. My library at home is bigger than the one I have in my office and each time I travel, when you open my suitcase, you will see a lot of books. I see the game changing; I read a lot of books on business, ethics and technologies. Anything that could give me understanding of other sectors apart from accounting, I read.

Which sporting activities do you engage in?

When I was younger, I played football, currently the only sporting activity I do is reading. My hubbies are travelling and reading.

What are your favourite meals?

Rice of course, it is very fast to prepare and can be done by anybody.

What brand of perfume do you wear?

You want to actually know what I do with my money apart from family issues.

I spend my money o n perfumes apart from family. I love to mix perfumes because a number of people ask me about it; even m y staff w i l l some-

times joke that once I go past a particular place, even without seeing me, they would know I’m the one. I could mix up to five different perfumes, because male perfumes are too strong, I prefer female perfumes; those are the ones I wear.

How did you meet your wife?

It was by chance, because the Bible said he that finds a wife finds a good thing and obtain favour in the sight of the Lord. So I opened my eyes and I saw. The first time I went to see her parents, her father was just speaking Yoruba and I didn’t understand what he was saying. Later, I asked my wife what her father said, she said he said he wouldn’t allow her to marry me because she left Ogun, Osun, Ondo all the way to Edo to bring a man.

I had to ask my friend who is a Yoruba man to follow me to see my father-in-law another day before the man allowed me to marry his daughter.

Body&Soul

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

18

Upstage monochrome stripes Biwom Iklaki

T

wo of the most stylish fashion styles come together to create a classic with which you can never go wrong, black and white stripes. This look can be worn many ways and little to nothing can take away from how stylish and classy it looks. This print can take you from day to night and everything in between. Rock to work, parties, casual soirees and what have you and be assured to stand out. The

pattern works as tops, skirts, pants, shorts, even acces Styling this pattern is fun because you can work with any colour and texture. Wear with a pop of colour o accessories like a red pair of booties, stripped dress blazer thrown over to give it some structure with to carry a business bag (tote or structured bags wil here). Your pop of colour could also come from your lery. Just remember that dressing up and styling you a fun project always.

Editor’s current obsession

19

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Wine & Dine

Tempranillo: friendly pop Ibukunoluwa Kayode

G

reat wine is good to set the mood pumping; not a bad idea to indulge in light refreshment after a day’s work to cool the nerves and also pop with friends. You can do so with Tempranillo, a red wine that can deliver in terms of sedating the palate for memorable refreshment. This wine is made from naturally grown Spain famous Tempranillo grape. It is made to add flavour to every occasion and offer its customers value for their money.

Structured with an in-depth of bouquet red berries and cherries, it leaves fresh note of slight astringent in the palate and at the same time, harmonious long finish.

Tempranillo can be served both at formal and informal occasions such as dinner, cocktails, birthday parties, house warming, naming ceremonies and outdoor parties and picnics.

It has a warm AB Volume, making it a friendly wine to all lovers of low alcoholic drinks.

On the palate, it has a mild tannin finish with fruit base undertone to call for more sips.

This organic wine can be sighted in any wine market across Nigeria, ranging from the big wine supermarkets to local wine shops at an affordable price.

It has perfect weight for a variety of dishes ranging from continental to local, such as beef, pork, sausage and meatier pastas.

Goofproof chicken barbecue Biwom Iklaki

·

½ cup olive oil

hether you want to impress at a dinner party, picnic or just in need of healthy protein bits for your salad, you want to have the yummiest chicken barbecue there is out there.

While almost anyone can throw some chicken breasts, thighs or even the coveted wings into the flames and serve, the proof of the proverbial pudding is in the eating. Will your chicken barbecue knock off someone’s runny taste buds and make them sing yummy praises? Here are some failsafe tips to make your chicken barbecue the ultimate best ever

·

1 teaspoon sea salt

·

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

·

½ teaspoon paprika

·

½ teaspoon cumin

W

1.

Flavour your chicken before you grill. White meat doesn’t necessarily translate tasteless meat. Preferably get your chicken to marinade for a few hours or better still, overnight in the fridge.

2.

Avoid high heat as this will just burn your chicken without cooking it through. You will even be rewarded with a bitter taste for your troubles. You want to cook it on medium heat and keep it covered to create heat that will cook it evenly.

3.

Baste the chicken often and especially at the end of your grill. However, do not baste too soon into your grill, about 15 minutes before the chicken is cooked works best to avoid burning.

Marinade

· red bonnet pepper (as much as you can handle) ·

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

· 3 cloves garlic chopped (you could add more or less) ·

3 tablespoons chopped onion

·

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Marinade method Pour oil into bowl and mix together salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper and add to olive oil. Add garlic, onions, and parsley. Mix ingredients well with a fork. Pour marinade over the chicken in the Ziploc bag. Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal. Turn the bag from side to side and sort of squish the chicken and ingredients together and massage the marinade into it to make sure all chicken has been coated with. Keep turning the bag over every few hours to keep the chicken coated.

20

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

with

Juliet Bumah +234 81 1 675 9770

julietbumah@gmail.com

I’m going hubby-shopping (6) Juliet Bumah

T

hey move to the dressing table. As she picks her makeup box, he places his palm over hers and says, “Don’t paint your face, please. Just wear your clothes. I want your natural looks. Please darling...”

She sighs and drops the kit.

“Thank you my darling,” he says.

She is ready to do anything for him. Love is very stupid!

She wears her clothes and sandals, dabs lip balm on her lips, spritzed some good perfume behind her ears, throat and inner wrists, picks her bag and is ready to go.

“You are so beautiful darling,” he says, admiring her.

Each time he uses the word, ‘darling’, Kathryn goes weak. There’s something so honest and loving about the way he says it.

At the door, he brushes his lips against hers before they step out.

“Wow!” This is cute,” she says as she sights the car.

“You like it?” Dave asks and she nods.

“I’m glad you love it,” he says.

“You’ll have it when we get married,” he mutters to himself.

He holds the door for her and closes it gently after she has sat down.

He then moves to the driver’s side, slides in and gives her a peck before turning the ignition on.

“I love you to the moon and back,” he tells her before they drive off.

John, the gateman, smiles and waves to them.

“So Aunty madam has a husband? Why the man no live here? These rich people sef! This Oga na proper money miss road o. Chai...chaaaaaai...see car!” John heaves his shoulders in wonderment as he closes the gate.

Kathryn catches the smile and admiration on John’s face.

“Aha, why did you introduce yourself as my husband to the gateman?” She asks him.

“But you are my wife,” he replies, not taking his eyes off the road.

He turns on the music.

“Find a way to my heart...” he sings along in a rich baritone.

Kathryn settles into her seat and daydreams. ....

Dave pulls up in front of a nondescript gate on a street off Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island. He honks his horn and a man peeps from a notch on the wall. An infrared camera picks the details of the car and the huge gate slides to the left. He drives into a very large compound. A huge, lone building stands way back to the right while numerous exotic vehicles nestle in the open space. The compound is well kept.

“Where is this? Why this tight security?”

Kathryn asks, looking around her.

“It’s a club. An exclusive club for members only. Security is very necessary here. Members of the club are successful businessmen and politicians,” he says, smiling as he turns off the engine.

“But this is not where we planned to meet,” she says.

“Yeah, I changed my mind. You deserves the best, angel. Trust me,” he replies, a twinkle in his eyes.

Before she could say anything else, a uniformed security man appears and opens the car door for her.

Dave gives her a quick peck and opens the driver’s door. ....

As they step onto the foyer of the building, the door slides open.

Dave swipes a card at a smaller door to the left and it opens.

The noise hits her with a force. More than 30 men and women are in the large tastefully furnished, dimly-lit room. This is the life Kathryn is used to.

Everyone seems to know Dave. They move from one table to the other, saluting friends and business associates. They are all eager to meet her, which surprises her. Is he not bothered that his wife may get to know?

Now wait for this!

“D Chair!” A rotund man hails, while they thump fists.

“Sake!” Dave responds.

“Who is this belle?” He bellows and heads turn in their direction.

“My wife, Kathy,” Dave says, drawing her to his side.

Kathryn’s eyes pop. Wife?

“Darling, meet my name sake, David. He’s a business associate and a jolly good fellow,” Dave tells her.

David shuffles to his feet.

“Welcome madam,” he says with a nod.

Kathryn mumbles a response. She isn’t sure what to say. How could Dave introduce her to his friends as his wife? And why is

everybody pretending to believe him?

“Congrats, Dave,” someone shouts from a corner and everyone takes up the chorus.

‘Congrats! Congratulations!’ rent the air.

Dave draws her to his chest and plants a kiss, smack, on her lips and her worries disappear.

She feels like a queen. By the time she’s sitting beside Dave, she is already enjoying the attention.

She looks around and could recognize many of the faces. What! They are faces she’s seen on television. Oh cool!

“Well, I’m in love with him already so lemme enjoy myself while it lasts,” she tells herself and sips from the choice Champagne- Le Grande Dame Verve Clicquot Ponsardin - which is served in an exotic glass.

They eat a late lunch, dance, nibble at finger foods and sip glass after glass of Champagne.

Four hours later, they’re ready to leave.

They say their goodbyes. David promises to visit them at home and Kathryn surprises herself.

“Oh, that’ll be great. Looking forward to seeing you,” she tells him.

“She’s a great cook,” Dave says proudly.

He drapes his left arm across her shoulders as they walk out of the club.

“I wonder which house David will be visiting,” Kathryn says, confused.

“Shhhhhhhhhh....” Dave responds and shuts her mouth with a kiss.

“I’m taking you to our house,” he says.

Kathryn is in no state to argue. She’s tired but wants to be with him. She relaxes in her seat and wakes up only when Dave honks his car horn.

“We are home,” he says as he drives into his beautiful compound.

She takes in the wonders on wheels in one breath and her eyes pop. What!

“Meet my brothers, Hanson and Mike,” he tells her as they enter the sitting room.

“She’s Kathy, my wife-to-be,” he continues as the two guys look at him, surprised.

“Welcome sister,” they murmur, and a dazed Kathryn murmurs her response.

Dave leads her upstairs to a large, richlyfurnished room with a giant bed in the centre. The room is opulence redefined.

She goes into the loo.

Dave has got to the end of his tether. He needs to let his man out of his boxers or there will be problem. He’s not going to pretend anymore. It is as if he’s been waiting for her all his life.

He steps out of his clothes. His blood vessels throb and his man pulsates.

During his university days, they called it ‘Penistus Trouserius’. As memories of his escapades flood his mind, his ramrod PT nods in excitement. ....

Kathryn has been admiring his firm figure from behind while he’s deep in thought. She shivers with excitement.

“Lemme enjoy him while his wife is away.

After all, I didn’t bring myself here.”

Stealthily, she pulls off every item of dressing on her and leaves them on the floor.

“That’s a sexy torso you’ve got there,” she says huskily.

He turns, startled, as he beholds the unclad killer shape the second time that day. He stares at her, lost for words but his almost weeping PT says everything. It bobs and bobs...

Kathryn moves to him, pushes him against the wall and drops on all four in front of him. He shivers.

Kathryn has longed to see how manly Dave is. Now she has an unfettered access.

His Penistus Trouserius is a joy to behold... too endowed but she’s seen and taken all sizes in the course of her duty. So Dave’s is just okay for a lifetime romance.

She kneels and gingerly taps the neck of his PT and it lunges at her. Impressive!

She gets down to business. She runs her tongue the whole length of his ramrod PT before taking him into her mouth. Dave shivers and moans.

At a point, he isn’t sure if it’s her warm, wet tongue, or her feathery palms, that are causing him to lose his mind.

The few times he was given a head like this, they were done by professional escorts in Las Vegas.

“Who is this woman?” He shut his eyes and moans.

Kathryn is lost. She feels like she’s rendering a professional service to a client. But this client is special. Her heart is involved, she’s not expecting any reward. Her whole being wants this man... ******** The next installment promises to be a bang.

Keep a date with me here on Sunday! ....

•Send your observations to: julietbumah@gmail.com

21

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

No big deal probing Patience Jonathan - Brambaifa p.23

Okowa is dreaming big for Deltans, says Ukah p.25&31

The Sunday Interview

Recession: Nigerians must review spending habits, says Amb Vecchia p26&31

Politics

Biyi Adegoroye Assistant Editor biyi.fire@yahoo.com © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Buhari’s change and urgency of national rebirth President Muhammadu Buhari recently flagged off a new national reorientation campaign which seeks to reinvent core societal values among Nigerians. BIYI ADEGOROYE and ANULE EMMANUEL report that the change has to begin with the leadership

“I

f every citizen can get rid of indiscipline syndrome, we have immense potential to build more productive, conflict-free, harmonious and peaceful communities, societies, cities, nations and world”.

These words from Vishwas Chavan, a scientist with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility based in Copenhagen, Denmark rightly present the real reason why Nigeria continues to remain backward or stagnated in its development as a third world country.

Indeed, without discipline, which is the fulcrum of human virtue, there will be no patriotism and core value systems of hard-work, honesty, godliness and selflessness. Experts believe, and strongly too, that where Nigeria's current position is a function of the nation’s vast eroding value system which have gradually given way to systemic corruption, general bad attitude of citizens and other social vices.

Nigeria’s 1999 constitution which anticipates possible disorder is explicit on this and provides that the state social order is founded on the ideals of freedom, equality and justice. Section 23 provides that the national ethics shall be discipline, integrity, dignity of labour, social justice, religious tolerance and patriotism. Section 24 further prescribes duties for citizens of Nigeria to abide by the constitution, respect its ideals and its institutions, the national flag, the national anthem and legitimate authorities, help to ensure the good name of Nigeria, defend the country and render national service and respect the dignity of other citizens.

Ironically, Nigeria is almost at the precipice regarding indiscipline, corruption, dwindling trust, values like honesty, integrity and commitment to genuine and legitimate process setting goals and achieving them. From business to education and other sectors, the story of gradual degeneracy and decay is far from pleasant.

President Buhari handing over the kit of the campaign to Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed

In the education sector, daily, you read of secondary school students conniving with their parents and teachers to commit examination malpractices. Some parents register their wards at special centres where school proprietors, (supposed custodians of standards), receive huge sums of money for hiring mercenary and teachers to take candidates at examination halls. At the university and other higher institutions, many lecturers trade sex for marks or cash, thereby destroying the integrity degrees and certificates issued.

Internet fraud, prostitution, child trafficking and other vices have become the shortest way to wealth. Unemployed graduates who failed to think outside the box channel their expertise into Internet fraud, in some cases, hacking into depositors’ accounts, and those of banks in desperation for wealth. Contractors and businessmen produce substandard or adulterated products and drugs, thereby becoming merchants of death.

Similarly, politicians can hardly differentiate between service and self-aggrandisement. They adopt various strategiescriminal and illegitimate ones- to win election. The utilise murder, character assassination, subterfuge, rigging, ballot box snatching and other questionable methods against their opponents to get into elective office.

Remember the good days of radio and television jingles like those from the 1980s such as, "Me, I like my country, I like the

land and people, Everything dey for Nigeria. Make we join hand to make Nigeria better"? Such nation building efforts were crucial for the national psyche of citizens and played a significant role in creating a Nigeria, whose people would always excel.

Unfortunately today, both at the individual and government levels, approaching issues without that sense of patriotism seems to be the best options for virtually everyone. Over the years, the needed leadership to correct this ugly trend has also not been in near sight.

In fact, former Acting Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Mr. Ekpo Nta, told a public gathering that Nigeria continued to experience persistent deterioration in the quality of governance, because the rules and regulations for doing official businesses are deliberately ignored or circumvented to facilitate corrupt practices.

What do you expect from a body whose head is rotten? Bad leadership begets bad followership after all. The near absence of exemplary and committed leadership analysts say is responsible for the economic recession the country has found itself in today. Sadly too, today Nigeria is more likely to honour wealth than academic or professional distinction, regardless of the source of that affluence. At least one generation of Nigerians is growing up believing that this is the way things have always been done in the country.

This is why the launching of what is christened “Change Begins With Me”

by President Muhammadu Buhari penultimate at the Presidential Villa, Abuja although belated has been greeted with some of level of enthusiasm.

The idea behind the ambitious re-orientation programme according to the Federal Government is for the rebirth of a national life among Nigerians that would obviously reverse this trend to a Nigeria where things are done properly, where there is equity and justice, rule of law and equality before the law, self-discipline, integrity and honesty as well as tolerance for one another.

When national life is taken over by social sins, the citizens pursue wealth without knowledge, without character, pleasure without conscience, commerce without morality, worship without sacrifice, science without humanity and politics without principles.

Previous attempts have been made to re-awaken the consciousness of Nigerians to the need to doing things right. But such efforts crashed primarily because of the failure on the part of those leaders who initiated the programmes to lead by examples, the doctrine of saying one thing, but doing a different thing. It is simple logic. When leaders are corrupt, the people cannot help but follow the same bane in the name of survival thereby ignoring desirable and accepted standards CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

22

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

politics

Magu

Dasuki

Mohammed

Why the 'Change Begins With Me' CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

of society.

The fight against corruption which is an aspect of indiscipline in the public sector came to the limelight in 1966 when the military identified corruption of politicians as one of the reasons for taking over.

In 1977, the then Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo made his "Jaji Declaration," which launched a drive to make the Nigerian society "patriotic, humane and African," but that never happened.

President Shehu Shagari launched the "ethical revolution" during the Second Republic, which also made no headway.

Again, before the return of civil rule in 1999, Buhari then in uniform introduced a conscious programme tailored towards alerting the minds of the citizens for uprightness through his War Against Indiscipline (WAI).

Specifically, WAI then sought to address the staggering indiscipline in public lives, manifested more openly in the chaos that ruled bus stops, perennial lateness to work then closing hours early or outright abstinence, mindless littering and the turning of streets into open garbage dumps, excessive noise, air and water pollution, corruption which still persists today.

Buhari’s WAI programme was shortlived by a military coup which ushered in General Ibrahim Babangida in 1985.

Public commentators have argued that Babangida’s government was unique in its unconcerned disposition about corruption within its ranks and among public servants generally, it was as if the government existed so that corruption might thrive.

Very ironic it was that the regime also had its own re-orientation and anti-corruption programme known as the Mass Mobilization For Social and Economic Recovery (MAMSER). By the time President Olusegun Obasanjo came back to power as a civilian President in 1999, the decay in the social value system especially corruption had reached unprecedented proportion that it formed a major portion of his inaugural speech.

It is difficult to easily forget the vision 2020 agenda prepared for implementation under former President Obasanjo which produced the NEEDS document under the "Heart of Africa" project. The National Economic, Empowerment Development Strategy as it was called anchored on the imperative to restore the fundamental values of Nigeria, which his administration also believed had been weakened over the years. Interestingly, as described in Vision 2010, “Nigeria is a multi-ethnic society, with a value system that derives from the diversity of its

people, religion and cultures.

The elements in the value system identified therein included respect for elders, honesty and accountability, cooperation, industry, discipline and self-confidence as well as morale courage. If pursued and carefully implemented, NEEDS primary aim was to create a new Nigerian citizen who values hard work and who realizes that one cannot have something for nothing. The Re-branding Campaign championed by late Professor Dora Akunyili, former minister of information under late President Umaru Yar’Adua also foundered.

As stakeholders gathered at the presidential villa penultimate Thursday to witness yet another re-launch of a campaign whose vision is to achieve what was not possible with a leader in uniform, President Buhari explained that “the campaign principle is simple, each of us must live the change we want to see in our society,".

He said "The campaign we are about to launch today is all about the need for us to see change, not merely in terms of our economic, social progress, but in terms of our personal behaviour on how we conduct ourselves, engage our neighbours, friends, and generally, how we relate with the larger society in a positive and definitive way and manner that promotes our common good and common destiny, change at home, change in the work place, change at traffic junction, change at traffic lights,”.

Before the coming on board of this new initiative, a few Nigerians have been agitated raising concerns about the government’s failure to address the myriad problems they face daily of which is an economy in free-fall and mass youth unemployment. The question has often been on where is the promised change?

Addressing dignitaries during the launch of the programme, President Buhari stressed that in tackling the rot in the Nigerian system, his administration has come to the realisation that if any progress were to be made, change must begin at individual levels with the citizens themselves having to imbibe acceptable societal values. He said “before you ask, 'where is the change they promised us,' you must first ask, 'how far have I changed my ways."

“I need not mention the serious effort we have engaged in since the inception of this administration on the fight against corruption in our public life. With the progress we have so far made in that regard, we feel the need to ensure that we put in place the necessary sustainable framework for action and measures that will help to entrench and consolidate the progress achieved so far. This we

believe can best be maintained through attitudinal change, and the change of our mind-set in private and public life,” The President noted.

President Buhari himself seems to understand that this is a democracy and therefore he would not be able to beat citizens into line, to obey the last command in achieving effective implementation of the change agenda. He said this campaign this time unlike the WAI is part of the determination of the All Progressives Congress-led government to seek to carry all Nigerians along on the journey to a better and greater society that they will all be proud of.

One thing was also certain as the President spoke at the event, government was not going to allow business as usual. “Everyone of us must have a change from our old ways of doing things, we cannot fold our arms and allow things to continue the old way,” he told the gathering.

The President lamented that “the resultant effect of this derailment in our value system is being felt in the social, political and economic sphere. It is for the reason that some youths will take to cultism and brigandage instead of studying hard or engaging in decent living; it is the reason that some elements break pipelines and other oil facilities, thus robbing the nation of much-needed resources; it is the reason that money belonging to our commonwealth will be brazenly stolen by the same public officials to whom they were entrusted; it is the reason why motorist drive through red traffic lights, it is the reason that many will engage in thuggery and vote-stealing during elections; it is part of what has driven our economy into deep problem out of which we are now working hard to extricate ourselves”.

Minister of information, Lai Mohammed also took time to explain to Nigerians that the re-orientation campaign was not a replication of WAI initiated in 1983

by Buhari but that it would achieve the same goal using a different means. The minister had earlier in Lagos disclosed that government was approached by some concerned Nigerians on the need to activate an action against the continued distortion of value systems in the country.

The expectation among stakeholders is that as the President promises to institutionalise the war against corruption, significant progress will also be made in institutionalising as well, the ChangeBegins-with-Me” campaign which brings with it best practice and time-honoured values needed to develop the country.

What is critical at the moment is for the government to convince Nigerians that the new national re-orientation campaign

is also not a clever ploy by the ruling APC to shift responsibility for the seemingly near impossible "change" it promised citizens back onto their shoulders.

Observers believe that in so far that APC is the precursor of the change mantra, the new orientation must begin with the leadership of the party itself and its government. The change and commitment to national values and ethos must be seen in its transparency in governance.

Professor of Sociology at the University of Lagos, Omololu Soyombo said there is no denying the timeliness of the programme. “The idea is good one because things just cannot and should not continue the way they were. But it is a long way ahead. We need a turnaround. “ Soyombo said the people need a measure of comfort to embrace such “high order needs” like nationalism and patriotism, otherwise, “ a campaign like this will just fly in the air.” He said the level of hunger and criminality in the country is so high right now and people who cannot meet their basic needs can hardly contemplate such values.

On the other hand, many Nigerians are still appalled that political appointments under the Buhari administration are disproportionate distributed to the disadvantage of the South-East. Surprisingly, the North enjoys the majority position in a county where unity in diversity is held sacrosanct.

Also, the Buhari administration, some seven months ago sacked about 800 cadets of security services, who were at the verge of completing their trainee, just because they enlisted under the government of Goodluck Jonathan. The same fate also befell about 2000 immigration officers in trainee inherited by the current government. Ironically, under the current administration, some agencies like the Federal Inland Revenue and the Central Bank just concluded secrete recruitment exercise!

The Buhari’s presidency while implementing the change-begins-with-me policy should, therefore, move swiftly to address issues of flamboyant lifestyles, long official motorcades, abuse of security votes, budget padding and excessive travel by leaders, blaring of sirens and disregard of traffic rules by official motorcades. Only then can Nigerians take this campaign seriously.

Soyombo said the change should begin with the leadership, because information from the legislature, executive and judiciary does not show that the leadership is ready for change.”So the leadership is key. It must cut across the system.

Governors, ministers and everyone must embrace it,” he said.

23

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

politics Senator John Kojo Brambaifa, who represented Bayelsa West Senatorial District in 20032007 in Bayelsa State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), last year defected to the All Progressives Congress but within a short period returned to the PDP. In this interview with JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM, Brambaifa speaks on many issues, ranging from corruption, Niger Delta Avengers and the APC administration The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has frozen an account said to belong to the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. How proper is this?

Well, I think in the first instance, we all read the story that her aide - Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs - was asked to open account and the account was opened but not opened in her name initially. And later, the aide promised he was going to change the account to her name and that change was not effected. She is claiming that the fact that EFCC is freezing her account is not right. She owns the account.

Well, I think that that should be properly investigated. If she owns the account and they find that there is a wrong doing in the account and the money there was obtained through dubious means, it has a right to find out, like any other person that would have been in her position with such account. That is my take for that. She has accepted that the accounts belong to her, the important thing is the content of the account. Were the monies that are in the accounts earned properly? And if they were earned properly, I don't think they should prosecute her for the sake of prosecuting as they were former number one citizens.

Many people are of the view that for the anti-corruption war to make sense, the family of the past President should be investigated and possibly prosecuted. Do you share with this position?

I don't think that question should arise.

The past president is a Nigerian citizen and he doesn't enjoy immunity now and if properly handled he should be treated like any other Nigerian. If there is any law barring him from prosecution, then that could come into play but if there is no such, the law should take its cause. We have heard former Presidents and Heads of States being prosecuted all over the world. All that one would say is that it must be done with decency that he was a former president.

Some persons are saying that the anti corruption war the present administration is fighting is taking the shine of the economic situation giving the fact that people are suffering. Do you share with that?

I may not really share that view. For me we have to first of all look at the major problems in this country. As far as I am concerned, the major problem of this country is corruption and if the present administration is targeting corruption as a problem, then I think they should allow due process. I don't think because they are pursuing anti corruption crusade they have forgotten other aspects of the economy.

If they are doing that then something is

No big deal probing Patience Jonathan - Brambaifa accusation is that the NDA people are the ones who said he is involved. It is a matter for him and the Avengers to iron out whether he is involved or not.

Distinguished, you were one of those that joined the APC last in Bayelsa State. Are you still in APC? No. I am no longer in the APC. I have gone back to the PDP.

Brambaifa

wrong. I believe that other areas of governance can be carried out simultaneously with anti corruption crusade. Government is a multifaceted agent that can handle different situations in the country at the same time but if they should concentrate with corruption war alone something is wrong with the country.

Do you think that the present government has delivered on its campaign promises?

Well, if the present government has not properly addressed the economic situation in the country, I don't want to believe that they are deliberately doing that. Maybe their efforts have not translated to positive results to impact on the masses. But again, like what Bill Clinton was talking about the other day, if you want to be honest and sincere to believe that this is our country, then I think that the government must be given a chance. If we want to solve our agelong problem which is corruption, we must be doing things properly in this country.

One year and few months are a little bit too early to say that they have failed.

People are worried that the present administration is dwelling on blame game rather than addressing economic problems. What would you say about this?

Well, certainly the present government is blaming the previous government because a lot of things had gone wrong in this country and when that is observed, where do you lay your blames? You lay your blames on the previous government that have handled the activities but I want to say categorically that I don't believe that blame should take the front burner. You took over government purely because the people voted that the previous government was not good enough and so you have been given the mandate don't go back and forward. We all know that, that is the reason.

Go on and do what other party did not as you have the opportunity now, not blaming them that their government was responsible for this and that and hence you have not been able to do anything because of it.

That can't be true.

But again I have always expressed it in several ways that a situation that is so bad cannot find a remedy in a very, very short

possible time. It can't. You have to give it sometime. So, I think we should not hinge on blame game; mandate was given because the previous situation was not good enough.

As somebody who has represented the Niger Delta State in the Senate, how would you look at the present agitation of the new militia, Niger Delta Avengers and the handling by government?

Well, I think that the Niger Delta Avengers, (NDA) are agitators and they have the right to agitate that the area to which they belong and where they believe that the wealth of this country is coming from is poorly developed. So, they have the right to agitate, but I think their agitation must be channeled properly; it must be channeled in a way that it will not be destructive to the whole country; it must be channeled in a way that the rest of the country can see what they are agitating for. So, I want to say dialogue is always the best solution but I think that in all honesty the Federal Government should also be honest in the approach to the dialogue. The dialogue should cut across the good people of the Niger Delta and not the militants alone.

Issues must be properly articulated on how to present the view points. They must articulate it properly and I think in their agitation one of the areas that should be looked into is the oil block issue. The oil block issue is a fundamental issue and if you're talking about the wealth of the Niger Delta it must be addressed. How did the process start that 23 persons own our oil wealth and make so much money out of? It is not fair. The distribution of oil blocks must be done properly and looked into. Those oil blocks contracts should be terminated and I believe that dialogue is the best thing and everyone must agree to dialogue.

Those in government are said to allegedly accuse the former President Goodluck Jonathan of sponsoring the NDA. Do you agree with this?

For me to answer yes or no would be difficult. I don't know much of involvement with the Niger Delta Avengers and would not want to contribute much to that because I don't know much about it. The

What is responsible for your return?

Since I left APC back to PDP, I have never made any pronouncement. I have never given any interview for me to say one or two things on why I returned to PDP. We left PDP because the way it was going was not good enough and at that time APC came out with beautiful ideas and principally they were saying that democracy was going to be practised in the APC and the impunity that PDP was known for was not part of their agenda. Those were the things we saw because most of us believed in practising democracy and a group of us moved to the APC. At the point when the Bayelsa State started its election we wanted to make sure that APC won the election but we did so much that Bayelsa State was properly galvanized, and it was clear that the state was going to be an APC state, but little did we know that all that preaching was a camouflage. It was not the true position of the party. Take for instance the APC primaries in Bayelsa State, one would have expected that they would have been very transparent primary but it was not transparent. The primary was conducted by the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and he confessed that there was a lot to be done and that resulted in a second primary and the second round of primary was even worse than the first one. Our aspirant did not even know that there was primary and they were calling those of us who joined newly names that monkey go work baboon go come chop.

Na so. Some of us felt that that was not the true position that dragged us into the APC and all these were reported to national headquarters of the APC, that look the way things are going is not okay the people who decided to join you are not very happy with it. We clearly saw that PDP that practised impunity that forced us to go to APC but we found out that it was better to be with the old Devil. That was why we went back to PDP and PDP began to be the winning side in Bayelsa State.

What do you have to say concerning the crisis in the APC in Bayelsa State after the election?

Well, I wouldn't like to come in but as long as I am concerned, some of the inadequacies are that the chairman and the leader of the party, former governor of the state were not working in synergy. In terms of winning election there was no way APC wouldn’t have won in Bayelsa State if everybody was properly accommodated.

Now which of the PDP factions do you belong to?

I don't know about the factions but when we went back, there were no factions. The factions are mixed up the party leaders need to sit up and resolve the problem because if you look at it, by the little that I know there is a mix up. I didn't think it was proper for one faction to rush to Port Harcourt, Rivers State for convention. If they took their time, they would have resolved that situation but now they have created more crises. However, I think they are putting their heads together and I believe they will resolve all the crises.

24

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

politics Last week, members of the movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), marked the 17th anniversary of the movement. OKEGWO KENECHUKWU, captured the event and police action in this report

I

n his Eidel Kabir massage to the members of the National Youth Service Corps serving in Kastina State, President Mohammed Buhari reiterated his determination to ensure that the agitation for the actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra remains wishful thinking of Ndigbo, and vowed to use everything within his power to ensure that the agitation does not see the light of the day.

The former Head of State and retired General, who fought the 30-month civil war against the Biafra Republic between 1966 and 1970, ordinarily could not have easily let go, even if he has the power to do so.

Then, he traversed that zone of the country, most of the time through thousands of kilometers in the forest on foot. Besides, this time as a President who swore to defend the integrity of the nation, it is understandable that he would not renege on the oath.

It is, therefore, understandable that his stance may not in any way be a departure of any kind as one ill-disposed to the crusade of the South-East and more so when the agitation was even older than his administration as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

On the other hand, the agitation is a movement of a people who said they are tired of belonging to one country called Nigeria.

This non-violence agitation is far from militarisation posture of President Buhari.

Like the saying goes, soldier goes, soldier comes, barrack remains, the agitation for the self determination of the Biafra has come to stay especially with its non-violence struggle. The struggle for the Sovereign State of Biafra has become the proverbial big boil on the neck of a lizard. If you operate it, it will die, if you leave it, it will die.

This is because the President charge to the members of the National Youth Corps was even coming at a time the movement was celebrating her 17th anniversary of nonviolence agitation for self rule. So, while President Buhari was at his Daura village, MASSOB members during the rally are warning the Federal Government not to provoke them into violence.

The rally which was observed in the entire South-East, South-South and part of Niger Delta including Abuja was adjudged the most successful and peaceful since its inception 17years ago, as only very fear deaths were recorded when compared to other previous once. Although some arrest was made, most of them was said to have been released In Anambra North Zone, the leader of the group, Benjamin Omenka, who staged a mega rally in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area and part of Onitsha, urged members and supporters of Biafra to have patience because the day of freedom was near. He said the present call for restructuring by some segments of the country came about as a result of the fear for Biafra independence by those who have tied the country down.

He threatened that going by the numerous types of unprovoked attacks on their members by the Nigerian security forces, the pro-Biafra group may resort to violence, reiterating the fact that they chose non-violence method was not out of cowardice, but to maintain the pact Uwazurike signed with the United Nations.

Omenka noted that no amount of restruc-

We are resolute on Biafra, says MASSOB turing gimmick can make MASSOB and Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) to derail from their agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra.

He clarified the confusion about BIM and MASSOB, stating that MASSOB led presently by Mr. Solomon Chukwu is the youth wing of BIM controlled by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, while both of them are working together irrespective of the splinter groups which also claim to be MASSOB purportedly led by Uchenna Madu.

Also speaking, Anambra Central Zonal leader of BIM, Chief Vincent Iloh said the Nigerian government should allow the Biafra agitators have their own independent state since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 according to him expired in 2014.

“Let the whole world know that we are resolute in our stand for a Biafra Republic. It is not compulsory that we shall remain one indivisible nation. So they should allow us to go to our Promised Land,” he said.

Iloh praised the resilience of Chief Uwazuruike, who started the struggle in September 13, 1999 and reminded those working to destabilise the struggle that they can never succeed, because 17 years is not 17 days, even as they were not ready to relent or relinquish the struggle.

He advised the whole Igbo nation to support MASSOB – BIM while calling on the international community to help in actualising the Biafran struggle, while condemning the attack on harmless Biafra youths who are on a peaceful procession by the Joint Security Task Force set up by the Governor Willie Obiano administration, comprising of soldiers, police, navy, civil defence among others who have condoned off parts of Onitsha – Owerri road shootings and arresting innocent citizens.

The MASSOB- BIM Director of Information, Anambra North zone, Charles Igbokwe told Sunday Telegraph that some of their members marching towards Amazo Oil along Onitsha – Owerri Road were arrested by the Joint Security Task Force, while there were fears that some have been shot. He said they are making frantic efforts to ascertain the actual figure of casualties

and wondered why they will continue to be objects of killings and brutality in the hands of security agents while they are non-violent approach.

Anambra State Police Public Relation Officer, Nkeiruka Nwodo, when contacted also confirmed that 14 people only were arrested while nobody was shot dead.

Meanwhile, what looked like sabotage played out just 24 hrs after the celebration as members of indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB dissociated themselves from the protests and mass rally of Biafra agitators in some parts of parts of the Anambra State stating that their immediate concern was the release of their leaders in detention.

In a statement credited to IPOB members and non members and the threat to the life of Mrs. Kanu family with the list of the people they declared wanted. Passionately appeal to the Federal Government to urgently affect the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and others who have been in detention since October 10, 2015 over alleged treason charges.

The group also demanded the release of Chidiebere Onwudiwe; Emmanuel Otuu; Benjamin B Wawusi; Mmadubugwu; Benjamin Onwuka; Innocent Orji and 23 other MASSOB members at Awka and Onitsha.

They urged their members to take directives from publicity secretary for the avoidance of doubts.

The splinter group of MASSOB led by Comrade Uchenna Madu, in a statement later in the day said that Biafra agitators were using the occasion to remember all those who lost their lives in the course of struggle as well as memorial of 17 years of its existence.

His words “today, as we celebrate 17 year of anniversary of formation of MASSOB, we remember our brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of Biafra in the hands of Nigeria.

“We remember our non-violent MASSOB members who died innocently and with brave hearts fro-Biafra cause. They were molested, humiliated and brutally killed by the armed security agents”.

Speaking on the activities of MASSOB

Uwazuruike

Mr. Sam Okaula

during the celebration, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Mr. Sam Okaula said the people were arrested for conducting themselves in a matter that threatened the peace of the state. “They blocked the road and disrupted business activities. Hence we arrested them and they will soon be charged to court,” he said.

25

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

politics

You were talking about the sorry situation of Delta Broadcasting Services.

How did it get to its present worrisome state?

You know I can definitely not tell you how it got to this point. Rather I can only talk about where I met it. First and foremost, if you recall, I only became the Commissioner for Information about three months after this government came into power. The first thing I did was to understand the ministry and its various components; the parastatals like The Pointer newspaper and DBS Asaba and DBS Warri. As soon as I was announced the Commissioner for Information, I was inundated with so many information.

Some coming as rumours, some coming as gossips and so many noise all coming with different forms.

Can you be more explicit on that?

Keying into the governor’s mission, I’m not given to rumours. I believe more on facts that I can feel and concretely see. So what we did was to go round on facilities tour. At the end we were able to hear them out with such firsthand information. To be able to tackle these issues, we found out that there were bottle necks.

Most glaring of all was a seemingly communication gap between the top management and the staff. And we try to look into it without dislodging the set up, as that wasn't our mandate. When you come into a system the first method is applying what you know to assist. Next you find out whether they have the competence and whether they have the ability, and then you create a conducive atmosphere for them to work.

What is the way out?

What we did was to make them believe in themselves and work as a team. We have been struggling to do that, but I will tell you that it's quite a big challenge. The challenges you deal with in civil service, but that notwithstanding, what we are trying to do now is to undertake some technical examinations of the whole setup. Because we have had so much noise about equipment that were bought.

These things ran into years back that I begin to wonder. Looking at it criticality, DBS Asaba had become very epileptic especially in the past three years. The issue was that they were no longer transmitting from Asaba, rather from an analogue station at Ubulu Uku. So we had to engage some independent consultants, who were recommended to us from Abuja, on a way out. Each of them from television stations from the western and eastern parts of the country. We took them along with engineers from the DBS and some of our staff from the ministry of information.

What were your findings?

When we got to Asaba, we discovered that the antenna was what DBS Asaba started off with was very old. The argument then was buying a new one while some insists it only needed repairs. Some also said CONFAX (Lagos based outfit) was given the contract to procure a new one.

We had to check our files, invited CONFAX about three times. We discovered that some contracts were given verbally according to them; some where being executed, while some were yet to be executed. The ministry

Okowa is dreaming big for Deltans, says Ukah After a month- long investigation into the rot at the Delta State Broadcasting Services (DBS), Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, speaks on it and sundry issues with SONY NEME had done a thorough job on that score.

We have performed creditably well in that regard I must tell you. What we are doing now is processing those information we have gathered to inform the government properly. Most importantly, Asaba is in a valley. Once the antenna is stalled, then the use of digital studio becomes irrelevant. That is why they are going to Ubulu Uku to transmit. Asaba couldn't transmit because the thunder arrestor was not there. The story was that the thunder arrestor was stolen three consecutive times, Are you looking at the issue of sabotage?

I won't want to use that expression.

When you sabotage, who are you sabotaging? You will be sabotaging even your profession and your competence, because even when you retire, you will have no values for yourself and even the private sector, as you will have no value. We are looking at that and we will get there. That is not the issue now. What is paramount for us now is to have a television station working in our capital city. And the governor has made that clear; it is a mandate that we must deliver. We cannot continue to be seen from television stations that are situated outside this state. They can't be telling our stories; we will tell our stories ourselves better.

Moving forward, from all information gathered, we are now analysing and putting time tested measures in place. In an-

alysing the information there is a component of government that is being headed by a competent hand, Prof. Sylvester Monye. Interestingly he has also done his own verification in terms of contracts awarded by the state as it affects our ministry. Ours is now to sit and marry the information he has and what we have. Then we will be able to chart a way forward. Like I said earlier, digital or analog, which way do we go? Digital of course, which will take us to face the state economic team. If we are able to convince them, then we will be able to come up with robust recommendations for His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who is eagerly waiting for it. But in the interim something must be done.

In readiness for the digital switch, one of our transmitters in Asaba is working and the one at Ubulu Uku is also working. So what we have decided to do is connecting to StarTimes cable network. As I speak with you, DBS Asaba has since July been connected to StarTimes.

Switching on was a problem.

When the governor came to address the state through DBS Asaba, we were able to achieve a network transmission across the state on ra-

dio. And he was happy. We were waiting for him to speak to the state through the television station in Asaba, which will happen any moment from now.

The governor has promptly approved a generator which they considered an immediate need. These are the generators that the state has in stock. And the governor ordered that they should be given one. Now we have installed a thunder arrester. I never installed any that was stolen. I will hold someone accountable if this one is stolen.

Is it a case of go and sin no more?

No. I'm not looking at the past for now.

Rather I'm focused on the present and what the future portends.

Are there plans to relocate to station from its present location, because whenever it rains the premises is an eyesore and nightmarish for both staff and customers?

Well, I hope you know that presently government is working seriously on drainages in Asaba. If we are relocating that means we are conceding that the issue of drainage cannot be solved forever.

Because you will agree with me that the location of DBS is in a highbrow area of Asaba. So it has to remain there. In terms of the drainage issues, we have identified three trunk spots in Asaba. One is on DLA Road, the second is by Nnebisi Junction, connecting flow towards the Anwai River while the third is Okpanam Road at somewhere by government house road and State House of Assembly.

The drains are being cleared up but yet to be linked from Okpanam Road to Ekumeku Junction. All these are ongoing while the final phase is expected to affect the original plan of the DLA Road. The first phase is to clear that drains complete the evacuation of the drainage, so that when it rains water finds its course unhindered. That way it flows out as soon as the rain stops.

The directive of the governor was for this phase to be completed before the rain came, but unfortunately they couldn't meet that target. Even in the rain, they are working.

A close look at the laudable Okpanam Road project reveals a shoddy job being done. Who is monitoring the project please?

The government of Senator Okowa is a collaborative government. When we came in, we passed into law the State Capital Development Authority. You have the Ministry of Work; you have state Project Monitoring Department and you have the special projects team. All these are state government agencies with related input to projects.

More than anything else, you would agree with me that the construction at Okpanam Road is taking a CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

26

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sunday Interview

Recession: Nigerians must review spending Miguel Angel Della Vecchia is the Head of Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Nigeria. Recently, parents of Nigerian students on Venezuelan scholarship studying in Venezuela, paid an appreciation visit to the Mission in Abuja.

PHILIP NYAM, who witnessed the event, spoke to Vecchia on issues of oil, bilateral relations and sundry matters Could you tell us the relationship that exists between your country and Nigeria and how you would like it to improve?

Nigeria and Venezuela are in the best moments of their relationship. The solidarity between the two countries is big right now.

We support Nigeria anytime and they also support us. In the international arena like the UN Security Council, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other regional bodies where we are all together, we relate very well and show solidarity when the need arises. If we have a good programme in Venezuela, we send Nigeria students over there to study. I want to increase this type of relationship with our country because I want my country and the government to send students from Venezuela to also study in Nigeria.

Nigeria has a lot of programme in different areas that we need to learn from them.

And same goes to Venezuela. Right now, we have 35 Nigerian students studying in Venezuela under an exchange programme and in total we have more than 200 that have gone to my country and are back.

Each of our embassies in Africa has this programme going on. It is part of the solidarity we have in Venezuela to impact positively where ever we are. It is a thing of joy that they go there and not only learn but understand the culture which is similar.

How would you rate the volume of trade between Nigeria and Venezuela?

Venezuela and Nigeria have a good relationship outside petroleum. We buy petroleum from Nigeria and conduct several international trades together with your country. Nigerians will be going to fix a refinery in Venezuela. Yes, they have that capacity. Nigerians’ also buy other things from our country. There are over 3,000 men and women from your country documented and living legally, presently in Venezuela. We can talk about the inter change between Venezuela and Nigeria through petroleum, NNPC and the state oil company of Venezuela have good relationship. We have some of the best petroleum products around the world. Sometimes our political socialist system is not all about the economics. It is more than that because we support the people of Nigeria. We offer free support to schools in Nigeria. It is a programme where we have given children’s bags with books and other materials for learning in 16 schools in some states. We have visited eight states now and we are proposing to visit more schools.

We have built a school in Nasarawa State and named it Hugo Chavez Frias Primary School, Jankawa. It is the first in Africa.

The relationship is now in the best of moments. The government of Nigeria is going to Venezuela to sign seven to eight bilateral agreements in education, technology, aviation which is the most important because we are arranging to have a direct flight from Lagos to Caracas, more of commercial flights. Venezuela will also come here to sign the agreement on a Joint Commission between Nigeria and our country.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is planning to go to Venezuela and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of our country is coming to Nigeria to fix the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Venezuela.

Buhari will be in Venezuela to discuss with our President on special economic, political and other relationships that will be mutually beneficial.

Miguel Angel Della Vecchia

Your country seems to be having similar challenges like Nigeria: recently it adjusted the pump price of petroleum products.

How is this affecting the people?

It is affecting our politics because we are making socialist policies. We spread our budget to the people and social programmes around Venezuela. When the late Hugo Chavez was in power, the oil price was around $120; we opened a lot of areas for the people, free education to everybody, and free houses for the less privileged, free health care, food and human rights to everybody. This happened because we spread our budget coming from the oil and gas sector. Now, with the fluctuating price of oil in the international market, we need to reduce all of these, but not to reduce the number of projects that are ongoing, maybe to reduce the time to give the people the benefits because we will continue with the

projects. Our schools are down, we need to stabilise our petroleum, our price; our budget is not the same today, it is different.

We need to do some things like Nigeria. In Venezuela we have the cheapest gasoline around the world. We just increased it two months ago. Even at that, you can fill your tank with just $1.20. So it is still the cheapest gasoline in the world. We increased the gasoline price to support the crisis in the economy. Now with Nigeria, Algeria, all the OPEC countries will continue to try and stabilize the crude price in their country to reflect reality.

Venezuela got her independence 204 years before Nigeria? What are the major challenges putting all the institutions together, the democratic institutions, the parliament, the executive and the judiciary?

We have the Presidential system of government. Not really like Nigeria but somehow similar, the people elect the persons, and the people elect the parliament, the parliament is the manager of the country.

The President conducts our economic, politic and other affairs. We need to send it in to the parliament for them to approve or not, like the budget. In Venezuela we have just one Minister for Education. We have 24 states and two federal capitals which you may describe as administrative and the other commercial.

What are some of the things the people of Venezuela share in common with Nigeria?

We are the same people. When I came here for the first time I felt I was in my country because the food, cultures, religion are almost the same. We have Sango worshipers in Venezuela, like the people of the

27

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

SUNDAY

Potpourri Weight watchers community

I

Tone that butt!

hope you all noticed how the Kim Kardashian large gluteus Maximus suddenly created an appeal for a larger posterior, aka the African butt? Well, even when you are trying to loose weight, your but may not tone up without some help. A few exercises and tips could help whittle your waist and pump up while toning the looks of your bum. PS: Your butt may increase too!

Work out outfit: some people have sworn that you get a better workout when you wear a waist trainer to work out. This pulls in your waist during workout and the muscles are formed as defined by the waist trainer.

Squats: it isn’t magic really, do your squats and begin at about 10 squats and 3 reps and slowly increase your squats and reps. Do this for a month and see the instant difference Reverse crunch: lie on your back with knees bent and lift off your butt from the floor while rolling your navel into your spine. Squeeze your but while at it. This targets your but, thighs and pooch (lower belly).

Jump squats: do your regular squats and end in a jump with your knees straight and your feet off the floor, all the way back down to a squat and repeat.

Lunges and plies: As with squats, lunges and plies are other butt targeting exercises that are easy to learn and quickly effective.

Bridges: Bridge exercises are among those that will target your butt and, if you do them consistently, you should tone your butt fast. Sometimes these are called hip lifts. You should strive for at least 15 reps of each exercise twice a day.

Dignified thousand pleats gele Biwom Iklaki

I

Money talks

Money decisions in your 30s (Part 2)

I

n the concluding part of the Money decisions in your 30s, you will have a few rude awakenings. Do not take it as an affront; we are just being real here. I am totally aware of many folk’s aversion to discussing money, even married couples. But it is pertinent to do so, no matter how hard it may seem.

1) Write a will et al: many people have acquired lands and other such properties that have legal documents backing them.

With an increase in wealthy youths as young as their teens into 20s and 30s, we must include them in this category. You should write your will and put your legal documents in place as they say, no one knows tomorrow. You should also consider indicating who you want to make medical decisions in event that you are incapacitated and someone else needs to make these medical decisions concerning your life.

​Trend du jour

2) Save for the big things: you should have a separate account into which your fork aside some money for events like a wedding, your child’s education (for those who are married and are starting a family). If you do not do so, life may overwhelm you with the avalanche of events with your wages not quite speeding up to meet them.

3) Keep in mind that your parents may become your responsibility one day and if you are not prepared for it, this too could be a way to drain you and add stress to your life.

4) Talk to a financial expert about tax exemptions which could go a ways to alleviate some of your financial burdens (children and other dependants are basis for exemption).You could even create a separate account where you keep all the money you are able to save as a result of the tax exemptions.

5) As a Nigerian, you should also be prepared to keep some money aside or find a nice excuse for not giving and ill aunt some money for treatment, buying ‘asoebi’, charity, etc. This is real people!

Stories by: Biwom Iklaki

am not quite sure how many people can tie this contraption on their heads, but for the brave women who can or can get people to do so for them, this is one stylish albeit bulky piece of headgear anyone could have come up with. Surprisingly, it is a hit among the Nigerian socialites and fashion forward ladies who think this is their cup of tea.

One would be hard pressed to tie this gele in time, keeping in mind that the average woman may require more than a “proper” amount of time to get ready, adding the thousand pleat gele may just be a tall order.

However, like most things in fashion, the harder it seems to accomplish, the more appealing the finished product is.

So, if this is right up your street, then by all means, pick up a lovely fabric of about six yards and begin. Your best bet is to watch a few videos on YouTube to get this style down pat. And if you are a gele tying novice, my sister, you may be on a long tin o! You have to start from the basic gele tying videos to get here. It does require some expertise in gele tying. Good luck!

28

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sportxtr

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Bugatti Veyron

Top 10 footb most expen Charles Ogundiya

T

oday there is a lot of money available to footballers around the world. And this is simply because the ‘beautiful game’ is one of the best money generating sports around now days. From the Premier League to La Liga players earn millions of dollars, which allows them to live like princes able to afford the very best things in life. However, today we want to take a peek at the cars that some of these household name footballers drive. Of course the cars these football stars drive are not only fast but also very expensive! So let’s look the wheel’s which Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and other players cruise around town in.

Frank Lampard’s Ferrari Scaglietti 612

No 1: Cristiano Ronaldo: Bugatti Veyron: Price ($1,700,000) Cristiano Ronaldo is one player who has a healthy taste in the cars’ selection. He has Ferrari 599 GTO, Lamborghini and Royal Royce cars in his garage. However, his most valuable set of wheels is a Bugatti Veyron.

No 2: Ronaldinho: Bugatti Veyron: Price ($1,700,000) Ronaldinho the king of skills, he is one of the richest footballers in the world and at one time was playing for Barcelona. Ronaldinho has a Hummer 2 but his most expensive car is also a Bugatti Veyron.

Zlatan Ibrahimović’s Porsche Spyder

Neymar’s Audi R8 GT

Ozil’s Ferrari 458

Eto’o’s Bugatti Veyron

No 3: Samu Samuel Eto football, but one of the ca

No 4: Zlatan Zlatan Ibra world. Once United. Wel

No 5: Neym Neymar is most highly R8 GT in his

No 6: Mesu Mesut Özi drives the Fe available du

No 7: Frank Although

29

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

ravaganza

ball players’ nsive cars in 2016

uel Eto’o: Bugatti Veyron: Price ($1,700,000) o’o after the World Cup in Brazil retired from international t is still playing club football. He has a Bugatti Veyron as ars in his rides’ garage.

n Ibrahimović: Porsche Spyder: Price (£616,500) ahimović is one of the most recognisable strikers in the e the main man at PSG, he now plays for Manchester ll he rides the beautiful sports car, Porsche Spyder.

mar: Audi R8 GT: Price ($246,000) s one of the best players in Barcelona today; he is now the y paid Brazilian striker in the La Liga. He owns an Audi s garage.

ut Özil: Ferrari 458: Price (£169,000) il is one of the best paid players in the Premier League he Ferrari 458 dark blue colour. Well it’s one of the best cars ue to its design.

k Lampard: Ferrari Scaglietti 612: Price (£200,000) Frank Lampard now plays in the MLS for New York

Gareth Bale’s 2015 Audi Car

Blond hair, the latest trend

City FC, but he was one of the highest paid midfielders in the Premier League while playing for Chelsea and Manchester City.

Lampard drives the Frank Ferrari Scaglietti 612, an extra-ordinary sports car.

No 8: Wayne Rooney: Aston Martin Vanquish S: Price (£150,000) Wayne Rooney is one of the most recognisable players in world football and is currently captain of Manchester United. The Three Lions skipper has an Aston Martin Vanquishs S, which price is £150,000.

No 9: Lionel Messi: Audi R8 Spyder: Price (£102,385) Lionel Messi is now among the world’s richest athletes today, he was the world’s highest paid footballer last year. If we look at his rides’ collection, Messi’s wheels are full of sports editions. The Audi R8 Spyder is one of them which also carries a hefty price tag.

No 10: Gareth Bale: Audi R8 GT (White): Price ($246,000) Gareth Bale the Real Madrid winger was once the most expensive player in the world when he moved to the reigning European champions from Tottenham Hotspur in a £80 million deal three years ago. Bale is earning an excessive amount of salary on contract with his club. Has a white Audi R8 GT.

D

Ronaldinho’s Bugatti Veyron

ying of hair has become the latest trend with footballers stars after Barcelona stars, Lionel Messi and Neymar, joined others that have changed their looks, recently.

Messi has followed in the footsteps of Aaron Ramsey and Phil Jones by bleaching his hair blond, before Neymar also followed suit.

Samir Nasri became the first high-profile footballer to dye his hair blond last year before Ramsey and Jones followed suit earlier this summer.

Recently, Liverpool defender Alberto Moreno followed in the footsteps of the aforementioned stars.

Cannabis almost end my career – Wright

Leo Messi‘s Audi R8 Spyder

I

an Wright has revealed how his legendary career was almost halted before it began, due to his use of cannabis during his early days in the game.

Wright scored 185 goals in 288 games at Arsenal and was also capped 33 times for England, having burst onto the scene with Crystal Palace, but his career could have worked out very differently had his name been randomly selected by drug testers in 1987.

In his column for The Sun, the 52-year-old admitted he smoked cannabis as a young player as an ‘end-of-the-week ritual’, with the habit continuing during his early days in the Palace first team.

Wright vividly remembers the moments after his side’s 4-1 victory over West Brom in September 1987, when he was struck by panic as post match drug testers arrived in the dressing room.

He had smoked the substance less than 24 hours earlier, but felt a sense of relief when Mark Bright and Phil Barber’s names were called instead.

It was at that moment he vowed to never smoke the weed again.

Wayne Rooney’s Aston Martin Vanquish S

Photos Courtesy Dailymail

30

Luxury

Homes

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Grand foyers Biwom Iklaki

Y

our home is your opportunity to put your best foot forward to whoever’s acquaintance you have made. It is an opportunity to show people the stuff you are made off, like a peep into a person’s soul. So, be sure to not disappoint them. Give them something to think about after leaving your home. Let the encounter with your home linger with them and thereby make a special place in their hearts for you. A big part of making this happen is to make sure that you enthral them immediately they step into

“Come and be going”

F

your building. From the foyer, make an impression and let it last. This is where you can show your personality and your guests what they can expect to see in the rest of the house. The t rick is to find a balance between creating intrigue and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Think of what you want on the floor, wooden flooring or tiles, marbles or rug? What do you want on the walls? You could have a large ornate wall mirror with intricate designed frame, right over a credenza that is equally stately. You could have a vase with flowers to brighten the area too. Just be sure to give this space a lot of character.

Weird Crimes that shake the bottom...sorry, bedroom

ashion always gives us many opportunities to express ourselves in whatever way that is inherently us. That must be why we have such fashion personalities as the classics, bohemian, minimalists, bombshells, etc. Also, you could liken this to the culture of a people being reflected in their dressing right? How about mixing the two concepts of the culture of a people into one; their language and dressing?

I will explain here as I can sense how your brows have furrowed in an attempt to understand my ramblings. This picture right here is of a very fashion forward – err… or backward – man who is saying quite simply one of our sayings that point to our ‘Nigerianness’ – “come and be going”. Make of that what you will but as far as I am concerned, he is being very brave, fashion forward…and backward. What could be more hip than that?

Y

ou may think you have heard it all, but alas! You haven’t, as deep and dark as the human mind is, so also is he capable of dredging up the most inane and deeply disturbing ways to defile a woman.

Today we have a fresh ‘mumu’ who obviously has never heard of a sex robot or the blow job urinal to take care of him. He carried himself off and drank Viagra, held onto a sex aid and started roaming the streets until he broke into the home of a couple who

were sound asleep. The lady woke up to someone licking her buttocks. Just pause for a minute here and imagine if it happened to you. What would you do? Or if the lady was your wife and you were lying right next to her?

I don’t get what was going through this man’s mind really. Is that how he gets his own kicks…or sexual satisfaction…by ‘licking’ a woman’s arse? *shivers. It did happen, in Sydney Australia and was reported by The Sun on September 2016.

31

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Sunday Interview

habits, says Amb Vecchia South West in Nigeria. We have Christians and also Muslims. But in our country unlike here we have majority Christians than the Muslims. We have other people who are animist. Our people are happy people like Nigerians; we dance everywhere, enjoy music, share almost same food with Nigeria- rice, moin moin, maize, beans and even cassava or other cereal based foods etc You are a young diplomat with heavy portfolio, how has it been running a mission like Nigeria at an age less than 34 years?

When President Chavez came into power in 1999, he made up his mind that he needed to change positively the way things were done in Venezuela because sometimes the young people were not given the opportunity to hold powerful and decision making positions. He said just young people have the pure, power and passion, and also the vision necessary to save the world. He prepared the young people to take over power. This is the new light that Venezuela is giving to the world. You can see the young people have the power, the passion to serve not just Venezuela but to serve the world. Young people in Nigeria must have to change to make politics fresh and new vision and not just the economic aspect but all facets of life.

Venezuela and Nigeria are brothers, not two different people. The young people need to go get the power. It is a big challenge but we are here. The young people need to take their place to serve Venezuela and they are the future of Venezuela and your country.

Interestingly, I am not the not the youngest. We have younger head of missions in Algeria and Mozambique. The truth really is that a country like yours should give opportunities for the younger generation. And the younger generation should equally show leadership traits and lead the way. That is the way things are going on.

We must show that we can do it and do it very well. As you may also understand I am the Head of Mission as we call it here and with concurrence to ECOWAS, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

There have been reports that Venezuela is in recession and the people are going through a lot of challenges due to its over dependence on oil.

The problem sometimes, with due respect is the media and perception. Sometimes when I read or listen to people in Venezuela that we have scarcity of food and people are complaining seriously in Venezuela I wonder where such is coming from. The truth is that it is all propaganda by the opposition. The United States of America blocked our economy. The government of United States supports the opposition in Venezuela even when it is clear that most of the information being sent out to the international media is all lies to portray us in bad light. They have made the black market more worrisome and lucrative and there is inflation.

Sometimes you read in the newspapers and foreign broadcast, television and radio, that it is more than 300 per cent which is not true. From the black market it is 300 per cent, in the official market it is not.

When you watch some international radio and television news and programmes, they will be saying bad things about Venezuela.

When you also watch them in Venezuela, they will always say that Nigeria is a bad country and Boko Haram is killing everybody. When they selected me to come to Nigeria, I arrived here in 2013, before I came everybody said to me that I am crazy and that how can I come to Nigeria when there is Boko Haram. I was afraid and I went to Google to check for myself.

But when I came to Nigeria, I saw a different thing. Nigeria is a lovely and peaceful place, yes Nigeria has a problem but just like Venezuela, the media never show this type of news in Venezuela, Latin America and other countries that Nigeria is a thriving free economy, very healthy for Direct Foreign Investment. That same thing has happened to Venezuela. We don't just have only petroleum like the media say, we are also very rich in agriculture, fishing, tourism but the media always write that we are rich only because of petroleum. The truth is that we must all understand that there is no one country that has it all rosy or not suffering one forms of problem, political, economic or otherwise. It is a worldwide thing so we must all come together to assist each other for a better and more secured world. But I believe it is all for good.

What about animal husbandry and grazing?

We have ranches in the whole of Venezuela and we supply beef to other countries at reasonable prices. You need to have a stable animal husbandry and fishery market to support the citizens. We have plenty land to support agriculture. It is one of the largest employers of labour in our country and here if you plan it very well it will be a huge foreign exchange earner. We have plenty fish and our waters have varieties.

We are surrounded by oceans and within we have rivers and waterfalls healthy for tourism and agriculture. Our people eat fish a lot and fishing is a favourite pastime of many people. The black market has killed Venezuela economically. One dollar is officially 200 bolivars and a dollar in the Venezuela back market is B1000 bolivars.

We need to enforce foreign exchange or rate change policy, if not they will kill Venezuela. We suppose to import like Nigeria but at the end of the day the opposition and some greedy people in order to sabotage the government take the money from official rate or sources and sell it at the black market back in the same country.

Yes there is no country without a problem, but why should people get something at government rates and go back to round tripping and make people to suffer. Some big sales companies get supply of food at government foreign exchange rates and close their shops only to open it from the back door to sell to people. That is why you are seeing the queues all over the country.

They don’t want to sell at the rates which they got it from the government thereby causing people to suffer.

Looking at our similarities, how would you advise the people of Nigeria?

The Nigerian people believe we are not brothers. Maybe for the history of Nigeria, the British colonized Nigeria and sometimes when you see the white people you feel we are not the same. I want to say to the people of Nigeria that we are one and brothers. If you are black and I am white there is no difference. It is the same blood that runs in our system. Blood is neither black nor white.

The solidarity between Nigeria and Venezuela is not too much from the government, the people and everywhere.

Anytime something happens to Nigeria, we send our support to Nigeria. We both are more than friendly countries, we are big brothers. Nigeria was one of our first embassies in Africa. We opened it in 1965.

We will continue to support Nigeria. One thing we must all understand is that if the oil price in the International market is coming down we must adjust our spending. And when it goes up again, we must save to reflect reality. That is the problem everywhere. It is not only in Nigeria but all over the world where we have crude oil.

Okowa is dreaming big for Deltans, says Ukah CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

structured shape. That is the style that the governor has brought to bear in the state.

On Internally Generated Revenue, is the state thinking of utilising the massive space provided by the River Niger bank for a modern market by tapping on the opportunities provided by the proximity to Onitsha in Anambra State?

Not long ago, we signed a MoU for what we call Delta State Commercial City. When you drive down towards Onitsha you will see an expanse of land cleared between the First Niger Bridge and the proposed Second Niger Bridge.

It's going to be a massive project that will take care of not just market malls, but leisure and more. It's a city that is being planned, looking at centuries to come, in terms of ideas, infrastructures and futuristic thinking. From the Ministry of Economic Planning, you can get all the details. We are also building what we call Industrial Agro Park in Delta State.

That will also take care of what you are talking about. I think the people should be patient with the government of Senator Okowa. It's unfortunate all these are happening when we are talking of economic meltdown. I tell you, if we are still getting the funds as it were in May last year, our people would have completely convinced themselves that Okowa is actually the messiah needed to take the state to its proper destination.

His plans for the state are slowed down by limited funds available.

The creative industry, and not agriculture, is the alternative to oil, and Delta State is not lacking in abundance of these talents. How do you intend to key

into this opportunity, like investing in film villages and not just talent hunts?

I will start my response by blaming our brothers and sisters in the entertainment industry. The country today is not for you to sit down where you are, and expect a call to come and participate in the development of your state. You have to come up with an idea and see how you can go into partnership with the government on a Public/Private Partnership level, because the governor has been talking about this film village issue. And I know that the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism has been mandated to do everything possible to see to the realisation of a modern film village in the state.

When we have a film village all the Delta State entertainers will come up with their contacts from all over the world.

How is the state tackling the Fulani herdsmen menace?

That is an issue that the governor is not taking lightly. We have had all inclusive meetings where we had representatives of all the Hausas and Fulanis in attendance. By the way, you know that the governor appointed a Hausa man as Special Adviser on Community Relations.

We need to know them. We need to know the people and that is only when we will be able to check the menace. It's an unfortunate situation, but the governor is engaging all, including the traditional rulers, community leaders and youths.

It's slightly coming down, and we have been able to hold back our people not to go on reprisals. Those involved are criminals and we try to separate them as cows have always come in from a part of the country, and we have never witnessed what is happening now.

Dearth of basic drugs threatens women’s lives Deborah Ocheni Abuja

G

lobal health organisation (PATH) and Nigerian NGO Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) have highlighted the fact that many Nigerian women lack access to the lifesaving medicines that can prevent the two most deadly complications of pregnancy and childbirth, post-partum hemorrhage and eclampsia.

It is contained in a paper by PATH titled “Stronger Markets, Increased Access to Maternal Health Supplies,” details of how inconsistent availability and poorquality supplies of oxytocin, misoprostol, and magnesium sulfate in the country threaten women’s lives, and what can be done to solve the problem.

More Nigerian women die due to pregnancy and childbirth-related causes than in any other country in the world. In 2015 alone, 58,000 Nigerian women lost their lives, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2015). Of those deaths, about half were caused by uncontrolled bleeding after childbirth, also known as post-partum hemorrhage, and a condition that causes high blood pressure and seizures during pregnancy, known as pre-eclampsia/eclampsia.

According to a report in 2012 by the United Nations Commission on LifeSaving Commodities for Women and Children, medicines to prevent and treat these conditions oxytocin and misoprostol for post-partum hemorrhage and magnesium sulfate for pre-eclampsia/

eclampsia – are affordable, effective, and promoted for use by the global health community.

However in Nigeria, according to the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC), inconsistent availability and supply of products of poor or unverified quality put pregnant women at risk.

Kehinde Osinowo, ARFH Director of Programmes said “More mothers die in pregnancy or childbirth in Nigeria than in any other country. Fortunately, we know what to do to prevent those deaths.

It’s time to work hand in hand with advocates, the government, suppliers, and donors to improve the quality and availability of maternal health medicines, reduce counterfeits, and ensure that all women receive the care they deserve.”

Osinowo

SUNDAY September 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Interview Buhari’s not just insulting Christians but Nigerians, Para-Mallam p.33

News Collaborate, build the nation, Adefarasin tasks Nigerians p.35

FAITH

32

sermon

Engaging the spirit of faith to fulfill divine plan p.36

Military action in N’Delta will not solve issues –Kome Tai Anyanwu

T

he fiery Senior Pastor of God’s Kingdom Christian Centre, Rev. Dr. John Kome, has frowned at the Federal Government’s continued military action in the Niger Delta even while some eminent Nigerians are working hard to broker peace through dialogue between the government and aggrieved militants.

Kome argued that the approach was counterproductive. According to the cleric, dialogue is the best option to solving the militancy in the oil-rich region.

Fielding questions from our correspondent, Kome said that using military might on Niger Delta militants without addressing certain fundamental factors might not solve the problem in the long run.

His words: “May we not forget also that (whether it is true or not) there were allegations that some internal or external forces are behind/sponsoring the militants, meaning that the agitation may after all not be baseless. “ He rather prescribed use of dialogue instead of force as the most appropriate means to endearing a lasting solution to the restiveness in the region.

“Using dialogue instead force will still be appropriate, no matter how intolerable it may look to military instincts and discipline.

“May we as Nigerians plead with the President to show magnanimity towards his aggrieved citizens in that region. This is not intended to rubbish his awesome constitutional powers as it were. Moreover, ‘change’ usually takes quite a process of valuable time and moral energy of leadership everywhere in the world,” Kome stressed.

Kome also expressed reservations about the President seeking emergency economic powers to addressing the country’s perilous economic situation.

“Let us hope that those who are considering giving the president such powers will not come back to fight him for using the power as he deems it fit in the concurrent emergency situations” pointing out that ‘absolute powers corrupts absolutely’.

He added: “A holistic economic surgery is needed to solve this ugly economic situation in our hands that may also require the President’s crude actions that may likely not go down well with certain interest groups or economic players.”

Kome also faulted President Buhari’s approach to handling the ailing nation’s economy saying: “The President, to me, is not applying the right approach and antidotes to solving these problems.

“The President’s economic blueprint, to me is unclear. For instance, as a player in the agric sector the presumed agro inputs promised Nigerian farmers is yet

Dr. John Kome

to commence, but if it has, there seems to be a lopsided arrangement going on somewhere.”

He called on the APC-led Federal Gov-

Fielding questions from our correspondent, Kome said, that using military might on Niger Delta militants without addressing certain fundamental factors might not solve the problem in the long run

ernment to seek economic help elsewhere, rather than looking inwards alone, “because no single individual has it all.Let’s forget party pride for national interest.”

On the president’s war against corruption, the cleric hinted that the present dispensation may have been caught in the same web: “The corruption thing that former President Olusegun Obasanjo cried about sometime earlier this year seems to be playing out. God help us.

Mr President, few days ago launched ‘Change starts with Me’campaign,.... hmmn,is it how it will start with John Kome?.”Church..agba sia la”meaning”Church has closed” in Nigeria,” he stressed.

Tai Anyanwu Head, religous Desk titus.anyanwu@newtelegraph © Daily Telegraph Publishing

It’s time for divine intervention –Muoka Tai Anyanwu

T

he General Overseer of Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, has called on Nigerians to make themselves available so that God can step into their various situation with solutions.

Speaking in a statement issued in Lagos, the cleric said that now is the time for God to address the needs of the suffering people of Nigeria.

Deeply concerned with the current economic hardship in the country, Muoka beckoned on all to take advantage of the church’s evangelical activity slated for September 18 and 19, at Ichi community in Anambra State and seek solutions from the God of all solutions.

His words: “God has chosen the two days to divinely intervene in the circumstances of people and provide solution to as many as will come and present their needs. He has assured that what no man can do God is coming to do it. It is God’s time to address the needs of His people just like He did in the case of Sarah and she conceived when her womb was considered dead; also in the case of the Children of Israelite who He delivered from many years of oppression in the hands of their Egyptian task masters.”

He added: “God proved in those instances that where human wisdom, prudence, energy, and natural laws failed there also God showed superiority of power.”

According to Muoka, all things work after God’s counsel and will.

“God produces effect without any means. He produced nature when there was neither means nor being. He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. And in this crusade He will repeat His wonderful work in the life of as many as will come and the nation shall by this intervention become healed of social anxiety and economic hardship,” Muoka said.

He stressed that people need not suffer any more because God has stretched out His hands of deliverance to address the cases of as many as will care to come around.

Our correspondent learnt that free transport has been provided to convey people to the venue from different locations within Anambra and Imo states.

Pastor Lazarus Muoka General Overseer,The Lord’s Chosen

33

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 18, 2016

faith

Buhari’s not just insulting Christians but Nigerians, Para-Mallam As one of the clerics who supported change in 2015, would you say your decision has been justified considering realities on ground today?

In 2015, any sane Nigerian knew that change was the more expedient path to advocate and go if the nation was to be salvaged from the rampaging violence of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Stemming the tide of corruption, which was just too rampant in government at the time, required a new direction and leadership change. Such change is healthy for our democracy. Let me quickly add by saying that if the current administration fails to deliver, come 2019, I will equally support their ouster through a normal democratic process, credible elections.

Politicians are taking Nigerians for a ride too much and we the people must teach them lessons to bring them back to their political and normal senses. Nothing personal but things were not moving in the right direction for the country then hence my support the agenda for change.

Are you saying that you feel justified?

Strangely, I still think it was the wisest decision to support a change in government at the time despite the present realities. This is never to suggest that I am happy with the present realities on ground today. Far from it, I am not.

But the larger question to ask also raises is a different one which is do I see the current President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration or government as really promoting the kind of change Nigerians yearned for when they voted massively for him?

I have very deep doubts about the present reality and cannot say YES to this fact. As one housewife cried out to me, ‘Oga Rev, this change no bi change but na chain we dey o!’

I felt very much for her and my country. We need a better reality than what the government is presently offering.

Where then is the present dispensation is getting it right and what areas need retouching?

I still believe the current campaign against corruption should continue but this needs to be done is such a way as to not make it look like a selective affair. Also, the seriousness with which this administration is tackling the terrorism challenge and other insurgencies should be supported.

They must use force in some instances and in others, find ways to dialogue and negotiate a settlement without compromise or mortgaging the future of our children.

But this administration has been very unimpressive in the way it is tackling the whole question of ravaging Fulani herdsmen who are today marauding and terrorising the nation, especially the Middle Belt minorities. Why is the President always silent?

Does he hate the Middle Belt people so much as to not care what happens to them?

Our President’s silence is not only disturbing and unfortunate but it appears the herdsmen are acting as if they are emboldened to do maximum damage in wasting lives around the nation. The Agatu killing, in the Benue State, is particularly disturbing. The resumption of killings in Plateau State, where some of us have tried in our modest way to contribute to finding peace, is a real a cause for concern.

We hear of herdsmen killing large numbers Para-Mallam of people in communi-

The Regional Secretary of International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in English and Portuguese-speaking Africa (IFES-EPSA), The Revd Gideon Para-Mallam, spoke exclusively withTai ANyanwu on emerging issues in the nation, Excerpts: ties almost around the country. When there is perpetuation of such intentional violence, the insecurity level rises. The approach and tactics of our security in stemming these recuring attacks needs to be addressed at the federal level.

God forbid but no one wants to see the day when communities resort to protecting themselves. The memory of the warlords of Liberia should chill our conscience and push the government to act.

People can only take so much before the urge for self-determination sets in. Definitely the government needs to change its approach on this. May be they are doing something? It is unclear from the signs we see.

Also, this administration needs intentional response and efforts on the economic front needs to be doubled. Economic woes have no ethnic colour or religious distinction whether you are Bachama in Adamawa State or Jaba in Kaduna State, a Muslim in Zamfara State or a Christian from Warri, we all suffer the present economic bite.

This should concern our President more than his romance and penchant of appointing Muslims to almost every position conceivable. He is knowingly or unknowingly by such acts, pitching Christians against Muslims through such appointments and or even re-introducing or heightening ethnic animosities in Nigeria.

This is counterproductive and unless

stopped, it could see the President digging his own political grave and dragging the whole country with him.

Pitching one ethnic group against another or appearing to favour one religion over another has not helped any Nigerian leader.

Supporting the change agenda by far had much higher ideals of a greater Nigeria than the mess we keep producing with our politicians as the production line managers.

A President is a President of Nigeria and not that of Northern Muslims or Christians.

We need leaders with a Pan-Nigerian vision and dream. Nigeria is bigger than any one of us including President Buhari. In a humble, way, I have personal respect for him and I believe Buhari should wise-up as President.

My honest desire and daily prayer is that we continue to hold our President accountable so that he will not also shock us as another failed President.

In your opinion how are Christians faring under this current administration?

I can categorically say

that Christians are in no way better off today under Buhari’s administration. At least this is not just yet. His political and some other appointments so far look clearly like an insult to the intelligence of Christians and their leaders especially those who supported him to come into power.

The internet and WhatsApp chat groups are awash with clear statistics of how President Buhari has populated government parastatals with almost unbelievably, large number of Muslims. It is like we are seeing a silent policy of Northernisation and Muslemnomics.

Why should Nigeria be treated in this way in the 21st Century, by a President who was largely supported by Nigerians? Buhari is not just insulting Christians but Nigerians including Muslims who are sane and see Nigeria as a country for all Nigerians.

It seems to me that our President is stuck with the old way of thinking and doing things. Or he is being misled by those socalled aides who use Aso Rock as a safe haven to terrorise the sensibilities of majority of Nigerians especially Christians?

There is no better way of confirming the fears of Christians and people generally who think that it appears that Buhari Presidency is like one racing to implement the hidden agenda of Islamising Nigeria.

The security appointees are particularly very unsettling!

I sincerely pray the President will listen to voices of reason especially those who are speaking out all over Nigeria. Christians should not be afraid in speaking truth to power in Nigeria.

Dr. Junaid Mohammed from Kano has been one of those radical voices in speaking out.

In summary, Christians are hurting under Buhari. Some are fearful and uncertain of what the future looks like under Buhari. The recent killings of Christian pastors and the two women: Kano and Mrs Eunice Elisha in Abuja for simply being Christians deserve prompt move by the President in sending a signal that indeed all lives and especially Christian lives matter in Nigeria and anywhere.

The killing of the Bokkos traditional leader in Plateau State and others as well as the Benue State Agatu killings, and general violence against Christians in their communities are continuous disturbing signs. What is very strange indeed is the ‘loud’ silence from Buhari and the Presidency.

What are your thoughts about the ongoing anti-corruption war?

I personally find it difficult, given the arrests which the EFCC celebrated. Cases of corruption are mostly those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Are these the only faces of corruption in Nigeria today?

Granted from what we hear that some of them collected large sums of money in the name of political campaigns, especially from CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

34

SUNDAY September 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Interview

faith CON TINUED FR O M PAGE 33

the coffers of the Federal Government under President Jonathan Goodluck.

The nagging question in some minds is what about campaigns’ money for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the other political parties? Did they also get campaign funds? If yes, then from who and how? Where is the source of their campaigns funds?

Where did all the money they used to prosecute their campaign come from? Nigerians need and deserve to know. What about APC chieftains and their governors? Are they all so very, very clean? Any perception of this being a selective treatment when it comes to the anti-corruption fight automatically weakens and undermines the efforts.

Perhaps the time has come for the nation to discuss campaign finances. Politics is also at the root of massive corruption in Nigeria.

On another note, I have said this over and over again, that the fight against corruption should be made a Nigerian fight and not just a Buhari fight if this is to succeed and make some appreciable impact in society which will outlive any administration.

To see President Buhari as a one-man anticorruption only hero approach won’t go far enough. There is no doubt that he has been championing the fight against corruption but I am convinced that there are many more such champions in Nigeria.

The government needs to fish out and bring them on board. So far, one is not seeing that happening. As an ethnically diverse and multi-religious nation, we need to rid ourselves of the false mentality that there exists only one ‘super-hero’ who can succeed as a loner in winning the fight against corruption I am afraid, the problems confronting Nigeria are myriad and the sooner even the APC government know that they alone cannot solve these, the better. Who and where are some of the best brains and minds in other sectors, including great minds from other political parties that the President of Nigeria can bring on board just seeing them as Ni-

Buhari’s not just insulting Christians but Nigerians, Para-Mallam The political will exhibited by President Buhari is something I admire in him as a Commander-in Chief and we need to give him kudos on this.

However, any war with insurgents isn’t a straight forward conventional war as many security experts and analysts have suggested. It’s sometimes – sadly a ding dong affair.

Countries such as Uganda that have had to deal with insurgents such as the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) show or tell us that this can be a tragic long affair.

Sometimes it’s like a war of attrition. Let’s hope and pray the one in the north east evolves differently.

gerians, who can make a difference, to help find solutions to our political and economic challenges.

What is your reaction to recent ruling, in Lagos and Osun states, which favours Muslim female students wearing hijab in public schools?

If Muslim students desire to wear hijabs, it is hardly morally right for me as a Christian to say no. What I object to strongly is the meddlesomeness of government in favour of Muslims whether at state or federal levels. The real challenge would be allowing such in public schools. Maintaining uniformity helps more than segregated perspectives.

How is Nigeria doing in the war against insurgency?

Our Armed Forces must be commended.

What is Nigeria’s way out of the woods regarding the biting economic recession?

First, by changing our economic lifestyles from a consuming- nation, which imports virtually everything under the sun to focus more on intentionally promoting local manufacturing.

To me, these are the real challenges our President should address and not this pandering to (reductionist or irredentist) tendencies of trying to give Muslims an upper hand through his political appointments.

Let’s turn inward but not like Donald Trump’s vision of a reactionary America first vision. By asking we look inwards, I am suggesting this to be a time for deep inner soul search for us as a nation to seek collective joint initiatives by intentionally working together to find solutions.

The greatest asset this nation has is our land, not to talk of the enormous mineral and natural resources God has blessed this nation with, apart from the oil which has largely been mismanaged and fast becoming our doom now.

God put the oil here as a blessing but what did we do with it? Even the communities which housed this oil and from where we have produced this oil for exports, what has been their

‘Churches are in problems because Pastors don’t want to be independent’ What do you think is the problem?

By the time I came to Ibadan, the churches then were numbered. But now, we have so many churches and what I have observed is that many pastors want to be independent. They don’t want to be controlled by anybody. The more churches we have, the more crimes. We are in the end time. What is happening in our country today should tell us that we are approaching the end of the world. All the horrible happenings like bomb blasts, ritual killings and gay relationships are pointers to this fact. They are sins against God. These are perilous times.

Prophet Emmanuel Ade Ajayi is the overseer of Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Iselogo headquarters, Felele, Ibadan, Oyo State.

In this interview with our corespondent, he speaks on religious and national issues. Excerpts: You received your calling 50 years ago and established you church 21years ago.

How would you compare the Christianity then with this present time?

All I can say is that it’s been God. Comparing the church now with the time we started, there is a clear difference. In the past, people had a lot of time for God; Christians worshipped God with all their hearts without any compromise. But now, civilisation has turned everything upside down. The more civilized people became the further they moved away from God. In fact, people respected clerics so much at the time; they honoured and respected them. But now, we have false clerics and it has contributed to the disrespectful way clerics are addressed.

In the past, when a pastor or a prophet said: “Thus says the Lord,” people believed that truly, God had spoken. But the case is different now.

What are the challenges you have faced in the course of your calling?

I was very young when God called me; I was 20 years old. I could remember in 1966,

Ajayi

God instructed me not to sleep throughout the night because I was to receive a visitor.

So I kept praying, while at the same time, thinking of the kind of visitor that would visit in the middle of the night. At, exactly 1:00a.m., I heard loud banging on my door.

I stood up from where I was praying and asked: “Who are you? What do you want?”

The person kept quiet and later left. As the person was leaving, the footsteps sounded heavily as if there was an earthquake. Immediately, I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, the visitor was a devil but He (God) had made me triumph, and that something great would happen soon. At 7:00 a.m. the following day, something great happened indeed.

So, I have faced so many challenges in this ministry, but I thank God for this grace.

We have so many churches in Nigeria, as well as a seeming increase in crime rates.

How would you assess President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’ performance so far?

He is trying but what I can say is that people expect an immediate result which is not possible. Let’s just exercise patience with the president. I can only advise him to invite some experts in the country who can lead him right.

What is your advice to Nigerians in these hard times?

I implore Nigerians to be more patient with the government: we should not say because things are tough, we should engage ourselves in acts that are uncalled for. Also, let our government be considerate; they should feel and understand what Nigerians are going through. Let us all come together as one to move this nation forward. Finally, we should not relent in prayers; prayer is the answer to all the problems we are facing. The only thing we need in this country is the mercy of God. There is time for everything. We must learn to wait for God’s time.

gain? The Niger Delta has basically been neglected over how many decades now? I hope from this point, when the fortunes of our oil improves again, we will act justly by exploring and harnessing this resource for the good of all and not just allow the economic injustice to continue. Our oil resource has mainly benefited just a few Nigerians to the detriment of the suffering majority. Economically we have a system which enables the tyranny of the minority to economically exploit and politically disadvantage the majority. This is a country where the tyranny of the majority population wise, continue to lord it over the minority under the guise of ‘democracy’ is a game of numbers. Yet many know that our leaders are silent on the rigging aspects of democracy, the Nigerian style.

Let this nation wisely prioritize by focusing on and developing the agricultural sector. The Middle Belt can successfully be the breadbasket of Nigeria. There is need to guard and protect the Middle Belt Savannah region instead of turning it into the present killing fields it is fast becoming. The political danger of land-grabbing and the attendant consequences of endless generational war need to be addressed if agriculture is to be pursued also. The present emerging phenomenon of land-grabbing is a dangerous development which will be a generational conflict. It’s worse than any insurgency conflicts. Let’s learn fast from Europe. It’s never too late.

Let’s cut down on wasteful spending and ostentatious living, needless flamboyant and expensive ceremonies: during marriages, burials, naming ceremonies, so-called thanksgiving events, etc. It is not that this are bad in themselves but the excessive expenses associated them is not good and not something our culture should encourage or celebrate.

It in fact breeds more corruption and puts people under intense social pressure which is unhealthy.

Is there still hope for Nigeria in the face of rising militancy?

Let me start by answering with a couple of examples around Africa. First, Uganda was nearly a failed state in the 1980s. Yoweri Museveni, a guerrilla fighter, now President, came in and restored order.

I am essentially saying that there is hope for Nigeria in stemming the tide and coming out of the present rising militancy in the nation.

Even though I commend President Yoweri Museveni, I personally do not support his long stay in power for nearly 30 years.

I am not convinced that there are no Ugandans who are qualified and some may even be better that could possibly lift Uganda to greater heights. The idea of African sit-tight leaders remains a dent in the testimony of Africa in the comity of nations.

Be that as it may, the real idea for me is that Museveni helped to stabilize his country at some point. In Rwanda, President Paul Kagame helped to stabilise Rwanda postgenocide. I had the opportunity of being invited to a dinner in August 2014 as one of some visiting international guests along with other church leaders in Africa, to which President Kagame, shared his vision for Rwanda.

Without doubt, he won my respect, very much. The only concern I also have is that he too has over stayed like Museveni of Uganda and it is not good for Africa.

There is need for intentional growing of leaders to hand over to. The need for leadership successive plans should be something serving Presidents should plan and factor in. They could do this by providing the enabling environment within the political parties and helping to build the necessary structures and systems to sustain those who come after them not to mess things up rather than over-staying. The above examples tells us that such set backs are temporary given the right leadership in place.

35

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 18, 2016

faith

We have zero-tolerance for abortion, contraceptives –Catholic Church

T

he Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba (KSM), Lagos Metropolitan Council, at a pro-life press conference has condemned abortion advising youths to embrace abstinence instead.

The press conference which was held at the Mulumba House, Surulere, with the theme, “Be merciful: Live and let the unborn live” was presided over the Metropolitan Grand Knight, Dr. Charles Mbelede. In his address, he stated that the Catholic Church has zero tolerance on abortion.

“The Catholic Church is pro-life and has zero tolerance for abortion or contraceptives. The only birth control method approved

by the Church is the natural or Billings Method.

“Saint (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta in her acceptance speech of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 identified abortion as a major source of evil in the world.

“Saint (Mother) Teresa believes that the nations who have legalised abortion are the poorest nations because they are afraid of the little to feed and educate one more child,” he said.

The KSM also warned that abortion has negative health as well as psychological effects adding that women who aborted their first pregnancy are likely to be suicidal and their chance of having breast cancer at an early age is increased by 150 percent.

Facebook, Israel declare war against social media-based terror

F

acebook officials and the nation of Israel have forged a collaboration to check social mediabased terror activities.

Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan met with the international directors of Facebook, recently, to discuss rampant incitement on the social network.

“Israel is at the forefront

of combating terrorism on all fronts, including the internet front,” said Shaked.

“In my view, Facebook and other social networks can do much more in the war against incitement.”

Joel Kaplan, Vice President of Public Policy and Monika Bickert, Head of the Global Policy department at Facebook, traveled to Israel to meet with the two Israeli ministers.

Collaborate, build the nation, Adefarasin tasks Nigerians

T

Eunice Stephen

he Senior Pastor of House on The Rock Church, Pastor Paul Adefarasin has harped on the need for all Nigerians to collaborate and work for the unity and progress of Nigeria irrespective of tribe, religion or culture.

Adefarasin dropped the hint at the premiere of the movie 93 Days; the long awaited movie directed by Steve Gukas was finally premiered in Nigeria on September 13 at The Rock Cathedral Lekki, Lagos.

Starring Danny Glover, Bimbo Akintola, Keppy Ekpenyong, Somkele Iyamah Idlahama, Tim Reid,Alastair MacKenzie, Gideon Okeke and more, the film tells the true story of how Nigeria was able to eradicate the Ebola Virus when it broke in 2014.

His words; “History correctly attributes the

avoidance of a national catastrophe to the rapid, collaborative and orchestrated response by the Commissioner of Health and the Lagos State Health Management System; The First Consultants Hospital; all the Doctors who put their lives on the line; health and other front line workers and undoubtedly, the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, who after diagnosing and isolating the index patient became a casualty herself” ’To butteress his point Adefarasin also alluded to what Charles Darwin said century ago that “In the long history of humankind…those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed”.

“This quote underscores the crux of the exploit accomplished in Nigeria, who were faced with potential disaster, the people marshaled the inherent

power of collaboration across racial, religious, ethnic, political and socioeconomic divides, and averted what could have been a global catastrophe,” Adefarasin said.

From the private screening at The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHA) to a sold out World Screening at The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), 93 Days has received remarkable commendations as an epitome of an outstanding masterpiece.

At the premiere staged in the ultra-modern auditorium tucked inside Pastor Paul Adefarasin’s The Rock Cathedral, the host, Adefarasin said, “We salute the entire cast of 93 days -Bimbo Akintola, Danny Glover, Tim Reid, Gideon Okeke, Bimbo Manuel, Charles Okafor, Keppy Ekpenyong Bassey, Somekele Idhalama, Adebola Williams and Macken-

zie Alastair - for delivering a stellar performance and reliving, for our viewing pleasure, the gut-wrenching 93 day race against time.

The acting was remarkable and I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried through most of the movie.”

He further lauded Nollywood, “to the Nigerian movie industry – you’ve come of age. Your art will help us reshape the nation’s value systems and reset our cultural norms for progress, development and a national sense of purpose.

We expect much more from the crucible of your collaborative endeavors… let’s together arise and reshape the future with the powerful medium of storytelling through movie making.”

The venue was filled to capacity as the epoch-making film drew the fascination of all who thronged The Rock Cathedral to see the movie.

Mountain of Power celebrates thanksgiving

A

ll is set for the Thanksgiving/Installation service of the Mountain of Power and Authority with Ease Church coming up at the church premises, Kuelu Street, Iyana Agbara Itura Prophetess Oni Olode, Ibadan. and 25. There will be a The programme’s host, Prophet- morning session, which ess Kemi Mercy Oni (JP), is mainly a prayer session told Sunday Telegraph will hold at 8-12 am daily that the event titled Shi- while night vigils will loh 2016, will take place commence at midnight between September 19 till dawn.

The 44th Annual Conference of the Gospel Baptist Conference of Nigeria and Overseas was held last weekend. Picture shows the President, Archbishop (Professor) Magnus Adeyemi Atilade (4th right); Vice President/Bishop of Ogun & Benin Republic, Rt Rev (Dr) D.A. Falola (4th Left); Rt. Rev (Dr) B.O. Odekunle (3rd right) and other top Bishops during the opening session in Awe, Oyo State

‘Part of our heart is missing’

A

s long as Christine is in Mosul, she and the rest of the family will not leave Iraq. Ayda will not rest until her little girl

is safely back in her arms.

“Without her, it’s like part of our heart is missing. We are not complete without her.

Ayda relives that most horrible moment daily, even though it took place two years ago. During a medical check-up in the northeastern Iraqi town of Qaraqosh, militants from the Islamic State took interest in her 3-year-old daughter, Christine. Suddenly, they snatched the child out of her arms and gave the crying girl to a bearded fighter.

In July 2014, IS jihadists had overrun Iraq’s second city, Mosul, then swept into Qaraqosh in the Nineveh Plains on August 6.

Hundreds of thousands of Christians and other minorities had already fled the northern region. Christine’s

family, however, stayed behind because the father, Khader, is blind. Other Christians too old or frail to flee also stayed, hoping for a measure of mercy from the invaders—a hope which was misplaced.

On August 22, militants rounded up the Christians, saying they would receive medical check-ups. World Watch Monitor learned how events unfolded for Ayda Abada. Several times, she said, IS fighters pointed at her, with Christine in her lap.

Someone gave an order to take out any gold or valuables. The Christians produced whatever they had brought—money, gold, clothes, ID cards. The IS militants took it all.

As the Christians were bundled into a bus whose

windows were smeared with dirt, a jihadi walked up to Ayda. He took her little girl from her arms and just walked away.

Ayda pleaded for her daughter, but the man others called ‘emir’—or chief— waved Ayda away with a despising gesture. At gunpoint, she was forced back onto the bus.

“That was the last time I saw her,” recalled the mother.

Sleepless Nights After her family’s two years of sleepless nights, fighting unimaginable fears and endless crying, Christine is still missing. Ayda and her family now live in a portacabin in a camp for displaced people in Erbil.

“Christine is still there,” Ayda told an Iraqi contact who visited her recently.

36

SUNDAY September 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

faith

Insight

Rev. Femi Akinola www.thehebrewsng.com

01-790 3163; 0808 584 5864

It is enough

“S

o the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand…” I Chronicles 21:14-15 We all go through seasons in life where we need encouragement. Seasons of pain, tears and lack, the word of God is coming to someone now, and God is saying ‘it is enough’ in Jesus name.

You might appear as a champion before people but you know that things are not the way they ought to be in your life because the enemy has made you cry in many areas of life.

God has stepped in and is saying ‘it is enough’, your season of pain and agony are over now; enter into your season of plenty and prosperity in Jesus name.

When God is saying it is enough, you also must say to the enemy ‘I won’t take it anymore’.

This angel was destroying the children of Israel because Satan made David to number the people of Israel. Anytime the devil wants to trouble a person or people, he provokes a leader or key person to do what will open them up for attack. God doesn’t want you to begin to look at what you have like your bank account, connection, background or your international contacts. He wants you to keep your eyes on Him and trust only Him. “…The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?” Ezekiel 18:2 Some people are suffering because of what others before them in their families have done; but the Lord has said not anymore. Therefore, say to your adversaries, ‘enough is enough’. In any way the enemy has prevailed over other people to make mistakes that will affect you negatively, I negate it by the blood of Jesus.

IChronicles21:15 Whatever you are paying for that you don’t know about; receive mercy now in Jesus name.

Psalm30:5 It is God who sits on the throne of mercy, not the devil. Therefore, by the mercy of God, every trag-

edy in your life is over now in Jesus name. Job was a good man; but things suddenly began to happen because the enemy stepped in; pain and tears came into his home. But after the enemy had done all he knew how to do, God said ‘enough is enough’.

The Bible calls the pains we go through ‘light affliction’ (II Cor 4:17) because He knows we are overcomers by nature. God knows you are behind schedule and He is set to move you beyond your expectation.

All He wants is your cooperation and He’d help you fix all that the enemy has destroyed.

What do you do?

• Surrender all to Him. • Don’t rely on your intel lect.

• Let Him direct your path.

• Raise an altar of sacrifice to the Lord.

“Then the angel of the LORD commanded…that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD...” I Chronicles21:18 If you want the plague to stay from your family you must raise an altar for the Lord. The pain in the lives of many is only waiting for their altar and sacrifice.

“And David built there an altar unto the LORD…, and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.” 1 Chronicles 21:26 God commanded the angel to stop the killing, but didn’t ask the angel to withdraw. So, the angel was still standing and waiting for the next instruction from God. God was waiting to see if David will do what was necessary to stay the plague.

David acted accordingly because he knew he made a mistake. After he did, the plague stopped.

So many know what to do but are unwilling to do it, because they are either disobedient or just stingy.

In other words, there are people who prolong the plague in their own lives.

If you are the very person standing in the way of your salvation and deliverance, may God deliver you from yourself in Jesus name.

God doesn’t want you to begin to look at what you have like your bank account, connection, background or your international contacts

Engaging the spirit of faith to fulfill divine plan

F

rom scriptures, we understand that God has great and enviable plans for us, but it takes the operation of the Spirit of faith to actualize them. This is because every plan and purpose of God is according to His size and no human hand can fully deliver it, except His hand. As it is written: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it (1 Kings 8:15; see also Isaiah 53:1; Habakkuk 2:2-4).

For instance, according to scriptures, every child of God has greater potentials than all the Old Testament saints. We also understand from scriptures that we are empowered to do greater works than Christ did. Therefore, we possess enviable and colourful potentials, but it takes faith to unleash them (Matthew 11:11, 12:42; John 14:12, Philippians 4:13).

However, it is not enough to access the plan of God, we must learn how to actualise it, and the Spirit of faith is the master key to fulfilling God’s plan and purpose for our lives.

Therefore, a discovery of what is written about us and commitment to it, believing, is what secures our glorious destiny. This is why I believe we need an impartation of the Spirit of faith, to actualise God’s plan for our lives and maximise our glorious destiny (Mark 9:23).

What does that spirit do?

The Spirit of faith is a vital treasure of the Kingdom that defines the quality of every man’s life on earth.

This Spirit also empowers us to believe all things.

Apostle Paul said: But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets (Acts 24:14).

Interestingly, the Spirit of faith is the same through all ages, and delivers the same order of results. The

Bible says: We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13; see also Jude 1:3, Hebrews 11:32-34).

However, every gift of God comes with responsibilities and if we don’t perform those responsibilities, we waste the gift. For instance, Jesus spoke a parable about a nobleman who gave his servants a pound each and said to them, “Occupy till I come!” At his return, they delivered results at different levels by reason of how well they engaged the talent. This means that it is not enough to receive a gift, we must also engage it for maximum results (Luke 19:13-26). It is also important for us to know that God cannot intervene on our behalf beyond our level of faith. For instance, two blind men came to Jesus to receive their sight and when they believed that He could heal them, Jesus said: According to your faith, be it unto you.”

Therefore, the outcome of our lives is according to the faith at work in us (Matthew 9:27-29).

How, then, do we keep the spirit of faith alive? v Through the Word: The Spirit of faith feeds on revelation, which is spiritual understanding of God’s Word. As it is written: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

For instance, no matter how great a child, if you don’t feed that child, he or she will die. Likewise, if we don’t feed the Spirit of faith, it will be quenched.

Therefore, we cannot effectively operate the Spirit of faith without being addicted to the Word as a lifestyle.

Furthermore, the Spirit of faith also thrives on Wisdom. We must understand that we need the wisdom of God to effectively apply the revelation of the Word to our lives. This is why we need the Spirit of

The Voice of Dominion by

Bishop David Oyedepo E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

7747546-8 (SMS only) wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Moreover, only doers of the Word can sustain the operation of the Spirit of faith. This is because until we apply the Word to our lives, we cannot have proofs and without proof, it is fake (Ephesians 1:1718, Matthew 7:24-25). v Through prayer and fasting: Faith is essentially sharing responsibility with God in line with scriptures so as to commit Him to make good His promise.

The Bible talks about Epaphras, who was labouring fervently in prayer. Therefore, we don’t only labour to access the Word; we also labour in prayers to guarantee our breakthroughs through faith (Colossians 4:12, Isaiah 58:6-8). v Through productive labour: From scriptures, we understand that active faith delivers by work.

That is, we work to build our faith, keep it alive, sustain and increase it.

Everything about faith requires work at one level or another.

Moreover, no future will ever be greater than the quality of labour invested in it. We will never find an extraordinary man in this world without an extraordinary input. Paul said, “I labour more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” Therefore, I release the grace for tireless and productive labour upon your life in the name of Jesus! (James 2:14-24; 26, Ecclesiastes 10:18, 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Corinthians 15:10) v The Spirit of faith demands spiritual discipline: It is important to note that careless believers cannot go far in the school of faith.

That’s why we must be disciplined to think scripturally, speak biblically and operate according to the Word.

However, we frustrate the Spirit of faith through negative thoughts, words and actions. For instance, we cannot think poor and prosper. Neither can we think defeat and be victorious. Therefore, we must be spiritually disciplined to align our thoughts, words and actions with the Word to maximise the benefits of the Spirit of faith (1 Samuel 2:3, Philippians 4:8, Proverbs 23:7, 18:21).

Are you born again? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord?

If you haven’t, you can do so as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner.

Forgive me of my sins.

Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”

For further reading, please get my books: The Law Of Faith, Exploits Of Faith, All You Need To Have All Your Needs Met, Miracle seed and The Force Of Freedom. I will conclude this teaching next week.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. respectively.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota

‘Vatican Radio’ confirms Pope’s leaked letter as authentic

R

ecently, LifeSiteNews published leaked documents showing for the first time the Pope’s own opinion on the matter of Holy Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics who do not qualify for annulment.

The letter had set off an explosion of comments since many held that the Pope did not agree with the thesis of Cardinal Walter Kasper which was that in certain cases Holy Communion could be admin-

istered for such couples. Many comments suggested that the letter could not be authentic.

However, Vatican Radio has now confirmed the letter as authentic, including specifically in its most controversial aspects – that of allowing communion to divorced and remarried Catholics in some cases and that there is “no other interpretation” other than that.

The Vatican Radio report says: “Pope Francis has written a letter to the bishops of

the Buenos Aires region of Argentina, praising them for their document which spells out ways in which priests should apply the teachings of his apostolic exhortation ‘Amoris Laetitia’.”

The report relates, as LifeSite had earlier reported, that in the letter Pope Francis responded “to a document by the bishops entitled ‘Basic criteria for the application of chapter 8 of ‘Amoris Laetitia.”’

“That chapter focuses on

the need to support and integrate divorcees into the life of the Church, specifying that ‘in certain cases, this can include the help of the sacraments,’” says the Vatican Radio report.

“Expressing his appreciation for the ‘pastoral charity’ contained in the bishops’ document, Pope Francis insists ‘there are no other interpretations’ of the apostolic exhortation which he wrote at the conclusion of the two synods on the family in 2014 and 2015.”

37

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Body&Soul

with

Wole Adepoju 07037763410

woleadepoju@yahoo.com

Trying times for Solomon Adeola

I Abike Dabiri’s strides of greatness I

n this era where some public office holders are known to be lackadaisical in their approach to their duties thereby constantly receiving knocks from the people, one government functionary, who is the opposite of what is earlier stated is no other than former television girl, Honorable Abike Dabiri Erewa.

To say the dark skinned Ikorodu born former lawmaker has undying penchant for making her impact felt will amount to stating the obvious as this has no doubt been established in the course of her previous engagements.

During her days as a broadcaster, Abike, many will agree was not a push over among her peers as she worked so hard to write her name in gold. Her commendable activities while she was in the House of Representatives are still very fresh in the memories of many because she was vocal on the floor of the house as she was also active as Chairman House committee on Diaspora Affairs. Aside from being a faithful party loyalist, her antecedents many believe got her such a sensitive position she presently holds as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora. It’s visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that she is living up to the task of discharging her duties as she has always done.

t may not be a roller coaster for Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola, who is popularly known as Yayi, for obvious reasons. Aside the fact that he represents Lagos West, the largest senatorial district in Lagos State, that he also took over the shoes of a predecessor who was powerful and influential across board, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewanju Solomon is another height he hopes to attain.

Olamilekan, the chubby lawmaker who was a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and now as a senator is believed to have started on a good note with his seeming tendencies to be vocal but all that was endearing him to his people seems to fade away fast as tongues are beginning to wag about his perceived incompetence. According to what is flying round about him, he’s alleged to be more concerned with the paraphernalia of being a senator which he shows off at social gatherings and not the duty that comes with it. As it’s also an open secret that senator Adeola is interested in succeeding Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State come 2019, he has also been accused of being engrossed with the preparations towards the challenge which of course has started in earnest at the expense and detriment of the Lagos West people he currently represents.

On another note, the man at the center may have found himself at the crossroads as regards his governorship ambition that appears unrealisable going by what is on ground. Senator Adeola, sources reveal has opposition

Razak Okoya hosts special gig

I

Funmilayo Modupe serenades family, friends at 45

T

he name Funmi Modupe might not ring a bell across but certainly not in the quarters where she’s always celebrated and held in high esteem for her great qualities and virtues as a woman of substance who got her priorities right. For her, nothing takes her attention more than dedicating herself to Godly things, living up to expectations as a mother and wife and contributing to the growth of the society.

Funmi is the better half of top PR expert who runs accounts of several multinationals, Tokunbo Modupe of TPT fame. The beautiful, light skinned lady added another year to turn 45 few days ago and to make such a special day a memorable one for a worthy wife, her handsome hubby organised a special dinner in her honour at an upscale hotel in Victoria Island where the birthday was celebrated by friends, family and well-wishers who were on hand to felicitate with the couple.

to his dream in the person of the incumbent governor of Ogun State, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, whose opinion and influence will go a long way in determining who takes over from him. Amosun is said to have single handedly worked against Adeola after his term at Lagos State Assembly when he wanted to go to the senate to represent a district in Ogun State. He was alleged to have returned to position himself in Lagos in the last general elections before he eventually secured a seat at the senate.

Olisa Metuh regains groove

T

he popular saying that nothing is permanent but change is most constant aptly describes the situation of the mouth piece of the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh. Until about over a year ago after which electorates decided to entrust their leadership in to the hands of another party, lawyer turned politician, Olisa, as the spokesperson of the party in power then was a man who many were envious of his status and wanted to identify with him but several months down the lane, his lot had become that which no one would ever wish for as he was put behind bars for a couple of weeks for corrupt charges.

That part of his life may have also become history as he has regained his freedom to reunite with his family and take care of his health that deteriorated while he was in prison. Celeb Lounge can reveal times may have taken a very drastic turn from nursing trauma and injuries of a dark period to very bright moments for Metuh as he has put the past behind him to regain his groove. Stoutly built, dark skinned PDP top shot was recently sighted in a social gathering in Lagos exuding so much liveliness and gusto. What however seems to have changed about him is that he has dumped his clean shaven looks to embrace heavy grey beards which he had grown during his days behind bars.

t’s only natural to expect that billionaire industrialist, Chief Razak Akanni Okoya, will observe dictates of Islamic religion as regards worship more than an ordinary fellow faithful based on his high ranking status. He also reaches out more to the needy as it’s demanded in the tenets of Islam. Of course, the philanthropist lived up to expectations but in a rare form; the respectable businessman went all out to have a blast.

For many of his friends, associates and immediate family members as well as extended ones, all roads led to the Chief Okoya’s Lekki abode, Oluwanishola, where they were hosted to a special Sallah festival gig. Saying there were food and drinks in surplus will be stating the obvious but what could be referred to as the hallmark of the day was fun unlimited. Billionaire industrialist, Chief Sam Adedoyin, real estate magnate, Olu Okeowo and his sons in-law like Senator Lanre Tejuosho and Olamiju Akala to mention a few were among many on hand to savour the fun of the day with the Okoyas.

38

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul I’m married, yet I feel lonely

Am I under a spell?

I feel like every relationship I have goes the same way. I haven’t had one that lasted longer than a year since I left university. Every time the same thing happens.

Things start out great but then somehow it doesn’t work. Either I get bored or she gets bored or life gets in the way. This didn’t use to feel like a problem, but now I’m on the wrong side of thirty and I’m starting to worry. Am I doing something wrong or am I just unlucky? A friend of mine advised me to seek spiritual help but I’m very skeptical about pastors of today and their fake lives. I’m thinking I should just date for maximum of six months and then get married because if it gets to a year, the same pattern might repeat itself or what do you think?

Jude, Lagos

I

I’m still in love with my Ex

I’ve only had one serious relationship, it ended some years ago but I still can’t get over it. I miss my ex often, sometimes in a physical and overwhelming way that feels like a kind of madness. The only respite is when I meet someone new to be crazy about and before you know it, it just fizzles out. I recently realised I have feelings for a friend of mine in the office. But what worries me is how much this friend has replaced the ex in my mind.

I can’t tell whether these feelings are real or whether I want so much to be in love that I’m constructing it. I spent my younger years watching my parent’s unhappy marriage. I don’t want to be in the same shoe as them. How do I tell if my feelings are real?

Ucheoma, Owerri

I’m 35 years old and have been married for just under a year. I’ve been with my husband for 11 years, meeting him when I was very young. We had an on and off relationship before we finally decided to get married. He lost his dad a year ago and has since become obsessive and slightly depressed. He was recently laid off from work because of the recession going on in the country’s economy and has tried to create his own business;

which is not bearing any fruits yet.

Now he hardly talks to me except when he wants to eat.

He goes out a lot and comes back late at night. Worse, he does not even want to have sex with me and I hate to be the one to ask for it all the time. I feel lonelier now that I’m married than when I was still single. I think I made a mistake marrying him after a long courtship and now I can’t get out of the marriage. How do I handle this situation?

Bunmi, Lagos

GET A SOULMATE I’m Ethan, a father of one. I’m tall, dark and a master’s degree holder from the southern part of the country. I need a matured lady that is ready for marriage within six months-07056584366 My name is Godwin Edet. I am 25 years old, a 300 level student of University of Uyo. I need an average height, fair lady with nice body shape, between 18-23 years and a devoted Christian for a serious relationship -08132819233 Jeff is my name. I’m 43 years old. I live and work in Lagos. I need a lady between 33 -35 years for marriage.

She must be God fearing, plump and busty-08023542074, 08180788351 My name is Chizoba, 37 years old widow from Imo State. I need a responsible Christian Igbo businessman or self-employed man between 40-55 years old-08174764371 James is my name, I’m 35 years old. I live and work in Lagos. I need a God fearing young girl between 25-34 years for a relationship that will lead to

Send SMS only to 07057201814 or vanessaonsunday@yahoo.com

marriage-08160125532 Arafat is my name. I need to link up with an educated Muslim lady, must be Hausa or Fulani and rich between 40-50 years for a relationship-08037604903 I am Lionel, 38 years from the South West. I need a beautiful God fearing, working class Christian lady from any tribe between 22-30 years for a serious relationship-08161884735 I’m Adekunle Adebayo from Lagos State. I’m 42 years old and a medical doctor. I’m single, fair and need a matured working class woman, 30 years and above from any tribe for a relationship-07036328978 I’m Paul, 38 years. I’m journalist based in Akwa Ibom State. I need a lady for marriage-07030809667 My name is Emmanuel, 37 years old civil servant from Osun State. I need a fair, busty and fun loving lady between 25-40 years for a serious relationship-09055422542

It is all good with Bukola Oriola

am a firm believer in the dictum that life is a journey and not a competition and so I rejoice with my friends and colleagues when they make advancements in their career. Many readers will observe that I often take out the time to celebrate the achievements of individuals and groups doing small things to make big changes and today, I celebrate another one of such individual; Bukola Oriola.

I met Bukola in 2003 when I left Thisday Newspaper after a brief stint for the then newly formed New Age newspaper. She was on the Education desk and our paths crossed on certain assignments and events. However, one thing that stood her out was her professionalism and a dedication to duty. She always assured me that she was at the events to cover the education aspect of proceedings and not in any way encroaching on my cultural domain. I usually reassured her that it was fine as education and culture, especially from the social context of Nigeria, were intertwined. She usually bestowed on me a heavenly gap-toothed smile. I recalled her never say die attitude when her desk editor suddenly quit and she practically moved mountains to ensure that the pages were published without any glitch.

In fact, many within the organisation did not notice the absence of the editor because Bukkola was that good and dedicated. I was happy to have played a small role in her first reward for dedication when she was nominated for the In went Fellowship for journalists in Germany and enjoyed a two-week residency in Germany. I can honestly say that there was a camaraderie between me and Bukola that was based on mutual respect

and a love for the profession and the art of writing.

Bukola gave me an insight into her life after we have attained a higher level of trust. She was in love and the love of her life was in the United States. She longed for the day she will join him and they will live the American dream and write pages of romantic fairy tales together.

That was the song I left on Bukola’s lips when I quit New Age and left for England. Sadly, her realities were far from the dream she had. The experience, when she eventually landed in USA, in her own words, is nothing more than human trafficking as her husband denied her access to the outside world and practically made her a slave. I won’t go

into details but suffice to say, Bukola survived and she has refused to stay down or just be a survivor. She wants to be a changer. She wants to campaign against trafficking and let everyone know the travails of the victims of human trafficking and the toll it can take.

Bukola turned her experience into a positive one and wrote the best-selling book, “Imprisoned: The Travails of a Trafficked victim”. It is a no holds barred, blow by blow honest account of her experience. It was as if she was saying “This is my life, this is my mistake, learn from me.” The book would establish Bukola as an activist of note, a writer of substance and a human with an abundant creative energy.

Along the dance routine, Bukola has eaten local food on social media, braided her hair live on air and hosts a talk show, “Monday Morning Motivation with Bukola.” I guess you can say Bukola is a moving train of ideas. Her talent has also been recognised in high places as she currently sits on a White House committee on human trafficking

However, Bukola still has more to say, more knowledge to impart and indeed, she is still desiring the spotlight to stay on the issue of trafficking with a focus on the survivor experience.

It is therefore, no surprise that Bukola Oriola is following Imprisoned with a new book entitled: “A Living Label” or “ALL” for short. Now, that book will be launched in approximately eight weeks from today but in her irrepressible manner, Bukola is kicking up a storm on social media to draw attention to the launch of the book.

The acronym for the book is part of a hashtag campaign that has relied heavily on culture but the most prominent one seem to be the #alldancechallenge in which she challenges her friends to upload a dance routine of their choice. The response has been from the hilarious to the absolute fantabulous. Even popular actress, Funke Akindele has gotten in on the act by uploading a crazy dance step to the dance off challenge Along the dance routine, Bukola has eaten local food on social media, braided her hair live on air and hosts a talk show, “Monday Morning Motivation with Bukola.” I guess you can say Bukola is a moving train of ideas. Her talent has also been recognised in high places as she currently sits on a White House committee on human trafficking. Her experience did not keep her down, it provided the launch pad to become a better human. And how can I fail to mention that infectious positive disposition that she exhudes?

Bukola Oriola is the model Nigerian, one worthy of emulation and I am proud to be associated with her.

8, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

ssories. almost on your s and a which ll work r jewelurself is

39

Edgy double Dutch Braids

Vanessa Okwara

T

he double Dutch Braid (DDBraids) has been a highly trending hairstyle lately. We love how edgy and unique it is, and how it can be worn every day for school or work. It can even be dressed up for a party.

Ever since our female celebrities have been spotted rocking double Dutch braids, this lovely hairdo has been in trend.

For starters, the DDBraids are so easy to pull off and can be dressed up or down. The braid pattern that is used for this style (center or side part) will allow you to pull this off to an office meeting or a workout session. It’s super versatile!

The double Dutch Braids hairstyle is a trendy and fun way to style your hair this season. Just like with most braid hairstyles, you can keep your hair away from your face and body on those scorching hot or raining days, while still looking super cute.

You can also achieve volume by adding hair extensions. This will give it length and thickness, giving you that natural ‘Alice in wonderland, girly look’. I’m sure your hair stylish can help you achieve this look in record time.

Are you so used to fixing weaves, why not try one of these beautiful Dutch braids hairstyles and watch yourself transform into a natural beauty.

So if you are you looking for something edgy, versatile, and protective this season, these braids has got it all and they won’t disappoint.

40

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Body&Soul

Rock in plaid trousers Judith Onyebuchi

I

n the world of fashion, there is no other pattern more instantly recognizable as plaid. Plaid trousers are a great addition to casual outfits for men. The beauty of a plaid trouser is its simplicity. In wearing a plaid pant, everything else you are wearing has to be as neutral as possible, so as make the plaid stand out as a statement piece.

Knowing how to wear plaid trouser with style will make you look at your wardrobe in a whole new light.

Here are ways to wear plaid trousers: - Wear a Polo Shirt: to achieve a dressier look, you can pair your plaid pants with a polo shirt. You can wear your polo shirt tucked in or out.

- Pair plaid trousers with a white button down shirt, most of all plaid trousers go great in a white, long or short sleeve button down shirt. This is a great look for work or play.

- Roll up your plaid trousers: rolling up plaid trousers always looks stylish, make sure you evenly roll your plaid trousers so you don’t look lopsided.

- Don’t pair plaid trousers with eye-catching colours: when wearing plaid pants, make sure you always color coordinate.

-Wear with blazers: plaid trousers always look good with blazers. Just make sure they are plain coloured blazers; otherwise you will come out looking trashy.

- Wear your plaid trousers with flip flops: nothing says ‘beach comber’ like a pair of flip flop with your plaid pants, even if you are not at the beach, you will score big wearing plaids with flip flops.

Plaid trousers can make any outfit look good and gives an overall outfit a polished look.

Adekunle Gold Music maestro

Judith Onyebuchi

A

dekunle Kosoko popularly known by his stage name Adekunle Gold is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and graphics designer who describes his genre of music as Urban Highlife.

He holds a Higher National Diploma in Arts and Design from the Lagos State Polytechnic. Adekunle Gold started music at a very tender age, he wrote his first song at the age of 15 and formed a music group called ‘The Bridge’ and he is currently

signed to YBNL Nation.

Adekunle Gold is known to lead his own fashion trend when it comes to style. He is a lover of Afrocentic styles made from Adire, Ankara and prints tailor made in modern styles. His suit outfit to any meeting could never be complete without his usual touch of the Ankara fabric to blend with it. The music maestro definitely knows how to combine colours to get creative attire and with his signature haircut, he appears stunning all the time.

41

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

RazzleDazzle I’m grateful to my ex-lover –Blossom Chukwujekwu’s wife

A

s part of activities to celebrate her birthday, actor Blossom Chukwujekwu, re-proposed to his wife, Maureen. They got married traditionally last year.

In her social media post, an excited Maureen blessed God for making her path and that of her husband to cross in life. “A year ago, you asked that I be your wife which was a major shocker to me and a year later, you re-proposed to mark our anniversary. You got my friends to do birthday videos for me; even people I would never have expected to. All day you kept on surprising me. I cried, screamed, jumped, sat on the ground and even begged you to stop that I was literally exhausted. I bless the day our paths crossed. I bless my ex for leaving me, I bless Mofe Duncan for introducing me to you and I bless you for loving me more than I love myself. I place a rare blessing on you today that everything you lay your hands, heart, voice and soul on will turn to gold and for that reason, your many generations will feed on your wealth.

Fisayo Ajisola out with new movie

I want to be remembered as a philanthropist – Tiwa Savage I

nternational singer and Mavin first lady, Tiwa Savage, revealed she has learnt lessons from her previous marriage challenges. The Nigerian songstress recently signed an international management deal with Jay Z’s Rock Nation. She had an interview with a New York based blogger recently and when asked how she has been coping after her marriage crisis, had this to say, “I don’t know if I’m allowed to answer that question. I did speak on Elle Magazine recently in South Africa and I said I would never address anything that had to do with my private life again. Because I just think that it is sacred and that is one lesson that I’ve learnt.” She said. The single mother of one went further to state that, she’d love to be remembered as a global artist. “I don’t want to be remembered as one of the biggest female artists out of Africa, I want to be remembered as one of the biggest artists period. I want to be known as one of the people that were part of the revolution that happened with Afro music to the world. I also want to be remembered as a very strong woman and someone who inspired a lot of people that regardless of the challenges we go through as women, you can still achieve a lot. It’s a long road and it’s a slow race. It definitely is about pacing yourself and never ever giving up.” She disclosed.

Abiola Alaba Peters

with

08062622328 abiolaalabapeters@rockmail.com

I teach my kids to be independent – Toyin Lawani C

EO of Tiannah’s Empire, Toyin Lawani, has the most amazing relationship with her kids. The proud mum took to her social media to express her feelings towards her daughter, who recently left Nigeria to continue her education abroad. “One of the most painful moments in a parent’s life is to let go. It was really hard to let go,” she wrote on her Instagram, adding, “but I thought about the future of the empire I’m building for her and I knew it was time”. Toyin, who styles top Nigerian and international acts, including Ciara, puts great efforts into making her children fall in love with fashion, just like her mother did for her. Early this year, the designer and celebrity stylist announced the launch of Tiannah’s new collection which was eventually showcased at the Africa Fashion Week.

No week passes by without Ms. Lawani sampling some new designs with Tiannah. And now that her 11-year-old daughter has relocated abroad, the entrepreneurial mum writes about how lonely life is. “Not easy sending your child off to secondary school abroad without you there,” she said. “She’s my best friend and my sister; we share everything – ideas, problems, cooking etc. I’ve been moody since she left but I know seeing her progress in acting school, fashion school, dance and music school plus her education will make me smile. At the end of the day, I’m hustling for my kids. I teach them to be independent so people won’t take advantage of them when I’m not here. ”

Skales’ overstretched feud I’m not a feminist – Seyi Shay with Wizkid A

ccording to sources close to his former Nigerian girlfriend Sasay, the ‘Shake Body’ singer, Skales, called it quits because of her (Sasay’s) unwavering support of his rival, Wizkid, during his feud and started dating a new Ethiopian lover. Recall that February 2015 saw one of the most heated Twitter feuds after Skales took to social media to claim that he wrote one of Wizkid’s hottest songs, ‘Super Star’, and the Star Boy clapped back with claims that he wrote songs for Skales. There was a time when the duo seemed like they had squashed their beef by posing for a selfie at Toolz and Tunde Demuren’s traditional wedding in January 2016. However, some fans were not convinced and even accused Skales of hating the ‘Ojuelegba’ singer. Following the recent outburst of Skales dumping Sasay due to her support for Wizkid, fans are up on social media trolling the singer again.

N

ollywood actress, Fisayo Ajisola, who is passionate about the younger generation; especially the underprivileged, has commenced work on a new movie titled: “Road To Ruin” which addresses the plight of banned hawkers who are now finding it difficult to survive since the Lagos State government had placed ban on street hawking.

Ajisola, through her NGO, Jewel Empowerment Foundation, has solicited for a better alternative from the government and also provide lasting solution to the predicament of the underprivileged and street hawkers through a new flick.

The basis of the movie, according to Ajisola is to draw the attention of the Federal government, states and wellmeaning Nigerians to the plight of many young Nigerians, who have no means of survival, education, jobs and practically no life, but only make their lives productive through doing menial jobs.

Veteran actor, Raphael Niyi Stephen, who is also part of the project said, “The movie is a way of making people to know what is happening to kids on the street and also to lend our voices to what the Lagos State government is doing about hawking and to let people know hawking is not the lasting option.”

The director of the movie, Tunde Olaoye, noted that the short movie is a public service announcement for the children on the street and to encourage the government to look for a better solution.

Body&Soul

D

eborah Oluwaseyi Joshua, professionally known by her stage name Seyi Shay, has said she is not a feminist even though many perceive her to be one. Seyi Shay stated that although she’s an advocate of female empowerment, she doesn’t belong to any school of feminism. The ‘Murda’ singer is involved in the United Nations women and girl-child empowerment campaign. She said: “I’m not a feminist, I just believe in the principles of human rights, so I fight for it. A friend in South Africa who was sourcing for the project was interested in what I was doing with my own charity ‘A Ray of Hope’, which focuses on less privileged children, women and the girl child and decided that I would be the best candidate to represent Nigeria for this global campaign. I plan to continue to lend my voice and my platform to similar causes.

Most importantly, I want to set a good example for all young girls out there”, She explained.

42

Nkechi Emmanuel, popularly known as Nurse Titi, has come a long way in her acting profession. Her career got a major boost after she starred in popular TV soap opera, ‘Clinic Matters’, which earned her the nickname, Nurse Titi. Since then, she has gone ahead to act in major blockbuster movies like ‘Black Bird’, ‘When You Are Mine’, ‘Most Wanted Nurses’, ‘Adaora’, among others.

In a chat with VANESSA OKWARA and EDWIN USOBOH, the Anambra Stateborn thespian opens up on her career and dreams of being in Hollywood When did you start acting?

I have been acting since 2008 and it was my flair and passion for acting that actually led me into Nollywood. I watched people acting and got interested so I told my parents about it. My mum was in full support but my dad was not.

Sometimes, my mum will sneak me out and dress me up for auditions with her big jewellery and I will be looking very small inside and even give me transport fare. One day, she gave me money and I registered as an actress with the Actors Guild of Nigeria and from there, I started attending several auditions which I can’t count now.

I finally got my first role with the movie titled ‘When you are mine’ where I played a nurse in the movie. It was after the movies that the producer of ‘Clinic Matters’ saw me and invited me for auditioning. It was a big audition, over 300 hundred people were present and he needed just three people. I gave my best and I was picked. That is where I played the role of ‘Nurse Titi’.

Since your dad was a little bit skeptical at the beginning, how does he feel now?

He is my number one fan right now. He loves to watch my act now; anytime I come home with my new work, he just loves to watch me. I have learnt a lot from acting; even things relating to health which I didn’t know before, I know better now. My dad sometimes even gives me money to buy fuel when I am going for acting.

How many movies have you done so far?

By God’s grace, I have done over 30 films and about eight TV soap operas.

So far, which will you describe as the most challenging?

I would say each comes with various challenges. ‘Clinic Matters’ has its own challenges because I didn’t have any knowledge of hospitals before now. Sometimes, when I saw the big grammar in the script or medical terms which I can’t even pronounce, I had to go back to my director and ask help to pronounce them and try to find out what it means because I need to understand what I am saying myself, that is one big challenge with ‘Clinic Matters’. The recent movie where I had to act with a live snake in the forest, is titled ‘Horror in the grace’ was shot in Owerri. They brought a live snake and I was lying close to the snake, the Hausa man who brought the snake had to tell me to relax, that when I relax the snake will also relax and this was like 2am in the forest. It wasn’t funny, at a point I told the director I don’t want to act

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Why I rejected an offer to act nude –Nurse Titi anymore and the director told me since I’ve started, I have to end and there was no going back. At a point I had to just zero my mind like whatever happens, should just happen.

God had to see me through, at the end it was a successful shot. The movie came out well, I had no regrets.

Do you have any regret going into Nollywood?

No. Rather it’s been a plus to my life.

If you have the opportunity to change something in Nollywood, what would that be?

I would like to change the wrong perceptions people have about actors and actresses.

T h e

way people see the female actresses, most people even see us as prostitutes. And most times, it’s just because you played one role or the other; they perceive you to be like that. I have witnessed one where somebody challenged me at the supermarket and was saying, ‘why did you snatch your colleague’s boyfriend?’ It was embarrassing. I had to start explaining to the person that it was just the role I played in the movie; it wasn’t easy that day.

Where do you draw your inspiration from, most especially when you had to act with a live snake?

First and foremost I would say is God and secondly, my mom. She is a very strong woman; she’s been supporting my career and when I think about her, I wouldn’t want to let her down. When I remember all she has gone through for me, I know I have to make her proud. I want to be successful more than she is; I want to be stronger than her.

And when I see my other colleagues who have been successful, like Omotola Jalade-Ekinde, she’s a family woman and she’s still able to combine that with her work, she inspires me a lot. Also, the fact that I want to someday act in a Hollywood movie, I want to shoot with Angelina Jolie because I love her so much. All of this gives me inspiration not to give up.

Will it be right to say Omotola is your role model?

Yes, she’s one of my role models. There are a whole lot of them; I also like Genevieve Nanji and Joke Silva.

Can you act nude role in a movie?

No, I can’t. I have even gotten an offer for that kind of movie but I turned it down. I can’t be totally naked in a film even though I am acting a make-believe movie. I am a proud African woman, and I have my culture to respect, I have my family, I am from a Christian home. No matter the amount, I can’t act nude in any movie.

Are you in a relationship?

I am in a relationship of course, but I wouldn’t want to reveal his identity on the pages of newspapers.

How would you describe your sex life?

I have a lot on my mind that I don’t even think of that at the moment.

Where do we see ‘Nurse Titi’ five years from now?

I see myself in Hollywood.

What advice do you have for aspiring actresses?

It was an advice Aunty Omotola gave me when I was starting. She sat me down in her office and told me, ‘go to school, after school, Nollywood will still be here; you can always come back and act’. I would also pass it to the younger ones, you have to face your education first and after that, you can always act.

Then, you should be able to tell yourself what you really want. Do you want to be an actress because of the money or because of the fame or because you want to leave a legacy behind for up-coming generations? If it’s for fame and money; I am sorry, you could be in Nollywood for a very long time without getting any of these. But, if you are going into acting because you want to leave a legacy, then you have to be focused, prayerful, and determined to get the best out.

You were recently voted as Most Promising Actress

by Classic Africa Merit Award (CAMA), how do you feel about this award?

Honestly, when I received the letter from the organiser about my nomination, I wasn’t really moved; I just read the letter and dropped it on the table. The following morning, my dad saw it and read through and he said congratulations that God will let you have it. It was then it dawned on me that I was in for a big honour. So, on the day of the event, I just went there and when the category was read and they said the winner was me, I broke down in tears. It’s really an honour to be recognised. I am grateful to God for how He has seen me through, to my fans for finding me worthy of such award and to the organisers.

43

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

News Recession: Guinness to export beer to earn forex p.44

Interview Nissan’s cardinal objective is to ensure Nigerians have access to affordable vehicles – Whitefield p.45

Auto beat Stallion wins Nissan outstanding sales achievement award p.47

Business

Paul Ogbuokiri Head, Business

paulogbuokiri@newtelegraph

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

AFC plans more Eurobonds for infrastructure

T

L-R: Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, Oba Rasaq Adenugba; Public Affairs Manager, West/Midwest, Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc, Tayo Adelaja; Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona; Brewery Manager, NB plc, Ijebu-Ode, Collins Ejaife and Senior Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Funso Ayeni, during Goldberg’s team visit to Awujale as part of the brand’s activities for the 2016 Ojude Oba Festival, in Ogun State…recently

Funding national budget with tax revenue

Adeosun

W

Paul Ogbuokiri ith the drastic decline of earnings from oil exports as a result of low global crude oil prices and disruption of production, analysts have said that the recent declaration by the Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Tunde Fowler, that during the last Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting, 70 per cent of the over N559.03 billion shared among the three tiers of government came from non-oil revenue sources, is an indication that with determination, government can be able to diversify revenue sources away from oil.

This coming as the Director General of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Dr Abraham Nwankwo has disclosed that the Federal Government is looking to raise its benchmark revenue from tax for the 2017 budget from seven per cent in this fiscal year to 18 per cent.

Nwankwo said that Nigeria needs effective tax administration to achieve the feat, adding that the minimum tax revenue collected by countries in Nigeria’s pear group is 18 per cent while Nigeria only earns seven per cent tax revenue.

On the contrary, he said developed/ industrialised countries realised as much as 27 per cent of public tax revenue.

He said Nigeria can double its public tax revenue if every Nigerian and corporate organisations pays their tax as required by law adding that this will make Nigeria’s debt sustainable.

“If we achieve 18 per cent of tax revenue, Nigeria will be able to meet most of its obligations. Stakeholders must do what they can to support the Ministry of Finance and the FIRS to achieve this. In the past, Nigeria depended solely on crude oil revenue but indications now showed that Nigeria should explore the traditional ways of fund-

ing its obligations.”

Meanwhile, the FIRS Chairman, Tunde Fowler said at a recent forum in Abeokwuta, Ogun State that apart from a total of N279.16 billion realised as non-mineral revenue, another N67.4 billion came from value added tax (VAT), in addition to increases in revenue from company income tax (CIT), import duties and royalties in the review period.

Fowler said although tax revenue collection was seasonal, a combination of new taxpayer registration drive, tax education and engagement through the establishment of the federal engagement and enlightenment tax teams (FEETT) was beginning to yield results.

He said the audit of five key sectors, namely banks The Joint Tax Board (JTB) has given itself a target to register at least 10 million additional taxpayers by December 31, 2016. We have commenced tax enforcement too. We are happy that the efforts of the FIRS in collaboration with revenue stakeholders are already yielding positive results

and the financial sector, aviation, power, telecoms and oil and gas would also boost the country’s revenue generation profile.

According to him, FIRS has also added over 700,000 new corporate accounts in the system since he assumed office, adding that Nigeria has a cumulative figure of 10 million registered taxpayers, in addition to the number of taxpayers of SBIRs and the FIRS. He said, “The Joint Tax Board (JTB) has given itself a target to register at least 10 million additional taxpayers

by December 31, 2016. We have commenced tax enforcement too. We are happy that the efforts of the FIRS in collaboration with revenue stakeholders are already yielding positive results.”

Fowler said the FIRS and State Boards of Internal Revenue (SBIRs) have resolved to work together to register more taxpayers, across states, data sharing, exchange of information, joint audits to improve efficiency and tax yields from audits, capacity building through joint training programmes and exchange of personnel.

He said to ensure the implementation of the collaboration framework, FIRS has CO N T I N U ED O N PAGE 44

he Africa Finance Corporation, a development-finance institution that funds infrastructure on the continent, plans to sell more Eurobonds to support energy-generation and logistics projects.

The Lagos-based lender, which has financed projects in 26 African countries, has scope to borrow more offshore in its $1.5 billion funding strategy after raising 100 million Swiss francs ($103 million) in a debut three-year Eurobond in July, said Ini Urua, senior vice president for east and southern Africa. It will go to the market as funding needs grow with new projects, he said in a recent interview with Bloomberg in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

“As you commit you want to make sure you replenish your stockpile to commit more,” Urua said. In “the next few years, we may need to issue another Eurobond.”

Sub-Saharan Africa needs to invest at least $93 billion annually until 2023 to overhaul its decaying transport and energy facilities, with two-thirds of that amount required for entirely new infrastructure, according to Deloitte LLP. Only about $25 billion is being spent on capital expenditure, it said in a 2013 report.

The dilapidated state of electricity, water, roads and information and communications technology infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa cuts economic growth by two percentage points annually and reduces productivity by as much as 40 per cent, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB).

AFC, whose biggest shareholder is the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with a 43 per cent stake, has committed about $4.5 billion toward projects in all regions of the continent across all sectors. It plans to more than double its equity base to about $5 billion over the next five years, from $2 billion currently.

“When you have that big an equity base, you can raise funding,” Urua said.

“We can always raise funding on the basis of a strong financial position.”

AFC has a “big appetite to move into infrastructure” and hasn’t been “doing badly in terms of getting returns” on projects its financing, Urua said. Its shareholders also include African financial institutions.

“You have people who have money who are looking for secure assets,” he said. “You have people who need money to put on to good assets.”

In Kenya, the lender is looking at the transport and electricity sectors. It’s already provided facilities to Kenya Power and $50 million Athi River Mining Ltd. “There is also potential for oil and gas play as industry develops,” Urua said.

The company is holding “preliminary” discussions with the government of Djibouti, where there is potential to finance port expansions and transform the Horn of Africa nation into a logistical hub able to service Ethiopian traders, Urua said.

Its also sizing up the potential in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he said, without elaborating.

Whilst investors are willing to put into African projects, “the constant is always political risk and how you can solve that,” Urua said.

44

SUNDAY September 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Business

Oil prices fall as Nigeria, other increase supplies Eunice Stephens

O

L-R: Proprietor, Nova Foods Limited, Abraham Orji; his wife, Doris; Group Executive, Consumer Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan; and Acting Head, Consumer Distribution, Tunde Kuponiyi, during the pilot testing of Ecobank MasterPass QR in Lagos

Recession: Guinness to export beer to earn forex

A

Paul Ogbuokiri s Nigeria’s economic recession takes its toll on manufacturing companies in the country, Guinness Nigeria Plc has said it plans to increase exports to improve sales and generate more foreign exchange as the country’s second-largest brewer battles to overcome the slump in the domestic market.

The company is considering selling Guinness Stout and the herbal drink Orijin in South Africa to boost the proportion of beverages it sends to international markets, Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa, said in a recent interview with Bloomberg. That will help resolve the brewer’s shortage of foreign currency in Nigeria, which the beverage maker needs to pay for imported goods.

“With all the challenges we have had with foreign

currency availability, we realize that export is a great opportunity to gain foreign exchange and stabilise,” Ndegwa said. “We have heard a lot of inquiries from South Africa.

We are currently in the process of seeing how we can export some of those brands to the country.”

Heineken NV is also expanding in South Africa with the recent introduction of Sol Mexican lager, part of a plan to boost its market share in a country dominated by SABMiller Plc. Guinness Nigeria will also seek to export beer to target Africans living on other continents, Ndegwa said.

Generating foreign currency from exports would help Guinness Nigeria offset a scarcity of dollars in its home market caused partly by a slump in oil revenue, the country’s biggest earner. The economy is on track to shrink

1.8 per cent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. That would be Nigeria’s first full-year contraction since 1991, according to data from the nation’s statistics agency. Nestle Nigeria Plc, a unit of the world’s biggest food company, warned last month that a lack of foreign currency and the highest inflation in nearly 11 years would hurt profit margins.

Guinness Nigeria is seeing drinkers switch to cheaper beer brands such as Satzenbrau as disposable incomes decline, and is expanding its range of spirits to increase choice in its more affordable product range.

“We are focused on brands that are lower priced, by either improving distribution or improving awareness,” Ndegwa said. “We have spirit brands across all categories but the growth

is mid-to-lower end.”

Nigeria’s July inflation rate of 17.1 per cent, the highest since October 2005, has raised the cost of doing business, according to Ndegwa. Guinness Nigeria has worked toward increasing the amount of goods sourced locally in the past 18 months to make savings through the reduction of imports, a strategy that will also ease the need for foreign currency, he said. The brewer will invest 12 million pounds ($15.9 million) in a plant in Benin City, in the south of the country, to reduce spending on imports, the CEO said.

Earnings after tax fell 83 per cent in the nine months through March, while revenue dropped 18 per cent to N69.6 billion. The shares are down 17 per cent this year, compared with a 3.7 per cent fall in the Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index.

Funding national budget with tax revenue CON TINUED FR O M PAGE 43

requested the approval of state governments for the automation payments process on taxable transactions to enhance the deduction, at source, particularly of withholding tax and VAT. Nevertheless, in line with the provisions in the Appropriation Act, the FIRS has said it was targeting raising N5 trillion, 80 per cent of which are expected from the nonoil tax, so as to be able to finance the 2016 budget as spelt out in the bill.

An economic analyst,

Chief Executive Officer, Eczellon Capital, Diekola Onaolapo said the FIRS target of N5 trillion for 2016 was “quite ambitious against the backdrop of falling oil revenues, weaker corporate earnings which invariably impairs the general income level of the average Nigerian.”

This, he added, “cast serious doubts on the ability of the Service to achieve it target in the current fiscal year.”

Recalling that the Service’s total revenue for 2012 topped N5 trillion, he was quick to add that

“we are not oblivious of the stack differences in economic realities in 2012 and 2016, the nation’s very low tax to GDP ratio of c.6.0 per cent (one of the lowest in the world) leaves room for significant growth in tax revenues should the structural challenges hindering tax collections properly addressed.”

To this end, Onaolapo expressed the view that there were reasons to believe that the FIRS could hit its 2016 target.

“First, the Service has a strong track record for meeting and surpassing

its targets in recent past.

Available data depicts that aside from 2006 and 2015 where the FIRS achieved 88.1 per cent and 61.1 per cent apiece of its targeted revenue, it has comfortably exceeded its target since 2010 by an average of 115.0 per cent between 2010 and 2015.

More so, in 2008 and 2009 when the country last witnessed significant revenue pressures due to a slump in oil prices, the service surpassed its budget by 130.7 per cent and 115.1 per cent respectively.

il prices fell to multi-week lows on Friday as rising Iranian exports and returning supplies from Libya and Nigeria fueled concerns that a global glut would persist.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures slipped to a five-week low of $42.83 a barrel at 1305 GMT, down $1.08 or 2.4 per cent.

Benchmark Brent crude futures fell to a two-week low of $45.52 a barrel, down $1.07.

Both contracts have fallen 9-10 per cent in one week, underlining the volatility in the oil market.

“We’ve seen a lot of bearish news this week ... so weak fundamentals are weighing on the market,” said Frank Klumpp, oil analyst at Stuttgart-based Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg. Iran is nearing its pre-sanctions oil export levels after a source familiar with the country’s tanker loading schedules said the third-biggest OPEC producer had raised exports to more than 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in August.

Much of Iran’s fresh output has found a home in Asia and Europe. India’s daily oil imports from Iran rose to the highest in at least 15 years in August, according to trade sources and shipping data.

Austria’s OMV said it had taken delivery of an Iranian crude oil spot delivery in Italy, its first cargo from Iran since 2012.

There are also signs of a return of output from Nigeria and Libya, two countries whose crude exports have been hampered by conflict and unrest.

Libya has lifted force majeure at some of its main ports and is resuming oil exports, the National Oil Corporation said on Thursday.

LG Oled TV

LG welcomes customers to world exhibition booth in Berlin Tobiloba Adekan with agency reports

L

G Electronics welcomes visitors to its IFA 2016 products exhibition booth, an awe-inspiring OLED tunnel, measuring five metres tall, 7.4m wide and 15m in length.

IFA is the world’s leading trade fair for consumer electronics and home appliances as well as Europe’s biggest annual consumer technology expo in Berlin, starting from September 2016 till 2017.

This booth, according to LG, is one of the largest at IFA’s expo, which showcases each of LG’s three principal product areas; Home Entertainment, Home Appliances and Mobile Communications.

President of LG Home Entertainment Company, Brian Kwon said: “It was 50 years ago this year that LG produced its first television and our OLED Tunnel at IFA 2016 is designed to celebrate this milestone with another milestone – the coming of OLED TV. “We’re offering visitors to our booth at IFA the opportunity to experience OLED’s revolutionary image rendering capability complete with perfect black, infinite contrast ratio and realistic colours from any angle.”

He said visitors to IFA are encouraged to stop by LG’s booth in Hall 18 of Messe Berlin to personally experience LG’s OLED TVs on display and to enjoy the experience offered by LG OLED Tunnel.

Kwon noted that the impressive scale of the display tunnel is made possible by OLED’s ultra-thin, highly flexible lightweight panels, adding that OLED displays can be custom bent to concave or convex formations without any picture quality distortion, allowing for spectacular digital installations such as immersive tunnel-like environments.

He further said that each OLED pixel can switch itself on and off, eliminating the need for backlighting. OLED TVs have the ability to render true black and infinite contrast ratio that delivers vibrant, eye-popping colour and wide viewing angles.

45

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 18, 2016

BUSINESS INTERVIEW

Nissan’s cardinal objective is to ensure Nigerians have access to affordable vehicles – Whitefield Managing Director Nissan South Africa, Mike Whitefield was one of the delegates of the African Association of Automobile Manufacturers (AAAM) who recently met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. In this interview, Whitfield, who doubles as President, National Association of Automobile Manufacturers South Africa (NAAMSA) and Vice President AAAM bared his mind with select journalists at the just ended ‘Festival of Motoring’. He expressed high hopes that the meeting with the President far exceeded the association’s expectations but wished the Federal Government could redouble her efforts to get the auto policy underway. PAUL OGBUOKIRI brings the excerpts: You and the executive members of the African Association of Automobile Manufacturers (AAAM), recently met with President Muhammadu Buhari and his economic counsel at the Presidential Villa Abuja, how in your assessment would you describe your encounter with the president and his team?

Without mincing words, our meeting far exceeded our expectations. As an industry, we felt the African motor industry, particularly in Nigeria is critical and by far, the market with the highest potential if we exclude South Africa. The government and notable stakeholders had a number of years ago between 1990 and 2014 took a bold step in terms of introducing the auto policy. Although the industry hasn’t moved at the speed everyone would like owing to a lot of challenges with implementation but coming together as an auto industry, we formed this association African Association of Automobile Manufacturers (AAAM) with Jeff Nemeth as the president and the objective of the association is to work with governments in Africa who have interest in establishing the auto industry.

So our number one priority was to offer our support to the Nigerian government to develop a sustainable auto industry. A sustainable auto industry has many facets to it – the first aspect is to build a legislative frame work that allows stability and gives certainty to distance over a long period of time. The other aspect is that no one is going to invest in a market unless it’s of reasonable size. If one looks at the Nigerian market 800,000 vehicles were imported plus or minus last year of which only 40,000 were new vehicles with grey imports or parallel imports.

The size of the market can only happen if we can offer affordable solution. Affordable solution doesn’t only mean cheap car, but we have to find ways of creating access to finance for people to be able to buy cars. If you are lucky you would get vehicle finance at 24 per cent in Nigeria a n d

quite frankly at 24 per cent you can’t do finance scheme.

How then did you and the AAAM felt evaluating this somewhat feeble situation?

I think the time has never been better for us to see how we can work together with industry parties in Nigeria to develop a sustainable motor industry. In South Africa, the auto industry creates sustainable jobs and employs directly more than 83,000 people and that is the result of many decades of work. We have to make it start in Nigeria.

The potential is massive with more than 170 million people and over 350 million ECOWAS population, no one expects you to build an industry over night.

However, there is potential if everyone can work together. I believe Nigeria could certainly become in a 20-year time period, a major force in the auto industry. Sustainability is

the key. It shouldn’t be short-term project we all are going to focus on industrialization and diversification.

Just recently, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) announced the inauguration of N7.5 billion counterpart funding for the long awaited Vehicle Finance Scheme to purchase madein-Nigeria vehicles which can be accessed at between 8 per cent and 10 per cent. How will you react to this?

That is one of the outputs of what we have been working on for a long time. But in addition to that, there needs to be a clear definition of who is the manufacturer. Today, Nigeria has 41registered motor manufacturers while in South Africa we have seven.

What is important here is that the Nigeria manufacturers have to be part of the long term plan to ultimately move to what we call CKD (Completely Knocked Down) manufacturing. You can’t move to CKD unless you start establishing a proper and reasonably size market.

First the policy must be right as in total market through vehicle finance and affordability and thirdly, the policy needs a very clear definition such that SKD ( Semiknocked Down) is SKD, CKD (Completely Knocked Down) is CKD and those who are registered as manufacturers are truly manufacturers. That to me is very important.

How in your observation would you describe President Buhari’s body language when considered against his disposition towards the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP)?

He is very positive. He is a man who certainly understood what is needed. He has an excellent overview of the challenges that exist. It is not easy and would never be easy to resolve used car issue. It is not something that can happen overnight until you resolve the affordability concern. He is decisive and has good understanding of the industry. And very importantly, all the government leaders we interacted with have a good knowledge of the business.

What then is AAAM’s attraction to Nigeria?

First thing, the government in Nigeria has already

made a move and established the foundation of the policy. Yes there’s still work to be done to make it perfect but we all need to work together to refine the project. Number two, in the whole world there are only two countries with a population of more than 100 million people that don’t have a functional motor industry - Bangladesh and Nigeria.

However, our choice is without doubt Nigeria. Obviously if the Nigerian government feels it does not need our support we will go elsewhere but we are very happy they do want to work with us. But with the experience that we have as global orient, we can bring global best practices to Nigeria.

Local content development especially in the downstream sector has always been the contention, how do you intend to address this issue especially where virtually all the manufacturers bring in their CKDs? As it is, there is no downstream. We have always deliberated on the local content issue and that was why we had with us as part of the delegation that met President Buhari the President of the South African Component Manufacturers Association. As manufacturers we fully understand we can’t establish a sustainable modern industry without component manufacturers, so in the very early days as we developed the programme with Nigerian stakeholders, we realised components and part suppliers are key stakeholders we need to bring along. We are aware of it and we are working on it.

What percentage of the Nigerian automobile market is Nissan targeting?

As a Nissan brand, we would like to be around 20 per cent of 400,000 units and not 40,000 as the current volume of new vehicle market in Nigeria. Today, if you look at the vehicle market it is very difficult to justify any real focus in investment in the market that is only 40,000 or thereabout. However our focus is a long term approach. Everything we are doing in Nigeria today is because we have a long term faith.

Nissan South Africa in partnership with Stallion Nigeria was the first to set up plant in Nigeria, how would you describe the journey so far?

Without doubt, we are not disappointed but we are obviously frustrated because things haven’t moved as we would have liked to see it move. This isn’t due to policy but lack of foreign currency. But having done business in many developing countries, we realise you don’t go into any country and expect a short-term success. We believe from the Nissan perspective we are moving forward as planned but we will like to see it move much faster. However, we are still very committed to the ultimate goal to have sustainable presence in Nigeria.

How would Nissan sustain the projected 20 per cent share of Nigeria’s market when her stronghold has lately been the high-end mar-

Whitfield CO NTINUED O N PAGE 48

46

SUNDAY September 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Business News

A

Paul Ogbuokiri

s Nigeria’s annual inflation accelerated to 17.6 per cent in August from 17.1 per cent in July, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun has said that Nigeria must get out of paying so-called cash calls to joint ventures with oil and gas companies to stand a chance of pulling its ailing economy out of recession.

The country’s annual inflation rate increased to 17.6 per cent from 17.1 per cent in July, NBC said in an e-mailed statement on Friday. Month-on-month price growth slowed to 1 per cent from 1.3 per cent. The median of 14 economist estimates compiled by Bloomberg was 17.7 per cent.

The naira has lost almost 40 per cent of its value against the dollar since June when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) removed the peg of 197-199 per dollar after more than a year. That increased price pressures in the nation that imports goods from fuel to industrial inputs, and could force the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to further increase rates from 14

Adeosun rues huge oil cash calls funding

per cent at its September 20 meeting. The committee has tightened policy by 300 basis points this year and the median of ten economist estimates compiled by Bloomberg is for an increase of 75 basis points next week.

“The argument to keep interest rates high to attract foreign investment still stands,” Michael Famoroti, economist at Vetiva Capital Management Ltd., said in Lagos. The “steady easing of inflation month on month” is noteworthy, he said.

Food inflation accelerated to 16.4 per cent in August from 15.8 per cent in July.

Food prices rose 1.2 per cent in the month. The cost of petrol was little changed at a national average of N145 per liter.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s inflation is at the highest since October 2005, according to data on the Central Bank’s website, at a time when output is at the weakest in more than two decades.

Gross domestic product shrunk by 2.1 per cent in the

second quarter from a year earlier, which followed a contraction of 0.4 per cent in the previous three months.

The International Monetary Fund forecast the economy will contract 1.8 per cent this year.

The further rise in the inflation rate last month “may not be enough to tip the balance on the CBN’s MPC in favour of a rate hike at next week’s council meeting, but we still expect additional interest rate hikes before the end of the year,” William Jackson, an emerging-mar-

kets economist at Capital Economics Ltd. in London, said in an e-mailed note to clients.

The naira strengthened 0.2 per cent to 314.5 per dollar by 11:19 a.m. in Lagos on Friday.

However, Mrs Adeosun said on Friday that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had spent N110 billion ($360 million) on cash calls this month, which dwarfed the country’s N41 billion income from oil production over the same period.

NNPC also owes several billion in arrears to oil companies from unpaid cash calls, which oil worker unions say is stalling the creation of jobs and investment.

“We are already working to see how we can get out of the cash calls. And that is very fundamental to the economy,” Adeosun told a press conference.

“We are working with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NNPC ... that’s a long-term plan: To allow those joint ventures to bor-

row money that they need rather than taking money out of the federation account.”

Mrs Adeosun told Reuters in April the government was thinking of forcing the cash calls, which are for international and local joint venture partners, out of budget funding and into so-called modified carrier arrangements.

Modified carry agreements are loans provided by large international oil companies to the NNPC for investing in oil exploration and production projects.

Lake Chad basin: UN, others shop for $560m to ease food emergency Tobiloba Adenekan

U

nited Nation and non-governmental organisations need $559 million from September to December to ease the humanitarian crisis arising from insurgency and migration in the Lake Chad nations of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad where more than 6 million people are believed to be “severely food insecure” and 568,000 children acutely malnourished.

UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, Toby Lanzer who made this disclosure on Friday, added that no fewer than nine million people urgently need aid in northeast Nigeria and nearby countries, as political violence and mass migration have caused a humanitarian emergency in the region.

Islamist group Boko Haram has waged an insurgency since 2009, displacing 2.1 million people and killing thousands, a crisis worsened by a “demographic explosion” in the Lake Chad basin by migrants making their way towards Europe, Lanzer said.

“With population growth of that speed and nature, in an area where everyone is already poor, the environ-

ment is incredibly stressed, and there is a never-ending stream of heavier violence, it is only natural to conclude that more people will migrate,” Lanzer said at the London think-tank Chatham House.

The United Nations has appealed to Britain and other Western governments for help and heads of state of the Lake Chad basin and donor countries will meet on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly on September 23, he added.

“Nigerian forces are really trying their best but they have to be supported in their efforts, otherwise we will not meet the needs of the population,” said Mercedes Tatay, of Médecins sans Frontières, which has been working in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, since 2014.

The International Committee of the Red Cross operation in the Lake Chad neighboring countries is the second biggest after its Syria operation, a spokesman said, its budget rising from 40 million pounds ($52 million) in 2015 to 105 million pounds in 2016.

Nigeria, Africa’s second largest economy, entered recession at the end of August. “The government’s capacity to run itself is very stretched,” said Lanzer.

L-R: Deputy Director/Head Public Relations, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Hajia Lami Tumaka; President, Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON), Mr. Ismail Aniemo and the Director General NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, during a recent courtesy visit by the association to the Director General

Air Peace assures on quality flight services Eunice Stephen

C

hairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema has assured that the airline will sustain its exceptional flight services.

A statement by the Corporate Communications Manager of Air Peace, Mr. Chris Iwarah, said Onyema gave the assurance shortly after the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) renewed the airline’s Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).

In the AOC dated September 8 and signed by the Director General of NCAA, Capt. Muhktar Usman, the regulator said it was satisfied that Air Peace “is competent to secure safe operations of ... aircraft on flights for the purpose of public transport.”

Receiving the certificate from the airline’s Quality and Safety Manager, Mr. Patrick Achurefe, Onyema

said the renewal of the AOC after a rigorous review of the company’s operations by NCAA was an unimpeachable testament that Air Peace conducts its business in compliance with global best practices in the aviation industry.

According to him, it took years of hard work and company-wide insistence on tough but necessary safety standards to achieve the feat. He added that the company staff worked round the clock to ensure there was no departure from the high standards the company has set for itself as the indisputable leaders in the nation’s aviation business.

“The renewal of our certificate has deepened our commitment to our pledge to prioritise the safety and comfort of the esteemed members of the flying public. Despite the huge cost implications, we have always insisted

on using some of the best aircraft maintenance facilities in the world, including BCT Aviation Maintenance Ltd, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd, Magnetic MRO AS, Lufthansa Technik AG and Global Engine Maintenance (LLC) which recently carried out comprehensive checks on most of our aircraft. As a matter of practice, we hardly wait for the due date before sending our aircraft out for the necessary checks and maintenance,” he said.

Onyema further said that airline’s high quality of services notwithstanding, is have continued to maintain a regime of affordable fares to enable its valued local and foreign customers experience its exceptional flight services.

He added: “We recently embarked on a massive expansion project that has seen us take our exceptional flight experience to Benin in Edo State, with Uyo

and other local routes expected to follow soon. Very shortly, we will also be in Ghana. We have already entered the final stage of our plan to offer seamless Nigeria-Accra flight operations, among other regional and international destinations. Our route expansion project will also connect GuangzhouChina, Atlanta, Mumbai, Dubai, South Africa, Dakar, Niamey, Abidjan and Douala.”

Olajide

47

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 18, 2016

Auto beat

Stallion wins Nissan outstanding sales achievement award

Motoring briefs

Take the appropriate steps to stay safe on the road If you’re planning on hitting the highway, follow these important car travel safety tips to help get you to your destination safely.

Buckle up, slow down, don’t drive impaired.

Be well rested and alert.

Use caution in work zones.

Give your full attention to the road. Avoid distractions such as cell phones.

Observe speed limits – driving too fast or too slow can increase your chance of being in a collision.

Make frequent stops. During long trips, rotate drivers. If you’re too tired to drive, stop and get some rest.

Be respectful of other motorists and follow the rules of the road.

Don’t follow another vehicle too closely.

If you plan on drinking, designate a driver who won’t drink.

Nissan Sentra 2016

S

Paul Ogbuokiri

tallion NMN, Nissan exclusive manufacturer and product distributor has yet again received the 2015 Sales Achievement Award for Exceptional Sales Performance in the Sub-Sahara Africa Region category.

The award, which was presented to the company at the annual Nissan Ignition Awards 2016 in Midrand South Africa on September 1, was in recognition of quantitative and qualitative sales objectives signifying volume, customer satisfaction and Nissan Competitive Advantage Map (N-CAM.) Coming on the heels of a similar accomplishment (Nissan National Sales Company Global Award) presented to Stallion NMN last December, this award clearly demonstrates the dealership commitment to the expansion and success of the Nissan brand in Nigeria.

No fewer than 120 Nissan sales companies gather annually in South Africa for the Ignition Awards to recognise outstanding dealerships and dealer groups that have excelled in the year under review.

Speaking at the awards, Nissan South Africa Group Managing Director, Mike Whitfield applauded the winning dealers for their resilience and hard work during

a challenging year that witnessed several lows in the global product markets.

He said: “Very soon we will be launching the new Navara - a very fanciful and convenient pick-up truck for everyday and special purpose use.”

The Navara, which is the latest pick-up from the Nissan stable, is touted to increase the annual capacity of the Rosslyn plant to 80,000 vehicles from 40, 000 and meet growing demand for new vehicles in Africa.

Whitfield said: “We believe there’s still a very strong role for a good, solid, affordable and reliable pick-up in Africa so both the NP200 and NP300 are going to be strong contenders in the global truck market.” Also adding that if South Africa could produce approximately half a million vehicles of the global 85 million between last year and this year, “we still have a lot of opportunities left, but we need to continue to focus on increasing productivity and efficiency,” the group managing director cautioned.

He, however, added that from a quality point of view, “vehicles built here (Rosslyn Plant) are as good as what is built anywhere in the world – but the real drive we need to do, is to ensure we maintain competitiveness to enable us to have a greater

access to that global market of 85 million.”

According him, Africa has become an increasingly important market for all manufacturers and Nissan can’t wait to support an expanding GDP and a versatile middleclass that is central to a growing economy and mature political system.

“We are growing with Africa and we believe the continent is well-positioned in the Sub-Sahara region for long-term growth to consistently meet customers’ needs through an expanding model range, retail network and an evolving industrial footprint,” Whitfield reasoned.

In his post-award remark, Stallion NMN Managing Director Parvir Singh said: “It is our goal to progressively build Nissan’s market share in the coming years and transform the Nissan brand into one of Nigeria’s foremost.”

He said: “We value our partnership with Nissan and aim to deliver world-class products and expertise by developing an integrated value chain for Nissan in Nigeria, thereby acting as catalyst for Nigeria’s automotive ecosystem.”

The 2016 Nissan Ignition Awards was preceded by a passionate dealer conference where Nissan and the dealership network discussed potent strategies to deliver a successful financial year.

Road transporters to effect 40% fare increase

P

assengers travelling by road to various cities in the country have been told to brace up for an increase in fares effective Monday.

The transporters under the aegis of Association of Private Transport Company Owners of Nigeria (APTCON) made the announcement in a recent notice to its members.

The group said that it was constrained to mark up transport fares by 40 per cent because of the prevailing harsh operating business environment which has seen cost of operations rise by more than 80 per cent.

The association’s secretariat noted that it was compelled to implement

the increase as the local economy was showing no signs of stability while international transactions were becoming increasingly difficult to close.

“As we are all aware, the global economy is currently facing a downturn that has greatly affected most countries in the world. As an industry, we are not exempt from the crisis as in recent months, our operating costs have risen significantly,” the group stated.

It would be recalled that luxury bus owners (Association Luxurious Buses owners of Nigeria, LUBAN) had earlier announced an increase in bus fares by 35 per cent for all their routes effective June 10, 2016.

APTCON lamented that the biggest challenges facing its members were the price of fuelling, cost of spare parts for vehicle maintenance, unit cost of buses, diesel costs for powering terminals, Value Added Taxes (VAT) as well as increase in bank interest rates.

“These identified increments, to name but a few, have taken a significant toll on the revenue of private transport company owners across Nigeria,” the statement noted. The group also noted that many of its members have expressed their inability to pay salaries much less run profitably, while some others have had to shut down operations completely.

Clean your headlights, tail lights, signal lights and windows to help you see, especially at night.

Turn your headlights on as dusk approaches, or if you are using your windshield wipers due to inclement weather.

Don’t overdrive your headlights.

If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible.

10 reasons why you should love manual vehicle l a s t w ee k CO NT INU ED FR OM

8) Less expensive With all the above listed advantages of a manual car over an automatic car, someone is probably thinking of getting one but feels it will leave an indelible insignia on his/her bank accounts - well, that not something you have to worry about. Choosing to buy a manual car over an automatic transmission will literarily save you a $1000 less (do the conversion yourself). You will also like to know that not all manual cars sell less than their automatic models; examples include BMWs - which is often same price as the automatic, GM vehicles such as the 2013 Buick Regal GS and 2013 Cadillac CTS-V. Furthermore, records have shown that not all automatics came along with their rival during the production process, 67 per cent of 2013 model-year cars came only as automatics...what a spoiler!

It takes dedicated time, patience and effort to learn the joys of stick shift driving. Yes, maybe for the first week you’ll feel its effects on your joints but once you get used to it you will become a pro in no time and never want to stop driving.

48

SUNDAY September 18, 2016, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Business

A

Nissan’s cardinal objective is to ensure vehicles – Whitefield

Paul Ogbuokiri

s Nigeria confirms move to commence raising $1 billion from Eurobonds by midDecember, Renaissance Capital (RenCap) said it is expecting the impact of the foreign loans on foreign exchange reserves (and by implication the naira) to be very small, probably negligible.

“However, we expect its impact on the government’s capita expenditure and by implication growth to be more meaningful,” it added in its analyst comment on Friday evening.

In the email comment by Olaide Akinyanmi, RenCap noted that when a country’s forex revenues fall substantially, they are inclined to raise external financing. “Which does two things: i) it helps shore up FX reserves, and in some cases slow the depreciation of the currency; and ii) it brings in funds to help a revenue-constrained government finance the budget deficit.”

Nigeria has been scrambling to fund a record budget worth N6.6 trillion ($20.9 billion) aimed at reviving an economy hammered by a slump in oil prices.

The financing gap for the budget (which will be implemented until May 2017) is N2.2 trillion or $7 billion. The initial budget showed that the government planned for foreign borrowing of N984 billion, which is $3 billion at

CO NTINUED F R O M PAGE 45

L-R: Chairman, Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), Mr. John Coumantaros; Company Secretary, Mr. Joseph Umolu and Group Managing Director, Mr. Paul Gbededo and Director, Mr. Olalekan Saliu at the company’s 56th Annual General Meeting in Lagos Photo: GODWIN IREKHE

Foreign loans not panacea to FX challenges – RenCap today’s forex rate vs $5 billion at the forex rate when the initial budget was released in late 2015.

According to the Director General of Debt Management Office (DMO), Dr Abraham Nwankwo, all borrowing would be used for capital projects.

The government this month approved borrowing from China, Japan, the African Development Bank and World Bank, including loans with rates of 1.25 per cent and a 20-year maturity.

Adeosun has said Nigeria plans to borrow a total of N1.8 trillion from abroad and at home to fund an expected budget deficit of N2.2

trillion.

RenCap stated that when it met with the World Bank in May, “we were told that the government was in talks with them and the AfDB for loans of $1.5 billion and $1.5 billion respectively. At the time, the $2 billion difference in external financing was expected to come from a combination of bilateral lenders and a Eurobond. As the 60 per cent depreciation of the naira, against the dollar, since June, has effectively reduced the foreign borrowing requirement in dollar terms, the loan amounts from the various creditors may have changed,” it said.

Nigeria slid into recession for the

first time in more than 20 years after the economy shrank by 2.06 per cent in the second quarter. It had already contracted 0.36 per cent in the first three months.

RenCap also noted that Nigeria’s debt/GDP ratio of c.14 per cent is very low when compared to its peers (vs 50 per cent+ in Kenya).

It further warned that Nigeria’s high debt service/revenue ratio of 35 per cent explains why the authorities will need to be cautious when increasing its borrowing requirement. “Otherwise debt servicing will crowd out spending to priority sectors, including healthcare and education.

If our nation must succeed

Success Nuggets Victor Okwudiri

I

08037674300 (SMS only)

n my article titled ‘LIFEMATICS,’ published in this column about a fortnight ago, I made mention of my speaking engagement in an international youth conference at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. The lessons from that article were part of the things I shared with the audience in that meeting.

One other thing I shared in that meeting is what I’m about to share with you in today’s piece.

Since the 27th day of July, 2014, we have been sharing ideas about personal success.

However, there’s going to be a slight twist in this week’s edition. We’ll talk about national success in this edition. I consider this imperative because, if the nation fails, our successes or chances at success as individuals will be adversely affected, as the state of affairs in the nation shape our lives in many ways.

In that gathering of youths from different countries in the world, where I spoke, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, on Saturday, the 13th day of August, 2016, I pointed out that gatherings of that nature (where youths are addressed) is very key to the security of our national posterity. It is because the youths are the ones to sustain the legacies of our past and present leaders. It is sad, however, that attention to the next generation is not given the consistency that it deserves.

It is sad that, in schools, we do not give

Many parents will not encourage their children to go to church or any other religious place of worship even once in a week, yet on a daily basis, these children have access to pornography on the go through the instrumentality of smart phones, some of which the parents bought for them our young ones free religious books (that will instil the fear of God and character in them), yet we give them access to free religious books when they are in prison serving jail terms, whereas we could have prevented them from getting to prison if we had given them access to such character building materials in schools and at home.

It amounts to standing commonsense on its head to ban preaching in public places, but invite a cleric to lead the criminals to salvation at the point of their execution for capital offences.

Many parents will not encourage their children to go to church or any other religious place of worship even once in a week, yet on a daily basis, these children have access to pornography on the go through the instrumentality of smart phones, some of which the parents bought for them. Everyday, these children have access to television, where they watch and listen to some godless movie, music and reality TV ‘stars’ who are the very realistic pieces of fakery. Sometime ago, I listed to one of them from America say, “I am sold out to the devil. I know it is a crappy deal, but it can afford me a few good meals.” What about the fact that two of our youngster musicians in Nigeria said in one of their music releases that “life is about the money”? These are the intellec-

tually toxic materials our youngsters have access to daily, yet our efforts at offering them moral re-orientation and ethical rehabilitation is seasonal. How sad! If we continue like this, soon our places of religious worship will become deserted tourist sites, and our national think-thank will gradually become a decimated reality until it becomes extinct.

Yearly, both the federal and state governments budget huge sums of money for security, but we neglect the youth, whereas, we will have less security problems if we channel less than half the money budgeted for security to offering our youths moral orientation, ethical rehabilitation and economic empowerment. Failure to create more jobs and empower more youths economically will lead to one thing, amongst others: it will force the rich amongst us to spend the money they would have used to boost our national economy by creating more jobs to build higher fences around their houses, thereby turning their houses into prisons, with themselves as the inmates. Ridiculous!

If you have access to those in government, tell them I said EFCC and other crime-fighting agencies cannot solve the problem of corruption and crimes generally in our country. ‘Catching’ the youths early and building a solid foundation of the fear of God, love for humanity and character is the solution.

I challenge us as a nation to have a rethink in the direction of this article. That way, we will preserve our individual successes and preserve our nation a POSTERITY of PROSPERITY. We will succeed.

•Please follow me on Twitter @VictorOkwudiri

ket as against the low-end market?

We intend finding solution to affordability first, and you are aware of our Datsun brand even though it is still only available in the right-hand drive. Indeed, we recognise one element, that what we do need to bring to the market is affordable transport solution and surely we will.

The gloomy market trend in the global oil industry has left most oil producing countries especially Nigeria exploring newer solutions in emerging SMEs. Surprisingly, Nissan isn’t exploiting this new market opportunity to at least, railroad into Nigeria some of its low-end products especially the NP200-half-ton pick-up truck. What is your reaction?

The only simple reason right now is that the NP200 half-ton pick-up truck is only available in right-hand drive but one of the options we are working on is how to get the left-hand drive. Two, we are addressing the affordability issue too and remember we also have the NP300. Very soon we will be launching globally the new Navara - a very fanciful and convenient pick-up truck for everyday and special purpose use. It is the latest pick-up from the Nissan stable. We believe there’s still a very strong role for a good, solid, affordable and reliable pickup in Africa so both the NP200 and NP300 you saw at the Nissan South Africa factory are going to be carry on with. The NP300, however, is a strong product we intend to offer to the SME market.

Stakeholders are at variance with grey imports and used vehicle imports to Nigeria and this issue might have been discussed during your meet with President Buhari, how was it addressed?

The Nigerian government understands that to get real growth in the auto market you need to address the used vehicle market but in the same token there’s also responsibility to ensure that the Nigeria population can get affordable vehicles, so to stop used vehicles and not instantaneously offer solution for an alternative wouldn’t make any sense. So part of the objectives of the task team is how to do we work on that transition. For us the competition to new vehicle is not the five or six-year-old vehicles coming to Nigeria or one-year-old or parallel imports. These are the things that do need to be stopped but fundamentally you can’t stop it without an alternative solution and that is what we are going to work on.

Where your interest lies does: Is it in building vehicles in Nigeria or exporting fully built up vehicles to Nigeria from South Africa?

The best route is that we make vehicles in Nigeria within a very solid policy frame work that is enforced and implemented.

One of Nissan’s cardinal objectives is to strengthen the brand reputation on the African continent. How do you achieve these objectives?

The Nissan brand stands for innovation and excitement, and it needs to be a coordinated approach throughout the world, and without doubt our drive is towards that. It’s not something that only the people within the business can do. The levels of service that our national sales companies and dealers and everyone within the dealers have also got to do that, and that’s got to be their philosophy and approach. We need to be consistent in what we do with the brand, and obviously as part of that, not only is it the above-the-line advertising you will see, but many of our recent activities are in ICC cricket, the UEFA Cup, and these are all part of building Nissan brand value of innovation and excitement.

49

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Bulls on Rampage

…Equities Market Gains 1.02% WoW

W

ith only three (3) trading days during the week, the Nigeria All Share Index closed positive at the end of the week, gaining 1.02% to settle the Year-to-Date (YtD) return at -2.74%. After advancing over the last six (6) consecutive trading days, the market has recorded its longest gaining streak since March 2016.

However, as a result of the public holidays earlier in the week, volume and value of transactions declined by 48.31% and 46.65% WoW respectively.

Market breadth pegged at 1.35x, at the end of the week, indicating thirty-five (35) advancers and twenty-six (26) decliners. The gainers’ chart featured CONOIL, UNILEVER, AFRIPRUD, CUTIX, and INTBREW, with respective week-on-week (WoW) gains of 33.84%, 14.23%, 13.71%, 5.59% and 5.26%. On the flip side, the decliners’ chart was topped by NEIMETH, AIICO, TRANSCORP, UBA and FCMB with week-on-week declines of 8.47%, 7.46%, 7.14%, 6.87%, and 6.54% in that order.

The Equities market sustained its bullish run despite the poor macroeconomic results released today, which showed a further rise in inflation to 17.6% from 17.1% in July. We attribute the optimistic mood in the market to continued positive investor reactions to CONOIL’s impressive FY2015 result and dividend declaration which subsequently translated into a 33.84% WoW price gain for the stock.

We expect the outcome of the MPC meeting scheduled for the 19th and 20th of September to determine the direction of market sentiments and activities next week.

This report reviews events in the current week, with emphasis on different segments of the financial market, while presenting our expectations for the coming week.

Economic Update: Inflation Rises to 17.6% Ahead of MPC Meeting The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will meet on the 19th and 20th of September, 2016 to assess the state of the Nigerian economy and thereafter decide on key monetary policy parameters, having considered the persistent inflationary pressures (17.6% in August), declining output (-2.06% in Q2:2016) and unabated FX scarcity issues that the country is facing.

In our opinion, the MPC will be faced with the hard choice of pursuing price stability or economic growth, in the short term. The current recession and other downside risks in the economy have increased the risk premia of investing in Nigeria and thus, put an upward pressure on the optimal risk-adjusted rate that will be desirable for foreign investors. However, we view a further hike in rate, which can stimulate foreign inflows to the extent that it will help halt or possibly reverse the depreciation of the naira, which is the main culprit for the inflationary spike, less desirable due to the potential short-term drag on growth and the possibility of a lengthening of the recession.

Judging by the premise of the last rate hike, a downward review in rates, on the other hand, might call into question the rationale for the initial decision in addition to increasing the level of uncertainty about future policy direction, which ultimately makes anchoring expectations a little more difficult.

Given these considerations, we expect the MPC to make the following decisions: • Maintain the MPR at the current level • Maintain liquidity ratio at 30%.

• Maintain the asymmetric corridor at +200bp/-500bp.

• Maintain the CRR at 22.5%. …Inflation rose by 17.61% YoY in August

The week-on-week loss may be attributed to the absence of positive news to sway the sector mood in a positive direction. We posit that the current mood may persist in the short term and advice investors to trade with caution.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the August 2016 inflation figures today, and it showed a 0.5% increase (vs.

July’s 17.12% YoY) in headline inflation to 17.61%. This represents the seventh consecutive month of increase, albeit at a slower pace.

The spike in inflation, in the month of August, may be credited to increases in all divisions. The Restaurant & Hotels and communication segments recorded the lowest month-on-month movement having increased by 0.21% (9.7%) and 0.28% (5.5%) accordingly. The core, food and imported food segments rose to 16.9% (+1.22%), 15.8% (+1.20%) and 20.5% (+1.21%) respectively.

Fixed Income: Demand Wanes as System Liquidity Declines Activities in the Treasury bills space were generally bullish during the week, with the average yield across tenors declining by 0.14% by Thursday the 15th, to peg the average yield at 18.37% across all tenors.

Also in the week, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) auctioned Treasury bills instruments worth NGN183.24bn at a Primary Market Auction (PMA) on Wednesday, the 14th of September, 2016, with oversubscriptions recorded on all tenors on offer.

The stop rates for the 91-days, 182-days, and 364-days instruments were 14.00%, 17.77% and 18.48% accordingly.

Demand for Treasury bond instruments in the secondary market was fair during the week, resulting in the average bond yield declining by 0.10% to close at 16.18%.

We adduce the tempered activities to declining system liquidity, which pegged at an opening balance of NGN134.51bn on the 16th of September 2016, and attractive yields that were attainable at the T-Bills PMA during the week.

Money market rates surged northward in the week, as the OBB and OVN rates advanced to 36.33% (+20.50% WoW) and 37.00% (+20.58% WoW). Consequently, the

average money market rate at the close of the week settled at 36.67%. Similarly, average NIBOR advanced by 3.80% WtD to peg at 24.09% at the end of Thursday’s trading session.

At the Interbank FX market, the Naira closed at NGN308.69/USD after appreciating by 0.63% in the week, thereby bringing the Year-to-Date return of the currency to -35.44%. However, the currency remained under pressure in the parallel market, depreciating by 0.36% during the week to peg at a mid-price of NGN422.50/USD. Agric Sector: LIVESTOCK Emerges as Lone Decliner The Agricultural sector traded flat this week, as the MERI-AGRI index declined by 0.001% WoW to settle the YtD return at 28.11%. There was one decliner, while other counters traded flat for the week.

While there was no gainer, LIVESTOCK emerged as the sector’s only loser for the week, after declining by 1.09% WoW to close at NGN0.91.

The sector’s WoW performance is attributed to the dearth of news inflow to stimulate significant activities. Barring any news inflow, we expect the market mood to determine the sector’s performance in coming week Banking Sector: MERI-BNK Index Pares by 0.41% WoW The banking sector closed in the negative region this week, as measured by our MERI-BNK index, declining by 41bps WoW to peg the YtD return at +13.25%.

There were only four (4) gainers, while nine (9) stocks declined in value, to peg the sector’s breadth at 0.44x. STANBIC led the advancers, after appreciating by 3.33%. The ticker was closely followed by UNITYBNK, ACCESS, and GUARANTY which recorded respective price gains of 2.94%, 0.54%, and 0.19%. On the flip side, the decliners list was populated by UBA (-6.87%), FCMB (-6.54%), WEMABANK (-4.55%), and UBN (-4.27%).

Consumer Goods Sector: UNILEVER returns 14.23%WoW The sector sustained its positive momentum for the fifth consecutive week, as the Meri-CMG index gained 2.27% WoW, pushing the YtD northwards to -0.80%.

The sector breadth stood at 12.00x implying twelve (12) gainers as against a lone decliner.

UNILEVER (+14.23%) led the gainers’ chart after closing at NGN46.00, followed

by INTERBREW (+5.26%), PZ (+4.56%), HONYFLOUR (+3.68%) and DANGSUGAR (+2.81%), while CADBURY stood lonesome in the laggard’s chart after declining by 1.43% to close at NGN13.80.

Sector performance continues to be largely driven by overall market sentiments.

While we anticipate that bargain hunting activities to persist in the coming week, we foresee profit-taking on some stocks that have rallied in recent times.

Healthcare Sector: NEIMETH sheds 8.47%, closes at NGN1.08 The MERI-HLTH index recorded a WoW return of 2.43% settling the YtD return at -41.96%. The sector breadth closed at 0.67x, representing two (2) advancers against three (3) decliners in the week.

PHARMADEKO advanced by 4.91% WoW to close at NGN1.71. Likewise, GLAXOSMITH consolidated on the prior week’s gains to close at NGN19.60 (+2.56%).

NEIMETH, FIDSON, and MAYBAKER, on the other hand, witnessed share price depreciations in the week, closing at NGN1.08 (-8.47% WoW), NGN1.61(-4.73%) and NGN0.97 (-2.02% WoW) accordingly.

We partly attribute the positive momentum in the sector this week to bargain hunting activities on GLAXOSMITH, which is currently trading below its intrinsic value.

Also, we opine that investors are taking advantage of the extended closure date for the company’s special dividend to October 3rd, 2016 (following the divestment of its drink business). We expect the sector’s positive performance to be sustained in the coming week.

Industrial Goods: CUTIX Tops Gainer’s Chart Again The Industrial goods sector recorded a positive outing this week, as the MERI-IND index advanced by 1.65% WoW to drive the YtD return to -0.41%. There were three (3) gainers versus one (1) decliner during the week, thus settling sector breadth at 3.00x.

CUTIX topped the gainers’ chart again, after appreciating by 5.59% to close at NGN1.70. CAP and DANGCEM followed closely, as they appreciated by 3.13% and 1.17% accordingly. On the flip side, PORPAINT emerged the sole loser for the week, after shedding 5.00% to settle at NGN1.52.

We attribute the positive momentum in the sector to bargain hunting activities on major counters during the week. In the coming week, we expect some level of profit taking activities on counters that have recorded substantial accumulated gains over the past few weeks.

Insurance Sector: NSEINS10 Pares by 1.04% WoW The insurance sector, as measured by the NSEINS10, recorded a week on week decline of 1.04%, dragging the YtD loss to -9.97%. Also, the sector breadth closed at 0.25x reflecting a lone (1) advancer against four (4) decliners.

50

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY September 18, 2016

faith

I was happy, something happened

I

was in my house one day when a woman, a member of my church came to tell me a story.

She went to a church for prayer where over a thousand persons were gathered.

The General Overseer of the Ministry, the lady came to her while ministry and told her that there were three ministers in the church planning to deal with or to fight me the General Overseer.

The message was given openly and the message was given to her to give me to call her for details.

Everyone in the programme heard it.

The Minister said she did not know me but that was the message the Lord was sending to me.

She mentioned the name of the church and told the woman to deliver the message unfailingly.

I took the phone number from her but I didn’t call. I told the woman, the messenger that I know the three persons. When she left, I called one of the persons suspected could be in the plan against me because he was very close to me by blood. He did not deny it; rather he knelt down and apologized. I told him not to go to that programme any day otherwise he would be exposed.

Word of Life Archbishop. Moses Kattey moseskatteyabp@yahoo.co.uk

0808 770 7486

I cannot hide it from God. I cannot hide it from God. I may cover my sins so that no one may know, but I cannot hide it from God…. (Song) What of the other two ministers? They broke the church and left. But there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested, nothing was anything kept secret, that it should come abroad (Mark 4:22). You cannot hide it from God. You cannot hide it from God. You may cover your sins so that no one may know, but you cannot hide it from God. I cannot hide it from God. I cannot hide it from God. I may cover my sins so that no one may know, but I cannot hide it from God….

(Song) I like how Igbo version of the Bible expressed what called Timothy Unto Timothy, my son in the faith; Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord (1

Timothy 1:2).

In Igbo version of the Bible, Paul called Timothy, Ezi nwa, trusted child, faithful child, very good child.

Can these persons described in this series be called Ezi nwa?

I ensure all my life to become Ezi nwa, a good son, a proper son, not a fake son or false Christian.

I also pledge to the Lord to be Ezi nwanne, a god brother, a reliable brother, a trusted brother. Are you Ezinwanne, Ezei nwa or false son, unfaithful son or daughter trusted brother or sister? Praise God if you are.

One day the Vice Principal of my school where I taught was given an appointment.

The Principal invited me and told me I should take over as Vice Principal.

He said the Post Primary School Board asked him to recommend any of his staff and come for the letter of appointment. I refused because a very close person I respected so highly was in that school. Would I be boss

to the person? I pleaded with the Principal to appoint the person. After a very long time, the Principal had no alternative than to appoint the man I recommended instead of me. I was happy, but something happened.

There was vacancy elsewhere shortly after the appointment, and the newly appointed Vice Principal was elevated to Principal, and the Vice Principal in that school was transferred to another school. It took me over 10years to become a Principal. I missed the opportunity which the Lord provided for me. The Lord has His own plan for the man I respected and deferred to. He did not even stay in the service long and he left to an Engineering company where he belonged to because he read Engineering and I read Education.

Another incidence I cannot easily forget was when I was transferred from one school where I was the vice Principal (VP) to another school as Vice Principal. I did not like the new school, so the Principal in my school worked for me to be retained. As soon as I was retained, the principal in the new School died, and the Vice Principal was asked to take over as the Principal.

Anger and foolish husbands and wives

A

nger is defined in the dictionary to be a strong feeling of wanting to harm, hurt or criticize someone because they have done something unfair, cruel, offensive etc.

You simply feel hurt and you are likely to return the hurt in one way or the other to the person who caused it. Anger is blinding if you fail to address it properly and hangs regret all over it, if you do not watch it.

At the moment of anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, pain, hurtful feelings all combine to play inside of you. If you are not careful, you will accept the ministrations coming from these negative emotions at war within you.

It is very important to guard your heart from being over emotional, especially from negative emotions. Negative emotion of anger makes your blood hot and your blood pressure rise. Your adrenalin at that point will be very active which is why some people can use weapon easily and anyhow and causing harm; before realizing what they had done it would have been too late.

As reported in one of the dailies, a young man was so angry at his step mother that he cut off her head.

On being questioned, he

Marriage & Family Intimacy

Bishop Charles Ighele holyspiritmissioninc@yahoo.com

07066579379/09098845521 Anger can disgrace you – in a situation whereby you allowed anger to make you lose focus and fail to remember who you are and who you are supposed to be; disgrace will not be far from where you are

said he did not know when he did it. Anger is a very bad spirit that pushes people to their doom. It blinds your thinking ability and makes nonsense of your status. It makes the most learned man look like a fool and that wife to live in regret Eccl 7:9 “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” This goes to show that when you allow anger to direct your affairs, you will definitely do things that are not expected of you.

Do not meddle with it; run away from it.

Anger is like dry bush set on fire in the dry season.

It consumes anything that crosses its path and leaves the whole place messed

up and dry. What could make a graduate husband throw his wife down from their one storey apartment?

What will make a house help cut the baby she was taking care of into pieces if not anger?

Anger can put you in jail – when you indulge in things that are not lawful as a result of anger, it can slam a big hammer on you and you will be thrown into jail. Anger can take away your thinking and your will forget that you can be sentenced to jail by your actions in the moment of anger. There is no law that prohibited angry people from being put to jail. There is no law that will exempt a man who committed an atrocity while angry.

Anger can disgrace you – in a situation whereby you allowed anger to make you lose focus and fail to remember who you are and who you are supposed to be; disgrace will not be far from where you are.

Imagine a man who does not know how to control

his anger fighting in the streets half naked. Or the case of man who beats his wife anyhow in the neighbourhood. That is what I call the height of anger and disgrace to the man. How will you move around your neighbourhood with raised head when everyone knows you as a wife beater?

Anger is devilish and evil – the person who gives room to anger is not too far from committing atrocities. Anger is so devilish and evil. Watch that anger.

Do not accept that nature that the devil wants to label you with. Some hide behind the excuse that they are known for anger in their family. To such people, they usually see nothing wrong with being angry because everybody they know tends to be angry. The Power of God is able to take control of that negative emotion and give you peace instead. It takes your surrendering to Him to do so. Just invite the Spirit of Jesus into your life to take control.

I am not saying that you cannot be angry but I am saying that you should do what the Bible said in Ephesians 4:26. Do not classify any anger as your own. Remember the scripture above, it is simply saying that any form of anger you cannot control is a sign of foolishness.

Mystery of Anxiety Bishop John Ogbansiegbe 0803 341 6327 (SMS Only)

T

Never in your dwelling

here shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling -Psalm 91:10. In fact, you are so secured that whosoever touches you, touches the apple of God’s eye. I have a bad news or your enemies, this bad news is that your life is hidden in Christ and Christ with God –Chronicles3:3; anything that must touch you must first touch God. King David fully aware and conscious of this divine protection from God declared: “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me” Psalm 23:4. In the above scripture, David started with the words ‘Yea, though,’ which means even if I know and take a dangerous path, even if I make a risky move, I will fear no evil, I have confidence because God is with me. He also added; “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me;” this because, in Israel, every shepherd must have two professional instruments in his two hands that is the rod and staff. This rod is used to attack or ward off the predator of the sheep which comes to prey on the sheep while the staff is used to direct the sheep and prevent them from straying away. In other word the rod and the staff in the hands of a shepherd talks about God’s guidance and guidance as our chief shepherd’ That is, the rod for guidance and the staff for guidance.

This shows that God is fully aware for our roundabout protection. So, this shows that our God is fully equipped and ready for our all-round protection. So, I say to you fear not.

You cannot fully understand the statement made in Psalm 23:4; until you appreciate the circumstances or situation under which the statement was made and as recorded in Samuel23: 24. At a point in David’s escape from Saul, he ran to a remote village called Engedi. Within this village were bordering thick forest with erosion gullies all over the place while he was hiding there.

The news of his hideout

was reported to Saul who mobilised combatant foot men, armed with deadly weapons of destruction, to go after David. David heard about that and ran into the forest of Engedi.

They pursued David into the forest. As they got to a close range, determined to catch him alive, chant of catch him alive filled the forest. At that point, David saw a big gully, deep and deadly looking into that dark valley of horror, he could see the lions, leopards wild goats, jackals and other deadly animals were there; he also saw the snake and other terrible reptiles in there.

While David gazed into the valley of death, he felt the closeness of the soldiers who were pursuing him. He then was in the dilemma to choose between succumbing to death in the hands of Saul, his political enemy or to be devoured by wild animals. David preferred the valley of death to the hatred of Saul. He risked his life and jumped into the valley, the animals came under divine influence and were all friendly; the snakes crawled away; David was divinely protected there. The soldiers concluded that David had mysteriously vanished or disappeared.

They returned to Saul and narrated to him an incoherent story of how David mysteriously disappeared. When eventually David came out from the valley of death, he dusted dirt off his coat, lifted up his hands and faced to heaven with tears of joy, and proclaimed in greater assurance of his security from God; “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me. Halleluyah! Again I say to you fear not; the Lord is your protection.

You cannot fully understand the statement made in Psalm 23:4; until you appreciate the circumstances or situation under which the statement was made and as recorded in Samuel23: 24

51

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

news

We robbed to replace our friend’s lost tricycle, say suspects Igbeaku Orji Umuahia

I

kechukwu Ogbonnaya and Chidi Ukazu from Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, who specialise in snatching commercial tricycles, popularly called ‘Keke,’ and other 20 suspects, paraded at Abia State Police Command Headquarters, Umuahia have admitted committing the crime, saying they did it to replace their friend, Ekpendu Kenneth’s stolen tricycle.

They said they were deeply touched by his cry over the stolen Keke, which he had on ‘hire purchase’ arrangement.

Ekpendu, a commercial Keke rider said his Keke was stolen by unknown persons and could not be recovered and he thought that the best thing to do in the circumstance was to arrange to replace the tricycle by snatching and dispossessing another rider.

He, thereafter, approached his friends and made them a promise of giving them some money after the operation and they offered to help by snatching one from another rider.

The suspects, aged between 20 and 21, were not lucky this time as the law caught up with them. Ikechukwu Ogbonna, (aka Ghana Buns) a bus conductor and Chidi Ukazu, (aka Onyemuo) a tile and baluster setter with their friend, the Keke rider, Ekpendu Kenneth (aka Obere) were said to have embarked on the mission but were arrested by the police on September 9, 2016, following a tip off.

The Abia State Police Commissioner, Mr. Leye Oyebade, while parading them said they snatched a tricycle at Amakama, Umuahia South LGA of the state at gun point after boarding the tricycle at FMC junction as genuine passengers.

Rivers: Suspected cultists kill vigilante member Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

S

uspected members of a cult group in Omoku Town in Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have killed a vigilante member working for the community.

The victim, Nodi Nwachukwu Osam, was killed on Thursday, along Palace Road, while discharging his security duties.

For over a year now, Omoku Town and neighbouring communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni councils have been facing serious security challenges, with some residents fleeing to Port Harcourt and other towns.

Anti-cult clashes, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery and other violent crimes

are common place in the council, with some indigenes preferring to stay away from being kidnapped, especially during burial ceremonies.

A few weeks ago, a 14-seater bus conveying passengers from Port Harcourt to Omoku was hijacked by hoodlums, and all the passengers taken hostage, but regained their freedom three days later, just as a bus conveying staff of an oil company from Omoku to Port Harcourt was seized, by hoodlums, who sources said demanded a huge ransom for their release.

Confirming the attack, the commander of the vigilance group, Mr. Adah Nwachukwu, noted that his men were merely working to protect lives and property in the town, and don’t deserve to be attacked.

Hajj: FG to petition Saudi government over wristband Ibraheem Musa Makka

T

he Consulate General of Nigeria in Jedda, Ambassador Muhammad Sani Yunusa has said that the Federal Government will officially write Saudi Arabian government, on why they seized the e-wrist band, which pilgrims were supposed to use for this year’s Hajj.

Ambassador Yunusa, who said this, while giving a vote of thanks after a post Arafat meeting yesterday, at Makka, said that Saudi authorities were fully briefed about the decision of the

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to introduce e-wrist band for this year’s Hajj exercise.

According to him, the Commission had earlier written a formal letter to the Saudi Arabian government in February, reiterating NAHCON’s decision on the use of e-wrist band, adding that they were intimated at every stage of the procurement process.

The envoy wondered why some Saudi Arabian officials would seize the e-wrist band of pilgrims, when they arrived for the pilgrimage, citing security as the reasons.

State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Plateau, Mr. Bulus Dabit (left), addressing pupils of the Mariam Kiddy Academy, during an event to mark the National Ordinance Day, in Jos …at the weekend.

PHOTO: NAN

Ogbemudia at 84, urges Edo people to vote Obaseki Cajetan Mmuta

A BENIN

midst eulogies from the governor of Edo State and other leaders of the state as the two time governor of Midwestern Region and old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia at 84, has called on the Edo people to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the September 28 gubernatorial election in the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

Ogbemudia at a colorful birthday dinner ceremony held at the New Era Secondary School, Benin now to be called Samuel Ogbemudia Secondary School, called on the people of the state to vote massively for the APC candi-

date to enable him continue from where Governor Oshiomhole stopped.

Ogbemudia noted that Obaseki has what it takes to take the state to the next level and therefore urged all the women and men across the three senatorial districts of the state to mobilise the electorate for the epic battle come next week September 28.

He said, “I do not know how to start this speech, firstly because two days ago when the governor (Oshiomhole) told me that there would be a banquet I thought it was a joke and I never knew he would be able to bring together so many people as we have seen here today. So, I do believe that if he can be able to get this number of people together like he had done today to vote for Obaseki I

think the victory is already assured.”

He said the New Era Secondary was set up to cater for the academic needs of young Edo children in dire need for development of their talents as there ought to be a school where children coming of age can be trained when they are young.

“It occurred to me. That there ought to be a college where children coming of age can be trained and picked up while they are still young. So, the idea of New Era occurred.

As you know as a military governor I had the powers of the legislator and that of the executive all combined in one. So within 24 hours the decision to build New Era College had been taken and work had commenced. That was New Era and I am very

happy that when Comrade Oshiomhole came and decided to improve the quality of building for the school to function properly.”

Ogbemudia however appealed to the Principal and management of the school to strive towards maintaining the school, saying the major problem confronting the nation’s institutions is the inability to main the culture of maintenance and to make money out of such facilities.

While expressing appreciation for the honour done him, the elder statesman and celebrant commended Governor Oshiomhole for the courageous decision to transform the school even as he lauded the outgoing governor for his numerous achievements that cut across the three senatorial districts of the state.

Lagos begins screening for ‘silent killer’ diseases Muritala Ayinla

A

s part of the moves to checkmate the major causes of deaths in the state, the Lagos State Government will, tomor-

row, commence screening of millions of Lagosians for cancer, hypertension, diabetes and other ‘silent killer’ diseases.

Briefing journalists on the 4th Round Wellness Week, the Special Adviser to

the Governor on Primary Healthcare, Dr. Femi Onanuga, who disclosed this, said the state government will, next year, commence health insurance scheme to enable more residents to have access to quality health

Budget padding: Jibrin insists on Dogara’s sacking

T

he embattled former chairman of House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has written to members of the House of Representatives, reiterating his call for the resignation of Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, Whip Alhassan Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor.

Jibrin said their resignation would pave way for a Speaker pro tempore as Speaker Dogara and the three others cannot be judge in their own case.

The 17-page letter, addressed to each member

of the House and personally signed by Hon Jibrin, explained to his colleagues why he had to write them ahead of resumption and why he opted to engage the press as a last resort during the recess.

He went further to give his colleagues a comprehensive background of the crisis, details of the allegations and made recommendations on way forward.

Hon Jibrin insisted that Speaker Dogara and the other Principal Officers committed monumental fraud and abuse of their offices and public trust.

He cautioned his colleagues that anything short of asking the Speaker and others to resign, the House will become a laughing stock in the eyes of the public. He advised his colleagues to institute a comprehensive investigation in collaboration with the anti-graft agencies who have commenced investigation on the matter and embark on a wide-ranging internal reforms.

He called on his colleagues to be vigilant not to allow the Speaker and few others drag the House as an institution into an offense they committed.

delivery.

Onanuga described the programme as an integrated health screening, which involves awareness, and screening for hypertension and diabetes as well as screenings for cancers of the breast, cervix and prostate.

According to him, hypertension and diabetes screenings will take place concurrently in Lagos East Senatorial District (Five LGAs and 11 LCDAs), while screening for cancer of the breast, cervix and prostate will take place in Epe LGA as well as Eredo and Ikosi Ejirin LCDAs.

CHANGE OF NAME ADEAGBO I formerly known and addressed as Idowu Oyeronke Omowonuola, now wish to be known and addressed as Adeagbo Oyeronke Omowonuola. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

52

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

opinion

A president without memory and recollection of history Femi Fani-Kayode

T

here are two statements that President Muhammadu Buhari made in the last few days that I find curious and misleading.

I have read them over and over again and I am left with no other conclusion than the fact that we have a President that has no recollection of history Firstly he said that the PDP governments that were in power for 16 years before him had achieved nothing and had “left nothing” for him in terms of development.

Secondly he said that the Igbo people of South eastern Nigeria that are agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra should “forget it”.

Permit me to begin with the latter and my response is as follows.

“Mr. President, you are right when you say that a war was fought in which two million people were killed just to keep Nigeria one.

Yet the cause of that war and the reasons that it had to be fought in the first place are still very much with us and have not been resolved or even addressed.

Worst still the barbaric acts of savagery that provoked it still occur on a daily basis in our country.

You seem to have forgotten that the catalyst for the war was the fact that over 100,000 innocent and defenceless Igbo civilians, including women and children, were murdered in cold blood in a series of wellplanned and well-executed pogroms in the north over a period of three months just after a group of young Northern officers, carried out their “revenge coup” on July 29th 1966.

During the course of that “revenge coup” no less than three hundred Igbo officers and an Igbo Head of State, together with a Yoruba Military Governor, were beaten like dogs and murdered by those Northern officers.

After the pogroms started the Igbo fled the North in their millions, ran back home to the east and demanded to have their own country where they would be safe. You and others denied them that right and it led to war.

During the course of that war some federal soilder bathed in the blood of Biafrans, you killed their infants and babies, you raped their women, you burnt and pillaged their homes, you crushed their bones, you brought them to their knees and you stripped away their dignity, self-esteem and self-respect just to keep Nigeria one.

After the the war was over some compatriots took all their properties, seized all their money and left them with 20 pounds each in the bank.

For the next 40 years some Nigerians insulted them, killed them, marginalised them, humiliated them, broke them, denied them their rights, enslaved them, turned them into a nation of traders, took away their soul and reduced them to second class citizens.

Now you say their grandchildren, who swell up the ranks of IPOB and MASSOB, have no right to ask for self-determination or for their own country simply because this nation killed their grandfathers and grandmothers during the war, starved their parents and shattered their dreams.

I say shame on the murdered and all those that think like them. If Nigeria was a normal country by now you many of them would have been at the International Criminal Court at the Hague answering charges of genocide and crimes against humanity which were committed during the civil war.

Remember the Asaba massacre? Remem-

ber the bombing of Onitsha bridge?These are just two of many.

If you want the Igbo or any other southerner to stay and if you want Nigeria to remain one then you must treat us all as equals, offer our children and our people equal opportunities, tender a public apology and pay full compensation for all the atrocities that fellow citizens have committed against the people of the South and the Northern minorities over the last two hundred years.

In addition to that you must defeat, destroy and dismantle Boko Haram, decommission sponsored Fulani militias whom many call herdsmen and put a stop to the marginalisation, intimidation, threats, genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass murder of our people.

You must also desist from implementing a contrived and ill-motivated economic policy whose primary objective is to pauperise and impoverish the Nigerian people and bring them to their knees and whose purpose is to ensure that no individual or group of people has the resources and means to fight you and to stop you from coming back in 2019.

It is after you have done all these things that you can make a passionate appeal to us for the continued unity of Nigeria. And please bear in mind that it must be an appeal and not a demand. There must not even be a whiff of the usual threats or intimidating words.

Outside of that, the Nigerian baby you are carrying and saying that you killed and died for during the civil war is already dead.

It is only waiting to be buried”.

To President Buhari’s assertion that six-

teen years of PDP-rule “left him with nothing”, I say it is manifestly dishonest and by saying this he has inflicted what William Shakespeare describes as “the unkindest cut of all”.

It is obvious that Mr. President has been badly misinformed.

I say this because if one considers the state of the country in 1999 when President Olusegun Obasanjo took over and compare it to what it was in 2007 when he left office, one will have no choice but to conceede the fact that this was not just development but a miraculous transformation in every single sector. That is what Obasanjo managed to achieve and I am very proud to have been part of that government and part of that legacy.

After Obasanjo left President Umaru Yar’ Adua took over and after his passing came President Goodluck Jonathan.

As far as I am concerned Jonathan built on Obasanjo’s legacies and foundation and he took us to yet another level.

If you compare Nigeria in 2015 by the time Jonathan left to 1999 before Obasanjo came in, you will have to thank the PDP for lifting this nation up and taking us from strength to strength.

By the time Jonathan left office in 2015 Nigeria had the largest economy on the African continent, the 24th largest economy on earth and the third fastest growing economy in the world, among many other things.

And Jonathan managed to achieve all that whilst fighting a civil war in the North-East against a relentless enemy.

Sadly in one year and three months, all of those gains have been destroyed by President Buhari and his APC and we are now

After Obasanjo left President Umaru Yar’ Adua took over and after his passing came President Goodluck Jonathan. As far as I am concerned Jonathan built on Obasanjo’s legacies and foundation and he took us to yet another level. If you compare Nigeria in 2015 by the time Jonathan left to 1999 before Obasanjo came in, you will have to thank the PDP for lifting this nation up and taking us from strength to strength

back in the dark ages.

Every sector in the country has been destroyed whilst poverty, misery, tears and suffering stalk the land.

All hope appears to have been lost and virtually everyone, including many of those that supported Buhari and helped to bring him to power, are murmuring and complaining.

The truth is that President Buhari has brought nothing but poverty, incompetence, fascism, recession, abuse of power, persecution, chaos, destruction, division, fear and the gnashing of teeth to Nigeria.

He has no way of running the country other than to intimidate the citizens with brute force and threaten the opposition with his numerous security agencies. That is his legacy and it is one of failure, lost opportunitues and shattered dreams.

Finally the President would do well to remember that a large number of people that supported him in his quest to become President in last years election were all originally from the PDP. This is whether they were PDP Governors, PDP Ministers or PDP legislators who decamped to the APC. No less than 70 percent of the people that helped to put Buhari in power used to be in the PDP including President Olusegun Obasanjo, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, former Speakers of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal, Aminu Masari and Umar Ghali Na’aba, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El- Rufai, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Minister of Transport and former Governor of Rivers state Rotimi Amaechi, former Governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Segun Oni, Danjuma Goje, Aliyu Wammakko, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Murtala Nyako, George Akume, Senate Leader Ali Ndume, former PDP National Chairmen Barnabas Gemade and Audu Ogbeh and many others.

When Buhari insults the PDP legacy and says that nothing was ever done by the PDP in 16 years, he is insulting the 70 per cent of his support base and people that put him in power starting from Obasanjo. I think that this is most unfair and very ungrateful of him.

We leave it to Obasanjo and Buhari’s other new-found friends, political associates and allies to take up the challenge, to rise up to the occasion, to educate the President and to defend their own history, legacy and record in public office.

Yet I am not surprised at the convenient memory loss or insensitivity of our President or indeed that of most of our leaders.

The truth is bitter and more often than not beyond human comprehension. Yet we are constrained to share that truth and lift the veil from time to time.

The fact is that most of them are not human. They are what Mr. David Icke, the famous British historian and researcher, describes as “hybrids” and “shape-shifting reptilians”. Worst still they work for a hidden hand and some very dark and sinister forces.

It is in that context that one can undestand their unbelievable mendacities and exceptional callousness.

They are, in the main, cold-blooded reptiles. They are incapable of displaying any form of empathy and they lack the milk of human kindness and compassion. May God deliver us.

Fani-Kayode is a former Aviation Minister

53

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Body&Soul

Word puzzle

T​​ he cunning fox and the clever stork O nce upon a time, there lived a very cunning and mischievous fox. He used to speak to other animals sweetly and gain their trust, before playing tricks on them.

One day the fox met a stork. He befriended the stork and acted like a very good friend. Soon, he invited the stork to have a feast with him. The stork happily accepted the invitation.

The day of the feast came, and the stork went to the fox’s house. To her surprise and disappointment, the fox said that he could not make a big feast as promised, and just offered some soup. When he brought the soup out of the kitchen, the stork saw that it was in a shallow bowl!

The poor stork could not have any soup with its long bill, but the fox easily licked the soup from the plate. As the stork just touched the soup with the tip of its bill, the fox asked her, “How is the soup?

Don’t you like it?”

The hungry stork replied, “Oh it is good, but my stomach is upset, and I can’t take any more soup!”

“I’m sorry for troubling you,” said the fox.

The stork replied, “Oh dear, please don’t say sorry.

I have some health problem and cannot enjoy what you offer.”

She left the place after thanking the fox, and inviting him to her house for dinner.

The day arrived and the fox reached the stork’s place. After exchanging pleasantries, the stork served soup for both of them, in a narrow jar with a long neck. She was able to have the soup very easily with her long bill, but the fox obviously could not.

After finishing hers, the stork asked the fox if he was enjoying the soup. The fox remembered the feast he himself had given the stork, and felt very ashamed. He stammered, “I…I’d better leave now.

I have a tummy ache.”

Humiliated, he left the place running.

Rhymes CHILDREN! Tobiloba Adenekan They are precious to me More than gold and diamonds to be free They are dear to me More than lover birds to be free

They are victory to me More than the greatest champion to be free They are precious,dear and victory to me Because they are the “children of my heart”

Celebration

Colour by number

Bethel Chizzy Opara celebrates her 6th Birthday! This gorgeous little girl loves watching Frozen, eating ketchup and fries and the colour pink. Grow and shine darling and Happy Birthday!

54

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Sport

I’m tired of being mocked by fellows players hermaphrodite soccer star cries Dapo Sotuminu

B

essy Best Blessing Boniface, a Nigerian female footballer, was born a hermaphrodite in Cross River state. She started playing football right from her primary school days at the tender age of 10. Her soccer skills were made manifest during inter house sports in her primary school days where it was predicted that she would go far in the sport. She was on the verge of taking her talent to the highest point when doctors at the national women’s soccer team, the Super Falconets took her for medical test where she was pronounced unfit to play international football as a hermaphrodite with 85 percent female hormones.

This was in 2005 and her trouble has not ended since that time, even as she has made several appeals to wives of state governors to give her a life as a complete woman.

Today, Bessy Best Blessing Boniface feels dejected as she cannot live the life of a normal woman. She feels embarrassed whenever a man comes close to her as she cannot imagine herself opening up her body for a man to see.

The Ibom Queens Football Club of Uyo top striker started playing serious football as a professional when she was discovered at the International Football Championship organised by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar in 2005. This was by the chief coach of Oladimeji Tigress Football Club of Ilorin, late Coach Fred Odilli. She moved to Illorin, Kwara State where she signed a contract and began her career in women’s football playing in the top flight Nigeria Women’s League.

She told Sunday Telegraph: “Initially, when I started my football career, I enjoyed playing the game. I am a very good footballer who scores goals with relative ease.

My teammates worship and respect me as a player who always delivered the goods when it was most needed.

With my positive impact at Oladimeji Tigress, the club more than twice picked the ticket to play in the final six of the Nigerian Women’s League. It was from here that I got an invitation to play in the Under-20 national women’s soccer team, the Super Falconets then tutored by coach Dan Evumena.”

The national team coach had invited the top striker to the Falconets in a move to ensure Nigeria qualified for the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. Bessy Boniface had celebrated her invitation to the national team with some of her friends who joined her in Ilorin over some drinks.

Her friends prayed for her success and were happy that at least somebody close to them has made it to the national team a feat which at that time was a rare privilege to millions of football players in the country.

But unknown to her, the national team invitation which brought joy and happiness would eventually be the source of sorrow, unending worries and the killer of her bright football career.

Her trouble started when the Falconets chief coach decided to pick his final list of 25 after weeks of rigorous training sessions. This was in readiness for the kick-off of the African qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup first round first leg match against DR Congo. This selection was made after the friendly match against Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa which was used as screening to pick the best.

In that match, Bessy Best and her sister, Monica Boniface, played excellently for the Super Falconets, they shared the two goals scored against Bayelsa Queens. Their extra energies compared with other teammates raised a suspicion, forcing the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to carry out a comprehensive medical test to determine the true sex of the players.

This process was mandatory as the NFF had made up it mind to include the players in the final list of players for the competition. The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) also mandates such tests during competitions, in case there are official protests from teams. Erring countries and the players involved are banned for cheating by both CAF and FIFA. The result of the tests on the two budding stars came out positive, as the team doctor revealed that the two sisters were hermaphrodites and they won’t be allowed to play international women’s football competitions for the rest of their lives since they are stronger than normal females because of their condition.

“That match against Bayelsa Queens was played at the practice pitch of the Abuja National Stadium. I first played in the first half that ended goalless. The coach introduced the Team A in the second half. Ten minutes into the second

Bessy Best and her sister Monica Boniface sandwish a sports journalist Miyen Akiri in Uyo

half, when two of the Team A players fumbled with the ball, coach Dan Evumena reintroduced me and Ngozi Anyanwu in the match to add same bite.

“I thought I had impressed my coach and the NFF during the friendly to merit a final inclusion, but to my utter surprise, very early the next morning before the day’s training session, the coach sent for me to report to his room with my sister. When I got to the coach’s room, the team doctor was there waiting. It then that the coach broke the news to us that the NFF has directed that a medical test must be carried before our names could be sent to CAF for registration. We subsequently went for the test where

our condition was discovered.

“When I was dropped from the team, I went back to my family house in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, where my sister and I fend survives as orphans. Two months after this, the Head of the Nigeria Football Federation Technical Department, Mr. James Peters, sent a message to me to report to the NFF Secretariat in Abuja. When I got to Abuja, Mr. James Peters told me the NFF has decided to help me out with the sum of N500,000 to flag off my medical treatment.

I was presented with a cheque of N500,000 which was lodged in a bank account. That was all what the NFF did for me on my case.”

55

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

Sport

Lagos holds assembly on sports

S

ports took the centre stage in the affairs of Lagos, last Friday, as the state House of Assembly held a public hearing and Stakeholders’ Forum to discuss the bills for the establishment of two “important” organs for the development of sports.

Besides moving to legitimize the Lagos State Sports Commission through the enactment of an establishing law, the state is also concerned with the issue of adequate and proper funding for sports and has determined to establish the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund to elicit private and corporate contributions.

Giving an insight on the two bills, the majority leader of the assembly, Hon SOB Agunbiade who represented the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, declared that the objective is to drive sports “beyond the common standards of excellence” in line with the motto of the house.

“We are trying to reposition sports in the state. Henceforth, it will no longer be “Eko for show” but “Eko for gold” and this forum has been convened to avail stakeholders the opportunity of contributing to the law making process to accentuate a fundamental tenet of democracy as government by the people.”

Rio 2016:

Team Nigeria Paralympians arrive today

T

he victorious Team Nigeria Paralympians to the Rio 2016 Games are expected back in the country today.

The team which at the last count won 8 gold, two silver and two bronze has been scheduled to ar-

rive at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos at 3pm aboard Ethiopia airline.

The delegation will be treated to a rousing reception by the Sports Ministry with the Sports Minister, (L – R) Mr. Larry Ephraim Ettah, Chairman, UPDC Nigeria Plc, Mr. Bankole Opashi – MD, Bodyline Fitness & Gym and Mr. Hakeem Oguniran; MD/CEO, UPDC Nigeria Plc commissioning the new stateof-the-art fitness centre at Golden Tulip Hotel, Festac, Lagos.

Solution to Cross Word Puzzle

Ugwuanyi makes huge cash promises to Rangers

E

nugu Rangers have been promised N3million for each win in their remaining three matches to the end of the season by Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The Governor addressed the players at Government House in Enugu Friday night during which he made the cash promise.

The Governor has also ordered that the gates to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu be thrown open for the fans to come and support ‘The Flying Antelopes’ for tomorrow’s must-win match against Sunshine Stars.

‘The Cathedral’, as the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium has now been nicknamed, is expected to be filled to capacity by expectant home fans.

Solomon Dalung leading other top dignitaries to the event.

It is, however, not clear if the Sports Minister would announced any monetary reward for the winners and their coaches at today’s official reception.

The Nigerian Paralympic team as usual dwarfed the performance of the able-bodied counterparts who could only win one bronze medal made possible by the Dream Team VI.

Iheanacho sets another record for Man City

S

uper Eagles striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, has now scored three goals in one week in his last three games for Manchester City.

In the absence of first choice striker Sergio Kun Aguero, the Nigerian has stepped into his big shoes with ease, scoring in back to back Premier League game in addition to a goal in midweek in the UEFA Champions League.

The young forward is massively repaying the faith manager Pep Guardiola has in him with goals to make up for the absence of Aguero to maintain City perfect start to the season.

Iheanacho raced to a pass from Raheem Sterling to glide home his third consecutive goal for Man-

chester City to put them 2-0 ahead and, in the process becomes the first teenager at the age of 19, to score 10 goals in the English Premier League for Man City beating the record of Mike Sheron who achieved his feat at the age of 21.

He is also the youngest African international at the age of 19 to have scored in back to back Premier League games in the history of the League.

The 19-year-old has impressed in the absence of the suspended Sergio Aguero and could be set to remain in the first team as another City frontman in the shape of Nolito faces an enforced spell on the sidelines.

“I feel great,” Iheanacho said.

“I need to keep improving and working hard every day to take my opportunity. I’m feeling good every time I play with my teammates, playing to instruction to play good.”

In another Premier League game, compatriot Alex Iwobi was credited with two assists as Arsenal won 4-1 at Hull City.

Ahmed Musa was an unused sub as champions Leicester City thrashed promoted Burnley 3-0.

EPL Results

Hull City 1 - 4 Arsenal Man City 4 - 1 Bournemouth Leicester 3 - 0 Burnley West Brom 4 - 2 West Ham Everton 3 - 1 Middlebrough

BUSINESS

Funding national budget with tax revenue }43

FAITH

Sanctity of Truth

SUNDAY

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

N150

Military action in N’Delta will not solve issues –Kome

}32

A dog named 'Buhari': The Joe Iroko story as a sad metaphor for Nigeria’s degeneracy (Part 2) ENCORE This week, will continue and conclude our discourse on the above heading.

The question on the lips of many Nigerians is: what is the proprietary of charging a man to court for naming his own dog “Buhari”? Was Iroko right in the naming of his dog “Buhari”? Is it indeed, a crime to name a person’s own dog after any person, living or dead? Is it wrong to do so in law?

A right is said to be an entitlement or justified claim to a certain kind of positive and (or) negative treatment from others, to assistance from others or non-interference from others. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, makes this point clearer by defining “right” as “legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory”.

Many great men- scientists, mathematicians, politicians, presidents, etc. have had pets of all sorts name after them. Dogs have had a greater share percentage in these naming. Dogs, have been named Ronald Reagan, Roosevelt, Nixon, Archimedes, Boole, Copernicus, Euclid, Edison, Cousteau, Einstein etc. All of these great names have been used by pet and dog owners the world over in the christening their pets.

Names like these are called "Eponyms" and people name their pets based on their own values and attachments to such names. The name “Buhari” is not patented under Nigeria’s various Intellectual Property Laws, and so cannot be appropriated by one person, family or race. A common Moslem, Hausa/Fulani name, even people of the three Etsakos in Edo State bear it. To this end, one is therefore left in amazement and awe as to the rationale, legal and moral justification as pertaining the action by the Police.

The Chinese historian, Sima Qian (145?

- 90? BC) once stated that “a multitude of evilly disposed people stir up strife, just as a crowd of mosquitoes can make a noise like thunder.” The hullabaloo generated by the group of persons within the Ketere market which led to this whole brouhaha may have instigated the authorities to unjustly arrest Iroko, for no morally justifiable nor legally tenable reason. The Federal Government had through its spokes person Shehu Garba , vehemently denounced that it instigated the arrest, and went further to state that PMB finds the action of Mr. Joe Iroko amusing, short of saying- hilarious.

In the light of the vehement denial by the Federal Government that its orchestrated the whole arrest drama, the action by the Ogun State Police Command, amounts to excessive and unnecessary display of obsequiousness and smacks of executive lawlessness for which the President as the head of the Police would be held responsible if someone is not sacked for bringing such embarrassment to the government.

The reason being that assuming without conceding that the naming of the dog was actually done used perjuratively, it does not justify the charge against Iroko as there is no provision in our laws which criminalises naming one’s dog by the name of a humanwhether dead or living.

The

Nigerian Project

MIKE OZEKHOME san, ofr mike.ozekhome@yahoo.com 08094777755 (sms only) The President cannot be seen through his body language, as allowing or encouraging anyone to display unsolicited zeal in other to stifle freedom of expression and opinion under the pretext of preventing breach to public peace. If anyone wants to actually prevent breach to public peace, disarming the murderous rampaging Fulani herdsmen and bringing them to justice for their countless genocidal atrocities will be a good start.

British-born U.S. psychologist, Malcolm Gladwell in his book “The Tipping Point” posited that “When it comes to interpreting other people's behavior, human beings invariably make the mistake of overestimating the importance of fundamental character traits and underestimating the importance of the situation and context.

We will always reach for a 'dispositional' explanation for events, as opposed to a contextual explanation.”

It is a known fact that Nigerians are going through probably the darkest period in their chequered history and various kinds of innuendos will naturally spring up to properly capture the prevailing state of the nation. This is true if we consider that when Nigerians are faced with dire situations, they have been known to invent comics to relieve their pain and lower their spiraling blood pressures. French emperor Napoleon I (1769 - 1821) once said, “Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.”

Various methods have been used by different caliber of Nigerians from times immemorial, to express their displeasure and despair over the state of hunger and starvation sweeping the country under any anti-people administration; some have written it, some cartooned it, some sing it, others pray over it, others have decided to give it a name -whatever the name is or may be. Irrespective of the mode employed by Nigerians to ventilate their grievances, the fact remains that, majority of Nigerians see the country in its present state as dangling precariously on a precipice and are thus driven towards helplessness as a result of the hopelessness and despondency while praying that somehow, the light comes sooner rather than later to overshadow the darkness pervading the land.

The British monarch, King George V (1865 - 1936), on being told of one Mr. Wheatley's life story (a man who lived in conditions analogous to that of present day Nigerians) exclaimed, “is it possible that my people live in such awful conditions?...I tell you, Mr Wheatley, that if I had to live in conditions like that I

would be a revolutionary myself.” The innuendo behind Iroko’s naming of his dog “Buhari” (if any), may or may not be to disparage President Buhari. Either way, the charge is not in any way justified as he has committed no offence known to our laws.

Under Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of the Nigeria, it is provided as follows: “Subject as otherwise provided by this Constitution, a person shall not be convicted of a criminal offence unless that offence is defined and the penalty therefor is prescribed in a written law; and in this subsection, a written law refers to an Act of the National Assembly or a Law of a State, any subsidiary legislation or instrument under the provisions of a law”.

This means that a person cannot and should not be convicted of any criminal offence which is not defined. This is encapsulated in the Latin maxim: nullum crimen sine lege. See Aoko v. Fagbemi (1961) 2 All NLR 400; & Udoku v. Onugha (1963) 2 All NLR 107; Asake v. the Nigerian Army Council & Anor.(2006) LPELR-5427(CA); Akala v. FRN(2014) LPELR-22930(CA);

Agboola v. FRN (2014) LPELR-22932(CA).

Pending the time the President decides to sack someone in the Police echelon for this whole Joe Iroko’s drama and indiscretion, he should focus on mitigating the sufferings in the land through deliberate and reflective policies geared towards provision of basic amenities of, stabilizing the freely somersaulting dollar rate, providing the enabling environment for businesses to strive, cushion the threatening unemployment rate, dissuade sectionalism, arrest and speak up against terroristic atrocities committed by in any section, segment or zone of the country, especially by his kinsmen, the Fulani herdsmen against fellow citizens (instead of displaying his now trademark taciturnity when such attack occur) , etc.

This will show Nigerians that this is a serious government or a government which is trying to be serious. The government must not robe itself with the garb of insensitivity, reminiscent of governments known for tyranny, absolutism and repression. Thomas Jefferson once said that “a government is said to be democratic when it fears the people and tyrannical when the people fears it”. The later appears to be the present position in Nigeria, where an atmosphere of utmost fear and extreme uncertainty about our much cherished civil rights and liberties pervades.

LAST LINE Are Nigerians, PMB, the Nigeria’s Police Force, avid readers et al, reading and digesting today’s sermon on the “Mount of Nigerian Project” by Chief Mike A.A. Ozekhome, SAN, OFR, FCIArb? • Follow me on twitter @ MikeozekhomeSAN

Cross Word Puzzle

with Olulana Kayode 08023183727 Instructions on how to play the game •With reference to the ‘clues across’ and ‘clues down’ below, you shall try to provide answers to the clues, by writing the answer in the puzzle box provided on the left side.

•The number in parenthesis indicates the total number of letters making up the solution or answer you will provide.

•Keep on answering all the questions until all the spaces in the puzzle box are completely filled up.

Good luck!

Clues Across 1 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 26

Gaius ___, Ex NNPC Group MD, (7).

Nutritional food component, (3).

Formerly known as, (3).

'Palm wine' in Yoruba language, (3).

Place in a seat, (3).

Long-winged sea eagle, (4).

Barrier across gap, (4).

Chromium symbol, (2).

Turkmenistan, abbr. (2).

Male sovereign, (4).

Change direction suddenly, (4).

City in Abia state, (3).

Nigerian excellence honorary title, (3).

A restaurant, (3).

Habitual drinker of alcohol, (3).

Ex Minister of state for Energy, (7).

Clues Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 13 14 15 19 20 21

City in Ondo state, (3, 4).

LGA in Anambra state, (6).

Direction in which sun rises, (4).

Junior doctor in hospital, (6).

Plant without flowers, (4).

Pointed end, (3).

LGA in Kebbi state, (7).

Land at water's edge, (6).

Traditional Japanese garment, (6).

Special festive occasion, (4).

Former ECOMOG Commander, (4).

Plateau state capital city, (3).

Turn to page 55 for solution

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 Hotlines: (Lagos 0902 928 1425), (Abuja 0805 5118488), Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: JULIET BUMAH.