Nigerian observer 01012015

The Nigerian

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vo l . 39 • N O . 154 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2 015 • N 100.00 SPIRITUALITY Page 21

Lesson from the lives of Saints: St Clare

Eulogies galore for Edo Commissioner

By LUCKY EFESE

IGUOBAZUWA – The youths and elders’ council across Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State have praised the pragmatic display of

patriotism to the people by the Commissioner for Foreign Investment, Public/Private Partnership and other Economic Related Matters in Edo

State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa.

The commendation was made on Tuesday at Iguobazuwa, the

administrative headquarters of the local government during an “end of year party” and a novelty match organized Continues on page 2

2015 is year of change

MAN AND NATURE Page 27

Wrong courses

BENIN CITY - Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says the New Year 2015 will be an important one for Nigerians to vote for Change and get the country back to the path of greatness, rather than the present system at the federal level where nothing works.

According to him, “next year presents Nigerians with a unique opportunity to vote out the party which produced bad leaders who buffeted us with different excuses and fed us with empty rhetoric on why Nigeria is yet to achieve her greatness, after being in the saddle for 16 years.

“In 2015, Nigerians must rise in unison to elect credible leaders who will rise above the lethargy of the PDP government to confront the challenges facing the

nation.

“It is ironic and saddening that while they preach to the downtrodden masses to tighten their belts and prepare for austere times, they continue to display nauseating indifference to the plight of the people by coming up with a war chest running into several billions of naira to prosecute a project to further impoverish the people.

“However, as progressives, we remain optimistic in the Nigerian project and we urge the

- Oshiomhole

people to join us and avail themselves of the opportunity next year to punish these bad leaders with our votes and ensure that the desired Change is achieved for the benefit of all.

“We must resist their plots to use ethnicity, religion and other clannish tendencies to divide us. We must never forget that poverty and bad governance are not defined by religion or ethnicity but by inefficient

leadership. This is why the time for change is now, more than ever before.

“In Edo, we promise to redouble our efforts in the New Year, in spite of the lean resources accruing to the state, to

complete many of the ongoing projects and initiate new ones for the benefit of our people. As we have always promised, our dear state will be the cynosure of all eyes in the country as we will leave the state far better than we met it in terms of human and infrastructural Continues on page 2

There ’ll be global financial crisis this year - Prophet Ajala

By TUNDE EIGBIREMOLEN BENIN CITY – The General Overseer, Angel House Ministry, Prophet Sunday Abel Ajala, has said that in the year 2015,the World will face financial crisis while Nigerians will need to pray hard to avert political crisis that could threaten the unity of the country.

Speaking exclusively to The Nigerian OBSERVER on prophecies for 2015 in his office on Upper Erhunmwunse Street, Benin City, yesterday, Prophet Ajala stated that

the global financial crisis that will hit everyone in 2015 would be such that the prices of goods, services and commodities will drop drastically, but there would be no much money to buy them because of the crisis, stressing that it calls for financial discipline.

“Anyone who decides to spend anyhow, or any nation or corporate entity that does not apply wisdom and fiscal discipline will become beggarly. So people should learn to spend wisely and maintain their finances in 2015.”

TIT BIT “There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.”

- Warren Buffet Buffet

Secondly, Nigeria is likely to face political crisis in view of the fact that 2015 is an election year. There will be a serious political crisis occasioned by power tussle. It is going to be a case of one saying, ‘you Continues on page 2

FUEL SCARCITY: Long queues of vehicles waiting to buy fuel at a filling station in Benin City yesterday.

Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

Northern govs call for peaceful co-existence in 2015

MINNA - The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has called on Nigerians to shun acts capable of plunging the entire country into avoidable crisis.

The Chairman of the forum and Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, said this in a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Israel Ebije, in Minna

yesterday.

It stated that the unity and development of Nigeria must be kept sacred and urged all

stakeholders to remain focused on maintaining peaceful coexistence in 2015.

It stated that the forum

enjoined Nigerians to enter 2015 with renewed hopes and to explore positively the numerous opportunities of the year.

nearer to their creator in the New Year.

Martins, in a statement signed by Msgr Gabriel Osu, Director of Social

Communication, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, urged Nigerians to be committed to the unity and peaceful co-

The statement urged Nigerians to ensure that the forthcoming general elections was successful, Continues on page 2

Draw nearer to God, Archbishop Martins tells Nigerians

LAGOS - The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, yesterday called on Nigerians to draw

existence of the country.

In the message, Martins said that most of the Continues on page 2

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

News Eulogies galore for Edo Commissioner

Continued from page 1

by the commissioner to herald the New Year and to celebrate the youths.

Speaking to newsmen at the venue, Pa Peter Idehen, the head of the Elders’ Council delegates, pointed out that the end of year party and the novelty match organized by the commissioner was the first of its kind in the political history of Ovia South-West and that they were delighted to be part of the celebration even though it was regarded as a party to celebrate the youths.

He offered prayers to God Almighty and the ancestors to protect, direct and promote Hon. Idahosa to enable him take Ovia South –West to the next level in terms of developments and urged the youths to see him as their role model, who was inspired by hard work and determination.

Also speaking, Rt. Hon. Osadolor Odumamwen, the

Majority Leader, Ovia SouthWest Legislative Arm, described Hon. Dennis Idahosa as a man with few words but believes in action.

He stressed that the coming of the Honourable Commissioner into the political fold of Ovia South-West had heaved a sigh of relief to the people in the areas of human and infrastructural developments and that the people should rally support for him to succeed in his herculean task as a civil commissioner in the state.

Other speakers include Mr. Edward Odion Idahosa, the eldest brother to the commissioner and the Executive Director, Land Use Act Committee in Edo State, who said that he was elated to have the commissioner as his brother and that without fear or

favour, his investigations revealed that he was the youngest Commissioner in the political history of the present dispensation of the Nigeria democracy.

He recounted how several commissioners had emerged in Ovia South-West in the past without any positive representations and that Hon. Idahosa has shown light to the people politically.

On his remark, the organizer and the Chief Convener, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, thanked his people for the honour done him.

He stressed that he organized the end of year party and the novelty match to appreciate and celebrate the efforts of the youths toward his achievements in the political circle in Ovia South-West.

He posited that it was not

There ’ll be global financial crisis

Continued from page 1

want to be there, I also want to be there, if I do not get the power, then we will destroy the chair. But through serious prayers the political crisis can be averted,” Prophet Ajala submitted.

Prophet Ajala, however, cautioned Nigerians to team up as one indivisible entity to work towards maintaining peace and ensuring the unity of the country as that was the only way to prove sceptics wrong, particularly the United States, who say in 2015 Nigeria may be no more as the country might break up, arising from the political crisis that may erupt.

“There is a warning to all

this year

Nigerians. No one should join to support the division of this nation. Nigeria is one big nation, one government under one President. No Nigerian should allow the devil to use him/her to destroy “the Niger Bridge.” If that happens, and “ the Niger Bridge” goes down, Nigeria will be divided. So, we should all sit up and resist the devil.”

Quoting the bible book of Psalm 122, Prophet Ajala said the slogan of Angel House Ministry in 2015 was: “I am A Lion,” saying the Holy Spirit wants those who must enjoy 2015 to behave more like a lion.

We must carry and exhibit lionic energy and traits. In year 2015,

Nigerians must be a little bit aggressive and should not just say yes to everything that comes their way but must examine all spirits in order to survive year 2015.”

Prophet Sunday Abel Ajala

Northern govs call for peaceful co-existence

Continued from page 1 adding that needless bickering must be avoided.

“We must all make sure that the forthcoming general election is devoid of violence.

“The electoral body and other critical establishments connected to the forthcoming

elections must be ready to go extra miles in the execution of their respective assignments.

“We also expect security agencies to subject their personnel to necessary preelection monitoring trainings and programmes.

“It is, indeed, instructive for

politicians to desist from overheating the polity with inciting comments, hate speech as well as blackmail.

“We should think of what will benefit the entire country than what individuals stand to gain,’’ it stated.

Draw nearer to God

Continued from page 1

challenges plaguing the nation could be overcome through prayer, selflessness and tolerance of one another.

According to him, “ no nation can excel without the help of God; any nation that drives God to the background is only toying with doom.

He said that for Nigeria to move forward as a nation, we must put God first this New Year, so that His spirit of love, peace and joy would permeate the hearts of Nigerians and the roots of our nation.

Speaking on the forthcoming general elections, he urged Nigerians to be alive to their civic responsibilities by casting their votes in favour of only credible candidates with integrity.

He urged Nigerians to monitor and defend their votes at all costs, in order to

ensure that only credible candidates are elected into positions of authority.

“The year 2015 offers us as a nation another opportunity to move forward democratically.

We must eschew the politics of bitterness and acrimony.

“Most importantly, we cannot just fold our hands and expect manna to come down from heaven; we must be ready to defend our mandates so that the wrong people do not steal our votes. “ For the political class, I urge them to shun violence and allow the wishes of the people to prevail. With the help of God, we shall succeed.”

While urging Nigerians to be faithful to their New Year resolutions, in spite of all odds, Archbishop Martins also called on the Federal Government not to give up hope in respect of the release of the abducted Chibok girls.

politically motivated and that he wanted to reunite the youths irrespective of the party divides and to cement the existing relationship between the people of Ovia South West.

He said that his political limelight was inspired by the humble dispositions of the youths in Ovia South-West to aspire for good governance and assured them all of his continuous efforts to transform Ovia South-West to a greater height.

The event also featured a novelty match between the ward of the Hon. Commissioner known as West ward and the East ward in Iguobazuwa to seal up the peaceful celebration.

In the novelty match, the Hon. Commissioner, who displayed his maverick tactics to earn his side that was one zero down to the opposition, a one all draw at the 75th minute of play.

Present at the event included Mr. Arthur Omorodion, the Assistant Financial Secretary All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State, Hon. S. Alufa,the Assistant Liaison Officer to the Honourable Commissioner, Elder Roland Omoregbee, representing the odionwere-incouncil of Iguobazuwa, Pa William Omoregbee, Women Leader, Yoruba Youths Association in Ovia South-West Local Government Area, all the youths chairmen across the ten wards in Ovia South-West, including Mr. Ehiorobo Osamwonyi, the Usen Youths Chairman, who described Hon. Idahosa as a humble son and brother, whose legacies can never be rivaled.

Others are Mr. Raymond Ediagbonya Omokaro, Personal Assistant to the Hon. Commissioner and Mr. Destiny Enabulele.

2015 is year of change

Continued from page 1

He urged them to explore all avenues of negotiations to ensure that the girls were released to their parents, as soon as possible.

development.

“While wishing our people a blissful and bountiful New Year, we urge them to continue to support the state Government in its drive and determination to move the state to the next level.”

Committee on Environment, Comrade Muhktar Yusuf-Osagie has said that the committee was set up on July 30, 2014, with the aim of making Edo State clean in order to eradicate all forms of diseases.

Comrade YusufOsagie said this when he paid a courtesy visit

to the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, in Benin City, Mr. Haruna Idris.

He stated that the courtesy visit was to seek a synergy with law enforcement agencies to assist the committee, as it would soon embark on the cleaning of the moat around the city.

Responding, the

Ex-Council boss advocates stringent measures against corruption

By LUCKY EFESE IKPOBA-OKHA – The former Executive Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Council and a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon. Saturday Idehen Uwulekhue, has advocated stringent measures to tackle the high level of corruption in the country.

Hon. Uwulekhue gave the charge yesterday, at his office in Benin City, while briefing newsmen on the challenges the country had experienced in the out gone year 2014 and his expectations in 2015.

He stressed that corruption had become a canker worm eaten deeply into the blood streams of the society which had negative impact on the country in the past few years.

The former Aspirant to the Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives on the platform of PDP, noted that corruption had set Nigeria backward to the dooms days of the military and that some powerful cabal had institutionalized corruption to become inheritance at both public and private sectors of the

economy.

Lamenting the slow pace of contracting corruption by the Federal Government, he posited that unless strict measures are put in place in the year 2015, Nigeria’s reputation in the Western Communities would have gone into oblivion.

The Orhionmwon born politician said that corruption was like a witchcraft, noting that it deserves collective responsibility to tackle it in order to achieve success.

He pointed out that the 2015 general elections would determine whether the country would be in the part of democratic progress or it would further subject the good people to abject poverty.

He opined that year 2015 would be a progressive year for Nigerians if corruption was sincerely fought and therefore urged Nigerians to vote wisely to achieve the feat.

He wished all Nigerians and APC members across the country a prosperous year 2015, just as he cautioned electorates, especially the youths across the country against being used as political thugs.

He advised them to remain steadfast and focused toward positive change in governance that would better the life of the people,

LP: 33 Governorship candidates, 70 for senate in 2015 elections ABUJA - Mr Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, the National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), said 33 governorship and 70 senatorial candidates nationwide would run for the 2015 general elections under the party.

Abdulsalam disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja yesterday.

He said that the number of governorship and senatorial candidates coming out from the party was a huge success compared to the 2011 general elections.

According to him, the candidates emerged from Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Ebonyi, Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, Delta, Abia,

Ondo and Osun.

He said that the particulars of all successful candidates had been forwarded to INEC for verifications.

He however advised the NLC and TUC to give more attention to the interest of Nigerian workers, especially on some pressing issues that needed to be resolved urgently.

He advised the two unions not to interfere on political issues of the labour party, adding that the party was not formed by NLC or TUC. Salisu Muhammad, the Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of LP had warned politicians to refrain from getting nomination forms from the factional LP which was not recognised by the NLC.

Committee on environment, visits BENIN CITY – NSCDC seeks synergy Chairman, Edo State Commandant expressed joy that the state government set up such a vital committee to cleanse the state and pledged his full support and assistance to the committee.

He added that the g o v e r n m e n t ’ s transformation programme was succeeding in the country and was happy at the

development.

On the Chairman’s entourage were Mr. S.A. Ehimwenma, Deputy Director, Environmental Health; Dr. E.E. Osarhiemen, Chief Environmental Health Officer; Mr. Matthew Idemudia, Directorate of Media and Publicity; Mr. A.O. Abusomwan (JP); and Mr. Wesley Obasohan.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

News Rights Activist Condemns Attack On Edo Culture

By ANDY EGBON

BENIN CITY -United States-based Human Rights Activist, Mr. Frank Ekhator has condemned in its strongest terms, the attack on Edo culture by some unscrupulous religious Ministers, describing it as not only diabolic, malicious and ignorance, but ideological and fanatically driven for soul-wining and financial gratifications.

In a paper he delivered at a ceremony in Boston last Saturday, marking the celebration of Igue Festival

by Edo people, Mr. Ekhator identified them as unscrupulous tricksters and cash and carry religious preachers who mask themselves as men and women of God. In an electronic mail to The Nigerian OBSERVER in Benin City, Ekhator noted that “Igue is a worldwide Edo people end-of-year traditional Thanksgiving and get together event.

But recently, the festival has been under attack by some persons, he refered to as unscrupulous tricksters and cash and carry religious preachers who mask themselves as men and women of God.” Mr. Ekhator, President of Edo United For Homeland Empowerment (EUFHE), a human rights organization with headquarters in Boston called on all Edo people to resist such malicious attack on their culture in any shape or form.

His words: “Brothers and sisters, wherever you find yourself, do not accent or allow the blackmail, denunciation and denigration of our cultural heritage continue without challenge and enlightenment of the perpetuators’ fallacies.”

It is a responsibility incumbent upon us, he continued to educate those who are naively and vaguely

connected to the Benin history. “A story that must be told never forgives silence.”

He thundered out: “The cook and bull story about our rich and enviable culture must be condemned by all loyal and well-meaning Benin people.”

“We cannot allow this cultural vandalism against our heritage to continue without resistance. Brothers and sisters don’t sit on the fence.”

He called on all Edo people everywhere to join in the celebration of “our cultural heritage as done by the West Indians and the Chinese people and the Americans with the Thanksgiving and Halloween every year.”

He disabused the minds of people fed with wrong information about Igue festival, explaining, “Igue is not an anti-Christ or pagan celebration as it is being fawned in some familiar quarters today.

The onslaught against our culture is not only diabolic, malicious and ignorant but ideologically and fanatically induced for obvious unsuspecting soul-winning for monetary replenishment.”

In trying to expose and mock religious ministers who survive at the expense of other religions and cultures, Mr. Ekhator had this to say: “It is no calculus, but common arithmetic that as student enrollment grows in a profit-oriented school, so shall the revenue and profit margin increase.”

“Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, the Christians

celebrate Xmas, the Muslims celebrate the Ramadan, the Jews, Hanukkah, AfricanAmericans, Kwanzaa, the Ibos New Yam, the Yorubas, Ake, and in the end, the Benin people of Nigeria celebrate every year Igue to mark various events, including the one that led to 1897 Benin massacre.”

Mr. Ekhator said that given the significance of Igue, to not celebrate it is to forget that Edo was a nation before it was invaded by the British in 1897, an event which followed the denial of British trade mission access to Oba (King) Ovonramwen Nogbaisi during the celebration of Igue festival.

“Our rich cultural heritage worth millions of dollars looted during the invasion is scattered all over notable Western Museums today, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts and Igue celebration remains a way to

bring light to this injustice.”

According to him, Igue represents the unbroken immortalization of a generational transfer of record of our cultural heritage and accomplishments.

M. Ekhator stated

EKPOMA - The archbishop of Bendel Province, Anglican Communion, Most Rev’d Friday Imaekhai has cautioned politicians to be circumspect in their utterances, so as to avoid heating up the polity prior to 2015 elections.

your head is an idol worshipping just as there is no place that celebration of remembrance is evil or paganism, after all, human existence is about good remembrance.

So Igue is about the remembrance and celebration of the event that shaped Benin people and history.”

Members of Association Animal Hunters of Nigeria in the South geo-political zone in a group photograph after a solidarity rally in Benin City against Boko Haram insurgency in the North East part of Nigeria

Association Donates To Central President of NAUSDA Hospital in his remarks placed on UROMI The

By JUDE EHEVBA

National Association of Uromi Sons and Daughters, United States of America (NAUSDA) has donated a water borehole to the Uromi Central Hospital, Uromi, Esan North East Local

Government Area, Edo State.

The project was commissioned by His Royal Majesty, Anslem Odaloaghe Edenojie II and the Ojuromi of Uromi.

Prince Raphael Okojie,

2015: Archbishop Tasks Politicians On Issue Based Campaigns

By OSE EHEBHA

categorically that “Igue is spiritual to the bona-fide Benin person. The Christians start prayers with the touch of the head and Igue prayers start with the touch of the head with offerings to God.” He vehemently denounced the notion that such a ritual is idol worshipping.

“In the Bible, there is no place where it is written that

The religious leader who made the call in his New Year message also challenged government at all levels to aggressively address the nagging issue of unemployment in 2015.

He appealed to all political parties and politicians to bring to bear in their utterances the desire for a united Nigeria and focus

Traffic gridlock at Sapele Road, Benin City yesterday. Photo: LUCKY AGIE.

issues that unite Nigerians as a people.

“We appeal to all political parties and politicians to be very care in their utterance in order not to heat up the polity prior to 2015.

“They (politicians) must bring to bear in their utterances the desire for a united Nigeria and focus on these things that unite us as a people.

“We advise those who beat the drum of war to stop, as it is not the will of God for our nation”, he said.

He challenged government at all levels to aggressively address the nagging issue of unemployment in 2015, adding that such efforts were necessary to reduce or eradicate propensity to criminality in the country.

According to him, the percentage of unemployment, put at over 70 is way too high.

He stressed the need for leaders to be selfless and avoid the syndrome of pilling up money for themselves, at the detriment of the citizenry they are called to serve.

He equally admonished the citizens to be obedient and supportive to leaders at all levels, just as he called for end to political or religious antagonism in the country.

a founding member and erstwhile member, Board of Trustee (BOT) of the association on behalf of the association’s President, Dr. Michael Oyamienlen Ewah, said the project was part of efforts to give back to the community.

Prince Okojie encouraged every indigene of the community to contribute their quota to the growth and development of the community so that it would continue to be the ‘Heartbeat of the Nation.’

He noted that at the moment, the primary focus of the association is in the area of healthcare delivery, because of the importance of living a healthy life in a healthy environment.

According to him, the association has put arrangements and modalities in place for the procurement and shipment of some basic medical supplies to the Hospital and the Primary Health Care centers in all villages in the locality early this year.

record, the contributions of various individuals toward the successful financing, completion and commissioning of the water borehole project.

In an address, Barrister (Ms.) Ejele, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Edo State, appreciated the association for what was termed ‘noble project,’ saying it would go a long way to ameliorate the sufferings of the staff and patients of the hospital.

NAUSDA is a rallying point for all Uromi sons and daughters in Diaspora, especially in the USA and serves as a progressive group for the aspiration of Uromi people both at home and in diaspora.

A minute of silence was observed in honor of one of Uromi sons, Professor Mike Udegbe of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, who was an honorary member of NAUSDA, and also a member of the Local Organizing Csommittee for the water project, who died on April 14, 2014.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Across The Nation New Year: FRSC

Predicts 38% Increase In Vehicular Movement

A passengers train loading at Iddo Terminus after Christmas Holidary in Lagos recently.

Seek Alternative Source Of Revenue, Ihedioha Urges States

MBAISE (Imo)- The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has urged the state governments to evolve alternative means of running their economy outside Federal Allocation.

Ihedioha made the call when he addressed Imo indigenes who visited him Christmas at his Mbaise country home.

“With the dwindling oil revenue, it is now imperative for state governments to come up with strong economic measures to run their economy outside federal allocation which centre on crude oil revenue.

“The signs is already very clear because the 2015 budget that was presented to the National Assembly was withdrawn and represented for two or more times because of the changes in the crude oil bench

mark,’’ he said.

He said that any government without alternative sources of revenue might be over stretched, noting “some states in Nigeria already having difficult times’’.

Ihedioha, who is the PDP governorship candidate in Imo, said if given the mandate he would restore the moral standing of Imo people.

“In the past it was a taboo for one to steal, but today people whose fathers were strip naked were making noise everywhere.

“If elected, I will ensure that anybody who steal will be brought to justice, while those with high moral standing will be adequately encouraged,’’ he said.

He said that if the people were meant to behave well, running an enduring and corrupt-free economy would be a smooth business.

Ihedioha called on people of

Imo to continue to support PDP government led by President Goodluck Jonathan, and ensure that PDP took over Imo governorship in 2015.

“All the 305 one story buildings constructed at 305 political wards in Imo are Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) projects and all these came to Imo courtesy of President Jonathan.

“Because of false claims from some quarters, UBEC is now tagging the projects so as to enable Imo people understand the true owners of these projects,’’ he said.

Ihedioha said he hope to construct a mini-stadium in his area to encourage the involvement of youths in sports, adding “if fully developed, sports could engage many’’.

ONITSHA (Anambra)The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) says it is anticipating 38 per cent increase in vehicular movement during the New Year festivities along Anambra, Delta and Edo corridors.

The Zonal Commander of the commission in charge of zone 5, Mr Charles Akpabio, said this in an interview with newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra.

He said that the commission had strategised to intensify patrol on major roads from the eve of the New Year to monitor movement of vehicles.

Akpabio, who oversees Anambra, Delta and Edo states, however, assured that “no motorist will spend a night on any road in the country’’ as more personnel and logistics were being deployed on major roads across the country.

“Our preparedness for the remaining part of the exercise is high. We want to assure the public that after the Christmas period, we want to sustain even more than we gained prior to

Indiscriminate Arrests: AIG Warns Vigilante Groups

INEC To Display Osun State House Of Assembly Candidates Today OSOGBO The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would display personal particulars of House of Assembly candidates on January 1.

A statement signed by its Chief Public Affairs officer, Mrs. Adenike Tadese, in Osogbo stated that the exercise was in accordance with the provision of the Electoral Act as amended.

“Section 31 Subsection 3 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), provides for Publication of Personal Particulars of all candidates contesting in 2015 general election within seven days of the receipt of form CF 001.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission, Osun State shall display at the State Office of the commission and 30 Local Government Offices and Area Office, ModakekeIfe, notice of list of the candidates and their particulars.

“By this act, members of the

public by law, have the opportunity to scrutinise the documents submitted by candidates as pasted by INEC,’’ the statement stated.

It will be recalled that the INEC in Osun had on December 25 displayed lists and particulars of Presidential and National Assembly candidates in a similar manner.

Christmas.

“For the New Year, I have charged the officers and men to brace-up for the influx of vehicular traffic on our (road) corridors.

“We know quite well that we are expecting about 38 per cent increase in volume of traffic on the roads compared to what we witnessed during the Christmas period.

“But those that couldn’t travel during the Christmas may likely want to go home during the New Year.

“So, all our officers and men have been on alert to ensure that we maintain accident-free New Year celebration.’’

The zonal commander advised motorists to make their vehicles road-worthy before embarking on journeys; while maintaining lane discipline as they drive on the road.

He reminded motorists of mobile courts on road corridors, adding that the commission would not tolerate abuse of traffic rules and regulations.

IGP Suleiman Abba consoling police Sgt. Mr. Timothy Useni, who was attacked by Armed Robbers at a check point, during his visit to the Hospital in Nasarawa recently.

SOKOTO - Alhaji Bala Hassan, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 10, Sokoto, has warned members of vigilante groups in the zone to desist from indiscriminate arrest of innocent people as “ cattle rustlers “.

Hassan gave the warning in an interview with newsmen in Sokoto.

He said the warning was to prevent the groups from taking the law into their hands He said the practice whereby the groups were arresting Fulani people on markets days in some parts of the zone would not be tolerated.

The AIG said that any vigilante group member found intimidating members of the public would be arrested and prosecuted.

He said Commissioners of Police in the zone had been briefed on the security measures to be adopted in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

Jonathan Decries Use Of Social Media To Cause Anarchy

ABUJA - President Goodluck Jonathan has decried the use of the social media worldwide to create social discontent and anarchy in the society.

Jonathan said this when he met with a delegation of traditional rulers and leaders from Bayelsa, in Abuja.

He said that the social media initially meant for good had become a tool to disseminate evil. ‘‘ These days, there are all kinds of stories. It is all over the world, leaders are being lambasted, especially with the social media now. ’’People use what knowledge had created for negative reasons. ‘‘Just as I was told that the

person who invented dynamite, later regretted that invention because he thought he was coming up with something to solve human problem. “ But when he got to know about the level of destruction, human lives that are being blown up because of explosion, the man regretted that invention.

“What is supposed to be used for the common good was turned to negative purposes.

“I always say that I will not even expect praises now because hardly do people praise serving leaders. It is when you leave, people will begin to know.

“When you leave, they will begin to compare what you have done over the period vis-a-vis what others have done.

“Then they will compare you with whoever takes over.’’

Jonathan pledged to do his best to create the enabling environment for the nation’s economy to thrive, notwthstanding the challenges facing the country.

“I will do my best so that by the time I will leave, you will be able to say that when our son was there, he served the country well so that one day, another son of Bayelsa may be given another opportunity to serve Nigerians. ‘‘I assure you that I am here by the grace of God with the willingness of Nigerians. If

Nigerians say I shouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t have been here. We contested election in 2011 and Nigerians voted for us. ‘‘I am your own. if I don’t do well, the shame will be on you. If I do well, you will have some kind of pride. I will do my best.’’

According to him, 2015 will be full of challenges for Nigerians because of the early elections, saying everywhere will be overheated as from tomorrow.

Earlier, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, said they were in the State House to felicitate with the President and his family in the spirit of the festive season.

He assured the president that

Bayelsa people will not relent in supporting their son and wished him a victorious new year.

Dickson commended Jonathan for his transformation agenda which, he said, was impacting positively on Nigerians.

He said the President’s home state was peaceful and was in safe hands.

The high point of the event was the presentation of a giant seasonal greeting card to the President on behalf of the state.

Notable personalities in the encourage were the Amayanabo of Town-Brass, Mr Alfred DieteSpiff, the state Chief Judge, former Managing Director of NDCC, Mr Timi Alaibe, traditional rulers, clerics, among others.

THE NIGERIAN

5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

News Ogun: Ex-Speaker Of Reps May Emerge SDP Governorship Candidate

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM

LAGOS - Indication has emerged Wednesday morning that the former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole may emerge the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ogun State.

Secret meetings are ongoing between aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, many of whom have threatened to leave the party for SDP, a mastermind of former governor and a chieftain of SDP in the state, Chief Olusegun Aremu Osoba has said.

It would be recalled that both Bankole and the former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel have lost out in their bid to clinch the tickets of both the governorship and Ogun East Senatorial ticket of the PDP. Bankole lost the governorship ticket to Prince Gboyega Nadir Isiaka while Daniel’s bid to become a Senator was scuttled by Prince Buruj Kashamu.

Our correspondent reports that the aggrieved PDP chieftains, including the former Speaker, Bamkole, the former governor, Daniel and a former Minister and Asiwaju of Ago Iwoye, Chief Jubril Martin Kuye, JMK have met with Osoba and have reached conclusion on certain matters.

In one of the meetings held at Osoba’s residence in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, it was resolved that the governorship ticket will be given to the former Speaker, Dimeji Bankole as he was referred to as a big fish.

One of the governorship aspirants on SDP’s platform in the state confided in our correspondent and confirmed the new development yesterday morning.

According to the guber aspirant, who prayed anonymity, “Yes, there have been several meetings and at the one of the meetings which I and

two other governorship aspirants were in attendance, the issue of the governorship ticket was extensively discussed and it was resolved that the ticket be given to Bankole which three of us conceded to.

“I don’t want to mention any names but I can confirm to you that I have dropped my intention to contest for the governorship seat of SDP. I can even remember that at that meeting, the issue of Ogun East Senatorial ticket was discussed but we dropped the issue as someone, I don’t remember now declared that Senator Kaka will never release the ticket to Daniel, so the best thing is to forget about that and focus on how to win the governorship seat with Bankole as our candidate,” the source revealed.

The governorship aspirants of the party include deputy governor of Ogun State, Prince Segun Adesegun; Senator Akin Odunsi, who is currently representing Ogun West at the upper chamber in Abuja; Comrade Wale Okunniyi and Senator Gbenga Obadara’ representing Ogun Central among others.

Feelers from the camp of the deputy governor of Ogun State, Prince Segun Asesegun, who declared his intention to contest for the seat on the same day, Governor Ibikunle Amosun was adopted for the second term in office by the APC disclosed that the man is not comfortable with the latest development but he is yet to make any statement concerning the matter.

One of his close aides told our correspondent on phone this morning that, “we have heard about the development and what we heard that Yoga, I mean, Baba Osoba has concluded plans on that. What we were told was that the zoning arrangement for the governorship ticket does not favour Ogun East and any party that field candidates from that district has already failed before the election.

“The ticket was formally zoned to Ogun West when

GNI was first announced as the candidate for the PDP and when it became crisis all over the pages of newspapers that he has been dropped for Dimeji Bankole, the calculation later switch to the Central and Obadara was then the favourite, but now with the coming in of Bankole, between you and I, we know that Bankole has electoral values than Obadara.

“So, if the party has decided to give the ticket to Bankole, I think, it is a well thought development.

Our aim and goal still remain and that ‘Amosun Must Go’, no more, no less. Oga (Prince Segun Adesegun) has not said anything about the matter and I believe you will agree with me that he is real progressive, he will not do anything that will be detrimental to our desire to send Amosun packing from Oke Mosan,” one of Adesegun’s aide stated.

When our correspondent visited the Osoba’s resident in Abeokuta yesterday, it was gathered that some of the aggrieved members of the PDP were in a meeting with Osoba and information gathered from the party members within Osoba’s premises yesterday revealed that arrangement are in top gear to welcome and declare the former Speaker as the governorship candidate of the party early next year.

The compound which was littered with buses painted in SDP colour saw some of the candidates for the State House of Assembly from various local government areas coming to discuss their chances and others signing their withdrawal letters.

Speaking with our correspondent, one of Bankole’s aides confirmed the development and disclosed that the discussion with UPN in the state is still ongoing.

The source stated that the meetings with the leadership of Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN in the state has to do with how the party will accommodate some of the former Speaker’s loyalists who are aspiring for the elective positions.

THE NIGERIAN

6

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

News Chieftaincy Tussle

NEMA Donates Relief Materials To Sokoto Flood Victims

Community Calls On FG, State Govt To Intervene

PORT HARCOURT - An Abuja based legal practitioner, Mr Nyenke Ikpendu, on Wednesday called on the federal and Rivers governments to resolve the chieftaincy tussle in Ibaa community, Emouhua council of the state.

Ikpendu told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the chieftaincy tussle in the community began in 2007 and had caused serious crisis in the area. “ Ibaa people have lost property worth millions of naira while some people have been killed by the warring groups. ‘’Some Ibaa people are now living as internally displaced persons in neighbouring communities for fear of being killed,’’ he said.

The legal practitioner said the crisis in the community had no political undertone but a security problem. “ We appeal to the federal and state governments to carry out a thorough investigation on the crisis in Ibaa community. Those found guilty should be prosecuted to restore peace in our area.

“It is indeed very

unfortunate that our people are living as refugees in neighbouring areas/ communities. Some people have gone back while others are afraid of going back.

“To achieve peace in Ibaa community, the government should invite the stakeholders, elders, parties in court contesting the chieftaincy issue to sit down and sign an undertaking to stop the crises,’’ he said.

Ikpendu said that there was need for government to intervene and resolve the chieftaincy tussle to stop the mayhem in the community.

A man hawking onion at Wuse Market in Abuja recently.

Experts Predicts Significant Growth For Capital Market LAGOS - Some capital market experts on Wednesday predicted that the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) would record significant improvement in the second quarter of 2015.

They told newsmen in Lagos that the improvement was expected because the electioneering activities would have been over by the first quarter.

Mr Chineyem Anyanwu, a Managing Partner of Dependable Securities Ltd., Lagos, said that the uncertainties surrounding the 2015 general elections had slowed down the equity market.

Anyanwu said that activities of politicians ahead of the forthcoming elections also affected the entire capital market growth and development.

According to him, all the predicaments and challenges that may come with the 2015 general elections will be felt within the first quarter.

“I believe that the stock market will gain much and the economy generally will improve as soon as the election is over,” he said.

The NSE market

capitalisation as at December 30, 2014, closed at N11.49 trillion from the N13.20 trillion in the corresponding period of 2013.

The decrease of N1.71 trillion represented 12.95 per cent decrease already.

Also speaking, Mr Emmanuel Eze, Managing Director, Perfecter Investment Trust Ltd., Lagos, said that the stock market performed lower than what was expected in 2014.

Eze said that the market actually lost what it gained in 2013.

According to him, the poor

performance of the 2014 financial year is as a result of the outbreak of Ebola disease and the devaluation of the Naira.

“There was also the fall in crude oil prices and security challenges, among others, facing the economy,” he said.

Mr Gbenga Obisesan, Managing Director, Topmost Securities Ltd., Lagos, said there was need for strong Nigerian investors’ participation in the Nigerian stock market to enhance stability and development of the economy.

Obisesan said that the market and the economy would be stable through strong participation of domestic investors.

RABAH (SOKOTO STATE) - The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday donated relief materials to victims of the flooding in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The items were presented to the Secretary to the Local Government, Alhaji Idris Aliyu, for distribution to the victims.

The presentation was made by a delegation of the agency, led by the Head of the Sokoto Zonal Operations of NEMA, Mr Thickman Tanimu.

Tanimu said that the gesture was aimed at alleviating the suffering of the victims. ‘’Nobody can stop natural disasters like flood, although they can now be predicted and minimised. ‘’The consequences of such unexpected natural disasters are always unpalatable and destructive as such, the victims will always need any form of assistance,’’ Tanimu, stated.

Making his remarks, Aliyu commended the agency for the gesture, describing the incident as unfortunate.

He promised that the materials would be judiciously distributed.

The Director-General of the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Hassan Maccido represented by Alhaji Mustapha Umar, hailed NEMA for the gesture.

Some of the materials donated to the victims include roofing sheets, building materials and assorted food items.

Lagos Airport Records Low Passenger Medview, FirstNation and IKEJA - The Murtala Turnout AZMA, had no intending Muhammed Airport Ikeja on

Commercial activities at Balogun Market in Lagos yesterday.

Wednesday recorded low turnout of intending travellers, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Checks revealed that the development may not be unconnected with the heavy turnout of travellers recorded during the Christmas holidays.

Newsmen said saw few

intending travellers at the Terminal Two wing of the airport, popularly referred to as MMA2.

Some intending travellers could be seen trying to purchase tickets at Dana and Aero Contractors Airlines while other airlines’ counters were deserted.

Airlines, including

BPP Saves N8.9bn On Contracts In 3 Months ABUJA - The Bureau of Public Procurement has saved about N8.9 billion for the Federal Government between April and June 2014 through cost reduction of contracts.

This is contained in the bureau’s 2014 Second Quarter Report made available to newsmen by its Head of Public Relations, Mr Thomas Odemwingie, on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to the report, the

savings is based on the difference between the amount requested for contracts by various MDAs and what the bureau approved after vetting the contracts.

A breakdown shows that about N136.6 million was saved from the contract submitted by the Ministry of Police Affairs to procure six units of Innoson Motors buses.

The ministry had requested

for N250 million which was revised down to N113.4 million by the bureau.

Also, the Ministry of Transport’s request for 61 million dollars for the construction of Berth 21 at Terminal E, Lagos Port complex, Apapa, was revised down to 59.6 million dollars.

“This shows that 1.4 million dollars (N228.4 million) was saved on this project alone,’’

the report said.

It further indicated that the bureau had cut down to N289.3 million, a request by the Ministry of Works for N307.1 million for “additional advisory services” on the concessioning of the 2nd Niger Bridge.

This had led to a saving of N17.7 million on the contract for the federal government, the report indicated.

It also indicated substantial saving from the request submitted by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in respect of contracts for three separate projects for N9.8 billion, N116.5 million and 116 million.

It stated that the bureau saved N3.1 billion after vetting the contracts which were brought down to N6.7 billion, N106 million and N106 million respectively.

passengers at their counters as at noon, while few intending travellers could be seen queuing at Aero Contractors and Dana Airlines counters.

At the General Aviation Terminal, the situation was the same with Overland Airways not offering services.

Arik Airlines, similarly, recorded low patronage.

Across the airlines’ counters, flight tickets were sold for between N17, 400 and N36, 000, depending on the airline and time of flight.

Commercial activities at the airport were also low as only a few shops were open for business.

However, traffic was unusually free at the airport with few vehicles seen on roads leading to and out of the airport.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

News Employability Training: Participants Applaud Govt

By OBOH SYLVESTER BENIN CITY - The Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) of the Federal Government of Nigeria has been described as one of the policies that will not only stand the test of time, but also impart positively on the

unemployed graduates and the society at large.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Chairman and Managing Consultant, Morel International Consultants, Olorogun Lucky Oghene-Omoru during the closing ceremony of the GIS orientation and employability training of

graduate interns in Edo State.

Olorogun Oghene-Omoru who was one of the resource persons at the orientation and employability workshop, described the programme as similar to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) both in intention, scope and desire by the

Federal Government to entrench job training as cognate work experience, which he said are highly demanded by employers during recruitments.

He explained that: “the economic empowerment programme will go a long way to achieve financial leverage for the hitherto

unemployed graduates concerned, improve their employability and enhance their ability to become employers of labour in the near future.”

Speaking further, Olorogun Oghene-Omoru commended the participants at the workshop whom he described as disciplined, committed and very willing to learn.

He expressed confidence that the interns have benefitted in many ways which include “improvement in their self esteem, acquisition of the necessary skills to excel in the work place as well as enhance

their employability, financial literacy and improved ability to start their own business.”

Responding, some of the Graduate interns expressed their gratitude to the Federal government for the opportunity given them to benefit from the scheme just as they also thanked the resource persons for imparting so much during the training.

Highpoint of the event was the prize giving ceremony to the first, second and third group winners respectively who distinguished themselves in the group performance assessment tests.

LAGOS - The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that in Lagos that 38 ships laden with containers, petroleum products and other goods were expected to berth at Lagos ports.

The ships are scheduled to arrive from December 31 to January 23, 2015.

The reports state that 25 ships berthed at the various ports in Lagos on Tuesday.

According to the NPA, 20 of the ships are to sail in with containers, while nine others are carrying food items including frozen fish, bulk

sugar, buckwheat, bulk salt and rice.

“Petroleum products including diesel, aviation fuel, Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) and petrol will come in five ships.

“Three other ships being expected will sail in with general cargo, while the remaining one ship will bring in second-hand vehicles.’’

The NPA said 11 other ships laden with petrol had arrived at the ports, while a ship also brought in LPFO. “Twelve ships also brought in frozen fish, rice in bags as well as general cargo.’’

38 Ships Laden With Containers, Petroleum Products To Berth In Lagos In 3 Weeks

A group photograph of the Graduate Interns with some of the resource persons at the Graduate Internship Scheme Orientation and Employability training in Benin City yesterday.

Nigerian Breweries Concludes Merger With LAGOS - The Nigerian Consolidated Breweries

Breweries Plc has announced the conclusion of its merger with Consolidated Breweries Plc. A statement by the company in Lagos said the merger was effective from December 31.

“This followed the receipt of approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the sanction by the Federal High Court.

“Nigerian Breweries Plc has formally informed the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) of conclusion of merger process as required by the listing regulations,” the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, said in the statement obtained by newsmen.

It also said that the name of the enlarged company arising from the merger would be Nigerian Breweries Plc and that the company would remain quoted on the NSE. The statement commended stakeholders and regulatory authorities for their support and approval.

“The process of operational integration of

the two businesses will commence immediately in January 2015.

“With the conclusion of the merger, the enlarged NB is now enabled to fully capitalise on the opportunities of the Nigerian beer and malt drinks market and create significant value through delivery of broader product offering, operational

efficiencies and access to new markets.

“The merger is also expected to deliver a number of benefits for its stakeholders including shareholders, employees, consumers, trading partners, suppliers and the Nigerian economy as a whole,” it said.

Reports state that

Consolidated Breweries has two plants in Ota, Ogun and Awonomama in Imo.

NEPC To Train 600 Farmers In Shea Butter Production LAGOS - The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said that it would train no fewer than 600 farmers in quality Shea butter

Former Miss Lydia Ihinosen Oboh and her heartrob, Mr. Kelvin Ojiekpon during their marriage ceremony in Esan South East Local Government, Edo State recently.

Congratulations from Mr. Oboh Sylvester

production to enhance its export value.

The Director-General of the council, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

Awolowo said that the training would increase the value of Shea butter in the export market.

“The major challenge with us is the quality of some of our exported products but we are concluding plans to put an end to that very soon.

“What we are doing is that we are trying to increase the quality of our exported products and we have seen that some of our products are even on the shelves in the UK, USA, and other European countries.

“Talking about the European Partnership Agreement for instance, we will be able to benefit from it, if we take our industrialisation serious, we can also export quality products.

“For instance, we are preparing to train not less

than 600 women farmers in quality Shea butter production from the Shaki Area of Oyo State.

“The training will serve as one of the ways by which we add value to our local products by exporting finished products and not just in their crude form,” he said.

Awolowo also said that the private sector was a major stakeholder in the industrialisation of the country as they could do better in terms of investment.

He said that trainings would begin for sesame seeds and moringa oil production soon.

Reports state that the NEPC director-general had in November said that the nation could rake in $1.6 trillion from non-oil exports within the next five years.

Awolowo said the government had evolved 30 new export markets within Nigeria which could make the nation attain a 7.1 annual Gross Domestic Product growth and a financial base of $1.6 trillion.

THE NIGERIAN

8

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Across The Nation 2015 Presidential Election

INEC Releases Names Of Candidates

IGP Suleiman Abba consoling Police Sgt. Timothy Useni who was attacked by armed robbers at a checkpoint, during his visit to the hospital in Nasarawa yesterday.

FRSC Urges Motorists To Make Vehicles Road Worthy

ABUJA - Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has called on motorists in the country to ensure that their vehicles were always roadworthy.

Oyeyemi made the call after inspecting the VIO Computerised Vehicle Roadworthiness Inspection Centre, at Kubwa, Abuja.

“It is the duty of motorists to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy before putting them on the road.

“Roadworthiness is compulsory for both private and commercial vehicles. It

should be checked every six months for commercial vehicles and one year for private vehicles.

“It is part of our vision to have a good road safety administration in the country.

“Vehicle inspection is part of the statutory responsibility of the states under the road tax law,” Oyeyemi said.

He commended the FCT Administration for equipping and putting the facility in place, and urged transport administrators in the 36 states to emulate the innovation.

Nigerian Graduates Can Compete Favourably - UNILAG VC LAGOS - The ViceChancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello, says Nigeria’s education sector has not done badly in its quest to provide sound and qualitative education for the people.

Addressing a news conference in Lagos Bello said the country’s graduates remained a force to be reckoned with in any part of the world in spite of the various challenges facing the sector.

According to him, an average Nigerian graduate can compete favourably with his or her counterpart in other countries going by the kind of training the system offers students.

“I will like to start by saying that the education sector has not fared badly in the outgoing year, but that is not to say we are already there.

“The only area of challenge in our system here can be in the area of the application of technology, but even with that, they seem to catch up in the shortest possible time.

“We must increase our efforts in funding the sector and improve on research and development, as well as

technological development to rank among the best in the world,” he said.

The vice-chancellor said it was in that light the institution intensified research efforts, adding that its research and innovation office had become operational.

He said the office was designed to assist in furthering multidisciplinary research, grant acquisitions, marketing and dissemination of research results.

Bello further said that when fully developed, the office would also serve as the main funding platform for researchers and the university through commercialisation of research findings.

He said technology advancement had thrown a big challenge to Nigerian universities, noting that for academic institutions to be relevant in the world today, they should be compliant with the culture of ICT. The vice-chancellor also said that the institution, which was founded in 1962, had produced over 50,000 graduates.

Mr Abdullahi Garba, Director, Directorate of Road Transport Services, Vehicle Inspection Office, (VIO), Abuja, said the centre was well equipped with modern facilities for optimum performance.

“This facility has the capacity to inspect roadworthiness of 250 vehicles in a day.

“We are calling on motorists in the FCT to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy as we will start enforcing compliance from January 5, 2015.

“This is in the interest of the motorists and the occupants as the facility will save more lives and reduce road crashes,” Garba said.

Mrs Susan Ajenge, FCT Sector Commander, FRSC, said the establishment of the centre would make it easier and faster to ascertain roadworthiness of vehicles in the territory.

She urged motorists to ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy at all times for their own safety and that of other road users.

It would be recalled that the centre was opened on the September 1.

ABUJA - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the names of the 11 presidential candidates and their running mates who will contest the 2015 general elections.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman in Abuja.

The statement noted that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) submitted the names of President Goodluck Jonathan and his Vice, Namadi Sambo.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) submitted the names of Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo as presidential and vice presidential candidates respectively.

Others, the statement stated, were Oluremi Sonaiya and Saidu Bobboi for Kowa Party, Ambrose Albert and Haruna

Shaba for Hope Democratic Party.

Also in the list were Ganiyu Galadima and Balarabe Ahmed for Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Rafiu Salau and Clinton Cliff Akuchie for Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Godson Okoye and Alhaji Haruna Adamu for United Democratic Party (UDP).

Mani Ibrahim Ahmad and Obianuju Murphy-Uzohue for African Democratic Congress, while Martin Onovo and Ibrahim Mohammed for National Conscience Party (NCP).

Others are Tunde AnifowosheKelani and Paul Ishaka Ofomile for Action Alliance and Chekwas Okorie and Bello Umar for United Progressive Party.

Out of the 11 presidential candidates, only Jonathan and Buhari contested in the last election held in 2011.

2015: Ambode Pledges To Take

IKEJA - Mr Akinwumi Ambode, APC governorship candidate in Lagos state, has said that he would raise the performance bar of Governor Babatunde Fashola, if elected into office.

Ambode made the pledge while speaking at a meeting with artisans and tradesmen at Ikeja.

The meeting was facilitated by the state government.

He said his long-standing experience in the state’s civil service had equipped him with the wherewithal to take the state to the next level.

The APC candidate said that his 27 years in the civil service gave him the right experience needed to transform the state.

Ambode said his public service experience climaxed with his attainment of position of Accountant-General of the

Lagos To Next Level

state.

He described the informal sector as the most important section of the state’s population and appealed to artisans and indeed all Lagosians to make his ambition a reality through their votes.

“Lagos is owned by the people in the informal sector as this group constitutes more than 85 per cent of the population.

“So, since it is you artisans who own the state, I appeal to you and indeed all Lagosians to support my aspiration to govern the state.

“I am the man for the job because having spent 27 years in the civil service, at the peak of which I became the Accountant-General, I think I

Traffic gridlock at Mile 2 Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos yesterday.

understand government and governance.

“My work experience in the local governments and the grassroots has enabled me to understand the people and what they want.

“The task of making Lagos a better place is a collective responsibility. And by the grace of God, if I am elected, I will take the state to the next level,’’ he said.

Ambode commended the interventionist strides of Fashola, saying “his administration had done so much to better the lots of residents’’.

He commended Fashola for uplifting artisans and trades through a number of policies and programmes.

Ambode also promised to consolidate on those programmes to further reposition the informal sector.

“I thank Governor Fashola for what he has done in Lagos and what he has done particularly for you artisans.

“In case, you don‘t know, I was raised by an artisan mother. My mother was a seamstress. So, I remember the rough things we had to endure as a family to survive.

“In a way, I am part of you because I understand you. If I am elected, I will consolidate on those programmes that have bettered your lives while introducing new ones.

“It is a promise and you can trust me on that,’’ he said.

Earlier, Fashola said he trusted the competence of Ambode to govern the state.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Abuja Mutiny: Mixed Reactions Trail Death Sentence On Soldiers

Supervising Minister of Information, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed speaking at a News Conference on achievement of President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja yesterday.

Contributory Pension: Membership Increases To 6.19m In 2nd Quarter - PenCom

ABUJA - The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has said that the membership of the contributory pension scheme had increased from 6.09 million in first quarter to 6.19 million in second quarter of 2014.

This is contained in the commission’s quarterly report obtained by newsmen.

The report said the increase was largely explained by Retirement Savings Account (RSA) memberships, which accounted for 98.94 per cent of total pension scheme memberships during the quarter.

It said that Approved Existing Schemes (AES) and Closed Pension Fund Administrators (CPFA) accounted for the remaining balances of 0.66 and 0.40 per cent respectively.

The breakdown showed that the RSA membership as at the end of the second quarter was 6.13 million; CPFA membership was 24,637 while AES membership was 40,951.

According to the report, the analysis of total RSA registrations for both public and private sectors shows that total RSA registrations increased by 1.77 per cent from 6.02 million in the first quarter.

It added that the private sector recorded highest number of RSA registrations at 3.12 million, thereby accounting for 50.91 percent of total registrations.

“The public sector also witnessed an increase in RSA membership as total registrations marginally increased from 2.99 million in the first quarter to 3.01 million, representing an increase of 0.52 per cent.

“In all, the public sector accounted for 49.09 per cent of total RSA registrations at the end of the quarter under review,” it said.

The analysis of the age distribution of RSA holders showed that the age category “30-39” accounted for the highest proportion of registrations in the quarter at 39.39 per cent.

The report also showed that age category 49 years and below accounted for 77.96 per cent of RSA contributors during the period under review.

It said that ranking of PFAs by number of registered contributors showed increases in the shares of the top three, five and 10 PFAs during the quarter.

According to the report, the shares increased from 45.44, 62.39 and 87.30 per cent in the first quarter to 46.68, 63.78 and 87.77 per cent respectively in the second quarter.

“However, while the share of the bottom three and five PFAs decreased marginally by 0.01 per cent, those of bottom 10 PFAs decreased by 0.47 per cent.

“A review of the range of market share of RSA

registrations by number of PFAs shows that 75 per cent of the PFAs have less than 500,000 RSAs under their management.

“Another remarkable result of the analysis is that four PFAs have between 500,000 and 1,000,000 RSAs under their management,” it said.

ABUJA - Some Nigerians have expressed mixed feelings to the death sentence recently passed on some Nigerian soldiers serving in the NorthEast for acts of mutiny.

Some of the citizens said in an interview with newsmen in Abuja that the soldiers should not be killed but be served a lesser sentence.

Others, however, think that the death sentence should be carried out.

It would be recalled that 12 soldiers who attacked and shot at their superior in Maiduguri in May were sentenced to death by firing squad in September, 2014.

Also, 59 others were in October arraigned on a twocount charge of criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny, out of whom 54 were sentenced to death in December, having been found guilty of the charges.

Retired Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi, said the only way to stop munity by soldiers was training, capacity building and empowerment of the military.

Alobi said that when the soldiers were properly trained they would be able to withstand challenges.

“The military need to be empowered in terms of provision of equipment and

Accident on Airport Road in Abuja yesterday.

NOA Calls on Nigerian Women To Participate Actively In 2015 Elections

ABUJA - The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged women to actively participate in the forthcoming 2015 general election.

Mr Davidson Aminu, the Acting Deputy Director, Political and Civil Education in the agency gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

Aminu said that Nigerian women needed to be empowered to participate actively in the democratic process and

governance.

He said that over 50 per cent of the electorate at any given election was women, adding that only few of them occupied top positions in government.

“Nigerian women constitute over 50 per cent of the electorate at any given election; it is therefore not enough for a woman to only cast her vote.

“She should also be able to seek elective positions, after all, the constitution of Nigeria allows for equal participation in the electoral process.

“We have already had

conferences in all the zones to educate women on their electoral rights,’’ he said.

Aminu urged women to surmount any obstacle that could hinder their active and positive participation in the political activities of the country.

“All eligible women should start the process by registering as members of any political party of their choice in order to have legitimacy to participate in party activities and governance.

“If women are empowered, it automatically translates to empowerment of the nation.

“We have had stakeholders’ forum in all the six geo-political zones of the country to enlighten and encourage Nigerians to do the right thing; go out and vote.

“Participants at the forum included traditional rulers, religious leaders, women groups, youth organisations, INEC, political parties and security agencies.

“NOA’s message to the people will continue to be that they should do the right thing to ensure non violence, free and credible electoral process,’’ he said.

motivation. When these are done, the case of people going contrary to the rules or ethics of the profession will not arise any longer,” he said.

The former police commissioner said the military like the police, had their co de of conduct and professional ethics whose violation attracted sanctions.

“Munity or working contrary to the ethics of the profession is sanctionable and anybody who does that is liable.

“Before you join any profession you are made to know the powers, your duties and your privileges and limitations,’’ he said.

On his part, Mr Sanya Adejokun, Managing Editor, Economic Confidential, told newsmen that there was need to instill discipline in soldiers in order to guard against mutiny.

Adejokun said that every organisation; every job had its own rules and regulations “and by the time you join the military you must be conversant with their rules and regulations”.

“These days we are challenged with insurgency and I don’t think as a nation we will tolerate soldiers running away from battle under the pretext that they are not probably armed.

Mrs Kambili John, a civil servant, said since soldiers risked their lives to save others’ in spite of the “unpleasant working conditions under which they are operating, the military authorities should make their sentence lighter’’.

“It is not fair to kill them, they should be given lighter sentences, especially in view of the unpleasant conditions under with which they are fighting,” John said.

And for Mohammed Danladi, a teacher, killing the soldiers would only portray Nigeria as a very ungrateful nation.

“Killing them would make us look like we are an ungrateful nation in the comity of nations.

“These are people we should see as patriots and even if they err, their punishment should be corrective.

“What will we teach our children about patriotism if those that risked their lives to save the lives of others are killed,’’ Danladi asked.

Mr Tobechukwu Arinze, said discipline was the watchword of the military and should be adhered to.

“I feel for them and their families, but there is nothing anyone can do because the law must take its course and they knew the penalty for mutiny before committing it,’’ Arinze said.

Miss Naomi Shettima, said the death sentence should be carried out if it would stop further acts of mutiny.

“If they are spared because of what Nigerians are saying, other soldiers would see it as the order of the day and commit the same offence in future,” Shettima said.

THE NIGERIAN

10

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Business & Economy SEC’s New Minimum Capital Extenion Will Douse Uncertainies LAGOS - The Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) on Tuesday said that extension of the recapitalisation for capital market operators would reduce uncertainties in the nation’s bourse.

Mr. Emeka Madubuike, ASHON President, told newsmen in Lagos that the association would work with SEC and the Nigerian Stock Exchange to ensure market growth and development.

Madubuike said that the recapitalisation extension had reinvigorated the association in assisting the market regulators to position the market as the engine room for economic growth and development.

“Without the development of the market, the economy cannot grow,” he said.

Madubuike said that the extension would bring a measure of respite to stockbrokers and the market.

He, however, commended SEC’s board for listening to the operators yearning.

“We appreciate all people that listened to our pleas and acted accordingly,” Madubuike said.

Mr Ariyo Olushekun, the immediate past President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), commended the commission for extending the deadline by nine months.

Olushekun said that the commission did well by recognising that situations in the market were not conducive for increase in capital base.

“The market has been declining in the past three months and it affected the capitalisation exercise,” he said.

Olushekun said that brokers who met the new capital requirement had fallen short

because of decline in prices of equities.

He said that “the extension gives operators more hope and room to strategies to ensure full compliance”.

NAN reports that SEC, on Dec. 29, extended the deadline for minimum requirement for all capital market operators to Sept. 30, 2015 against the initial Dec. 31, 2014 date.

SEC, on Dec. 19, 2013, issued a new capital requirement for capital market operators with Dec. 31 as deadline for operators to recapitalise.

The apex capital market regulator increased minimum capital base for broker/dealer by 329 per cent from the existing N70 million to N300 million.

Broker, which currently operates with capital base of N40 million, will now be required to have N200 million, representing an increase of 400 per cent.

Minimum capital base for dealer increased by 233 per cent from N30 million to N100 million.

Also, issuing houses, which

facilitate new issues in the primary market, will now be required to have minimum capital base of N200 million as against the current capital base of N150 million.

The capital requirement for underwriter also doubled from N100 million to N200 million.

A Registrar will now have a minimum capital base of N150 million as against the current requirement of N50 million.

While the minimum capital base for corporate investment adviser remained unchanged at N5 million, individual investment advisers will have to increase their capital base by 300 per cent from N500,000 to N2 million.

Also, dealing members of the exchange are contending with minimum operating standards recently introduced for all the three classes of members including broker dealers, brokers and dealers.

The new standards address the five broad areas of manpower and equipment; organisational structure and governance; effective processes; global competitiveness and technology.

L-R: Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, Kai of Kaltungo, Alhaji Mohammed and Emir of Gombe, Alhaji abubakar Shehu-Abubakar, at the 2014 Festival at Kaltungo, Gombe State recently.

FCT Parks, Recreation Centres Records Low Patronage After Xmas

ABUJA - Bareley 24 hours after the Christmas holiday and weekend that saw parks and recreations bubbled with activities, many parks within FCT had begun to witness low patronage.

A correspondent who visited some of the parks yesterday reports show that though work resumed Monday, some of the parks and relaxation spots recorded low patronage.

A visit to several

into the long weekend, work resumed on Monday and you can imagine that many people would want to go back to their places of work.

“Of course, there is still the New Year holiday to come and we expect that merry makers would once again come out in droves to have fun,’’ he said.

According to Oko, Nigerians are increasingly becoming aware of the need to take time off from work to relax and reduce stress, after all it is said that “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy’’.

“I want you to understand one thing, people do not come to enjoy our facilities only during the holidays, it is a daily thing here, but usually we are busier at weekends,’’ said the official.

The manager said the park was opened to visitors all year with adequate security to ensure their safety.

of Employment (NDE), Alhaji Muhammad Alhassan, said that the directorate, under its various programmes, assisted 1,427 people in 2014.

Alhassan told newsmen in Gusau that NDE, funded by the Federal Government, was meant to provide employment to the unemployed youths nationwide.

According to him, the Zamfara office of the directorate empowered and employed 1,427 youths under its various programmes, including Graduate Coaching Scheme, Graduate Attachment Scheme and National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (NOAS).

The co-ordinator said under the schemes, all the beneficiaries were empowered from January to date.

“In order to reduce the tension

of unemployment in the state, the beneficiaries were employed under our various programs in which we pay them monthly stipends depending on the programme one is absorbed.

“Some receive N10,000 while others received N2,000 as their stipends and in some cases we also pay the trainers of our graduates a monthly stipend of 10,000 too.”

He commended the effort of the NDE Director-General, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad, for ensuring that the programmes were implemented in all the 36 states of the federation.

The co-ordinator called on the beneficiaries to use the training and the money they were provided to develop themselves so that by 2015 others could also benefit from the programmes.

NDE Empowers 1,427 In GUSAU - The Zamfara CoZamfara ordinator of National Directorate The Convener, Musical Youth Fiesta Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (middle); Chairman, Musical Youth Fiesta Initiatives, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (3rd right) and students of Leadership Academy for Girls, at the inauguration of Musical Youth Academy for Girls

by Senator in Lagos recently.

25 Ships Laden With Petroleum Products, bulk fertiliser, steel products, LAGOS - Twenty-five Arrive Nigeria NPA bulk ethanol and general ships laden with petroleum products and other commodities have arrived at Lagos ports, according to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The NPA said that the ships were waiting to discharge their contents at the ports.

It said 12 of the 25 ships would discharge petrol, while a ship was laden with Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO).

amusement parks in the city showed a remarkable drop in patronage, except for Wonderland Park, which still recorded a high turnout of visitors.

At the Millennium and Jabi parks, newsmen observed that the facilities recorded few visitors.

Officials at the parks refused to respond to inquiries on the low patronage by visitors.

However, at the Wonderland Park, the story was different as parents and children were seen enjoying themselves although not as they did during the festive breaks.

One of the managers at Wonderland Park, Mr Paul Oko, said it was only a temporary lull and expressed optimism that the situation would change in the days to come.

“After the Christmas celebrations that dovetailed

“The remaining 12 ships arrived at the ports with food items such as bulk rice, general cargo, bulk gypsum, fresh fish and bulk fertiliser.’’

The NPA added that 44 ships carrying containers laden with assorted goods, foods, petroleum products and other commodities were expected to arrive at Lagos ports from December 30 to

January 15, 2015.

“Two other ships are bringing into the country petrol and diesel, while two ships containing bulkwheat and four others containing fresh fish are also being expected, ’’ it said.

The NPA said 15 other ships would arrive with charcoal, bulk rice, bulk salt, used vehicles, bulk sugar,

cargo.

It also indicated that 27 other ships were discharging bulkwheat, bulk rice, containers, bulk sugar, base oil, ethanol, general cargo, fertiliser and petroleum products.

The reports say that 16 ships were waiting to discharge commodities and petroleum products at the various ports in Lagos.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Youths Take Caution AjuwayaToday

OVER the years youth in a certain country plays significant role in the decision making of that particular country that is, youths have a say in the political economical and social change development and stability of a country which is why the adage says that train a child and build a nation because it is presumed that the youths of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

The scenario is also the same in Nigeria, the only problem associated with that of the country (Nigeria). Is that the way the youths are being used or better said the way they allow themselves to be used is the focus of this write up.

There are two major categories of youths in Nigeria and they are classified by their involvement in the political activities and their participations before, during and after the elections.

The first category of the youths are the ones used for the smooth running of the electoral process those whom the body that is saddled with the responsibility of carrying out all elections related activities used in getting their jobs done and they are fresh graduates who are within their service year otherwise known as the National Youths Services Corps members (NYSC) which is why the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has been in partnership-with for over four years now to see that these youth contributing their own quota to the success of the elections The commission however to things in place by training the corps members on the electoral process, just last week INEC officials nationwide emback on a

By ORIYOMI TIJANI A.

one day training programme for all corps members serving in all the states in the country on how to distribute the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC( in exchange for the old Temporary Voters Cards (TVC) Some of the corps members are still on training as we speak because they are saddled with the responsibilities of continuous voters registration which is scheduled for November12 2014 and are also to prepare their minds towards the forth coming elections slated for February 14 2015.

The second category of the youth are the ones who these write up is focused on because they are the those who because of one reason or the other allow themselves to be used by politicians and political parties as instruments of destruction they go by the name area boys, hoodlums or thugs.

Thuggery as defined by the advanced leaner dictionary as a process of acting violently especially in the area of crime.

Political thuggery can be defined as the illegal means of seeking political power while political violence is seen as the illegitimate and unauthorized use of force to influence decision against the desire or will of the people.

These are the set of youths who will go to any length to a-certain that their political godfathers have their way in the elections through the use of force to influence voters decision.

They go as far as brutalizing and at times kill the political opponent of their godfathers in other to ensure that power and authority is bestowed on those who had sent them to

carry out the devilish act, the question to be asked is if these set of people do not have thing to do or that the growth and development of the country is not their concern?

The answers to these questions are not farfetched, most of these youths who are used by these politicians for political hooliganism and violence are those who can hardly eat three square meals per day without begging or forcefully

collecting from those who are at their mercy and those in these category are traders and market women who mostly see these set of people as the ones maintain law and other when the police and other law enforcement agencies are nowhere to be found.

Though among those who do these dirty works are some learned ones who actually went to school but ended up becoming a member of a secret cult and because of the power they

seem to have pass through the illegal possession of illegal arms, ammunitions, mystical and fetish powers becomes aids to this so called political Godfathers.

Most of which has made their money through looting of government funds from the various offices they hold or has held as the case may be and some through affiliation with those of them whom they have helped into political offices through their thugs and hoodlums.

They don’t seem to care

if those they use to get to their power place end up dead all they care about is to see themselves or their candidate in the office and after that is done they make those thugs their personal aid and body guards They might as well put them in office meant for the serious minded educated graduates who knows how to do the job well will fit in but they give it to the hoodlums in other to keep them closer in case of other assignments and the person who ought to be doing such

“The second category of the youth are the ones who these write up is focused on because they are the those who because of one reason or the other allow themselves to be used by politicians and political parties as instruments of destruction they go by the name area boys, hoodlums or thugs.�

jobs ends up on the streets because their places have been filled by the hoodlums.

The implications of these to the society is of grave concern because if the so called youth of today who are meant to be future leaders are the presents hoodlums of today then I wonder the type of leaders the country will produce when the time comes.

So this piece is aimed at telling those youths to

opportunity for them to think twice about their future for generations to come will remember them and give them what they deserve either to pray for them or to course them for having mismanaged their future for a token.

So this is a call on all those who wants to use this forth coming elections as a way to get themselves hooked to a political godfather to be used continuously as a devil tool to take caution, because

watch their ways because an election is around the corner and this is the time for them to set their head straight and work for the betterment of this country because at the end it affects them more than they expect some of them have younger ones at school who will eventually graduates and needs to get a job and it is that time that it will struck them that they have sold out their future and that of their younger ones And it means they have not only failed themselves but they have failed their people and generations to come will never forgive them for having sold them out and having exchanged their mandate and future for those that cannot offer them anything than eternal destruction.

This is a change and an

the prayers of the youths who have graduated for years and are still struggling to make ends means without doing anything bad is to see that person that will deliver the country from the chains of unemployment and lack of simple social amenities for the masses will be answered.

Either they like it or not this forth coming election will be free fair and credible and the faith of the hoodlums will be in the hands of God On a final note this is an advice for the youths in general do not sell your future for it is whatever you do today that if not your children will get in the nearest future because if care is not taken you would be surprised that they will from today destroy the lives of the children that will come of tomorrow as it is said a word is enough for the wise.

THE NIGERIAN

12

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015 THE year 2014 expired yesterday and today, the world is welcomed to a new Year, the year 2015; the year of the nation’s general elections, the year of great expectations for all Nigerians at various strata of the society.

HOWEVER, as the year 2014 fades out and the nation enters a new calendar year today, there is the need to retrospect on some of the activities that dominated public discourse in the outgone year and the lessons they hold for the New Year.

FIRST is the shocking waves which the announcement of the oil subsidy removal and the upward jerk of the oil price from N65 to N97 per litre sent to the spines of Nigerians.

Obviously, the January 1st 2014 announcement became a defining one, politically, economically and socially, as Nigerians, practically without exemption became affected in one way or the other with the increment.

MORE specifically, in the realm of politics, the year 2014 witnessed a lot of activities which have continued to shape the actions, inactions, discussions of governments and political parties in Nigeria and the world at large. These include National Conventions, acrimonious party primaries, high-powered defections, factionalisation and polarisation of political parties and State Houses of Assembly, political endorsements and protests against the use of state security forces to intimidate political opponents.

IN the area of security, the Boko Haram insurgency attained its wildest zenith and perhaps, assured the status of behemoth, devouring, destroying, maiming, bombings and kidnapping of large hundreds of persons and communities. The federal Government Secondary School Girls at Chibok had the worst feel of the menacing reign of Boko Haram with the kidnap of over 200 school girls on April 15, 2014. up till date, these unfortunate girls have not been freed and re-united with their families.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER even lost a staff to the Boko Haram madness in the Abuja or Nyanyan Bomb Blast of April 14, 2014 with the bombing to death of Marcelina Aigbirior, a

THE NIGERIAN

Welcome 2015, Goodbye 2014 Circulation staff of The OBSERVER who was on official duty on the unfortunate day.

IT is equally noteworthy that the year 2014 devoured so many other innocent victims across various platforms, professions and ethnic groups in Nigeria and beyond, whether in terms of physical deaths or losing of positions of authorities. For instance, the year witnessed the removal or sale of impeachments of some elected government officers, prominent among them, the former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako who was impeached over charges of abuse of office, though some analysts believe his removal was politically sponsored over his allegations that the President was sponsoring the insurgency in the Northeast.

IN 2014, particularly as at last week, across the global, 66 Journalists were reportedly killed, 119 abducted and 178 others clamped in jail, according to a survey report in Daily Trust Newspaper. This impinges on our freedom to be informed in 2015.

ACCORDING to Human Rights Watch, the Boko Haram insurgents have wreaked unfathomable damage to the psyches, mind and soul of those Nigerians and President alike in the Northeast.

They have killed at least 2,053 civilians in an estimated 95 attacks during the first half of 2014 in their renewed and intensified attacks on daily basis. Given their take over of Mubi town, as well as several other towns and villages in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and other recent attacks in Kano, Damaturu and Jos, the toll this year must by now, be over 5,000 deaths. The Human toll is though, difficult to verify, but very alarming and worrisome.

ALTHOUGH President Goodluck Jonathan told the UN Security Council recently, that “over

13,000 people have been killed, whole communities razed, and hundreds of persons kidnapped,” the Nigeria security Trackers, a project run by African Programme of the council on Foreign Relations, estimates the death toll from 2011, when it began its work to August 2014 at over 17,000.

MEANWHILE, as more women and girls are being kidnapped, more villages razed, more widows, 0rphans and displaced persons are being created, no thanks to the insurgency in the Northeast, the implications is that more people are being forced to witness the year 2015 in camps or even in the wilderness, homeless.

IN the out gone year, a lot of worrisome developments in the aviation sector happened. Here although Nigeria had its unfair share of the aviation hiccups, we must not fail to pray for Malaysia, which suffered three major air disasters in 2014 alone. First on March 8, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared, with 239 people on board, triggering one of modern aviation’s most perplexing mysteries. On July 17, another Malyasia‘Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down over Ukraine, killing all the 298 passengers and crew. They were either killed by the rebels or by government forces, no one can tell. Presently, a Malaysia-based Air Asia, owned by Malaysia businessman, Tony Fernandez has been looking for its flight QZ8501 which disappeared on Sunday, December 21, with 162 people aboard, most likely now under the South Java Sea, according to recent reports.

NO doubt, year 2014 had been very tensed, tough, challenging and engaging. In year 2015, based on the trending austerity measures now being introduced by the Federal Government, the reforms in the Judiciary, Power Sector, the Political permutations and unfolding currents in other sectors of the national life of Nigerians, THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER cannot but urge Nigerians to pray for the best in 2015.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Society CONGRATULATIONS!!! we made it, again! It’s awesome, isn’t it? It’s a miracle that words alone, no matter how embellished, cannot qualify, and the reasons are as good as told.

In the outgone year we saw and heard of mishaps, both natural and humanmade. We heard of violence; we heard of terror; we saw and felt a scare and there were visible scars, too. The Ebola saga, was it not scary enough? We experienced upheavals – economic, political, social and from all fronts. The still ravaging austerity measures…. Are they not economic upheavals that could become another sad debacle in our history as a people? Could it not become, as it were, another soury details if not nipped in the bud?

We also experienced fear in the preambles to the still much anticipated 2015 General Elections, palpable fears as people no more whispered, but screamed “revolutions” and went on to talk openly about it in the media. And for persons who had never experienced a revolution, the ten-letter word dripped blood and human tissues. One can then understand the fear. Was it not Richelle Mead, a

Happy New Year! philosopher, who said, “the most powerful revolutions often start very quietly, hidden in the shadows.

Remember that”. That is akin to making scary faces at an infant and enjoying it as the

By IJEOMA UMEH

innocent convulsed!

From one clime to another, we heard gory tales.

In our parts and elsewhere, insurgents’ bombs exploded

“I see smiles from the threshold of the year that has come, whispering, “it will be happier…” – Alfred Tennyson”

(if you listen, you can still hear them) and lives are snuffed out of the innocents by the minutes. We have thought about it and

concluded that the starry skies would be filled with much more souls of bomb blast victims than would with those who transited by other natural or human made circumstances.

We heard of boats, ships,

New Year Quotes For New You! “For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and this year’s words await another voice” – T.S. Eliot “I hope that in this year you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before and more importantly, you’re doing something!.

So that’s my wish for you, and all of us and my wish for myself.

Make new mistakes make glorious amazing mistakes, make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you’re scared of doing. Do it, make your mistakes, this year, next year and forever. (You will learn to make better mistakes)” – Neil Gaiman.

“Today is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one”. – Brad Paisley.

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right” – Oprah Winfrey “May light always Surround you; Hope kindle and rebound you May your hurts turn to healing

Your heart embrace feeling May wounds become wisdom Every kindness a prism May laughter Infect you; Your passion Resurrect you May goodness inspire your deepest desires.

Through all that you reach for, May your arms never tire” D. Simone “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” - Edith Lovejoy Pierce “We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, crack to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws but for potentials” – Ellen Goodman.

“Many things are thrown our way in this game of life. It’s how you deal with them that shows your true character. I want all of you to feel the hope, love and passion I feel for the New Year and the rest of my life. I want all of you to not only go for your dreams, but have a damn ass good time doing it! Love and warmth” May – May Water.

ferries or whatever other names they called those water-borne means of transport, capsize and the disappearance of souls, air planes also bearing hundreds of souls disappearing into unknown Bermuda Triangles,

metamorphosing into Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) with no known destinations, imagine those endless night we sat up between sleep, wondering in what part of the equally endless oceans would the missing planes lie, with cadavers of beautiful souls inert?

We heard of unthinkable murders; of assassinations that rubbished the popular, or famed, assassinations of world leaders and business moguls. In Benin City, Edo State, a poor couple who lived in a thatch – roofed mud house in a remote community were both sprayed with an assassin’s bullets until their assailant was sure the spirits had departed … and that kept this writer turning and tossing all night in bed, an outcome of a nightmare that every right thinking person shared in, for our collective guilt in others’ misfortunes. The questions were benumbing since the answers never came… why would anyone murder a poor couple in such a horrible state and location? What had they

done to deserve being murdered by such uncommon means as gun shots? We decided … no enmity is uncommon where humans are full of bile and unforgiving. And that is not fair, to say the least.

Again, come to think of it, if you saw that huge armory that was recently uncovered somewhere in our own Naija, a catchment of arms gigangic enough to level World War 3 enemies on all fronts, and those displayed virtually everyday after normal police checks and parades, then it is clear that nowadays guns and bullets, even grenades and other explosive devices are cheaper by the dozens!

We heard of horrible tales – like those from the Hammer House of Horrors – of men serially, sexually abusing, impregnating or defiling their own daughters and infants, of fathers impregnating their daughters, murdering them and burying them in shallow graves in frantic bids to conceal their ogre, of men and women in the toga of ritualists caught with human heads and limbs that dripped with blood, of community upheavals where youths ransacked communities unleashing terror on residents, killing, maiming and engaging in wanton destruction of property. What did we not see? We saw police brutality, military rascality. We can go on and on, but do we inundate you, this first day of the year, with the gory details? Not all! But one more: we also heard of high-tech corruption in high places; we saw Nollywood in the hallowed chambers across the nation as legislators turned Sumi wrestlers. Who would also forget in a hurry, the uncanny, horrific abduction of over 200 school girls in Chibok.

We saw and we conquered. We are survivors, let us applaud ourselves that we were not swallowed by the year that has now become a residue of history. It’s a miracle! We were indeed, not moved by what we saw and heard as the song goes; we thank the all seeing allknowing, the all sufficient and benevolent God, our creator. And now we make an affirmation (not a filial resolution) that this year, we have come, we will see, and we will conquer! Happy New Year!

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Ajuwaya

NYSC THE REALITY (Leader) Obi kererenkel (Chant) Obil!

(Leader) kererenke!

(Chant) Obi!!

(Leader) say Allawi oo!!

(Chant) Allawi oo! Allawi ooi!

(Leader) say Ornolara!

(Chant) Omolara! Omolara!!

(Leader) chop akara dey go!

(Chant) moimoi no dey!!

(Leader) chopakara dey go!

(Chant) moimoi no dey!!

(Leader) oshiobey!

(Chant) Hey!!

(Leader) Oshiobey!

(Chant) Hey!!

(Leader) morale!

(Chant) High!!

The echo reverberated along the street with an intensity equal to the passion in the voices that chanted. Feet net thudded along the ground as they jogged. Smiles of admiration shone from the faces of the children in the street as they watched bodies perspire with the vigour of youth against the morning dew. That was the early morning jogging of the Corp. members at the orientation camp. The thrills, the trainings, the sleepless nights, the activities, the injuries. To a few it was fun, to some, it was an excise, to some others, it was a burden. But no matter how anybody felt, the reality was and still is, the National Youth Service Corps.

The NYSC scheme was established by decree No 24 of May 22, 1973 by General Yakubu Gowon’s administration. The scheme was created with a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian civil war. The purpose of NYSC is primarily to inculcate in Nigerian youths the spirit of selfless service to the community and brotherhood to all Nigerians irrespective of cultural or social background . The NYSC scheme is divided into four programs. The orientation camp, the Community Development Service, Primary Assignment and the Passing out/winding up activities.

Coming down to those remote places of primary assignment of which some corp members are posted to, where children are coaxed to go to school even when the education is free and most of these children even at senior secondary level could barely spell their names. Children preferred farm labour where they could earn some money to going to school. Parents preferred that children stay back from. school and help out in the farm. A night before the market day for the children is a sleepless one, spent frying garri for sales at the market the next day, which makes the children weak to go to school the next day and the few who manage to go to school on the market day, sleep all through class hours. Goats come knocking, at the doors in the middle of the night scaring the corps member their chagrin. One has to wait for the four days market interval to get food to stuffs for a meal and even on those market days, one never got all the resources one needed. There is no electricity, not even electric poles in these remote

NYSC: The Reality areas. Don’t raise your brows in surprise, it’s that bad. No ironing of clothes. It could be boring as no electric/ gadget could be used to keep one entertained or even informed. Some see it as an ordeal, others see it as time wasted, a few others who have never experienced such raw conditions go to bed wishing it’s all a dream or only the figment of their imagination but when they wake up, they wake up to the reality, it’s NYSC, it’s service for the nation.

Some corps members are privileged to be serving in private establishments like the private schools or

service. The discussions, the arguments, the resolutions. Such meetings could be sometimes laborious, at other times educating.

The core value of NYSC is service and humility.

There’s strength in humility. Strength in tolerating the views, lifestyle and behaviour of other tribes.

Strength in adapting to the culture, food, language and environ of another tribe, state or people different from yours. There’s strength in influencing young minds to step into their light and maximise their potential. Yes! We are called to service, to live for the light of others, to lay down our lives for them.

Not necessarily by going to the cross, but by

local government offices or state, where they are paid a little stipend while other themselves in government schools and states that don’t pay a farthing. Yet are all corps members, pledged to their father land to give their best of service. Some corps embers think it’s unfair, others complain, the assumed unprivileged ones get nonchalant with their duty while a few are dogged minded, determined to make the best of it, in spite of their circumstances . But whatever be the case, National Youth Service Corps is the reality each faced. At the CDS groups, intellectual minds come together to make impact in their community of

experiencing personal sacrifices. Connections are made, love is shared. That’s the reality.

NYSC is a year reality that can be an instrument to finding purpose, self discovery and personal advancement. In those dry and boring days at the remote Places of Primary Assignment, one could utilize such quiet time to plan for the future, read books, take a professional course towards career advancement, it could be a time of spiritual renewing.

I’m talking from experience. That’s my own opinion.

Whatever your own opinion is, you may be right too, but the reality of NYSC, is an experience of a lifetime.

By OJEKHEBHOLO BLESSING OSEI

“The NYSC scheme was established by decree No 24 of May 22, 1973 by General Yakubu Gowon’s administration. The scheme was created with a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian civil war. The purpose of NYSC is primarily to inculcate in Nigerian youths the spirit of selfless service to the community and brotherhood to all Nigerians irrespective of cultural or social background.”

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

THE NIGERIAN

16

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Spotlight

IN 1958 racial tensions were running high in Kenya, a black African nation ruled by whites.

The powder-keg atmosphere was made even more explosive because Africans were split into 40 separate tribes; some, longstanding enemies. A state of emergency was in force, the legacy of the Mau Mau rebellion which began in the early 1950s and took more than 10,000 lives, most of them black Africans; thousands more went to detention camps. In Nairobi most native Africans were servants; few were seen On the streets; none drove cars.

In the classrooms of upper Secondary schools there were no native Africans. But what the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, would describe “the winds of change” were already blowing fiercely in Africa.

“We came to Kenya with our project, the first multi-racial college in East Africa, something for all the races and for all religions,” recalled Father Joseph Gabiola, Opus Del’s first priest in the country. “We feared the authorities would say: ‘What do you mean? This cannot be. Are you mad?”

The main obstacle was racism.

Blocks of land in Nairobi, were generally for Europeans, Africans or Asians. Few could be used for the new college. The land, members of Opus Dei found, was in a European residential area and the neighbours objected. “Officially they objected because they did not want a school in the neighbourhood,” Father Gabiola said. “But everybody knew the real reason was that the school would have black Africans.

There was a meeting in one of the rooms of the local council and we had to go along to answer some questions. There was a huge crowd of whites outside and the thing became quite hot.

I don’t know why, but the whites were all abusing us. It was in all the newspapers, front page. And in the end they won. We lost the land.”

As it turned out losing the first battle was providential. Another block of land was found in Strathmore Road (now Mzima Springs Rd). This time there was no room for complaint—it was adjacent to three European schools.

The goal was to build a boarding school which would bridge the gap between secondary and university.

Previously native Kenyans had to leave the country to get a higher education. ‘There was a big gap there,” Father Gabiola explained. “The aim was to create something to train the students in many areas: academic, human and, for those who wanted it, religious.”

After the land problem came financial problems. The first principal, David Sperling, and teacher, Kevin O’Byrne, took the brave step of starting the main building before all the money was raised. The students

were all poor so it was useless looking there for help. The colonial government gave some money, some was raised through mortgages but it was not enough; so David Sperling set off for Europe and America in search of benefactors.

When the money problem was under control critics predicted the project would be a disaster anyway. A friend of Father Gabiola, a religious, warned him: “Its going to be a failure because you will not get the students.”

“But,” Father Gabiola said, “we were determined that, with the grace of God, it would work”. David sperling and Kevin O’Byrne travelled the country looking for students to put their faith in an institution that did not yet exist, and they were successful.

“When he heard of it, my friend said: ‘Of course you will have Africans, but you will not have Europeans. And Asians, you will not have Asians.’ Later I was able to tell him: ‘We have found an Asian student.’ His reaction was: ‘Very good, very good, you will have one.’ And then the Europeans wanted to come, through friendship because by this time we had many friends, and so it continued on.”

In the early days conditions at Strathmore were primitive. The college was surrounded by bush which ran down into the Nairobi River valley. As students arrived all that could be seen over the maize in front of the new school was the boxes they carried on their heads. The land was infested with cobras. One day a leopard paid a visit, followed by a hyena which chased a student up one of the pillars at the entrance to the main building.

More formidable than the physical environment were the racial barriers. These were not restricted to differences between black and white: some tribes had less in common with each other than with the Europeans.

Father Gabiola remembered the scene on the first night: “They had told us the African students would be jumping through the windows, all kinds of things. We were full of wonder at what was going to happen. The first night I was out in the garden he opened his eyes wide in imitation of someone watching in anticipation and then broke into laughter: “But everything was silent.

Everybody was studying.”

Potential racial tensions were neutralised by Strathmore’s family atmosphere, an approach inspired by the words of Opus Dei’s founder: “We are brothers, children of the same Father, God. So there is only one colour, the colour of the children of God. And there is only one language, the language which speaks to the heart and to the mind, without the noise of words, making us know God and love one another.”

The college shield carried three hearts and the motto was

Kenya Fighting

‘ut omnes unum sint”, may they all be one. In a homily at the first Mass at Strathmore on a temporary altar, Fr. Gabiola first spoke of Strathmore as a family home. He remembered the surprise on the faces of students: “It was, I believe, a very bold thing to aim at, especially considering the large variety of races, tribes, nationalities and even religions, both among the students and the teachers. It could have been taken as a beautiful thought, as a figure of sj or. as an empty dream, but it was taken in earnest, and all responded.”

The response was seen in practical things. When one of the first students, Gabriel Mukele, arrived with only one set of clothes, the other students fitted him out with ties, socks and shirts and David Sperling donated his old school suit.

Despite .these gifts Gabriel felt he was too poor to continue.

He decided to drop out and take a job; but David Sperling talked him out of it; he arranged holiday jobs so Gabriel could earn enough to get by.

Integration influenced all aspects of college life. No room was occupied by students of a single race or region. The teachers’ rooms were alongside students’ rooms. Meals were served at tables of six: a teacher, a European and African students and so on.

One of the early residents, Jacob Kimengich, remembered: “At meal time I found myself sitting at the same table with the principal and, of course, the other teaching staff were also there; and we were eating the same food. This was drastically different from my boarding school days where the food and accommodation was not shared at all. In those days who could think of eating the same food with a Mzungu, leave alone sitting at the same table and sharing the same residential building. It was totally unexpected.”

Another early student, Wilfred Kiboro, reflected: “A tradition started in Strathmore from the very beginning that everyone’s opinion, belief, custom, colour, creed was respected. We were taught to be mindful of one another and considerate.

Students were encouraged to assist each other whenever possible. Hard work was a way of life. .“Another tradition I recall was respect for individual freedom.

We had no written rules, no prefects or class monitors, no general supervised study. One was given the responsibility to exercise his individual freedom: to study in his own time, and to manage his life generally. I think this is one of the traditions that truly distinguishes Strathmore

“The main obstacle was racism. Blocks of land in Nairobi, were generally for Europeans, Africans or Asians. Few could be used for the new college. The land, members of Opus Dei found, was in a European residential area and the neighbours objected.

“Officially they objected because they did not want a school in the neighbourhood,” Father Gabiola said. “But everybody knew the real reason was that the school would have black Africans.”

from similar institutions. It was in my two years there that I came to feel that I was really accountable for my actions, not because there were rules, but because a certain standard of excellence was expected of me. If I failed to achieve it, I could only blame myself.”

Even today Strathmore is believed to be the only institution in Kenya without prefects or written rules. The philosophy was spelt out to teachers at the school thus: “Show a man you trust him and sooner or later he will respond to that trust, Leave a person free to act and he will usually act in a responsible manner; if he does not act responsibly, then patiently show him how he was wrong and leave him free to act again.”

Strathmore continued to break social conventions with Kenya’s first interracial rugby team. The Africans had never played before because rugby was a white man’s game; the new team did not go up noticed. The first match was recorded in The East African Standard on June 8 under the headline: First Multi-racial Rugby Team Makes Debut; and in the Sunday Nation on June 11, 1961, under the headline:. An Experiment on the Rugby Field. The news reached as far south as Johannesburg, with the Johannesburg Stars carrying an action photograph of the Strathmore team entitled: Study in Black and White Rugby.

The experiment forced students at Strathmore to confront hidden prejudices. “The hooker in our team was white and the props were both big African fellows,” Father Gabiola explained. “After the first training session, the hooker came and said: ‘I don’t want to play.’

‘Why not?’ I asked. He did not want to say, but eventually he whispered: ‘I don’t want to be with the Africans so close together.’ Father Gabiola burst into laughter: ‘Well, it was there, the mentality was there. And it was something we had to overcome. And we did overcome it.” ..

It was not long before 80 per cent of Strathmore’s students were being accepted at university. The college gained an international reputation, attracting students from all over English speaking Africa as well as from Rwanda and Zaire. It branched out, opening a school of accountancy in 1966, a lower secondary school in 1978 and a primary school in 1987.

Some current residents of Strathmore spoke about their experience. Matthew Ndegwa, who came to Strathmore in 1979, now works for the government as a civil engineer and is a co-operator of Opus Dei. “Opus Dei taught me how to get my priorities right, to do first things first and to persevere with something to the very end, to carry out my duties,” he said. “I am the first born son of a family of 12. In my country a first born son must give a good example for the others.

He should also use his money to help the others, to help pay for the education of the younger ones which takes more than a third of my salary. The spiritual life Opus Dei introduced me to makes it easier to cope with the 24 hours of the day. It opens up my mind to my responsibilities and helps me not to ignore them.”

Boniface Ngarachu, a teacher of accountancy at Strathmore, came there as a student in 1977. Already

a Catholic when he arrived, he said he had learnt at Strathmore about the value of work, something he wanted to pass on to other people: “the idea that through work you can do something for your country, for your family, and your soul and that you can turn it into a prayer”.

“There is also something else that has struck me,” Boniface said. “Perhaps something that was very personal. I had many friends when I went to Strathmore, including girl friends, and .when I talked to the priest I talked about them. Normally

migrating with their livestock and their few worldly possessions in search of grazing land and water.

For those who move to the city, it is a difficult transition.

Regular work schedules, the faster pace and the impersonal way of life are difficult to adjust to. And there is the problem of the unequal sharing of wealth.

The extent of this problem was brought home to me while traveling on a ratty old bus from the airport into Nairobi. It was’ not a bus that whites normally used. All the passengers were blacks.

From the bus you could see

by Cat and the the fre The recogni can nev social h matter corrupt can def hand go in mak faulty injustic counte individ Over with W assistan

one shys away, but I felt 1 could tell him everything and I realised there was more in friendship. I realised there was something noble in it.”

More than half the population of Kenya is Christian; about one third of them, Catholic.

The population has been growing faster than any other country in the world, though only about 18 per cent of land is arable. Most native Kenyans still live on small farm settlements struggling to raise livestock and crops or working part time on the properties of wealthy landowners.

As you drive out of Nairobi you quickly come to tea and coffee plantations where native Africans labour all day under the sun to earn a modest wage. The women in particular have a hard lot. You see them struggling along the side of the road under huge loads. Further inland where the countryside is dryer, hotter, dustier, where the earth has to be worked hard before it will give even the most meager returns, life is harder still. Many black Africans there live in thatched huts on bare earth floors as their people done for centuries.

They are nomads, continually

the shanty houses and claustrophobic housing developments where poor blacks lived. The little free land in these areas, including traffic islands, was used for sambas (the traditional Kenyan vegetable patch). The sea of faces waiting at each bus stop grew as you approached the city centre until there seemed to be hundreds of men, women and children trying to get on. It was a Saturday morning and on the footpaths you saw row after row of wretched stalls, sometimes consisting of as little as a few used vinyl belts on a piece of old cloth.

On the other side of town where the whites and wealthy blacks lived, things were different. The houses were impressive, even by the standards of developed countries. They were large and airy, the gardens pleasant, the driveways long and the hedges high. It is this contrast between rich and poor which Kenya must fight to overcome.

So far the country has managed to avoid the major political or social upheavals of other African nations; but there are no guarantees about the future.

Security can only come with social justice and a national spirit which avoids large class distinctions. An essential part of social justice as it is promoted

compan Dei. “O attracte that her countri lot mo develop many o people becaus had rec learned become the dev will end among far behi Either w will e society Patric physic College Opus D salary, and a “Now import “They ends in I have change - you society yoursel he had Young debatin and had politics ambitio

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Spotlight

g Discrimination

tholic moral teaching— erefore by Opus Dei—is e action of individuals.

Church’s teaching ises that good structures ver be enough to ensure harmony and justice. No how good structures are, t and selfish individuals feat them. On the other ood citizens can succeed king even a society with structures work, the ce of the system being eracted by the spirit of duals. lunch in Nairobi I spoke Wilson Kalunge, an nt manager with an oil

he was now doing with youth. “I feel I am having a real impact on society this way. Through the tutorial system at Strathmore you really get to know the students as individuals. I have had cases of boys labelled write-off and in the space of two years I have seen at least three of these ‘write offs’ completely reformed. That is satisfying. ‘e of two years I have seen at least three of these ‘write offs’ completely reformed.

That is satisfying.’’

Kianda Secretarial College, the first multi-racial educational centre for women in East Africa, is another project of members of Opus Dei in Nairobi. In the

ny and a member of Opus One of the things which ed me to Opus Dei was re were people from other ies, but people who had a ore• concern for the pment of this country than of us. It was clear these were the way they were e of the formation they ceived. In Opus Dei I have d that unless Kenyans e more concerned about velopment of others some d up wealthy while others their countrymen are left ind, struggling to survive. we accept our duties or we nd up with a classed y.” ck Mwaniki, a maths and s teacher at Strathmore e, told me before he met Dei his goals were a high a big house, a good car comfortable lifestyle. for me these are not the tant things,” he said. are only means and not n themselves. In Opus Dei found your ambitions e to what can do for people and y, not what you can do for lf.” Patrick said at school d been involved in the Christian Association, ng and wild life societies d ambitions of getting into s. He said he found those ons fulfilled in the work

beginning there were only 17 students and they were all European. When the first application came from an Asian girl, the neighbours refused to consent. Again there was the problem of finding non segregated land. A site was eventually found on Waiyaki Way, 10 kilometres outside the centre of Nairobi, and Kianda became the first integrated secretarial college for women in the country. The fact was heavily publicised. One newspaper article said if anyone saw girls of different colours walking on the streets together they could be sure they were from Kianda College.

The often hostile reaction made life difficult; but racial discrimination was not the only pressure Kianda had to deal with; there was the question of sexual discrimination. In the early 1960s most African women, if they had jobs at all, had the worst; they were poorly paid; their living conditions and clothes were poor; the fees for a secretarial course were more than they could afford. Kianda was able to talk large firms into establishing a system of sponsorships.

The new opportunity enabled the girls to find a career for themselves and to help support their often poverty-stricken families and clans. When independence came

in 1963 Kianda was the only college training Africans.

Kianda has similar aims to Strathmore and has faced similar challenges. In 1966 it started a residential college for students who were new to Nairobi and had nowhere to stay. The more than 5000 students who have passed through came frclm all over East Africa, Ethiopia, Zambia, Sudan, Nigeria, Lesotho and Rwanda. Up to 17 nations have been represented at any one time, moving Kenya’s Sunday Nation newspaper to comment in 1980: “Today the panAfrican status of Kianda is a model for other African countries.” In 1977 Kianda opened a high school. The Daily Nation noted in 1984 that the school took only seven years to become one of the nation’s top 10 schools.

One goal of Kianda, as with Strathmore, has been to help students overcome racial and tribal differences and to build strong characters. Students are encouraged to read widely and to improve their cultural background.

Kianda’s philosophy is that Kenya needs not only secretaries with fast shorthand and typing, but mature individuals with initiative, personality and responsibility. As a principal of the college, Miss Olga Marlin, described it: “people who can run an office, not just type letters.” Some of the students have become teachers at the college. Others run businesses, such as data processing firms, shops and commercial farms.

Miss Marlin, who came to Nairobi to help establish Kianda in 1960, said Kianda did not stop at giving students a sound professional formation, but helped those who were practising Christians to improve their Christian life so that it permeated everything they did. “Monsignor Escriva often warned against the danger of separating these two aspects,” she said, “living a kind of double life, with God for Sundays and special occasions, on the one hand, one’s professional and social life, on the other.” Miss Marlin’s successor, Miss Constance Gillian, outlined some of the qualities Kianda encouraged in its students as generosity, inner strength and calmness, tenacity and positive thinking.

Given the professional training that centres of Opus Dei like Kianda provide, it is clear that Opus Dei does not seek to restrict women to the home. Asked to comment on what a woman’s mission should be Monsignor Escrivá. once said he believed there need not be any conflict between family life and social life.

“I think if we systematically contrast work in the home with outside work,” the founder of Opus Dei said, ‘retaining the old dichotomy which was formerly used to maintain that a woman’s place was in the home but switching the stress, it could easily lead, from the social point of view, to a greater mistake than that which we are trying to correct because it would be more serious if it led women to give up their work in the home.

“Even on the personal level one cannot flatly affirm that a

woman has to achieve her perfection only outside the home, as if time spent on her family were time stolen from the development of her personality.

The home—whatever its characteristics, because a single woman should also have a home—is a particularly suitable place for the growth of her personality. The attention she gives to her family will always be a woman’s greatest dignity. In the care she takes of her husband and children or, to put it in mote general terms, in her work of creating a warm and formative atmosphere around her, a woman fulfills the most indispensable part of her mission. And so it follows that she can achieve her personal perfection there.

“What I have just said does not go against her participating in other aspects of social life including politics. In these spheres, too, women can offer a valuable personal contribution, without neglecting their special feminine qualities. They will do this to the extent in which they are humanly and professionally equipped. Both family and society clearly need this special contribution, which is in no way secondary to that of men.”

I asked several women in Kenya how Opus Dei had influenced their lives. One, Mrs. Zipporah Wandera, had been an advocate of the High court of Kenya. Her appointment as the first female Assistant Town Clerk of Nairobi created attention in the local press: in Africa women have generally been restricted in public life.

Mrs. Wandera, a convert to Catholicism and a member of Opus Dei, spoke in her office surrounded by books, papers and the offices of her male counterparts.

“In my job I have to deal with departmental heads and there are often difficulties,” she said.

“There are always politicians who are disgruntled because of the way you do things or because you do not want to do what they ask. African men tend to think very little of a woman’s opinion.

It is the way they are brought up.

But the spiritual direction I have received gives me courage to stand up to people, even my bosses and if I think they are wrong I tell them.

“That is not to say that Opus Dei gets involved in my professional life. Opus Dci gives me spiritual formation and helps me to broaden my knowledge of Christian teaching but never tells me how I should solve any problem I have come across in my job. In fact, interference is something I have never heard of in Opus Dei and that is why I feel at home with it.

Mrs. Irene Njai grew up in a rural area, but won a scholarship to study social work in Italy. She became a social worker, but when we met she was working as an airline ticketing officer

because she said she could not bring herself to accept government policy promoting contraception.

“When I met up with Opus Dei I learnt about turning your work into prayer. I had been a Catholic so long, nobody had ever told me about this. I was told you should pray, but never that work could be turned into prayer; that you could say, I offer this work from eight to 10 o’clock to God for such and such a thing. I felt I was being guided in a special way. It was really very beautiful.

“It isn’t only the big things you can offer to God. When someone comes through the door at the office I think well here is a Son of God, there is a soul in this person and I try to help that person as best I can. Sometimes you will see a customer who looks very much irritated and tired and maybe frightened and you smile and you can change entirely the whole attitude of that person.

“Of course, we will never reach perfection, but little things pieced together produce something very nice. And I think this concept turns the day into something one looks forward to. To someone who has no concept of this, the day does not have this meaning.

The day can be something that one dreads, as I used to dread it before. When one discovers that work is not a tragedy, it is a joy, it changes your life.

“Another thing I am grateful to Monsignor Escriva for is this idea of marriage as a vocation. For example, his praise for human love. I have never heard it from anybody else.

I had read quite a lot of books before I came to Opus Dei, but I never came across anybody who asserted marriage was a vocation as Monsignor Escrivá did.

Nobody else has ever talked to me about this in the same way, showing me how to use the married life as the means for my salvation and my husband’s salvation. And also there is the idea that we are the heart of the family and we need to be at the service of other people. As Monsignor Escrivá used to say: ‘To put our hearts on the floor for the others to walk a bit more comfortably.”

The house was tiny, made from bare boards, with a tin roof and a kerosene lamp for light. Mr. Martin Ngigi and his wife, Jacinta, had invited me to dinner.

Mr. Ngigi is a traditional Kenyan farmer with a two-acre shamba.

He had grown most of what we ate: chicken with a maize cake called ugali and a spinach-like vegetable called sukumawiki.

Mrs. Ngigi, a mother of six and a bank clerk, is a cooperator of Opus Dei. “When I came across Opus Dei I had only two children and I had decided not to have anymore,” she told me. “But when I came into contact with Opus Dei I saw how good a Christian heart was

in a big family. And I now have the four you see and I feel much happier since, so happy.”

One of the younger boys, Josemaria, 9, took this opportunity to whisper to a friend who was with me that this was how he “came to be”. “I was born in 1976,” Josemaria confided.

“That was the year after Monsignor Josemaria died.”

Mrs. Ngigi continued: “I used to think working at the bank was a terrible burden and the same with housework; but it is lighter now. These days I find it, well, a lot of fun.”

Esther Lanoi Kuronoi, a member of Kenya’s Masai tribe, famous for keeping old traditions, grazing cattle and living mainly on a diet of milk mixed c blood taken from cows. As a child she had wandered the dusty plains with the people of her tribe.

Nevertheless she had enough schooling to become a student at the Kibondeni School of Institutional Management, a corporate work of Opus Dei which gives girls forced by poverty to drop out of school a chance to make a career for themselves; for some it is their only chance to break away from an environment where men have six to 12 wives and where women do most of the work.

At Kibondeni, Esther had been doing the two-year course leading to the National Certificate of Institutional Management which includes nutrition, dietetics, administration and accounts, nursing, languages and sociology.

She had also taken classes in religious formation provided by Opus Dei: ‘1 came to Kibondeni School two years ago,” she said.

“I had always been a Catholic, but here I learnt about how to keep to a spiritual plan of life and to sanctify my work: that is offering all of your work to God. Esther said there was no tribalism at Kibondeni. The teachers emphasised that everyone was a child of God, no matter the colour of their skin or the tribe they came from.

All the girls sat together with those of different tribes. One was from the Turkana tribe, a rival of the Masai. The two ribes had been fighting each other for a long time. At home, Esther said, she would never have been able even to talk to the other girl. “Here we tell jokes at get togethers about each other’s tribes and everyone laughs,” she said. “But we are good friends; when we leave the room, we leave holding hands...”

The experience in Kenya highlights something important about Opus Dei: why it can be controversial in some countries, but not in others. It is not because Opus Dei differs from country to country—it is always the same.

The real reason is that standards of morality vary, supporting equal rights for women in the 20th Century is bound to get you into trouble in countries where women are kept out of the workplace. But ft will also attract opposition in those countries; some of them developed countries, in which women are denied the choice of being full time mothers and homemakers.

“Esther said there was no tribalism at Kibondeni. The teachers emphasised that everyone was a child of God, no matter the colour of their skin or the tribe they came from. All the girls sat together with those of different tribes.

One was from the Turkana tribe, a rival of the Masai. The two ribes had been fighting each other for a long time. At home, Esther said, she would never have been able even to talk to the other girl. “Here we tell jokes at get togethers about each other’s tribes and everyone laughs,” she said. “But we are good friends; when we leave the room, we leave holding hands...”

THE NIGERIAN

18

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Law

The Common Law Of Hire-Purchase The common law of hire-purchase will be better understood if the following points are kept in mind. Firstly, the legal nature of the hire-purchase transaction is a term of hire plus a right to purchase on completion of the hiring. Secondly, freedom of contract generally allows enforcement of whatever agreement the parties have freely made. Hirer and owner usually enter into a lengthy printed form of hire-purchase agreement regulating in great detail their legal relationship. The courts then interpret and enforce what the parties have so agreed, in accordance with common law principles. Thirdly, the common law will imply additional terms which the parties did not expressly agree upon but which are implied, or must be taken to have been agreed, from the circumstances of the agreement. For example, the common law will imply that under a hire-purchase agreement the goods hired are fit for the hirer’s purpose. If they are not fit, the hirer has a legal right to object.

As the hire-purchase agreement constitutes a bailment of the goods, a number of other terms will also be implied. The bailment relationship arises where an owner of goods hands possession or custody (but not ownership) of his goods to another person. Common instances of bailment are a loan of goods, pledge, repair or carriage of goods, and of course, hire. The person to whom the goods are entrusted, namely the borrower, carrier or hirer, is called the bailee.

Under the common law, it is implied that the bailee or hirer shall take reasonable care of the goods, shall deal with them as directed, and return them to the bailor or owner at the conclusion of the bailment. As hire-purchase is an agreement for hire or bailment of goods, the hirer must observe these terms and if he fails to do so he may be liable to the owner. Thus in hire-purchase, if the goods are stolen without trace or are destroyed in an accident, and such loss is the hirer’s fault, the hirer will be in breach of these implied terms.

This is because he has failed to take reasonable care of the goods and is unable to return them to the owner. He will then be liable to the o for the unpaid balance of the hire-purchase price by way of damages for such breach.

A number of terms may, therefore, be implied in an agreement, though they will only be implied where the parties have not agreed otherwise. If the parties have, for example, agreed on the extent of the owner’s liability for any defects in the goods, the implied condition that the goods must be fit may be excluded. So also may the parties exclude any other implied term by contrary agreement. For example, the terms of the agreement may place the risk of loss solely on the hirer, so that he bears the loss even if the goods are destroyed through no fault of his own.

The agreement may also impose an absolute duty on the hirer to care for and keep the goods in repair, and may exclude the owner’s liability for any defects in the goods. In each of these cases, such express agreement displaces or overrides the terms implied by the common law. The common law implies terms only when the parties have failed to come to specified agreement on the matter. It will not interfere with the bargain which the parties have decided to make.

Thus, for example, an agreement which denies the hirer the right to sue the owner if the goods prove to be unsatisfactory is valid as it stands, even though it may be highly unfavourable or even harsh to the hirer. This rule is an aspect of the common law principles of freedom of contract, which quite logically enforces any agreement the parties have mutually agreed upon. However, it may work unfairly on a hirer if he is unable to protect himself by bargaining for reasonable terms. For example, a hirer may be a private individual or a local trader. He will probably not understand the full legal or business consequences of the closely-printed agreement which is offered to him. Even if he is capable of doing so, he will not usually be allowed to negotiate for better terms, as he must take or leave the agreement in the form in which it has been printed. He may thus have to accept a printed agreement which the owner has carefully drafted to protect his own interest in every situation. The common law cannot usually intervene to modify its effect and cannot imply contradictory terms to assist the hirer. Before the Act was passed, the hirer was thus often obliged to accept the unfavourable terms offered to him by the owner. The courts would then strictly enforce these terms against him, relying on the tacit assumption of the common law that they had been freely negotiated and agreed by both parties.

This chapter will now discuss specific problems encountered by hirers, and will examine particular examples of such terms which have appeared persistently in hire-purchase agreements. Such study is necessary because the common law still applies exclusively to those agreements which are not subject to the Act, and also because the Act cannot be understood without a knowledge of its social purpose in curbing these abuses.

EVALUATION OF THE AGREEMENT BY THE HIRER As has already been suggested, many hirers are vulnerable when faced with the legal and financial complexities of a formal hire-

By ANDREW HICKS

purchase agreement. The private buyer of a new car is seduced by glamorous advertisements and the smooth tongue of the salesman. A commercial buyer knows he must invest his deposit in a vehicle in order to promote his business. However, if he fails to cost out the agreement properly he will soon be in arrears with payments and may lose heavily. It is extremely difficult for him to evaluate the detailed implications of the agreement, which are usually lost in a mass of print, or are cleverly obscured. Thus the hirer, faced with the expertise of the dealer or finance company, and desperately needing the goods, is immediately at a disadvantage. Although the law cannot do much to help the stupid or inexperienced hirer who undertakes an agreement without first examining it carefully, legislation can make it easier for the hirer to help himself in this difficult task and has

the early decisions equated hire purchase with agreements of hire.’ In reality hire-purchase should have been treated as a transaction of sale, in which the seller’s liability for the fitness of the goods is strict.’

Secondly, there may be a term implied that the goods hired shall be of merchantable quality, though there does not seem to be any decided case as authority for this proposition. Hire is in substance a sale and so it seems quite appropriate for the

done so in the following ways. The general effect of the Act is that an owner offering goods on hire-purchase commits a criminal offence if he publishes advertisements which are misleading or tell half truths.

As to the agreement itself, it is now required that both parties shall sign a document which must make clear to the hirer the extra co of buying on hire-purchase, and which must include certain other primary details of the contract. The document must also include a simple outline of the hirer’s legal. The hirer is to be supplied with a copy of this document and may at any time apply to the owner for information as to what is still owed under the agreement.” These provisions are intended to enable the hirer to evaluate a contract properly, by supplying him with accurate information right from the beginning.

QUALITY AND FITNESS OF THE GOODS A hirer is faced with another problem when he finds that the goods he has taken on hire are of poor quality, or do not do the job which it was promised they would do. in the case of a credit-sale, the buyer might have a remedy under the Sale of Goods Act 1893. This act implies terms that the goods shall be of “merchantable quality”, and that they shall be fit for the particular purpose for which the buyer told the seller he wanted them. However, the Sale of Goods Act does not apply to hire-purchase agreements and so a hirer cannot claim these statutory remedies. If the parties to a hire-purchase agreement expressly agreed that the owner would be liable if the goods are not of a certain quality, then the hirer had a contractual remedy. Otherwise the hirer had to rely on the following terms implied by the common law.’ Firstly, if before agreeing to take the goods, the hirer made known the particular purpose for which he wants them, it is implied by common law that the goods must be reasonably fit for that purpose.

In Bentworth Finance v. De Bank Transport the court confirmed that where the hirer makes known the purpose for which the goods are required so as to show that he relies on the owner’s skill and judgement, a term is implied that the goods shall be as fit and suitable for that purpose as reasonable care and skill can make them. In Anoka v. S.C.O.A., court said that the hirer cannot complain of any defects in the goods which could not have been discovered by due care and skill on the part of the owner. In that case where the engine of the vehicle hired was defective, the hirer’s claim for breach of an implied term of fitness was not allowed by the court. The only way in which the owner might have discovered and remedied the defects complained of was by dismantling and inspecting the engine, and this was more than could be reasonably expected of him. He was not therefore in breach of the implied term as to fitness. This decision is, however, open td criticism. Just as in the case of a sale, the owner should surely be liable if the goods are defective, as there is no reason why an owner’s liability should be limited to obvious defects only. It has been strenuously argued that this is a confusion with liability in tort and is wrong in law.”’ The mistake seems to have been made because

common law to imply that the goods must be of merchantable quality.

Although the hirer may sometimes be able to take advantage of these implied terms, they only apply where the parties have not agreed otherwise. Very often the owner, therefore, inserts in the agreement a provision saying that he is not to beheld liable for breach of any implied term as to the quality of the goods.’ Such exclusion clauses are usually effective to deprive the hirer of his remedy under the common law. The only ones which might leave the hirer with a remedy are those which attempt to release the owner from his obligation to perform the fundamental purpose of the contract.

Thus an owner who delivers a wreck of a car for the good one agreed upon, may still be liable for breach of an implied term as to fitness, despite a widely drawn exclusion clause. Nevertheless, exclusion clauses will generally be effective to negative the implied term of fitness where the goods prove defective.

A further problem arises for the hirer where a finance company is involved in the transaction. in such a case, the hirer is in contractual relationship with the finance company only, but not with the dealer who supplied the goods.

This is because the dealer sold to the finance company which then let the goods on hirepurchase to the hirer. As there is no privity of contract between the hirer and the dealer, the hirer

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Spirituality

Lesson From The Lives Of Saints: HOW pleasant it is to me a woman in love! She radiates happiness and when she speaks there is no doubt but that she loves her dear one with all her heart. Had we had the chance to meet St. Clare, we would have met a woman in love and her very countenance would have shown it. When she spoke there would have been no doubt that she loved Jesus with all her heart and soul, mind and strength. She was a lover of Christ.

Clare was born a rich girl.

Her father was Favorone Scifi, Count of Sasso Rosso and her mother, Ortolana Fiumi, of a noble family of Assisi. Her home was a palace and as a daughter of the rich, she enjoyed benefits denied those of humble birth.

At an early age she was taught to sew and sing, embroider and we also are sure that she was taught to read and write. But with her position also came limitations that didn’t bother her in the least. She found it easy to belong to the nobility. As a young child there was an uprising in Assisi against the nobles (Francis fought on the side of the Commune of Assisi and was captured) and Clara’s family sought safety in Perugia where she stayed till she was nine.

Clare was no spiritual prodigy but from all we can learn, she was a pious girl, brought ,up by a pious mother. Often history makes saints to be physical beauties; with Clare we have a description of her at the age of sixteen. Her face was oval, her forehead spacious, her color dazzling and her eyebrows and hair very fair (blonde). A celestial smile ...played in her eyes and round her mouth, her nose was well fashioned and slightly aquiline; of good statue she was inclined to stoutness, but nowhere in excess.” She was a good catch for any man and her family connection made her desirable to the families with eligible sons.

She was born July 16, 1194,ind b the time she was sixteen she heard of Francis and his troubadours of poverty who were bringing the message of Christ to so many, His message touched her heart and she wanted to hear more and get to know Francis —but how could she do this? His message of poverty was not overly popular among the wealthy and she could not go about freely. But a relative of hers, an older woman named Bona Guelfuccio, arranged a secret meeting with Francis and her future was settled.

She had heard him preach at San Giogio’s and liked what she heard and now she

would follow him completely; a plan was set.

On Palm Sunday, March 20, 1212, she went to the Cathedral to receive palm from the bishop. When it came time for the distribution of the palm, Clare stayed in her place and, oddly enough, the bishop came out of the sanctuary to give her a frond.

That night, according to the plan set by Francis, she left with a companion and went to the Portiuncula chapel and there her hair was cut oft, she was clothed in a coarse habit and veil and made vows to follow Christ completely.

Then Francis took her to the neighboring convent of Benedictine nuns at Bastia to await the storm from her family. And a storm did come! At first they pleaded with her, then they spoke harshly and finally they resorted to physical force. We are told she held onto the altar and could not be moved; when her veil slipped off and they saw her shorn golden locks, they gave up. She would be free to follow Christ in the poverty preached by Francis. Francis then took her to the Benedictine convent, Sant Anlelo at Panso and sixteen days later, her sister Agnes came, only fifteen years old, but determined to follow her sister. Again, the family objected violently and came to take her out with physical force if necessary; but after much ado, Agnes was finally allowed to stay.

She joined up with Clare and she, too, is a saint, St. Agnes of Assisi.

The first instructions came from the Benedictines but soon at the behest of Francis they went to the chapel of San Damiano in Assisi. This was a chapel that Francis had helped rebuild with his own hands and the bishop gave it to dare, her sister and three others wh9 came to join them.

It was there the “Poor Ladies” got their start, Poor Ladies as the Order known as the Poor Clares today was then called.

Francis was delighted with his now spiritual sisters and spent time with them helping to bring them to a deeper love of Christ by following a life of absolute poverty. He wrote no rule’ for them, only indicated a simple way of life that they should follow-There was to be prayer and fasting; silence and work and complete poverty that would even prevent them from owning anything in the name of the convent. They were to trust in God for all they needed.

Francis made her Abbess (note the Benedictine influence) and she remained superior for the rest of her life; she remained at San Damiano, never leaving for forty-two years. Apparently

By MARIA DITTAMI

St Clare

her lather died at this time and her mother, Ortolana sought entrance. She was a pious woman who had made the God, Man and Angel pilgrimages’; to the Holy Land, to Rome and to Mt. Gargano where the Archangel Michael had appeared. She too grew in holiness and is

Next to her skin she had a coat se shirt of boar’s hair.

Some days she ate nothing; when she did eat, it was only a small amount and likely as not, bread and water. This not only weakened her, it brought her illness and so she was commanded to sleep in a bed and eat at least something

paved the way for convents of cloistered nuns and they sought to follow the pattern established by Clare in Assisi.

We read of her sister Agnes going to Florence to help a convict there live in the Franciscan way of holiness.

There are also five letters of dare extant to women living as Poor Ladies instructing

known as Blessed Qrtoiana of Assisi.

The dedication of these women at San Damiano didn’t go unnoticed and soon others were seeking to be admitted. Besides, stories of Clare’s sanctity soon were spread abroad. There was the story of the oil flask. They needed olive oil for the kitchen and told Clare; she washed out the flask and put it on a window sill. When they came for it, they found it full!

Francis at this time went to the Holy Land and the Pope gave them a rule that made dare unhappy. She wanted the ‘privilege’ of absolute poverty. No ownership by individuals in the convent, no ownership or source of income for the convent itself.

This was to be a nagging desire for dare and no one seemed to understand her desire to depend on ‘her Jesus’ completely. in fact, it was only two days before her death that she was given this ‘privilege’ and this point caused much trouble in establishing the “Poor Ladies.”

In her desire to follow Christ completely she went to extremes. Of course no shoes, she slept on the floor and her fasting was extraordinary.

everyday. But, if Abbess dare was harsh on herself, she cared far her nuns with maternal kindness; at night she would make sure they were covered properly and if they fell ill, she served them nourishing food to help them regain their health. She was kind gentle and sympathetic in her rule of the sisters, urging them gently to the complete love of Christ.

By 1215, they were recognized as a religious Community and Francis’ friend, Cardinal Ugolino (later Gregory IX) took them under his wing. Francis returned from the Holy Land and spent time with them, forming them in his unique spirituality that has brought so many to sanctity. He had already received the stigmata and Clare made him a pair of sandals to accommodate the stigmata on his feet; these sandals have been preserved and can be seen today. But the was not to have his presence long; he died in 1226. But if he was not there in person, his spirit so imbued her that she could carry on in his footsteps The fame of Francis and Glare spread tar and wide.

Francis’ sons were sought all over Italy and soon in foreign countries. The rise of the Franciscan Third Order

them to live the Franciscan way. Four of these are to Blessed Agnes of Prague, a princess who gave herself to the Eternal King. Even her own family swelled her ranks; her youngest sister Beatrice joined and also three nieces.

She enjoyed sermons because they were praises of ‘her Jesus’ and helped her to love Rim more. She prayed and did manual work —made corporals altar linens and a beautiful embroidered alb (still to be seen) to be given to the Churches for use at Mass. Silence was a cherished virtue as she knew much talking could lead to trouble and take her from her lover, Jesus. She suffered much but joyfully so, saying: “love that cannot suffer is not worthy of the name.” And that love of Jesus was returned, even in miraculous ways. They tell the story that one day there was only one loaf of bread for the whole community. She had the loaf divided in two, halt given to the Brothers and strangely enough, all her nuns were able to eat their fill of the half of loaf that multiplied. Nuns who were sick were cured by Clare making the sign of the Cross on them and praying.

One nun was cured of

deafness, another of dropsy; a Brother was cured of insanity, a beggar of leprosy.

Her devotion to the Eucharist was monumental.

Her supreme joy was to assist at Holy Mass and even when wracked with pain and violently ill, she assisted at Mass from a trap door in the oratory. She is usually depicted, as holding a monstrance with the Sacred Host in it. The reason for that is this. There was a seige on Assisi by Saracen soldiers and it seemed that their convent outside the walls would be despoiled. Glare took a silver box encased with ivory containing the Blessed Sacrament to the door of the monastery and there prayed for protection for her convent and also for Assisi that cared for her nuns. Somehow, the Saracens fled though not pursued by soldiers!

As she grew older, convents of the Poor Ladies were in seven countries and known for their holiness. In 1250 the Pope gave another rule and for the first time they were called sisters’ but still dare did not have the ‘privilege of poverty’ she desired. She wrote the Pope and pleaded with him to at least allow her convent that; this he finally allowed.

On May 25, 1253, the Pope who resided at Perugia at that time, rather close to Assisi, came to dedicate the upper basilica of St. Francis that so many tourists today see at Assisi and that same day he canonized St. Stanislaus of Poland and went to see Glare.

She was very ill and asked the Pope for absolution. He said: “would to God that I had as little need of absolving as you.”

She was now very ill and she celebrated her 59th birthday sick in bed; her sister Agnes having returned from Florence to be with her. She had the consolation of visions, seeing Christ, the Blessed Mother and angels from heaven. But she was ready; in her last confession she could say she never transgressed her baptismal vows, On Saturday, August 9, the Pope sent the Bull that gladdened her heart, her ideal of poverty was put in the rule. Now she could join her lover, Jesus, for all eternity which she did Monday, August 11, 1253.

The next day the Pope came for the funeral and would have canonized her as part of the funeral ceremony; but he was dissuaded. But the miracles and the clamor of the people prompted him to setup an investigation that, incidentally, tells us much of her life. And in two years, she was declared a canonized saint with the feast day of August 12th.

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Developmwent EDO STATE –is a state with a total Land Mass of 19,794 square with a population of approximately 3.5 million people.

It is among the top 5 states in Nigeria measured by GDP it was selected as the second state only after Lagos in Africa to benefit from the World bank Budget Support Program; Climate is typical tropical with two major seasons- the wet (Rainy ) and the dry (Haramattan) seasons.

Review Of Our Past: Way To Count Our Blessings!

City after several days of heavy artillery bombardment.

The marauding British troops ransacked the palace, stole several artworks- the most prominent is the bronze work of Queen Idia. The British demolished and dismantled

without consultation into an amalgamated Nigeria. By this fell act, we were now grouped with 200 other Nationalities whose ways of life, religions

Nigeria adopted a federal system of Government with regions, fully in charge of her resources.

Things were running

the Edo Common Wealth and empire. From then the Edo people became subject of foreign Monarch. The British wasted not time in splitting the Edo people into semi autonomous units. Their fear was the unity of the Edo as they remained a threat to their West African branch of the British empire. The Edos were the Nation in Nigeria that had an empire that spreads along the West African Coast for about one thousand miles.

Our identities, histories, language, religion, culture and state of development were relegate, we had to learn the ways of life of the British.

Since 1897, we have been part of the Niger River protectorate than as part of the protectorate of Southern Nigeria and then as part of Southern provinces.

In 1914 for the convenience and benefit of the British Colonialists, Edo people were conscripted

and culture were quite different from ours. Among these are the Hausas.

Fulani-Nupe caliphate whose incursion into Edo Nation was just stopped at Ishan borders after they had overrun Auchi and Agbede.

The socio-political implications of this event are many. Our society is based on religious tolerance, whereas the Northerners are Islamic fanatics bent on spreading the message of Islam if necessary by force and intent on conquering the South so as to enable them “dip the Koran into the Atlantic Ocean.” Our language became suppressed, public life and commerce were conducted in elitist English thereby alienating majority of our people. This is how we found ourselves in Nigeria and became part of Western Nigeria and later Mid-Western Nigeria to Bendel State and now Edo State.

The founding fathers of

fairly well until the military came into the scene and then muddled the water. The soldiers opted for a unitary government inspite of the country being refered to as a Federal Republic. All resources were centralized and of course the army being dominated by Northerners.

Inspite of the fact that the North hardly contributed anything to the common purse. They controlled disbursement of the federal fund.

We are all aware of the gross abuse and gross financial mismanagement and unbridled looting that took place. These have nauseated terribly the nervous stomach of the people of the Niger-Delta who have resorted to violence to stop further exploitation and abuse of funds they see coming solely from their area and squandered by people whose economic insecurity seems to give them insatiable appetite

By CHINWEUBA PAIENCE G

• Comrade Adams Oshiomhole

Major hub in Nigeria’s inter-regional connectivity network linking the Northern, South-South, Western and Eastern region, larger deposits of onshore hydrocarbons and solid minerals.

The 4 major vegetations in Nigeria are present in the state with Sahel and Savannah Northwards and Swamp and Rainforest in the South.

About 70% of land mass cultivable for agriculture; High yield in agricultural products including cassava, oil palm, rubber, rice and fruits.

The continually worsening atmosphere of uncertainty, instability and at times total chaos in Nigeria, calls for a review of our past, a look at the present and suggestions for the future.

The Edo people lost their independence in 1897 when the British troops led by Major Dawson took Benin

for money.

Every other nationality could not but watch the wholesale plunder of the common National Funds.

In the 103 years since we lost our independence, we have been allowed to govern ourselves for only fifteen years by an Edo person. ( One year with Governor. Innih, eight years by Governor Ogbemudia, four years by Alli and two years by Governor. Oyegun). Nearly all the economic gains, educational progress, Industrialization and socialcultural gains were made during the reign of Edo sons.

It will be of importance to note that after the reign of Governor Oyegun, Governor Igbinedion was elected as Governor of Edo State. His impact was certainly better than that of his immediate predecessors, though highly criticized.

The impact of successive reigns of foreign military governors had been to erode and in most cases wipe out all the gains made during the Western, Mid-western and Bendel regions and especially during Governor Ogbemudia’s glorious years and that of Governor Alli. The ruling Military Cabals turned our state into a territory of improvised, unhealthy, illiterate and beleaguered peoples. Unemployment became rampant, street violence became the order of the day. Our girls had to take to international prostitution to survive. Young men had to flee to other lands to earn a living doing the Most Menial and sometimes illegal things to make ends meet. What is the future of a community if all her youth emigrate. With schools dilapidate and no industries to employ the youths and the old industries closed down because of centralized government and control of non-Edos. This has left the community disillusioned and angry.

In all these times, it has become apparent that our best times have been when an Edo person was in charge of Edo affairs. We are best custodians of affairs.

Currently Edo is in the ruling hand of Adams Aliyu

Oshiomhole who is in his second tenure as the Governor of Edo State on the platform of the APC. His first term has won following his court appeal to the results of a massively rigged April 2007 election in which the candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Party Oserhemien Osunbor has initially been declared the winner. He assumed Office on 12 November 2008 after winning the appeal. Since his assumption to the office of the state governor his administration has recorded enormous success. Governor Adams Oshiomhole has inaugurate some road Projects in Benin Metropolis embarked upon by his administration.

His administration is the first to construct roads with walkways in the history of the state. The first point of call was an airport Ogba road which is part of the Benin Storm Water project as it has 1.5 kilometers underground drains linking it to Ogba river.

Many other roads were inaugurated – Ogiesoba avenue, Aswah road popularly known as the vegetable market road where he said he will provide street lights while the road will be named after APC Leader Tom Ikimi.

He has also done remarkably in the Education sector. Governor Oshiomhole had redefine the educational system in the state. In short Governor Adams Oshiomhole has transformer all the sectors in Edo State.

He has returned the lost glory of Edo State in all aspects of human endeavour.

The Governor deserves encouragement and prayers from all well meaning people.

We believe that these will ensure our peoples progress, to take us to the next level.

Whereas the generations before us fought and died to give Edo people a respectable name in the world they lived in, it is now left to this generation to take us out of the over 100 years of loss of independence and reinstate Edo Pride. This our Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has started and we hope he will finish it.

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Religion

Principles Underlying The Christian Marriage IF you want to enjoy marriage as God ordained it to be you must understand these principles and apply then in your home.

The principle of subjectivity This principle tells us that “Christ is the head of the man and the man is the head of the wife that means the wife should submit herself to the husband and the husband must see Christ as his head, and not see himself as a mountain.

“Wives submit yourselves into your own husbands as unto the lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church Eph 5:22-23 “But I would have you know that the head of everyman is Christ and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” 1 Corll; 3 The principle of reciprocal love The foundation for the Christian marriage is love; mutual love and mutual consent. This is the reference to the Bible concept of God finding a “help meet” for Adams.

God said “I will make him an help meet for him” Gen2:18.

From one of the ribs of Adam was Eve created. This epitomizes love because the rib bones protect the heart which in the rejoin of love.

Therefore reciprocal love for husband and wife sustains the Christian marriage.

Love in marriage is a clear fulfillment of all the levels of love theologically speaking - Agape, Phileo and Ero - the agape love binds you together in the union of Christ. The binding

love in Christ that must keep the union; then expression of “Phileo” that makes the couple relate as close friends or confidants to each other; and “eros” -the love that attracts each other for sexual desire. It is in Christian marriage you find this three levels of love fully manifested.

Hence Paul wrote concerning love in marriage: “Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church so ought man to love their wives as their own bodies. HE THAT LOVETH HIS WIFE, LOVETH HIMSELF” EPH 5:25,28 And the woman in turn most show love and reverence to the husband.

“And the wife see that she reverence her husband” Eph 5:33.

THE PRINCIPLE OF M U T U A L KNOWLEDGE The Bible advises the husband to treat the wife “according to knowledge” (1 Pet 3:7) the man in the early years of marriage should study the wife likewise the wife should study the husband.

Mannerisms or attitudes or behavioural patterns hitherto hidden during your courtship years or months shall begin to manifest in the early periods of marriage. The study enables you to know how to understand and respond to each other for a peaceful home. The weaknesses of each they can be prayerfully overcome. You are not to allow such weaknesses become bones of contention in the home -but to see how to assist and help each other to manage a happy home.

THE PRINCIPLE OF MUTUAL HOME UPKEEP The husband ideally is the bread winner of the familythe builder of the family but the wife is the keeper of the family. They need this knowledge to run a successful home. Whole the man provides for the family upkeep the woman should render her support. For if a man “provides not for his own and specifically for

the husband in the upkeep of the home.

THE PRINCIPLE OF THIRD PARTY NONINTERFERENCE When young couples have not spent time enough to study each other in marriage, they end up quarreling over very little things and begin to report themselves to friends and in-laws. This can be the beginning of a crumbling marriage. Two persons

those of his own house....

He-is worse than an infidel” 1Tim 5:8. Equally the wife must be “sober love her husband, love her children chaste ... keeper at home” Tit 2:4 She also “ looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness “Prov 3 1:27.

No wife should be idle but complement the efforts of

come together in love, they are not saints in themselves, but according to grace.

Misunderstandings can arise, but don’t let such go out of proportion.

Avoid third party interference in friends or relations.

Learn to accommodate each other..

But if there be the need you may consult your church marriage counselors than

“From one of the ribs of Adam was Eve created. This epitomizes love because the rib bones protect the heart which in the rejoin of love.”

With REV. A. A. OPARA friends or relations.

THE PRINCIPLE OF BODY NON DENIAL This has to do with sexual activities in marriage which Dr Elton observes nourishes the Christian marriage which is a holy union. The man should not deny the woman nor the woman deny the man. The Bible is emphatic about this and warns that any such denial could lead to the devil tempting the other and thus the beginning of marital crisis

“Defraud ye not one another ... that Satan tempt, ye not for your incontinency” lCor7:5 .

FAMILY ALTAR PRINCIPLE The Christian marriage is brought about by the grace of God and sustainable through contact with the lord in prayers. The man and woman must develop the need to pray together as a family and when the children begin to come, they join in this family prayers which is commonly called family Alter. The children therefore develop the habit of praying. It is good and advisable to observe family Alter at least twice a dayearly in the morning before you set out for the day and

last thing at night before you go to sleep. With consistent prayer God will keep the marriage, guide the couple lead them and bless them.

This will be a happy home.

THE PRINCIPLE OF DETERMINATION This principle underlies the fact that if a marriage will work or fail largely depends on the couple to make it work. You must do all you can to make your marriage work knowing the pains you cause yourselves and the inconveniences you may cause others should the

marriage breakup.

A failed marriage never pleases God. Therefore you must be patient with each other, tolerate each other respect yourselves; respect your in-laws; avoid whatever will be a hindrance to a happy home.

Remember Paul determined to succeed in his mission proclaimed thus: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me” Phil 4:13 You too can do all things through Christ who giveth you strength learn to lean on the lord Jesus always.

Remember each one is accountable to the Lord.

Roms 14:12.

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International Palestinians Plan Next Steps After Failed UN Bid RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian officials say their leadership is planning its next steps after a resolution to end

Israel’s occupation was rejected by the U.N. Security Council, and could set a date for applying to join the International Criminal Court.

The U.N. vote was a blow to an Arab campaign for international action to achieve an independent Palestinian state.

The Palestinians have long vowed to join the ICC in order to press charges against Israel for alleged war crimes. But membership could expose the Palestinians to similar

allegations.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said officials would hold a “very serious meeting” Wednesday and could set a date for applying for membership to

the ICC and other international agencies.

Israel opposes the Palestinians’ membership campaign, accusing them of skirting peace negotiations.

As Palestinian Statehood Resolution Fails At UN Council, U.S. Vote Against

Policemenn evacate families trapped in their home during heavy flooding brought by tropical storm seniang in Misamis Oriental, Mindanao Island in Southern Philippines recently.

U.S. Condemns Cuba’s ‘Practice of Repressing’ After Activists Detained HAVANA - The United States on Wednesday condemned what it called Cuba’s practice of repression following the detention of several activists, in the first major test of President Barack Obama’s policy shift toward normalizing relations with the communist-ruled island.

The State Department said it was deeply concerned by the detention on Tuesday of several “peaceful civil society members and activists” by the Cuban authorities.

“We strongly condemn the Cuban government’s continued harassment and repeated use of arbitrary detention, at times with violence, to silence critics, disrupt peaceful assembly and freedom expression, and intimidate citizens,” the State Department said in a statement.

“We urge the government of Cuba to end its practice of repressing these and other internationally protected freedoms and to respect the universal human rights of Cuban citizens,” it added.

The arrests marked the most significant crackdown on the opposition since Cuba and the United States agreed on Dec. 17 to restore diplomatic ties and put behind them more than five decades of hostility.

About 12 opponents were taken away by police, including the husband of opposition blogger Yoani Sanchez, while several others were told not to leave their homes as police parked outside, said Elizardo Sanchez, leader of a dissident

human rights commission that monitors such detentions.

Other dissident leaders reported multiple detentions or that activists were ordered to stay at home. Yoani Sanchez’s website 14ymedia.com reported she was under virtual house arrest.

The detentions stopped a planned open microphone event at Havana’s Revolution Square, near the government headquarters.

Event organizer Tania Bruguera, a performance artist, was missing and her associates presumed she, too, had been detained. Bruguera had vowed to go ahead with the event even after Cuban officials denied her a permit.

The event flopped, with only 15 participants, surrounded by a phalanx of reporters. A parallel event in Miami called

by Cuban exiles drew 50 people.

Cuba had called the open microphone event a “political provocation,” and it was unclear how long the dissidents would be held. Cuba typically holds dissidents for several hours and releases them.

“The United States will continue to press the Cuban government to uphold its international obligations and to respect the rights of Cubans to peacefully assemble and express their ideas and opinions,” the State Department said.

Earlier, Roberta Jacobson, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere

Affairs, said on Twitter: “Freedom of expression remains of U.S. policy on Cuba; we support activists exercising those rights and condemn today’s detentions.”

Jacobsen is due to lead a U.S. delegation to Havana in January to begin normalizing diplomatic relations with Cuba that had been severed since 1961.

Yoani Sanchez said on Twitter police detained her husband Reinaldo Escobar and dissident leader Eliecer Avila outside her home in Havana, taking them away in handcuffs.

Escobar is editor-in-chief of the dissident news and opinion website 14ymedio.com and Avila is the leader of the opposition group Somos Mas (We Are More).

Upon announcing his new Cuba policy, Obama said Cubans should not face harassment or arrest for expressing their views and that his government would continue to monitor human rights.

The deal on renewing ties included a prisoner swap in which the United States freed three Cuban spies and Cuba agreed to release U.S. aid contractor Alan Gross, a Cuban who spied for Washington, and 53 people who the United States considers political prisoners.

So far, the 53 have not been identified and dissident groups say none of their activists has been released since the December 17 announcement.

UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council rejected a Palestinian resolution calling for an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem and the establishment of a Palestinian state by late 2017.

The resolution called for negotiations to be based on territorial lines that existed before Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. It also called for a peace deal within 12 months.

Even if the draft had received the minimum nine votes in favor, it would have been defeated by Washington’s vote against it.

The United States is one of the five veto-wielding permanent members.

There were eight votes in favor, including France, Russia and China, two against and five abstentions, among them Britain.

Australia joined the United States in voting against the measure.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power defended Washington’s position against the draft in a speech to the 15-nation council by saying it was not a vote against peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

“The United States every day searches for new ways to take constructive steps to support the parties in making progress toward achieving a negotiated settlement,” she said. “The Security Council resolution put before us today is not one of those constructive steps.”

She said the text was “deeply imbalanced” and contained “unconstructive deadlines that take no account of Israel’s legitimate security concerns.” To make matters worse, Power said, it “was put to a vote without a discussion or due consideration among council members.”

She did not spare Israel either. “Today’s vote should not be interpreted as a victory

for an unsustainable status quo,” Power said, adding that Washington would oppose actions by either side that undermined peace efforts, whether “in the form of settlement activity or imbalanced draft resolutions.”

Jordanian Ambassador Dina Kawar, the sole Arab representative on the council, expressed regret that the resolution was voted down, while noting that she thought council members should have had more time to discuss the proposal.

The defeat of the resolution was not surprising.

Washington, council diplomats said, had made clear it did not want such a resolution put to a vote before Israel’s election in March.

The Palestinians, the diplomats said, insisted on putting the resolution to a vote despite the fact that it was clear Washington would not let it pass. Their sudden announcement last weekend that Ramallah wanted a vote before the new year surprised Western delegations on the council.

In order to pass, a resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the council’s five permanent members.

The European and African camps were split in the vote.

France and Luxembourg voted in favor of the resolution while Britain and Lithuania abstained. Among the Africans, Chad voted yes while Rwanda and Nigeria abstained.

The Palestinians, frustrated by the lack of progress in peace talks, have sought to internationalize the issue by seeking U.N. membership and recognition of statehood via membership in international organizations.

Palestinian observer Riyad Mansour thanked delegations that voted for the resolution, noting that lawmakers in a number of European countries have called for recognition of Palestine. He said it was time to end the “abhorrent Israeli occupation

and impunity that has brought our people so much suffering.”

“It is thus most regrettable that the Security Council remains paralyzed,” he said.

Mansour added that the Palestinian leadership “must now consider its next steps.”

The Palestinians have threatened to join the International Criminal Court, which they could then use as a forum to push for war crimes proceedings against Israel.

In a brief statement, Israeli delegate Israel Nitzan said the Palestinians have found every possible opportunity to avoid direct negotiations and brought the council “a preposterous unilateral proposal.”

“I have news for the Palestinians - you cannot agitate and provoke your way to a state,” he said.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre said Paris would continue its efforts to get a resolution through the council that would help move peace efforts forward.

“France regrets that it isn’t possible to reach a consensus today,” he said, noting that he voted for the resolution despite having reservations about its contents. “Our efforts must not stop here. It is our responsibility to try again.”

An earlier Palestinian draft called for Jerusalem to be the shared capital of Israel and a Palestinian state. The draft that was voted on reverted to a harder line, saying only that East Jerusalem would be Palestine’s capital and calling for an end to Israeli settlement building.

The Israeli government had said that a Security Council vote, following the collapse in April of U.S.-brokered talks on Palestinian statehood, would only deepen the conflict.

Israel, which pulled troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip in 2005, has said its eastern border would be indefensible if it withdrew completely from the West Bank.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

International

Gas Explosion Kills 17 In China

BEIJING — A gas explosion at an auto parts factory killed 17 people and injured 20 Wednesday morning in the southern city of Foshan, Chinese officials said.

District officials in Foshan said in a statement that rescue work is under way at the site

of the explosion.

The Southern Metropolis Daily reported that witnesses heard three blasts at the Fuhua Engineering and Manufacturing Co. factory, and the facility’s walls and ceiling were destroyed.

The blasts also damaged a nearby glass factory and other plants.

Pictures posted on the Southern Metropolis Daily’s website showed panels blown off the building’s structure, with people lying hurt on the ground.

A general view shows a Jewish settlement near Jerusalem known to Israelies as Har Homa and to Palestinians as Jabal Abu Gbneim.

Afghan Security On Alert As New NATO Afghan security forces Mission Takes Over were on high alert to prevent Taliban attacks marking the end of the year as NATO combat operations close down and a new “train and support” mission takes over NATO’s war in Afghanistan was formally brought to an end on Sunday at a ceremony in Kabul, when the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was replaced by the US-led mission “Resolute Support”.

Wednesday will also see the last 150 French soldiers in Afghanistan hand over responsibilities at Kabul’s military airport to a Turkish unit.

A ceremony will be held at the airport and a memorial unveiled to the French war dead.

France, which withdrew all its combat troops from the country two years ago, lost 89 soldiers and saw 700 injured in the war since 2001.

The conflict against the Taliban still rages across Afghanistan, and an estimated 17,000 foreign soldiers will stay on to assist the local police and army, who face a major challenge as the international military presence declines.

The foreign force will consist of the 12,500-strong NATO mission, most of them US troops, and a US counterterrorism operation outside the NATO remit, though final numbers remain unclear.

“Our security forces are taking necessary actions to make sure terrorists won’t have the chance to sabotage anything,” interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP. “Pre-emptive operations will be launched in some parts and there will be more security patrols everywhere, particularly in Kabul.”

Afghan security forces will hold celebrations on Thursday marking the complete transfer of responsibility from NATO. The Taliban have launched high-profile strikes in the capital during the closing weeks of the combat mission, targeting foreign guesthouses, diplomatic convoys, the French cultural

centre and Afghan army buses.

The Islamist militants issued a jubilant message after NATO’s ceremony on Sunday, saying: “We consider this step a clear indication of their defeat.”

The end of NATO’s combat mission brought “the longest war in American history... to a responsible conclusion”, US President Barack Obama said, but insurgency violence is rising.

Civilian and military casualties reached new highs this year, with many people fearing a return to civil war.

Afghan officials and senior US officers have been pushing Obama to extend US involvement.

KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan official says gunmen shot dead a policeman and two civilians after security forces stopped the car and motorcycle in which they were traveling, both of which were loaded with explosives.

Provincial police chief Gen. Fazel Ahmad Sherzad says the vehicles appeared to be on their way to government offices in Batikot district, in Nangahar province, early Wednesday.

Police spokesman Hazerat Hussain Mashreqiwal says that when the police stopped the vehicles a total of six gunmen opened fire, killing the three people and wounding seven civilians.

Mashreqiwal says some of the gunmen were killed, but he does not yet know how many. Police later seized the explosives-laden vehicles.

Many parts of Nangahar, near the Pakistan border, have a heavy Taliban presence and are no-go areas after dark.

3 Killed As Police Thwart Bombing

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

International

Shi’ite Militias Expand Influence, Redraw Map In Central Iraq

BAGHDAD- Behind black gates and high walls, Iraqi national security agents watch 200 women and children.

Boys and girls play in the yard and then dart inside their trailers, located in a former U.S. military camp and onetime headquarters for Saddam Hussein’s officials in Babel province’s capital Hilla.

The women and children are unwilling guests, rounded up as they fled with their male relatives in October from Jurf al-Sakhr, a bastion of Islamic State, during a Shi’ite militia and military operation to clear the farming community.

Once they were arrested, security forces separated out the men, accusing them of being

Gambia President Returns Home After Reports Of Attempted Coup BANJULGambia’s President Yahya Jammeh arrived back in Banjul, official sources said, one day after gunfire erupted around the presidential palace and the government denied media reports of a coup attempt.

Jammeh was in France or Dubai when violence broke out and he returned home via N’Djamena, where he told officials from Chad during a refueling stop on Tuesday evening that he planned to return home.

Jammeh, 49, himself took power in a coup 20 years ago and since then has stifled dissent in his impoverished West African nation. He has come under increasing criticism from abroad over issues ranging from human rights to his claims he can cure AIDS. Banks reopened on Wednesday, people headed to work and the city’s key Denton Bridge was also open, witnesses said.

On Tuesday, state radio played traditional music and an announcer read a government statement

playing down the incident.

“Contrary to rumors being circulated, peace and calm continue to prevail in The Gambia,” it said. “(The) government would like to urge the public and all businesses to continue with their normal activities.”

Gambia, a splinter of land wedged into Senegal, has ocean beaches that attract tourists, particularly during the northern hemisphere’s winter. They include about 60,000 Britons a year. The British foreign office advised its citizens to stay indoors and avoid public gatherings.

Witnesses in the center of Banjul, which is situated on an island and connected to rest of the city by the Denton Bridge, said on Tuesday that security forces were stationed on street corners and patrolled streets after hours of shooting earlier in the day.

This year the European Union withdrew millions of dollars in aid, shortly after Jammeh signed into law an act that could imprison homosexuals for life. In 2012, he was criticized for executing nine people being held in prison.

Islamic State fighters. They have not been heard from since.

Security forces say the women and children are being investigated, but have not been brought to court.

Their status shows how central Iraq’s mixed Shi’ite and Sunni regions are being altered.

As Shi’ite forces push into territories held by Islamic State, many Sunnis have fled for fear of both the Shi’ite-led government and the Sunni jihadists.

Shi’ite leaders insist Islamic State must never be allowed to strike them again, nor return to areas now abandoned.

Shi’ite groups now decide who can stay in a community and who should leave; whose houses should be destroyed and whose can stand.

In one case, a powerful Shi’ite paramilitary organization has started redrawing the geography of central Iraq, building a road between Shi’ite parts of Diyala province and Samarra, a Sunni city that is home to a Shi’ite shrine.

“The ideas of what Shi’itestan’s limits are is changing,” said Ali Allawi a historian and former Iraqi

minister.

“Some of these towns and villages, which were neutral or partial to ISIS, have been retaken. I don’t think the people living there will go back. We are talking about depopulated areas that may be resettled by different groups.”

More than 130,000 people, mostly Sunnis, fled central Iraq in 2014, counting just Baghdad’s agricultural belt and northeastern Diyala province, the International Rescue Committee told Reuters.

The exodus has left villages empty as Shi’ite paramilitaries, tribes and security forces fill the void.

Iraqi government officials including Prime Minister Haider Abadi stress the importance of helping people return home.

But in the current chaos it is questionable whether officials can help, or that the displaced will want to return.

Already dramatic changes are happening on the ground. For the 200 women and children from Jurf al-Sakhr, it has meant an undefined period of detention.

PRINCESS JULIET Weds

Hon. V. S. Igbinosun JP

commander from Asaib Ahl alHaq told Reuters.

He said he contacted sources in Islamic State-held areas and waited until all civilians had escaped before liberating a community.

However, those who have lost their homes say the militias make little distinction between jihadists and civilians when they storm areas.

Akram Shahab, 32, a Shi’ite in Diyala’s Saadiya district, fled with his family last June when Islamic State were about to overrun the town.

He heard from a Sunni neighbor that a jihadist family had moved in. For Shahab it was a relief his house was not blown up.

But after Iraqi militias and security forces kicked Islamic State out of Saadiya in November, Shahab was stunned to learn that the militias had burned his house assuming it was a terrorist’s.

CHANGE OF NAME SADO - I formerly Miss Marymay Osemwen Sado now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Marymay Ejakpovi Ezewu. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

DISCLAIMER

I, Hon. V. S. Igbinosun (JP), residing at No. 1 Orobosa Lane, Off Upper Sakponba Road, by Power Line, Benin City wish to notify the general public and all concerned authorities specifically the Igbinosun family from Ugo Niyekorhiomwon and the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, Edo State, Benin Branch that one Mr. Ovenseri Kenneth Igbinosun whose photograph appears above should henceforth stop to bear the name Igbinosun. This is due to the fact that the said Ovenseri Kenneth is not my biological son, as was proven by a DNA test carried out between me and the said Ovenseri Kenneth on the 6 th day of November, 2014 by Union Diagnostic and Clinical Services Plc, Benin City.

When they ran from their homes in October raising white surrender flags, security forces and militias separated the women from their male relatives.

Now the women, jailed in Hilla, worry about their fate.

“I’m trapped here living on charity without understanding why all this happened to us”, said Um Mohamed, sobbing during a visit Reuters made to the heavily secured compound last week.

“All that I wish is to have my husband back and to return to our small farm.”

Security officials say the women and children have not been brought before a court, and will not be freed soon.

“These families were joining or harboring Islamic State,” said Falah al-Rahdi, head of the Babel provincial council’s security committee. “The judicial system will decide their fate.”

Privately, officials in Babel province vow never to welcome back its Sunni residents.

As Shi’ite militia leaders and tribal allies surround Sunni villages in central Iraq, they insist they have strong intelligence from inside those communities.

“Our orders come from the government: whoever is with Islamic State, we will confiscate their land. Those who aren’t Islamic State will be allowed back,” a national

DAVID

The solemnization of marriage between former Princess Juliet Igbinoba and David O. Demi-Ejegi which took place on Saturday, December 20, 2014 at Christ Apostolic Church of God Mission International Incorporated, Oronmiyan Branch, Benin City. Among those present were the parents of the bride and the groom, prominent family members, friends and well-wishers. Picture above shows the couple immediately after the ceremony.

The general public is hereby notified that the building situate, described and known as No. 91, 1st East Circular Road, Benin City (Opposite St. Joseph Catholic Church) is the property of my client, Mr. Nosakhare Otabor who inherited same as the eldest son of his late father, Mr. Peter Omorodion Otabor.

The documents covering the property have been stolen by unknown persons and it has come to the knowledge of my client that unscrupulous individual(s) are making dubious effort to sell the building.

My client warns that the said building is not for sale and any one who transacts any illicit dealings with it does so at his or her own risk.

Signed: I. B. Omoifo Esq. Blaise Omoifo Chambers 24, Adolo College Road, Ugbowo, Benin City.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

GOD has no need to run after men and beg them to believe in his existence. Nor are his servants sent out forever to admonish people an no account to turn away from him. This world would

who with the genuine but mistaken feeling of gratitude, bring their small sacrifices “lord, I thank thee that I am not as other men are” (Abd-ru-shin).

Abd-ru-shun the author

of “in the light of truth” says, it will be easier for many who now are still absolute unbelievers to enter the kingdom of God than for all the legions with their conceited humility, who do

produced only by thoughts will be blown to nothing.

The inner, silent, so-called humble expectation of something better is really nothing but a demand, even though it be expressed

enticing and pleading, not lamenting and grieving. He will calamity abandon to the darkness all the wicked, even all the wavering ones, so that, those who are striving upwards shall no longer be exposed to their attacks, enabling the others thoroughly to experience everything they consider to be right and thus, come to the recognition of their error.

What separates so many from the light today. Like deepest night, ethereal darkness lies spread over this earth for a very long time already. So dense and firm

not really stand before God in simple supplication, but indirectly demanding that he rewards them for their prayers are pious words.

Their petitions are demands, their inner being

differently, in however beautiful words.

Abd-ru-shin opines that every demand, however, is a presumption God alone has to demand. Nor did Christ come pleading to mankind

is the suffocating embrace in which it holds the earth that every ascending light perception is like a flame which without oxygen, loses its power and quickly fading dies out.

will rapidly disappear on passing into the Ethereal World, where the inner intuitive perception, which is scarcely sensed here, will come to therefore, while the feeling of hitherto mainly

Wrong Courses

indeed be absurd. To think and expect such things is a dishonouring and debasing of the sublime God head.

This erroneous conception causes great harm. It is fostered by the behaviour of many truly earnest pastors who, out of a real love for God and men, try again and again to convert people who turn only to material things, to convince them and win them over to the church. All this only tends immeasurably to increase man’s conceit in regard to his importance, of which there is more than enough already and in the end really to place many under the delusion that they must be begged to strive for what is good.

This is also, the cause of the strange attitude of the majority of all believers, whose example is more often a deterrent than an inspiration. Thousands upon thousands feel a certain inner satisfaction, an exaltation, in the consciousness that they believe in God, that they utter their prayers with such earnestness as they are capable of bring up and that they do not intentionally harm their neighbours.

In this inner exaltation they feel a certain reward for goodness, thanks from God for their obedience and they

“Abd-ru-shin opines that every demand, however, is a presumption God alone has to demand. Nor did Christ come pleading to mankind with his message, but warning and demanding. He certainly gave explanations about the truth but he did not enticingly hold out rewards before the eyes of his hearers to spur them on to become better. Calmly and sternly he commanded serious seekers. “Go thou and do likewise.” sense a being linked with God of whom they also, think at time with a certain sacred thrill that produces or leaves behind a state of bliss, in which they reveal.

But these legions of believers take the wrong course living happily in a self created delusion, they are unaware that it numbers them with those Pharisees

hypocritical. They will be swept away like empty chaff before his countenances they will have their reward, certainly, but it will be different from what they imagine. They have already satiated themselves long enough on earth in the consciousness of their own value.

The feeling of well-being

with his message, but warning and demanding. He certainly gave explanations about the truth but he did not enticingly hold out rewards before the eyes of his hearers to spur them on to become better. Calmly and sternly he commanded serious seekers.

“Go thou and do likewise.

God stands before humanity demanding, not

Abd-ru-shin says that this ethereal condition, now manifesting at its worst, is dreadful. Anyone permitted for only seconds to glimpse what is happening would from sheer horror be deprived of all hope of salvation. And all this has been brought about through the guilt of men themselves.

Through the guilt of their

Man And Nature With O.C. Madu propensity for what is base.

Mankind have been their own worst enemy. Now, even those few who are once more earnestly striving upwards are also, in danger of being swept into depths, towards which others are now-developing at a sinister

speed.

It is like a close embrace, which is followed inevitably by fatal absorption into the sultry, tenacious swamp, in which everything sinks without a sound. There is no longer a struggling, but only a still, silent, gruesome choking. And man goes not recognise it spiritual indolence blinds him to this fateful happening.

But all the time, the swamp is sending forth its poisonous emanations, which slowly weary those who are still strong and alert, so that, they too, will fall asleep and sink away powerless.

That is the state of affairs on earth today it is not a picture that is unfolding there with, but life. Since all ethereal matter bears forms created and animated through men’s intuitive perception, such a happening actually takes place continually. And this is the environment that awaits

men when they must leave this earth and cannot be led upwards to the more luminous and beautiful regions. But the darkness grows ever more dense.

Therefore, Abd-ru-shin says the time draws near when for a while, this earth must be left to the rule of darkness, without direct help from the light, because, humanity enforced this through their volition. The consequences of the time when John was once permitted to behold, when God will veil his countenance.

Everywhere there is night. Yet during the deepest affliation when everything, including what is better, is also, in danger of sinking away at the time dawn will now break. But the dawn will first bring the travail of a great purification which is inevitable before, the salvation of all serious seekers can begin, for no helping hand can be offered to all those who purse base ends. They shall fall headlong into those treble depths were alone, they can still help for an awakening through such forments that they must come to leathe themselves.

Those who with sneers and apparent impunity have hitherto been able to hinder the upward striving ones will become silent and more pensive, until finally, begging and whimpering, they will supplicate for the truth.

Abd-ru-shin opines that it will not be so easy for such, they will be irresistibly led through the mile stones of the inexorable laws of Divine Justice, until in the experiencing, they come to the recognition of their errors.

In the course of his travels, he could see that a firebrand was hurled among the indolent human spirits with the word, which declares that no man can lay claim to divinity, whereas just at this time much efforts is bent upon discovering God within oneself, so that ultimately man himself might also become God. Peace and Joy.

THE NIGERIAN

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015

Van Gaal Keen To Heed Lessons been further boosted by the

UNITED are halfway through Van Gaal’s debut season as manager and a nine-match unbeaten run has helped them rise to third in the Premier League table.

One of United’s recent victories came against Stoke at Old Trafford at the beginning of December, Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata scoring either side of Steven N’Zonzi’s equaliser.

However, Van Gaal’s men had to withstand late pressure from Mark Hughes’ side on that occasion, with goalkeeper David de Gea pulling off a string of impressive saves.

Van Gaal is confident United can continue to adapt to his methods as the Premier League welcomes in 2015, but is wary of the challenge Stoke will pose at the Britannia Stadium.

“I remember that match when we played Stoke at home and we were very weak at the end,” he said.

“Maybe you remember what I said at the time that I have to look in the balance of my team and the balance of my team was not as good as it is now.

“I think everyone can see that we are improving every week in spite of a lot of injuries, and that’s because of the philosophy, but we can improve more when we have all the players available.

“When I say every week we are improving, then we have to show that against Stoke City.”

United have welcomed back defensive trio Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling and Rafael back from injury over the Christmas period.

Van Gaal’s options have

return to training of Ander Herrera and Adnan Januzaj from an ankle injury and illness respectively, but they appear unlikely to feature this week.

Angel di Maria (pelvis) and Fellaini (rib) are also expected to miss out once more, while Marcos Rojo (thigh) and Daley Blind (knee) remain absent.

Stoke may have lost to United this month, but they can take confidence from a 2-1 win in last season’s corresponding fixture in February - their only Premier League win over United.

Manager Hughes - who enjoyed two spells as a player at Old Trafford - has also seen his team beat the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham this term and is sure Stoke can be a threat on New Year’s Day. “We know that we can go up against the top teams and give them a game,” he said.

“We beat Chelsea last year, ran United close at their place and beat them here last season, we’ve beaten Arsenal too.

“We’re looking up. We’re just out of the top 10 but we’re in shouting distance.”

Stoke, whose 2-0 win over West Brom on Sunday secured back-to-back league wins for the first time this season, could be without inform forward Bojan Krkic, who has gone for a scan on a hamstring injury, but Jonathan Walters is fit to play despite a recent illness.

Hughes is also likely to once more be without the trio of Steve Sidwell (knee), Phil Bardsley (ankle) and Stephen Ireland (knee).

Aston Villa V Crystal Palace:

Millen Confident Despite Uncertainty CARETAKER manager Millen will again take charge for Thursday’s clash at Villa Park following the sacking of Neil Warnock, with Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew in talks over a switch to Selhurst Park.

With compensation agreed between Palace and Newcastle, the formalities of Pardew’s move have yet to be completed Millen, meanwhile, has been impressed with the squad’s attitude since Warnock’s departure and hopes Sunday’s battling 0-0 draw with QPR can be built upon with a positive result in the Midlands.

Palace were beaten 1-0 in the reverse fixture earlier this month - Christian Benteke grabbing the winner for Villa - but Millen also feels

• Van Gaal

We Get On With Our Jobs - Kelly JUST over six months after being appointed to the job, Irvine was fired by the club on Monday following a run of seven defeats in nine Premier League matches.

That sequence saw West Brom drop to 16th in the table, just one point above the drop zone.

Irvine’s exit marked the third managerial change at the Hawthorns in 12 months, after Steve Clarke departed last December to be replaced

by Pepe Mel, who subsequently left at the end of the 2013-14 campaign.

With a visit to West Ham looming on Thursday, Kelly says the players and staff at the club have to prepare for the game as best they can.

“I got a phone call last night from Alan explaining the situation,” he said in a press conference on Tuesday.

“Terry [Burton, West Brom’s technical director] then rang me, and told me to prepare the team, along with Keith [Downing] and Dean [Kiely] as best we can for the upcoming fixture against West Ham. “I am disappointed but I know Alan would want us to carry on and get on with our work. It is exactly what he would want, so that is what we will do.

“I spoke to him briefly but I think he had other things to do. We will talk properly when the time is right.”

Kelly was fulsome in his praise of Irvine, and said he felt the players would be

disappointed about the Scot’s departure.

“You would have to ask them but I’m sure they were, they have got a lot of respect for Alan,” he said.

“He’s a terrific person, first and foremost, a terrific man, and an excellent coach.

“They were told by Terry but they knew anyway, because they had seen it on television and local media, so it was not a shock or a surprise. I think they had got over that.

“They came into work, it is what we do. We are professional people, so we get on with our jobs, which is exactly what Alan would want us to do.

“We will prepare as best we can to go and get a result against West Ham.”

positives can be drawn from their display in that defeat.

“We will continue to get on with our job and prepare for Aston Villa - the reaction we got at QPR was exactly what I was after,” said Millen, who will again be without Marouane Chamakh (hamstring).

“I enjoy working with this group of players. You could see that the lads pulled together and worked really hard for each other.

“The players see [the speculation] and have their usual banter. They have coped unbelievably well.

“They are a really resilient group and we will be ready for the Villa game - whoever is in charge.

“We played well against Villa earlier this season and we’ll take confidence from that and will go there looking for a result.”

While Villa have been somewhat out of sorts of late, they are unbeaten in four home games.

Paul Lambert’s side rounded off 2014 with a drab 0-0 draw against Sunderland, but the manager took heart from his side’s performance.

Lambert, without the suspended Fabian Delph, expects Palace to pose a threat regardless of who is in charge on Thursday.

“Whether Keith gets it or someone else comes in and takes it, remains to be seen, but they’re the same group of lads that we played against a few weeks ago,” he explained.

“We know it’ll be a hard game but we’re playing well and passing the ball really well.

“All we need to do is finish our good play off and let’s see what happens. “[The point against Sunderland] was a good point, it was a tough game, but we’re at home. We just have to open teams up and try get that goal.

“It’ll be a hard game, whether a new manager comes in or it’s Keith.”

Cavani And Lavezzins Futures Not Yet Decided - Blanc

• Cavani

PARIS Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc says he is awaiting “explanations” before making a decision over the futures of Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Neither forward travelled with the PSG squad for their warm-weather trip to Morocco, prompting further speculation over whether the club will listen to offers during the January transfer window.

Cavani has been linked with a move to Arsenal next month, while Liverpool and

Inter have been reported to be interested in taking Lavezzi.

Blanc, however, insists nothing will be decided until both Cavani and Lavezzi return to the French capital to resume training with the squad on January 2.

“We’re waiting for certain explanations as they arrive and we will take decisions from a sporting perspective and from the club’s,” he told reporters in Morocco.

A goal from Yohan Cabaye handed PSG a 1-0 friendly win over Inter on Tuesday

and Blanc believes the performance of his side capped what has been an encouraging few days in Africa.

“We worked very well. We focused on physical and tactical aspects twice a day.

This match crowns the good work we’ve put in,” he said.

The former France defender also backed Thiago Motta to recapture his best form when the season resumes in 2015.

“He’s not at the top of his form, but we don’t forget his performances of the past year.

He’s in a difficult period but he’s trying to get back to his best. He has his place in the PSG side,” Blanc added.

Boss Laurent Blanc

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Sterling Escapes FA Punishment

I’m Not Joing Manchester United - Bale

STERLING and Fernandez were embroiled in a spat throughout Liverpool’s 4-1 Premier League win at Anfield on Monday, and the England forward appeared fortunate to escape punishment after pushing the Argentinian in the face in front of an assistant referee.

However, Liverpool fears that the 20-year-old may be charged by the Football Association (FA) have proved unfounded.

An FA spokesperson

GARETH Bale has dismissed speculation linking him with Manchester United by hinting that he could stay at Real Madrid beyond the end of his contract in 2019.

The Welsh winger signed in a world record +100 million transfer from Tottenham in the summer of 2013 but has faced pressure for his place from Isco and James Rodriguez this season.

Reports in Spain and the UK suggested Bale was considering a switch back to the Premier League with Manchester United his most likely destination.

But, speaking from Dubai where he came on as a half-time substitute in Madrid’s surprise 42 friendly defeat against AC Milan, he told Marca:”Manchester United? I’m happy in Madrid. I love the city, the weather and the club. I’m eager to win more silverware here.

“I have a contract with Real Madrid until 2019 and could remain for more years after the end of it.”

Bale won the Champions League in his first season at Madrid, scoring in the final against city rivals Atletico after netting a brilliant winner in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.

confirmed to Perform on Tuesday that Sterling will not face any action because the incident was seen by the match officials.

Sterling is therefore available to face Leicester City, who visit Anfield on New Year’s Day. Earlier on Tuesday, Swansea midfielder Jonjo Shelvey was charged with violent conduct for a clash with Emre Can in the same fixture.

Sterling

Liverpool Boss Rodgers One Of The Top Managers In The World - Henderson Gareth Bale

JORDAN Henderson says Brendan Rodgers remains one of the world’s best managers despite Liverpool’s disappointing season so far. re-model his team’s attack this Inspired by Luis Suarez, the term in the wake of Suarez’s Merseyside giants came within summer move to Barcelona and two points of a first Premier Daniel Sturridge’s persistent League title since 1990 last injury problems, leaving season, with Rodgers rewarded Liverpool in eighth place after 19 with the League Managers’ matches.

Association Manager of the Year But Henderson, who enjoyed award. an excellent campaign during the The Reds boss has struggled to

Reds’ surprise title charge, has no doubt about his manager’s enduring quality.

“For me, he’s one of the top managers in the world,” the England international told reporters. “He has been fantastic ever since he came to the club.

“On the training field, he’s always looking to improve us in every single way possible for us to have the best chance of winning games.

“You can see that during games. If it’s not going right in the first 10 to 15 minutes, he will change something. He’s outstanding at seeing what’s happening in games and changing it whenever he needs to.

“We just have to make sure we keep on putting in the hard work and listening to what he has to say. If we do that, then we’ll keep going in the right direction.”

Seemingly freed by Rodgers’

experimental 3-4-3 formation, Liverpool appear to have rediscovered their scoring touch, netting 10 times in their last four matches, with Monday’s 4-1 rout of Swansea arguably the Reds’ best performance of the season so far.

“We changed to [3-4-3] towards the end of the Basel game,” Henderson added. “[Rodgers] looked at it and went through it with us in the meeting

room and on the training field.

“Everyone buys into it because we know he’s so good tactically.

He has proved he’s a top-class manager. We all know he wants to get the best out of the team and help everybody.

“It’s up to us as players to ensure we put that into practice on the pitch and we definitely did that against Swansea. If we keep playing like that we’ll get that consistency and more good results.”

Derby Boss McClaren Dismisses Newcastle Link

Brendan Rodgers

DERBY boss Steve McClaren has played down reports that he could be asked to succeed Alan Pardew at Newcastle United.

Pardew is widely expected to imminently quit the Magpies in order to take charge of Crystal Palace, with the two Premier League clubs said to be currently trashing out a compensation package.

McClaren is being talked up as a potential replacement but the former England coach says he is paying no attention to what is happening at St James’ Park, insisting that he is solely focused on Derby’s Championship campaign.

“I think there have been about 10 [people] linked [with Newcastle],” McClaren told reporters on Tuesday.

“It’s the speculation season and all we can do is focus on

what we are doing. We’ve got big games coming up and a job to do here.

“In the last year, I think we have established ourselves as a very good team, the club is building and growing and these are a great bunch of lads

Steve McClaren

to work with and when they play like they did tonight [against Leeds], I enjoy watching their football.

“Their attitude is tremendous, they work hard and if we lose, it’s not through a lack of endeavour.”

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Stadium Environment Usually Untidy After Solid functions Lagos- Some users of the National Stadium, Lagos, expressed dissatisfaction at the general cleanliness of the environment after the facility was used for various social functions.

Some athletes and coaches who the facility was actually meant for, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the use of the stadium for social functions had been largely responsible for the lack of cleanliness of the arena.

Some of them who spoke to NAN were of the opinion that people using the facility for town meetings, marriage receptions and other social activities usually “messed up’’ the stadium.

“The stadium is gradually turning to an event centre, for social gatherings, rather than for sporting activities.

“The entire arena used to be given out to people coming to hold social functions; all the car parks and training pitches were also being given out for parties.

“The unfortunate thing is that after using the stadium for such occasions, they leave the place dirty with leftover food, urine and waste dotting the grounds around the facility,’’ Adewale Oshin said.

NAN correspondents who went round the premises report that the environment is in a sorry state as dirt littered everywhere, with posters indiscriminately defacing

Danagogo, Sports Minister

the walls.

Sunday Nwamuda, a boxing coach, said that apart from the dirty environment, athletes hardly now had places to train.

“It used to be clean when there were many cleaners engaged by the National Sports Commission (NSC) to clean up the arena after the events.

“But today, there are only a handful of cleaners to clear the environment.

“The entry point into the gymnasium and the administrative block smell of urine, an uncomfortable mess to those facilities.

“Besides that, athletes hardly have places to train in the stadium now because the entire arena was usually given out to people coming to use them for social functions,” he said Olakunle Idris, an athlete, added that the NSC Management’s latest policy of letting out spaces for social functions was eroding the primary reasons for building the stadium.

“There is no electricity, water and toilet facilities.

This has caused people coming to use the stadium to urinate indiscriminately outside, thereby leaving the environment in a mess.

“They have turned every corner into shops, party grounds and left no place for athletes to train in. And the money generated from the car parks are not being utilised to maintain them.

“It is not good for the athletes to train in a dirty

environment because the odor oozing out of the place is offensive and is adversely affecting us.

“Two or three years ago, we used to see cleaners come early in the morning to do their jobs before we begin our training, but nowadays, their presence is hardly noticeable these days,” he said.

A staff in the stadium

management department told newsmen on condition of anonymity that they always ensured that the environment was clean after being used for parties.

“The stadium management has provided toilet facilities for the users; the problem is that some people don’t use these toilets.

“But we keep educating them on the use of the toilets and also fine anyone caught flouting rules of proper usage of the stadium,’’ he added.

Stephen Keshi

Our Target For 2015 Is To Secure 2016 Olympics Beach Vollyball Ticket Abuja- Musa Nimrod, the -Nimrod Chairman, Beach Volleyball Commission, Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), on Tuesday said the commission’s target in 2015 was to qualify for the 2016 Olympics Games.

Nimrod told newsmen in Abuja that the commission recorded many achievements in 2014 and would improve on the performance to get an Olympics ticket.

“We achieved a lot in beach volleyball in the outgoing year, because we participated and did well in all the championships we qualified for.

“We qualified and went for the under-17, under-19 and under-21 championships and we did very well in all.

“Beach volleyball also qualified for the Youth Olympics Games (YOG), although Nigeria later did not participate in the Games due to the Ebola virus crisis.

“But we hope to leverage on all these achievements in 2015 by picking a ticket to the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio, Brazil.

“That will be our main target for 2015 and we are already working towards that, because we now have players in all categories who can give us what we want,’’ he said.

Nimrod said the commission would also focus on participating in and winning the Continental Cup in 2015.

“Apart from getting the Rio Olympics ticket, we are also focused on qualifying for the Continental Cup which we hope to win after qualification.

“So, we are envisaging a busy but fruitful year and we hope to achieve more than we did in 2014,’’ the beach volleyball commission chairman said.

Ahmed Blames Mark Mentors’s Loss At Continental Championshio On Bad Preparations Abuja- Coach Peter Ahmedu of Mark Mentors basketball club of Abuja blamed the club’s poor performance at the 2014 Africa Champions Cup for Men on bad preparations.

Ahmedu told newsmen in Abuja that the team had minimal preparations for the championship compared to other clubs who had better preparations.

NAN recalls that Mark Mentors debuted in the championship held in Tunis, Tunisia from December 11 to December 21 as Nigeria’s lone representatives.

The club won only two of their five preliminary group matches to place ninth among 12 clubs which participated in the championship, which was in its 29th edition.

“We came second in our local league to play in the championship and we felt that is how the level of the championship will be.

“But it was not so. The standard of the championship was high and we could not cope with the weather and the skills.

“This is because we didn’t have the best of preparations. We had local preparations, and we never went into a closed camp and we did not change environment to acclimatise.

“Besides, the level of commitment and motivation we needed from the club management was

Amodu

not there.

“But, in all, it was not a bad experience because we got exposed to what we have never seen before,’’ Ahmedu said.

He said the preparations the Nigerian club had was inferior to what other clubs had, and they could not do more than they did.

“When we got there, we realised that the championship is different from what we thought it would be.

“The standard was high and all the clubs which qualified were well prepared from what we saw.

“You could see in them that they went on training tours to acclimatise, because the weather was not a problem to them.

“Besides, they know the standard of the championship since they are not new to it. So, most of them have two or more foreign-based players in their team.

“They were well prepared and it showed in the way they played,’’ Ahmedu said.

NAN recalls that Mark Mentors qualified to play in the continental championship after coming second in the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers, the subcontinental competition.

They had finished as runners-up in the 2013/2014 DSTV Men’s Premier Basketball League to qualify as one on Nigeria’s two representatives.

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Taye Taiwo Dreams Super Eagles Recall

Lobi Offset Late Sarki Audu’s Debt To HIs Family THE Makurdi side have cleared the debt owed the late player and paid to members of his family as their own way of showing last respect to the Yobeborn former player Lobi Stars have paid the two months’ salary due to the family members of Sarki Audu as one of the ways to show respect for their former player who died recently in a road accident.

Audu was on his way back from a short visit to the family of his wife when disaster struck and he died a day after the accident while his wife and daughter are still battling for their lives as a result of injuries suffered from the auto crash.

The Assistant Chief Coach of Lobi Stars, Ernest Jupiter who delivered the two months’ salary for November and December, 2014 said that the money paid was one of the ways the club has earmarked to honour the player who served the club without any blemish for three seasons and that Lobi would continue to assist in their own little way.

He said the death of Audu was a sad loss and that the Makurdi side were

yet to recover from the shock of his death because the news hit them by surprise.

“We are all pained at heart over what happened to Sarki and he was the last player we expected death because he was so young and full of life. He served Lobi Stars without any problem and he was a good player with his goals always crucial for the team both home and away in all the three seasons he stayed with us.

“We will miss him and this two months’ salary is just a token of our appreciation of his immense contributions for the three seasons he was with us. We promise to help the family in other ways based on whatever we have,” Jupiter was quoted to have said by Lobi’s coordinator, Ganiyu Adeleke.

Receiving the money on behalf of the family at his home in Potiskum, Yobe State, the father of the late Sarki, Mallam Salihu Audu thanked Lobi Stars for deeming it necessary to give some of what belonged to his son to his family stating that the club should not hesitate to assist the deceased family in other areas

Sports Officer Urges NGOs To Sponsor Sports In Kuje Area Council THE Sports Officer, Kuje Area Council of FCT, Elisha Musa, has called on nongovernmental organisations

(NGO) to sponsor various sporting activities to enhance the development of sports in the Area.

Musa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview on Tuesday in Abuja that the major problem they had at the local level was sponsorship.

He said the construction of the only Sports Centre in the Area had been stopped since 2013 and some of the courts for some sports they have were outdated.

“The only Sports Centre we have is under construction and since last year they (the contractors) have not returned to work.

“I rate the work level 40 per cent because they are working at a very slow pace.

“We have a badminton court which was constructed by individuals and organisations, and a volleyball court which we use at the stadium.

“But they are not up to standard. We are just managing them,’’ Musa said.

He however said in spite of

the lack of funds, the council was still organising competitions.

“Not long ago, we concluded the Five-A-Side football competition which was organised to prepare athletes for future competitions.

“Other competitions which we have now lined up include ‘Operation Catch-ThemYoung’ to develop sports at the grassroots and an under13 football competition, among others.

“But finance is our problem.

“We have some pending programmes, including the Sports Council finals, the Minister’s Club Under-13 and the First Lady’s Under17 competitions.

“We hope to conclude all the programmes by January 2015 if we are able to get the necessary funding,’’ Musa said.

The Sports Officer however commended the Chairman of Kuje Area Council for his support and urged him to do more.

“The Chairman is trying his best to help us, but we are begging him to put in more efforts.’’

Dyche Explains Vokes WALES international Vokes Omission was instrumental in firing

Taye Taiwo

Burnley to Championship promotion last season, netting 20 league goals as he forged a productive partnership with Danny Ings.

But his campaign was curtailed by a serious knee injury suffered in March, and the 25year-old only made his first-team return as a late substitute in the 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool on Friday.

Dyche elected not to include Vokes in the matchday squad for the trip to Manchester City two days later, and aims to slowly ease the striker back into the fray.

“Sam had a big adrenaline hit when he came back,” said Dyche.

“He’s been out for nine months and to have that rush, from a

fantastic reception from the crowd, is a massive thing and all part of adapting back to full fitness.

“I’m an ex-player and you can’t understand it unless you have been through it.

“I can assure you, after that you feel a bit flat, so I explained that to him and leaving him out at City was my decision.

“Two games in three days, in his case, was too early and I just told him to have a few down days and he will come back in serious thinking as we move forward.”

Dyche also confirmed that defender Michael Duff (calf) and midfielder Matt Taylor (Achilles) had returned to training but were unlikely to feature in the short term as they continue their rehabilitation.

BURSASPOR defender Taye Taiwo has said that he would be glad to get a recall to play for the Super Eagles.

The 29-year-old has 53 caps for the country but has been shut out of the national team since coach Stephen Keshi took over as coach.

Since then, Elderson Echiejile and recently Juwon Oshaniwa have held sway in the left back position of the national team.

Taiwo who has never hidden his passion to play for the Eagles feels his playing regularly in the Turkish top flight is a testimony that he is still active and won’t mind getting an invite to represent Nigeria.

“I’m still very much in active football. At my club I play regularly and my manager keeps wondering why I’ve been shut out of the Nigeria national team,” Taiwo told Goal.

“I am a Nigerian and if given the opportunity to do so, I will definitely do that with open arms. Why not? I will surely come.

“This is my country and I will never turn down any invitation because that has always been my priority.”

Known for his prowess at free kicks due to his powerful left foot, the defender feels Nigeria is missing a lot of attributes.

“Most times, when we lose set pieces during international games, I feel very bad because

I would have scored if I was there,” he said.

The 2006 Caf Young Player of the Year also dismissed claims that he had issues with Keshi which could have been responsible for his national team blackout.

“At Dynamo Kiev, I called to congratulate him on his appointment and expressed my willingness to be a part of his team, he assured me all would be well but till date, he never deemed it fit to send me an invite to the national team,” he continued.

“He would not pick my calls and I kept wondering what was wrong. Anyway, I still respect him and I can tell you that I don’t have any issues with him, his assistants and those at the Nigeria Football Federation.”

On the inability of the reigning African champions to make it to Equatorial Guinea 2015, the former Olympique Marseille defender said it was a tragedy for the country despite tipping them to successfully defend their crown following their exploits at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“It is a big disaster that the Super Eagles failed to make the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

“After our performance at the World Cup, I had boasted to my African teammates that Nigeria would successfully defend the title but unfortunately, we missed out. It’s a big shame,” he concluded.

been out of action since mid December through injury but is closing in on a return, while Januzaj is also back in action after illness.

“Herrera trained today [Tuesday] for the first time with us but, yes, they don’t have match rhythm,” boss Louis van Gaal told a media conference.

“Januzaj has also trained two training sessions with us, but he was ill and you have to recover from your illness, not from your tiredness.

“Maybe it’s worse to recover from illness.”

The duo’s return is a boost for United, who have been hit by absences in key positions in recent weeks.

However, when asked if he would have more players available for the Stoke clash on New Year’s Day than he did for the 0-0 draw with Tottenham on Sunday, the United manager replied: “No”.

“You have seen that [Chris] Smalling, [Luke] Shaw and Rafael Da Silva are coming back [after featuring as second-half substitutes against Spurs],” he added.

“These are the first signs that we already predicted two weeks ago, that the players shall come back but they are not back with 100 per cent match rhythm, and now we have to play.

“It’s a problem for me to come through this two weeks around Christmas and New Year, all these matches. That is difficult

now.”

Meanwhile, Van Gaal has heaped praise on United’s fans as he continues to push the club up the Premier League table.

The Dutchman moved to Old Trafford in the close-season following the disappointing campaign under David Moyes in 2013-14.

After a shaky start to his tenure, which included an embarrassing 4-0 League Cup defeat to third-tier MK Dons, Van Gaal and United have started to turn things around.

The 13-time Premier League champions have hit their stride in recent weeks, with a run of seven wins and two draws from their last nine outings seeing them climb to third.

And ahead of the trip to Stoke, Van Gaal has thanked United’s fans for their unwavering support.

“I think the fans [have been] fantastic because we were in a moment with 11 matches and 13 points - that is not good, I think more weak than good,” he said.

“In spite of that, the fans have supported us always and in the right way. I want to thank the fans for that.

“I think the main reason they have supported us is because of the fighting spirit of my team.

“We were not always ahead in matches but they have fought to the end and a lot of times with good success, so I think we can be satisfied about the points now - 36 points.”

Herrera And Januzaj Back For United SPANIARD Herrera has

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Signs And Sounds Of The New Year

WITH time, we got to know that the dates for the Christmas and New Year were fixed for 25 December and 01 January respectively. The New Year’s Day, which is the first day of the year in this part of the world, is one of the oldest and most universally observed festivals. The New Year has often been welcomed with rites and ceremonies that express love and lots of jubilation over life’s renewal.

Recorded history has it that New Year festivals have been celebrated for more than 5,000 years.

In modern times, New Year’s Day is a holiday in many countries and various customs and traditions are observed.

New Year’s Eve provides an occasion for parties in homes, hotels and restaurants. At midnight, the New Year is ushered in with much noise and merrymaking. In Christian countries, the New Year has traditionally been observed with church services and the tolling of church bells.

The question of whether the New Year ’s Day celebration has pagan or Christian connotation has not been resolved to finality. The views persist that the observation of New Year’s Day on 01 January is anchored on the modern Gregorian Calendar as well as the Julian Calendar used in the Roman Empire since 45 BC. Originally, the Romans dedicated New Year’s Day to Janus, the god of gates, doors and beginnings for whom the first month of the year (January) is named. To that extent, there is validity in the claim that the New Year ’s Day celebrations are founded on pagan tradition.

On the other hand, as a date in the Gregorian calendar of the

Christendom, New Year’s Day liturgically marked the feast of circumcision of Jesus Christ and this is still observed as such in many churches today.

This gives the celebration enough Christian colouration.

History also maintains that after Julius Caesar reformed the calendar in 46 BC and he was subsequently murdered, the Roman Senate voted in favour of deifying him on January 1 42 BC. Most of the countries in Western Europe officially adopted January 1 as New Year’s Day before they adopted the Gregorian calendar. For instance, in England, until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1752, the first day of the New Year was the feast of Annunciation on March 25. The March 25 date was labeled the Annunciation Style while the January 1 date was known as Circumcision Style because this was the feast of circumcision considered to be the eighth day of Christ’s life, counting from December 25. This day was christened as the beginning of the New Year

by Pope Gregory as he designed the Liturgical calendar.

The circumcision of Jesus Christ on the eighth day is congruent with the practice in Benin Kingdom where new born male

babies are circumcised and named on the eighth day of life. Until recently, the baby girl was also circumcised and named on the eighth day of life.

Efforts to ban the

there are countries where nothing is happening; and there are some parts of the world where the celebration is taking a different dimension entirely. Space will permit

Public parties are organized by the city governments and they are usually free for all citizens.

shooting of fire crackers at Christmas and the New Year’s Day have remained largely unsuccessful. At the New Year celebrations held in Dubai to mark the beginning of 2014, the world record for the most fireworks set off in a single display was broken. That single display lasted for six minutes and it saw the use of over 500,000 fireworks!

Nothing in the foregoing suggests any consensus in the date and mode of celebration of the New Year’s Day worldwide.

The dates and modes of celebration differ from one place to another. As we celebrate in Nigeria today,

us to examine only a few interesting variations: In the Philippines, New Year’s Day is considered part of the Christmas holiday. At midnight on New Year’s Eve, earthquaking noise is made with fire-crackers, horns and whatever material for noise is available. The horrendous noise is intended to dispel evil spirits and prevent them from bringing bad luck to the coming year.

Tables are laden with food for the midnight meal; and a basket of twelve different round fruits is displayed to symbolize prosperity in each of the coming twelve months.

In the Balinese Calendar, the New Year’s Day, usually celebrated around March 26, is called Nyepi. It is a day of silence, fasting and meditation. It is observed from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m. the following day. It is a day of self-reflection and nothing is allowed to interfere with it. Although Nyepi is a predominantly Hindu holiday, non-Hindus resident in Bali participate in it. Even tourists are not exempt: although they are free to do as they wish in their hotel rooms, no one is allowed into the beaches or streets. The only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day.

The Water Festival is a New Year celebration that takes place in many Southeast Asian countries between 13-15 April. Originally, people sprinkled water on one another as a sign of love; but since the New Year’s Day comes during the hottest month of the year, many people end up dousing strangers and passersby in boisterous celebrations.

There is a related area where Nigeria has been wallowing in illegalities – the new Fiscal Year.

Before 1981, the Fiscal Year in Nigeria was 01 April – 31 March of the following year. But the Financial Year Act 1981 changed our Financial Year to the Calendar Year: 01 January – 31 December. This Act has been obeyed more in the breach than in the observance. Year after year, particularly since the advent of the President Goodluck Jonathan Administration, operation of our annual budgets has been pushed far into the second half of the following year. Until we amend the current Financial Year Act, this practice remains illegal.

Here‘s wishing our esteemed readers happy New Year, a year full of contentment!

“Tables are laden with food for the midnight meal; and a basket of twelve different round fruits is displayed to symbolize prosperity in each of the coming twelve months. Public parties are organized by the city governments and they are usually free for all citizens.”

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