The Nigerian
PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 38 NO.303 •WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2013 . N100.00
CELEBRITY Page 11 Oghiadomhe @ 58
ISSUES Page 25
Kidnap of Chief Ozekhome, one case too many
22 PDP Senators join Atiku’s faction By JOSES SEDE
ABUJA - Twenty-two senators elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have thrown their support behind Atiku’s led faction
of the party. PDP has 74 senators in the upper chamber. In a statement issued in Abuja, the senators
described the action of the former vice president, seven governor and others as a swift and bold step to
reposition the party. They also congratulated Alh Kawu Baraje’s led executive committee of the faction saying their action “provides a soothing
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Oshiomhole. Father receives Stowaway surfaces teenager . ANEEJ lauds SSS By ADAMS OYIBOKE/OSAZUWA AKONEDO
BENIN CITY – Governor Adams Oshiomhole has received the stowaway teenage boy, Ricky Daniel Oikhena under tight security, yesterday in Government House, Benin City. Daniel Oikena in the closed doors, probably to convoy of the State ascertain circumstances Daniel’s Security Service (SSS) surrounding led by the State Director, adventure. The outcome of the Mr. Bello Bakore was released weekend by meeting could not be officials of Lagos State ascertained as at press Security Services to Edo time. Speaking with The State Director of SSS. Comrade Adams NIGERIAN OBSERVER, father, Mr. Oshiomhole in Daniel’s conjunction with the Osaigbovo Oikhena who Director of SSS, Mr. surfaced for the first time Bakore and the mother of since the saga yesterday the boy, Mrs. Evelyn said he was in Government Oikhena met behind House to find out whether
the son was alive. He expressed thanks to Almighty God for protecting the life of his son, adding that he was disturbed when he first heard that his son was
nowhere to be found. He added that though they were separated, he was still responsible for the upkeep of the children who, according to him were “three boys and one
girl in school and still feeding them”. Speaking with journalists at Government House in Benin City yesterday, Mr. Oikhena, 44 said he
is a driver by profession, that he was not sick contrary to rumours in some quarters, rather he was living separately from the family due to some misunderstanding he had with his wife. “I came to tell the world that I am the father of Daniel. “Initially, when I heard of
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Taraba:
PDP fact-finding mission affirms Umar acting Gov The three commissioners
JALINGO - The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) FactFinding Committee on the health condition of Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba has affirmed Alhaji Garba Umar as the Acting Governor of the state. Briefing Journalists after about a two-hour close door meeting, the committee Chairman, Senator Hope Uzodima, stated that the impasse had been resolved with all stakeholders including Suntai’s wife, Hauwa. He said the Acting Governor should from time-to-time be consulting with Suntai on major political issues in the state, while he (Suntai) continued to recuperate. The committee chairman further stressed that the issue was a purely PDP inhouse problem which, as a family, could be sorted out amicably.
Suntai returned to the state on Sunday, August 25, after 10 months of medical treatment abroad, following his involvement in a plane crash in October, 2012. Uzodima’s committee, which was received at the Jalingo airport by the Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar and many top government functionaries, visited Suntai briefly in his official residence. Two parallel organs of governments were being run in the state before Tuesday’s resolution as three commissioners had complied with the purported dissolution of the State Executive Council.
had handed over their offices to the Permanent Secretaries of the ministries while four commissioners did not comply. The Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, four
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SUMMIT: L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, Agric Minister, Dr. Akinwunmi Adeshina and Chairman, Board of Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr. Phillip Foluso during the opening of the Summit.
PDP peace talks collapse again By JOSES SEDE
ABUJA - Peace talks at the behest of raging controversies that culminated in Saturday inauguration of parallel national body of the ruling People’s Democratic Party by former Vice President
Atiku Abubakar led faction, that was earlier adjourned for yesterday has again collapsed. This, according to sources close to the PDP, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo mediating group has not been able to thaw the fervid
situation as both sides have refused to shift grounds. However in his explanation, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, noted that the peace talks, scheduled to continue yesterday in Abuja, were postponed at the request of the aggrieved governors of the party who stormed out of the venue of the party’s special national convention on Saturday. Chief Anenih also disclosed that the peace told newsmen in Abuja on talks with the aggrieved Tuesday that there was governors would now Continues on page 2 continue on Tuesday,
Strike: NLC urges FG, ASUU to resume negotiations
ABUJA - The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has promised to continue to work hard to ensure that the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) and Federal Government returned to the negotiating
table. The NLC President, Abdulwaheed Omar,
next week, after selected party leaders would have met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday as part of wider consultations demanded by parties to the crisis. He further disclosed that the aggrieved governors had told the Presidency and the PDP leadership that they needed more time to make wider consultations, just as he said the Presidency and the PDP leadership were not averse to wider
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News
22 PDP Senators join Atiku’s faction
Continued from page 1 balm that will calm frail nerves in the party.” The 22 senators who signed the statements are predominantly from the north and here is their list: Senators Bindowo Umar,
Mohammed Jibrilla, Aisha Jummai Alhassan, Ibrahim Abdulahi Gobir, Bashir Garba Mohammad, Abdulaziz Usman, Isa Galandu, Simeon Sule Ajibola, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Magnus Ngei Abe, Bello Hayatu Gwarzo,
Mohammed Ali Ndume, Muhammad Shaaba Lafiaji, Wilson Asinobi Ake. Others are: Zainah, Abdulahi Adamu, Abdulmumini Mohammed Hassan, Ahmed Mohammed Maccido, Abdulahi Danladi
Sankara, ,Umaru Dahiru, Danjuma Mohammed Goje, Saidu Ahmed Alkali and Ahmed Hassan Barata. “You have written your names in gold and will be remembered in our political history as men that stood to save the party and Nigeria.
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on the invitation of his wife, adds that they were not divorced. He thanked God that the son is alive, adding that since the incident occurred, he has been following the trend of development. He said that even when people asked the wife of his contact, she always deny them access. Meanwhile, De RAUFs, a volunteer group which had indicated interest in the welfare of Daniel was at Government House, Benin City. Represented by Yinka Muyiwa, head of legal team, De RAUFs said it came to Edo State to reaffirm the scholarship it earlier gave the little boy to continue his education up to university level. According to Muyiwa who spoke to journalists, “the boy did not commit any offence and as such should not be detained any longer”. He said, “ the boy had to do what he did because the system failed him. There was no crime involved in what he did as far as we are concerned”. The African network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ has commended the Department of State Security for the release of the 13years old stowaway teenage boy, Daniel Ohikhena to the Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. According to the release signed by the Executive Director ANEEJ,
Reverend David Ugolor and made available to newsmen in Benin City on Tuesday, ANEEJ said Daniel Ohikhena’s ability to beat the airport security networks exposes the poor state of the nation aviation sector. ANEEJ said it is sad that some of the nation’s airports are still in dire need of proper perimeter fencing, patrol vehicles that would have prevented Daniel Ohikhena from gaining access into the airport despite yearly budgeting for airport security in the country. “From what we have gathered so far, Daniel Ohikhena’s ability to beat all the airport security networks exposes the poor state of our aviation sector. Despite yearly budgeting; it is sad that some of our airports are still in dire need of proper perimeter fencing, security patrol vehicles that would have prevented Daniel Ohikhena from gaining access into the air plane wheel compartment well”, ANEEJ said. According to ANEEJ, President Goodluck Jonathan should see the stowaway incident as a challenge to his transformation agenda in the aviation sector and commended the men and officers of DSS for the sense of maturity in the way they handled the issue. ANEEJ however called on the
Federal Government to take immediate steps to ensure that the nation’s airports are well secured so as to avoid future occurrence. Meanwhile, another boy found in the Benin Airport who attempted stowaway barely two weeks of Daniel Ohikhena stowaway report has been handed over to security agents for questioning. Reacting to this new development, some passengers at the Benin Airport attributed the reoccurrence to security lapses at some of the airports in the country and the level of poverty among the people. Efforts to speak with the Public Affairs Manager of Federal Airport Authority (FAAN), Benin City failed as she was said to be out on official assignment.
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(Niger), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto). But in its comment of the faction, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the party would not comment on the fate of the seven governors that stormed out of the justconcluded special national convention to form a parallel party, stating that consultations were ongoing to resolve the misunderstanding in the party. The inconclusive outcome of the Sunday meeting summoned by President Goodluck Jonathan to discuss the problems affecting the party informed the decision by Obasanjo to summon a meeting of all the elders of the party to
Oshiomhole receives Stowaway teenager the news, I thought my son was kidnapped. But my wife said I should calm down that when everything is okay, she will call me”, said Mr. Oikhena. The father of the stowaway boy who refused to disclose the cause of his quarrel with his wife, stated that he moved out of the house, a year ago when he could no longer cope with his rent and had to move to a different apartment that he can afford. “I never dreamt of going to America, I am not married to another woman. My wife refused to give the SSS when they asked for my number. “Arising from my loss of job, I decided to move to a new apartment that I can afford and told my wife that they should move with me, but she refused and continued to stay in the three bedroom flat at Ehigiagbe, off Goodwill, Ekenwan Benin City. The man who said he resides at 66 Ayo-Bello Street, Off Siluko Road, Egor, insists “I used to pay the school fees of my children and send feeding money regularly to them contrary to claims that I abandoned my family. It was when I packed to the present place I am staying that my wife refused to go with me”. The man disclosed that he came to Government House
PDP fact-finding mission affirms Umar acting Gov Continued from page 1 commissioners loyal to Umar are occupying their offices following the acting governor’s statement asking the public to disregard the dissolution of cabinet.
PDP peace talks collapse again
consultations. He explained that the Presidency and PDP leadership were taking advantage of the postponement to also consult widely on how to amicably resolve the crisis. According to him, “Part of the wider consultations is the meeting of selected party leaders with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday morning and thereafter, we will meet with the governors on Tuesday, next week.” The BoT chair, who read out the resolution of the marathon meeting that held in the Presidential Villa from Sunday night till the early hours of Monday, expressed optimism that the problems would be resolved and the aggrieved governors who broke away from the convention venue to announce a faction of the party, would come back. “I believe some of them have genuine grievances; but I have hope that, once the grievances are addressed, they will come back. I am happy that the PDP has an internal mechanism for effective conflict resolution, and at the end of the day, the problems will be addressed and the PDP will come out of the crisis stronger,” Anenih stated. At the end of the marathon meeting, which ended about 2.05 am on Monday, Anenih had read a short resolution of the meeting to the hearing of the PDP governors, including four of the aggrieved governors, who attended the meeting to set the
stage for the continuation of peace talks which were scheduled for yesterday. “This evening, Mr. President, the leadership of the party and the PDP governors met today, September 1, to discuss the incident that occurred during the PDP special convention on August 31, 2013 whereby some state delegations walked out of the convention ground to announce a faction of the party. “The meeting was smooth and encouraging and the discussions will continue on Tuesday, when all the aggrieved governors will attend,” the PDPBoT had read. Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has summoned a meeting of some of the founding members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to brainstorm on the festering crisis in the party, eventually culminating in its breakup on Saturday. Among those expected at the meeting slated for Thursday in Abuja, are former VicePresident Alex Ekwueme; a former national chairman of the party, Chief Solomon Lar; former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida; and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is the rallying point of the breakaway group, known as New PDP. The New PDP also comprises, among others, Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu
find an amicable resolution of the crisis in the PDP. According to a source, “Those invited to attend the meeting are a former Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme; former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida; a former national chairman of the party, Chief Solomon Lar; former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar, former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau (rtd); and other elders of the party.” The source said the party elders and founding members at the meeting would discuss the grievances of the seven governors and others that walked out of the special national convention and find a way to address them.
GPI raises alarm over rising cases of rape By VICTOR OMOALU/ EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU/ WINIFRED OSASOBO/ PAUL-OJOR ANGELA BENIN CITY – The Girls Power Initiative (GPI), a nongovernmental/profit organization, has said that cases of sexual violence and rape in the society were becoming rampant. The Head, M & E Department of the organization, Mrs. Elizabeth Okoojion, disclosed this yesterday during the organisation’s Dissemination Seminar held at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre, Benin City. She added that the number of such cases reported were said to be insignificant when compared to the total number of occurrences in both the rural and urban areas. Okoojion noted that GPI’s research findings were aimed at evaluating the situation associated with women, especially the girl child with a view to creating the necessary awareness on the men/women situation in the society. She pointed out that most marriages have experienced break up due to inability of their wives to give birth. She stated further that the
survey revealed various practices across the country that have adverse effect on women. The M & E departmental head, opined that lack of implementation of relevant laws were militating against the development of the girlchild in Nigeria. Speaking, the co-founder/ co-ordinator of G.P.I., Edo State, Grace Osakue (Mrs.), described the body as one that strives towards adding value to the life of the girl child. She asserted that no meaningful development can take place without women, and explained that her organization targets girls at an early age for grooming. On the controversial bill on girl child marriage pending in the NASS, She condemned it saying it will not augur well for the nation. “As a child bride, is she prepared to take the challenges of marriage? Will she be able to contribute to the development of the society?”, Mrs. Osakue, queried. She noted that poverty reduction as one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), will be given utmost priority by the body through the empowerment of the girl child.
FG targets 75% rural electrification by 2020 ABUJA - The Federal Government said on Tuesday that it aimed to achieve 75 per cent rural electrification by 2020. The Minister of State for Power, Hajia Zainab Kuchi, said this when she inaugurated the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) board on in Abuja. According to the minister, rural electrification is one of the major focuses of the present administration due to its direct impact on majority of Nigerians. “Our target is to achieve 75 per cent rural electrification access by 2020. “The provision of electric infrastructure in our rural areas is, therefore, expected to propel overall economic and social development in such areas and to a large extent, also enhance the preservation of our cultural identity. “This is why the power sector reform journey and indeed, the roadmap, which was launched by Mr President in August 2010 all made provisions for the development of our rural electrification infrastructure.’’ She tasked the board to form a synergy with all tiers of government in terms of initialisation of projects both on short term, medium and long term basis. The minister also urged them
to focus on the development of appropriate technologies for rural electrification skills, adding that N16 billion has been budgeted for rural electricity projects. Zainab said that the board would function in advisory capacity and would also involve monitoring and evaluation of projects. Responding, the Chairman of the Board, Sen. Jonathan Zwingina, said that members of the board would not betray the confidence reposed in them. He said that the board would evaluate existing projects with a view to raising their performance level to be in tandem with the transformation targets of the federal government. Zwingina appealed for the support of the public, adding that the board would “explore revenue resources beyond the annual budgetary allocations”. Mrs Blessing Egwu was named as the secretary of the 11-man board, while Mr Umar Hiliya would act as its ViceChairman. REA was established in 2005 to ensure the provision of electricity to all rural communities in the country.
NLC urges strikes FG,so ASUU to resume negotiations far, starting from by showing goodwill, perhaps
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the need to find a lasting solution to incessant strikes in the country to ensure national development. He called on both government and the striking lecturers to resume negotiations, especially in the interest of the students and for the future of the country. “We are going to approach them and we are also going to approach federal government to ensure that they resume negotiations. “If you look at the trend of the
ASUU strike and health workers strike and perhaps some other strikes like recently teachers strike, “They are all bothering on one thing, the inability or refusal of the employers, especially in this case the federal government and state governments to fulfill the pledges they make arising from negotiations that are entered into and signed. “For example since 2009 there has been a signed agreement between federal government and ASUU. One would have expected that even
the lecturers would have seen reason that okay, if federal government agreed that it will be injecting N400 billion into universities every year. “If in a given year it puts N100 billion in the budget, ASUU would have seen that there is goodwill, government is determined, only that they don’t have sufficient funds to provide the N400 billion. They would have taken it.“ While commending health workers for suspending their strike, he said the recent development, where striking
lecturers decided to withdraw from negotiations with federal government, was not healthy for the country. “Lecturers have decided to withdraw from the negotiation. I think it’s not a good thing. “Luckily the health sector has already agreed. They have come to terms and they have suspended their strike. “My prayer is that the joint implementation committee would be allowed to work and ensure that whatever is agreed is implemented within the given time.“
Inside Edo 103 Persons Undergo Free Hypertension, Diabetes Screening By FUNMI BABATOPE
BENIN CITY- A Total of 103 persons have undergone examination and screening on the twin ailment of Hypertension and diabetes in Benin City. Of the number, 14 persons who were Hypertensive and diabetic were referred to various hospitals for medical care and management. The free screening exercise which took place at the Headquarters of the Immigration Service, Edo State Command during a one-day seminary organised by public Health Nurses, Edo State branch, in Collaboration with Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Edo State chapter for officers and men of the Immigration service, Edo State Command. Chairperson of the Professional Association of public Health Nursing officers of Nigeria, Edo State branch, Mrs. Elizabeth Eidusi stressed the need for officers and men of the immigration service to always go for medical examination in order to ascertain their fitness. Mrs. Eidusi said regular medical examination became imperative because of the high death rate in the country. The chairperson attributed major causes of death in the country to lack of awareness on Health related issues. She identified hypertension and diabetes as some of the major health challenges that have claimed millions of lives in the country. According to her the only way to tackle, the issue is for Nigerians to always cultivate
the habit of going for regular medical check up in order to know their Blood pressure and sugar level. In a paper Titled, Diabetes and Hypertension: causes, Care and Management delivered by Mrs. Blessing Ateso Okaka, a principal Nursing officer noted that Hypertension and diabetes are twin killer diseases that kills silently if not discovered and treated early On Diabetes and Hypertension the principal Nursing officer noted that most people with over weight and obese have a much higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those with healthy body weight. Mrs. Okaka identified two types of diabetes, one of which she said requires patients to take insulin for life without cure, while the second type of diabetes last a life time but can also be managed through exercise, good diet and excellent body control. Hypertension, Mrs. Okaka said can be properly managed and controlled, adding that lack of management could cause
BENIN CITY - The president of the Christ Disciples Seminary (CDS), Most Senior Apostle Joshua E.E.O Osasuyi has admonished graduands of the seminary to lay a solid foundation for their ministry by counting the cost and getting all the information for a successful and victorious ministry. He disclosed this during the 9 th Graduation ceremony/ Award of
of NAWOJ Edo State Chapter, Comrade Amina Ebor noted that NAWOJ is a body of professional
information managers and disseminators who have been in the forefront of the campaign on Health related
Commissioner for Budget Planning and Economic Development Hon. Lawrence Aghedo and Project Coordinator of Edo SEEFOR Project, Mr Taiwo Akerele
Comply With Beijing Declaration, Group Urges Govt Food, Water Safety:
By ADAMS OYIBOKE
BENIN CITY - The Federal and state governments have been called upon to as a matter of urgency comply with the 2007 BEIJING DECLARATION on food and water safety in order to access the Billions of naira with W.H.O and D.F.I.D. National Patron, Africa Hope Foundation, Bishop Ezekiel Orhevba in
Christ Disciples Seminary Graduates 73 Students By ISEMHENBITA FAITH
complications such as stroke, heart attack or kidney problem On her part, the chairperson
Diploma in Theology, which was held at the Christ Chosen Church of God International Central Cathedral, Benin City He urged the graduands to “fortify themselves with all that it takes as the tasks ahead of them is daunting. The Executive Director of the College, Apostle N.G Atoe, said 73 students graduated from the Seminary in the 2011/2012 and the 2012/2013 academic year and therefore congratulated the graduands for completing their cause successfully.
conjunction with other officials made the call in a release made available to newsmen in Benin City. The signatories to the release included Vincent oghobaghase, Otumba Samuel Olu Runsewe, Dada Okun, Frank Imogan and Oliver Erhayanmwen among others. The release said W.H.O and D.F.I.D are anxious to see that food safety is established by federal and state governments in the country.
It added that food and water safety could provide employment opportunities for over 3,000 Edo people if embraced by government. “The food safety project is a divinely arranged positive revolution that would benefit Edo people through job openings and healthy food consumption” he said. The Foundation members called on the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to brace up to the challenges and therefore appealed to government to
Some participants at the workshop on Project Management
open dialogue with the foundation in order to unfold its objectives to government. The Foundation, however lamented the use of expired and harmful fertilizers in the cultivation of agricultural produce by farmers. According to the group government should partner with the group so as to check the use of expired chemicals in fruits predervation and the use of vehicles tyres for roasting meat meant for consumption a development he said is for high incidence of cancer.
issues, particularly Hypertension, diabetes malaria and cardio-vascular ailments which are preventable and curable life threatening disease if the people are well informed. The NAWOJ chairperson disclosed that a part from the associations contributions in creating awareness in the state, the association in collaboration with some NGO and medical experts has treated freely, not les than 2,000 indigent patients in the state. In his remarks, Controller Nigeria Immigration Service, Edo State Command, Deniel Akwo commended the organizers of the Health programme and therefore sued for its sustenance.
Weekly Sanitation Records Low Turn Out Of Traders
By OYENMWEN OMOROGBE
BENIN CITY –There was low turn out of traders in various markets in Benin City metropolisis for the weekly sanitation exercise following Monday’s early moving down pour A visit by The Nigerian Observer to Oba market revealed that traders were preparing for the day’s business. Just as others were equally seen clearing their shops. Agbado market, Akapakpava Road, recorded an unimpressive turn out of traders as some of them who were seen around the market, blamed the rain for the low turn out of traders for the sanitation exercise Also at Uselu market few traders were seen engaged in sanitation, while all the visible shops were under lock. Meanwhile, trader have bemoared the downpour in Benin City which stated since Friday last week. In an interview, a trader, Mrs. Amenze Omorogbe, Lamented that the rain had prevented buyers from patronizing them as they prefered staying indoors to coming out to buy goods . Another trader, Mrs. Peggy Brown rued the money missed through the low turn out Accoeding to her, basiness activities were going well before the rain set in. She prayed that the rain subsides so that businesses could ceturn to normal.
Across The Nation JTF Seizes Crude Laden Barges, Destroys 14 Illegal Refineries YENAGOA- The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo Shield has announced the seizure of two barges laden with stolen crude in Bayelsa. The JTF impounded the two vessels in Kasabobo Creek during an anti-oil theft patrol in the creeks and water ways of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa. A statement signed by Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said that the Commander Sector 2 Component of the JTF, Brig.Gen. Osasogie Uzamere, ordered the operation, following reports
of resurgence in the activities of oil thieves. Nwachukwu said the oceangoing barges were heading toward international waters when they were intercepted. “The barges, christened CWTC 16 and TIKORO 2 with eight compartments each, filled with stolen crude were intercepted by the troops while making their way into the international waters through Forupa channels. “The troops also carried out raids on illegal crude oil distillers along Ogbenibiri, Kugbie and Forupa in Southern Ijaw, where they dismantled 8 illegal crude oil
BENIN CITY- Chief Aregong Akenuwa in Company of Mr. Austin palmer Akenuwa and Pa. E Akenuwa yesterday poured encomium on the Benin Monarch, Oba Erediauwa, for being able to amicably settle the misunderstanding between them and Christ embassy Church in Benin City. The Akenuwas extolled the Oba for what they referred to as his infinite wisdom in tackling the protracted squabbles.
and grant him long life and prosperity. It would be recalled that the Akenuwas and Christ Embassy Imbroghio that erupted in 2010 has since been laid to rest following the monarch intervention.
distillation sites and scuttled 7 steel reservoirs buried in the
ground and concealed with canopies to prevent detection by troops,” the JTF stated. In a separate operation in Rivers State, the anti-oil theft
patrol team, carrying out surveillance along PPMC right of way, also arrested four suspects at an active illegal crude oil
distillation site at George Kiri, near Bonny Island. “21 drums containing illegally distilled Automated Gas Oil
Akenuwa Hails Benin They prayed God Almighty to Monarch continuously sustain His Majesty
Late Elema For Burial
BENIN CITY –The Elema royal family of Iyekogba in Oredo Local Government Area in Benin City has announced the burial programme of Prince (Dr). Friday Imaghodor Otutu Elema, JP, who died at the age of 69. A release made available to The NIGERIAN OBSERVER and signed by the eldest son of the deceased, Prince Pedro Elema indicates that on Friday 6th of September, 2013, there will be lying in state/family rite/ interment from 9am prompt at his residence, Prince Friday Elema’s Court, 24, Imueruze street, off Upper Adesuwa road, Elema quarters, Benin City, Edo state. On Saturday 7th September, 2013, there will be Iwaronmwin/ General Dance by 12 noon while Izakhue/Night Dance will take place from 9 am prompt on Monday 9th September, 2013. Isoton will take place on Wednesday 11th of September, from 10am while on Thursday 12th of September 3, 2013 there will be last Dance/Isuerhanfua at 9pm. Thanksgiving and outing service for the late Prince (Dr.) Friday Imaghodor Otutu Elema JP, will commence by 10: 30am at Firm Foundation Ministries, 5 Oregbeni Street, off Aideyan Road, Off Adesuwa road, GRA, Benin City while refreshment follows immediately at his residence.
Vice President, Namadi Sambo (3rd left), with other dignitaries at the stakeholders’ forum on protection of critical National assets and infrastructure in Abuja recently.
ICOBA, Class Of ‘85 Holds Memorial Mass For Ehiorobo BENIN CITY: The Immaculate Conception College, Benin Old Boys Association (ICCOBA), class of ’85 will tomorrow hold a one year memorial mass for, the late Lucky Ehiorobo, a member of the class. Late Ehiorobo was one of the four lecturers of the Igbinedion University, Okada, including Woghiren Morgan who died when their vehicle plunged into Ovia River on September 5, 2012. A statement endorsed by the class of ’85 Co-ordinator, Mr.
Enoma James Okungbowa said the memorial mass would hold at the St Joseph Catholic Church, first East Circular
Road at 8am. The statement named the The statement enjoined all late Ehiorobo’s survivors as members of the class to attend his widow, Mrs. Helen the Mass with out fail. Aroture Ehiorobo and his four
children, including Etinosaser, Osarugue, O s a r u e s e a n d Osadebanmwen.
Board Distributes Materials To Intending Pilgrims
LOKOJA- The Kogi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has commenced distribution of materials to 691 intending pilgrims from the state. Our correspondent who visited the board’s office in Lokoja reports that distribution of the materials was being done simultaneously with inoculation of the intending pilgrims. The Secretary of the Board,
Alhaji Idris Ango, told newsmen that the early distribution of the materials was being done to enable intending pilgrims commence their journey to Mecca from September 14. He said that 691 intending pilgrims from the state would make the hajj, compared to the 896 pilgrims recorded in 2012. Ango said that the shortfall in
Vice President Namadi Sambo (2nd), inspecting military patrol vehicles, at the stakeholders forum on protection of critical National assets and infrastructure in Abuja on Monday. With him are Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State (left), CommandantGeneral, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Dr. Ade Abolurin (3rd left) and representative of the Senate President, Senator Muhammed Magoro.
slots allocated to the state was due to the ongoing renovation of the mosque in Mecca. He said that 169 intending pilgrims were rejected this year, adding that those rejected include 45 pregnant women and 60 others on grounds of illhealth and old age.
Ango said that others rejected were those who had previously performed the hajj. He said that intending pilgrims would be airlifted by Max Air, noting that decent accommodation had been secured for them in Mecca and Medina.
Council To Distribute 90,000 Notebooks To Pupils AFUZE- Owan East Local Government Council has placed orders for 90,000 notebooks for distribution to all pupils in Public Primary Schools in the locality. The chairman of the Council, Hon. (Barr.) Jimoh Ijegbai disclosed this when he played host to a delegation of chiefs from Amoya-otuo. He said the gesture is to take the burden off the parents as schools resume next week. Hon. (Barr.) Ijegbai added that all the on-going projects in the locality have reached advanced stage and would soon be completed and ready for commissioning. He assured that desks and chairs would be placed in all the newly contracted classrooms, where every school child would have a desk and chair to himself. Spokesman for the delegation, Chief Felix Aigbode said the visit
was to commend the Council Boss for turning Owan East into a construction site in less than 100 days in office. He added that the on-going construction of Abadakhigua and Ojeaboni Primary Schools in Otuo is highly appreciated by Otuo indigenes both at home and abroad. Chief Aigbode remarked that the construction of primary schools have put smiles on the faces of the people. He used the opportunity of the visit to commend Hon. Pally Iriase who he noted opened the gate of development in Owan East. While commending the council boss for all the on-going projects, he appealed for the provision of more social amenities to the community including the rehabilitation of the imarohe Amohon road which has been devastated by erosion.
South-West
Revenue Sharing: ABEOKUTA - Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta stressed the need for fair and equitable revenue sharing formula. Obasanjo stated this when members of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) paid him an advocacy visit ahead of the proposed review of the existing revenue sharing formula.
Fraud
Police Arraign 2 OSOGBO - The Police has arraigned two persons, Akanbi Abiola, 29, and Moses olarewaju, 41, at an Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding International Breweries Plc. The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Elisha Olusegun, told the court that the accused conspired to steal goods belonging to the breweries. Olusegun alleged that Abiola defrauded the company of N5.7 million and stole 400 crates of generic bottles. He alleged that the second accused, Olarewaju, also stole N3.5 million belonging to the company. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and their counsel, Abiodun Afolabi and Ojo Williams applied for their bail. The Chief Magistrate, M. A. Lasisi, who ruled out the oral application of the counsel, ordered them to file written application on their bail. He adjourned hearing on the case to October 8.
He said that the sharing of the nation’s revenue among the different levels of governments must be proportionate to their responsibilities. Obasanjo also said that items on the exclusive and concurrent lists in the constitution must be quantified to determine how the nation’s resources should be allocated to them. “We must be able to determine how much security, education or health cost and then determine how much should be allocated to each,’’ he said. He noted that such quantification could be a difficult exercise, but emphasised that it was necessary to avoid a lopsided or disproportionate revenue sharing formula. He said such technical exercise might require the services of experts and therefore advised that consultants could be engaged for the purpose. The former president also stressed the need for the commission not to jettison fund mobilisation aspect of its responsibility. He expressed concern that adequate attention had not been paid to fund mobilisation. “I always want to emphasis the nomenclature of your commission and to stress that mobilisation comes before allocation,’’ he said. “Please note that it is very important that you do not only concentrate on revenue allocation, but you must also seek to find out what the local governments, states and the Federal Government are doing to mobilise revenue.’’ On the issue of local government autonomy, Obasanjo recalled that councils were first allocated funds directly from the centre in 1976 when he was military head of state. He said the decision was neither a mistake nor by accident, stressing that the level of
Obasanjo Tasks RMAFC
government was meant to operate as ‘’governments’’ in the real sense of the word since councils are the closest to the people. He noted that through the local government reforms of 1976, criteria such as population, space and contiguity were considered for creation of local
government areas. (LGAs) He, however, expressed concern that subsequent military governments played down on such important factors in the creation of LGAs. The chairman of the commission, Mr. Elias Mbam, who spoke earlier, said the
members were in Abeokuta to consult with Obasanjo, ahead of the review of the existing revenue sharing formula. “We feel that we need to consult with you on such a sensitive national issue to tap from your wealth of experience. “We have been meeting
with other national leaders and critical stakeholders across the nation so that the commission can come up with an acceptable formula,’’ Mbam said. According to him, the commission will soon start zonal public hearings on the issue.
L - R: Secretary-General, Medical and Dental Consultations’ Association of Nigeria, Dr. Aderemi Adeosun; President, Dr. Olusegun Oluwole and Immediate past President, Prof. Amos Gazama, at a news conference on the 2013 post Biennial Delegate meeting in Ibadan yesterday.
Osun Assembly Passes 18 Bills, 32 Resolutions
OSOGBO - The Osun House of Assembly has said that it passed 18 bills into law in the last two years. Mr. Najeem Salaam, the Speaker of the house, told newsmen in Osogbo that more than 32 resolutions were also passed during the period. Salaam said the bills were on Osun State Agency for Control of HIV/AIDs, Public Procurement, Protection Against Violence, Revenue Administration and
Security Trust Fund. The speaker also said eight others, including street trading and illegal market, livestock roaming, waste management, agricultural land holdings were still pending in the house. “Since June 2011 when the house was inaugurated, more than four public hearings had been conducted.” The speaker commended the executive for prompt implementation of some of the resolutions passed by the assembly.
“If there is anyone that gives respect to the resolutions passed by the house, it is our governor,” he said. Meanwhile, the speaker said members of the assembly were not government “rubber stamp” as being speculated around the state. He said it was the existing cordial relationship between the executive and the lawmakers that made people to believe that such situation existed. “People always like to
witness crisis between the executive and legislatures, but, once there is understanding between the two arms, people will start speculating.” “Whenever there is any issue we need to call the attention of the governor, we do that and he responds urgently, ” he said. The speaker, however, said the assembly would continue to work with the executive in the best interest of the of the state.
Joseph, however, pleaded innocence of the offence. But the prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offence on August7 at Oshodi, Lagos. He alleged that the accused stole N300, 000 given to her by her employer, Mrs. Joy Onuoha, to deposit in bank. “The complainant gave the accused the money to deposit in her bank account and she disappeared with it.
‘She was told by a co-tenant that the accused just rushed into her apartment, parked her clothes and left without telling anyone where she was heading to. “The accused was later arrested at Sango-Ota, Ogun,’’ Olatunde said. The Magistrate, Akeem Fashola, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum. He adjourned the case to September 23 for mention.
Shop Assistant Bolts With Employer’s N300,000
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Martin Uhomoibhi (L), with the Swiss Ambassador, Mr Hans-Rudolf Godel, at a Training Exchange programme for Nigerian and Swiss Diplomats in Abuja on Monday
LAGOS - A shop assistant, Chinenye Joseph, who allegedly bolted with her employer’s N300,000, on Monday appeared before an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court on a charge of stealing. The accused, 21, who resides at No 3, Lasisi St., Mushin, Lagos, is being prosecuted under Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Reports say that the accused, if found guilty, faces a threeyear jail sentence.
Lagos L-R: Lagos Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire; Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr Michael Ikpoki; Gov Babatunde Fashola; Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Mr Fola Arthur-Worrey and Commander, Lagos Rapid Response Squad, Mr Akeem Odumosu, at the inauguration of security vehicles donated to Lagos State Government by MTN foundation in Lagos on Monday
Man, 20, Docked LAGOS - The police in Lagos arraigned a 20-yearold, Sunday Adeyemi, over an alleged theft of two laptops valued at N280, 000. Adeyemi, who resides at No. 8, Usman St., Mafoluku area of Oshodi, is facing a charge of stealing at an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court. According to the prosecution, the accused committed the offence on Aug. 20 at Ikeja Grammar School. “The accused climbed the
Coy Acquires $50m Vessels LAGOS- An offshore marine logistics firm, CNS Marine Nigeria Ltd., said it had acquired three vessels worth over 50 million dollars (N6 billion) . Speaking at the inauguration of the new vessels in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of company, Mr Barry Adedamola, said that the company had acquired the vessels to facilitate its offshore projects. The three vessels are named Adessa Ocean King, Adessa Legend and Adessa Sea Proctor. Adedamola said that the newly acquired vessels had capacity to accommodate about 90 workers on offshore projects. “Today we are launching a unique product into the Nigeria market which has tremendous benefit to the socio-economic growth of Nigeria in creating lots of jobs, while hoping that more
local people will be trained to work in the vessels. “We have invested over 50 million dollars into these vessels. We are fully committed to a hundred per cent Nigerian Content,” he said. The CNS Marine boss assured that adequate safety measures had been put in place to protect the crew. He said that additional security facilities had been acquired to support the operation of the vessels in offshore projects against militants. He called on the Federal Government for support to enhance the company’s efforts at capacity building in the country. Mr Lucky Akhiwu, the company’s Country Director,
said that the company had international partners that rendered technical support. He said that the company had worked with several international oil companies like Kaztec Engineering, Saipem, Exxon Mobil, Adam Offshore and Saibos. He said that the operations of CNS Marine Services included mixed gas hyperbaric diving services, air diving services, general construction, maintenance and repair as well as offshore pipe-laying services. Other functions include underwater remote video surveys and inspections, savage and recovery, pipeline pigging and hydrostatic test, vessel agency and dive support services and offshore quality assurance programme advisory services. Diamond Bank, a major finacier, provided 30 million
Association Attributes High Cost Of Local Rice To Low Productivity LAGOS - Mr Olusegun Atho, the Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), South-West Zone, has attributed the high cost of locally produced rice to low productivity. Atho told newsmen in Lagos that government needed to equip farmers with the necessary tools to produce higher quantity. He also identified inadequate equipment as one of the major challenges and reason why the locally produced rice was more expensive than imported rice. Newsmen reports that a bag of local rice cost between N20,000 and N25,000 depending on the type – Ofada or Abakaliki, while imported ones cost between N10,000 and N12,000 per bag. “If farmers produce higher quantity of rice, it will reduce the price because the higher the quantity, the lower the price. “Before the price of local rice can drop, government needs to put things in place by providing farmers with modern equipment. “If farmers still produce with cutlass and hoe, the price can’t be reduced because this process is time consuming and does not enable large production,” he said. The RIFAN chairman added that
farmers were working hard to improve on the quality of the locally produced rice. “There is a mini de-stoning machine we use to clean the rice to remove stones and dirt.” Atho, however, appealed to the government to assist farmers by providing them the
necessary farm tools and modern equipment to improve and increase rice production across the country. “Farmers are ready to produce and sustain their production but they require the help of the government to encourage and promote agriculture generally,” the chairman added.
dollars (N4.8 billion) with five years repayment period. Mr Samuel Egube, the Bank’s Corporate Banking Director, said that the bank’s commitment to the Nigerian Content Policy spurred its decision to fund indigenous companies in the oil and gas sector. He said that the bank was committed to supporting the Nigerian Content Policy and pledged to sustain it. Egube said that Addasa Marine was an indigenous company which was also committed to Nigerian content development. “We are delighted to be supporting such an indigenous company. “We are the lead supporters of marine logistics in Nigeria and we are happy to help the company. It is not just a milestone for this company, but a milestone for the Nigerian content. “We believe that this is just the beginning. This support will increase employment generation in the country, most especially to Nigerian divers,’’ he said. The banker said that the loan was structured in a manner that would give the project ample time for repayment. “I think it required a great amount of creativity to put this together. We have been able to put a structure together to accommodate such financing and it is for five years.”
He expressed happiness that the trend started to change with the implementation of the Nigerian Content Act signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan. “Funding will remain a challenge in the oil and gas sector. Our local content fund will go a long way to support indigenous oil and gas firms facing funding challenges. “This fund will give the bank’s confidence to release funds and reduce interest on loan. The banks are already modelling their transactions around that loan. “We have over 10 million dollars so far,’’ he said.
For Theft fence of the school and broke in through the ceiling into the staff room to steal two laptops,” Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde said. The prosecutor told the court how the accused was arrested in the school premises by security guards on duty two weeks ago. “A security guard saw the accused while he jumped the fence into the premises; he called his colleague with whom he searched for him. “The accused was found hiding in one of the classrooms where they arrested him,’’ Olatunde added. He said the offence was a contravention of Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum. Magistrate Akeem Fashola adjourned the case to Sept. 19 for mention. Reports say that Section 285 prescribes three years imprisonment for offenders.
Lack Of Land Hinders Establishment Of Police School -Directorate LAGOS - The Directorate of Police Education has said that non availability of plots was hindering establishment of a police secondary school in Lagos State. The Director, DCP Ibrahim Kabiru, told newsmen in Lagos that the absence of the school was a major constraint to continuity. “There are existence police secondary schools in other
Some of the security vehciles donated to Lagos State Government by MTN foundation in Lagos on Monday
zones of the Nigerian Police Force apart from zone 2, which comprises Lagos and Ogun states. “The large number of pupils from the police primary schools in Lagos needs a police secondary school to continue to receive qualitative education. “It is not proper for us to graduate children from our primary schools only to take them to other schools,” the director said,’’ The director appealed to the Lagos State Government and corporate bodies to donate plots or buildings for the school. According to him, the directorate will need an expanse of land or huge structures for the school which operates a boarding system to ensure discipline. “The Directorate of Police Education only operates a boarding system in its secondary schools to maintain discipline,’’ Kabiru said. “We have more mixed schools to give the children opportunities to compete, irrespective of their sexes,” the DCP said. Kabiru said that the directorate had 72 police children schools (primary) and nine secondary schools. He noted that two of the secondary and 17 of the primary schools were established this year.
Across The Nation VC Tasks FG On Improved Agric Productivity
ILORIN- Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, has urged the Federal Government to adopt policies aimed at improving the country’s agricultural productivity. Daramola made the call in a keynote address at the 27th Annual Conference of the Farm Management Association of Nigeria (FAMAN) at the university of Ilorin. The theme of the conference is “Nigerian Agriculture and Economic Development: The Way Forward.” He said that such policies would reduce the level of poverty among the citizenry and transform the country’s economy. The V-C noted that some successful countries of the world that did not possess immense natural resources like Nigeria were driven solely by a highly productive agricultural sector.
“After Nigeria’s independence, significant developments recorded in education, mass media and sports in the different regions, especially in the then Western Region, were driven by the agrarian economy,” he said. He pointed out that agriculture-driven growth had played key roles in reducing poverty and transforming many economies in the Asian continent. Daramola added that the strategy had not worked in Nigeria because of the discovery of crude oil which
had now formed the basis of the present economy. oil came and distracted the entire country from agriculture and we shifted our focus to importing even things that we could produce locally,” he said. He said the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth generated by the agricultural sector was up to four times more effective in reducing poverty than the growth generated in other sectors. Daramola pointed out that agriculture must grow to double the rate of population growth to be able to force
Father Docked For Killing Son
ILORIN - An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court has remanded a 25-year-old father, Muritala Elemosho, for allegedly killing his nine-month old son, Qudus Elemosho. The accused was alleged to
have murdered and buried the child, who was on admission at the Children Specialist Hospital Centre, Igboro, Ilorin, on August 12.
Robbers Kill 15-Yrs-Old Boy
RABAH (SOKOTO) - A gang of suspected armed robbers in the early hours of Sunday shot and killed a 15-year-old boy at Gandi village in Rabah Local government of Sokoto State. It was learnt that the hoodlums had attacked the residence of a business tycoon, Alhaji Yawale Gandi at around 3.00am on Sunday, where the boy was killed. The suspects, who were said to have carted away undisclosed amount of money, also injured a 20-year-old man, who was treated and discharged from the Gandi Primary Health Centre. The businessman, Gandi, declined comment on the incident but thanked God for sparing his life. “I will not comment on this
down poverty and ensure food security. He observed that the agricultural sector indirectly influence the stability of a nation as well as promote gender empowerment. Citing relevant statistics to back his claims, Daramola said that the Global Hunger Index (GHI) for Nigeria in 2012 was 15.7 compared to South Africa and Malaysia with lower GHI of 5.8 and 5.2, respectively. The don, however, expressed confidence in the agricultural transformation agenda of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, saying that the level of agricultural production presently was picking up.
incident, but I will only thank God,” he told newsmen. The spokesman of the state police command, DSP AlMustapha Sani, confirmed the incident in Sokoto on Monday, saying investigations had since commenced. “We are suspecting that the hoodlums came from the neighbouring Zamfara, so, we are collaborating with the Zamfara police command to trail the men of the underworld with a view to arresting them,” Sani added. The Chairman of the local council, Alhaji Zayyanu Bello told newsmen that the council had held a security meeting on the incident and urged the police to ensure that the robbers were
arrested. “We have just finished an emergency security meeting sequel to the incident and we have made it clear to the police that the robbers must be apprehended. “We were told that the hoodlums stormed the area in a vehicle and six motorcycles; we commend the security agencies, and we have made it clear to them that more should be done to secure the lives and property of the residents. “We will also intensify our logistics support to them, while more police outposts would soon be established across the council areas,” the chairman said.
The Prosecuting Police Officer, Mr Elijah Abegunde, told the court that the accused was requested to take the child for a PVC test at the hospital’s laboratory when he sneaked out of the hospital with him. He said that the father later killed and buried the child without the knowledge of the hospital management. “The accused callously killed his son for no just cause and hurriedly buried him,” he said, adding that investigation into the issue was ongoing. He urged the court to remand the accused in prison pending the completion of investigation. He said the accused was arraigned on a one-count charge of culpable homicide contrary to Section 221 of the Penal Code. The Magistrate, Mr. Ibrahim Dasuki, in his ruling, ordered the remand of the accused in Mondala Prison Yard, Ilorin and adjourned the case to September 20 for mention.
District head of Gamawa, Alhaji Adamu Abdulkadir (2ndleft), Bauchi State Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Bappah Azare (3rd-left) among others inspecting the construction of drainage in Gamawa LGA of Bauchi State on Monday.
House Wife Arraigned For Assault JOS, - A 30-year-old housewife, Hadiza Abba, has appeared before an Area Court in Jos, Plateau, for allegedly causing grievous hurt to her cowife. “The suspect boiled hot water and poured on one Mrs. Zainab Abba that they are married to the same husband.” The police First Information Report (FIR) stated that the accused committed the offence on August 4, at about 3p.m. The FIR said that on August. 13, at about 5p.m, one Sagiru Maishanu went to the ‘C‘ Division police station in Jos
Kogi Prepares For Flood LOKOJA -Kogi Commissioner for Health, Dr Idris Omede, has assured citizens of the state that the ministry was prepared to offer medical attention in the event of an outbreak of epidemic from flood. Omede said this in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the ministry, Mrs Elizabeth Onushagba, in Lokoja. He said that the state government had released funds to buy drugs that would be needed in the event of flood. Omede urged citizens of the state to move to more conducive areas, to avoid contracting ailments.
Kore village in Zaki LGA of Bauchi State, flooded after a heavy downpour on Monday.
and reported that the accused had committed the offence. It said that the complainant, who was the brother of the victim, told the police that the action of the accused had made his sister to sustain severe burnt. “The victim has sustained severe burn on her back and breast, and she was rushed to a hospital for treatment. “The action of the accused has contravened Section 242 of the Penal Code law,” the FIR said. When the FIR was read to the accused, she pleaded not guilty to the charge and her Counsel, Mr. A. S. Umar, applied to the court for her bail. Umar said that his client was presumed innocent until proven otherwise by the court and that she was ready to provide competent surety if given the bail. The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Mubas Rafan, objected to the bail application of the accused, saying that the police was still investigating the matter. Rafan said that the victim had sustained serious hurt from the action of the accused and she did not deserve bail. The Presiding Officers, Mrs. Halima Bala and Mrs. Mary Izang, however, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum. The court adjourned the case to September 16 for hearing.
South-South Ethnic Group Seeks More Appointment Slots, Infrastructure PORT HARCOURT The Etche Heritage Foundation has appealed to the Federal Government to provide more infrastructure and appointment slots to Etche people in Rivers in line with the area’s contribution to the nation’s economy. The President of the foundation, Dr Acho Nwokogba, said at a media conference in Port Harcourt on Monday that the area contributed more than 250 oil wells to the nation’s economy. The Etche Heritage Foundation is a sociocultural group of Etche people who inhabit Omuma and Etche local government areas of Rivers. According to Nwokogba, the two local government areas rank the third largest producers of crude oil and gas in Nigeria. He said that in spite of the fact that Bonny Light crude oil was discovered in Umuechem, a community in Etche Local Government Area in 1958, the area was yet to benefit from its contribution to the nation’s economy. “Etche people find themselves in a state of severe and extreme marginalisation in political representation in a setting (country) that they have given so much. “A comparison of the Etche kingdom compared to other ethnic groups in the state speaks volumes in the level of neglect and marginalisation suffered by the people. “Today, the people of Etche lament that despite its contributions; the people are left out in political appointments and federal presence in terms of infrastructure and human capital development. “It is appalling to state that the people of Etche ethnic nationality have never produced an ambassador, minister, chairman of the board of a federal government agency or commission and federal permanent secretary. “Just recently, the Federal Government constituted the boards of more than 44 federal government establishments, and there
was no Etche indigene appointed. ” Nwokogba said the state and federal governments
had yet to develop the area in spite of its contribution to the nation’s economy.
He called on President Goodluck Jonathan to integrate the Etche people into governance to ensure equitable representation and distribution of the nation’s resources.
Supreme President, Supreme Ladies Auxiliazry knights of St. John International, Iris Turner (L), with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, during a courtesy visit by supreme commandery of knights of St John International to the Minister in Abuja on Monday
Urologist Warns Against Lifting Of Heavy Objects BENIN - A Urologist, Dr Emmanuel Osagbovo, has warned people against lifting of heavy objects to avoid weakness of the abdominal wall, which could result to hernia. Osagbovo, who is also a Surgeon at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, said this during an interview with newsmen in Benin. The doctor said that hernia occurred when there was a protrusion of the intestinal content through the wall of the abdomen due to a defect in the abdominal wall. He said that lifting of heavy objects increased the intra abdominal pressure of the belly and this could weaken and cause a defect in the abdominal wall. “The risk factor of hernia is anything that will increase the intra abdominal pressure of the belly. “Men that do hard work like mechanic, brick layers and those whose work involved lifting of heavy load, are likely to have increased abdominal pressure and weakened groin area. “If there is any defect in the abdominal wall as a result of increased abdominal pressure, the intestine or part of the intestine will come out through the defect and this will result to
President, Commandery of knights of St. John International, Dele 19 Gossiaux (L), with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof Viola Onwuliri during the courtesy visit of the Commandery to the Minister in Abuja on Monday
Police Confirm Killing Of Five Family Members JOS-The Police in Plateau have confirmed the killing of five members of a family at Kunte village near Maraba Jama’a in Jos South Local Government Area of the state, by unknown gunmen. DSP Felicia Anslem, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, told newsmen in Jos
that the murder took place around 10.45p.m on Sunday Sept. 1. Anslem said those killed were a “father, mother and three children.” According to the spokesperson, investigation into the killings, has commenced, adding that the
police were doing their best to apprehend the culprits. “The police had dispatched a team to search for the perpetrators of this criminal act, so that they would be brought to justice,’’ she stated. She, however, said that the incident was not a crisis and had nothing to do with
religious or ethnic inclination, stressing that it was purely an act of criminality. “The moment something like this happens, many people tend give other meanings, but it was purely a criminal act, which must be taken as such,” said the PPRO.
hernia. The doctor said hernia could be hereditary, adding that people with chronic cough and women with multiple deliveries were likely to have hernia. The surgeon, therefore, advised people with such problem to promptly seek medical intervention. “It is better to treat hernia when it is just developing. It starts like a little bulge in the groin area. But if left to continue growing, it can get into the scrotum in males. “Complication that might result is that the intestine might come out through the defect and gets stocked to prevent blood flow in the affected part and this might lead to death,” the doctor said. He also said that children could have hernia due to weak protective walls. “There are hernias that are common in children because at that time, the groin area is not well developed. “The place is usually open. But most time, if the place did not close up and healed when the child becomes two years, operation might be the only option,” he said.
Delta Treats 10,000 Eye Patients ASABA - The Delta Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Otumarah, said that 10,000 people with different types of eye defects were treated in the state in the last five years. Otumarah, who announced this in an interview with newsmen in Asaba, said that 2,000 patients were being treated annually. The commissioner explained that the free eye defect treatment scheme was one of the comprehensive health programmes of Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration. He said that the state employed 50 ophthalmologists who had been going round the rural communities to treat patients with cataracts, glaucoma and other defects. He said that with the collaboration of MTN, the eye doctors in state had operated on 2,000 patients this year, adding that within the next one month, the 2013 free eye treatment would begin in the rural areas. “Persons with bilateral sight, cataract and those who have not been able to see for over 30 years have been treated under this programme,” he said. The commissioner added that the Delta State Teaching Hospital in Oghara was one of the best in the sub Sahara Africa with so many orthopaedic surgeons. On maternal mortality, Otumarah said that the state had recorded a ratio of 244:100,000 deliveries, adding that it was one of the best in the country. Otumarah called on Delta residents to endeavour to have their eyes checked regularly, for early detection and treatment of eye diseases.
Business + Economy Intact NNPC FGs Gas Revolution ABUJA - The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that the Federal Government gas revolution agenda was intact. The corporation said that decision of Shell and Chevron Nigeria Limited to withdraw from the Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas Project would not derail the policy. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Ms Tumini Green, Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC. The statement said the Gas Revolution Agenda, launched in March 2011, was not only intact but had also taken off with significant progress in gas supply for power generation and industrial usage. “The Federal Government Gas Revolution Agenda, which is an integral part of the Gas Master plan, cannot be derailed just like that. “NNPC can confirm that the exit of Shell and Chevron will not impact on Mr President’s Gas Revolution Agenda. “In fact, very good progress is being made with domestic gas supply which has reached the highest level of 1500mmcf/d from about 500mmcf/d about three years ago,’’ it said. It noted that more than 70 per cent of this gas was being directed to the power sector pursuant of the Gas Revolution Agenda. It explained that the gas-based industrialisation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan planned for Ogidigben in Delta had teed-off with site data gathering activities. It stressed that major new heavy gas-based industries such as fertiliser and petrochemicals, among others, would come on board to create the much-needed jobs. “All these are very much under way and unaffected by the recent exit of Shell and Chevron from OKLNG. “Similarly, the Brass LNG project is unaffected by this exit as shareholders of the Brass LNG are different.’’ According to the statement, the NNPC is determined to
continue to work with partners and stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria continues to be the desired location for gas-based investments. “In a changing global gas market, OKLNG inevitably has
suffered a setback as a result of the exit but effort will be intensified to secure other willing investors. “NNPC and the Federal Government remain committed to this project,’’ it assured.
Shea Can Generate More Foreign Exchange Than Oil -NIFOR BENIN CITY - The Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) says harnessing the potential of the shea tree through cultivation, processing and export can rake in more foreign exchange than crude oil. Dr Napoleon Aisueni, the Director, Shea Production at the institute (NIFOR), made this known to newsmen during a tour of the institute’s shea tree projects in Benin. Aisueni enumerated the different functions of the shea produce , a very important commodity in homes as well as for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. He noted that Nigeria is the largest producer of shea in the West African sub-region but lacked industries to process the crop into various products for use in the country. He argued that Nigeria ought to take advantage of the tree crop due to its high demand locally and internationally especially as the tree only grew in the Africa savanna regions and Nigeria’s leading role in producing it. “In France, America and Germany there are people who need this shea for their products, chocolates and some other beauty products. “It is believed that shea can give those producing states in Nigeria more money than even crude petroleum because it is an export crop apart from being a food item. “Ghana appears to have most of the industries that produce all those high quality shea products. “As of now in Nigeria there are really no industries but Nigeria produces the largest amount of shea in the whole of the West African sub region. Surveys carried out in this
country show that shea can grow in every part of Nigeria but the highest growers are our savanna states. “The industries we have in Ghana and Mali are fed from our shea collected from the wild in this country and smuggled through the borders to these places.” The director said the savanna and some northern regions of Oyo, Kwara, and Kebbi States were identified as high shea producing areas with Niger State as the the largest producer. “The shea butter has a number of uses — its oil could be fractionated into the liquid and solid portions for consumption. “The shea oil is also used in food and cosmetic industries for shampoo and cream while its medicinal viability is used in cleansing rashes, sunburns, insect bites and a lot more.’’ He further said that plans were in top gear to reduce the shea tree gestation period from its original maturing age of between 15 and 20 years to five and seven years through tissue culture and the grafting method.
Investors moving their equipment ot site in Lagos on Monday
Nigeria To Benefit From $120m Agric Loan
LAGOS - International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group and Olam International, a global integrated supply chain manager and processor of agricultural products, have signed a 120 million dollars (N18.7 billion) agricultural loan agreement. A press statement issued by Ade Adefeko, Head of Corporate and Government Relations of Olam Nigeria, said the five - year loan was meant to expand food
CBN Sells Forex Worth $258.5m LAGOS - The Central Bank
of Nigeria (CBN) sold 258.5 million dollars (N40.06 billion) worth of foreign exchange at its bi-weekly Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS). The reports that the apex bank sold $263.67 million at the previous WDAS on Aug. 28. Some dealers attributed the decrease in forex sales to the drop in oil price at the
international market. NAN also reports that the naira remained stable against the dollar, as it exchanged at N155.76, a rating it has maintained for five consecutive tradings. The number of banks that participated at the auction was 20 against 18 at the previous auction, making it the highest since July 31.
Tippers being loaded with sand in Bada-Romo River, Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State on Monday
processing and create opportunities for small-scale farmers in Nigeria and India. “The loan will be used to finance upgrades and expansion of five food processing facilities in Nigeria and India. “The projects will benefit local communities by generating rural employment and creating new market opportunities for smallholder farmers to sell their crops,” the statement said. It announced that the IFC financing would support many facilities operated by Olam: The facilities to benefit in Nigeria are: Crown Flour Mill, Lagos- which will be expanded; and a new mechanical cashew processing facility to be set up at the Cashew factory in Ilorin. Apart from this, a new sesame
hulling facility will be set up in Lagos, the statement said. “In India, both the Hemarus Sugar Mill at Kolhapur and the spice processing facility at Cochin will be upgraded”. According to the statement, the Crown Flour Mill in Nigeria will process imported wheat into flour for domestic bakers. It said the remaining four facilities would integrate more than 45,000 small-scale farmers from surrounding regions into Olam’s supply chains by 2015. “This will be made possible by allowing them to supply their crops directly to the processing units, thereby guaranteeing a market for their products”, it said.
Exempt Petty Traders From Tax,Associations LAGOS - Two associations in Urge Govts the organised private sector in Lagos have appealed to state governments to exempt or reduce the taxes being paid by petty traders. The appeal was made by the Lagos Branch of National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) and the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI). They made the appeal in separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos. Mr Eze Ubiji, Chairman of NASME, said that petty traders could no longer pay taxes since their businesses had been weakened by poor infrastructure. According to him, payment of tax is a civic responsibility, but most businesses, especially the small ones, are groaning under unfavourable working environment. “Tax payment is adversely affecting the businesses. “We need to wait until there is a visible improvement in basic
infrastructure and the ease of doing business before petty traders can pay tax,” he said. Mr Segun Kuti-George, Chairman of NASSI, told newsmen that it was a challenge for petty traders to pay tax as many of them did not even have shops. “The hiccups faced by small scale enterprises have been worsened because most of them are yet to get the intervention funds promised by the government. “Capturing them for tax payment will only deplete the impact we want to see in the empowerment of the poor through the SMEs. “It is the responsibility of every citizen to pay tax, but the Federal Government should urgently upgrade the country’s infrastructure,” he said. He urged the federal and state inland revenue services to implement more of their plans to improve the business environment.
Celebrity
Oghiadomhe @ 58 By SAM DADA AYOKHAI
I begin this voyage into the life of an illustrious son of Fugar in Etsako Central, Edo State by taking a quick peep into the likely scenario of things in Chief Michael Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe’s household, as he clocks 58 today. This two-time deputy governor of Edo State, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to Mr. President, sure relishes with joy, his present station in life and equally reflective on the pains he endured to reach the top. Chief Oghiadomhe’s Abuja residence will come agog for obvious reasons as friends, well wishers and associates try to outdo one another in felicitations and the clinking of glasses, all in a bid to show their love and affection for a true grassroots man, a humble technocrat, God-fearing administrator and unassuming politician. Also, the celebrant will devote a good chunk of the day to prayer sessions in the church surrounded, of course by close family members, including his adorable wife, Chief (Mrs.) Louisa Oghiadomhe, whom he had variously described in the past as a “jewel” and “woman of substance” who stood beside him like rock of Gibraltar. And, then, most important of all, his principal, Dr, Ebele Jonathan Goodluck, Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will pop in early in the day as one of the very first VIPs to wish this celebrant “Happy Birthday” and thank him for being a trusted, reliable and loyal aide. President Jonathan is lucky and also thank his stars for having the likes of Chief Oghiadomhe in his cabinet, who has cued beautifully into his transformation agenda and is working stridently to
actualize that dream, whether in Edo State in particular or South-south geo-political zone in general. It must be noted herein that President Jonathan today enjoys high rating and is expected to emerge as the most loved president in the political history of Nigeria based on his conceptualization of the agenda to transform the Nigerian society. In appreciation, President Jonathan will probably say: “Chief, happy birthday to you. You are a rare gem and I am please to work with you on project Nigeria”. Unknown to many, Chief Oghiadomhe enjoys a chummy relationship with his principal and this dates back to their days as deputy governors of Bayelsa and Edo states respectively. What began as a casual relationship later grew and thickened and then became cemented when both men realized that they shared a lot in common such as absolute loyalty, managerial acumen, unblemished public service record, humility, tenacity of purpose, etc. Like they say: “birds of the same feather flock together”. Thus, President Jonathan wasted no time in appointing Chief Oghiadomhe his Chief of Staff in 2007, a post highly regarded as sensitive and strategic and also acts as the clearing house on all political and national issues. In Edo State where Chief Oghiadomhe rendered eight solid years of meritorious service as deputy governor and left office with his head held high, encomiums will flow like torrents, as the people will remember his era marked by unalloyed loyalty, diligence, pragmatism and total devotion to good governance.
Surely, the figure 58 is a milestone and two years hence, the focus of this write up will hit the golden age of 60 which will be a landmark and also place him squarely in the respectable club of elder statesmen. The totality of Oghiadomhe’s life; his
shape or reshape the life of ordinary mortals. POLITICS His foray into Nigerian politics was deliberate with the sole mission to render service to his yearning people as well as show the light that will lead them to the
In 1998, he was elected unopposed into the House of Representatives on the United Nigeria’s Congress Party (UNCP) PLATFORM. This was short lined due to the death of the late maximum ruler, late Gen. Sani Abacha. Abacha’s successors, Gen. Abdusalami reinvented the transition to democracy wheel and, riding on the crest of his popularity, Oghiadomhe pitched his political tent with PDP.
Chief Mike Oghiadomhe
essence, his passion, his fables, his triumphs, his travails and his staying power, will not only evoke envy and admiration in peers but also serve as reminder to those at the depths of life not to lose hope, but look onwards to God for elevation. Indeed, Oghiadomhe’s rise from a lowly background to the zenith of Nigeria’s political cosmos clearly shows how God can decisively intervene either to
Promised Land. To an extent, it is almost mission accomplished. Unlike his peers, he drew up a political blueprint, a sort of compass to navigate his way through the murky waters that is Nigerian politics. Integrated into that blueprint was a political philosophy which emphasized service to humanity. In simple language, his brand of politics may be branded as ‘politics of the commoners’.
“Edo State is like mini Nigeria. President Jonathan knew he needed a loyal and reliable politician who is also well loved and articulate to serve as his face in the state. Within the PDP circle, there could be no better choice than Chief Oghiadomhe, a man who has traversed the length and breadth of the state like a Colossus.”
Early in 1999, he flew the banner for the top job in Edo State, but as a faithful party man, he submitted self to party supremacy and was cajoled into running as deputy to Gov. Igbinedion, his principal, on the party platform. For the eight years they were in power, the PDP ruled Edo State and was able to deliver, despite the challenges of that period. Enjoying cult political followership in Edo State due to his humility and absolute loyalty, Chief Oghiadomhe’s personality must be viewed in the context of his political philosophy, pedigree and reputation as a fantastic mobiliser of men. FACE OF JONATHAN IN EDO Edo State is like mini Nigeria. President Jonathan knew he needed a loyal and reliable politician who is also
well loved and articulate to serve as his face in the state. Within the PDP circle, there could be no better choice than Chief Oghiadomhe, a man who has traversed the length and breadth of the state like a Colossus. The only other person above him in terms of followership and respect is Chief Tony Anenih. Without mincing words, Edo State continues to receive special attention from the presidency, courtesy of the role being played by its illustrious son. Also, acting as rallying point, Chief Oghiadomhe has been able to bring all Edo indigenes in the federal service, whether as ministers, advisers, civil service, etc., to brainstorm and chart ways to elevate the standards of living of its people. This is aside of the increased federal presence via road reconstruction, appointment of qualified Edo indigenes into federal agencies, tackling the menace of erosion, etc. Importantly, Oghiadomhe’s Abuja residence is a Mecca of sort, the first port of call for all Edo indigenes, irrespective of party affiliation, who visit the seat of power for whatever reason. They are well received, accommodated and catered for while in sojourn. The idea is to make Abuja home away from home for the visitors. END NOTE In a nutshell, Oghiadomhe is a political phenomenon in Edo State, nay, Nigerian politics. Whoever seeks to diminish his influence to Edo North has lost touch or base with reality. His political imprimatur is well visible, even the blind can attest to it. He is one of the few authentic politicians that still enjoy massive grassroots support, others are pretenders who make noise to attract attention. On a final note, one hopes that the murky Nigerian political waters which is cruel and has the peculiar tendency of decimating its own will spare this living legend and allow him to finish his political mission and retire in peace to enjoy the rewards of his labour. SAM DADA AYOKHAI MEDIA CONSULTANT BENIN.
THE return of fourteen Anambra State indigenes said to be mentally challenged last month by the Lagos State Government has generated so much controversy in the country to the extent that politicians and idle minds have hijacked the issue and are overheating the already overcharged polity. THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have joined in trending controversy over the forceful relocation of persons of Igbo extraction to Onitsha, Anambra State. While the PDP condemned the act as inhuman and wicked, the APC on its part believes Governor Peter Obi is unduly sensationalizing the action of the Lagos State Government to score cheap political point and accused him of playing a very dangerous game that could threaten national unity. WE express disapproval of the politicization of the action of the Lagos State Government by idle politicians and bootlickers who are desperate to court the attention of high political office holders ahead of 2015 polls. We expect politicians to go to their research rooms and begin to develop and fine tune their manifesto to convince the electorate why their parties should be preferred at the polls. IN the same vein, we wonder why Governor Obi wrote an ‘over-dramatised letter’ to the Presidency and leaked such to the media, thus setting off an avoidable friction between the Igbo and the Yoruba that will not augur well for Nigeria’s unity. What is the intension of Governor Peter Obi in writing the Presidency instead of the Lagos Governor, his colleague. THE Lagos State Government on its part explained that there was an exchange of correspondence dated April 9, 15, and 29, 2013 between the Lagos State Government and Anambra State Government, through its Liaison Office in Lagos, about the ‘integration’ not ‘deportation’ of the 14 people. The Anambra State Government, according to Lagos did not respond to its request to come and validate/identify the people who claimed to have come from Anambra. Had the
THE NIGERIAN
Controversy Over Lunatics
Anambra State Government responded, perhaps, the issue would have been amicably resolved without coming to the court of public opinion. UNARGUABLY, this is not the first time such transfers of lunatics or sane people would happen in the country. First, Lagos State itself received notice from the Government of Akwa Ibom to come, identify and pick up two Lagos indigenes whom they picked up in a ‘lunatic clean up’ exercise in Uyo This was to enhance the beautification work of the Godswill Akpabioled administration in the state. Lagos State Government responded promptly without making any noise about it. ALSO in December 2011, the same Anambra State Government that is now crying foul over the home return of Anambra indigenes arrested and repatriated 29 beggars to their home states in Ebonyi, another Igbo State, and Akwa Ibom. Then it was conveniently not ‘deportation’ but ‘repatriation’ and no tribal meanings were read to such action. AGAIN in 2011, Abia State Government sacked 3,000 non-indigenes (but fellow Igbo) from her work force and asked them to go back to their respective states, at that time, not even a whimper was heard from all politicians who are now raising hell over the ‘’deportation’’ of 14 Anambra indigenes from Lagos. THERE are also several instances of northern Nigerians moving their loved ones in droves into southern cities for begging and other indecent activities, thereby fuelling the social problems
of affected states. So, there is an unchallenged history of moving Nigerians about by different governments and indivoduals. THESE does not in any way mean our endorsement of government movement of Nigerians from one state to the other on the basis of their health status or profession. We condemn all actions that tend to undermine the security, unity and corporate existence of Nigeria no matter who is involved and their unclear motives. The Nigerian constitution gives Nigerians the right to live in any part of the country they so chose to live and eke a living. The current brouhaha seems to be undermining the constitution of the country, which we denounce. WE also detest the ferrying of fellow humans overnight in trucks which only brings back sad memories of the many years of slavery when Africans were packed like sardines and inhumanly shipped abroad. There is absolutely no justification for this very degrading and inhuman maltreatment of Nigerians by any state government or individuals and we call for a halt. WE expect both federal executive and legislature to take steps to halt this dangerous social trend capable of overstretching the thin cords that bind the nation together. We equally expect the council of state to table this issue for discussion and take a definite stand that will halt the discriminatory management of mentally challenged persons by state governments. WE call on politicians seeking recognition with the “deportation” debacle to look elsewhere and allow the sleeping dog lie. Politicians should desist from overheating the polity and allow elected officials discharge their mandates to Nigerians. We also call on socio-cultural groups across the country not to jump into the decoy by those who are bent on destablising the nation for selfish reasons and allow our representatives in government urgently find lasting solution that would end to this social malaise.
View Point Mobile Phone Operation And Exorbitant Charges GLOBAL System Mobile Communication (GSM) was introduced in Nigeria by Obasanjo Administration, but the initiative was taken and worked on by the late Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha who died mysteriously in Office, in 1998. GSM was launched in 2001, to liberate Nigerians and bridge the communication gap. So, there was relief when Econet (now Airtel) and MTN Nigeria launched their GSM mobile service in 2001. Similarly, GSM has contributed positively going by the economic revolution on telecommunication sector. It has created millions of lucrative Jobs, thereby reducing the number of unemployment and also improved the quality of living in the country. According to Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) line has increased from 400,000 lines in 2000 to 119 million active lines in 2013 though the number is inadequate when compared to Nigerian’s huge population of over 160 million people.
CHILDREN are free gift from God that need to be cherished and catered for. It is disgusting today to see that these children are not given adequate parental, governmental and societal protection and care. On the issue of street hawking, who really benefits from it? You see kids jumping like acrobats in the middle of traffic to sell their wares, sometimes an accident is inevitable. For others another trap may stealthy stalk them, and that is molestation, most vulnerable are street hawkers who are thrust into the world by various circumstances some evilmunded persons capitalize on this accepted practise of street hawking back home, by luring there
GSM is getting worse due to poor service and higher rate of tariff by various service providers. It seems like grand conspiracy by net work service providers, GSM operators who have all ceased the opportunities to exploit Nigerians. They exploit innocent and unsuspeding Nigerian subscribers of their hard – earned income through exorbitant high tariff. This they do with the first dial call, and mind boggling tariff without substantiating it with good quality of service. Nigeria subscribers have been caught up in between the red devil and deep blue sea. The coming of these service providers brought a relief and bridge the communication gap in Nigeria but before the jubilation, they are already exploiting us. Nigerians are been cheated here while the service providers smile to the bank leaving us more poorer. This tariff been declared by GSM operators has asertain their exploit active nature toward subscribers who are at the receiving end. This network service providers have been
By WINIFRED OSASOBO progressing without recourse to the directive by NCC to stop all forms shanp practices.
industry in Nigeria. The commission is responsible for creating an enabling environment for
throughout the country. The commission has initiated several programme such as state Accelerated Broad band initiative (SABI) and wire
The Nigerian communications commission is an independent National Regulatory Authority for the telecommunication
competition among operators in the industry as well as ensuring the provision for qualitative and efficient telecommunication service
service project to help stimulate demand. Also declared the registration of sim card programme to help in combating frauds criminal activities by
subscribers and network providers across the country. Meanwhile, the goal of NCC was to implement a solution that is secure, cost effective, widely accepted and integrate with other identity data base in Nigeria. This process include enrolling subscriber and associating their identity with the ownership of SIM cards Dr. Eugene Juwah, Executive vice chairman/ CEO of the NCC at a security summit counened by the office of National security Advisor stated “in making further analysis and consultations, the commission become very convinced that registration of sim card with full biometric identity of every subscriber in the network will go a long way in assisting the security agencies to fight crime against lives and properties. Sim card registration also provides a good opportunity for a National Registration of its citizen which has eluded this nation for a long time” If active measures are put in place, it will go a long way in fighting sim fraud crime and insecurity in the country.
Addressing Problem Of Hawking In The Street By MBA P. NGOZI
unsuspecting hawkers to their house with the pretence of patronizing their wares. Before you know it, the innocent girl is sexually assaulted and threats of punishment would silences them from speaking out. The consequences of these evil aches, as you all know that it usually result in an unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, psychological problems (flash back are all too common) and a gradual withdrawal from a healthy relationship with the opposite sex. shouldn’t
there be laws to abolish street hawking? This trend is synonymous to child abuse. In fact is a child abuse in disguise, but many view this as a way of a child helping out in the family. However, there are other ways of helping parents at homes without resorting to selling provisions on the main streets. This is far worse than sending one’s child who is barely seven (7) years old to work as a servant in a far away City. In America, children under a specific age are protected by law not to
engage in any manual labour. As teens, there are entitled to a job, but are limited to a certain number of hours per day, mandated by the law. Such law should be enact in Nigeria because by hawking these kids are prone to abuse. Perhaps, some parents are ignorant of the fact that to bear more children is to create more problems of different folds. They give birth in an embarrassing manner without considering the financial implications, as regards shelter, foods education, security and other phenomenon. To make issues complicated, they subject the children to dangerous
activities such as hawking on the streets, bad gangs etc. However, family planning is at least permeating nooks and crannies of southern Nigeria among the poor and down frodden. The point is –if dad is a bricklayer or panel beater and mum sells Tomatos/ peper at the market and they have only 3 kids, what kind of life do you think those kids will have? Do you have idea just how tough things are for those at the bottom of the heap in Nigeria today? Don’t you think the parents, combined income wouldn’t be enough for them to send the kids out to hawk?
Furthermore, sound Education and proper upbringing of our children is the only way to eradicate poverty. The law forbids the use of under-aged children for domestic labour negligence and maltreatment on the part of parents and guardians as it negates the tenets of the child Rights law. Government should begin to sensitise parents on the need to send their children to school, while law enforcement agents should also be sensitized to arrest errant parents in order to prosecutes them to serve as a deterrent to others parents be wise. s
Opinion
Abia:
IT is very embarrassing when the Abia State Government sees the donation of Keke NAPEP to our hoodwinked brothers and sisters as a genuine means of empowering them to eke out living. The Governor. T.A Orji sees this as providing self-reliant job and wealth creation for them. The government is so intolerant in this stead to say that it does this so that our people do not wait for the government to provide ‘limited’ white collar jobs. And you wonder why the white collar jobs are limited”. The government sees this thoughtless idea to mean that it has engaged our people economically when there are ecstasies in the North that the governor of Kano State and sundry are training their people as pilots, engineers, doctors, lawyers and so on and providing with them the white job opportunities, which Abia State Government sees as ‘limited’. Ours’ is only bent to saying, “There are limited white collar jobs”. This is the height of betrayal, when a government can’t give hope to its people, except retrogressive agenda, which exhibits the in-depth of the government’s shambled and lackadaisical policies. This government has reduced our people to the level of one legendary Steve Wonder and former US President, Alexandra Roosevelt who had deformities. The government now equates our people with these persons. The government forgot that while these persons had talents, their government harnessed them and made them come to the limelight. Their government didn’t buy them cabs to drive and mouthed of
NGOs Work Than Govt
giving them hope on the pages of the newspapers as has been the incessant occupation of the Governor. Orji’s government in Abia State. No people and government makes any progress with a foundation built on lies and deceit. Such foundation is like a market that its foundation was laid with the liver of tortoise. The traders in such a market would be treacherous. Despite the huge allocation that comes into our state on monthly basis and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), like no other government in our state had enjoyed, Governor. Orji’s government is still showing off its manmade physical handicap, without making any impact in this world of possibilities and potentialities, except diving from one excuse to another and spending billions of the taxpayers money in the media to protect its shallowness from the public knowledge, yet, the people know that they can’t be helped liked the Steve Wonders of America. The American government did not make Steve Wonder to feel like he was a less human being. The government didn’t send him to the school of the blind and called it empowerment, like the Governor. Orji’s government would show us distributed wheel chairs, artificial limbs, foodstuff and other items, built and furnished bungalows to some indigent men, women and widows, and call this empowerment. Who was even sure that the government did these things to our impoverished people? If this government did, it should be to the wards and cronies of the Orjis. Buying wheelchair to our
By ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE
people has become “policy thrust” of Governor T. A. Orji’s care, support and empowerment of the downtrodden and the vulnerable groups in the state, in his delivery of dividends of democracy. Imagine! And the Lady Odochi Orji’s foundation’s mission and the much touted philanthropic work were tailored towards this line. Did you blink that this
to the Foundation in carrying out her “numerous humanitarian services”. Is this not the bane of our state? Abia State has become a place where the Foundation of the wife of the governor has also become a part and parcel of the government? But very surprising that some gangsters with the government see the Foundation as “Lady Orji’s compassion and care giving
would not charge our people to work together as brothers and sisters in order to build a state devoid of clannish divides. The Gov. Orji government had already set the pace for division in Abia State where it has become a public knowledge that his wife’s NGO handles most of the so-called philanthropic works, which the wife has always commended him for his unflinching support. But they are not ordering
Theodore Orji, Abia State Governor
government is visionless? When we say that Lady Orji should tell us the source of her income for the Foundation she is running in the state which she is using to appear in the media always like a political aspirant, many did not know that the wife of the governor was always thanking her “Sir T. A. Orji” for his contributions and assistance
virtues”, which they have said has been a pedigree within the Governor Orji’s family. So, government no longer empowers its people except a Non Governmental Organisation run by the governor ’s wife? No government survives this way. When it no longer assures its people of reducing poverty and fends for the people. This is selfish and
“No people and government makes any progress with a foundation built on lies and deceit. Such foundation is like a market that its foundation was laid with the liver of tortoise. The traders in such a market would be treacherous.”
to increase enrolment of our people into primary, secondary and university levels in the state, but to buy and increase the number of Keke NAPEP that they would buy for our people for their signature known as “Ochendo Global” to continue to be in the air. Twaddle! When would this government see us as the greatest asset of the Abia State and that as a people, we must be effectively treated well? When would Governor T.A Orji ensure that we enjoy good healthcare, quality education, enabling environmental and adequate food security in Abia State? It is the obligation of the government to empower all the people of our state
through adequate governance and not to select few for cheap and untoward publicity. Let there be good programmes for our people by the government and not the programmes of the governor’s wife’s NGOs. Adequate security should not mean the enormous security pressure our people are suffering in the hands of the fierce-looking soldiers that dot the streets of Aba. No. Adequate security should mean and be that our people are free from hunger, poor healthcare, poor education, poor road networks, government of brickbats, blackmailers and other ugly sundry issues. Adequate security in Abia State should mean and be when our people see the government’s ineptitude and report them, they are not harassed, labelled and called rapists, extortionists, kidnappers and other unprintable sundry names, like the media goons working with the government of this visionless Governor. Orji are wont to labelling critics as such with pseudonyms in the make-belief blogs and websites they create for their dastardly jobs. But Ndi-Abia now know better who the real robbers of good governance are. They are camped in the Government House, Umuahia, the Abia State capital. It is our priority to the rights and privileges of Abia State, irrespective of what Governor Orji is thinking. We must be protected from injuries and unnecessary attacks. It is our civic rights to cry out loud when this government is beating us, such as we are no longer enduring today. Like we are asked to report all suspicious activities around our neighbourhood to security agents, so also, we have to report the Governor. Orji’s government that governance are not run like Non Governmental Organisations. Odimegwu Onwumere, Poet/Author, Media Consultant, contributed this piece from Rivers State. Tel: +2348032552855. E-mail: apoet_25@yahoo.com
Discourse European Men Growing Taller THE average height of European men grew by a surprising 11 centimeters from the early 1870s to 1980, reflecting significant improvements in health across the region, according to new research published on Monday. Contrary to expectations, the study also found that average height accelerated in the period spanning the two World Wars and the Great Depression, when poverty, food rationing and hardship of war might have been expected to limit people’s growth. The swift advance may have been due to people deciding to have fewer children in this period, the researchers said, and smaller family size has previously been found to be linked to increasing average height. “Increases in human stature are a key indicator of improvements in the average health of populations,” said Timothy Hatton, a professor economics at Britain’s University of Essex who led the study. He said the evidence which shows the average height of a European male growing from 167 cm to 178 cm in a little over a 100 years - suggests an environment of improving health and decreasing disease “is the single most important factor driving the increase in height”. The study, published online in the journal Oxford Economic Papers, analyzed data on average men’s height at around the age of 21 from the 1870s up to around 1980 in 15 European countries. The study only looked at men, the researchers said, because extensive historical data on women’s heights is hard to come by. For the most recent decades, the data on men were mainly taken from height-by-age surveys, while for the earlier years the analysis used data for the heights of military conscripts and recruits. On average, men’s height had grown by 11 centimeters (cm) in just over a century, the researchers found, but there were differences from country to country. In Spain, for example,
average male height rose by around 12 cm from just under 163 cm in 1871-1875 to just under 175 cm in 1971-5, while in Sweden, men’s average height increased by 10 cm from just over 170 cm to almost 180 cm in the same period. The researchers found that in many European countries - including Britain and Ireland, the Scandinavian countries, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and Germany there was a “distinct quickening” in the pace of advance in the period spanning the two World Wars and the Great Depression. “This is striking because the period largely predates the wide implementation of
major breakthroughs in modern medicine and national health services,” they wrote. Hatton said one possible reason, alongside the decline in infant mortality, for the rapid growth of average male height in this period was that there was a strong downward trend in fertility at the time - and smaller family sizes have previously been found to be linked to increasing height. Other height-boosting factors included higher per capita incomes, more sanitary housing and living conditions, better education about health and nutrition and better social services and health systems. Courtesy: REUTERS
PUBLIC NOTICE
EL-SHADDAI WIND OF CHANGE MINISTRY The general public is hereby notified that the above named church has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) El-Shaddai Cyril (2) El-Shaddai Blessing (3) Yaruegbe Osahon (4) Ekechukwu Peter AIMS AND OBJECTIVES (1) To propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ (2) To win souls for Jesus Christ (3) To train ministers of God (4) To head people to salvation (5) Education of ministers of the church. Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama District, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. Signed: El-Shaddai Cyril General Overseer
Midweek Magazine UNDER a true federal constitution, each group, however small, is entitled to the same treatment as any other group, however large. Opportunity must be afforded to each to evolve its own peculiar political institution. The present structure reinforces indigenous colonialism- a crude, harsh, unscientific and illogical system. — Obafenii Awolowo If we continue to operate a very defective system. this country would face very serious danger of survival because this constitution cannot sustain this country — Lateef Adegbite Most of the recent discussions on political restructuring in Nigeria have been isolated from a serious and holistic attention to the character of the Nigerian state. This compartmentalized approach has culminated in rather limited, even historical interpretations, analysis, conclusions, and projections. In this paper, we seek to argue that the nature, character and politics of the Nigerian state as presently constituted mediates possibilities for democracy and the required political engineering for true federalism. The continuing crisis of power and governance, the inability to construct hegemony or a national project, and deepening socio-economic crisis are all precipitates of state failure even state exhaustion in certain spheres. While there have been critical tendencies, coalitions and countercoalitions within the state and the constituencies of the political elite, the fundamental and structural character of the state as a violent, privatized, insensitive, unstable, vulnerable, and nonhegemonic force remains intact. In the following discussion, we examine the historical origins of the state to set the context; isolate the tendencies within the country’s distinctive political economy; examine the process of defederalization and the role of the military; critique the 1999 constitution; and finally, we propose an alternative constitutional approach to political restructuring and refederalization. History, Class and State in Nigerian Politics Nigerian politics continues to reflect and carry the stamp of its colonial and neo-colonial experiences as well as the elite that lacks hegemony and a sense of nation. This elite, lacking a
strong and viable base in production, turns to the state as its primary instrument of primitive accumulation. In this process, the state is mangled and rendered impotent in the quest for nationhood, growth, and development, much less democracy. Interestingly, the state that the political elite hope to utilize as the weapon for nation building and for facilitating accumulation has remained unstable, inefficient, ineffective, and incapable of building hegemony. Consequently, the state, privatized by the corrupt elite to substitute for its tenuous relation to productive activities, relies on violence, repression, and other forms of manipulation to reproduce itself and maintain a form of political domination. It is therefore important to understand the dynamics of Nigeria’s distinctive politic& economy and social balances as well as the lasting impact of the social formation’s historical experiences in order to fully appreciate the crisis of politics and power. In several ways, Nigeria is a victim of its history. The social forces, institutions, external relations, and domestic patterns of accumulation and exchange bequeathed by western imperialism have continued to mediate opportunities for growth, development, and democracy. Over four decades of independence have witnessed several creative and not-so-creative efforts at engaging the contradictions and crises unleashed by this historical inheritance. Such engagements have themselves been mediated by the character of an elite that had been structured to reproduce rather than restructure the status quo. It is well established in the literature that Nigeria’s contact with the forces of western imperialism had farreaching impacts on state and class formation, on political and social values, the patterns of accumulation, and the country’s location and role in the global divisions of labor and power. The programmed transition to neo-colonial relations continued to mediate the ability of the slate and its custodians to find democratic avenues for managing the crisis of politics. In fact, the Nigerian elite appears to have sacrificed opportunities for initiating a national project on the altar of short-term interests even if it meant the subversion of the very institutions it required for maintaining its own longerterm interests. Consequently, in spite of the creation of several states and local
The Nigerian State As Obstacle To Federalis
Compact For
By PROF JULIUS IHONVBERE
governments, a new national anthem, new constitutions and forms of government, and changing leaderships especially between the military and so-called civilians, the Nigerian state remains plagued with all sorts of negative coalitions, contradictions, conflicts and instability. At the core of the contradictions is the national question. Essentially, Nigerians have never had the opportunity to discuss and reach some consensus on how the nation should be structured, power defined, contestations for power organized, resources generated and allocated, rights protected, and the larger democratic project articulated and compacted in a truly democratic constitution. It is embarrassing that in almost four decades after political independence, Nigerians still find data, political arrangements, and institutions designed by the brutal and totally undemocratic and illegitimate colonial state as the point of reference or comparison with their contemporary realities and predicaments. The character of the Nigerian state continues to be directly responsible for reproducing the country’s deepening socio-economic and political contradictions. In fact, the state seems to worsen the country’s predicament with every policy action or inaction it initiates or fails to initiate in the process of trying to consolidate the interests of its custodians. The stale has never been able to build an appreciable degree of confidence among Nigerians, ensure some discipline within the ranks of the elite, manage the economy in the interest of the people, or construct the much needed platforms of inclusion, tolerance, and participation. As well, the state has been captured and privatized by a tiny fraction of the elite that use public institutions and resources to terrorize non-bourgeois communities, abuse human rights, loot public funds, and mortgage the future of the citizenry. Perceived as a wicked, aloof, insensitive, corrupt, and distant force, Nigerians relate to the state as enemy. It is seen as an enemy that must, as opportunity permits be subverted, avoided, cheated, dismantled,and destroyed if the interests of the majority of the citizenry are to be protected. For all intents and
purposes, the repressive and “captured” postcolonial Nigeria state seems to do everything to provoke nonbourgeois forces. The nature and composition of the state is important and central to the nature of political arrangements adopted in any social formation. If it is an unstable, non-hegemonic, and illegitimate state, there is often the tendency to adopt desperate programmes to shore up its institutions. Thus the state could be federal in name but in reality under the donation of a single dictator, a military junta, or cabal of autocrats with a visible distaste for democracy. Once a state is militarized, it loses the capacity to mediate contradictions within and between political communities, becomes intolerant of opposition, and becomes extra- sensitive to criticism. It diverts scarce resources to defense and security and punishes minority and vulnerable communities. The overall political values quite often, reflect a centralizing tendency that culminates in the suffocation of civil society and the closure of democratic platforms to popular interests. The net consequence of such developments is not just the erosion of democratic values but also the subversion of the national project and the intensification of conflicts. The custodians of state power in Nigeria have done such a terrible job at building those elements that pull a people together to cultivate a national identity and culture, The evidence can be seen in the fact that on the eve of the twenty- first century, Nigeria has no national (s) hero, hardly enjoys stability, no national identity, and the rate at which the youth abandon the country for foreign lands remains alarming. At all levels, economic, political, social, and ideological, even spiritual, the state and its custodians have failed woefully. This has been Nigeria’s experience since political independence in October 1960. The plight of marginalized and minority communities and nationalities all over the country arise from the situation and patterns that we have summarized above. Tendencies in Contemporary Nigerian Politics The consequences of the contradictions of Nigeria’s history and post- colonial politics have generated certain broad and specific tendencies
that continue to shape the country’s political economy. It is important to take a look at these tendencies because Nigerians are wont to forget or ignore them in the face of pressures from dictatorships and illiberal democratic arrangements. The military has been unable to engage mediate, or contain these tendencies and contradiction largely due to its commandist structure and character. The contradictions arising from the tendencies have survived various forms of military arrangements since 1966. Civilian governments have hardly done better. Many, like
Nigerian federation reflect the vacillations between civilian and military dictatorships. Years of military rule have turned the weak federation inherited at political independence into a unitary system. Most of the current politicians, bureaucrats, and other Political actors have become used, even addicted to the commandist and authoritarian ways of the military. This development has had far reaching implications for stability and democracy. Perceived or real inequities arising from a wobbled federal arrangement or nonarrangement for that matter,
abu de an an sig of str an dis co ge co ca ser po can po eli par
have congealed loyalties to alternative sites of power. The net result is the further erosion of an already tenuous legitimacy. Opportunistic military officers have frequently capitalized on this situation to grab power and initiate another gyration in the complex waters of Nigerian politics. The deepening economic crisis has had very deep implications for politics, specially the building of democratic institutions. There is a tendency to ignore the economics of transition politics. In the Nigerian situation, deindustrialization, mass poverty, economic dislocation, environmental
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Prof Julius Ihonvbere
the Obasanjo government behave like military juntas. Others simply were too steeped in disorganization and corruption, and too impatient with democracy that the contradictions of underdevelopment were simply multiplied. While post-colonial political alignments and realignments have been critical to the nature of Nigerian politics and society, the fundamental basis of the society has not changed even new issues, institutions, contradictions, and coalitions have been introduced and in some ways power relations have been marginally reconfigure. The structure of the
Midweek Magazine
sm: Towards A New Constitutional
r Democratic Politics
use, rising foreign debt and bt-servicing obligations, d the neglect of rural areas nd producers continue to gnificantly affect the nature Nigerian politics. The failed ructural adjustment program d in particular, the unequal stribution of the pains and sts of adjustment have enerated new political alitions and interests that nnot be ignored in any rious discussion of the litics of the country. How n poor people tolerate the litical shortcomings of the ites? How much rticipation can be expected
om a poverty- stricken and ienated populace? Will the eo-colonial state have the sources to fully perationalize the quirements of a full emocratic system? These sues have created a wide gulf etween the Leaders and the eople, thus making the ultivation of democratic alues almost impossible. The shifting or changing haracter of the Nigerian ilitary is a central feature of ontemporary Nigerian life. What to do with the military mains pan of the critical olitical discourse in Nigeria. et, containing the military mains a very prominent olitical and vexing question. he proposals have been as
diverse as there are interest groups: demobilization, reeducation, constitutional control, reorganization, retraining, regionalized commands, total disbanding, and the democratization of recruitment into the military. Many of these prescriptions that are being insisted upon by some nationality groups and aggrieved communities are effective of total dissatisfaction with the nature of the Nigerian federation, the character of leadership, and the injustices that pervade the country. Without doubt, the Nigerian military has disgraced itself beyond redemption and aside from deliberately distorting national political structures, institutions, and relations within and between communities, it also remains a serious challenge to the survival of post-military democratic arrangements. In more recent times. the retired fraction of the military elite has begun to make a direct bid for power while retaining the capacity to significantly influence party formation, funding, selection of candidates, ministerial appointments and political alliances. The capacity to execute these critical political initiatives has been directly related to the extent of corruption perpetrated while in office. These have clear implications for the nature of power politics in Nigeria. The threat of authoritarianism continues to stare Nigerians in the face. This is a tendency that has steadily built up sine political independence but was given a specific form or character by the rapacious military juntas, especially the Badangida and Abacha juntas. The clear evidence is in the ease with which the late General Abacha almost succeeded in civilianizing himself and his brutal dictatorship. Though he died unsung and to the relief of several national and international constituencies, Abacha continues to enjoy the loyalty of elements across society that were part of his diabolical political agenda. Such a dictatorship would have made only superficial pretensions to democracy with the existence of five so-called political parties and a national assembly while continuing the suffocation of civil society. Nigerians would for a long time have problems with how to wear down the authoritarian values and attitudes bequeathed by the military. This would not be easy because many of those that have been elected as legislators and into executive positions had been ardent supporters of the past dictatorships. While the only hope for effectively addressing this problem lies in
strengthening civil society, it will require a lot of understanding and concessions from the custodians of state power to get on this path. This is currently not on the political screen in Nigeria. If anything, authoritarian tendencies continue to shape the character of politics, especially under Obasanjo’s limited regard for the constitution and the illiberal dispositions of the political elite. The management of primordial identities and politics remain critical to determining the context of Nigerian politics, indeed, the future of the Nigerian nationstate. This has developed over the years into one of the top five national contradictions that has led to the loss of thousands of lives and would continue until adequately addressed. There are several dimensions to this. Not only in terms of suspicions and contradictions between ethnic, religious, and regional interests but also within each primordial constituency. The tendency has been to focus so much on the contestations between the majority Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa ethnic groups that the minorities have been more or less ignored. As well, within each of the majority groups are significant coalitions and divisions that mediate the ability of groups to act as absolute mobilizational weapons. In other words, while ethnicity and religion remain very critical issues in the formulation of political interests and postures, they are also being mediated by issues of class and the relative consciousness of the Nigerian people as they confront the challenges of survival. To be sure, the ethnic and minority issue is directly tied to the questions of political restructuring, refederalization, revenue allocation, and democratic consolidation. If the political elite remains insensitive to popular demands on these issues, ethnic postures would get considered and become ever more violent. Already. invented identities are complicating the ability of ethnic groups to articulate clear political agenda. This has led to an internalization of Violence as sub-ethnic groups engage each other in a struggle for supremacy and identity, as veil as spurious claims to territory. On the other hand, the unsteady state responds with more violence to this internalization, thus further complicating opportunities for political negotiation. Resource generation and distribution often called “revenue allocation� in Nigeria remains one of the most critical aspects of power politics in Nigeria that is hidden behind the veil of ethnic identity. In some way,
this is related to the structure of Nigerian federalism and the dominant role of the center. It is also tied to the question of minority rights, centreperiphery relations, and the traditional contestation for hegemony between the dominant groups. Of course, given the neglect of non-oil wealth, the focus today is on oil, which generates well over hair of national revenues and about 95 per cent of foreign exchange earnings. The Nigerian rentier state has not just become the source of accumulation but it has also become the focus of elite competition and thus a stabilizing force: no one wants to hurt or kill the golden goose that lays the eggs! But minorities, oil producing communities, oil producing states, and bourgeois elements from oil producing areas are not pleased at the deprivations their communities suffer and the perceived ways in which oil wealth is used to promote development in non-oil producing areas. Until demands for a just and equitable formula for revenue allocation is found, these increasingly restless communities would continue to challenge the legitimacy of the state and eject existing policies. If the central government does not want to grant the demands from the oil producing states and communities for the use of the derivation principle as the basis of revenue allocation, then it has to find an alternative formula that would satisfy the communities. The character, organization discipline, world-view and politics of the Nigerian political cute negates possibilities for democracy and federalism. Though it has always collaborated with military juntas, it has not fared well under the military. It has been abused, manipulated, intimidated, and rendered almost success by a rather arrogant military structure. Though it is only just beginning to reorganize itself, it would continue to pay for its experience under the military in the next three to four decades. It does not help an elite to be perceived by the populace as corrupt, irresponsible, unprincipled unreliable, and useless. As indicated earlier, the tenuous caution of the Nigerian elite to productive activities is directly responsible for its subservience to foreign capital and its reliance on the state for accumulation Its fixation on primitive accumulation has prevented it from developing powerful constituencies forging a vision for the country and developing an ideological context for growth and development. This bourgeois class is highly factionalized and fractionalized and has been unable to significantly operate beyond the narrow confines of its ethnic and regional as well as ethnic enclaves. Unless this bourgeois class begins to seriously construct its politics
across primordial lines, it would remain incapable of constructing the type of national constituencies needed to build a new politics for democracy and development. The elite has already begun pay for its allegiance with the past dictators as civil society groups are steadily capitalizing on the newfound democratic environment to question the credentials and credibility of the political elite, in particular those holding political and elective positions. Developments over Sharia law, contestations in the Niger Delta and Lagos, and permanent rumors of military coups are indicators of an unsteady and uncertain elite in charge of an unstable and non-hegemonic state. This is hardly a recipe for democracy or federalism because political uncertainly encourages absolutism and the privatization and concentration of power. The shallowness of its efforts at a national character and platform is evident in the ease with which such efforts dissolve into ethnic and other forms of engagement in the face of crisis. A tendency that does not appear to have improved is the largely conservative political agenda and world-view of the Nigerian elite. Nigerian politicians do not discuss gender and the environment. Largely a reflection of their conservative and opportunistic disposition, gender and environmental issues are beginning to emerge as critical issues influencing constituency building and democratic politics. Without doubt, the emergence of several NGOs and the experiences of the minority communities especially the Ogonis and the Ijaws have contributed significantly to introducing the critical themes of minorities, resource control, the environment, and gender into political discourses in Nigeria. Environmental questions are now directly tied to contradictions and conflicts over questions of revenue generation and allocation and refederalization. As well, the corrupt and insensitive political styles of the custodians of state power is beginning to galvanize women all over the country to develop clear political programs. If, in the context of current global debates, Nigerian politicians still fail to take these issues seriously, we can understand why they remain insensitive to the demands of non-bourgeois constituencies for a new democratic compact. The rise of critical and militant opposition politics in Nigeria evaporated to a large extent with political independence. It was only resuscitated in a national sense
following the 1993 annulment of the presidential election result won by Chief M.K.O. Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Since then, the country has moved along very significantly on the political front. Yet, all has not been well inspite of the emergence of scores of civil liberties organizations, new leaders, and opposition movements on the political terrain. The opposition has been vulnerable to penetration, domestication, corruption, and incorporation by the state and its agents. Many opposition movements have been characterized in several ways by undemocratic conduct, ideological bankruptcy, marginalization of women, ethnic and regional chauvinism, opportunism, limited vision, weak political programs, and a failure to efficiently network for effectiveness. Many are simply urban based, depend excessively on foreign sources of funding, do not strive to build new dialogues or cultivate new constituencies, and continue to have a very narrow definition of politics and power. How the opposition works out its own politics and interacts with civil society organizations will be critical to how Nigerian politics will be constructed and reproduced in the future. The withdrawal of the military from politics in May 1999 has low opened up new challenges and paths to engaging the state and its agents. The trend towards the clarification of objectives, identifying and training new leaders, building new networks, and working out more effective strategies to ensure maximum impact would continue to he critical to the depth and direction of democratic politics in Nigeria. This would equally determine, to some extent, how the military would react to the politics of power struggles in the future. Finally, the tendencies that have prevented the strengthening of civil society, the construction of state hegemony, or the cultivation of democratic values have combined with other contradictions to reify power, prevent political engineering, and have led to authoritarian tendencies even under the socalled democratic regime of Olusegun Obasanjo. This is where we must locate the problems of political restructuring and the challenges of refederalization after decades of and vicious military dictatorships. To Be Continued
Issues
Changing Lives Of Youths: Lessons
From The Peace Corps Of Nigeria RECENTLY, the Edo State Command of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) was inaugurated in a ceremony that has been described as pomp, rich and colourful with hundreds of young officers kitted in their paramilitary gear keeping the guests spell bound with their parades which came nothing short of expertise occasioned by months of rigorous training and practise. At that event, ebullient, young officers emerged as both executives and cadet of the state command, with Patriot Mutairu Habib Odion, an indigene of Etsako West Local Government Area in Edo State, leading as state commandant of the organization. Odion, who described himself as “a young and energetic youth and a man of principles” is a graduate of International Studies and Diplomacy, a Masters Degree holder and is currently pursuing his PHD in Law and Diplomacy in addition to other professional qualifications he has in his kitty, including membership of
the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM). He is married with children. Now, what position does the PCN occupy in the ranking of paramilitary organizations and nong o v e r n m e n t a l organizations in Nigeria and its strategic placement in the collective quest by various organs of government, individuals and other interest groups to enthrone peace in Nigeria? The State Commandant was quick to clarify the status of the organization which he stated is nongovernmental, but added that it is hoped that an act of parliament is still expected to change the status to a government change agent. “The PCN is a uniformed body, incorporated under the companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990, and was established 16 years ago. However, the organization has both national and international recognitions and is, in fact, accorded a special consultative status, the highest accorded to any organization, by the United Nations. Also, the National Security Adviser, via a
By IJEOMA UMEH
letter, commended and recommended the PCN as a formidable organization with track records laced with articulacy and integrity.” According to the commandant, the cardinal objectives of the PCN are peace and conflict resolution, peace education and peace mediation without the use of arms. Under the cardinal points are the Youth Empowerment, capacity building, emergency m a n a g e m e n t , environmental sanitation, health, drug abuse reorientation, agriculture and core policing, amongst others. Odion stated that the basis of the entire hard work is to transform the youths of the state and mould them into respectful individuals who would in turn respect constituted authority; to instill in them the whole discipline needed to change their focus, their view of themselves as well as their expressed or bottled up views of others. “We work tirelessly to make these youths better citizens, to disabuse their minds from crime and criminality, to gradually assist them disabuse their minds from crime and criminality and shun antisocial vices – drug abuse, kidnap, armed robbery, exam malpractices and several other misdemeanours and criminality.” Enumerating the achievements of the organization and describing them as “worthwhile” in the areas outlined above, the commandant who while in Abuja, held the position of National Provost Marshall and Senior Programme officer before becoming a two – time state commandant in other states due to his proactive and
diligent service, including his dedication to work, stated that the erection of a befitting office space for the PCN contrary to its former ‘no-base’ status, several fora for the sensitization of youths and awareness creation, familiarization tours to see the governor of Edo
over twelve cultists are said to be apprehended in such circumstances as would be said to be of negative impact to the school system. The commandant however stated that the apprehension and subjection to the remand measure is not a punitive but corrective measure, noting that even in the
well as plans for capacity building abroad, and a platform created for them to express themselves, air their views and stimulate synergy between them and government. Although the PCN does not yet have federal support, the CAC has legally commissioned it to carry out several functions, which includes changing
State, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, the Secretary to the State G o v e r n m e n t , Commissioner for Special Duties and notable patrons of the corps whose imprints are vital to the terms of reference of the corps, are among the achievements of the corps. Aside its cordial relationship with other security agencies, the corps also has a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Education whereby young officers of the corp are recommended and posted to secondary schools, to among other services, work to ensure sanity within the school system. This move has recorded over 90 percent success rate since well
prisons, the PCN has outreach programmes whereby parents are invited to join in counseling sessions with their children or wards. This measure is hoped, would bring a change of mind. The PCN which also has the empowerment of youths as one of its cardinal objectives works with a special grant from the United Nations and equips youths with special skills in agriculture especially farming to enable them be equipped enough to contribute to the economy and its development. Stipends are also paid to these youths to help them support themselves and disabuse their minds from crime and criminality, as
the overall orientation of youths for the better. Odion buttressed this point when he stated that under the organization’s alternative employment scheme, special loans are given on gender-friendly basis to youths to enable them empower themselves, also stating that women are in the majority at the national level of PCN and that more women have been recruited into the organization. “We are gender-sensitive in the operations we carry out here.” He stated, also noting that PCN has in recent times been involved in FIDA – organized events, and other gendersensitive social events. Recently, three of PCN officers were posted to New York, Geneva Vienna for trainings.
Natural Medicine
More Anti-Biotics From God’s Pharmacy SALIVA is not only a digestive juice, it is much more a natural anti-biotic. How many of us know this? Very few. The antibiotic substances in saliva are lysozyme, nitrite and arscobate. Intuitively and instinctively that is why dogs lick their wounds with saliva to heal them. When bacteria in a wound are killed, the wound heals without difficulty. In the case of man, his skin has naturally nitric acid. This means the skin is anti-bacterial medium. However, the acidity of the skin is further enhanced and its antibacterial properties also increase when you lick the skin or a fresh wound on it. When you do so, the arscobate and nitrite in our saliva react with the nitric and on the skin raising its acid level. Thus, the skin is more able to fight off germs. Studies reveal that when you undertake a natural fast, the saliva becomes more potent. Furthermore, you will discover that when you don’t swallow your saliva often, it remains in the mouth from where it turns smelly stale and sour. That is saying the saliva has undergone degradation. Hence, it has lost its antiseptic or antibiotic properties for preserving the mouth. The lesson here is to always swish the saliva in your mouth, swallow it and create new ones.
Otherwise, you will have a smelly sickly mouth as it is the case when you wake up in the morning. After hours of night sleep during renew continuously saliva in your mouth and neither allowed life-giving oxygen to circulate in your mouth, you should indeed expect to have a stinking mouth in the morning. Also, the body has certain proteins known as human beta defensin-I and 2. which have anti-bacterial properties. These proteins use mechanical action to kill bacteria by punching holes in them. You find human beta defensin-I proteins in the urogenital tract combating germs for you. The other human beta defensin-2 proteins are on the skin protecting it against infection. German researchers discovered these anti-bacterial proteins during studies to find out why patients with psoriasis, an inflammatory disorder that causes the scaling of the skin, rarely suffered from skin infections. Onion and garlic are two other known nutural antibiotics. First, let’s take onion. It is a sedative with which you can put yourself to sound sleep. It is equally a duiretic for stimulating urine evacuation. Thirdly, it is anti-catarrhal. This meas that it helps in liquefying and expelling catarrh from either the nose or lungs. For this
reason, it is advisable to have onion handy at home during the rainy, wet session when coldness/ dampness can cause stuffiness of the nose. All you need to do when your nose is blocked at this time is to get an onion. Cut it in a transverse section. Then, hold the cut surface
beneficial purposes. However, what interests us today is its anti-biotic medicinal value. To use as an anti-bacterial agent, eat onion raw. When you do so it is effective in destroying germs in your body. It doesn’t spare staphyloccucus aureus, a germ that is known to be
area close to your nose. Sniff and drag in the stinging aroma therapeutic vapour of the onion at a count of 10. Rest for a minute before repeating the inhalation exercise as required. If you follow this routine properly, your nose will unblock in no time. An onion serves other
resistant to conventional medication. All onions have antibiotic properties but the white species have more potency. Garlic belongs to the same family as onion. But it has some advantages over onion as an antibiotic because of its unique strength as one. Much more, it is a broad-
“All you need to do when your nose is blocked at this time is to get an onion. Cut it in a transverse section. Then, hold the cut surface area close to your nose. Sniff and drag in the stinging aroma therapeutic vapour of the onion at a count of 10. Rest for a minute before repeating the inhalation exercise as required. If you follow this routine properly, your nose will unblock in no time.”
With
Dr. MAO
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spectrum anti-biotic because it is effective against all germs difficult to treat with orthodiox drugs. If you choose, you may combine garlic with onion in the management of infections or germs. But note you have to do so with caution. This is because both of them have blood thinning properties. Therefore, when you abuse them, you may end up with over-thined blood and consequently internal h a e m o r r h a g e accompanied by
weeks. Note, it is advisable to use chickweed herb in combination with antimicrobial natural medication for better therapeutic results. Chickweed is a herb known to heal any illness it encounters in the human body because of its potent multi-barrel action. In fighting germs, other supportive herbs worth mentioning are ginger and capsicum cayenne. They both help to drive the
worrisome complications. In 1858, garlic was already known for its antibiotic properties. Infact, the French bacteriologist Louis Pasteur proved that garlic is a powerful antibiotic during this year. In other words, it is not mere anecdotal hearsay that garlic is effective against germs. That is the scientific truth. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that garlic boosts one’s immune system. According to the studies, taking 2-3 cloves of garlic daily assists in promoting the development, a person’s natural killer cell activity after twelve
blood circulatory system to enable the anti-biotic reach the nooks and crannies of body for total clearance of the germs. Also of immense value are GSE as well as Vitamin A or natural beta carotene, zinc, copper, B-complex and Vitamin C. For your information, Vitamin A promotes thymus gland health and the production of anti-bodies. Copper strengthen white blood cells while zinc is an immune booster just like. Vitamin C. On the other hand, BComplex helps in carbohydrate metabolism and energy production required for the healing process.
New Horizon THE Federal Government should be more compassionate to realize the mass suffering in this mighty Nigeria, with more than gifted blessings from God. Unfortunately these blessings are being misused, stolen, siphoned, embezzled, squandered, hidden, cornered, misplaced, covered—up, diverted directly and indirectly, starting from the top of Nigerian hierarchy. Because all these abuses can be found at the top of governance it becomes very dim cult and even impossible to check and balance these meness. “where ignorance is bliss, it is worth to be wise” but I am yet to see the wisdom in the Federal Government to declare, intend to, assume to, imagine to, presume to, reason to, want to celebrate 100 years of existence. The big question, remainsHave we existed? How have we existed? How well have we existed? If yes, Now has every one benefited? How contented are the people? What is the situation of the people at 52 years including the situation of the youths and un-employment? Watch the rate of crime and those involved sixty-five percent are youths. In Edo State, our Comrade Governor who understood General Muritala Mohamed’ s approach of governance is not wasting any time to apply it. What is that approach? Scheduled and unscheduled visits for on the spot assessment and personal conviction of how things are being done by his cabinet. Most times General Muritala goes in disguise to visit, places just to see the real situation of things for on the spot cabinet reshufflement. These are meant to strengthen governance at its best. This approach is also required at Federal level. If
With VICTOR ANIUKWU
Nigeria To Wait Till 2060? the Federal Government is in proper line with the yearning -of the masses and with due consideration for these yearnings, there will be no need to declare nor propose any of such colossal huge spending of Nigeria at 100 years of existence. The world would come from all angles to partake in this lavish spending of a celebration but is the government really considerate, and how? An intelligent man whose house is on fire will not go after rats. But foolish man whose house is on fire will dearly go after rats and even more rats as his immediate concern, The entire world is burning on fire due to misplace of priority, greed, lust and rack of the application of the laws of retributive justice - “Do unto others, as you would want others to do unto you, and lastly, the application of “others first, self last” Before we put our hands on the plough of 100 years celebrations, which can be seen as very easy to achieve. How much has the Federal Government dealt with issues such as roads, water, light, agriculture, secur1ty, workers welfare/arrears, unemployment, foreign debt education, religion and prolification, infrastructures, boko – haram, the monster and corruption - the big daddy? Nigerians cannot achieve everything at 52 but should he able to achieve sufficiently enough for her people. To achieve our target in the year 2020 does lot require lavish spending and throwing of personality parties and celebrations but a constructive proactive managerial manner of approach aimed at cutting cost and not increasing cost
in an uncivilized presentation to Nigerians in particular and the word a large. When the Federal Government declares a celebration, it is like inviting the whole world to be present. Kudos to General Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo, for his kind wisdom to zero our Foreign debt before
and shelter are seen as very vital. How are Nigerians faring in these areas compared to the government system of housing and how many of the middle and low classes benefit from the scheme, other than the top class people taken all advantages. Cost of food is always on the high side as it
existing? We should be patient to look into the year 2020 so as to take stock into the achievements so far. That will give the Federal Government the courage to plan big towards 100 years of independence in 2060 and not just 100 years celebration. Celebration must be targeted at
affects the common man’s staple foods - garri, rice, cocoyam etc. Factually, it seems to me that the Federal government is not looking inwards but outwards, otherwise there will be more talk on the a aforementioned areas of need than to begin to think of celebration. Nigeria will be due for this celebration in 2060 when Nigeria will be 100 years horn independence, Why the hurry, is it that in 2060, Nigeria will no more be
something more realistic and acceptable in theory and practice. If we try to critically analyse the various areas earlier mentioned, e.g water, light, food, road, etc. Nigeria is in the average which I cannot say is a pass mark after 52 years not one of those areas have achieved above average. I remember in 1982 in the days of austerity or recession in Nigeria, a close white man friend (British) told me in a discussion about the recession that ‘‘Nigerians cry ‘‘NO MONEY, NO MONEY” but in all parties, they spray money like paper. True or false? We are all guilty of this offence. Actually when one declares a celebration, it is naturally a sign of plenty out of which the party was declared. The money involved could be owned nor borrowed. Many
President Goodluck Jonathan
leaving office in 2007. What is now the position of our foreign debt favourable or not favourable? Of course not favourable and if not quite favourable, what is the modus Vivendi and modus operandi in calling for celebration. That huge sum can be ploughed to reduce our foreign or local debts nor used to address long outstanding of huge arrear of workers emoluments and pensioners pending arrears. In economics, water, food
“The big question, remains- Have we existed, How have we existed, How well have we existed, if yes, Now has every one benefited? How contented are the people, What is the situation of the people at 52 years including the situation of the youths and un-employment?”
don’t have money For parties but borrow with the intension of recovering it. Others throw parties just to display wealth and affluence. Nigeria should not try to nor declare any celebration based on riddles. Nigeria is very wealthy and can host the entire world on such declaration. Generally People like to eat and drink at all time, even in official place of work, people take alcohol indiscriminately. The government should be more matured in spending. Once upon a time, we were in a symposiurn, arguing on Federal government wealth and spending. One of us declared that in truth, Nigerians know, and the world knows that Nigeria is a very rich and a blessed country, but its wealth are kept in the hands of “Wolves in SHEPARD’S CLOTHEN”. Because they have presented themselves as Shepards, every, benefit hr the Sheeps comes to them, but as Wolves on the other hand, they devour everything that comes for their self aggrandizement with the Slogan NOTHING DEY HAPPEN -of course nothing happens -with immunization clause or no immunization clause or no immunization clause. What we see in Kano the assassination of Health workers and the killing of three Korean doctors in Borno State. Federal Government should have a strong feeling for the death of thousands of innocent citizens that have lost their lives in various attacks and bombings in the Northern part of the country. One Nigeria calls for patriotism and sharing for better and for worse. Now that the situation is becoming worse in some parts of our country, this calls for articulated concern which calls for all hands on the deck and not celebration. The present achievement does not call for celebration because our neighbours Ghana celebrated one month of no power stoppage. Nigeria has nothing to. celebrate. There are still disappointments in the various developmental areas Continues on Page 24
Science There’s An Art To Napping STUDIES have found different benefits—and detriments—to a nap’s timing, duration and even effect on different people, depending on one’s age and possibly genetics. “Naps are actually more complicated than we realize,” said David Dinges, a sleep scientist at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. “You have to be deliberative about when you’re going to nap, how long you’re going to nap and if you’re trying to use the nap relative to work or what you have coming up.” For a quick boost of alertness, experts say a 10to-20-minute power nap is adequate. A snooze on the couch on a Sunday afternoon may seem like the perfect way for a responsible adult to unplug. But at a time when roughly one-third of people report not getting enough sleep, more naps, albeit short ones, might make for a more functional workforce, researchers say. How Long to Nap Sleep experts break sleep down into several stages, which the brain cycles through roughly every 90 to 120 minutes. These stages are broadly characterized into non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. NREM is further broken down into stage one and two, which are considered light and intermediate sleep, followed by slow-wave sleep. Awakening from slow-wave sleep, the deepest kind, results in what doctors call sleep inertia or sleep drunkenness: that groggy feeling that can take awhile
to shake off. Finally, there’s REM sleep, often associated with dreaming. Sara Mednick, an assistant psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside, said the most useful nap depends on what the napper needs. For a quick boost of alertness, experts say a 10to-20-minute power nap is adequate for getting back to work in a pinch. For cognitive memory processing, however, a 60minute nap may do more good, Dr. Mednick said. Including slow-wave sleep helps with remembering facts, places and faces. The downside: some grogginess upon waking. Finally, the 90-minute nap will likely involve a full cycle of sleep, which aids creativity and emotional and procedural memory, such as learning how to ride a bike. Waking up after REM sleep usually means a minimal amount of sleep inertia, Dr. Mednick said. Experts say the ideal time to nap is generally between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Napping later in the day could interfere with nighttime sleep. The body’s circadian rhythms help people to expect to be awake in the morning and early in the night. “So if you take naps when your brain doesn’t expect to be sleeping, you feel kind of thrown off,” contributing to the sleep inertia effect, said Rafael Pelayo, a clinical professor at Stanford University School of Medicine’s Sleep Medicine Center. A telltale sign of being very sleep-deprived, he said, is dreaming during a short nap. “Definitely in a 20-minute nap you should
not be dreaming,” he said. Ilene Rosen, an associate professor of clinical medicine at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, said the ideal duration of a nap is still being debated, but generally speaking the “10to-20-minute nap is really the optimal time in terms of bang for your buck.” Leon Lack, a psychology professor at Flinders
feel groggy immediately after the nap for up to about 30 minutes. From there, they showed mental sharpness similar to what researchers saw from the 10-minute nappers, with that sharpness lasting a bit longer. Jonathan Brandl is a Newton, Mass.-based consultant who works from home. Up at 5 a.m. to hit the gym, he finds himself
MetroNaps, has installed specially designed sleeping pods for Google, Huffington Post, an Iowa construction company and the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team. The chairs retail for $8,995 to $12,985. The 60-minute nap may not be kosher in most workplaces, but it also has its pluses. In a 2012 study in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, researchers split 36 collegeaged students into three
University in Australia, found in a 2006 study in the journal Sleep that among shorter breaks, 10-minute naps packed the most punch. The study compared naps ranging from 30 seconds to 30 minutes, testing 24 participants at each of several intervals. After each nap the individuals were tested on a variety of mental-processing tasks. The sharpness of the 10minute nappers became apparent “right away,” Dr. Lack said, and remained apparent for about two to 2 1/2 hours. Those who took 20- and 30-minute naps tended to
fading around 2 p.m. His solution is a fast snooze in a comfy chair in his den. His trick for waking up: He holds a pen or pencil in his hand, which usually falls about 10 to 15 minutes into his nap, waking him up. “After the nap, I feel totally refreshed and then power through the rest of the day,” the 56-year-old Mr. Brandl said. Though napping at work often remains taboo, experts say growing scientific evidence of its benefits has led select workplaces to accept it. Christopher Lindholst, chief executive and cofounder of New York-based
groups. Each group learned a memory task, pairing words on a screen with a sound. Afterward, one group had 60 minutes to nap, another 10 minutes. The final group didn’t sleep. Upon retesting, the napping groups fared better, as expected, said Sara Alger, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Notre Dame. More interesting, she noted, was that on further testing, including a week later, the 60-minute group performed far better than the 10-minute group, which now performed as poorly as
the non-napping group. The researchers concluded that slow-wave sleep—only experienced by the 60minute nappers—is necessary for memory consolidation. Researchers continue to explore why some individuals don’t seem to benefit from naps. Dr. Mednick said ongoing studies are looking at potential genetic differences between habitual and nonhabitual nappers. Kimberly Cote, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, said individuals who don’t normally nap tend to slip into the deep stages of sleep more quickly than those who do. Studies have found through monitoring brain waves that regular nappers are good at maintaining a light sleep when they nap and show better p e r f o r m a n c e improvements than their non-napping counterparts. “We’re not sure what those individual differences are,” she said, “if that’s something that they’ve learned to do over time or if there’s something biologically different that allows them to nap like that.” Another trick to waking up perky after a short nap is to drink a cup of coffee before sleeping. Caffeine won’t hurt such a short break and should lessen the effect of sleep inertia. Dr. Dinges recommends sleeping partially upright to make it easier to wake up. Studies, he said, have found that not laying totally flat results in avoiding falling into a deeper sleep. “A lot of people say, ‘I only need four hours of sleep a night.’ There’s a few of them around but not very many,” he said.
“For cognitive memory processing, however, a 60-minute nap may do more good, Dr. Mednick said. Including slowwave sleep helps with remembering facts, places and faces. The downside: some grogginess upon waking.”
International Features
Ambiguous Religion Policy Backfires On Tunisia’s Ruling Islamists
TUNIS - The young man at the entrance to Zitouna, the oldest mosque in the Tunis medina, was adamant. NonMuslims could no longer enter the building, not even just its outside gallery overlooking the busy souk. “You can only come in if you declare, ‘There is no god but God and Mohammad is God’s messenger’,” he said effectively making conversion to Islam the new admission ticket to a monument that used to welcome non-Muslim visitors. Hardline views like these have spread through Tunisia in the past two years as radical Muslims seized control of about a fifth of all mosques, attacked westernized liberals and tried to impose their puritan ideas on one of the most secular Arab societies. The governing party Ennahda, which formally advocates a democratic form of Islamism, long treated the radicals mildly, seeing them as informal allies in reclaiming Islam’s place in the small North African country. But two assassinations of secular politicians this year widely blamed on militant Islamists alienated many Tunisians and united the secular opposition parties, powerful trade unions and other civil society groups against Ennahda. “Ennahda now realizes the Salafis are very unpopular and it has to accept the opposition demand for new elections,” said Alaya Allani, a historian of Islamism at Manouba University near Tunis. “It will not be the majority party after the next polls.” Geoffrey Howard, North Africa analyst at the Control Risks consultancy, said Ennahda was now far below the 37 percent it polled in Tunisia’s first democratic election in 2011. “The party
has been severely damaged by the latest crisis.” R E L I G I O U S INDIGESTION Tunisia was the first of the “Arab Spring” countries to overthrow its autocratic leader, president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, in January 2011 and the first to elect an Islamist-led government that October. As in Egypt, which voted the Muslim Brotherhood into power the following year, freedom brought a wave of local radicals and foreign imams who preached a hardline Islam inspired by Saudi Wahhabism and other literalist schools from the Gulf. Radicals took over around 1,000 of Tunisia’s 5,000 mosques, which are normally run by the Religious Affairs Ministry, and turned them from quiet places of prayer to platforms to call for jihad and sharia (Islamic law). Violent Salafi groups rioted over an art show they deemed blasphemous, demonstrated at Manouba University to demand that women students wear full face veils and patrolled some districts to pressure residents into following their puritan Islam. In the assembly writing Tunisia’s new constitution, Ennahda members have argued for it to include sharia, annul the gender equality brought in under previous secular rulers and drop references to international human rights conventions. As the respected jurist Yadh Ben Achour put it in August 2012: “Religion has invaded the social and political debate to such an
extent that we are starting to get indigestion ... The country’s real problems have been pushed aside or put off indefinitely.” Tunisia is suffering from a severe fiscal crisis and high unemployment - other major factors in recent
year-old Zitouna, the imam now controlling it is not a Salafi but a staunch conservative who rejects state control over the famed mosque. Khadmi said the government sought to “correct the religious
schools and allowed radical preachers from the Gulf and Egypt to go on speaking tours around the country. “There is no control over their activities or revenues,” Allani said. Khadmi’s image is also ambiguous. Critics say the minister, who sports a trim
landscape” after five decades of autocratic secularist rule and described its goal as “the coexistence of democracy and Islam”. But its record seems more favorable to the Salafis than he presents it. In its first year, the government approved three Salafi groups and Hezb ut-Tahrir, an international movement calling for an Islamic caliphate, as legal political parties. It also registered about 200 new Salafi charities and
beard and stylish suit, was a fiery preacher calling for jihad at a radical mosque before his appointment. He dismisses this as lies from opponents of the 2011 revolution. Ennahda’s approach began to change in September 2012 after hundreds of radicals attacked the United States embassy in Tunis to protest against a film ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad. Its resolve further stiffened this year as the jihadi group Ansar al-Sharia repeatedly
Tunisia popular unrest. AMBIGUOUS POLICY Religious Affairs Minister Noureddine Khadmi said his staff have been able over the past year to roll back the number of Salafi mosques through persuasion, pressure and legal action. “Now there are fewer than 100,” he told Reuters in an interview. “In about 50 cases, we have called on the Justice Ministry to step in and resolve the issue.” In the case of the 1,300-
clashed with army troops in western Tunisia, and following the assassinations of the two secular opposition leaders. But it was only last week that Prime Minister Ali Larayedh banned Ansar as a terrorist group - after having previously described its training areas in the rugged western mountains as sports camps. LOOMING DEFEAT AND SPLIT Ennahda’s ambiguous religious policies stem from its own internal conflicts, said Allani. He estimates that Ennahda’s more liberal wing represents only one-third of the party base while twothirds are conservative to hardline in their views. Party leader Rached Ghannouchi has tried to balance between the two camps and is reluctant to confront the hardliners by cracking down on the Salafis, according to Allani. Tension seems to be increasing in the ranks as Ghannouchi, sensing probable defeat at the polls due next year, tries to steer the party to a compromise with the secular opposition and the best starting position for its next electoral campaign. “What you could see happening, if they perform very badly in the elections, is a split in the party, into either a more radical and a more moderate political wing, or into a political and a religious wing,” said Howard. “The liberal wing of Ennahda could be accepted by Tunisian society,” Allani said. “There is a chance it could even be a partner in the next government coalition.”
New Horizon Nigeria To Wait... Continued from Page 20
such as light — Nigerians can’t celebrate one week of no power failure. We are witness to this fact mingled with excessive billing where there is no sufficient power being supplied. Complaints are still in the increase. Federal Government should not judge by what they see in their own quarters where they can enjoy light 24 hours — nepa or no nepa. The country provides every thing for them but the majority of the population provide for themselves in terms of’ paying for bills without service and the personal provision of generations all over the country. The Federal government can testify to this fact from the cost of fuel for maintaining generators in various ministries and parastatals. These bills are always on the increase. Who cares and if the Federal Government cares, then where will the room for celebration he found-No where hut to think of putting more fund into the power sector. A lot has being done, but not enough to celebrate for now. It seems to me that the federal government is in a hurry to take such glory. People will judge on what is seen on ground - that is the resultant effect of the Federal government spending on the masses. federal Government is doing something — what and where is the impact on the people. This is democracy government of the people and not government of some people who don’t feel the negative impact of the people. Think of water. In the sixties and seventies, there use to be public taps for the public. These have disappeared with no alternative. Most of the diseases in the country are
With VICTOR ANIUKWU
water borne. People drink from wells, streams, ponds and from the mercy of land Lords, people are able to get water from boreholes to substitute for the lack of water in the country. Nigeria still remains one of the poorest counties in the world. Any country can be judged by the level or percent of care the masses
security, Agriculture, workers welfare, Pensioners welfare, unemployment, Foreign debt, religion and its p r o l i f e r a t i o n , infrastructures, Boko Haram and the commander in Chief — CORRUPTION – “BABA” of them all. This matter of corruption stands upright with confidence in eighty five, per-cent of the country’s work force are waiting for someone to bell
cleverness, your wisdom, your intelligence, definitely you will want to call for a celebration to alert the people of such achievement. In this case few people achieve reasonable height and wish to be anonymous because they attribute their attainment as God’s wish for them. They don’t personalise it. When it is personalised, it becomes material and not spiritual.
don’t mean religious nor spiritism - No. Religion in the present world has being greatly compromised, Religious principles are n elementary way to spiritual consciousness or realization. And spiritism is a combination of material and spiritual affairs. Frankly, in spiritual practice, there should be no compromise because the principles are
enjoy from its government. We cannot compare our country to foreign countries where care and concern for the masses is very glaring, social wise. I hereby state equivocally that the Federal Government is indeed trying to improve but the situation on ground is not and not ripe for a celebration. My question is: what will that celebration be tagged? Based on these outstanding crucial issues such as light, water, Roads,
the cat. Even General Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo who fought squarely to reduce Nigeria’s foreign debt to zero tolerance, did not call for any celebration. When one sincerely achieve something with the fear of God, he gives the glory to God and does not require any celebration for that. This one fact is highly spiritual. When you try to achieve nor achieve something which you attribute to your efforts, your acumen, your
Any material claim has little or no advantage at both ends, but anything done with a spiritual backing is seen as a sacrifice and has advantage at both ends. Federal Government should think spiritual and not more of material. One of the causes of chaos in the country is strongly due to excessive involvement in materialism. This is there at all levels with no checks and balances. When I talk about spiritual consciousness at all levels, I
much higher and require high level of discipline. Otherwise why is corruption on the high side and at top level, where tile principles of religion is highly expected to be applied for better living, understanding, and better governance. A good leader who wants to be on the safer side with governance must be spiritually involved not inclined. This may sound strange to someone or anyone who is so much involved in materialism. So much materialism saps us our spiritual well being that can promote us into the realities of our well being. In the material would, popular ones, the rich class top notchers,, high personalities, Highly placed ones, arc always recognized, giving the front seat with various titles. These are
“The present achievement does not call for celebration because our neighbours, Ghana celebrated one month of no power stoppage. Nigeria has nothing to celebrate. There are still disappointments in the various developmental areas such as light — Nigerians can’t celebrate one week of no power failure.”
acceptable in the material world. And if you ever think of going to the kingdom of God, all these titles are not acceptable because they are related to your material well being. Your spiritual wellbeing is what is required to go to God. Remember that the ‘‘Pure in Heart, shall see God’’. You cannot go to God without cultivating all spiritual values and discipline, beginning from the prelim, from where you grow into the required pre—requisites that makes your journey back home, a safe and easy journey. There is hell, there is Heaven, and these arc all temporary places. Hell is a reformatory school and not an eternal place. Heaven is a place where you enjoy better and higher form of living, where you can stay to enjoy better life and a long duration of life, not as it is here on this earth, where there is more struggle, suffering and a shorter duration of life. Most of us aspire to go to Heaven. We should aspire to go to the Kingdom of God that is eternal. The Bible tells us that heaven and earth shall pass away and more so, God made Heaven and earth. The Bible also confirms that all denizens of Heaven shall rot away. These are hard terms of the scriptures and not the flowery terms of he Bible which majority of people like to hear and practice. At least, at the end 0f every year, take stock of your spiritual well being. This involves your words, thoughts and actions. What (do you do with your words, thoughts and actions? Very important to your spiritual growth. To advance in this celebration right, think right, walk right, work right, do right, give right, piay right, Live right, act right, eat right, drink right, remain upright always, in preparation to go back to the eternal kingdom of God. Finally, I advise Nigeria and Nigerians to celebrate 100 yeas in 2060, (1960 — 2060) when Nigeria will be a stronger, viable and much better recognized country, free from corruption, embezzlement with best standard of living for a better befitting celebration come 2060. ‘Our home Nigeria, must not be allowed to fall by any guise”-Adieu.
Issues
Kidnap Of Chief Ozekhome, One Case Too Many
FOR more than a week now, the where about of the renowned and dogged human right activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome and four security personnel who were reportedly kidnapped along BeninAuchi road by his abductors, is still unknown. According to reports in some National dailies, the kidnappers are demanding about N150 million from the family to secure his release. However, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev Mathew Hassan Kuka, has made a passionate appeal to the kidnappers of Chief Ozekhome to release him to his family. Bishop Mathew Kuka described the kidnap of the Human Right Activist as shocking and too much punishment for someone who has sacrificed so much for the Country. This matter calls for concern and should not be treated with kid gloves. Is it that those involved in this dastardly act are above the capability of the state to arrest this menace that has rendered homes in perpetual hopelessness and captivity, or Government is afraid to bring their excesses under control? Nonetheless, one is compelled to believe that there is a high class of involvement of the
“untouchable gangs” with closed contact with eminently placed status in the society” that is involved in this criminal act threatening law and order among peace loving Nigerians. It is regrettable that people who have laid down their lives for the service, protection and defence of the rights of others that are daily trampled upon have suddenly become targets of this dastardly act perpetuated by criminals. The problem of kidnapping, ultimately, goes beyond colour, creed, religion, ethnicity, etc. It is a cross cultural and anti-social phenomenon totally at variance with accepted norm or rules of engagement. No doubt, with the recent kidnap of primary school teachers in Benin City, and released after spending close to two weeks in the kidnappers den without a clue to the public on how much was coughed out as ransom, one would have thought that the resolve of security agents solely charged with the task of protection of lives and properties, would have been enough to stem the ugly reoccurrence of kidnapping that is fast becoming a routine in the society. It is painful and
responsible for the coherence and h a r m o n i o u s By DAVID O. LAWANI maintain this combinations of the c o l l a b o r a t i v e different parts of the for jobless youths have relationship. society. Society is sweet disturbing that with the been evidently adduced Also, at the Afenmai when it has the right reoccurrence of this evil as reasons for Youth Coalition Summit youths”. act coupled with its unbridled poverty. Government must recently, Mallam attendant catastrophes and M e a n w h i l e , Nurudeen Asonugie, begin to evolve Psychological trauma left Neighbourhood Watch appropriate policies in in its trail for victims’, introduced by Comrade who represented Prince order to have accurate Amen Edore Oyakhere, authorities charged with Adams Aliyu DON, said: “ weak number of youths the task of checkmating Oshiomhole as a way elders now file behind leaving our higher Institutions year in year out so as to make appreciable provisions for conducive environment that would be necessary for youths to put their creative abilities to good and effective use. Only a Country that plans for her youths will reap the benefits of sound virtues and a secured future. In his reaction, former Chairman of Nigeria Union Journalists, Edo State, Comrade Friday Obanor, said: “ this is a huge challenge to Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) no doubt. The NBA must rise up to the challenge by evolving Mohammed Abubakar, I.G of Police appropriate bill to the this gory development of reducing joblessness indiscipline youths to National Assembly in appears dazed and among the youths in the inflict violence and this on-going on their helpless. State must be allowed pains constitutional However, the menace of to perform their communities out of amendment as a way of inordinate and selfish insecurity can be reduced functions. deterring criminals from to a reasonable extent, if Those being paid by ambitions”. According to him, embracing kidnapping as millions of naira allocated the government as whether a habit or vocation in the to security votes is n e i g h b o u r h o o d “youths, judiciously utilized by watchers to secure the defined from the context society. The need for Federal, states and Local neighbourhood as a of age or state of mind, political will must not be Government Councils. It is way of complementing represent the harmony of ruled out as it will help a fact that lack of viable the efforts of the society. They are the in bringing down the industries and security agencies, must core prerequisites of rising tide of kidnapping employment opportunities work in unity to beauty. They are to a manageable stead.
“Government must begin to evolve appropriate policies in order to have accurate number of youths leaving our higher Institutions year in year out so as to make appreciable provisions for conducive environment that would be necessary for youths to put their creative abilities to good and effective use. Only a Country that plans for her youths will reap the benefits of sound virtues and a secured future.”
EVERY WEDNESDAY, WEEK 08, 2013 LUCKY 1.2. X SELECTION 1 INTERNATIONAL NOS. HOT PAIRSS 4 16 10
23 44 45 47
BANKERS
1
10
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16 18 23 44 45 46
}
1.FLEETWOOD
16 XXB
2. YORK
23 XXB
3. TELFRD
44 2XB
4. CARLISLE
3 505
5. COVENTRY
4 USE
6. BRADFORD CITY
1
7. TRANMERE
10 PAY
007
OUTLOOK
N 1
1
OXFORD CITY
41
TRANMERE
10
N. FERRIBY
40
XOX
XOX CCB CCB
8. CREWE
6 CBK
9. VAUXHALL M.
45 CBK
NORTHAMPTON
19
T0P
10. WORCESTER
46 XXX
TAMWORTH
34
T0P
11. LEAMINGTON
39 X0
12. STALYBRIDGE
42 X1
13. ROTHERHAM
9 XXX
14. TELFORD
44 TIP
15. STOCKPORT
43 NP
BRADFORD
1
AEB
16. VAUX HALL M
45 XO
COVENTRY
4
BXX
17.OXFORD CITY
41 XOX
TRANMERE
10
CBK
18. NEWPORT CO.
18 XX
FLEETWOOD
16
DEP
19.NORTHAMPTON
19 NN
VAUXHALL
45
EAT
20. GUISELEY
37 ??
=
45
} } }
BRADFORD CITY
BIG BELLS
By SAM EHEBHA GSM:08056626091
SATURDAY RITUALS
1 4 9 10 18
GOSSIP NAP
1 10 46
}
NAP
45 44
PAIR
IF NOT NOW WHEN?
10
A 10 P 44
40
EVERY WEDNESDAY, WEEK 08 2013 WATSON WEST 1.2.X FORECAST
By SAM EHEBHA GSM:08056626091
Your Star
EDITOR’S NAP
NAP 45 XX 45 XX 45 NAP 4 XX 4 XX 4 PAIR 19 VS37 PAIR 10 OR 40 GOODLUCK LET IT BE
PAIR 18 OR 13 WATCH OUT
NAP 1 XX 1 XX 1 PAIR 45 OR 46 BE A WINNER
PAIR 23 OR 45 THERE IS HOPE
PAKER NAP NAP 18 XX 18 XX 18 PAIR 13 OR 14 FOR SURE
ODIONS NAP
PAUL NAP
OKUNS NAP NAP 46 XX 46 XX 46
NAP 23 XX 23 XX 23 PAIR 9 OR 10 EXECUTIVE
J. B. NAP
SUNNY NAP NAP 4 XX 4 XX 4
MURPHY NAP
BEST COMPILER
NAP 16 XX 16 XX 16 NAP 44 XX 44 XX 44 PAIR 23 0R 45 PAIR 19 OR 34 BE MY GUEST HAPPY BETTING
GUESSING GAMES
4
3
16 18
@
6
SMOKING GUN BEWARE
48 17 15 1 39 36
03 11 12 25 26 29 5 FOR THREE DRAWS?
Nemanja Vidic Calm Despite Goal Drought MANCHESTER United skipper Nemanja Vidic insists there should be no cause for concern despite their inability to get on the scoresheet in the last two Premier League games. United opened their campaign with a 4-1 thrashing of Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium, but since then have been held to a goalless draw by Chelsea and lost 1-0 to arch rivals Liverpool at Anfield. It is more than seven years since United last went two games without finding the back of the net. Questions are already being asked about David Moyes’ tactics, with some fans claiming he is too defensive. And while Vidic accepts United must improve, he does not believe the situation is cause for alarm. “I would not say we are worried — but we have to improve some areas,” he is quoted as saying in The Sun. “Not scoring is not like us. But it is still the beginning of the season and we have so many games to play, some tough games. “In the first game against Swansea, we scored four. But I don’t judge matches only on goals. From every game you can take positives and negatives — even from this one. I think both games against Liverpool and Chelsea were really solid and we didn’t give our opponents anything. “Obviously, we lost the goal after just a few minutes but I don’t remember having such
an easy game at the back. They didn’t look very dangerous. We had lots of possession in the final third but the pass wasn’t there. We had so many crosses from set pieces and we didn’t take the chance to score from any of them and we should have done better. “But, overall, we were the better team. We just didn’t get the three points. You need the next game as quickly as possible. But the next game is Crystal Palace after the internationals and we have to be ready. “Some of us will stay here and we will work hard. Some players will go away and maybe a few of them will need the games as well. Sometimes you need to go away, play for the national team and come back ready to perform.”
Lukas Podolski To Miss 3 Months
Rodgers
Rodgers Content With Summer Additions
LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers is happy with his deadline day business despite missing out on a late move for Shay Given. from Sporting Lisbon, Sakho Rodgers moved early on from Paris Saint-Germain Monday to complete deals for £12 million and Moses for defenders Tiago Ilori and on a season-long loan from Mamadou Sakho, as well as Chelsea. winger Victor Moses. A deal for Aston Villa’s 37Ilori signed for £7 million year-old keeper Given was
Fellaini Thrilled To Sign With United MAROUANE Fellaini says he is thrilled to work with David Moyes again after signing with Manchester United. It was just after 2am on Tuesday morning, three hours after the transfer window closed, that United confirmed the £27.5million deal had finally been done. Belgium international midfielder Fellaini follows Moyes from Goodison Park to Old Trafford having first linked up with him in September 2008, when he joined Everton for an initial fee of £15million from Standard Liege. “I have worked with Marouane for five years and I’m delighted he has decided to join Manchester United,” said Moyes. “He is a player with great ability and strength and I think he will make a real difference to our squad.”
The 25-year-old had a £23.5milion release clause in his Toffees contract but that expired on 31 July. With Moyes having allowed that to lapse, United have ended up paying £4million more for his services. The Fellaini fee is the fourth highest transfer in United’s history, ahead of Wayne Rooney and behind only Dimitar Berbatov, Rio Ferdinand and Juan Sebastian Veron. His 12 goals for Everton last term underline the goal threat he can provide given, other than Shinji Kagawa, who scored six times, no midfielder managed more than two strikes for the Red Devils last term. After securing his move, Fellaini said: “I am thrilled to sign for Manchester United. “I have known the manager for many years now and I
have a lot of respect for his way of working. “When I was given the opportunity to work with him again, I jumped at the chance. “I had a fantastic time at Everton and I’d like to thank all the fans and staff there for everything they have done for me. “But being a Manchester United player is something that every player dreams of and I believe that I can make a real contribution to the team’s efforts to win trophies in the future.” Fellaini, who also tweeted his appreciation to Everton fans, will now link up with the Belgium squad ahead of their World Cup qualifying Group A match against Scotland at Hampden on Friday night. He is set to make his United debut in the Premier League clash at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, September 14.
also a possibility, only to fall through — but Rodgers is happy to press on with Brad Jones as back-up to first choice Simon Mignolet. The manager has finished the window with eight senior signings — with Ilori, Sakho and Moses adding to the summer arrivals of Mignolet, central defender Kolo Toure, left-back Aly Cissokho, midfelder Luis Alberto and forward Iago Aspas. He has also held on to last season’s 30-goal top scorer Luis Suarez, who looked likely to move during the close season after declaring publicly that he wanted to leave Anfield. Rodgers said: “I’m obviously very pleased. The
Fabio Borini
window this summer has been very productive for us. We’ve certainly got more competition and as a manager you always want more, but we’re more than happy with the business we’ve done. “We’ve added freshness to the group. What we were looking to bring in was hunger — even though Kolo Toure is 32, he’s very hungry to succeed. “We’ve done great business over the course of the summer — and we’ll run with that until January and see where we’re at then. I’m sure we’ll look to strengthen again and finish off the second part of the season like we did last season.”
ARSENAL forward Lukas Podolski has revealed he is now expecting to be out for three months as a result of the hamstring tear he suffered in the second leg of the Champions League play-off with Fenerbahce. Podolski, who scored twice in the 3-1 Premier League victory over Fulham on August 24, had to be stretchered off during the 2-0 win against Fenerbahce three days later. He had initially been ruled out for a minimum of three weeks before the prognosis was revised to between eight and ten weeks. Following a medical in Munich, where the German international side has been preparing for World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Faroe Islands, it appears he is now likely to make his return to action in December. “I will be sidelined for a long time — approximately three months,” Podolski told Bild Zeitung. Germany team doctor HansWilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, who also carried out Mesut Ozil’s medical ahead of his transfer to Arsenal on Monday, confirmed Podolski had suffered a muscle tear after examining the player, the DFB website reported.
Borini Joins Sunderland LIVERPOOL forward Fabio Borini has joined Sunderland on a season-long loan deal. The 22-year-old joined the Reds from Italian side Roma in July 2012 but has spent some time on the sidelines due to injury and has failed to get regular game time. The arrival of attacking players like Daniel Sturridge, Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto has further lessened his chances of becoming a regular this season. As a result, he will join Paolo Di Canio’s side for the remainder of the 2013/14 season, where he will look to establish himself as a regular starter and goal scorer. The Black Cats have also acquired the services of former Liverpool fullback Andrea Dossena on a loan deal from Italian side Napoli.
Real Eye Plans To Recoup Gareth Bale Fee
Gareth Bale happy to complete Madrid move
SOURCES close to Real Madrid have already started revealing how the club plan to ensure a return on their 200 million euro plus investment in fee and wages over the six years of Gareth Bale’s contract. With the consensus in Madrid and London now tending towards Real having agreed a world-record 100 million euro transfer fee with Tottenham to sign the Wales international, questions continue about the wisdom of spending so much on a relatively inexperienced and unproven player, especially with the Liga side having sold the more internationally established Mesut Ozil to Arsenal for around half that
figure. John Brewin says Real Madrid will satisfy Gareth Bale’s ambition, though only time will tell if he can justify his price tag. Even before Bale’s move was completed, Marca had reported that Madrid president Florentino Perez and his righthand man and marketing expert Jose Angel Sanchez already had a plan in place to make the move profitable off the pitch. Amid its blanket coverage of the new galactico’s presentation on Tuesday morning, AS included a story, headlined “Bale will sell 40,000 jerseys a season”, which gave details of how Madrid planned to “exploit the commercial potential” of the
Kaka Excited By Mario Balotelli Link
Former FIFA world player of the year Kaka has completed his free transfer move to Milan, who he had left to join Real Madrid in 2009. Kaka was given a hero’s welcome after signing a twoyear contract with AC Milan on Monday, and the Brazilian is already looking forward to the “immense joy” of playing alongside Mario Balotelli. Kaka, who was named World Player of the Year in
2007, made his long-awaited return to the Rossoneri on transfer deadline day, saying he had “returned home” after four “difficult years” with Real Madrid. Milan had already tried twice to lure the Brazilian back, and so it was a case of third time lucky for him, and for the fans. Several hundred blocked the road outside Milan’s headquarters in Via Turati, desperate to catch a glimpse of their former and new idol, who will wear the No. 22
Cheryshev Joins Sevilla the left wing, forcing him to On Loan Sevilla have confirmed the signing of midfielder Denis Cheryshev from Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal. The 22-year-old scored 11 goals in 34 appearances for Madrid’s B side last season and spent preseason with the first team. However, the arrival of Gareth Bale saw the Russian falling further down the pecking order on
Denis Cheryshev
search for regular game time elsewhere. “The chance to come to a historic club live Sevilla is the opportunity of lifetime,” Cheryshev told reporters. “There is still competition at Sevilla but it is something that can improve us all. If you are on your own you run the risk of relaxing. Cheryshev extends Madrid stay. “The first idea was to continue at Real Madrid, but at my age I need to play first team football. “Bale is a good player who will improve the Spanish league but it also means that some players will have to leave.” Cheryshev recently extended signed a new contract with Madrid which ties him to the club until June 2017.
shirt. “Milan is ideal for me and in the past few days, I’ve dreamt of hearing the fans singing my name inside the San Siro,” Kaka told Milan Channel. The 31-year-old will have to wait almost three weeks for that, when Milan host Napoli in what was already a mouth-watering clash even before his return was announced. It is now a game not to be missed. “I’ve always played with great champions here,” continued Kaka, who won one Scudetto and the Champions League in his previous spell in a red and black shirt. “Before it was Pippo Inzaghi, and now it’s Balotelli. I hope to experience immense joy with Mario. “I was really sad to leave here, but now the delight at returning is twice as strong.” Not only will Kaka form what looks set to be a formidable partnership with Balotelli, but Stephan El Shaarawy cannot wait to get onto the field alongside a player he always looked up
to. “He’s my idol,” he told reporters after arriving in Florence for international duty with Italy. “It’s a dream come true for me to play with Kaka. I’m delighted.”
deal. “The sales of jerseys could multiply should the player begin the season on the right foot, scoring goals and putting on an exhibition,” the story predicts. The summer’s business at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu signalled the intention of Perez and Sanchez to pivot their focus away from the Far East and South America and towards the ‘Anglo-Saxon market’, AS said. “The club are opening the Anglo-Saxon market after losing a share of the market elsewhere with the loss of Kaka, who has enormous pull in China and South America,” according to the story. Bale and Adidas are also reportedly now set to renegotiate their commercial arrangement, with Madrid set to receive a cut of all revenues generated. Bale will also appear alongside Barcelona’s Leo Messi on the cover of the FIFA 2014 game, due to a deal with EA Sports. The success of Bale’s own
Figo Tipped To Replace Leonardo general Jean-Claude Blanc Le Parisien claims Luis Figo At PSG and deputy sporting director heads the list of potential successors to Leonardo as sporting director of Ligue 1 champions Paris SaintGermain. Leonardo, 43, quit his role at
the Parc des Princes after almost two years following the capture of Edinson Cavani on July 16. Having asked director
Luis Figo
Afellay Cinema Remain At Barca
Midfielder Ibrahim Afellay and Isaac Cuenca will remain with the club and have been given their first team numbers. The Dutch midfielder has been given the number 19 jersey, while the young Spaniard will continue to don the number 23 jersey. Both players were loaned out
‘Eleven of Hearts’ brand will also apparently be lucrative for Madrid. “With this it is expected to commercialise even clothes and jewellery which, according to the experts, could generate profits of 4 million euro a year,” AS’ story claims. Meanwhile, former Madrid striker Ronaldo has called on journalists and supporters not to ‘obsess’ about the money which has been paid for Bale. The ex-Brazil international warned Bale via Mundo Deportivo that his huge pricetag could become an issue should things not go well on the pitch. “There should not be an obsession over the price which has been paid,” Ronaldo said. “It will be normal that when he does something wrong on the pitch, the fans will consider that, having paid 100 million euro for him, he is obliged not to make mistakes.”
last season, with Afellay spending some time with Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04, while Cuenca was sent to Ajax Amsterdam. The duo are currently recovering from injuries after undergoing operations during the
offseason. Click here for Afellay to undergo surgery Cuenca to undergo surgery Afellay went under the knife to correct a chronic muscle problem in his right thigh in August, whilst Cuenca had a cartilage operation on his right knee in June.
Olivier Letang to complete the Brazilian’s work during the remainder of the transfer window, PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi recently stated the club was in no hurry to appoint a full-time successor, and even suggested they may not fill the position. However, Tuesday’s edition of Le Parisien states that Al Khelaifi has a three-man shortlist of potential appointees, with Figo’s name at the top. The former Portugal international, 40, currently holds an ambassadorial role at Inter Milan, the last club of his illustrious playing career, and, though he has no experience as a sporting director, his contacts forged at the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, and his ability to speak several languages, including Italian — a major asset with the PSG squad made up of several former Serie A players — make him an ideal candidate. The newspaper claimed former PSG forward Pauleta, who played for the club between 2003 and 2008 and who even occupied ambassadorial functions for the reigning French champions, is also on the list, though he is behind his former international team-mate Figo in the running.
Grassroots Planning Key To Delta’s Success In Sports - Commissioner
Maku Pledges Cash, Material For Athletes THE Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, has pledged cash and material donations to the ministry’s athletes due to participate in the 2013 edition of the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Benue and Ondo states are jostling to host the 2013 annual FEPSGA taking place in November. Maku made the pledge while answering questions during an interactive session with members of staff of the ministry on Monday in Abuja. The minister, who said that lack of adequate funding had affected the smooth execution of the ministry’s programmes, assured the athletes of improved funding for their activities. He said that cash prizes to all medal winners in the next edition of the games would be increased to encourage hard work and commitment. He said the ministry was making a case for additional funding from the SURE-P to enable the ministry meet its set goals and objectives. “The primary worry here is lack of fund and that is our most difficult challenge in the running of this ministry. “We are trying our best to see how we can get additional funding from other sources to improve the working condition in the ministry,’’ he said. Maku urged the staff of the ministry not to be discouraged by the present situation but to work harder to enable the ministry achieve its set goals and objectives. He said interactive session would be held regularly henceforth to discuss the challenges facing the staff and to proffer solutions to them.
CHIKE Ogeah, the Delta State Commissioner for Information said on Monday that successes recorded by Delta in sports was a result of planning and ‘catching of talents from the grassroots’. Ogeah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration placed emphasis on discovering and grooming of talents from the grassroots. He said the governor initiated a policy aimed at appointing sports administrators who would be in a position to plan and implement in the short, medium and long term. According to him, one of such policies led to the discovery of international athlete, Blessing Okagbare who became the only ‘blessing’ to the country. “Sports, you can see, go in tandem with our human capital development. She did what Nigeria has not been able to achieve in many years, since 1999. She did it alone in a country of 160 million people. “She brought back two medals, but that is because the governor decided to develop sports. The commissioner also added that in a bid to achieve that in a sustainable manner, Gov. Uduaghan took a bill to the state House of Assembly which would provide for a 10-year
Samuel Eto’o
Cameroun Must Avoid Defeat To Libya World Cup Qualifiers:
CAMEROON will have to win or at least concede a draw on Sunday against Libya in Yaoundé, in the sixth and last day of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in order to qualify for the playoffs of the prestigious Brazilian event (Kick-off at 16h30 CAT). The indomitable Lions are currently leader of their group I with ten points, one point clear from their opponent of the day, thanks to their default victory against Togo. The Sparrowhawks enjoyed a
2-0 win over the Cameroonians in Lomé in week-4 of the qualifiers, but had to hand over the three points to Samuel Eto’o’s teammates ultimately for having fielded Olympique Marseille’s midfielder Alaixys
Warriors, Mambas Play For Pride ZIMBABWE and Mozambique will have nothing but pride to play for when they clash in their final 2014 World Cup qualifier in Harare on Sunday. Kick-off at the Rufaro Stadium for this Group G clash is at 15h00 CAT. With Egypt having dominated the group and racked up five successive wins to secure their passage into the next phase of qualifying, the Warriors and Mambas are playing only to avoid the ignominy of finishing at the bottom of the standings. At the moment Zimbabwe occupy the ‘wooden spoon’ position after picking up just one point from five matches. Mozambique have fared only a little better, claiming two points so far. Neither side can get anywhere near seconc-placed Guinea (10 points) nor have they won a match yet, so both will be keen to pick up the three points in an attempt to add a little gloss to what has obviously been a disappointing qualifying campaign.
The match signals the start of a new era for Zimbabwean football, as they have replaced Klaus-Dieter Pagels with Ian Gorowa. This will be the former Moroka Swallows coach’s first competitive match with the full Warriors team, though he has already had some time at the helm of a locally-based team
that beat Zambia to qualify for the 2014 CHAN tournament. As for Mozambique, they have also recently qualified for CHAN under coach Joao Chissano and they may use this dead-rubber as a chance to further prepare for the 2014 tournament early next year in South Africa. The referee for this match is Mahamadou Keita from Mali.
Boateng Joins Black Stars For Zambia Decider KEVIN-PRINCE Boateng arrived in Accra on Monday night to rejoin the Black Stars ahead of their deciding World Cup qualifier against Zambia on Friday. The ex-Germany international is reunited with his teammates for the first time since November 2011 when he announced his retirement from the Black Stars. Boateng landed at the Kotoka International Airport at 7pm on
board a Lufthansa airline. The 26-year-old made his debut for Schalke in their 2-0 win over Bayern Leverkusen on Saturday following his move from AC Milan a day earlier. The versatile midfielder is now expected to get a huge reception on his return to join the Black Stars haven rescinded his decision to quit international football. Boateng will train with the team at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday morning.
Romao who was suspended for that game. Only a victory would allow Libya to take the leadership in the Group and book their ticket for the last qualifying round. But the Cameroonian coach has announced that they will play to win and will not try to secure a draw. « We have a team that can win. It is always dangerous to play for a draw because football always has its unexpected. It is the reason why we have to work in order to be ready against Libya because there is a lot at stake, » assured Volker Finke who does not want
to play down their opponent. « We saw Libya play at the 2012 AFCON and they beat us in the first leg. We need to respect them, » warned the German. For this crucial game Cameroon can count on striking duo Samuel Eto’o-Eric Choupo Moting, who have both recovered after missing the Lions’ last two games due to injuries. Absent from the 2012 and 2013 African Cups of Nations finals, the Indomitable Lions would not want to miss this opportunity to shine once again on the international stage.
tenure for key sports administrators in the state. Ogeah explained that idea was to assemble people who would be able to plan very well.
Buckingham Palace To Host Match BUCKINGHAM Palace will host a match between two of England’s oldest amateur clubs as part of the Football Association’s 150th anniversary celebrations. The Southern Amateur League fixture between Civil Service FC and Polytechnic FC has been organised in part by Prince William, president of the FA, and will take place within the grounds of the royal residence in London on October 7 after the Queen gave her permission. Wembley groundsman Tony Stones has been tasked with creating a pitch for the game in the 40-acre grounds more used to hosting garden parties and receptions for international guests than sporting events. Civil Service — founded in 1863 — are the sole surviving club from the 11 which founded the FA in the Freemasons’ Tavern in the same year and later drew up the original laws of association football. Polytechnic — who, like Civil Service, are based in Chiswick, West London — were founded in 1875. At the match, 150 volunteers will be presented with medals by the Duke of Cambridge as a tribute to all of the 400,000 people who help organise local football around England every year. “In our 150th year, it is hugely important for the FA to honour the efforts of the many thousands of volunteers who week in, week out, help to provide the opportunity for millions more people to enjoy football at grassroots level,” the prince said. “Inviting 150 of these volunteers to Buckingham Palace provides a fitting way for the FA to pay tribute and give thanks.”
Cote’d Ivoire Face Morocco To Regain Confidence Gosso was replaced by SC
ALREADY through to the 2014 World Cup play-offs, Côte d’Ivoire host Morocco on Saturday in Abidjan in their last qualifier in Group C (kick-off at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium at 19h00 CAT). Lying at the top of the pool table with 13 points, five points clear of closest challengers Morocco with only one more game to go, the Elephants are out of reach. Although the Ivoirians have booked their ticket for the last qualifying round, they need to boost their confidence after their severe 4-1 defeat against Mexico in a friendly on the 14 August in the United-States. It is an important game for two reasons. Firstly because our last international encounter was not what we were expecting. And then because we are playing
against Morocco in Abidjan before our fans. We have to play and win this game, » admitted Côte d’Ivoire’s coach, Sabri Lamouchi, who is not expecting a walk in a park at the Félicia. « Morocco have nothing to lose. And we know that when you have nothing to lose, no pressure, you are able to play the best way possible. It is up to us to remain focused and very determined, » added the former French international. Lamouchi made very few changes to the team which played Mexico, if not for the recall of Montpellier left back Siaka Tiéné, who had a very good start to his season with his new club. Injured Jean Jacques Gosso
Bastia’s midfielder Romaric Ndri, while Fortuna D?seldorf attacking midfielder Mathis Bolly is also out.
Yaya Toure
Odemwingie Aims To Impress At Cardiff PETER Odemwingie is hungry to prove his worth to Cardiff after signing for the club from West Brom in a £2.5million move on transfer deadline day. The 32-year-old Nigeria international had found himself surplus to requirements at The Hawthorns after his now infamous drive to London in a bid to engineer a move to QPR at the end of the January transfer window. His efforts ended in failure as West Brom refused to accept QPR’s bid but he is now keen to make a new start at Cardiff City Stadium. “I missed football and I am delighted to come to a fastprogressing team,” he told Cardiff City Player. “They have a young manager with a lot of ambition. “He has done really well in a short period and I hope to help
Victor Anichebe unveiled at West Brom
the team become better and I am grateful for the confidence they have shown in me. “I am very motivated and ready for action. The last six months, coming on as a substitute for 10-15 minutes was not what made me happy and I am a better player when I am happy. “I am very hungry and I will show the same attitude I had when I was scoring a lot of goals in games in the
Premier League.” Odemwingie will use the international break to get acquainted with his new team-mates before their Premier League trip to face Hull on Saturday week, and he is also keen to experience the atmosphere at Cardiff City Stadium. He said: “My father-in-law is a City fan and he says there is a fantastic atmosphere in the stadium and that is what I want. A lot of people have told me the fans are great here.
Anichebe Completes West Brom Switch
NIGERIA striker Victor Anichebe has joined West Brom on a three-year deal that was reported to worth about six million pounds. The big striker joined ‘The Baggies’ from Everton after
passing a Hawthorns medical – and will wear the No.16 shirt.
Ado-Ekiti To Host 2nd U-17 Zone II Games Peter Nelson, the Zonal Coordinator, National Sports Commission (NSC) Zone II, has said that Ado-Ekiti would host the zone’s upcoming U17 Games. Nelson told newsmen in Akure that the games had been scheduled to hold from Sept. 10 to Sept. 14. He noted that no fewer than 54 talents were discovered during the maiden games held in Akure. According to Nelson, the talents include 15 handballers, 10 volleyballers, nine basketballers and seven taekwondoists, all in both the male and female events. Zone II states are made up of three - Ondo, Osun and Ekiti. Nelson, also a Deputy Director in the NSC, added that the commission wanted to develop the various sports from the grassroots. He noted that the commission initiated the zonal elimination, to put each state in the zone in a competitive mood, ahead of elimination for the National Youth Games scheduled from Dec. 5 to Dec. 15 in Abuja. He added that trophies would be presented to overall winners in each of the sports,
saying only five sports would feature during the event Athletics, Judo, Wrestling, Badminton and Table Tennis. “We also want to improve on the athletics teams, especially from Ekiti and Osun states. “We want optimum performance from them and athletes discovered will be used to replace ageing ones,’’ Nelson said.
Anichebe replaced fellow Nigerian Osaze Odemwingie, who left for Cardiff City. The Toffees Academy product impressed last term as he fired eight goals including six Barclays Premier League strikes - in 24 starts and eight substitute appearances. And the 25-year-old is no stranger to scoring at ‘The Hawthorns’, having come off the bench to score an 87th-minute winner in a 1-0 victory on New Year’s Day 2012.
After coming through the ranks at Goodison Park, Anichebe made his first-team debut in February 2006 as a 17year-old substitute in ‘The Blues’ FA Cup fourth-round tie with Chelsea. He signed his first professional contract three months later – a fortnight after his 18th birthday - and his first top-flight goal came in a 2-2 draw with ‘The Baggies’ at Goodison Park on the final day of that season. In total, Anichebe has made 195 league appearances, including 57 as a substitute, scoring 34 goals.
Inadequate Facilities, Tournaments, Bane Of Badminton Growth - BFN
Francis Orbih, the Vice President, Nigeria Badminton Federation (NBF), yesterday declared that inadequate facilities and lack of tournaments had hindered the growth of the sport over time. Orbih told newsmen in Lagos that the federation planned series of championships for the remaining part of the year even in the face of poor facilities. “The federation has resolved to bring badminton from the dark to the light. We have put in place measures to transform the sport in Nigeria through national competitions,’’ the vice president said. According to him, the
federation is committed to give the sport due publicity by organising national championships in the country. “We have slated Kwara Open for later in October while Abuja Open will hold in December. I want to tell you that in the past, we might not have a national tournament in the whole year,“ he said. Orbih, who is also the Chairman, Lagos State Badminton Association, added that the federation’s programme for 2014 would be rolled out in November. “By November this year, our programmes for next
year will be released, including courses and seminars for coaches and umpires,“ he said. He added that the federation was committed to the development of technical handlers of the sport to reposition the game. “Our commitment is holistic; we need good and quality coaches. These are all aspects of the game that have to grow together. “Our trainers have to be wellequipped to enable them to impart quality stuff in our players and prepare them for international meets, “ he said. Orbih gave the assurance that 2014 would be very busy for the federation.
Peter Osaze Odemwingie
Joel Obi Hopes To Revive Career At Parma Obi has said he hopes to use his loan move to Parma to relaunch his once promising career and make a return to the Super Eagles. Obi, whose career has been hampered by recurring injuries, told Brila FM he hopes to get more playing time and do well with Parma. “Moving to Parma is a good move for me. This will give me chance to play regular football. They actually wanted a permanent deal, but we settled for a loan deal,” he said. “I will prove my worth and
Joel Obi
use my move to Parma to get back to the Eagles. I have not played for a year due to the injury. I am happy with the deal.” Joel Obi gets Keshi praise The left-sided midfielder last featured for Nigeria in November 2011, same year he made his debut against Sierra Leone in Lagos. Obi has not enjoyed regular first-team football action since his return from a long injury lay off. He joined Inter Milan in 2010 and has played 38 matches with a goal credited to him.
CMYK
Mimiko’s Triumph
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THE present rulers and their co-travellers rivals and opponents in the within and across (with exceptional cases in political shark-infested Edo, Ondo, Lagos etc) the country are waters in the Sunshine presiding over a perfect artificiality, a hoax, State. Therefore, looking at because the great mass of the Nigerian people did his political antecedents, I not have a hand in their democratic enterprise. This was cocksure that the is the naked truth”. Quoted in WHERE WE ARE August 29th Supreme Court (Page 130). In a country where purposeful, dedicated, focused political leadership and peopleoriented governance is like scattered oasis in the desert of our nascent d e m o c r a t i c experimentation, the news of the judicial victory of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo is heartwarming indeed. As a close watcher of the activities of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, I knew perfectly well that at the end of the day, he would significantly triumph over the political forces trying to pull him down in the Sunshine State. Readers may be wondering why I was very positive that Olusegun Mimiko would overcome the orchestrated and grandiose schemes of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria Party, where he became a ruling will add to his (ACN) and Olusola Oke Governorship Candidate triumphant political of the Peoples and subsequently feathers. Democratic Party (PDP) mercilessly overthrew an Before I will dissect in Ondo State. incumbent governor in the properly the implication of Political pundits will person of Olusegun Agagu Dr. Olusegun Mimiko’s agree with me that Dr. and became the latest victory at the Olusegun Mimiko has democratically elected country’s highest court, the demonstrated that he is Governor of Ondo State Supreme Court, where a political heavy weight popularly known and Akeredolu and Oke that has mastered the addressed as the IROKO dragged him to, permit me political ‘nuts and bolts’ (that is, the indefatigable, to add my voice to the in Ondo State. This is unconquerable and present thundering pleas, true because, here is a invincible political to those that kidnapped man who was denied personality). Chief Mike Ozekhome, to access ruthlessly to the Dr. Olusegun Mimiko is please release him unhurt governorship race under an eloquent testimony of a and unconditionally. It is the Peoples Democratic mighty grassroots indeed strange and tragic Party (PDP) by the politician, whose political that such a character like powers that be, only for masterstrokes are like Mike Ozekhome, a friend him to run to the Labour thunderous wind to his of the oppressed, a brother
“The implication of “Iroko”, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko’s recent triumph at the Supreme Court is that, politicians must always remember that, they are absolutely nothing without the unwavering support of the people.”
to the abandoned and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is presently in custody of kidnappers. What has our country gradually being turned
into? Where have we missed it that everybody is being attacked and kidnapped because some guys in town want to have easy money without working for it just like that? We know that the resources of this great country has been hopelessly and mercilessly mismanaged and misappropriated by some useless idiots that called themselves political and military rulers since independence, but must positive characters such as Chief Mike Ozekhome, who has been contributing his quota to our sense of democratic and legal belonging be victims of kidnapping? I plead again that Mike Ozekhome should be released without delay. The recent spate of kidnapping in Edo State has brought to the fore, the debate going round town about the type
of punishment that should be meted out to those indulging in this horrendous and highly condemnable act. I hereby add my voice to those calling for blanket ‘death sentence’ both for kidnappers and those stealing our collective patrimony, blind with the stroke of their biros. If poverty, disease, unemployment etc or whatever economic or social dislocations might have driven some unscrupulous chaps to the unholy business of kidnapping those who through their direct action of milking our common wealth dry via corruption, embezzlement of scarce resources, political dishonesty and other forms of abuse of office should equally be made to face the music of ‘death sentence’. This harsh prescription will no doubt go a long way in drastically reducing the incidences of several forms of impunity which some political office holders are indulging in today. Afterall, it is death penalty for corrupt practices in the Peoples Republic of China, and other isolated cases in the world. In the light of the argument above, I sincerely urge the state government and members of Edo State House of Assembly to proactively wrap up the present Antikidnapping bill being considered, in the best interest of the people of Edo State. Give or take something must be done urgently to instill real fear into the people using kidnapping as a means of livelihood today. The implication of
“Iroko”, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko’s recent triumph at the Supreme Court is that, politicians must always remember that, they are absolutely nothing without the unwavering support of the people. This monumental victory at that level has demonstrated that once you are popular with the people, it is very difficult for victory to go to the camp of political usurpers and buccaneers. This is exactly what happened in Edo State where Comrade Adams Oshiomhole triumphed incredibly over the political godfathers because the people stood solidly behind him down to the Court of Appeal on November 11th 2008. That is why I have equally taken it upon myself to stridently proclaim the people oriented activities of such performing State Governors in Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State etc. Olusegun Mimiko’s scintillating triumph as the duly elected Governor of Ondo State during October 2012 governorship election is indeed a huge victory for democracy and for all those who believe in democratic dividends, for the benefits of the greatest number of the ordinary people of Nigeria. Nowinta, wrote WHERE WE ARE
TOMORROW ON THIS PAGE
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We are sure that if Yar’Adua had returned to Nigeria half as healthy as Suntai is now, Jonathan would have faithfully assisted him to serve out his tenure
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-Hon. Josef Omorotionmwan
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